“Muxue!!!”
Chu Ruo sat up with a start. It took a moment for her mind to clear. She instinctively felt around; though she couldn't see, she could tell she was lying on a bed. Aside from the pain of her external injuries—which had already been bandaged—she didn't feel any major discomfort. Did people in this world not die from jumping off cliffs? Or did she have some kind of protagonist’s plot armor?
She muttered to herself, “I’m actually fine? Surviving a fall like that... my luck is too good.”
“Luck, my foot. You’re dreaming if you think jumping off a mountain is no big deal.”
That familiar voice... “You’re... the owner of that black-hearted inn!” Wasn't this the old woman from the Fortune Inn they had encountered on the way to Miaojiang? Why was she here? It couldn't be a coincidence.
“Black-hearted?” The old woman walked over, her spit nearly flying into Chu Ruo’s face. “Bullshit! My inn has always been honest with every customer—”
“Stop, stop, I misspoke. Why are you here? Wait, Muxue! Where is Muxue? Muxue!”
“Oh, ancestor, keep it down! Don't shout. My ears are already failing me, and you’re about to turn me deaf. That girl is fine.” She walked over to check Chu Ruo’s wounds. “She’s perfectly alright. You, on the other hand, played the hero. When you jumped, you acted as a human cushion for her. How could she be hurt? She’s decocting medicine for you right now. She’s been watching over you night after night, refusing to even close her eyes.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” The heavy stone in Chu Ruo’s heart finally lifted. She repeated her earlier question, “But why are you here?”
The old woman let out a sigh. Just as Chu Ruo was wondering what the sigh was for, she answered, “Why are you as dim-witted as my own fool of a son? Obviously, that girl of yours called for me. Otherwise, I haven't stepped foot out of my place in years; why would I come to a spot like this?”
“Muxue? When did she contact you?”
“Not long ago. When she sent word, I didn't know what you two were up to, but she told me to find you and take you to Miaojiang. She said you were never to come back.”
“So, she had planned this all along...” Chu Ruo asked for the specific time Nan Muxue had sent the message. It coincided exactly with the time she had left Chu Ruo to return to the Hundred Flowers Palace. Her eyes began to well up again. *You little scorpion, you arranged everything for me and then went back to throw your life away. You’re the real fool.*
“What? Crying?”
“No, I’m not.” She should have known there was no such thing as plot armor. It was Muxue—her Muxue—who had been silently arranging everything for her. *Nan Muxue, what did I ever do to deserve you?*
“Cry if you want to. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I actually envy you lot. When you get old, the tears dry up. Even when I want to cry, I can’t. That girl is truly good to you. It’s only natural to be moved. I’ve picked up the gist of things on my way here. The martial world is a mess right now, all because that girl’s mother is stirring up trouble. She won't let you be together?”
“More than that. She doesn't treat Muxue like a daughter at all. She’s vicious to the extreme. Even a tiger won't eat its cubs, but her actions are worse than a beast’s.”
“Sigh... You’re still young, the road ahead is long. By the way, this is just a village in the countryside. Rest up and recover. As for what to do next, that’s up to your girl. Whether you go to Miaojiang or stay here, you decide for yourselves.”
“Where is Muxue? I want to see her.”
“She’s not going to run away. Get up slowly. Fine, fine, I’m afraid of your stubbornness. I’ll take you there. I told you, she’s decocting medicine and boiling porridge for you. She would have brought it over once it was done, but you just can’t wait, can you...”
*Glug, glug...*
The stove fire was burning bright. Without a doubt, whether it was the plain porridge, the medicinal soup, or the other pots, a faint smell of burning was beginning to waft through the air. In this moment, Nan Muxue did not possess the calm, composed aura of a Young Palace Mistress. Instead, she looked rather disheveled and frantic, unsure of which pot to stir or which lid to lift. *Clang, clang!* She set the lids down haphazardly. She was distracted, lost in thought, and when she reached out instinctively, she grabbed a hot handle, yelping as she pulled her hand back. The entire table was a mess.
“Be careful.” It was the voice she knew best. Before she could turn her head, the person was already beside her. “Did you burn yourself? Quick, rinse it with cold water. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Don’t...”
