February 12th…
Just as in the events of my memory, “I” and Xie Zhuo met in this way.
From here on, there seemed to be nothing more for me to do. I floated in the air, watching my past self and the Xie Zhuo I had guarded until now experience “the past.”
“I” carried him back to the cave in the Snow Bamboo Forest, took care of him for half a month, bandaged his external wounds, changed his medicine, and simply washed his body. “I” was curious about all his injuries, and also very much liked his handsome appearance.
At this time, Xie Zhuo was mysterious, dangerous, yet full of attraction to “me.”
People are always attracted to such people and things.
At the end of February, Xie Zhuo regained consciousness for the first time.
He was injured too severely to move at all.
At that moment, “I” was beside Xie Zhuo, infusing soul power into his body, hoping he would wake up soon.
After opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was “me” beside him, dozing off while channeling soul power.
He frowned slightly, looked at his wounds, then at me. He moved his fingertips, seemingly wanting to sit up a bit more, but his injuries were too severe. Just moving his hand made him breathe heavily.
“I” was also startled by him, waking from my doze.
“You’re awake!”
“I” was very excited, immediately sitting up straight, looking left and right.
“How are you feeling? Is it alright… I’m not a very professional physician. I’ve learned the basics from the camp’s physician over these past few days. I was afraid I’d treat you badly… but it turns out I did fine.”
“I” smiled at Xie Zhuo: “Your body is quite resilient too, surviving such injuries.”
Xie Zhuo’s gaze remained fixed on “my” face until it met “my” smiling eyes. He paused, then blinked once and slightly turned his eyes away.
My past self might not have known why Xie Zhuo turned away his gaze.
But the current me, having walked so many paths with him, understands.
A person who has always lived between pursuit and life and death, when has he ever seen such a smile without shadows?
Amid coldness and numbness, suddenly feeling warmth, it’s hard to adapt.
“Why did you save me?”
Xie Zhuo spoke hoarsely, his throat seeming as if it had been scraped by a knife.
“Would you rather I’d let you freeze to death in the ice and snow?”
“I” blurted out, then thought for a moment and added, “You saved me in the Snow Bamboo Forest before. I won’t report you, consider it repaying that debt. I’ll take care of you until you’re healed, and after that, you can quietly leave Kunlun. I won’t tell anyone.”
Xie Zhuo didn’t say anything more.
The severe injuries ultimately left him too exhausted. After a while, he closed his eyes again and fell asleep.
“I” remained by his side, continuing to transfer a bit of soul power to him. Seeing his breathing steady, I picked up my basket for digging snow bamboo shoots, humming a tune, and left the cave.
For the next three months, Xie Zhuo stayed in this cave recovering.
“I” came to find him with a basket almost every day.
At first, to transfer soul power and change his medicine.
Later, almost all the bandages on Xie Zhuo’s body were removed. His flesh wounds appeared to be mostly healed. For his internal injuries, “I” gradually realized I couldn’t help much, so “I” let Xie Zhuo treat himself.
But “I” still came every day.
“I” came to talk to him, even though he didn’t like to talk.
“I” often chattered endlessly, telling him all the trivial things that happened around me recently, both happy and unhappy.
Occasionally, “I” would also ask about his past, but once “I” sensed he didn’t want to speak, “I” would brush the topic aside.
“I” would also bring him some small items from the Kunlun market. I would tell him: “Recently, the evil miasma outside Kunlun seems to have weakened considerably…”
Hearing this, Xie Zhuo would always lower his eyes and nod.
I knew he felt relieved about this.
But my past self couldn’t understand his emotions and continued obliviously: “Xi Wang Mu plans to expand the Kunlun market a bit more. Gradually, many new and interesting things have arrived. Come play with me.”
In such matters, Xie Zhuo never refused “me.”
Even though those “new things” I took out were items he had seen long ago during his many years outside Kunlun.
He would still accompany “me” to fiddle with these things in the cave.
At that time, the items sold in Kunlun were a mixed bag, and since “I” had always lived in Kunlun, “I” truly lacked experience. Occasionally, among the items “I” bought, there would be some strange objects mixed in.
Once, “I” had just pulled out a metal flower from my pocket to give to Xie Zhuo.
“People at the market said this flower is a magical tool. If given to a sick person, it can…”
Before “I” could finish, suddenly, Xie Zhuo raised his hand and gripped the flower with its petals tightly in his palm.
“I” looked at Xie Zhuo with a puzzled face: “What…”
Just as the words began, in the next moment, the metal flower exploded in his hand with a “bang,” startling me.”
“It’s a hidden weapon, not a magical tool,” Xie Zhuo said calmly.