Not exposing what you see through maintains harmony.

Geng Songsheng stepped back half a pace, his face expressionless. “The porridge is ready. I was just about to call Master Pei and Miss Li.”

Li Buyan didn’t play games. “Sure you’ve finished talking?”

Geng Songsheng didn’t answer, only pulled the door fully open.

Zhu Weixi rose from the ground. “Buyan, come in and have some hot porridge. Master Xuyun even roasted buns—they smell wonderful.”

Master Xuyun?

Li Buyan glanced at Zhu Weixi by the brazier, nearly tearing up.

Zhu Xuanjiu, I curse your ancestors eight generations back! You’d even harm your own daughter and lawful wife—you’re nothing but an inhuman beast!

“I’ll go call them.” She turned and left.

Soon, Yan Sanhe and Zhu Yuanzhao gathered over, each cradling hot porridge and chewing roasted buns.

After downing a bowl of hot porridge, drowsiness set in. Yan Sanhe, thinking they’d descend the mountain at dawn, said, “Let’s just make do on the meditation cushions for the night.”

Geng Songsheng pointed inside.

“It’s cold in the main hall. You can spread out and sleep in the left and right rooms. My master won’t drive you out, just be quiet when you enter. I’ll go outside and do some work.”

With that, he pulled open the door and strode into the wind and snow.

Young Master Pei shivered from the cold wind, muttering, “What work could he do this late at night?”

Former lovers parting ways—Li Buyan felt unhappy and snapped irritably, “Why do you care!”

Young Master Pei: “…”

What’s gotten into this girl?

Isn’t it a good thing there’s no rekindling of old flames?

“We can still sleep for one hour. Seize the time. In one hour, get up and prepare to leave.”

Yan Sanhe picked up a meditation cushion and headed toward Old Monk’s room. “Buyan, Weixi, you’re sleeping with me.”

Young Master Pei listened to the snoring from that room, his back teeth grinding audibly.

I want to go in too—is that okay!

“I’m not tired, don’t want to sleep. I’ll go run around outside for a bit.” Li Buyan threw out this line and also went to the outer room.

Zhu Yuanzhao: “Miss Yan, I’d like to go talk with Songsheng.”

Yan Sanhe nodded. “As long as you both have the strength to go down the mountain tomorrow, I won’t interfere with what you do.”

Zhu Weixi rose from the floor. “Sanhe, I’ll sleep in the room with you.”

“Alright!”

The two tiptoed into the room, and Zhu Weixi curled up on a meditation cushion.

Yan Sanhe picked up Old Monk’s robe from beside them and draped it over her.

Zhu Weixi looked up in a daze.

Yan Sanhe gazed at her. “When we return to the capital, come to my villa. I’ll lend you my shoulder so you can have a good cry.”

Zhu Weixi shook her head. “I’m not a fragile vase that breaks at a touch. I can hold on.”

“I can’t hold on. Lend me your shoulder so I can have a good cry. After crying, I can look forward to being reborn.”

Zhu Weixi looked at her, looked deeply at her.

After a long while, she reached out to grasp Yan Sanhe’s hand.

This hand was very cold, just like its owner, but Zhu Weixi knew that inside that ice-cold body was wrapped the most passionate heart.

As long as the heart stays warm, the road can continue, right?

Zhu Weixi slowly closed her eyes.

Yan Sanhe waited for her breathing to gradually steady, then gently tried to withdraw her hand, but couldn’t.

Such a tight grip.

Yan Sanhe sighed soundlessly.

Geng Songsheng was the first hurdle she had to face. The hurdle of emotions—difficult to pass, yet also easy to pass.

The next hurdle…

Thinking of this, Yan Sanhe looked up toward the bed, saying softly, “Great Master, can Madam Mao’s life still be saved?”

“…” No one answered her.

She didn’t mind. “Departure!”

…

Snow continued falling, still heavy.

In the wind and snow, Geng Songsheng’s voice rang like a great bell.

“Huangqi supports Master Pei; Ding Yi supports Second Master Zhu; Miss Li supports Miss Yan; Ludan comes with me.”

Eh?

What about Zhu Weixi?

Master Pei pointed. “What about her?”

Geng Songsheng ignored him, turned to walk to the back stone house, and when he returned, he had a large contraption on his shoulder.

He dropped it on the ground and glanced coolly at Zhu Weixi.

“You sit in it, grab onto the hemp rope, hold tight. Ludan and I will pull together.”

Everyone was dumbfounded.

This was something like a bird’s nest made of bound wood. A person could curl up inside, with ropes front and back to pull it along—the person inside didn’t need to exert any effort.

So when he said he was going to do work, this was what he meant?

Zhu Weixi pulled down her scarf, revealing her small mouth. Her lips trembled, trying hard to lift into a smile.

Finally, she managed it.

She smiled and said, “One wooden hairpin in exchange for this—in the end, I came out ahead.”

“Just this once. You won’t come out ahead again in the future.”

Enough!

More than enough.

Zhu Weixi bent down and sat inside, her hands gripping the front rope tightly, so hard that tears came.

Geng Songsheng shouted loudly toward the eastern room—

“Master, I’ll see them off and be right back!”

…

Descending the mountain was ultimately easier than climbing up.

With the addition of Geng Songsheng, the journey went incredibly smoothly.

When they were still several dozen zhang from the mountain’s base, Geng Songsheng suddenly stopped and threw down the hemp rope in his hand.

“Honored guests, this is as far as I go.”

With that, he turned and strode back up the mountain.

So sudden.

Just as sudden as when he had descended from the sky before them, his departure came without the slightest warning.

Zhu Weixi stumbled up from the wooden board, removing her hat and unwinding her scarf, her gaze fixed desperately on him.

He didn’t look back.

Not even a word of farewell.

He just climbed upward step by step.

Gradually, he became a black dot.

Gradually, the black dot disappeared from everyone’s sight.

Meeting happens because there are debts to repay; parting happens because the debts are settled.

All settled!

Zhu Weixi felt as if a piece of flesh had been torn forcibly from her heart. The pain made her legs buckle, and she fell to her knees on the ground, wailing.

She cried her heart out, sobbed until she couldn’t breathe, cried snot and tears everywhere, without a trace of the elegance and bearing of a household’s mistress.

She suddenly recalled many years ago, at the hot spring manor.

After eating roasted sweet potatoes with him, they hurried back. Halfway there, her stomach began churning with acid.

She leaned against a tree trunk and retched twice.

He stood beside her watching the spectacle, occasionally mocking her.

After finishing, she wiped her mouth, preparing to continue walking back.

He squatted down in front of her. “Get on.”

She was stunned.

He had clearly said he wouldn’t even help her up.

“I’m counting to three. One, two…”

She quickly jumped onto his back.

That back was broad, with the unique slenderness of a youth, like spring willow branches—very resilient.

Now his back was not only broad but exceptionally solid.

That snowy night, he had carried her up to the Eastern Terrace Summit.

Though she had been dazed and confused, her heart knew everything.

She knew it all!

After crying her fill, Zhu Weixi pushed away the hands reaching to help her and slowly climbed up from the snow by herself.

She took one last look up the mountain, then wiped away her tears and walked down alone.

Geng Songsheng. Back then, I truly did fall for you, truly wanted to marry you. There was no deception.

—