“My ankle seems to be sprained.” Jinshu gasped sharply, her forehead already beaded with cold sweat from the pain.
Chen Fuzhou conjured several points of light. By their glow, Jinshu carefully removed her shoe and sock, revealing that her originally fair, tender, and soft ankle had swollen into a large, prominent lump.
Chen Fuzhou frowned as he rummaged through his pockets, pulling out some common medicinal herbs. Without hesitation, he tore off a piece of his own sleeve and handed it to her.
“Senior Sister, it might be inappropriate for me to help. You should bandage it yourself.” He turned around politely.
Jinshu was somewhat surprised. “You actually carry herbs with you?”
“Yes, just in case. And now they’ve come in handy, haven’t they?”
Jinshu puffed out her cheeks slightly and gently applied the herbs to her ankle before wrapping it with the torn cloth.
Leaning against a tree trunk, she cautiously tried to stand up and take a few steps. However, the moment her foot touched the ground, it felt as if countless insects were gnawing at it, causing her to cry out in pain.
“If you can’t walk, don’t force yourself.” Chen Fuzhou had already turned back and walked over to Jinshu. He crouched down, gesturing for her to climb onto his back. “Senior Sister won’t be able to fly on a sword like this, and I can’t carry you while flying either. It seems we’ll have to walk back.”
Jinshu felt quite embarrassed. In her previous life, she had rarely interacted with peers, seldom even speaking to them, let alone having physical contact. But now, the wind was growing colder, and she couldn’t help shivering several times. The piercing pain in her foot reminded her not to dwell on her discomfort. Reluctantly, she wrapped her arms around Chen Fuzhou’s neck.
Resting her head on his shoulder, Jinshu muttered softly, “You’re so thin. I won’t crush you, will I?”
Chen Fuzhou clearly hadn’t expected such a question. Though taken aback, he reassured her, “Senior Sister is very light.”
“Ah, no, that won’t do.” Jinshu sighed. “What if I break you, and Master comes to scold me?”
Chen Fuzhou chuckled lightly. “Then I’ll say I insisted on carrying Senior Sister.”
Jinshu said generously, “How about this? From now on, whenever we go out together, I’ll treat you to all your meals! Senior Sister isn’t short on money. Eat as much as you want, and I guarantee you’ll be plumped up into a big, round ball within half a year. Then you won’t have to worry about being crushed by a young girl anymore.”
Her words left him momentarily stunned. The girl’s light breaths brushed against his ear, carrying an indescribable floral fragrance. Chen Fuzhou felt a faint warmth spreading from his neck all the way to the roots of his ears. His eyelashes fluttered, casting a long, crescent-shaped shadow across his face.
Jinshu lay against Chen Fuzhou’s sturdy back as he walked at a steady, unhurried pace, each step landing firmly.
Countless birds and insects in the mountain forest began to chirp, and the evening wind rustled through the leaves. Jinshu felt a bit downcast. “Everyone else has someone to pick them up. Only the two of us don’t.”
Chen Fuzhou was momentarily confused before realizing she was referring to Chen An Ran and Xiong Qi. He pursed his lips, lowered his gaze, and remained silent.
Although the medicine had been applied, Jinshu’s ankle seemed to hurt more and more, whether from psychological effect or something else. Her mind grew hazy as she recalled the days of her illness, her parents, and her lonely journey to this unfamiliar place. A growing sense of grievance welled up inside her. Scenes from her past life flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern, filling her heart with sorrow.
It was like eating an overripe pomelo—bitter and astringent.
Jinshu’s head throbbed, her hands tightly clasped together, unconsciously digging into her palms. Without thinking, she buried her face in Chen Fuzhou’s back and couldn’t help but begin to sob.
The emotion came as suddenly as a summer storm. Jinshu felt embarrassed by her tears, but she couldn’t control her feelings. The more she thought, the harder she cried.
Like a helpless young animal, the girl let out soft whimpers. Her tears soaked through Chen Fuzhou’s clothes, prompting him to tighten his arms and ask, “Why are you crying?”
“I miss my parents…”
The boy didn’t respond, and she murmured again, “Chen Fuzhou, my feet hurt so much.”
