“Long time no see, Xie Guanlan.”

As Luo Wanqing’s voice emerged, the gaze opposite her trembled slightly. The two stood in silent stillness. Four years was too long, too much had happened—for a moment neither knew what to say.

After a long while, Xie Heng smiled first, breaking the deadlock: “After so long apart, Qingqing is so distant—don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She only gazed at him with her eyes, sweeping over his entire body inch by inch. After confirming he was whole and well, she walked before him and reached out to grasp his pulse.

—

Xie Heng instinctively wanted to withdraw his hand but was clamped down by Luo Wanqing.

Four years had long since allowed Luo Wanqing to fully digest the internal energy she had seized from Xie Minsheng, combined with her own arduous cultivation. Compared to years past, she was incomparably stronger—perhaps she could even match Xie Heng at his former peak, let alone now.

Her internal energy probed into Xie Heng’s meridians. His meridians were indeed as chaotically damaged as expected, though there were faint signs of repair. His other organs hadn’t suffered major problems—which was at least fortunate.

Confirming Xie Heng’s internal energy was intact, Luo Wanqing’s gaze moved upward to see the scar on his neck.

The scar was quite faint now, but the instant she saw it, her mind conjured that day four years ago when she watched him swing his sword to cut his own throat before everyone.

Her heart clenched instantly. Xie Heng noticed what she was looking at and said jokingly: “Don’t worry, I knew my limits back then.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She only stared at him.

He said he knew his limits, but at the time, in front of so many witnesses with countless skilled experts present, if he had shown even the slightest mercy, it would have been a flaw.

She didn’t explode in anger. She only stared at the person before her.

Compared to years ago, he had grown much thinner, almost gaunt. Yet with the gloom and coldness gone from between his brows, his eyes appeared starry and his manner refined and elegant.

Looking at his appearance, her heart tightened and ached wave after wave. Unable to say anything, she finally released the hand checking his pulse and said hoarsely: “Let’s go inside to talk.”

Now that he had little internal energy, on such a snowy night, he would likely feel cold.

She turned and walked forward, stepping in the snow.

The mechanisms on the back mountain of the Supervision Department had been almost entirely destroyed back then. Now everything had been rebuilt by her. Though she had tried to restore things as much as possible, some things differed from the past.

Like the patterns on the stone paving bricks, or the tree species at certain locations.

Xie Heng quietly observed his surroundings, listening to the sound of the person ahead stepping in the snow.

He looked up at her back. Now she was completely different from her youthful appearance of years past. Every gesture carried the unique noble bearing of those in high positions, along with a loneliness she hadn’t possessed before.

Xie Heng watched for a long time before finally sighing and proactively stepping forward to grasp her hand, enclosing her warm palm completely in his.

Luo Wanqing instinctively wanted to withdraw her hand when he pulled, but Xie Heng seemed to have anticipated this and said ahead of time: “If you want to withdraw your hand now, I truly couldn’t hold onto it.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing froze her movements. Xie Heng couldn’t help but laugh. Luo Wanqing turned away unwillingly, suppressing the heat in her eyes, and said coldly: “Let go!”

“It’s so cold—let’s go inside first.”

Xie Heng acted as if he hadn’t heard, openly pulling her along as they entered the house together.

After Xie Heng left, Luo Wanqing had moved into his small courtyard. Upon entering the room, Xie Heng discovered the entire room remained as it had been originally, though with Luo Wanqing living there, traces of a woman’s presence had been added throughout.

Like an added dressing table, or women’s garments hanging on the screen.

Yet aside from the added items, even the inkstone and brush rack on the desk were the same ones he had used back then.

Xie Heng looked around and turned back to look at her, his eyes meaningful.

He said nothing, yet Luo Wanqing felt embarrassed and annoyed. With a cold face, she turned and said: “Sit down and talk.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng followed her to the tea table.

Luo Wanqing raised her hand to pour tea. Xie Heng removed his soft sword and wine gourd. Luo Wanqing glanced at his soft sword but said nothing more, only asking softly: “Tell me what happened back then.”

Xie Heng paused, knowing this was an interrogation.

