Chapter Thirty-Three

Since Fate Has Brought Us Together…

Night. Luanxiu Hall.

The Empress sat up, her elegant brows lightly furrowed.

Beside her, the man stood as he redressed.

The embroidered blanket slid down her body, exposing her flawless skin.

'Your Majesty, it isn't even past midnight, you -'

The glow of the evening lamps were subdued and she could not see the expression within his eyes.

Long Fei-li covered her body with the blanket as he said in an unchanging voice, 'Xiu'er, have a rest. I am returning to Chuxiu Hall.'

Yu Mixiu bit her lips. 'Is Your Majesty unhappy with me?'

Yet Long Fei-li only said, 'I do not wish to disturb your rest.'

'Your Majesty, tonight, can you not leave?'

***

Fengjiu Palace.

Slowly, Xuanji opened her eyes.

Because she had not worn enough warm clothing, yesterday, upon her return from collecting dewdrops, she soon fell ill. Though she had endured it and forced herself to continue preparing a cup of tea before asking Diefeng to secretly deliver it to Qiuying Pavilion, after that, she had spent the entire day sleeping like a corpse.

Today, she had woken up dizzy and no longer had any strength to climb the trees. Upon seeing this, Diefeng had summoned a physician lady to take a look at her. After she had drunk the medicine prepared, she felt slightly better, albeit still dizzy.

The physician lady said that her illness was a common cold aggravated by the melancholy within her heart, hence worsening her symptoms.

Even with her exhaustion, she did not manage to get a restful sleep.

The little wolf was restless; it was curled next to her as it slept, yet it suddenly kicked her in the stomach before pouncing off the bed.

No…

In a hoa.r.s.e voice, she said, 'Little wolf -'

Within the darkness, it seemed as though a faint voice answered her.

She should not have made a sound.

Wasn't she just giving herself away? Her fever must have burned away her rationality.

Xuanji smiled tiredly. She wasn't deluded enough to take this trespa.s.ser for the Emperor…

'If you are an a.s.sa.s.sin, you've come to the wrong place. The Emperor is at Chuxiu Hall,' she murmured.

'You are eager for me to die?' the newcomer said.

It was him!

How did he come? Why had he come?

Xuanji froze. She heard movements in the dark as the man sat on the couch facing her, as though he had all the time in the world to talk to her.

That day, the cup of tea which spilled did not only scald her hand, for it had also burned her heart.

Only, who did not wish for the person they missed most to keep them company when they were ill?

Her heart was confused, and she could not say clearly what it was she felt.

She thought for a moment, then said lightly, 'He is extremely skilled in martial arts, and there's Xu Xi by his left, Xia Sang by his right, and Qingfeng in the middle.'

Her voice was hoa.r.s.e, startling even herself. A long moment pa.s.sed, but he did not respond, so she could only ask, 'Why have you come?'

'I wanted to ask you the meaning behind ‘one meeting in our lifetimes’.’

Long Fei-li's vision was excellent, and upon seeing the upper half of her body hanging off the edge of the bed, the corners of his lips lifted in an unconscious smile.

Shocked, Xuanji nearly fell from the bed.

He knew! But Concubine Jin would never have told him… so how could he have known?

In her bewilderment, her heart thudded anxiously as her mind raced to find an answer to his question. Yet at this moment, a noise sounded from the door.

It was… the little wolf?

She did not know where the little wolf had disappeared to after it had kicked her in the stomach. From the sound of its whines, it seemed to be extremely displeased.

'Do you want to have a look at it?' The man's voice travelled faintly from opposite her.

'What have you done to it?' In her hurry, she clambered off the bed, yet a wave of dizziness enveloped her head, her knees weakening.

She stumbled into his arms.

'Consider it a repayment of my debt.'

***

As he held her within his arms, he could feel the burn of her body from her fever, but she continued to smile faintly.

She often seemed to find enjoyment in little things. Unconsciously, Long Fei-li's brows drew together as he looked at her.

'What are you laughing at?'

Xuanji's eyes curved as she looked at the eaves of the houses which blurred by them as they leapt through the night skies, past the falling leaves.

Within the darkness, the moon and stars had shrouded the entire palace in a soft glow.

Holding her securely within his arms, Long Fei-li leapt across the roofs, heading in the direction of a secluded pathway.

A gentle breeze rustled by Xuanji's ears, bringing with it the chilliness of the night, yet it only heightened that feeling of flying across the skies.

'One meeting in our lifetimes,' Xuanji said softly. 'I think, I will remember this moment in the future.'

She did not speak formally with him. Perhaps it was because he had already told her of his likes and dislikes, so when there was only the both of them together, she no longer feared speaking informally with him.

