She suddenly kicked his calf and broke free from his embrace.

Pei Thirteen howled and released his hands. “Why are you hitting people again? Little leper, your lover definitely doesn’t like you because you’re so moody.”

He spoke without restraint again, but she didn’t feel angry. This person gave her very complex feelings—there was a vague sense of oppression, but being with him made her feel very relaxed. She didn’t know if it was because he was a stranger or because he was particularly good at concealing himself.

“That person can’t really be called my lover. He and my master were once enemies. He was wary of me, used me, but also had some… joy with me. I also had hostility toward him, tested him, but in my heart I still hoped for his wellbeing… Of course, if he harmed my master, I would be the first to kill him.”

She slowly sat by the fire, speaking indifferently as if talking about someone else’s affairs, not like the person who had cried her heart out just moments ago.

“So you ended up in tragedy.” Pei Thirteen laughed heartily with schadenfreude.

“Yes, so later when he met a girl who could live and die for him, a girl who lived freely and boldly, who could change her entire life for him, who could even… I ended up in tragedy.”

Pei Thirteen was very curious. “Could even what?”

“None of your business!”

Pei Thirteen howled. “I hate people like you most in my life—those who say half a sentence. Like saying ‘let me tell you something interesting’ and then there’s no follow-up.”

She ignored him, only hearing him pause, then ask casually again: “What kind of person is your master? To make you so devoted—if I were your lover… tsk tsk…”

“Same as you, a young master from a wealthy family.”

She could speak freely with him about her affairs, but that didn’t mean she had no vigilance. Even though Lian Yu no longer held high court positions and only wandered the distant martial world, this fellow in the Great Zhou was probably either rich or noble, so she had to be cautious.

“Oh, what family’s young master? You said he and your lover are enemies?”

He seemed interested, but she subtly changed the subject. “If it were you, what would you do?”

“If I liked a girl, she would be my princess. I wouldn’t stop treating her well because of her interests or stance, even if she wanted to harm me. I’m afraid I couldn’t bear to hurt her.” Pei Thirteen said slowly.

“Even if beauties were devoted to me unto death. Of course, there’s no girl who can make me like her yet. I’m just that demanding of myself.”

“Do you feel even a bit of restlessness, any attraction to me?” A wave of orchid fragrance suddenly brushed against her nostrils as he suddenly sat down and brought his head close to her lips.

She heard the mocking tone in his voice. This type of person seemed harmless but was probably the most troublesome. As he said, it would be even less likely for him to easily fall for someone.

She slapped him. “Rest assured, I’m only attracted to men with power and influence who are also handsome.”

“I’m beautiful as a painting—couldn’t be more fitting!” Pei Thirteen was delighted. “Too bad you can’t see.”

He repeatedly claimed to be handsome, making her somewhat curious despite herself.

“How did your eyes go blind?” he asked again. “Were you born this way, then you worked hard to study medicine? Oh, so inspiring.”

She rolled her eyes. “My eyes were perfectly fine before.”

“I saved the girl he likes, got poisoned, and became like this.” She groped for a dry branch and threw it into the crackling fire.

She only talked about her eyes, not about life and death.

Pei Thirteen was silent for a moment, then smiled slightly and said: “You like him that much? Is it worth it?”

“But little leper, you actually want him to feel guilty, don’t you?”

She also suddenly fell silent, remembering her last words with Leng Xue before leaving.

“After he and the Princess live happily for ten years, you can tell him about me. But not now—definitely not. Leng Xue, I beg you.”

Yes, Lian Yu was her faith, but she also had her own selfish desires.

They were already impossible, but she wanted him to feel guilty. It was just that after ten years passed, even if he felt guilty, he wouldn’t leave Lian Xin. But he would remember her for life, feel heartbroken and blame himself for life.

She suddenly laughed. Someone like her indeed couldn’t compare to a princess.

She raised her chin slightly again. This was just how she was.

“Since you weren’t born disabled, little leper, I’ll definitely find a way to cure your eyes. I know the best doctors.” he said again.

This time his tone lacked its usual mockery—it was gentle and steady, as if there weren’t many things in this world he couldn’t accomplish.

She knew he must have some ability, but didn’t take it seriously. Some things were beyond human power.

“What about your appearance—you weren’t born like this either, right?” He paused and asked again.

She thought of Suzhen, her eyes slightly moistening, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up slightly.

“Because of a friend.”

Pei Thirteen was stunned. “Another lover of yours?”

“How could that be—it was a girl, my best friend.”