Luo Wanqing gave him no chance to escape, asking directly: “Killing Li Zong was such a major matter—why didn’t you discuss it with me?”

“If I had discussed it with you,” knowing he couldn’t evade, Xie Heng could only sigh and answer honestly: “Would you have agreed?”

She wouldn’t have.

“And I didn’t dare gamble with your life.”

Xie Heng lowered his head to take tea, his tone carrying bitterness: “I know too well what kind of people we are. If Li Zong offered the throne in exchange for your life, I wasn’t confident everyone would stand on my side. For people like us, putting Prince Shengzhao on the throne, vindicating the Cui clan, and implementing the Great Xia Code had already become an obsession. Anyone could be sacrificed—especially you. So I didn’t dare gamble.”

“But they went to rescue you.” Luo Wanqing said calmly: “You miscalculated.”

“Yes.” Xie Heng smiled, actually quite pleased, and admitted frankly: “I miscalculated, but that means I won the gamble.”

He feared losing, so he wouldn’t gamble.

Luo Wanqing heard him conceding in every word. She turned her head away and continued questioning calmly: “So how did you discover the master within the Pavilion was Li Zong?”

Xie Heng glanced at her, knowing she hadn’t calmed down. He sighed: “Ji Ruifang told me. That female official who participated in the siege against my mother and then fled from the palace to Jiangnan—named Chu Yi—she was from the Pavilion. She discovered it.”

“Ji Ruifang told you and you believed her?”

“Naturally because what she said matched what I had investigated before, and I also tested Li Zong. Li Zong was determined to kill you,” Xie Heng shook his head, quite helpless, speaking of regicide as if it were nothing: “I could only kill him.”

With that, Xie Heng grew somewhat curious and looked up at Luo Wanqing: “Did Elder Brother thoroughly purge the people in the Pavilion?”

“The Pavilion is an organization unique to successive Li clan monarchs,” Luo Wanqing’s tone was calm. “If an heir is confirmed, they generally gradually transfer control. Li Zong never handed it over because he never confirmed anyone. After Li Zong died, Yang Chun was originally managing the Pavilion. After Yang Chun left, the Pavilion became leaderless. After His Majesty ascended the throne, someone called Bai Xun came forward and proactively pledged the Pavilion’s allegiance to His Majesty. His Majesty is still testing them.”

“I see,” Xie Heng nodded. “Good that it’s in Elder Brother’s hands.”

“And then?” Seeing him divert the topic, Luo Wanqing pressed: “After killing someone, you didn’t run but went to Li Guiyu’s place seeking death, executing ministers in the throne hall…” Luo Wanqing looked up at him. “You left yourself absolutely no way out.”

“I still left some.” Xie Heng knew what Luo Wanqing wanted to ask. Ignoring the sharpness in her words, he explained: “Back when you told me the blade techniques Zhang Chunzi gave you were similar to what Zhang Jiuran taught you, I guessed that the family Zhang Chunzi had been searching for all these years might be Zhang Jiuran’s family.”

Luo Wanqing frowned. Xie Heng continued: “Zhang Chunzi was a martial arts fanatic in his youth. They say he abandoned his wife and child to study martial arts and killed countless people. Later when he became number one under heaven, he remembered his wife and children.”

Xie Heng smiled mockingly as he poured himself tea: “Back then when he lost to my uncle, he agreed to my uncle’s terms—he would confine himself in the heavenly prison and cause no more trouble, but my uncle would use the court’s full resources to search for his wife and children. After searching so many years, even Zhang Chunzi himself had given up. I’d never crossed blades with Zhang Chunzi before and didn’t know his techniques, but since your blade work came from Zhang Jiuran and resembled his, and recalling I had investigated Zhang Qiuzhi’s life history which matched Zhang Chunzi’s son, I guessed…”

“Zhang Yiran is Zhang Chunzi’s grandson?”

