Lieying Ji tried several times to rush into the fire, but was tightly held back by Qing Xia each time. Suddenly, there was a crisp cracking sound, and all the tiles on the roof suddenly fell down, crushing Ousi Lanya underneath with a miserable scream.
Qing Xia and Lieying Ji stared at each other in stunned silence, not expecting this evil woman to meet such an end. But at this moment, time wouldn’t allow them to think too much. Just as they were about to turn and flee, a agile figure suddenly rushed near, shouting loudly: “Two fools, run quickly!” Grabbing one in each hand, he began running frantically through the corridor.
Wave after wave of surprises came too swiftly. Both Lieying Ji and Qing Xia were somewhat dazed, because at this moment, the man pulling them was none other than Yang Feng, who had been missing for over six years.
“How can you be here?” In the crackling flames, Lieying Ji’s eyes were full of joy, shouting loudly while running.
Yang Feng answered: “I was severely injured that day and was saved by someone. I wandered all the way here. My injuries were very serious, and only improved last year. I went out to look for you, but you were all gone.”
Just then, chaotic footsteps suddenly rang out, as if large numbers of people were approaching. Yang Feng’s expression brightened, saying happily: “It must be them coming. We just learned that you had entered. Run quickly, we’re saved!”
However, as soon as he finished speaking, a tremendous explosion suddenly erupted. The three of them were immediately blown apart, heavily crashing into the stone walls. In the last moment before losing consciousness, Qing Xia only dimly saw a blue figure rapidly approaching, pulling her into an embrace. That familiar fragrance was like lingering water, making her head dizzy and heavy.
Dizziness struck instantly, and the entire world suddenly plunged into complete darkness. The finest orchid fragrance drifted faintly into her nostrils as an exquisite bamboo door was slowly pushed open. Everything that met her eyes was a sea of green.
Bamboo tables, bamboo chairs, blue curtains gently swaying on the green bamboo bed, landscape paintings with distant artistic conception on the walls, elegant white candle stands in the corners, and boxes and cabinets all perfectly arranged in the room’s corners. The small room wasn’t large, but was extraordinarily quiet. Outside the window, the bamboo sea made soft sounds in the breeze, and fresh fragrance drifted in through the windows. White flowers swayed and danced in the bamboo forest like a fairyland of exquisite beauty.
A pale-faced woman lay on the bamboo bed. She seemed very tired, and even while sleeping, her delicate eyebrows were tightly knitted together. Her eye sockets were sunken, her lips pale, her small face gaunt, and fine crow’s feet had appeared at the corners of her eyes. Her skin was no longer as smooth as a young girl’s – years of walking in desert winds and sand had left their mark on her face, the former tenderness having become rough. Her injured shoulder bore several scars, new wounds accumulated with old ones, looking like several winding little snakes. Her back was burned by fire, with several blisters that had been opened, allowing thin pus to flow out, trickling over several arrow wounds on her back, looking so shocking. Her right foot had severe frostbite – an old ailment from years ago. Back then, right here in the Ice Palace, she had carried a man barefoot, step by step escaping from death’s door across the bone-chilling ice, never crying out in pain afterward…
It was such a delicate body, such frail shoulders, yet bearing so many heavy burdens and pressures beyond what people could imagine. All these years, cursed by the world, walking through blade winds and bloody rains, shuttling through rolling yellow sands, when she persisted so bitterly, had she ever carefully tended to this scarred body?
Slender fingers swept over her eyebrows and eyes like gentle wind, carrying faint warmth and deep care, gently applying medicine, bandaging, wiping the bloody dirt from her cheeks.
Those trembling fingers, that cold yet familiar touch – how long had it been, how long had it been since she had felt it?
Rippling water, as if in a dream.
Qing Xia seemed caught in a beautiful dream. Once again she dreamed of Qin Zhiyan, like so many times in these six years. She couldn’t see his face, but could feel his warmth, smell his scent. That pleasant fritillaria fragrance made her sleep deeply, as if her entire being was soaking in hot springs, warm currents sweeping over her eyes, flowing over her nose, covering her head, gradually enveloping her whole person, warm as March sunshine.
Never had a dream been as real as this one. She didn’t even dare open her eyes. If this was a dream, please never let her wake up. She reached out, tightly grasping those slender fingers, holding them tight, then her eyes stung, but no tears fell.
Qin Zhiyan, I won’t cry. You once said I was the strongest woman in this world, that no matter what happened, I would persevere strongly. Now, I don’t cry, don’t make trouble, don’t make you angry or worried – can’t you stay with me a little longer?
