The inn was small and dilapidated, standing at the edge of the town, utterly inconspicuous. It seemed there were no other guests besides their group. Li Fei requested two rooms and was about to pay when the young innkeeper smiled and said, "No need. Since you’ve made it here, you must be old acquaintances of Master Chongyi. Feel free to stay—nothing outside will affect this place."
Li Fei asked curiously, "You know Master Chongyi?"
The innkeeper replied, "This isn’t really an inn, just made to look like one. I’m not an innkeeper either. Five years ago, Master Chongyi saved my entire family. Such a great kindness is beyond repayment. He mentioned wanting to stay in the Eastern Sea but wished to remain unnoticed, so he borrowed my ancestral home to live in. I come here daily just to keep up appearances. Sometimes, the master shares some health-preserving wisdom, and I’m fortunate enough to listen. That’s more than enough for me."
No wonder Hu Jiaping had so casually suggested they stay here for a few days—there was such a backstory.
Returning to her room, Li Fei noticed the rift to the Lesser World was still open, but no one had come out. They must still be inside, mesmerized by those corpses. She had no desire to join them in examining dead bodies. While Ri Yan and the others found joy in collecting rare and intriguing specimens, she preferred to be an observer. Cold, lifeless corpses couldn’t compare to living people—how they lived, their unheard-of customs—far more vivid and fascinating.
Yet their exploration lasted the entire day. At one point, the black-veiled woman emerged briefly to fetch some food before returning. By midnight, when there was still no sign of them, Li Fei simply went to bed.
Her mood remained somber. Though no one mentioned Ge Lin again, she couldn’t forget. Her dreams were filled with fragments of her childhood at the Academy—those were good days, when even troubles were worth reminiscing, every day brimming with possibilities and hope. Even the arrogant and domineering Ji Tongzhou had seemed simple and endearing back then.
But gradually, he had diverged from them, growing distant until they became adversaries. Now, recalling the past, what did this seemingly indomitable yet fragile young prince feel? Was there not a trace of regret? As he grew older, his heart had become inscrutable. What was it he truly sought?
In the silence, a few soft knocks suddenly sounded at the door. Ever since arriving in the Central Land, Li Fei had remained vigilant. She woke instantly and sat up. "Who is it?"
No answer came, only two more light knocks. She threw on her outer robe and tiptoed to the door, asking again, "Who’s there?"
"Me," Lei Xiuyuan’s voice replied from outside.
Relieved, Li Fei opened the door to find him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking down at her. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she murmured sleepily, "It’s so late. What’s the matter? Have Ri Yan and the others come out yet?"
Lei Xiuyuan strode in familiarly, making himself at home on her bed. He picked up a jeweled hair accessory she had left by the bedside, twirling it idly as he spoke. "They’re still inside, too excited to come out. It’ll be days before they’re done."
Li Fei poured him a cup of tea and sat on the edge of the bed, yawning. Seeing it was him, she relaxed and immediately felt drowsy again. The night outside was still deep—she probably hadn’t slept long. She wanted to go back to sleep, but with Lei Xiuyuan sitting on her bed, she couldn’t very well climb in. Instead, she kept her distance, fiddling with the corner of the quilt. "Aren’t you tired? Your room is across the hall."
Lei Xiuyuan said plainly, "I’m sleeping here."Li Fei's hand trembled slightly. After holding back for half a day, she forced out a dry laugh: "This... this isn't appropriate, is it? I... I've already gotten you a room..."
Ever since she found Lei Xiuyuan, because he had forgotten the past, they no longer lived together as they once did. No matter how much she loved him, she wouldn't impulsively resume their former life as cultivation partners upon meeting him again. After all, to Lei Xiuyuan, she was just a strange woman who suddenly appeared, spouting words of affection. What she wanted was mutual love like before, not to become some bed warmer.
And so they dragged on like this until now. Could they be considered mutually in love now? Yet she still couldn't bring herself to—she couldn't explain why. Was it because he still hadn't recovered his memories? To her, this memory-less Lei Xiuyuan still felt so unfamiliar.
So many of their shared memories existed only in her mind now—he had forgotten them all. Though Lei Xiuyuan was still Lei Xiuyuan, there were inevitably differences. She couldn't bring herself to be as intimate with him as they once were.
Li Fei stood up and put on her shoes: "I'll go to that room. You should rest early."
Lei Xiuyuan suddenly spoke: "Wait. Come here. There's something to discuss."
Li Fei instinctively turned to approach him, but then a sudden realization struck her—she remembered what happened back in that small courtyard at the foot of Star Rectitude Hall. That time, Lei Xiuyuan had also tricked her by saying he had something to discuss, and things had spiraled out of control afterward.