Luo Wanqing understood. Xie Heng nodded: “Yes. So I used this secret as an exchange to request Zhang Chunzi rescue me. His cultivation method can reshape bones and reconnect sinews. While in the heavenly prison, I had him reconnect my meridians first. Though still damaged, as long as there was some connection, I could circulate internal energy. Then he gave me a portion of internal energy which I integrated using Ji Ruifang’s cultivation method. Before the execution, I took renowned life-sustaining medicine and feign-death drugs. After cutting my throat, I promptly circulated my cultivation to reconnect my meridians, then Zhang Chunzi protected me with internal energy all the way to the Dao Sect. The Dao Sect has an ice cave that can freeze and preserve a person’s body, which gave me time to slowly recover and heal.”

“So these four years, you’ve been recuperating in the ice cave the whole time?”

Luo Wanqing’s voice was hoarse. Xie Heng paused. For some reason, he suddenly felt somewhat helpless, murmuring: “Qingqing…”

“You say you left yourself a way out, but you had Li Guiyu block me. If I hadn’t gone…” Luo Wanqing looked up at him. “With your head removed, could you reattach it?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. Even one so skilled with words found himself defeated in this moment.

What was there to say?

It was fact that he went to his death before her. Even if unavoidable, making her watch him cut his own throat with her own eyes—how cruel was that?

Both knew this was an unavoidable reality. Luo Wanqing closed her eyes, saying with some difficulty: “The second time, Xie Heng.”

The first time watching him fall into water at Liufeng Island.

The second time watching him cut his own throat before her eyes.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and said hoarsely: “Rest. I’ll go back first.”

Noticing Luo Wanqing wanted to leave, Xie Heng immediately spoke: “I’m the one intruding. I had Zhusi clean your room. I’ll go there instead.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. Seeing her unmoving, Xie Heng looked at her. She knelt alone in the candlelight, her emotions unreadable. Xie Heng looked at her, then reached out to take his soft sword.

With the soft sword secured, he looked at her. Seeing no reaction, he took the wine flask next.

With both sword and flask secured and nothing left to fuss with, Luo Wanqing still said nothing. Xie Heng finally admitted defeat and could only stand up, hesitating about leaving. Yet he still couldn’t help saying: “Qingqing, I know you’re angry. But some paths I had to walk. Xie Heng was destined to die. Whether in the past life or this one, given what he did, no one could save him.”

Xie Heng looked at the shadow on the ground, saying hoarsely: “Only Xie Guanlan could live. I know you’re sad. I’m sorry. But Qingqing, I’ve always chosen you.”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him. Xie Heng said softly: “Guanlan was born because of you, lives for you. Qingqing, it’s always been this way. I don’t dare ask your forgiveness, but for this lifetime, I can only follow behind you. I’m sorry.”

Having finished speaking, he bowed his head slightly and stepped away to leave.

When he opened the door, the wind and snow were very cold. Luo Wanqing raised her head, looking at that thin back, watching him step forward to leave, watching him arrive like an enchanting dream and about to dissipate away.

Panic suddenly rose. Unable to control herself, she rushed forward violently, crashed heavily into him, and held him tightly.

The sudden warmth stunned Xie Heng. He felt the tears from the person behind him soaking through his garment.

He stood frozen in place, then heard Luo Wanqing’s hoarse voice: “Why won’t you even try to coax me?”

Xie Heng couldn’t speak for a moment. Luo Wanqing said with a sobbing tone: “Say something nice, hold me, coax me, say anything at all—I would forgive you.”

“But…” Xie Heng slowly reacted, smiling bitterly and helplessly: “I cannot do that.”

With that, he turned around and reached out to gather Luo Wanqing into his embrace.

The loose empty garment hung on him. His wide sleeves draped over Luo Wanqing. Xie Heng rested his cheek against Luo Wanqing’s hair, breathing in this long-missed fragrance, embracing the warmth that haunted his dreams, saying in a low voice: “How could I take advantage of your affection to deceive you so?”

“If you coax me, how is that deceiving me?”

“I know your heartache, I know your suffering,” Xie Heng smiled. “How could I cover over your pain with a few casual joking words? Qingqing, I have a lifetime now,” As Xie Heng spoke, gentleness appeared between his brows. He slowly smiled: “I’ll use a lifetime to make it up to you.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. Xie Heng held her, not wanting to let go.

