“No,” Qing Xia shook her head. “Some things—it’s not that if you don’t want to do them, you don’t have to. Besides, Qin Zhiyan can’t stay here with me forever either. If I were alone, no matter how beautiful the scenery, I’d eventually grow tired of it. No matter how interesting the place, I’d eventually get bored.”

Qin Zhiyan froze, and Qing Xia could even feel his back stiffen in an instant.

“Qin Zhiyan, we’re friends now, aren’t we?”

A snow-white rabbit suddenly bounded out from the bushes, circling around Qin Zhiyan’s feet front and back, curiously looking at the two people. This place had been unvisited by humans for so many years that the creatures here didn’t know to fear people. When Qing Xia was bathing earlier, even sika deer had jumped into the water, affectionately nuzzling against her body.

Qin Zhiyan nodded and smiled faintly, “Of course.”

“Mm, that’s good.” Qing Xia smiled. “I finally have a friend here too. These days, I’ve been confused and muddled, not knowing what I was living for. But now I’ve figured it out. This world is so vast, and I have plenty of time. Why not travel around and see everything? Perhaps one day when I’m tired from wandering, I’ll come find you. You’re wealthy and powerful—you must treat me well then.”

“Yima’er, do you have an older brother?” After a long silence, Qin Zhiyan suddenly spoke.

“I have no relatives here.” Qing Xia said in a deep voice. “Big Brother Yang is just a very important friend to me. He saved me many times and helped me many times, giving up many important things for my sake. That’s why I must find him.”

The return journey suddenly seemed so long. Qin Zhiyan’s heart felt as if a small insect had gently bitten open a wound. He smiled faintly, carrying Qing Xia’s petite form as he slowly walked toward the bamboo house.

“Qin Zhiyan, I understand now.”

“Understand what?”

“This Green Wood Hall actually exists to protect the central main hall.”

Qin Zhiyan raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“The Flame Hall is built on a volcanic crater. Once someone enters, it triggers small-scale volcanic eruptions to prevent intruders from reaching the main hall. But to prevent the volcano from destroying the main hall, they built the Ice Stone Chamber beside the Flame Hall to extinguish fires promptly in high temperatures. If the scale is massive, there’s also the Earth Hall behind to suppress volcanic eruptions. Few people can survive these three trials alive, let alone the outer hall mechanisms we haven’t experienced. But if someone manages to break through all the way here, it means they’re no ordinary person. Common mechanisms can’t stop them at all. So this Green Wood Hall paradise becomes the final tomb to deceive intruders. After experiencing such terrible things before, arriving at such a beautiful place, anyone would feel weary, wouldn’t they? Even you and I are reluctant to leave here.”

Qin Zhiyan smiled as he listened to Qing Xia speak, but his heart gradually grew cold. Among the swaying grass and enchanting moonlight, the man in blue robes carried the girl in moon-white dress, walking step by step through the bamboo forest, yet gradually falling into silence, losing words.

“Yima’er, do you really want to leave this place?” he finally asked softly.

“Not really, but I have to leave. I have more important things to do. It’s the same for Qin Zhiyan, isn’t it?”

Yes, it was the same for both—they both had more important things to do. This peaceful place was never meant for the living.

The small house under moonlight appeared very quiet. Qin Zhiyan placed Qing Xia inside the room and went out. After a while, he returned with some wild fruits, placing them on Qing Xia’s bed.

Qing Xia was already famished. Seeing them, she immediately grabbed them and ate. The wild fruits were crisp and juicy with delicious flesh. Qing Xia ate seven or eight in a row before feeling satisfied.

“You’ve been tired for so long. Sleep well. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the main hall, and then we’ll leave this place.” Qin Zhiyan stood before Qing Xia, tucking her in with a smile.

“Where will you sleep then? It gets very cold at night.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” Qing Xia frowned and said sternly, “Don’t give me nonsense about being afraid of ruining my reputation and sleeping outside. We both struggled so hard to survive, and you’re half-dead with exhaustion too. Without proper rest, how can we escape?”

Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly, reaching out to touch Qing Xia’s hair. “I won’t go out. I’ll just rest on the desk. Don’t worry, sleep well.”

Night gradually deepened. Bright moonlight streamed through the window. In the room, two people breathed softly. Both seemed to have fallen asleep, yet in the darkness, eyelashes trembled slowly.

Something had already begun to change quietly.

Between life and death, they had crossed a line they shouldn’t have crossed.

Everything happened too fast, catching them off guard.

