Ni Su had long since prepared herself.

Starting from that night of wedding chamber candles, starting from that poem “Youth’s Journey” left on the menu’s appendix page, she was pledging her life to someone with whom she could never grow old together.

To love him, then watch him leave.

She had prepared herself—three meals of porridge and rice, one medical text, these would be the entire meaning of her remaining life. Less sorrow, less wasted time.

She believed she could do it.

If only, at this moment, it weren’t snowing.

Golden bells ringing, cold mist vast—the winter clothing she had just burned was now clean and neat on that person’s body. In his hair was a white jade bamboo joint hairpin.

And she wore no outer garment, her long hair loose, hadn’t even put on shoes or socks. Most of the lanterns in the entire courtyard had been blown out. Sparks from the copper basin before her flew up with the wind.

“A’Xi.”

His voice descended, cold as if soaked in snow. In an instant, it forced moisture to her eyes.

He walked closer one step; she retreated one step.

Xu Hexue suddenly stopped and moved no more.

He too couldn’t believe that at this moment he was actually in the mortal world.

“Come here.”

Ni Su belatedly realized, her voice trembling.

Hearing her voice, Xu Hexue compliantly lifted his steps toward her. The firelight in the copper basin extinguished. The wind carried the scent of plant ash.

He stood still at the bottom of the steps.

Gleaming dust particles floated bit by bit. Fragmentary light and shadow swayed before Ni Su’s eyes. Her vision grew increasingly blurred. “Hit me.”

Xu Hexue stood without moving. “A’Xi, you hit me.”

Even if this were a dream, at least in the dream they could still meet. At least Ni Su could see with her own eyes him standing before her wearing these clothes.

But the wind was very cold. Snow particles struck her collar, melted on her skin. She felt incomparably awake. Taking his hand—though still cold, it wasn’t as bone-piercingly cold as imagined.

The touch of cold and warmth—both trembled throughout their bodies.

Ni Su discovered fine thread-like pale gold flowing light occasionally flickering around his entire body, like the hidden pattern embroidery on his garment hems, yet flowing smoothly like water.

“Didn’t you leave?”

Ni Su looked up at his face. “Weren’t you… never coming back?”

“I…”

Xu Hexue actually wasn’t clear either about what exactly was happening right now, but seeing her tears unstoppable, he immediately used his finger pad to wipe them.

No matter how much he wiped, they wouldn’t finish. His finger pad repeatedly brushed the skin of her cheeks. Her originally frozen-pale face was rubbed by him until a thin flush emerged.

“A’Xi, don’t cry.”

He said.

Dense clouds massed at the horizon. Flying heavy snow made the outside streets especially lively. Countless people rushed from their homes, bringing their families, looking up at this April snow.

Dense clouds like porcelain—beneath the eaves throughout Yun Jing City, lamp flames simultaneously sent out threads of light that spread through the cloud layer under countless people’s gazes, like golden crack lines left after kintsugi repair.

Strange phenomena proliferated in the sky. Ni Su vaguely heard people’s exclamations from outside.

Purple mist permeated. A figure accompanied by ghostly cold light condensed on the eaves. He wore crimson armor, adorned with gold and stone, shoulders draped with auspicious clouds, waist belted with sash, garment hems flying as if to take flight. He wore a beast crown—beast eyes, human face, beard white and curled.

If not for those beast eyes, that face would be the face of the old Dharma Master Ni Su had encountered in the cypress forest of Que County’s Great Bell Temple.

This was the Earth Count of the Netherworld.

His features were clearly human, but his facial features combined the fierce aspect of beasts—fierce vajra eyes. Yet once he opened his mouth, his voice was deep and benevolent. “To suffer in will yet achieve the Way—these words don’t mean that to achieve the Way one must endure all tribulations, but rather that those who endure all tribulations yet still don’t change their will can attain the Way.”

“General Jade Token, while alive you possessed unparalleled achievements. You died bearing injustice yet harbored no resentment, thus attaining ascension to the Way. But it was precisely your lack of resentment that made you insist on remaining in the netherworld, ferrying thirty thousand wronged souls to achieve their Way. Though your divine soul would be completely destroyed, you had no regrets.”

“But the world’s Ways and methods change in myriad forms. You wished to be human, and humans also acted for you. Now the resentment of thirty thousand wronged souls in the Netherworld Pagoda has been resolved. You should have had your soul return to the nine heavens, yet here you are in this place. Do you have doubts in your heart?”

“I request the Earth Count to resolve my confusion.”

Xu Hexue said.

“You already possess divine nature. The starry firmament is your rightful home. Yet mortals summon your soul, light lamps for you—they are keeping you here.”

“The incense offerings of mortals are the foundation of your existence. And your thirty thousand heroic souls of the Jing’an Army also linger at the land of reincarnation, seeking for you an opportunity to return to the mortal world. But your flesh and blood body is already lost. If you don’t enter the nine heavens, you cannot remold a stellar body.”

“I would rather not become a stellar deity. Even if I transform into the eternal wind, I must remain by my wife’s side.”

Xu Hexue raised his hand. Wind and snow filled his sleeves. He bowed in respect. “I request the Netherworld, I request Heaven, to fulfill this for me.”

“Three hundred years as a stellar deity, three hundred years of carefree bliss—are you truly willing to give this up?”

“I don’t seek three hundred years in heaven. I only seek this mortal realm, even if fleeting as wild geese’s traces in snow and mud.”

The figure of the Earth Count of the Netherworld appeared and disappeared in the purple mist. He smiled, revealing somewhat of a kind and benevolent countenance. “General Jade Token, though you don’t enter the nine heavens, you have still attained the Way.”