“It’s fine. Our Young Palace Mistress was raised in luxury; you have to be careful.” Chu Ruo gave a brilliant smile, her hands moving with surprising precision. “Did you think I’d be useless just because I’m blind? Actually, I’ve been training my other senses lately. I can hear everything, and my sense of smell is even better. It’s just like before.” As she spoke, she picked up a pot with both hands and placed it steadily on the table. “See? No problem.”
“You...”
“Oh, stop nagging. Go rinse your hand, or it’ll be red and swollen in a minute.” She had worked so hard to sharpen her hearing, touch, and smell just so she could tell this woman when they met: *Even without my eyes, I am fine. We can still be together. Please, don't do anything foolish for my sake ever again.*
Nan Muxue remained silent. Chu Ruo didn't mind, continuing to chatter away, “It smells so good. Did you make chicken soup for me? Though, from the sounds of your scrambling, the kitchen must look terrible right now. It’s a good thing I can’t see it. Honestly, you can’t cook to save your life. You clumsy little scorpion, you’re just not cut out for this. I’ll do the cooking from now on; you just worry about eating...”
Chu Ruo was suddenly embraced from behind. She knew, of course, that there was no one else in this room but her Muxue. She freed one hand to clasp the hands wrapped around her waist. “What is it? Are you too moved for words?”
“Ruo’er...”
Chu Ruo had waited a long time for that call. She tilted her head back blissfully and closed her eyes. “Mm, that sounds wonderful. Say it again.”
“Ruo’er,” Nan Muxue called out, then hugged her tightly, using every ounce of her strength. “You fool.”
“I’m a fool? Then what about you? Aren't you one too? Hehe, maybe I’ve been with you too long. They say if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas?”
“Why did you come back to the Hundred Flowers Palace?”
Chu Ruo knew she wasn't looking for a literal answer; they both knew the truth. “What do you think? You’re asking what you already know.”
“You...”
“Or is it that you really wanted that wealth and power?” Chu Ruo feigned anger. “I know, I get it. You actually despise me for being blind. You look down on me, and you’ve always cared about our status as master and disciple...”
Nan Muxue’s voice was unreadable, but her grip tightened further. “Ruo’er.”
“‘Contrary to affection, intolerable by reason’—who was it that said those words? I was so angry I coughed up blood on the spot. I’m still mad thinking about it.”
“The two of us... are indeed contrary to affection and intolerable by reason.”
“You!” Chu Ruo really hadn't expected her to answer like that. “Are you trying to provoke me on purpose?”
“But,” Nan Muxue continued, “even if it means defying the heavens, so what? I have never feared divine punishment, nor do I fear the judgment of the world.”
Chu Ruo turned around, reaching up to cup her lover’s face. “Then why did you say those things to hurt me?”
The other woman countered, “Then why did you still step forward?”
Chu Ruo hadn't forgotten. That day, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the little scorpion had called her a blind useless waste. She had used all her strength to walk to her side. *If I walk to you, will you promise to leave with me?*
“If I had to choose a thousand or ten thousand times more, I would still step forward. Nan Muxue, even if you push me away, even if you say you don't want me with your own lips, even if the most heartless and cruel words come out of your mouth... my choice will never change.”
“Chu Ruo,” Nan Muxue finally embraced her love completely. “Then listen well. I will never say such things again.”
“Who would believe you...” Chu Ruo was caught off guard by the sudden invasion of lips and tongue. *This little scorpion has learned some bad tricks... she knows how to use her mouth to shut me up...*
“Muxue... Muxue...”
“Now, do you believe me?”
Chu Ruo shook her head. “I’m just a blind person now... Ow! Why did you pinch me!”
“You didn't even tell me you were blind? You always do such stupid things.”
“I just didn't want you to worry. Well, weren't you just as stupid for going back to face your mother alone?”
Nan Muxue actually let out a laugh. “Yes. We are both fools.”
Chu Ruo took advantage of the moment to pull her into her arms. “Then promise me, you aren't allowed to do anything 'stupid' to protect me ever again.”
“I told you, I am your Master. If the sky falls, I will be the one to hold it up for you. You only ever need to stay behind me. I will protect you, my Ruo’er.”
***
