Autumn was deepening. A slanting drizzle added an extra chill to the season.
Wearing a bamboo hat and a straw rain cape, the man lowered his eyes to the sleeping girl nestled in his arms. Endless tenderness flickered in his gaze. He wrapped her more securely in his cloak, ensuring that not even a trace of the autumn wind could reach her.
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
A murderous chill appeared in his expression.
Drawing the sword from his back, he looked ahead impatiently.
Several black-clad figures blocked his path.
In harsh, raspy voices, they said,
“Gong Yue, either submit to Fengyu Tower, or die.”
How many waves had there been already?
Even he had lost count.
The swordsman’s techniques were simple and ruthless.
His sword split through the rain curtain with a single strike, reflecting the cold light in his eyes.
“Enough nonsense.”
All he wanted was a peaceful life.
Why wouldn’t these people leave him alone?
Sword light flashed.
Blood scattered.
For a moment, the sounds of clashing steel, flashing blades, wind, and rain intertwined.
Not long afterward, the black-clad men collapsed one after another, their eyes bulging in death.
The scent of wet earth was overwhelmed by the heavy smell of blood.
The title of Number One Sword Under Heaven had never been an empty reputation.
It had been forged upon mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.
Yet there were always fools who sought death.
The gloomy sky mirrored Gong Yue’s mood.
The rain only grew heavier.
Seeing no sign that it would stop soon and with darkness approaching, Gong Yue decided not to continue traveling.
Carrying the girl in his arms, he sought shelter in a mountain cave.
…
The rain striking the rocks produced a crisp, rhythmic sound.
An Jin woke from the noise.
Rubbing her eyes, she asked sleepily,
“Brother Yue, have we reached Fengyang City yet?”
“Not yet. We’ll arrive tomorrow.”
“The rain is too heavy. We’ll rest here for the night.”
Gong Yue removed his outer cloak and spread it over the ground.
Then he sat against the stone wall with An Jin in his arms.
His rough palm cupped her delicate face.
Pressing his cheek lightly against hers, he asked softly,
“Are you cold?”
The stone wall behind them radiated a damp chill.
But the man’s body was warm.
An Jin shook her head.
By now she was used to his habit of checking her temperature every so often.
“I’m not cold, Brother Yue.”
“Mm.”
The cave wasn’t large.
From where they sat, they could still see the rainy landscape outside.
Autumn rain often carried a touch of melancholy.
But An Jin felt only excitement.
Since they didn’t know where they were headed, she had decided to follow the route described in her favorite travel journal.
Back in the embroidery tower, Gong Yue had brought her that book.
It recorded the customs and scenery of many different places.
Their destination, Fengyang City, was famous for its vast forests of crimson maple trees.
Its autumn scenery was renowned throughout the land.
The travel journal had written:
“If one has not been to Fengyang, one has not truly seen autumn.”
Every year, when the maple leaves turned their brightest red, scholars and poets flocked there to compose verses.
As a result, Fengyang’s reputation only grew greater.
Back when she had been trapped inside the embroidery tower, mere words on a page had been enough to make her yearn for such places.
Who could have imagined that she would one day experience them herself?
To travel across mountains and rivers.
To see the world.
Since leaving the capital, they had traveled westward, avoiding official roads and taking mountain paths instead.
This wasn’t their first night outdoors.
An Jin had gradually become accustomed to it.
The rain in the wilderness was entirely different from the rain she had watched from her tower window.
She had heard that noble ladies in the capital liked to brew tea beneath covered corridors and listen to the rain as a refined pastime.
An Jin smiled.
Finding joy in hardship, she thought that listening to rain in a mountain cave was its own kind of elegance.
Slowly, she stretched out a hand toward the cave entrance.
The moment a raindrop landed on her fingertips, a large hand seized her wrist and pulled it back.
The man’s fingers brushed through her hair.
“Be good. You’ll catch a cold.”
An Jin puffed out her cheeks.
“Brother Yue, I’m not that fragile.”
Gong Yue neither argued nor released her hand.
Instead, he led her farther into the cave.
Her poetic mood instantly vanished.
Lightly, she punched his chest in protest.
…
Night gradually fell.
The cave contained some dry branches and hay.
It was likely a shelter hunters used while resting in the mountains.
Conveniently, it now served the same purpose for them.
The temperature dropped quickly after dark.
Gong Yue gathered the branches and hay into a pile and lit them with a firestarter.
Soon a fire crackled to life, illuminating the cave.
He then placed the wild chicken he had caught earlier over the flames.
Before long, the rich aroma of roasting meat filled the air.
An Jin hugged her knees and stared at the chicken with sparkling eyes.
For days they had survived on dry rations while traveling.
Freshly cooked food had become a rarity.
“Is it ready yet?”
“Almost.”
She obediently waited.
The moment Gong Yue tore off a drumstick, she immediately reached for it.
The second her fingers touched the meat, she yelped and snatched her hand back.
“It’s hot!”
Rubbing her fingertips, she frowned.
A smile appeared in the man’s eyes.
Taking her hand, he gently blew on her fingers.
Then he cooled the drumstick and held it to her lips.
“Now it’s fine.”
An Jin no longer dared take it herself.
There was no one around to lecture her about proper etiquette anymore.
So she simply leaned forward and bit directly from his hand.
Gong Yue had roasted it perfectly.
Even without seasoning, the natural flavor was enticing.
But An Jin spent most of her days tucked into his arms like a little kangaroo.
She didn’t expend much energy and naturally had a small appetite.
After only a few bites, she looked up at him.
“I can’t eat any more.”
…
The firelight painted her face with a rosy glow.
Her lips glistened faintly with oil.
Like a tempting invitation.
Gong Yue’s gaze darkened.