Thunder rolled at the horizon, purple lightning and golden light interwoven.

Ni Su saw the Earth Count’s beast eyes gradually transform into a human’s pair of eyes. His benevolent gaze fell upon her. “Ni Su, the karmic connection between you two was forged by my own hand. First there was the matter of your elder brother, then I used you as the opportunity to create the chance for General Jade Token’s soul to return. Do you still remember what you promised me?”

“I dare not forget.”

Ni Su took Xu Hexue’s hand. She looked up, icy snow particles gently brushing her cheeks. “I am willing to make offerings to Lord Earth Count for my entire life!”

The pale gold crack lines spreading through the dark clouds were the path of ten thousand household lamps summoning General Jade Token to return to his former dwelling.

In an instant the thunder ceased, the purple mist scattered. Snow filled the sky, rustling down.

Bright candles in the room illuminated the crooked happiness character on the plain gauze screen. Ni Su’s frozen feet rested on his knees as she watched him lower his head to roll up her pant legs.

Until both feet were placed by him into hot water—she gave a start. That warmth densely and tightly surged along her skin and bones. Only then did she return to her senses from the trance. “Xu Ziling.”

“Mm.”

He responded softly.

“Xu Ziling.”

She only knew to recite this name.

Xu Hexue raised his head. Her eyelids were red. At this moment among the room full of candlelight, he carefully studied her. “A’Xi, you’ve grown much thinner.”

After soaking in hot water, her feet warmed up. Ni Su was wrapped by him into the quilt, yet stubbornly insisted on lifting the quilt corner. “You come in.”

“You’ll be cold.”

Even as Xu Hexue spoke, seeing the moisture of tears in her eyes, he couldn’t care about anything else. He only knew to comply with her, listen to her words—removing his outer robe, taking down the jade hairpin, lying into her bedding.

“Being a little cold is good.”

Ni Su lay in his embrace. “This way I’ll be much more clear-headed.”

“No matter how the people of this world view you, Heaven’s Way has always known your innocence. You originally could have gone to heaven to become a star. Staying by my side, you can only be a cold ghost. Do you truly not regret it?”

“No regrets.”

Xu Hexue actually also very much wanted to hold her. Hearing her choked voice, his arms embracing her involuntarily tightened. “A’Xi, I would rather depend on you.”

“Though without a body of flesh and blood, I still have such extravagant hopes. If I can be by your side, accompany you long, no matter what I am, I am completely satisfied.”

“Don’t place yourself so low.”

Ni Su raised her head in his embrace. “Little Scholar General, I don’t mind that you’re cold, and I’m not afraid that you’re a ghost. Do you remember what I told you? I can support you for a very long time.”

“Then what can I do?”

Xu Hexue’s voice was gentle.

“You must help me write medical case records, cook for me to eat, bathe Shuangge and Little Jujube and feed them fodder, accompany me on spring outings to fly paper kites… In short, you have very, very many things to do.”

“Alright, I’ll do them.”

He said.

Night snow rustling—no matter how much Ni Su refused to close her eyes, she still drowsily fell asleep in this cold embrace. In her dream, she found herself in ice and snow, then very quickly the ice melted, snow thawed, spring warmed and flowers bloomed.

“Xu Ziling.”

She murmured in her sleep.

“Mm.”

Someone outside the dream answered her.

“I truly miss you so much.”

Her voice was very soft, very soft.

Xu Hexue held her in his embrace. Gleaming dust floated hazily. He lowered his head and lightly kissed her temple.

Dawn broke in the east. Spent candles burned out.

Qingqiong pushed open the door and came out. He saw several clusters of ice and snow piled on the corridor railing and was truly startled for a moment. Looking again at the courtyard—everywhere was damp.

He heard sounds from the kitchen and immediately walked over. “Miss Ni, your injuries haven’t healed yet. Don’t handle these pots and stoves. If you’re hungry, I’ll go to the street right now to buy…”

His words abruptly ceased.

The person in the kitchen wore snow-white robes, sleeves rolled up, revealing pale wrist bones. Fire burned vigorously in the stove opening. Porridge in the pot bubbled. Hot steam rose. He turned his head—such a cool and detached countenance.

“…General Xu?!”

Qingqiong’s eyes suddenly reddened.

Ni Su was startled awake by warmth throughout her body. She sat up at once. No one was beside her. She immediately threw open the bed curtains, too rushed for shoes and socks, and pushed the door open.

Damp cold wind came face-on. Bright clear skylight filled the courtyard.

Beneath the eaves corridor opposite, a young man with vermillion collar and snow-white robe sat there, peeling golden loquats in his hands. Qingqiong crouched before him. “General Xu, General Xu, I keep feeling like I’m dreaming… You’re real, right?”

“How exactly did you come back last night? I slept too deeply!”

Qingqiong rambled on endlessly.

“You summoned me back.”

“We did?”

“Mm, you did.”

Xu Hexue heard the sound of a door opening. He raised his head. Across from him, the woman’s long black hair hung loose. She wore only plain shirt and skirt, delicate as a willow in the wind.

Her face was gaunt, eyelids red and swollen. Those panicked eyes, upon seeing him, gradually grew calm.

“Because of everything you all did for me, I was fortunate enough to return.”

Beneath the bright skylight, in his crystalline dew-like eyes hid a trace of extremely faint smile.

Ni Su looked at him. He was still a ghost—

Illuminated by sunlight, like piled ice and snow.

But he had also become different.

Now, ten thousand household lamps shone for him. Everyone in this world who knew his innocence was his soul summoner.

Melting snow water dripped down steadily, striking the roof tiles with crisp sounds.

Xu Hexue beckoned to her. “Ni A’Xi, come eat loquats.”