After a long while, he heard the young woman in his arms speak in a muffled voice: “Xie Heng.”

“Mm?”

“You’re too good at coaxing people.”

This made Xie Heng freeze. He saw Luo Wanqing look up at him through tears, seeming somewhat unwilling as she said: “You’ve coaxed me into feeling better.”

This surprised Xie Heng somewhat. Luo Wanqing stared at his face, saying seriously: “But you must remember—you owe me. From now on you must listen to me. From now on you belong to me. You belong to me alone. You’re never again allowed to sacrifice yourself for anyone else, never again allowed to look at anyone else even once, never again allowed to…”

Listening to this, seeing the smile the person before her couldn’t quite suppress, she realized these “harsh words” of hers had probably achieved the opposite effect.

She pressed her lips together and stared at the person before her trying to suppress his laughter. He was obviously making every effort to appear serious as he said earnestly: “I respectfully obey the Director’s command.”

Yet these words only made Luo Wanqing feel she was being teased even more. She coldly waved her hand: “Come in!”

Xie Heng didn’t dare say more. Head lowered, suppressing his laughter, he walked into the room. Luo Wanqing coldly directed him to wash up. She washed first. While Xie Heng was washing, she listened to the sound of water in the small courtyard and couldn’t help feeling somewhat dazed.

How long had it been since she’d heard this water sound?

She counted the days.

In the past when Xie Heng was here, she often secretly came over at night and would hear the pond water sounds in the small courtyard.

After he left, the small courtyard became unusually quiet. Only in hindsight did she recall every sound he made.

Occasionally she would hear water sounds and rush to the small courtyard, only to find nothing there. After a while, she understood she was dreaming.

Now she didn’t know if she was dreaming or not.

She lay dazed on the bed, looking at the unsteady floating light in the darkness. Then she heard footsteps in the distance. She turned her head to see through the gauzy curtains—a gentleman in wide-sleeved white robes, barefoot with loose hair, treading on the cold night’s floating light, dreamlike and illusory as he approached.

Luo Wanqing stared blankly at that person until he sat on the bedside wrapped in water vapor, lifting the curtain. Only then did she suddenly awaken.

“What are you looking at?”

Xie Heng asked though he knew, his expression between smile and not-smile.

Luo Wanqing instinctively wanted to look away, but feeling that would show weakness, she propped herself up to look at him, gazing at the young man sitting on the bedside, and commanded: “Let me see.”

Xie Heng raised an eyebrow but didn’t obstruct. He simply let Luo Wanqing untie his sash and pull down his garment.

Beneath the garment, wounds covered his body. Luo Wanqing’s hand trembled as she brushed across the wounds on his body. Under her gentle caress, Xie Heng’s muscles involuntarily tensed.

“Were these from the heavenly prison?”

Luo Wanqing’s voice was hoarse.

Xie Heng responded softly: “Mm.”

Then he comforted her: “They’ll heal.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare say more. She only stared at these wounds.

That bit of unwillingness from earlier completely dissipated. Looking at these wounds, she looked up at the person before her and couldn’t help saying: “Do you feel pain living on?”

“I feel guilt.”

Xie Heng spoke gently: “But because I’m too happy, even feeling guilty, I still want to cling to life.”

“You’re not clinging to life.”

Luo Wanqing shook her head, lowering it, saying hoarsely: “You’ve been reborn. Xie Guanlan,” she lowered her head to kiss the wound on his chest, moving up bit by bit. When she kissed the wound on his neck, Xie Heng’s breathing suddenly grew heavy. She gently bit his Adam’s apple, commanding: “Love me.”

These words were like a heavy hammer smashing through a dam. Xie Heng felt some emotion surging out from his heart.

He laughed softly and pulled her onto himself to sit on him, looking up at her.

His lean-fingered hand with its slight calluses explored from her legs into her skirts. Xie Heng gazed up at her like a nocturnal demon.

“I respectfully obey the Director’s command,” Xie Heng smiled as he looked at her. Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but tense her body, curling her toes. Xie Heng’s voice grew hoarse as he kissed her gently yet dominantly: “Xie Guanlan loves Luo Wanqing alone.”