Saying goodbye?

Situ Jing’er stared at Meng Duo’er in disbelief. “Saying goodbye… and you just let him go?”

“He wants to leave. Who’s going to stop him?” Meng Duo’er asked back with a smile.

Situ Jing’er looked at her, at a complete loss for what to say. Meng Duo’er smiled and said, “He told me love should be seized while young. I suppose… I might already be too old for that.”

“Nonsense!” Situ Jing’er said furiously. “Let him leave, fine, but what kind of ridiculous thing is that to say? You’re not old at all! Where did he go?”

Meng Duo’er shook her head. She’d always known Baili Weisheng would leave eventually—she just hadn’t expected him to come say goodbye to her, and even less expected that she’d be able to let him go so calmly.

Situ Jing’er fell silent for a long while before finally asking quietly, “Sister Duo’er, do you still love him?”

Meng Duo’er nodded without a moment’s hesitation. Love—she still loved him, always would, forever and ever, unchanging until the end of the earth and sky. Once she loved someone, she simply couldn’t get used to anyone else.

For many people, love may never be requited, but it will never change either.

“Sister Duo’er, you’re such a fool!” Situ Jing’er’s face crumpled with worry, aching with sympathy, reluctant to let her go. “So where are you going, then?”

“Not far. I’m going to keep watch over the bloodline clan’s tomb. If you miss me, just come find me there and we’ll play,” Meng Duo’er said, rising to her feet—it was time to take her leave.

“But there’s a banquet at noon today! Won’t you stay and leave with everyone else?” Situ Jing’er asked urgently.

Meng Duo’er shook her head, smiling. “I’ve waited long enough already. I can’t wait to get there.”

Waited long enough?

Situ Jing’er couldn’t quite understand what she meant. Only Meng Duo’er herself knew—ever since the events at the bloodline clan’s tomb had concluded, she’d known Baili Weisheng would leave, and she’d made up her mind, resolute as stone, to stay behind and guard the tomb.

That, in a way, would be her own place to belong. Having finally found somewhere to belong, she couldn’t wait to go back to it.

“Jing’er, please tell everyone for me that I’ve left,” Meng Duo’er said with a smile. Some things—like drinking water, knowing whether it’s warm or cold—only she herself could truly understand. She didn’t want to be questioned by everyone in front of the whole group; she didn’t want to explain herself at length. She only wanted to leave quietly.

“Sister Duo’er!” Situ Jing’er immediately threw herself forward, hugging Meng Duo’er tightly.

Even though the Blood Lord’s tomb was very, very close by, for some reason she suddenly felt as though Sister Duo’er were about to drift far, far away from her, forever.

Perhaps, it was a matter of distance in the heart.

This woman’s heart had already left.

Meng Duo’er gently patted her back, smiling. “Jing’er, Buli is a good man, not like the scholar. Love should be seized while you’re young—love boldly, and don’t have regrets.”

“Sister Duo’er, do you have any regrets?” Situ Jing’er asked, choked with emotion.

“No. I’m very fortunate,” Meng Duo’er said, slowly releasing her.

No regrets—she felt fortunate to have met that man at all. A lifetime is so short; and yet, thankfully, within that brief span, he had appeared. That alone was enough.

“I’m off!” Meng Duo’er said, slinging her bundle over her shoulder, bidding farewell without a moment’s hesitation.

Situ Jing’er walked her all the way to the palace gates, tears welling in her eyes. Meng Duo’er couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you crying for? It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. You can always come find me.”

“But… but I know, I know once you go guard that tomb, you’ll never leave it, not for the rest of your life! Waaah… that wretched scholar, what a terrible man!” Situ Jing’er finally broke down crying.

Meng Duo’er had no way to console her, smiling faintly as she finally pushed her away gently. “Jing’er, farewell.”

Situ Jing’er chased after her for quite a distance, still wanting to hug her one more time, but Meng Duo’er cast up a barrier to shield herself, then turned back, smiling and waving, before resolutely turning away and walking on.

