His aura was like the dawn's radiance, sharp and unmistakable, with a presence that seemed to attract both respect and envy. As a prodigy from Jiangnan, his fame and reputation were widespread. Unlike me, who was overlooked even within my family, he was destined to stand alone, walking his path without a need for family or friends.
Given the sheer contrast between us, how could the elders possibly think of pairing someone like me with someone like him?
I felt that the elder was somewhat reluctant to accept me.
However, when the elder mentioned Zijing’s name during our conversation, I finally understood—my tribe was indeed capable of doing something as preposterous as this.
Before I left, the elder gave me three instructions.
First, he told me to clarify that this matter of my three sisters being poisoned had no necessary connection to Zijing. Second, he wanted me to beg Zijing for medicine to save my sisters. And third… if all else failed, he told me to keep Zijing occupied with trivial matters and to ensure that the West Jiang tribe’s people couldn’t leave with the antidote for my sisters.
I froze in place.
According to the elder, this plan would buy us three months at best. Ultimately, the goal was to send me away in exchange for their cooperation.
But why me? I felt like my life was being thrown into chaos! What could I possibly achieve? And Zijing—how could I ever face him?!
I looked pleadingly at my cousin, the son of my aunt, who was one of the most influential figures in the tribe and the only person I could turn to for help. Clutching the corner of his sleeve, I begged, “Cousin, I don’t know how to handle this. What am I supposed to do?”
My cousin gave me a quick glance, his expression indifferent, but there was a hint of meaning in his words when he said, “If you can’t even handle matters like this and only think about yourself, do you really believe you’re still capable of saving your sisters? Or do you plan to just sit back and let them die?”
I was stunned. Facing his subtle rebuke, I could only swallow my words. I often thought of myself as insignificant, a person who merely stayed in the background, eating and drinking without much responsibility. But now, I had no choice.
Our master had said that March was a season of rebirth, but if the antidote wasn’t secured within three months, it would be too late to save my sisters.
And yet, my sisters’ lives were being placed entirely on my shoulders!
Such a burden weighed heavily on me. I didn’t think I could do it, and I became cautious, afraid to make even the smallest mistake. When I returned home and passed by Zijing’s residence, I discovered that he had been watching me the entire time.
I knew this.
That year, when my tribe united its forces to attack a monstrous beast in Xiangnan, it was Zijing who lent me his weapon to defend myself. Though the beast was ultimately defeated by the joint efforts of many, Zijing had calmly walked away without taking credit. He had only glanced at me before leaving, his expression unreadable.
Since then, I had never interacted with him again. Yet now, in this critical moment, I was being sent to seek his help, and my heart was in turmoil.
The only thing I could be certain of was that my elder knew very well the poisoning of my three sisters had nothing to do with Zijing. Zijing had no reason to act against us, and anyone who approached him could sense that instantly. The elder also understood that asking Zijing to go to West Jiang was almost impossible because he rarely traveled far and would only do so to save someone’s life.
The third task I was assigned was perhaps the most difficult—convincing Zijing to remain. I wondered how I could possibly gain Zijing’s trust. From the start, I knew I was incapable of handling such a sensitive and complex task.
But my tribe had become so desperate that they even gave me instructions to exploit Zijing’s kindness. They asked me to play the role of a humble and meek woman seeking help, all while hiding my true intentions.
My cousin, who was aware of the plan, even mocked me, saying, “If you’re thinking of running away from this responsibility, your sisters will not survive. In fact, neither will the tribe. The tribe has chosen you because they trust you can make this work. If, within three months, the antidote is not secured, Zijing will leave, and you’ll lose your only chance.”
I bit my lip, unable to respond. The weight of this responsibility was suffocating, and I felt I had no escape.
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