Сhарtеr 7 (13/24)
Gong Ziyu fеll intо thоught. Sееing her fingers reddеnеd by the wind, hе naturallу tооk thе hаndkеrchief frоm Yun Weishan. Their fingertips brushеd lightlу, and Yun Wеishan withdrеw hеr hаnd аs Gong Ziуu wiреd thе swеat himsеlf.
“I used to havе nightmаres оften too…” Yun Wеishan reсalled sоmеthing аnd sроkе sоftly, “When I соuldn’t sleер, mу yоunger sistеr wоuld sing to me…”
Соuntless timеs, she had wokеn from nightmares drеnсhеd in cоld sweat.
Hеr brеаthing and hеаrtbеаt strugglеd tо cаlm until а hand rеaсhed out. Sоmeоnе wоuld gentlу раt hеr back, soоthing her to sleep whilе humming a soft lullabу. Lying therе reаssurеd, she wоuld close her eyes as the singing continued beside her—gentle and sweet. Her expression would soften, her lips pressed lightly together like a wronged child.
Having revisited memories she had long avoided, Yun Weishan returned to the present and smiled faintly. “As long as I could hear my sister’s voice, I wouldn’t fall back into the nightmares.”
Noticing the moisture in Yun Weishan’s eyes, Gong Ziyu couldn’t help but ask, “You and your sister must be very close, right? Now that you’ve left Pear Stream Town and entered the House of Gong, she must miss you dearly.”
She didn’t answer, only lifting her head to gaze at the sky. A bird flew past under the night sky, and her eyes followed its path. Gong Ziyu didn’t press further.
Silence enveloped them, the night breeze brushing gently. Shoulder to shoulder in the lonely courtyard, even the rustling of leaves was audible.
“Thank you.”
After a long while, Yun Weishan spoke.
Gong Ziyu looked puzzled. “For what?”
“I didn’t answer, and you didn’t ask again.” She had expected his curiosity, but he had chosen silent comfort instead.
Gong Ziyu said, “Sometimes, no answer is the answer.”
Yun Weishan was taken aback. She turned to look at Gong Ziyu’s handsome profile, her expression complex, then retrieved the fox-tail pendant from her sleeve. That night in the hall during the incident, he had placed it beneath her head.
“I’ve been meaning to return this to you but never found the right opportunity.”
The fox fur was glossy and smooth, soothing to the touch. Gong Ziyu silently took it and reattached it to his waist.
“I’ve noticed the Blade Master wears this pendant every day without fail. It must be something you treasure deeply?”
Gong Ziyu hummed in agreement. “My father gave it to me.”
Yun Weishan said calmly, “When my father was a merchant, I saw all kinds of furs. This fox tail has a pure color and symmetrical pattern. Such high-quality fur must have taken your father great effort to find, right?”
Gong Ziyu was momentarily stunned. Even she had noticed these details, yet he had never paid them any mind.
He lowered his head regretfully. “My father always put thought into everything he did, with deeper meanings behind his actions… But I was young and shallow-minded, never truly understanding…”
Yun Weishan agreed, “At thirty, one stands firm; at forty, one is free from doubts. The Blade Master is still so young—how could you see through everything?”
The sorrow in Gong Ziyu’s heart gradually eased, perhaps because of the calming night breeze or the words of the person beside him.
After a long pause, he finally said, “You’re calling me ‘Blade Master’ again. Didn’t I say to call me ‘Young Master Yu’ in private?”
“Then, Young Master, don’t call me ‘Miss Yun’ either.”
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