Thirty-One: Love Across Three Lifetimes

Mingyue listened in silence; these were all Zhushu’s choices, and she had no place to interfere. After a while, Zhushu’s expression eased a little, and she stood up, saying, “They should be leaving soon. I’ll head back now. At most, in five days, once Kangsheng’s health has improved, I’ll come to find you and Brother Qin.”

After Zhushu left through the window, Mingyue returned to the couch, but sleep eluded her. Unconsciously, she realized she could no longer recall the original reason she had agreed to help Zhushu. At dawn, Mingyue rose early and wandered the streets, which were still mostly empty. As the capital, Luodu was nothing like the small city of Yinzhou; even at this hour, one could occasionally spot patrolling soldiers.

Mingyue had intended to find some local delicacies for breakfast, when she heard the urgent clatter of hooves behind her. Turning, she saw a man in dark robes galloping past on horseback, followed by two guards. Mingyue blinked in surprise—wasn’t that Emperor Que himself? To appear so openly in the capital of the Lu Kingdom, did he not worry about trouble in his own realm?

The three riders quickly headed toward the city gate and soon disappeared. Mingyue shook her head, and, choosing a shop at random, settled in for breakfast. Since Zhushu and Kangsheng still needed some days, she decided not to hurry back and instead continued to stroll leisurely through this unfamiliar city.

Without realizing it, Mingyue found herself before a residence marked with the characters for Wen Manor. Instantly, the refined and gentle Chu Xuan and the lively Wen Yan sprang to mind. After she and Qin Shi had returned, the people around had still been talking about the burning of the Wen Manor. After its destruction in Yinzhou, the local authorities had not investigated, instead turning a blind eye as if nothing had happened.

Most locals believed the Wen family had offended some powerful figure, like that mysterious visitor who came for a day and left by night. But Mingyue knew well that the culprit could only be Chu Xuan’s birth mother, now the favored Consort Wen. Mingyue looked up at the plaque, only moving away when she noticed the guard at the door watching her.

But really, what did any of this have to do with her? The story of Chu Xuan and Wen Yan was already past, just as the tale of Qingyi and Jun Xiao had reached its end. Any yearning now was futile.

As she walked, Mingyue suddenly stopped. She turned to the man before her and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Why didn’t you let me know you’d be out?” Qin Shi replied.

Mingyue took a few steps forward with a laugh. “It’s not as if I’m not coming back. What’s there to worry about? There’s nothing pressing to do, so I might as well wander the city a bit. Besides, this is the emperor’s own capital—surely there won’t be any outlaws or the like.”

Qin Shi pressed his lips together, glancing aside and muttering, “That’s not necessarily true.”

“Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay? Come on, give me a smile.” Mingyue reached out and pinched Qin Shi’s cheeks, forcing an awkward grin from him, and only then did her mood improve. “Much better.”

She let go and continued ahead, letting Qin Shi follow behind. The two of them spent more than two days touring the vast capital, and by the third day, Mingyue insisted on dragging Qin Shi along to sample the local cuisine. Mingyue was adaptable enough, finding most dishes quite good, and even those she disliked weren’t intolerable. But after accompanying her to several eateries, Qin Shi’s face grew pale, and by dusk he was done for, squatting in the latrine for an hour.

Mingyue couldn’t help but laugh, but the scene reminded her of their time in Shuzhou. She asked, “Qin Shi, could you be from Shuzhou? Back then, I couldn’t handle the local flavors, but you seemed just fine, yet now you can’t stomach the food here in Luodu.”

It took a while for Qin Shi, holding his forehead, to answer, “I… don’t know…”

Mingyue leaned in to feel his forehead. “A bit cool. You’d best go lie down. If you fall ill again just as Zhushu comes back, we’ll be delayed even further.”

“I’m fine.”

His breath, warm and a little fevered, brushed against Mingyue’s arm, making her itch. She withdrew, sat on the other side, and studied Qin Shi. After a moment, she suddenly asked, “Qin Shi, how long have you been by my side?”

“Hmm, I think almost a year now.”

