Huo Ci stood by the river, dazed for a long time.
Suddenly, he let out a self-mocking laugh: “A vendetta for my murdered father is irreconcilable. With such a great hatred unavenged, how can I speak of anything else?”
He turned and left without casting another glance at the flower lantern.
These were things that had never been part of Jiang Xingyan’s memories, yet now they appeared in her dream with absolute clarity.
As if she had witnessed them firsthand from behind Huo Ci.
Her heart was completely calm now.
She wouldn’t deny that Huo Ci had once felt something for her.
But that kind of love that always took second place was not what she wanted.
In the dream, Huo Ci had already turned and walked away for quite a while, yet Jiang Xingyan still lingered there, as if waiting for someone.
Before long, a point of light appeared on the river, drifting down from upstream.
The lantern flickered on and off. Beside it, there seemed to be someone—a white-haired youth, swimming in the river, accompanying the lantern downstream.
Suddenly, the lantern swayed, about to capsize into the river.
The white-haired youth shot out his hand and grabbed the lantern tightly, forcibly steadying it.
“With me, Yun Chunfeng, here, the Young Miss must have peace, joy, and a smooth life!”
Yun Chunfeng let out a low cry, pulled the lantern out of the undercurrent, and half-embraced, half-supported it all the way downstream.
His face was wet with a mix of sweat and river water. Jiang Xingyan’s face was covered in tears.
“Don’t worry, Young Miss. Yun’er is here!”
She suddenly jolted awake from the dream and sat up.
Turbulent tears blurred her eyes. She hugged her knees and cried for a long time.
Having lived two lives, wasn’t she just like that lantern already swallowed by the river?
It was Yun’er who had held her up all the way, giving her a second chance at life.
“Yun’er…”
“Young Miss, I’m here.”
Jiang Xingyan jerked her head up. In one glance, she saw that the bed where Yun Chunfeng had been lying was now completely empty.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Without even bothering to put on shoes or socks, she ran out barefoot.
The sky was still dark and heavy—it must have been past the fourth watch.
“Yun’er!”
She no longer cared whether she might wake the others from their sleep. She couldn’t lose Yun’er.
“Where are you, Yun’er!”
Perhaps her tearful voice was too obvious, because lights began to flicker on in one tent after another.
She ran aimlessly, then suddenly thought of something and turned toward the supply camp.
She had no time to return the guards’ salutes. She rushed all the way to the kitchen and, with one glance, spotted that tall, slender figure.
He wore a moon-white cloud-patterned robe, his white hair cascading like a waterfall down to his waist. He looked like an immortal banished from heaven.
Methodically, he placed seasonings into an empty bowl, then added a handful of bright green chopped scallions.
He ladled out a spoonful of rich, white hot broth and poured it over the seasonings and scallions.
A sweet, fragrant aroma instantly filled the air.
He set down the ladle, picked up a pair of long chopsticks, and lifted noodles as fine as silk threads into the bowl.
Finally, from the boiling pot, he fished out a round fried egg, golden and bright as the sun.
Jiang Xingyan just stood there staring, tears plopping down one after another.
It was the taste of the longevity noodles her grandfather used to make for her.
Yun Chunfeng carefully lifted the bowl, placed it on a tray, and slowly turned around, a satisfied smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Young Miss, happy birthday.”
Jiang Xingyan stared blankly at Yun Chunfeng, then suddenly took a step forward. She didn’t reach for the longevity noodles. Instead, with a trembling hand, she reached out to gently touch his cheek.
But she stopped half an inch from his face.
Because she was still in Huo Ci’s body.
Her voice trembled with shock and utter disbelief.
“Yun’er, your eyes—”
Yun Chunfeng’s eyes were just like when she had first seen him after her rebirth—covered with a white film.
“Did I frighten the Young Miss?
Yun’er is now in a mortal body, so naturally he’s been returned to his original form.
Yun’er will put on the soft gauze right away, so the Young Miss won’t be troubled by the sight.”
Yun Chunfeng fumbled to set the tray with the longevity noodles on the stove and reached for the soft gauze lying nearby, but Jiang Xingyan grabbed his wrist.
“Yun’er is wonderful. I—I like it very much.”
A faint blush instantly spread across Yun Chunfeng’s cheeks.
“Young Miss, please eat the noodles quickly, or they won’t taste good soon.”
Jiang Xingyan held back her overflowing tears, picked up the bowl, and was about to take a bite when she suddenly stopped.
“Someone, bring your general here.”
“Yes!”
Jiang Xingyan put down her chopsticks and pointed at Huo Ci’s body: “We can’t let him off easy!”
Yun Chunfeng laughed.
“Once the Young Miss has swapped back, I’ll definitely make it up to you.”
With that, he took out a bundle wrapped in Shu brocade from his chest and held it out to Jiang Xingyan:
“These past few years, the Young Miss has suffered.
It’s all Yun’er’s fault.
From now on, year after year, day after day, Yun’er will be here.
As long as the Young Miss doesn’t mind Yun’er.”
Jiang Xingyan’s tears started flowing again.
Huo Ci rushed to the supply camp in a panic, and what he saw was A-Yan with her head lowered, wiping her tears.
“Why did you make A-Yan sad?”
Yun Chunfeng’s mouth twitched. He didn’t want to argue with a fool.
“Shut up and eat your noodles!”
Huo Ci suddenly understood.
A-Yan’s tears were proof of happiness.
For a moment, his heart ached and swelled. He was the one who had wronged A-Yan.
Married to him for three years, had she ever properly celebrated a birthday?
Now he was occupying A-Yan’s body, and he had even made it so she couldn’t eat her own longevity noodles.
He lowered his head, picked up the bowl, and tasted fresh, fragrant, and spicy flavors. The spiciness was unbearable for his soul, yet A-Yan’s body felt perfectly comfortable.
He endured his soul’s discomfort and finished the entire bowl of longevity noodles, even drinking the soup.
Yun Chunfeng’s cooking really was beyond words.
“State Preceptor, when can A-Yan and I swap back?”
Yun Chunfeng frowned slightly and answered honestly: “I don’t know.”
Before he returned to the mortal world, he had also asked his master.
His master’s eyes had shifted evasively, saying only that the karmic conditions were not yet ripe and they would have to wait.
But it definitely wouldn’t take too long.
Perhaps once they returned to the capital, the opportunity would come.
Huo Ci’s heart was also a mess.
He could sense that the mysterious power around Yun Chunfeng was gone, which meant he had become an ordinary person.
The emperor had originally treated Yun Chunfeng with such great courtesy precisely because he valued his ability to communicate with heaven above and reach the underworld below, using it to attain the realm of immortality.
That was the power every emperor since ancient times had dreamed of.
Even someone with achievements and vision as great as the First Emperor could not escape this trap.
If they returned to the capital like this, would the emperor let him off easily?
But today was A-Yan’s birthday. It wasn’t the time to talk about such things.
“Try the clothes Yun’er prepared.”
Huo Ci’s gaze fell on the Shu brocade bundle. He cleared his throat: “Though I occupy A-Yan’s body, I still carry a man’s bearing. No matter how fine the clothes, they won’t suit A-Yan half as well.
Better not to waste the State Preceptor’s kind intentions.
Once we’ve swapped back, A-Yan can try them on herself.”
Jiang Xingyan and Yun Chunfeng were both slightly surprised. Neither had expected Huo Ci to say such a thing.
“Why didn’t you call me for the longevity noodles!”
A fiery voice came from far to near, bursting into the tent.