Yet a vast chasm lay between them. In the darkness, Qing Xia opened her eyes wide, suddenly remembering that handsome man from the lakeside pavilion who had stood before her, saying in a low voice, “This might be the last time I want to trust someone.”

Everything was the same, just like this world where Tang Xiaoshi shouldn’t have appeared.

Though not strangers meeting by chance, they could only pass each other by.

“Qin Zhiyan…” A low breathing sound suddenly rang in her ear. Qing Xia, always a light sleeper, immediately awakened. She turned her ear to listen for a while before softly calling his name.

From the direction of the long desk, deliberately suppressed breathing sounds rang clearly in the room, like an injured beast trapped in dire straits, making heavy low calls at the moment of mortal danger.

Cold wind blew in from outside the window. The serene green bamboo cast mottled, broken shadows under moonlight. In the swaying light and shadow, Qing Xia sat up, frowning tightly, softly and tentatively calling Qin Zhiyan’s name. However, no one responded.

Qing Xia got out of bed barefoot. Outside the window, the bright moon cast cool radiance faintly illuminating the thin man lying prostrate on the desk. His hair scattered to one side, the blue robe glowing with a greenish-white aura under moonlight. He lay on the writing desk, very quiet without any sound. For a moment, Qing Xia even thought she had misheard, even thought he was just sleeping.

However, the next moment, obviously heavy, suppressed breathing sounds came again. The sound was so low, so deep, so small, yet Qing Xia still heard it. Her eyes immediately widened as she rushed forward in one step, saying in a deep voice, “Qin Zhiyan, what’s wrong?”

Qin Zhiyan’s back was ice-cold. When Qing Xia’s hand touched it, she could even feel him trembling slightly. She suddenly felt panicked, gently shaking Qin Zhiyan’s shoulder and asking softly, “Qin Zhiyan, what’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Reaching out to lift his head, but as soon as she touched the writing desk, she felt warm stickiness. Whether in her past or present life, Qing Xia was never unfamiliar with this sensation. Her heart felt as if someone had punched it hard. Eyes wide, she supported Qin Zhiyan’s body with one hand while covering her mouth with the other to keep from crying out.

The tea-colored writing desk was covered completely with large patches of fresh blood, flowing down the desk and dripping onto the blue front of Qin Zhiyan’s robe, already turning slightly dark red. His face appeared even paler under moonlight, blood at the corners of his mouth had congealed, brow tightly furrowed, immense pain displayed without any concealment.

“What… what happened?” Qing Xia was at a loss. She covered her mouth, feeling her mind go blank. The scene from that day in the Flame Hall appeared before her eyes again as enormous worry and fear rose from her heart. She knelt on the ground, supporting Qin Zhiyan’s head, trying to wipe the fresh blood from his face. But just as she reached out, another mouthful of fresh blood spurted out with a puff.

“Ah!” Qing Xia cried out in terror, her voice trembling as she held Qin Zhiyan’s head, calling out in panic, “What’s wrong, what’s wrong…”

Seemingly hearing Qing Xia’s voice, the weak man slowly opened his eyes. After a brief moment of confusion, his eyes immediately became clear. His face was pale as paper, yet his brow gradually relaxed. Fresh blood wound grimly down his slender neck as he smiled faintly at Qing Xia, “I woke you.”

His voice was already hoarse beyond recognition, yet still warm like the ocean. Qing Xia’s tears suddenly began falling drop by drop. A deep sense of powerlessness rose from her heart as she grasped Qin Zhiyan’s shoulders, which couldn’t straighten at all, asking frantically over and over, “What exactly happened? Why is this happening?”

“Heh…” Qin Zhiyan’s lips were soft as he looked at Qing Xia’s tearful eyes, slowly reaching out as if wanting to wipe away the tears from her eyes. But his hand only lifted halfway before falling back down.

“Don’t worry,” Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly, the tenderness in his eyes like warm June sunshine. “It’s nothing.”

“Don’t move,” Qing Xia wiped away the tears from her face and stood up, putting Qin Zhiyan’s arm over her shoulder, choking back tears as she said, “Go rest on the bed.”

Qin Zhiyan didn’t refuse, seemingly having no strength left to refuse. Qing Xia carefully placed him on the bed, covered him with blankets, and took out a clean face towel to carefully wipe Qin Zhiyan’s cheeks and mouth corners. Qin Zhiyan seemed to be in great pain. His brow was tightly knotted, blue veins protruding on his thin forehead, hands clenched into fists at his sides, body trembling slightly, large beads of sweat rolling down his face. Yet he made no sound at all, just lying quietly on the bed without any noise.