“That’s fast,” Mingyue sighed, watching the color not yet returned to Qin Shi’s face. In this past year, they’d spent much of their time on the road. From the day she brought him back to Xiangsi Studio, to discovering the Xiangsi Seal, to their first client seeking the seal, to being abducted in the night, to encountering demons for the first time… So much had happened, all without them noticing.

Mingyue rested her chin on her hands, recalling their chaotic first entry into the Canglan Illusion Realm, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Qin Shi turned and asked softly, “What are you remembering?”

“I was thinking about our first time in the Canglan Illusion Realm. We tried every method before finding the right path. And that woman—how she deceived us at every turn, nearly trapping us inside.”

With Mingyue’s words, Qin Shi recalled as well. That woman… she was also a disciple of the Gentlemen’s Hall, always accompanied by a younger boy. Wasn’t she? The one Mingyue sought to forget was Jun Yi, that man whose smile always carried a hint of mischief.

Qin Shi looked at Mingyue. She seemed lost in the memory, her lips curved, laughter flickering on her face, her tousled fringe half-veiling her bright, smiling eyes. Unable to help himself, he reached out to smooth the stray hair, revealing her eyes fully once more. His fingertips were cool, and the touch against her soft skin sent a tingling sensation through him, only making him crave more contact.

But, in the end, he could not.

Her indifference—he knew it better than anyone. From the first day she took him in, she’d seemed to see right through him as a source of free labor, with the Xiangsi Seal just an added bonus. No matter what she saw in the Canglan Illusion Realm, she could turn away and forget, moving forward without hesitation. That kind of clear-cut resolve—he himself could never achieve. But what could he say? He couldn’t leave—not just because she could never truly understand those heart-wrenching stories, but because he wasn’t ready to leave her… not yet.

A few soft coughs brought Qin Shi back to himself. He quietly withdrew his hand and lowered his eyes to drink his tea.

“Do you two have some time now?” Zhushu asked.

Mingyue raised an eyebrow and countered, “Are you ready?”

Zhushu shook her head. “Not quite. But the past two days I’ve tidied and rearranged the old house. I’ve set aside a room for you both. Kangsheng’s health has been fluctuating; I’m not sure if it’s because of me. So I hope you can come soon, and begin as soon as you find the right time.”

Mingyue thought for a moment, then nodded her agreement. She and Zhushu set out first, with Qin Shi following after checking out of the inn.

Back at the old house, Kangsheng’s complexion had improved significantly—his brows lively, his cheeks flushed with color. Once Mingyue and Qin Shi followed Zhushu inside, he asked, “Is what Zhushu says true? You can conceal her demon aura, and bind us together for three lifetimes?”

Mingyue hesitated, glancing at Zhushu. Zhushu avoided her gaze, nodding slightly at Kangsheng.

Kangsheng continued, “I know a mortal’s life is short. I don’t wish for immortality—only that in the next life, and the one after that, I may meet Zhushu again.” He took Zhushu’s hand, holding it tight, his smile gentle. “If I do as you say, will it truly work? I’m not greedy; I ask for nothing more than three lifetimes with Zhushu. In the past, I devoted myself to scholarship and grew proud and lofty, but only after meeting her did I realize there are other joys in life. Can you really do this?”

Mingyue opened her mouth, but found herself unable to speak. By her nature, she would have told Kangsheng the truth. But if she did, would he ever agree? Ultimately, it was Zhushu who had sought her help this time…

Mingyue looked at Zhushu, who met her gaze only fleetingly, and replied, “Yes. If you do as I say, I can make it happen.”

“But how can I trust you? Zhushu is too kind—she always believes in others without question,” Kangsheng said, doubtful.

Mingyue smiled lightly, raising her hand to brush her left eye. “That’s why she trusts me.”

Kangsheng stared at the crimson six-pointed star in Mingyue’s eye, tightened his hold on Zhushu’s hand, and nodded solemnly. “Very well, I trust you.”

“Zhushu, at last, we can be together without fear,” Kangsheng said, shaking her arm with a bright smile.