Always been by myself? Xuanji did not know why she had said such words as she didn’t even remember who she was to begin with.
Unaccompanied, Xuanji aimlessly wandered around the village. Along the way, she had passed by a few villagers. Though no words were exchanged, the gleam of disdain in their eyes towards her was easy to discern. She could only give a faint smile back and continue on her way as she did not know how else to respond.
It was uncertain how much time had passed but Xuanji finally returned to her dwelling. Upon coming back, she noticed that it was empty, Long Fei Li was not inside but she suddenly heard a noise coming from the kitchen.
Out of curiosity, Xuanji headed towards the kitchen. To her surprise, Long Fei Li was standing inside, his attention fixed on a fish lying inside a bucket.
Hearing her approaching steps, he continued on with what he was doing and did not pay her any attention.
Seeing him ignore her, Xuanji gave a faint smile and quietly returned to her room.
Upon entering her room, Xuanji noticed something on her bed and froze. There were clothes lying on the bed, clothes that she had seen Song Ni wore just this morning! Why was it here? What had they done in her room?
Slowly, Xuanji approached the bed with heavy steps. Seeing the clothes laid openly before her eyes, she extended a hand, clutching onto it tightly. At that moment, she turned around and saw Long Fei Li exiting the kitchen.
With a cold smile, Xuanji asked,” Had so much fun and forgot this here?”
Glancing at the object in her hand, Long Fei Li’s expression changed for a brief moment but very quickly he smiled calmly and walked past her wordlessly.
Anger and pain swelled in her heart. Raising her hand, Xuanji threw the clothes at his back and said, “Here, take your woman’s clothes with you.”
Long Fei Li halted in his steps. Turning around, he glanced at the clothes lying on the ground and faintly said, “I’m heading out to sea. If you see Miss Song, return the clothes to her.”
“Heading out to sea? Aren’t you afraid I’ll run away again?” Xuanji asked coldly.
With an icy sneer, Long Fei Li said, “Since yesterday, I’m no longer concerned. Whether Miss Nian wants to leave or stay, it’s up to you.”
His words stabbed at her heart and she couldn’t help but lean back against the bed for support. In a low voice she said, “Just take it away and leave!”
With a raised brow, Long Fei Li gazed at Xuanji, a chilling smile resting upon his lips as he wordlessly turned and walked away without any reluctance.
Yet before the door closed, he glanced back at her. “Nian Xuanji, before I brought you back yesterday, I was walking right behind you, following after you. You know why? I was actually waiting for you, waiting for the moment you would turn back around.”
Xuanji lowered her head, obscuring the expression on her face.
In the next moment, the door slammed shut with a loud thud.
Xuanji bit her lips momentarily, conflicted as to what she should do. She looked up at the closed door and dashed over. Opening the door, she saw that Long Fei Li had already strided across the middle of the yard. Shutting her eyes, the words that left her lips were, “Isn’t there a sea monster out there? You…”
Should not go. Three simple words, yet she stubbornly could not say them. Why was that?
“I’m going to kill the sea monster. It will be a repayment to the villagers for saving your life.” Long Fei Li turned around, his dark eyes lining with derision as he said with a callous smile, “Don’t you want me to head out to sea? I’m fulfilling your wish.”
“You’re crazy! Aren’t you afraid of death?” she asked.
“Once I die, you’ll be happy,” he remarked.
Xuanji did not know how to respond when suddenly a soft, female voice issued outside the door. “Brother Long, I’ve handled all the preparations. Come, I’ll change the dressing for your wound before you depart.”
Brother Long? Xuanji stared at the clothes lying on the ground silently before shifting her gaze towards Long Fei Li. Coldly, she said, “Yes, I’ll be thrilled once you die!”
Long Fei Li’s expression darkened.
“Very well spoken!” he remarked in a low, coarse tone.
***
This time, he won’t come to find her again.
Want him dead? This statement was so contrary to how she felt that even she wanted to laugh.
She should leave, not wander around the village like a fool, she thought to herself. Staying in this room which had his lingering scent made her flustered. Yet looking at the clothes sprawled on the ground, the ache in her heart deepened.
Her head swum with heaviness and she could feel her body waver with fever and chills. The moment he left, she felt she no longer had any strength left. She knew she had caught a cold last night. What’s worse, the wound on her shoulder had not been properly taken care of. The inflammation was seemingly worse.
When he told her that he had been waiting for her to turn around yesterday, at that moment, she wanted to tell him that she was not fated to leave this village. No matter how far she went, she would’ve turned back. Unfortunately, in the end, he had arrived a step too early while she was a step too late. It’s just, looking at those clothes on the ground….how was she to tell him that now?
***
Wandering along the walking trail in the forest, Xuanji noticed the darkening skies which made the forest even gloomier. As she turned to head back, her attention was caught by the glow of a soft lantern hanging from the eaves of a house in the distance. As she walked closer, she realized there was a temple up ahead.
This made her recall the Dragon Empress Temple that the villagers had mentioned in the past. Curious, she decided to go take a look. Entering through the doors of the temple, the first thing she noticed was how clean the place was. It was evident that the villagers were very devoted to worshiping this goddess. Standing near the door, her gaze shifted towards the large statute of the goddess in front of her which gave her a start. This was the Dragon Empress Zisu? Dressed in pink, she had a face round as the full moon, with a cinnabar marking in the middle of her forehead. Her face was as elegant and graceful as a painting, the corners of her mouth were raised in a smile as glorious as a flower. She truly exuded the image of a stunning beauty. But that’s not right, Xuanji thought with a frown. This is Zisu? Zisu isn’t like this…No, she thought as she suddenly felt a splitting headache and cried out painfully. She obviously did not know Zisu, how would she know what Zisu should or shouldn’t look like? But what bothered her most was that looking at this statue, she seemed to have a strange sense of deja vu!
Abruptly, a hand painfully clutched at her waist and she was pulled violently into a man’s arms.
Startled, she wanted to scream but the newcomer was a step faster and covered her mouth. As he forcefully dragged her inside the temple she noticed a fishy smell emanating from his body.
He violently threw her onto the ground. Shrinking back, she looked up at the man wearily. Catching a clear view of his face, she said in horror, “It’s you! What do you want?”
The man gave a callous sneer and toppled over her.
The splitting sound of silk reverberated through the still air within the Dragon Empress Temple.
The smile on the goddess statue seemed to grow faint as the man’s heinous actions unfolded.