She paused, for he seemed to have glanced at her.

In the next moment, he tightened his hold on her as they landed on the roof of a small pavilion.

This was - the willow forest at the entrance of the Lin Gardens?

She wanted to tell him the meaning behind 'one meeting in our lifetimes', but was momentarily distracted by what met her eyes.

Who else could it be but the little wolf who was currently flying above the tranquil waters of the lake?

Ever since they had escaped from the Lin Gardens, the little wolf had never flown again.

When she and Diefeng were bored, they often tried to provoke the little wolf to fly, but this little beast was extremely proud and stubborn. If it wasn't in the mood to fly, it would not fly.

But now, the little wolf was flying as it chased a person. That person was exceedingly skilled in martial arts - as he jumped up from the branches of the willow trees and leapt across the skies, the little wolf had no choice but to extend its wings and fly to chase him. Yet each time the little wolf drew near to that person, that person would slip away.

Initially, the little wolf was only chasing after him in a playful fas.h.i.+on, but it soon grew indignant at that person's continued evasion, howling as it begun using its claws to attack.

That person's movements only became all the more agile, as though he had not been using the full extent of his skills earlier.

Xuanji was stupefied. 'Long Fei-li -'

She did not address him as His Majesty.

At this moment, that man somersaulted through the air to land on the grounds before them.

Xuanji saw the man's face. 'Xia Sang?'

She had not finished her sentence when a second black-robed figure suddenly flew out from the willow forest to attack the little wolf. Under the pallid glow of the moonlight, Xuanji saw the dazzling gleam of the man's sword.

The little wolf gave a violent howl. It had been flying merrily earlier as it chased Xia Sang, but now that the tables had turned, it howled as it hurried to duck the newcomer's sword. That man’s sword speared in the direction of the little wolf’s body, and Xuanji instinctively moved forward in her alarm, but was immediately pulled back by Long Fei-li.

When she finally looked up again, the little wolf had already avoided that man's attack. With a cry, it spread its wings and flew in the direction of the willow forest, its speed several times faster than what they had witnessed the other day in the Lin Gardens.

After exchanging a glance, Xia Sang and the black-robed man did not delay any further, immediately giving chase.

As Xuanji recovered from her fright, she began to understand Long Fei-li's intentions and asked, 'Who is the other man?'

'Qingfeng.' Seeing that she was seated securely on the rooftop once more, Long Fei-li withdrew his hand.

Puzzled, Xuanji asked, 'What did Xia Sang use to lure the little wolf over?'

'Zisu.'

Her heart warmed. 'Thank you. The little wolf has been living without much opportunity for fun or action these days.'

'Why have you thanked me? If it fails to evade Qingfeng's attacks, it will be killed by Qingfeng,' Long Fei-li said, his tone unhurried, as though this was to be expected.

Xuanji could not decipher from his words the level of truth. Yet her heart spiked in her alarm, and as the roof of the pavilion was slippery, her jolt caused her body to slid downwards.

In her split-second of horror, Long Fei-li had already wrapped an arm around her waist.

The warmth emanating from his palms… she was returned into his close embrace, her lips brus.h.i.+ng across his face.

Fl.u.s.tered, she raised her head only to meet his eyes, staring straight at her. Beyond the sharpness of his gaze, there seemed to be a strange burn within his eyes.

Hanging high above the night skies, a silver of the moon lay unconcealed by the clouds, illuminating the grounds, shadows dancing across the lake.

From the reflection within his eyes, she could see herself, dressed only with a thin inner robe. Her robes were slightly open, her long hair untied to spill across her entire person.

Perhaps it was the gentle glow of the moon which stirred their emotions… she did not know who made the first move.

When she closed her eyes, their lips met, his long fingers tightening around her back.

It was different from their kiss the other day. Previously, he had taken the lead and managed to remain coolly detached, but now, the both of them were exhaling heavily.

Finally, his tongue prised open her mouth. When his tongue met hers, the warmth and coldness which radiated from him muddled her senses, and she thought, were it not for his arms which were wound firmly around her, she would surely have fallen off the roof.

Back then, their lips had barely touched, and she had only felt the coolness of his lips.

Now, his tongue invaded her mouth, s.n.a.t.c.hing her breath away in its plunder.

Was there at least a fraction of genuine affection? As he held her securely within his arms and protected her, it felt as though there existed no danger in this world which could touch her.

As though… he would never again hurt her.

She did not question whether it was worth it or otherwise… to cross a thousand years of history to arrive here in Xi Liang.

But it did not seem like only a thousand years.

In the darkness of the night, the moonlight illuminated the willows which crept across the dilapidated palace walls. Etched into the skies was an endless sea of twinkling stars, their glows luminescent.

