Purpose 58

Seeing that Yi Zihan was unwilling to say more, Qin Shi ceased his questioning and said, “Once matters here are settled, I’ll come find you.”
Yi Zihan nodded, turned, and left. Upon returning to the Yi family estate, he subconsciously made his way toward the pavilion on the wide, empty lawn, only to find Yi Yanzhi and Gu Qianrun still there.
Yi Yanzhi set his teacup down, his beautiful eyes looking toward Yi Zihan as he asked, “Has he regained his identity?”
“Naturally. With the Divine Lord restored, it won’t be long before he reclaims his rightful place.”
Yi Yanzhi’s lips curled slightly, and he continued, “Do you truly not wish to return to the Celestial Realm? You reap what you sow. Though you’ve sown seeds of misfortune, if you are willing to turn back, the Celestial Realm still holds a place for you.”
“I thank you, Divine Lord, but I have no ties left to the Celestial Realm.”
Yi Yanzhi’s gaze chilled a little as he smiled, “No ties, you say? If circumstances permitted, do you think we’d allow you and him to act so recklessly? The mortal world isn’t the Saluo Realm; your wanton behavior has disrupted countless fates. Most are ordinary people—how can they be toyed with at your whim? Today’s ill-fated bonds will surely bring tomorrow’s evil consequences. I hope you both take heed.”
As his words faded, lightning suddenly streaked across the night sky, followed by thunder so loud it shook the earth.
Yi Yanzhi rose, brushing his robes, and walked out of the pavilion. Gu Qianrun followed closely behind. Amidst the flashes and thunder, Yi Yanzhi’s features flickered in and out of the light, and as nine bolts of lightning crashed down upon him, he closed his eyes.
Yi Zihan remained standing in the pavilion. Nine bolts at a time, nine times altogether—he had never seen Yi Yanzhi, or more accurately, the Divine Lord Wu Shang, so much as frown. When all eighty-one bolts of lightning had struck, Wu Shang still stood there in white robes. Yet Yi Zihan knew that he had now been restored as one of the Celestial Realm’s four Divine Lords, and was no longer the Yi Yanzhi who once called him brother.
Wu Shang left with Gu Qianrun, and Yi Zihan looked out over the empty, desolate courtyard and sighed. In a flash, he transformed into a streak of blue light and sped westward.
Meanwhile, when Qin Shi handed the eight-treasure cake he’d bought to Mingyue, he hesitated before saying, “Mistress…”
“Why are you so late?” Mingyue grumbled as she took the pastries and turned away. After walking a bit, she glanced back, “Why are you standing there? Go and bring me a cup of tea!”
Qin Shi nodded and went out again to fetch tea for Mingyue. As he watched her lower her gaze and eat, his eyes grew shadowed, and he unconsciously reached out to stroke her hair.
“Would you like to try some?”
Qin Shi shook his head, smiling, “No need, Mistress, you enjoy it.”
Mingyue tilted her head, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately kept silent and continued eating her pastries. Once she’d nearly finished, Qin Shi quietly cleared everything away and closed the door for her.
Mingyue still felt that Qin Shi was acting a bit odd tonight, and planned to ask him about it the next day, but found that he had returned to normal. Cold and serene as ever, he greeted her with a gentle smile when he saw her. Mingyue laughed as she threw herself into his arms, rubbing her head against his chest—this Qin Shi always made her feel at ease.
“Is there anywhere Mistress would like to go?”
“Hm?” Mingyue looked up, confused.
Qin Shi smiled softly, rubbing the back of her head, “Doesn’t Mistress want to go anywhere? These days, aside from tending to the Lovesickness Thread, we haven’t gone out at all. It wouldn’t hurt to take a stroll, and we don’t have to go far.”
“Let’s go to the outskirts, shall we? I’ve heard there’s a farmhouse restaurant out there with delicious food—a lot of people from the city go!” Mingyue squinted, recalling what she’d heard before and swallowing eagerly. She didn’t know what prompted Qin Shi’s suggestion, but it was true: the two of them had spent nearly all their time cooped up in the Lovesickness Pavilion. It would be good to go out for a change.