After a long silence, the girl’s sobs grew louder. Sniffling, she muttered to herself, “I want to go home…”
The boy’s voice was soft, betraying no emotion. “If you want to go home, then go. At least you still have a home to return to.”
“Nonsense!” The girl suddenly grew agitated for some reason, angrily punching Chen Fuzhou’s shoulder before burying her face again and rubbing it against his shoulder.
Chen Fuzhou thought helplessly that his clothes were probably covered in snot and tears. He had always been particular about cleanliness, and this garment was likely beyond saving.
The two soon reached the edge of the forest, walking in silence the rest of the way. Whimpers continued to reach Chen Fuzhou’s ears. He lifted his head and looked toward the city. Although it was late, a few lamps were still lit, their warm yellow lights dotting the city like scattered stars.
Chen Fuzhou suddenly asked, catching her off guard, “What’s so good about going home?”
Jinshu stopped crying. Slowly, she rested her cheek against the shoulder of the person carrying her and gazed into the distance beyond the city.
“Home is wonderful. There’s good food when you go home.”
Chen Fuzhou chuckled ambiguously. “Is that so?”
“Of course. Once, my father and I went on a long journey and didn’t return until much later. We were exhausted when we opened the door, only to find my mother had prepared a whole table of dishes, sitting there with a smile, waiting for my father and me. My mother actually couldn’t cook. My father cherished her and never let her step into the kitchen. That day, almost all the dishes on the table were burnt. The only thing I could eat was the braised pork ribs, which still looked somewhat passable.” Jinshu giggled foolishly.
Cooking? Chen Fuzhou thought, somewhat taken aback. Had his mother ever cooked a meal for him?
He couldn’t remember. Probably not, after all.
He remembered when he was young, unable to suppress the Soul-Severing Curse within him, the pain would often overwhelm him. Sometimes he would cry hysterically; other times he would scratch himself frantically.
What did his so-called mother do then?
“Can’t even endure a little pain like this!”
“So noisy! Why did you make your brother cry too?”
“I don’t know why the Soul-Severing Curse would pass to a useless thing like you!”
“Get out and go to Yongwu Tower!”
The scattered lights of the city reflected in the boy’s calm eyes. Yongwu Tower had never been lit like this. That place was pitch black, so dark you couldn’t see your own hand. Every time he was thrown in there, he would tremble with fear, curling up alone in a corner, hugging his knees, hoping he would fall asleep. In his dreams, his parents would be with him, and he would no longer be alone.
In the endless darkness, time seemed to stand still. The pain in his chest, impossible to suppress, became unbearably intense. Little Chen Fuzhou counted on his fingers, one number after another—why had it been so long, and his mother still hadn’t come to take him out?
Finally, someone remembered him. With a creak, the wooden door opened, and the long-unseen light stung his eyes. He covered them but still chirped eagerly, “Mother, have you come to take me out?”
The response was a routine, “Young Master, it’s time. You may come out now.”
It couldn’t be. Mother must have been tied up with urgent matters, too busy to come fetch him. After all, ever since he was born, his uncles and aunts had been eyeing the family estate like hungry wolves. Mother must have been troubled by them—he needed to go protect her.
The young boy’s gaze grew resolute. He stood up and hurriedly stepped out of Yongwu Tower. Ignoring the astonished looks of the passing servants, he ran desperately toward his mother’s courtyard.
“Xiao Ran, eat more. Mother remembers how much you love this dish.” The gentle voice became the final straw that broke the boy. Darkness, fear, grievance, confusion, and hatred surged in his heart all at once. Though it was spring, with flowers blooming and birds singing in the second month, he felt as if he were standing in an ice cave, trembling as he watched his mother smilingly serve Chen An Ran—a smile she had never shown him.
Chen An Ran was the first to see him. He jumped down from the table happily, arms outstretched as he ran toward him. The woman looked up, her face instantly darkening. She grabbed Chen An Ran and delivered her final verdict in the coldest voice imaginable: “Don’t go near him. He’s dirty.”
