"What secrets?" The prospects of hidden secrets in Xiqian piqued Gu Qingyu"s interest.
Yan Zun was about to elaborate, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in." Gu Qingyu put away the Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny and the Spirit Gems.
The door was pushed open, it was Jia Qizhe.
"What is it? Why are you still awake at this hour?" Gu Qingyu scrutinised him as she motioned for him to come in.
He walked in, the corners of his lips were slightly raised. "Xiao Yu"er, this is who you really are."
"What do you mean?" Gu Qingyu looked at Jia Qizhe suspiciously.
"Calm and decisive," He raised his eyebrow. "And shows no mercy to your enemies."
"Yeah." She smiled. "Jia Qizhe, you are the only one who supported my decision."
"Indeed, might controls everything. Without strength, you can"t even protect the people you love." He looked into her eyes and smiled. Then, he gently wrapped his arms around her. "I"m sorry, Xiao Yu"er. I didn"t reach you in time, it must have been horrible in those cells."
"It"s alright. If you managed to bust me out of jail, then we would not be able to save Qi Yichen, and we would have lost the Spirit Gems." She returned his hug and patted him on the back.
"Xiao Yu"er, sometimes I wonder if you are the original Gu Qingyu." She could not see his expression, he had buried his face in the crook of her neck. "You are very different from when I first met you.
"Well, I am, and I"m not." She looked into the distance instead. "Jia Qizhe, when the timing is right and after I"ve sorted everything out in my head, I"ll tell you everything, ok?"
"Okay, I"ll wait for you."
"Right, go to sleep." She patted his back again, he nodded and went out.
Yan Zun floated in the air. "Interesting~ He seemed to have sensed something."
"What did he sense?" Gu Qingyu asked, she made the connection instantly.
"I believe, he knows that not only that you were not the original Gu Qingyu, but he"s aware that I"m here." Despite being exposed, Yan Zun"s voice was calm, without any worry.
Gu Qingyu frowned. "Maybe, but if it is Jia Qizhe, it should be fine..."
"Oh? Really? Do you trust him that much?" A ghost of a smile swept across his face.
Gu Qingyu nodded, she did not even attempt to skirt the issue. "Yes."
Yan Zun sighed and shook his head. "Stupid apprentice, you have to remember, you are not someone who belongs to this world. So, whatever feelings you have-"
"No, I am." Gu Qingyu cut him off. "I have been, from the beginning, otherwise I won"t be able to come over."
"Stupid apprentice." Yan Zun flew to the window. "Suit yourself, your master is still around."
"Thank you Master." Gu Qingyu nodded and laid down on her bed.
Her head barely touched her pillow when Mo Bai"s voice came from outside. "Yu"er, are you asleep?"
"No, what"s wrong?" Gu Qingyu got up.
"Can I come in?" Mo Bai"s voice appeared soft in the quiet night.
"Please, come in."
Mo Bai stepped in, and he looked at Gu Qingyu with slight judgement. "Yu"er, you would get an infection if you don"t clean your wounds."
She only remembered the gash on her arm at his reminder and smiled sheepishly. "Wasn"t it all done at the palace?"
"How can it be so fast?" Small green light glowed from his hand. "Yu"er, give me your arm."
"Okay." Gu Qingyu extended her arm obediently.
"Your sleeve." The tip of Mo Bai"s ears were slightly pink. She pulled up her sleeve nonchalantly and revealed the horrifying gash on her arm.
d.a.m.n, Qi Yichen did not hold back at all… Gu Qingyu scratched her head as she glanced at Mo Bai timidly. There was a flame of anger in his eyes.
"Erm, Mo Bai, you... just calm down, relax." Gu Qingyu tried to appease him but it did not work.
Then she covered her arm and cried, "Ow! It hurts!"
Mo Bai immediately panicked. "Yu"er, are you ok? Don"t move, let me take a look."
His slender fingers gently ran up and down her arm, the sensation was almost enough to cause a nosebleed.
"It"s good that I at least eased the wound a little then." Under the soft green light from Mo Bai"s hands, the gash gradually closed and healed over. Gu Qingyu was just floored. Just as expected from the miracle doctor. He"s just amazing!
She lifted her eyes from the gash to his face. He worked quietly, the focused look on his face was softened in the moonlight. His white robes swayed and drifted as a soft breeze came through the window. There was a tenderness in his eyes, one normally reserved for their one and only love. And yet, there was a tinge of sorrow, a longing for an anchor in a world of ruin.
He will bear all your pains without hesitation, and he will do everything possible to fulfill all your wishes. He had always worn his heart on his sleeve, it was just as pure as that white robe in the silvery moonlight.
Mo Bai left after he healed her arm. Gu Qingyu laid on her bed as she silently watched Yan Zun drift through the air.
"Master." she said softly, "where is the next stop?"
"Sleep first." Yan Zun leaned down and touched Gong Gu"s forehead gently. His silken hair poured down and swept across her cheeks, it tickled her.
Gu Qingyu closed her eyes and seemed to hear Yan Zun"s sigh coming from a distance.
"Stupid apprentice."
The next morning
Gu Qingyu was awakened by a nightmare. In her dream, Qi Yichen was covered with blood, the blood seeped through his white robes. Even his hands were sticky with that crimson liquid, but he smiled at her so happily.
