A Le looked around. Campfires dotted the surroundings, patrols moved continuously through the military camp, and various noises lingered in the air.
However, earlier, to avoid disturbing Xie Yanlai's sleep, the young lady had ordered people to stay away, so their area remained quiet.
To be honest, seeing Xie Yanlai suddenly pull the young lady into an embrace didn’t surprise her much—probably because she had witnessed something similar before.
Back when the general had just passed away, the young lady had held back her tears for a long time until Xie Yanlai said a few words that made her cry. After she fell asleep, he carried her back to rest.
And now, Xie Yanlai had made the young lady cry again—perhaps by talking about Prince Zhongshan.
A Le sighed. This situation was indeed perilous; even she had thought they would die inside until the very moment they walked out.
The young lady was only human—how could she not be afraid?
When the young lady was frightened and had no one to confide in, having someone like A Jiu to bicker with and cry it out would be a relief. A Le sat down, hugging her knees and gazing up at the starry sky.
The spring night sky was much more beautiful than in winter.
Xie Yanlai looked at the distant, brilliant Milky Way.
"Actually, you shouldn’t think of her as your mother," he said. "Apart from giving birth to you and the blood ties between you, she is, more than anything, Mu Mianhong."
Wasn’t that stating the obvious? Chu Zhao almost laughed. She is Mu Mianhong. Just as she was about to lift her head, Xie Yanlai’s hand pressed down on her head, holding her in place.
"What I mean is, she’s a person. See her as an individual, not just as a mother."
"To put it bluntly, her connection to you is brief, but that brief bond is something you can’t escape in this lifetime."
"Perhaps she finds it bewildering too."
"Maybe our parents sometimes regret having us."
"Without us, they might live more freely, more at ease."
"I remember when I was little, I made my mother angry, and she scolded me, saying, 'If I hadn’t given birth to you, I wouldn’t be living this kind of life.'"
His thoughts drifted far away as he gazed at the stars, but they were quickly pulled back when a pair of small hands stealthily wrapped around his waist—
Xie Yanlai kept his hand on Chu Zhao’s head and warned, "Don’t get handsy."
The girl in front of him chuckled and retorted, "Hey, who started it?"
She was still leaning against him, her head still pressed down by his hand.
Xie Yanlai paused for a moment, then reached out and pushed her away. "That’s different. I was... comforting you."
When he was little and cried—though he couldn’t remember why—a hug from his mother would make it better. Later, after his mother was gone and he grew up, he never cried again and no longer needed such embraces.
She was a few years younger than him—still practically a child.
Chu Zhao looked at the young man before her, both amused and saddened. Who was comforting whom? Was he really any better off than she was?
"Right," she nodded, then bowed formally. "I understand. I was wrong to be so forward with you, young master."
Xie Yanlai didn’t want to bicker with her—who knew what strange things she might say if they went back and forth.
"Anyway, stop overthinking it, and don’t dwell on right or wrong," he said. "You and she are fated to be like this. If you find it difficult, she might find it even harder. You need her now, and she can’t let go of you either. Just face it openly."
Chu Zhao sighed. "Actually, she’s unlucky too."
Because of this mother-daughter bond, in her previous life, Mu Mianhong fought fiercely for her, and in this life, the battles continued unabated.
"You’re unlucky too," Xie Yanlai corrected. "Don’t compare misfortunes. Instead, focus on making others unlucky."Chu Zhao smiled once more.
"Xie Yanlai," she said. "Thank you."
Xie Yanlai replied arrogantly, "No need for thanks. I did it for myself as well. If Your Highness becomes distracted by these sentimental matters and something happens, it would bring trouble to our Border Army."
Chu Zhao nodded with a smile. "Your words are reasonable, my lord. I have learned from them."
Xie Yanlai glanced at her. "I'm leaving." With that, he strode past her.
Chu Zhao watched his retreating figure and couldn't resist calling out, "Xie Yanlai."
Xie Yanlai stopped and turned back. The night shrouded his face, making his expression indiscernible, but his voice carried impatience. "What now?"
Chu Zhao smiled. "Have a safe journey."
