Time passed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, the day arrived when she had agreed with Ou Miaonan to lift the seal on her Celestial Eye. Lang Jiuchuan carried a large bamboo basket and brought Jian Lan with her to the Ou household.

There were only a few days left before the new year. At this time of year, every household was busy with preparations for the festivities — truth be told, it was not the most suitable time to pay a visit. But Lang Jiuchuan had set the date long in advance, and even if it had been New Year’s Eve itself, she would have come regardless.

Ou Luozhong personally came to receive her at the gate, his expression quite at ease and relaxed.

Jiangche said: “It seems he has come to terms with his daughter’s blindness over these past few days. He is not glaring daggers at you, at least.”

As he spoke, he glanced again at the basket Jian Lan was carrying on her back and said: “You had thought of all of this in advance, hadn’t you — that’s why you came so prepared.”

Lang Jiuchuan said nothing. She only asked Ou Luozhong how Ou Miaonan had been these past few days.

Ou Luozhong kept a slight air of mystery and said: “You will know when you see her.”

Lang Jiuchuan asked no more — for very soon she saw Ou Miaonan herself. She had not waited inside the room, but had come in person, despite the bitter cold, all the way to the inner gate to wait.

She wore a rich and thick red fox-fur robe. Her hair, jet black, was styled in a double bun, adorned with delicate pearl ornaments. Her beautiful almond-shaped phoenix eyes were still bright and clear, yet unable to focus on the things of this world. But her spirit and bearing were excellent — the gaunt, sunken, pale face she had before had filled out, suffused with a faint rosy warmth, revealing the fresh and delicate beauty that a young girl should rightfully have.

Lang Jiuchuan looked at that young woman standing at the inner gate — one hand resting on her maidservant’s arm, her posture upright and graceful — turning her head toward the sound of footsteps as she heard them approach, the corner of her lips gently curving upward. Lang Jiuchuan let out a soft, quiet sigh.

Born into a distinguished family, with excellent looks and bearing, the cherished youngest daughter of her household, treasured like a gem in the palm of a hand — if only those phoenix eyes could see everything in this world as they should, how many young men would have sought her hand? What a fine and accomplished young lady of good family she would have been.

What a pity. No one is born a winner in life.

There was no need to even ask. Just from the fact that she stood here to receive her, one could tell she had most likely already made her choice.

Only her mother, Madam Ou, standing beside her, had eyes so swollen and red they were shot through with blood — her composure far less collected than Ou Miaonan’s own.

As expected, once they were seated inside, Ou Miaonan opened the conversation herself, saying she wished to have her Yin-Yang Celestial Eye sealed completely — even at the cost of never being able to see again.

Though Madam Ou had already steeled her heart in preparation, seeing her daughter declare this decision to Lang Jiuchuan with such firm resolve, she could not hold back her tears. She withdrew to one side, weeping quietly.

Ou Luozhong let out a long sigh, walked over, and gently patted her on the shoulder, consoling her softly.

Ou Miaonan turned her gaze toward Madam Ou’s direction, the corners of her own eyes growing a little red, but as though thinking of something, she pressed her lips together and raised her voice slightly: “Jie Jie, speaking of it, you might find me laughable — these short seven days have been a rare peace and ease I have not known in years. Though I cannot see anything, I have not had to witness those ghostly and shadowy things either, nor hear their ghostly speech and weeping, nor be frightened by them day and night. I do not have to worry about some ghostly creature suddenly appearing and giving me a fright that leaves me bedridden, causing my family to exhaust themselves over me. Nor do I have to jolt awake in the night, staring at the lamplight without moving until daybreak — waiting until the maidservants and nannies come to wake me.”

Madam Ou and the others, upon hearing this, were suddenly struck with alarm. What?

“Young Lady…” Ou Miaonan’s senior maidservant Zizhu also looked at her in stunned disbelief.

Ou Miaonan smiled and said: “Many times, when I jerked awake from a dream, I simply lay there waiting — so as not to make you all suffer alongside me. All these years, my body has been weak and ailing, and caused you all to share in that hardship.”

When the mistress sleeps poorly, how can those who serve her sleep soundly?

Later, she learned to keep it inside.

Zizhu was overcome with self-reproach at hearing this, and said with a choked voice: “Young Lady, how could you think this way? We servants have never suffered any hardship — to say such a thing, does it not make us feel all the more guilty?”

“It won’t be like that anymore, and I am no longer afraid.” Ou Miaonan turned her face once more toward where Lang Jiuchuan sat and said: “Perhaps Jie Jie will laugh at me for lacking courage — clearly there were other choices, such as taking up the Daoist path and learning to harness my own Celestial Eye, to protect myself, so that it would not come to being unable to see. But could I truly face it all with equanimity? If seeing the world meant having to endure horror and fear, I would rather covet this peaceful world — covet those nights of dreamless sleep until dawn, the ease of a mind at rest. If my heart is at peace, what does it matter that I cannot see? The colors of this world — I already know what they look like. They are all here within my mind.”

When her eyes had first been sealed, she had known panic and fear, and had wept quietly in secret over her fate. But when she discovered she could no longer see or hear those shadowy Yin creatures, she felt an indescribable peace at heart, and gradually began to relax.

She ate well. She slept soundly. Even unable to see, when she caught the fragrance of flowers, she knew how they would look in bloom. When snowflakes fell onto her hand, she knew what color they were, what shapes they would take.

She simply could not see what those things actually looked like before her. She was not altogether without knowledge of them.

Now, what she was learning was adaptation — learning to move about with ease even in darkness, not relying too heavily on others. Even though at home there were servants and maidservants to attend to her every need, there would be times when no one was near, and she wanted to be able to move independently — even to reach for things — so that she would not be entirely helpless.

Madam Ou wept until she was a flood of tears. Ou Luozhong, who supported her, felt as though his heart were being wrung out, and silently wiped at the corner of his eyes.

Jiangche said with feeling: “She seems to have grown up all at once. Too mature, and also too pitiable.”

He looked toward Lang Jiuchuan, wanting to ask whether her conscience ached — whether she was moved — but the woman had not a trace of being touched in her expression.

Jiangche gave a soft scoff, about to say this woman was truly cold and heartless — but glancing at Jian Lan’s bamboo basket, he closed his mouth again.

Lang Jiuchuan showed not the slightest sign of being moved. She only looked at Ou Miaonan’s clear and luminous eyes and asked: “Have you decided? No regrets?”

Madam Ou and the others raised their heads to look.

Ou Miaonan nodded firmly: “I have made my decision. I also do not know what Jie Jie intends to do — but the seal on the Celestial Eye need not be lifted.”

She lowered her head with a trace of self-conscious unease. She was only afraid that when she regained her sight, some wavering might creep into her heart.

It was better this way — she was already beginning to grow accustomed to it. There was no need to let in even that one thread of light.

“Very well.”

Madam Ou made to step forward, but Ou Luozhong held her back, shaking his head and saying: “Miaonan has grown up. She should have her own life. Her own path — let her walk it herself. Even if she stumbles along the way, it is better than her walking ahead of us.”

The meaning behind that word walking ahead was something Madam Ou understood well. In the end, she could not endure the torment any longer, and covering her face, walked out.

Ou Miaonan heard her mother’s heartbroken weeping from outside. Tears welled in her eyes. She bit her lip and said: “Father, go be with Mother. There is no need to worry about me.”

“It’s all right. Your mother will come around. Father will stay here with you — there is nothing to fear.” Ou Luozhong said, forcing a smile.

Ou Miaonan smiled. She then bowed to Lang Jiuchuan once more: “I am ready.”