"Save me, Qingyu."
"Thank you, Qingyu."
He smiled so sweetly, completely not bothered by the dagger stuck in his chest, while Zhi Wei laughed like a mad man.
"Chen, you have always been with me."
"--So, stay with me, die with me, Chen."
Gu Qingyu shot up from her bed, hastily crammed her feet into her shoes and dashed out.
She sprinted straight to Qi Yichen"s room and opened the door with a slam. Qi Yichen was still lying on the bed, his lips were pale but it at least had a little more colour than yesterday. His chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm. Gu Qingyu watched him with glazed eyes as she sighed in relief.
"What"s wrong, Yu"er?" Mo Bai appeared behind her.
Gu Qingyu shook her head and turned to face him. "Mo Bai, I"ll leave Qi Yichen in your care."
"Relax, Yu"er, I"m a doctor." Mo Bai touched Gu Qingyu"s head and walked into the room. "I"ll never break any promise to you."
"Thank you." Gu Qingyu walked out. "Then I won"t disturb you. Remember to come down for breakfast."
Mo Bai gave her a tender smile and nodded slightly.
Gu Qingyu closed the door and walked downstairs.
Qi Wan immediately stood upright and saluted when he saw her. "Good morning, Boss!"
"Good morning, soldier!" Gu Qingyu nodded and sat down at the dining table. "Slept well?"
"Well, I had a beautiful dream." Qi Wan nodded and leaned in. "You know, I dreamy of Jia Qizhe and Mo Bai last night... Ahahaha! " He suddenly burst into a full-bellied laugh.
Gu Qingyu understood and laughed too. "Oh~ I see."
"Huh? Xiao Yu"er, what are you talking about." Jia Qizhe walked downstairs with a wicked smile.
"Cough!" Qi Wan coughed and continued before Gu Qingyu could get a word in. "Boss, it"s cold today. Wear fewer clothes!"
Gu Qingyu looked out the window, the sun hung high in the sky.
Qi Wan swallowed nervously. "Boss, erm, let"s dig in. It would be bad if you missed mealtime and ended up with a stomach ache." He looked at the table and found that the bowls and plates were empty.
Qi Wan froze. "Come on! When did you finish it, Boss?"
"Just when I was talking to you." Gu Qingyu was even more confused than him. "Were you not looking?" She looked at Qi Wan as though she had seen a ghost.
Qi Wan"s expression mirrored hers. "Nope."
"Okay," Xie Zang, who had been waiting at the side, s.h.i.+fted on his feet as he asked, "Kitten, where are we headed next?"
"Eh? I don"t know yet..." Gu Qingyu blinked and blinked, "Shall we do a bit of sightseeing around the area?"
"Did the Lifeblood Jewel not say anything?" Murong Zuoyu"s tone dipped slightly. This was his usual tone.
Gu Qingyu nodded, "Erm... Well.... maybe being stolen scared it, and it needs a few days to recover?" They were not supposed to know about Yan Zun after all, so she had to make something up on the spot.
"...It"s spooked?" Qi Wan was astonished. "That"s weird, but cool!"
Jia Qizhe joined them at the table and rubbed Gu Qingyu"s head. "Okay, then we"ll just stay in the area for a while. We"ve been travelling non-stop to find the Spirit Gem anyway, it must be tough on you, Xiao Yu"er."
"No, it"s fine." Gu Qingyu shook her head. "Hero, Jia, you must have visited many places. Why don"t you show us around?"
"Of course." Jia Qizhe nodded and smiled, "But I only want to show Xiao Yu"er around."
"Brother Jia, you should be more generous~," Qi Wan said without fear.
Jia Qizhe looked up at Qi Wan. "Brother Qi, what did you just say?"
"No, no, I didn"t say anything!" Qi Wan caved in an instant.
Jia Qizhe smiled with satisfaction. "What kind of place does Xiao Yu"er like?"
"Scenic places!" Gu Qingyu blurted out.
Jia Qizhe: "..."
"Scenic places? I know a good place~" Xie Zang smiled.
"Eh?" Gu Qingyu raised her head to look at Xie Zang. "Where?"
"The bamboo cottage in a quaint bamboo forest, with clear streams and moonlight. " Xie Zang mused. "Kitten, do you like what I just described?"
"The image feels familiar..." Gu Qingyu suddenly froze. It fits Qi Yichen"s hometown perfectly!
"Xiao Yu"er, do you think of that place too?" Jia Qizhe stared at her, a smile hidden in the curve of his lips.
Qi Wan asked curiously, "Where is it?" At that time, only Gu Qingyu, Jia Qizhe, Mo Bai, and Qi Yichen were there. And maybe Xie Zang, if he had been following them since then.
Gu Qingyu looked to Xie Zang, confusion was written all over his face as well. That means he doesn"t know right?
"Qi Yichen"s hometown." Gu Qingyu explained. "Xie Zang, what was the place that you were referring to? "
"Along the border between Beiying and Dongxuan." Xie Zang answered.
"Then let"s check it out." Gu Qingyu nodded, it might really be his hometown. "After Qi Yichen wakes up."
Jia Qizhe nodded obediently. "Alright."