“Your lover changed his heart, so what about this friend? Why doesn’t she care if you live or die? And your master too.”

“She’s gone. The girl my lover likes is my master’s sister. Do you have any other questions?”

Pei Thirteen was silent for a while. She thought he might feel some guilt, but facts proved she was overthinking. He soon asked with a smile: “After saying everything, don’t you feel much better? Aren’t I very considerate?”

“But did your friend give you herpes or… these knife scars?”

So he had been giving her emotional support all along. She could unexpectedly imagine his despicable appearance, grabbed a tree fork and threw it hard at him. Pei Thirteen cursed and dodged.

She didn’t answer him, simply lying down. She didn’t want to mention Suzhen’s affairs. She was her lifelong confidante, and she had never been able to let go of her death.

If she could have saved her that day, she wouldn’t have returned to die together with the Wei traitor.

But he came over again, supporting her head and placing it on his lap.

“What are you doing?” she said coldly.

“What can I do? Could I possibly do anything to you, little ugly monster? Wait a moment.”

He spoke while fiddling with something with both hands.

Soon, he gently placed her head down, with something soft beneath. He seemed to have removed his outer robe and rolled it into a pillow.

“Still cold?” As if afraid she might be uncomfortable, he moved slightly away and added wood to the fire.

“It’s fine.” She answered lazily. He smiled. “I’ll watch over you. Sleep.”

Perhaps because she had indeed saved his life and they had no conflicting interests, being with him gave her a strange sense of security. She thought she would have another sleepless night like those others, but she slept until dawn. Even that fleeting feeling of wanting to end it all had faded.

People are sometimes so strange—when you feel you can’t bear it anymore, even a trace of strange kindness can make you continue, even if you feel you’ve been hurt beyond any possibility of returning to the past.

However, she could never say anything complimentary about that fellow Pei Thirteen. The next day, he refreshed her worldview again.

“A penny can stump a hero.”

How two penniless people would solve the matter of eating was a problem.

Last night, she had forgotten this issue, and obviously someone like Pei Thirteen wouldn’t take it to heart either.

The next day when she said “Pei Thirteen, I’m hungry” and Pei Thirteen replied with perfect understanding “I’m hungry too,” they remembered this major life issue.

“Let’s go find Ye Qiao for food.” Pei Thirteen said excitedly.

She nearly died of anger. “Where’s your shame? Are you even a man!”

“We still owe that girl money, which your attendants will repay when they come. If they haven’t all died.”

“Aiya, your crow’s mouth!” Pei Thirteen was very aggrieved, huffily going to pinch her face.

She raised her chin high, letting him try. Pei Thirteen naturally didn’t dare touch her face full of sores, shouting as he walked away.

Soon he returned. “Little leper, got it—your meals are on me.”

“Come, let’s find the Ye family young lady!” He came to pull her hand.

“I’m not going.” She kicked him.

“I’m not asking her for food. We’ll ask her to lend us a few coins. I’ll use it as capital and guarantee I’ll earn you money back today.”

“You want to go gambling?”

“I never gamble in my affairs. I have my own way of making money. Come!” He pulled her along.

She was also hungry. Though not pleased, she let him fuss about.

It was quite convenient—just as they left the temple gate, they encountered Ye Qiao running over with steamed buns, covered in sweat.

The two shared the steamed buns. Pei Thirteen borrowed some money from Ye Qiao and went outside to buy writing materials.

“Young master’s calligraphy is so beautiful! But what are we writing these for? Are we selling calligraphy and paintings?” She kept hearing Ye Qiao’s excited voice.

She could tell Ye Qiao had quite a good impression of this fellow. Perhaps his face really was presentable—he constantly emphasized his stunning beauty. Thinking this, she suddenly felt somewhat amused.

Strangely, Pei Thirteen seemed to know what she was thinking and suddenly whispered in her ear: “When your eyes recover, I want the first thing you see to be me. Trust me, you’ll be stunned by my heavenly beauty and from then on, like that spy beauty and countless other women, you’ll never forget me. You’ll cast aside whatever young hawks and old hawks completely.”

“What young hawks and old hawks? Who asked you to meddle?” Her tone suddenly grew slightly cold.

“There are three characters you murmured all night—that’s your lover, right?”

“What did you want to do with that small knife you held in your hand last night? Surely you didn’t save me just to kill me afterward. What is that Feng fellow worth making you want to live and die?”

For the first time since they’d met, his tone also carried a trace of coldness.