Her face flushed crimson instantly, and she began stammering involuntarily: "Y-you can say whatever you need to say from there! Don't try any t-tricks! Last time you—"
"Last time?" Lei Xiuyuan immediately seized upon her slip of the tongue, smiling faintly. "What happened last time? I've forgotten. Shouldn't you be telling me about it?"
Li Fei was immediately too embarrassed to speak, stammering incoherently for a long while until she heard him say calmly: "You say you love me, but is it just empty words?"
No!
"Come here."
Li Fei still shook her head. She said softly: "You said before that I wasn't very good to you in the past. Maybe that's true. So I decided long ago to treat you better. But... right now I still can't... I won't..."
Lei Xiuyuan grabbed her waistband. With a sharp tug, Li Fei felt her body pulled uncontrollably into his arms before being swiftly flipped onto the bed beneath him. Struggling to move away, she looked at him seriously: "Xiu Yuan, listen to me. Right now I still can't—"
Lei Xiuyuan pinched her chin, lowering his head to gaze at her intently before saying: "This is what you call treating me well? Flirting with other men? Playing this game of hard-to-get with me?"
Li Fei instantly grew furious: "You're accusing me? Then at least come up with more convincing reasons! What kind of nonsense accusations are those just now!"
Lei Xiuyuan brushed aside the stray hairs on her cheek and said slowly: "I know nothing of our past. Even if you tell me, it feels like another person's story to me. You're forcing me to remember—are you telling me that if I never remember, you'll always keep me at arm's length like this? Then who exactly do you love? You smile at me, but you could smile at anyone else too. You can hold my hand, but others could hold yours too. Is this what you call love?"Li Fei had initially been annoyed and wanted to struggle free, but upon hearing his words, she stopped. Was he upset because of Hu Jiaping's inappropriate behavior earlier? Back when Ji Tongzhou bit her wrist, he had immediately bitten back—harder. And now, he was still the same.
After a moment’s thought, she spoke up: "When we were kids at the Academy, Hu Jiaping was our teacher. He still sees us as children—it’s not what you think."
"Oh?" Lei Xiuyuan chuckled softly and released her gently.
Li Fei immediately tried to roll away, but unexpectedly, he pulled her back again, this time tucking her tightly under the covers.
"Let go!" she snapped.
"No." Lei Xiuyuan held her effortlessly. "You said you’d treat me better. How, exactly? Tell me."
Li Fei felt utterly exasperated. "Xiu Yuan, let me go first. We can talk properly."
"Now is the perfect time to talk properly." He rested his chin against the crook of her neck and blew softly into her ear. "Go on. I’ll listen carefully to every word."
Being forceful clearly wouldn’t work. Li Fei took a deep breath—she’d have to try a gentler approach. "I mean... protecting you, taking care of you, making sure you’re happy."
At first, she had only intended to say something sweet to coax him into letting go. But as she spoke, she remembered all the blood and sweat Lei Xiuyuan had shed for her—how on the day of the Sea Fall, his body had pressed heavily against hers, his blood soaking through her clothes. He had done so much for her in silence—what could she do for him? Was she really just meant to be a delicate flower, sheltered in his palm, as Zhao Min Shijie had said?
"I want to see you smile sincerely every day." Li Fei paused, then added, "You rarely smiled before, and you never said what you wanted. Whatever you desire, I’ll give it to you—as long as you live freely and happily."
Lei Xiuyuan was silent for a moment before suddenly sighing and chuckling. "Silly girl. Those are things a man should do, not you."
His hand withdrew from under the blanket as he sighed again, as if frustrated. "Give me whatever I want? You liar."
Li Fei, feeling as if she’d been granted a reprieve, tried to get out of bed again. But Lei Xiuyuan gently caught the hem of her clothes and murmured, "Stay. Keep me company tonight. I won’t do anything."
He had never used such a soft, pleading tone with her before. Li Fei lowered her hand and turned to lie beside him. He had already pulled the blanket up over them. She felt his breath against her forehead—warm and ticklish—just like countless nights before, when he had slept beside her.
Li Fei reached up to touch his face. He closed his eyes, motionless like a docile, obedient cat, letting her fingers trace gently over his skin.
"I won’t force you to remember anything," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Even if you never remember, it’s fine. Just give me some time, I—"
Lei Xiuyuan drew her closer. "Sleep. We’ll talk when we wake."
It had been so long since they’d slept together. The familiar warmth and scent enveloped her as Li Fei buried her face against his chest, gradually relaxing completely before drifting into a deep sleep.
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