Xie Yanlai waved his hand and strode forward again. Another call came from behind—"Xie Yanlai—"
He halted angrily and turned back once more, gritting his teeth as he raised his voice before lowering it. "What further instructions does Your Highness have?"
The night enveloped the girl behind him. Though her expression was invisible, he could see her hands clasped behind her back, and her voice carried laughter. "Nothing more."
Xie Yanlai glared fiercely at her, even though she couldn't see it, then turned and strode away. Yet, inexplicably, he could hear his own heartbeat, even feeling as though if that girl called out again, his heart might leap from his chest.
His lowered hand clenched tightly.
Fortunately, no further calls came from behind.
He walked all the way to the bustling camp, where his guards had gathered the troops and brought over the horses.
Xie Yanlai let out a long sigh in the night. Seated on his horse, he looked back. Under the starlight, in that patch of quiet darkness, the girl was still there.
From this distance, she surely couldn't call out again—and even if she did, he wouldn't hear it. Xie Yanlai couldn't help but smirk with a hint of pride.
He tightened his grip on the reins but did not give the command. The horse beneath him grew puzzled, circling in place to remind its master.
Only then did Xie Yanlai snap the reins and shout the command. The horse galloped forward, soldiers swarming behind him, cutting through the noisy camp like a fish parting waves.
The night was like an ocean, and the fish had leaped into it, disappearing from view. Chu Zhao remained standing motionless.
"Miss, what are you thinking about?" A Le asked softly. "Are you worried about him?"
Chu Zhao snapped out of her reverie and shook her head. Worried? Not exactly, because there was no need to worry. Xie Yanlai was right—they were all fearless people; no one needed to worry about anyone.
"I was thinking about Xie Yanlai as a person," she said.
Xie Yanlai as a person? What about him? A Le immediately grew wary. "Is there something wrong with that guy?"
Chu Zhao laughed. "I truly don't know if there's anything wrong with this guy. To me, he's a stranger."
A stranger? A Le was even more confused. Hadn't Xie Yanlai and the young lady known each other for a long time?
Chu Zhao offered no further explanation. In this world, she was somewhat familiar with many people, but this Xie Yanlai—she had never heard of him in that other lifetime. So, to her, he was a stranger.
Perhaps precisely because he was a stranger, being with him made her feel as if she had stepped into a new world, where she could speak freely and without restraint.
A Le didn't understand and simply gave up trying. "Miss, come and eat now."
No matter who it is, everyone must eat.
To avoid waking Xie Yanlai, the young lady had sat by his side the entire time and hadn't eaten.
In truth, A Le felt it wasn't necessary. Would stepping away to eat really have woken him?
"The sound of footsteps would have startled him awake," Chu Zhao said. "Don't you know how alert this fellow is?"That's true. This Xie Yanlai had seen through them at first glance back then, preventing them from meeting the general. A Le nodded, but then thought—how could such an alert person fall asleep beside Miss Chu?
"Alright, let's go eat," Chu Zhao called to her.
A Le promptly set aside her thoughts and ran over to walk with her.
When they reached the tent, Chu Zhao stopped again and said, "A Le, go invite Ding Dashen over."
A Le acknowledged with an "Oh." Earlier, Miss Chu had seemed somewhat unaccustomed to Ding Dashen, since Xiao Man had always been by her side. But since Ding Dashen was now replacing Xiao Man, it made sense for Miss Chu to get familiar with her. Responding cheerfully, A Le went off to do as asked.
As soon as Chu Zhao settled in the tent, Mu Mianhong entered. Under the lamplight, her expression appeared slightly tense.
"Empress," she said, "is there something you need?"
Chu Zhao noticed how carefully she addressed her—not as Miss Chu, nor directly by name, but using the respectful title "Empress."
The Empress was the sovereign. Even between mother and daughter, there was a distinction between ruler and subject. This was both appropriate and reasonable.
Chu Zhao looked at her and asked, "Have you eaten, Chief?"
Mu Mianhong glanced at the dishes on the table, hesitated slightly, then smiled. "Actually, I have eaten, but... I think I should say I haven't."
Chu Zhao laughed and gestured. "Please sit, Chief. Try the late-night snack I have here."
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