Sandalwood incense burned quietly on the bamboo table, the room peaceful, night-blooming cereus secretly blooming.
Not knowing how much time passed, the sky darkened and brightened again. Outside the window, cicadas chirped crisply and pleasantly, hundreds of birds sang, and gentle breezes carried fragrant scents. The person on the bed’s eyelashes fluttered lightly, then she opened her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, Qing Xia’s consciousness was hazy. She thought she was still dreaming, thought she hadn’t yet awakened, like many times in these six years. So she sat very calmly on the bed, looking at everything in this room – the bamboo tables, bamboo chairs, bamboo floors, bookshelves, boxes, cabinets, elegant landscape paintings, steaming washbasins, open windows, and the chattering birds outside.
Everything was so beautiful it didn’t seem real, especially having just escaped from such a desperate dead end. In her daze, Qing Xia even thought she had died.
Morning dew and night-blooming cereus, so close yet so far – eight years passed in an instant. This most beautiful place buried deep in memory, like a dreamland paradise, completely ensnared all her thoughts.
Not knowing how long passed, she sat there until her legs and feet went numb, yet the surrounding scenery hadn’t changed in the slightest. Suddenly, Qing Xia’s body shook violently. She immediately raised her head, eyes wide open staring at everything around her, mouth half-open in amazement, fists clenching tighter and tighter, nails digging deep into her flesh, drawing crimson blood.
Not a dream. This wasn’t a dream.
Qing Xia suddenly jumped down from the bed, her legs going weak and nearly falling to the ground. She steadied herself against the bedpost, palm pressed to her heart, breathing becoming increasingly rapid. Yes, she had seen Qin Zhiyan. In the towering sea of fire, she had seen that handsome, ethereal man. Though she hadn’t seen his face, she had seen his blue robes, felt his slender fingers, touched his solid chest, smelled the clear fritillaria fragrance on him. He had saved her, brought her to this Green Wood Palace. It couldn’t be wrong, absolutely couldn’t be wrong.
Qing Xia’s eyes were somewhat red, whether from the thick smoke or from being too excited. She wanted to walk over and push open the door, but found her legs were trembling slightly. Several times she stretched out her hands, only to pull them back again. Finally making up her mind, she suddenly worried about her face, hurriedly turning back to run to the small table, picking up the little bronze mirror to carefully examine her face. Too pale, lips without color – she could only roughly comb her hair and hurriedly wipe her face.
Standing before the door, taking several deep breaths, finally closing her eyes slightly, she pulled open the door with a whoosh.
Brilliant sunlight suddenly shone on her face, so bright she could barely open her eyes. She slowly opened them – her white robes fluttered in the wind, the morning breeze constantly lifting her hem, thick black hair scattered behind her, making her small face appear even more gaunt and pale. Bright radiant sunlight shone on the bamboo forest, filtering through sparse bamboo leaves to cast mottled light. Under the bamboo forest was a small flower garden, with a stone platform in front bearing a pot of clear tea, two teacups, and a bamboo chair beside the platform. Sitting on it was a man in light robes with a relaxed bearing.
The man had sparse, clear features and gentle eyes, his entire being carrying rich vicissitudes and warmth. He smiled faintly at Qing Xia, suddenly curving his lips in a light smile, his voice mellow like slowly flowing stream water, saying warmly: “You’re awake.”
Qing Xia’s tears suddenly fell just like that, like uncontrollable pearls dropping one by one onto the green bamboo threshold.
In the elegant flower garden grew several plants with clear fritillaria fragrance, the gentle breeze swaying, so pleasant and pure.
So it had always been this way – the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
“We have met before.” The gentle breeze blew lightly through the bamboo forest. The man still smiled faintly at her, offering no words of comfort, seeming not to notice, only saying slowly: “Your willful coming here might worry someone.”
Qing Xia felt very tired. She remembered that dusk by the Persian Gulf, when sunset was like battlefield blood, covering the entire sky in deep red. She had collapsed in the bay’s waves, feeling uncontrollable exhaustion throughout her body. That heartbreaking sense of powerlessness crawled over her entire being like flesh-eating ants. She slowly sat on the threshold, nodding weakly, her voice tired: “I remember you. Your surname is Liang.”
“The young lady has a good memory,” Mr. Liang suddenly smiled: “I also helped you take away a young girl who had a secret crush on you.”
Qing Xia raised her head, her brows gradually furrowing, saying softly: “How can you be here? Who are you? Did you save me? Where are my companions?”
Mr. Liang smiled faintly, saying: “You’re asking so many questions at once – which should I answer first?”
“One by one.”
Mr. Liang shook his head: “I’m afraid you don’t have that much time.”