She seemed to have experienced this sort of night before.

She trembled, that indistinct feeling of having met Long Fei-li before in the long-gone past rising within her once more.

Before her eyes, it was as though her vision had been clouded with a hazy mist as an image rippled across her mind…

Standing within the palace of the Western Seas, who was that violet-robed person who held a small lantern in her hands, tears streaming down her face as she stared far into the distance ahead where a tall and formidable man walked further and further away from her, his arms wrapped securely around another woman…

At the end of the pathway, the man and woman looked at each other and smiled, their faces transformed with bliss -

And whose sorrowful voice was it that said, Zisu, if there is another life, never fall in love… because he will never love you.

***

The illusion faded as quickly as it came, and Xuanji started as she felt the chilliness on her cheeks.

Her tears had fallen, but they were immediately wiped away by a pale hand.

She stared at Long Fei-li. His eyes were unreadable.

'You're unwilling for me to touch you?' His lips left hers, his voice hoa.r.s.e.

She smiled bitterly. Lifting her head, she looked at him, before asking in return, 'Who is the unwilling one?'

This time, she finally knew who had made the first move.

He kissed her, a fierce urgency burning within his beautiful eyes.

His breath was hot against her face; she struggled to inhale, her breaths quick.

Their tongues entangled; fear, chaos, desperation…finally, she tried to respond.

What she received was his forcefulness, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with frenzy.

As she leaned against his chest, one of his fingers lingered at her lips.

Neither of them made a sound.

Xuanji wanted to look at his eyes, to see the expression within them.

But even if she saw, she would never be able to understand –

Even a person whom you loved like a lover or treasured like a friend would still have a world which belonged only to them. Perhaps that world was big, or maybe it was small, but unless that person allowed you to enter their world, otherwise it would forever be beyond your reach, just like the secrets that lay concealed within it.

After this kiss, would anything change between the two of them? She wanted to know, but what could she do? Ask him…?

In the end, she only stared at the lake a distance away.

Her hair was wind-swept in the breeze, her robes thin and flimsy. In this chilly night, she curled closer into his embrace.

Long Fei-li extended a hand, his fingers brus.h.i.+ng across her forehead. In a low voice, he said, 'Let's return.'

'Can we stay a moment longer?'

'You're ill.'

'It's fine. Anyway, I'm already sick,' she said lightly, then continued, 'Long Fei-li, have you heard that story before?'

'What story?' He removed his outer robe, draping it over her body.

Her hands pulled clumsily at his robe.

Long Fei-li's brows drew together as he said, 'What are you doing?'

'Anyhow, I'm already sick, so you should wear this instead. It's not worth it if the both of us become sick.'

His chest seemed to rise.

'What are you laughing at?'

'Tell me about that story,' Long Fei-li said as he covered her with his outer robes once more.

She had heard this story many times, and wondered if a similar version existed in Xi Liang.

'When it rained, the pedestrians on the road all ran in their hurry to avoid the rain, but one man acted in the contrary as he continued to stroll down the path. When others asked him why, he said that further down the road, it was also raining -'

Long Fei-li raised his brows as he laughed.

'That man was really foolish, wasn’t he? But don't you think he was also living his life without worry or vexation, at his own unhurried pace?' She curled deeper into his arms. 'Long Fei-li, are you… tired?'

His hand, which had moved to pull her closer against his body, stilled, pausing at her shoulders.

'I am not.' Quietly.

'Have Xia Sang and Qingfeng been by your side for a long time?'

'En.' They did not have many opportunities to interact, but he seemed to have gotten used to her disjointed way of thinking as she frequently jumped between her thoughts.

'They are people you trust, aren't they? When you are tired, you can also have a moment of rest… because they are there.'

'En, that's good.' She thought for a moment, and added.

He did not reply, so she fell silent.

Suddenly, he rested his chin gently on her head. Though she did not know what he was thinking about, this sort of mutual support caused a warm fuzziness to rise in her heart. But in the next moment, her head swum with giddiness, and she inhaled heavily.

'We should return.' His voice was extremely quiet.

'Can we remain here a little longer?'

'Give me a reason.'

'One meeting in our lifetimes.' She thought for a moment, then said.

'One meeting in our lifetimes?'

She smiled lightly. This was a saying which had originated from her world.

'In the ways of making tea, there is a saying: the two of us could still be sitting here and enjoying a cup of tea together today, but when dawn arrives the next morning, we may never have such an opportunity to meet again.

‘Once a lifetime – there are some people we only have the affinity to meet once in our lives. Such destiny is difficult to come by, and since fate has brought us together, we should treasure this meeting with all our hearts.'