The boy’s pupils contracted sharply, a chill sweeping through him. The Soul-Severing Curse he had struggled to suppress could no longer be controlled. In an instant, a demonic wind arose, sweeping up bowls and chopsticks from the table and fallen leaves from the ground. A murderous aura erupted from his entire body, causing everyone’s expressions to change as they retreated in fear.
Chen Fuzhou only remembered the fear and disgust in the woman’s eyes—eyes identical to his own. His entire body ached, as if he had been split open from head to toe, and then he lost consciousness.
When he awoke, he had already been sent to the Tianxuan Sect. The woman he no longer regarded as his mother left only a single message: he was to become a disciple of Xuanqing Zhenren, learn to suppress his Soul-Severing Curse, and nothing more.
He had no other thoughts. Obediently, he became a disciple and cultivated. In just a few years, he rarely recalled the events of those past years. Perhaps it was the girl’s irritating cries today, or perhaps the flickering lights in the city were too glaring—he didn’t know why he had remembered this memory he had deliberately tried to forget.
A layer of coldness, rarely revealed before outsiders, crept into Chen Fuzhou’s eyes. He chuckled softly, “I don’t care for it at all.”
The girl didn’t reply; only steady breaths came from her. Chen Fuzhou tilted his head and realized that, perhaps because he hadn’t responded for so long, the girl had fallen asleep peacefully on his shoulder.
For some reason, he stopped walking and stared for a long time at the half of her face resting on his shoulder. It was lively and spirited, and even in sleep, the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she were plotting mischief in her dreams and could spring up to carry it out at any moment.
When Jinshu woke up the next day, the hour was already late. She rubbed her slightly dizzy head and only then realized she was already lying in the inn’s bed.
She tidied herself up briskly, then with some difficulty managed to tie her hair into a somewhat presentable style before heading downstairs. Apart from her, the rest of the group were already sitting in the main hall, chatting and laughing over tea.
Bu Quegan was the first to spot her and waved his hand. “Little junior sister has finally woken up. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Jinshu smiled apologetically and trotted over to take a seat.
Chen Fuzhou set down the teacup in his hand and pushed a bowl of dark brown liquid in front of her.
Jinshu picked it up and sniffed it. A bitter smell made her frown. “What is this?”
“Medicine for your cold. You caught a chill last night.”
Only then did Jinshu obediently pick up the bowl and drink it all in one go. Fortunately, in her past life, she had often taken both traditional Chinese and Western medicine for treatment, so even when faced with something this bitter, she could keep a straight face.
Bu Quegan stroked his chin and leaned over, clicking his tongue. “Junior Brother Chen is really thoughtful. I was wondering who that medicine was for. Little junior sister seemed to sneeze a few times last night, right? You even noticed that.”
Chen Fuzhou’s hand trembled slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. “Senior Sister is more important.”
Bu Quegan teased, “Am I not important? I’m your senior brother, after all.”
Yan Lin unceremoniously slapped Bu Quegan on the back, causing him to stumble. “How dare you call yourself the senior brother? If it weren’t for you insisting on drinking last night, getting completely drunk, and causing a scene on the street, making it impossible for Junior Brother Li and me to even lift you, we would have gone to help little junior sister and the others.”
Bu Quegan scratched his head. “I really won’t drink anymore later, I promise. I just can’t resist the smell of alcohol.”
Yan Lin curled his lip and smiled at Jinshu. “Who believes him? You have no idea how ridiculous he was yesterday—lying by the roadside, singing and dancing, claiming to be the world’s number one medicine cultivator, and saying he’d make the sect leader admit to admiring him.”
Bu Quegan replied matter-of-factly, “Well, it’s true.”
He earned a glare from Yan Lin.
Jinshu smiled and began her lunch, picking up a bite of vegetables and stuffing it into her mouth.
Just then, Chen Fuzhou leaned closer to her. He seemed to be in a rather good mood, his eyes narrowed into crescents, and a delicate dimple dancing at the corner of his lips.
He lowered his voice and said, “Senior Sister hasn’t forgotten last night’s promise, has she?”
Jinshu rubbed her ear, which had been tickled by his breath, and swallowed the food in her mouth. “Of course not.”
The smile in Chen Fuzhou’s eyes was unmistakable, making his face appear even more vivid.