Amid the endless stretch of yellow sand, that small, delicate figure grew farther and farther away, the barrier shielding her, and at the same time, cutting her off from the entire world…

The scholar had said, love should be seized while young. Girl, you’re already old—go get married.

She had answered, I intend to guard the tomb, to stay there forever, until I truly grow old. If you ever pass by, come see me.

He would wander the world forever; she would slowly grow old. She could never catch up to him, could never chase after him anymore.

Only by staying rooted in one place might there be, perhaps, a chance to meet again in this lifetime.

Soon, that thin, solitary figure vanished into the endless yellow sand, and Situ Jing’er, tears streaming down her face, waved with all her might. “Sister Duo’er, farewell!”

When Baili Weisheng had left the night before, he’d only said goodbye to Jun Buli and Meng Duo’er—he hadn’t even told Ziqing or Baili Xiaosheng. It was Jun Buli who’d broken the news to Ziqing and the others that morning.

Soon it was noon, and no one could find either Baili Weisheng or Meng Duo’er.

Situ Jing’er lowered her head and said flatly, “No need to wait for her. She’s gone. Left this morning. She’s going to guard the tomb. If any of you miss her, just go find her there—anytime at all. She’ll always be there.”

At these words, the whole gathering fell silent.

Baili Xiaosheng clenched her jaw tightly, silently cursing her master for being a wretch in her heart—not for her own sake, but for Meng Duo’er’s, cursing that terrible man.

After a long moment, Ziqing finally offered a small smile. “Let’s begin the banquet. Let them do as they please—no one can force people like that.”

Indeed. Neither of those two could be forced—one couldn’t be forced to love, the other couldn’t be forced not to love.

All they could do was let them be, so long as neither of them ever regretted it.

“Come on, everyone, dig in—I specially made time to prepare a whole table of dishes, determined to keep you all here with good food!” Yelu Qianqian said teasingly.

No one wanted to dwell on it any longer, and everyone began eating. Only Situ Jing’er sat there, dazed, absently pushing rice around her bowl.

At that moment, a sprig of vegetable landed on the rice in front of her, and she slowly looked up—it was Jun Buli.

“Eat your vegetables,” Jun Buli said flatly.

Situ Jing’er picked up the vegetable and ate it in silence.

Jun Buli picked up a piece of meat next, saying just as flatly, “Eat some meat.”

Situ Jing’er picked up the meat too, eating obediently.

“Eat the fish.” Jun Buli kept serving her, carefully picking every bone out of the fish before placing it in her bowl.

Situ Jing’er still didn’t refuse, eating obediently.

By now, everyone nearby had stopped what they were doing, watching the two of them—something seemed… off about them!

Jun Buli, actually serving someone food?

Situ Jing’er, actually being this obedient?

Situ Jing’er was too dazed to notice everyone watching, but Jun Buli paid no attention to the stares either, piling a heap of food into her bowl before finally saying flatly, “Serve yourself from now on. Eat more.”

Only then did Situ Jing’er look up at him, about to lower her head and eat again, when Yaotiao suddenly asked, puzzled, “Brother, why are you serving Sister Jing’er food? You’re sitting so far away from her.”

And it was true—Jun Buli sat directly across from Situ Jing’er, the farthest possible distance at the large round table!

Only then did Situ Jing’er snap back to reality, realizing the whole table had gone silent, everyone watching her. Her face immediately flushed bright red, red as could be.

Everyone at that table was sharp as a tack—they’d long since figured out what was going on!

Ziqing quickly pushed Yaotiao’s head back down, laughing. “Eat up, eat up, the food’s getting cold, it won’t taste as good!”

As she spoke, she served Situ Jing’er some food as well. “Jing’er, eat more, don’t think about it too much. If you miss Duo’er, just go find her.”

The awkwardness dissolved amid Ziqing’s laughter, and the table grew lively once more.

Ziqing served her own son some food too, adding meaningfully, “You eat too.”

Jun Buli seemed perfectly at ease, smiling as he replied, “Sure…”