Mei Lin's hands trembled slightly, but she quickly composed herself, her eyes softening into a smile as she took a few hurried steps forward, only to be swept into his embrace. When his burning lips pressed urgently against hers, she briefly felt like a woman welcoming home her long-lost love.
The cloak, heavy with the scent of dust and cold, wrapped tightly around her as they tumbled onto the heated bed. The man entered her body with an intensity that seemed to want to merge her into his very soul.
The night had fully descended, and the room was plunged into darkness. The heavy breathing gradually subsided.
After a long while, the sound of a flint striking filled the air, and a dim yellow light flickered to life, quickly filling the entire room. The tall figure that had lit the flame turned and swiftly slipped back under the covers, pulling the woman who had sat up to leave into his arms, before falling back onto the bed. He then kissed her brow with lingering affection.
"You’re too thin—it's like lying on bones. Haven't you been eating?" His brows furrowed in concern as his fingers gently traced her prominent ribs, despite his words of complaint, he continued to hold her close.
Mei Lin grasped his hand, her gaze fixed on the flickering lamplight that danced with the breeze coming through the window. She smiled faintly but did not respond. It all felt like a dream to her, a dream where he seemed to truly love her.
The man, however, couldn't bear being ignored. He gently shook her, bringing her back to the present. Her smile widened as she turned and initiated another kiss, pulling them both into a renewed frenzy of passion.
Late into the night, Mei Lin opened her eyes, gazing at the exhausted, sleeping face of the man beside her. She wanted to reach out and touch him but hesitated, not wanting to wake him from his rare sleep. She could smell the battlefield on him—the scent of blood and violence. What could have driven him to come to her in such urgency?
It couldn’t have been because... he missed her. Her eyes gradually dimmed at the thought.
Murong Jing He was awakened by the smell of cooking pork. He lazily opened his eyes to find the room filled with daylight. It had been a long time since he had slept so comfortably. He yawned, unwilling to move.
Outside, he could hear the quiet chatter of people. He sat up halfway and pushed the window open, seeing several familiar villagers standing in the courtyard, talking with Mei Lin, who was smiling warmly and responding patiently.
Responding... His eyes widened in surprise, and he sat up straight, the blanket slipping down to reveal his bare, muscular chest.
Hearing the window open, the women outside turned to look, catching sight of him. All but one elderly woman blushed at the sight.
Mei Lin's face darkened slightly. She walked over and slammed the window shut from the outside. When she turned back, she saw the women’s expressions of pity and didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed.
The women had come by after hearing the sound of horse hooves the previous day, curious to know what had happened. Seeing that her husband had indeed returned and was healthy, they were secretly amazed.
After exchanging a few more words, Murong Jing He had already dressed and stepped out of the house, completely unfazed by his earlier indiscretion. He greeted the women calmly, his long hair uncombed, draped over his shoulders. Tall and strong, he was a striking figure.
The women, noticing how much he had changed, became nervous and quickly excused themselves.
After seeing them off and closing the courtyard gate, Mei Lin turned to find Murong Jing He staring at her intently. She felt a strange unease but didn’t voice it. Instead, she went to the kitchen to fetch a basin of hot water for him to wash his face.
"Can you speak now?" he asked as she combed his hair after he had washed up.
Mei Lin paused for a moment. Without a mirror, he couldn't see her expression, and this made him anxious. He was about to turn his head when she resumed her task. She still did not answer his question.
Murong Jing He suppressed his growing frustration. After she finished tying his hair, he suddenly grabbed her thin wrist, pulling her into his arms. His dark eyes locked onto hers.
"Why won't you answer me? I clearly heard you talking to those people..." he demanded, his initial joy at hearing her voice slowly fading as she refused to speak to him.
Mei Lin looked into his eyes, seeing the urgency and frustration there. She was momentarily puzzled but not afraid. Tentatively, she raised her hand to cover his eyes. When she saw his startled reaction, she couldn’t help but smile.
She was no longer his servant and didn’t need to be submissive to him anymore... It was a liberating feeling.
Mei Lin never spoke to Murong Jing He that day, nor did she give him the chance to explain why he had come looking for her. When Murong Jing He woke up, it was almost noon. She had prepared a sumptuous meal, and they sat across from each other in silence. Eventually, Murong Jing He stopped pressing her to speak. She continued to serve him food, and no matter what she gave him, he ate it all. Her smile grew with each passing moment, the sorrow in her eyes gradually fading away.
This was the first New Year’s she had ever celebrated, and likely her last. Having him with her made it all worthwhile.
After the meal, Mei Lin cleaned up the dishes and began folding the bedding.
"The antidote has been made," Murong Jing He said from behind her, his voice low.
Mei Lin nodded. Seeing the traces of their night together on the bedding, her face flushed slightly. She hesitated for a moment before continuing to fold it up. She would wash it later if she had the chance.
She turned to retrieve a bundle of cloth from the chest and began packing a few clothes.
Watching her, Murong Jing He’s hands slowly clenched at his sides, his chest tightening as if a heavy stone was pressing down on it. Even as he mounted the horse with her and left the village behind, the weight on his chest remained.
They reached Jingbei’s royal residence in the capital two days later.
Mei Lin didn’t see Qing Yan or Shigui (Corpse Ghost), but Yue Qin was there. When he first saw her, he was shocked, then his eyes reddened, and he rushed forward, trying to push her away.
"Why did you come back? If you were going to leave, why didn’t you go far away? Go, leave now! I hate seeing you..." He looked furious, like a little lion with its tail on fire.
Mei Lin stumbled back, almost falling, but Murong Jing He caught her. He grabbed Yue Qin by the collar and tossed him aside, where someone else promptly picked him up like a chick and dragged him away.
Murong Jing He wasn’t angry at Yue Qin’s rudeness. He simply looked at her with deep, dark eyes and said in a low voice, "He’s worried about you. But... she saved my life. I couldn’t just stand by and watch her die."
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