At that moment, Qin Shi guided her to lift her head, casting a shadow across her eyes, focusing all sensation on the gentle touch of his lips.
Suddenly, Mingyue remembered how, in Kang Sheng’s illusion, she had bitten Qin Shi’s lips, but felt nothing at the time. Now, the cool softness tingled with a hint of electricity. The smile that bloomed was unstoppable; Mingyue laughed against Qin Shi’s chest, deliberately ignoring his slight annoyance.
In the end, they set their outing for half a month later.
During the days that followed, Mingyue couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about Qin Shi, though she couldn’t pinpoint what. So she muddled through as usual.
When the day arrived, the two left the Lovesickness Pavilion early, not by carriage or any other means. Mingyue simply took Qin Shi’s hand and walked step by step toward their destination. By the time they arrived, it was nearly lunchtime, and Mingyue finally tasted the long-coveted delicacies. After the meal, they wandered the area. Though Mingyue had grown up in Yinzhou, her activities had been limited to the area around the Pavilion and some trading streets, and only recently had she gotten to know the Yi family’s estate. So this trip felt refreshingly new.
Walking along the riverside, Mingyue patted Qin Shi’s shoulder, and he obligingly crouched to give her a piggyback ride. Mingyue wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed, “Qin Shi, what made you want to go out today?”
“That’s because Mistress spends most of her time curled up in bed.”
Mingyue laughed and bumped her head against his shoulder, replying, “That’s right, I used to find you so vexing!”
Qin Shi laughed as well. The two fell silent, walking slowly along the riverside. Luckily, the sun wasn’t too strong, and Mingyue, holding onto Qin Shi, didn’t feel hot—just pleasantly cool.
They didn’t know how long they’d walked, but soon Qin Shi heard her gentle breathing from his back. He lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly. If he could, he’d always stay by her side, watching her smile, listening to her scold. But in the end, he couldn’t.
Qin Shi sighed deeply, carried Mingyue back, and let her rest comfortably on the couch.
Mingyue slept through dinner, feeling she was becoming more and more prone to sleep. Her stomach empty, she was about to get up to find food when Qin Shi entered, carrying a tray.
“You always know just what I need,” Mingyue laughed, taking the tray and looking down. The dishes were completely different from lunch, delighting her. She grabbed her chopsticks and began to eat, asking as she did, “Have you eaten already?”
Qin Shi gently stroked her hair, “Of course, I’ve eaten.”
Mingyue nodded happily and continued eating. But midway through, Qin Shi suddenly lifted her chin, and, ignoring the bits of food and oil at the corners of her mouth, pressed a kiss to her lips. The kiss was light and fleeting, traveling from the corner of her lips to her eyes. Unconsciously, Mingyue set her chopsticks down and closed her eyes slightly.
At some point, Qin Shi had come closer, lifting her onto his lap.
Mingyue’s lips curled in a smile as she reached out to encircle his neck. But just as his lips returned to hers, her body was suddenly immobilized. Mingyue opened her eyes in shock and saw a completely unfamiliar Qin Shi.
“Who are you?”
Qin Shi didn’t answer. His icy fingers traced her left eye, muttering, “Do you know why you can create the Lovesickness Thread? Because there’s a treasure hidden in your left eye. I’ve searched for it for so long, and now it’s time for it to return to its rightful owner.”
Qin Shi’s fingers curled, and Mingyue felt a wave of pain. But what hurt her more were his words, devoid of warmth. She stared into his eyes in disbelief, searching for something, but the inky blackness held only darkness—none of the clarity she once knew.
“You approached me—the amnesia was all a lie?”
Qin Shi’s lips twisted into a cold smile. “The amnesia wasn’t a lie. If it hadn’t happened, would you have taken me in? You know your own nature—unless there’s obvious benefit, you’d never agree. Am I wrong?”
Mingyue suddenly found it hard to breathe. She wanted to retort but realized he spoke the truth. Indeed, if Qin Shi hadn’t been useful and amnesiac, she would never have kept him. Yet even so, her heart felt heavy, as if something pressed down, making it hard to breathe.
“When did you regain your memory?”