Zijing shook his head slightly, though he didn’t deny it outright. “No,” he said simply. “But don’t ask too many questions.”
I wanted to press him further, but his tone left no room for argument. I quietly continued to support him as we walked, the tension between us lingering but unspoken.
It seemed Zijing was finding it hard to deny that he was now treating me a little more kindly than before. Wasn’t he?
I managed to drag him to a small mountain hut, found a small guest room to settle him in, and then ran around collecting herbs to treat his wounds. Once everything was prepared, I carefully applied the medicine. Exhausted, I let out a long sigh, finally allowing myself to relax.
Zijing glanced at me from the side. With his usual indifferent tone, he said, “You’re sighing too much.”
I paused, unsure how to respond. “I’m not sighing. I’m just… catching my breath.”
“Catch it quietly,” he replied flatly.
I could tell he wasn’t as dismissive as he sounded. In fact, he seemed concerned. Zijing then said, “Go outside and walk in circles for an hour, then come back and report.”
What? Was this some kind of training? At what point would I ever need to walk in circles to prepare for a real-life challenge? I felt a little annoyed but decided not to protest. “Do I really have to?” I asked hesitantly.
“Go.” His tone left no room for debate.
I grabbed my outer robe and obediently went outside. For the next ten days, I carried water, gathered herbs, and ran errands for him nonstop. By the eleventh day, Zijing was already walking around on his own. He even stepped outside the hut for a stroll, albeit cautiously.
Although I had hoped his recovery would be faster, it was clear that even someone as strong as Zijing needed time to heal completely. However, I found myself wondering: how long would this arrangement last?
“Master, how much longer will it take for you to fully recover?” I asked.
“A month.”
“…”
I turned my head away, feeling like I had been struck. I hadn’t expected that staying in this small mountain village would take so long. Just then, I heard commotion outside. The innkeeper rushed over, face pale with fear, and knocked frantically on the door. “Are you still here? Are you still here?”
Before I could even process what was happening, Zijing suddenly stood up. He grabbed his sword, his usual calm demeanor replaced with a faint hint of urgency. I could feel the tension in the air as he walked to the door and opened it.
The innkeeper, still trembling, stammered, “You can’t stay here anymore. You need to leave immediately.”
The innkeeper’s panic was no joke. The look in his eyes made me feel like I was truly in danger.
Sighing, I stood up and dusted myself off. I was merely a passerby in this small mountain village, the only woman left behind. The fact that I was fortunate enough to have survived this long was something I didn’t take lightly.
Was Zijing still worried about things from his “past”?
He stood by the door, gazing into the distance. For a brief moment, I wanted to ask him directly, but I stopped myself. It wasn’t my place, and I wasn’t close enough to him to pry. Besides, my role was not to question him, but to follow orders and complete my task. So, I chose to remain silent, disguising my thoughts behind a composed expression. All I could do now was keep my head down and follow Zijing’s lead for protection.
Deep down, though, I couldn’t help but feel a little shaken. After all, I wasn’t completely immune to the emotions that stirred within me when looking at someone like Zijing—a man who seemed barely past twenty but carried the weight of a much older soul.
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