Without warning, he leaned down and kissed her.
“Mmph—”
Caught off guard, An Jin’s eyes widened.
Her hands instinctively clutched his clothing.
Soon, a blush of desire colored her cheeks.
Her moist eyes became unfocused.
Then she felt something.
A trace of clarity returned.
Breathing unevenly, she pressed her hands against his chest.
“N-No…”
She still couldn’t accept doing such things under the open sky, with heaven as the blanket and earth as the bed.
Desire swirled in the man’s normally cold eyes.
He soothed the uneasy girl in his arms.
His voice was hoarse.
“I know.”
In truth, Gong Yue had never intended to do anything.
It was simply a moment of overwhelming affection.
Taking a deep breath, he restrained himself.
Carefully straightening her disheveled clothing, he said,
“Get some rest.”
…
By the time they entered Fengyang City the next day, the rain had stopped.
This was the most beautiful season of the year there.
The city bustled with life.
Street vendors loudly advertised their wares.
Standing amidst the crowd, An Jin felt an indescribable warmth.
The warmth of ordinary life.
Having spent years confined to the embroidery tower, everything felt new and fascinating.
Her bright eyes and cheerful smile revealed her delight.
Many passersby couldn’t help stealing glances at her.
The couple stood out even among the crowd.
Both possessed exceptional looks.
Especially the young woman.
Though dressed simply, her breathtaking beauty couldn’t be concealed.
She carried the elegance of a treasured noble daughter.
A flower of wealth and prosperity made flesh.
Had it not been for the cold-faced swordsman carrying a blade beside her, countless shameless men would have approached.
Suddenly, An Jin stopped before a stall.
It sold lanterns.
The lanterns on display were exquisite and lifelike.
Even in the capital, such craftsmanship was rare.
One particular lantern caught her eye.
It was shaped like a coiling qilin dragon.
She couldn’t help staring at it.
The vendor immediately noticed.
Taking the lantern down, he presented it to her enthusiastically.
“Excellent taste, young lady! This is the finest lantern I have. The only one in the entire city.”
“Just five taels of silver.”
“We’ll take it.”
Gong Yue spoke immediately.
An Jin quickly stopped his hand.
“Forget it.”
They were fugitives.
There would be many expenses ahead.
Spending money on something beautiful but unnecessary felt wasteful.
Sensing her thoughts, the system suddenly spoke.
[Host, you really don’t need to save money for Gong Yue.]
[He may not care much about luxury or material things, but that doesn’t mean he’s poor.]
[He’s extremely wealthy.]
[He’s Fengyu Tower’s top assassin. The rewards for his missions are astronomical.]
An Jin didn’t know much about his finances.
But thinking back, she realized he had never been stingy throughout their journey.
Even the clothes he bought for her were made from the same fine fabrics she had worn in the capital.
The burden in her heart eased slightly.
She had already prepared herself for a modest life.
Still, having money was certainly better than not.
After a moment’s thought, she nodded.
“Then let’s buy it.”
Gong Yue didn’t understand why she had changed her mind so suddenly.
But since she liked it, he paid without hesitation.
The vendor beamed.
“Young lady, you’ll enjoy it even more tonight while watching the fireworks.”
An Jin’s eyes lit up.
“There’s a fireworks show tonight?”
“That’s right! You’ve arrived just in time.”
“It’s the last night.”
“In previous years we never had one. Our city lord arranged it specially for visitors.”
“Autumn maple leaves are beautiful, but maple leaves beneath fireworks are truly unforgettable.”
“If you want the best view, get there early.”
“The riverside is the perfect spot.”
“Thank you for the advice.”
…
Crimson maple leaves painted the city.
The brilliance of their color transformed the melancholy of autumn into something vibrant and alive.
The couple strolled beneath rows of maple trees.
A carpet of fallen leaves covered the ground.
Each step produced a crisp rustling sound.
A gust of autumn wind swept through.
Several leaves danced through the air.
Peace filled An Jin’s heart.
Her gaze shifted from the distant maple forest to the man beside her.
Only then did she realize he had been looking at her the entire time.
His gaze was warm and utterly undisguised.
Heat rose to her face.
Her grip tightened around the lantern handle.
“Brother Yue, Fengyang City’s autumn scenery is beautiful.”
“Don’t you like it?”
Please look at the scenery instead of me.
The thought made her cheeks grow even hotter.
Warmth appeared in the man’s usually stern eyes.
“I do.”
The past twenty-plus years of bloodshed had, in many ways, robbed him of the leisure to appreciate nature.
But compared to the scenery before him…
He would rather look at the person beside him.
…
Night fell.
The two arrived at the riverside as the vendor had suggested.
They came early, yet many people had already gathered.
Then—
“Wow!”
Fireworks exploded across the sky.
Silver and gold illuminated the night.
Amid the crowd’s delighted cries, An Jin rested against her lover’s chest.
Listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, happiness welled up inside her.
She suddenly looked up.
All she could see was his jawline.
Gong Yue was staring at the fireworks above.
She didn’t know what he was thinking.
In the past, loneliness had always clung to him.
An untouchable solitude.
But she could feel him changing.
Little by little.
Becoming warmer.
More alive.
No matter how dark his past had been, the future could still be bright.
She would show him all the beauty this world had to offer.
With that thought, An Jin wrapped her arms around his waist.
The man lowered his head.
His eyes met hers.
Clear.
Bright.
Pure.
Untouched by the dust of the world.
She smiled.
“Brother Yue, I’m very happy.”
“What about you?”
The affection in her eyes was warm and sincere.
Enough to stir even stagnant waters.
Gong Yue raised a hand and gently brushed her cheek.
His voice was low and slightly hoarse.
“I am too.”