Chapter 108, the 108th episode, ultimately leads to divergence.

The rain poured down, stirring up dust from the streets, and rainwater cascaded rapidly down the eaves. The sound of the rain drowned out most noises and also concealed the footsteps approaching from the shadows.

"What are you still standing here for? Are you waiting for her to have a change of heart and come back to you?" Ren spoke coldly, his voice like a sharp blade cutting into Jing Yuan's chest.

Jing Yuan looked up and saw the person approaching. He slowly exhaled from his chest, a heavy look on his face. He remained silent for a few seconds, letting the raindrops wash away the bitterness in his heart, and rebuilding a barrier of calm within himself.

Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice calm yet firm: "Blade, do you really think you can achieve your goal this way?"

Ren paused, a flicker of surprise and admiration crossing his eyes. He hadn't expected Jing Yuan to remain so clear-headed under such circumstances, instead of being swayed by emotions like most people would. Rain pounded on the bluestone ground between them, splashing water, as if testing the limits of their resolve.

"I've achieved my goal." Ren slowly walked towards Jing Yuan, spreading his hands, his tone self-righteous and somewhat provocative: "Don't you think you should thank me? I've made you see certain things clearly. Reality is always crueler than fantasy. Blindly running away and understanding sooner is not necessarily a bad thing for you."

"Heh..." Jing Yuan chuckled twice, unconvinced by Ren's words. "Admittedly, you did uncover the crisis lurking in the shadows, forcing me to confront the confusion of blurring the lines between illusion and reality. But, didn't your plan also fail?"

His eyes were calm, his voice steady, yet it carried a sharp edge, like the cold light reflected in the rain, pointing straight to the heart of a blade.

"How could you have chosen that exact moment, that perfect time, that perfect setting, to have Danheng and I bump into each other?"

After hearing this, Ren laughed twice and clapped his hands, praising, "Jingyuan, you are still the same as before, no, even more perceptive than before."

Jing Yuan smiled faintly: "Likewise."

“That’s the downside of dealing with acquaintances; they’re easy to see through.” Ren shrugged, his tone half-smile. “But I don’t care whether it succeeds or not; it’s just a result of me going with the flow anyway.”

He paused, looked up at Jing Yuan, and said slowly and clearly, "If you never expected to succeed, how can you talk about failure?"

Having said that, Ren stared silently at Jing Yuan, his gaze sharp, as if trying to catch a flicker of emotion in his cold expression. However, Jing Yuan merely raised an eyebrow slightly, his face remaining as still as a mountain.

Ren scoffed lightly, as if his interest had been piqued: "However, I need to reassess my judgment of tonight and of you."

Jing Yuan's expression remained unchanged; he simply uttered two words: "What?"

A mysterious glint flashed in Ren's eyes as he slowly spoke: "We have known each other for a hundred years, and this is the first time I have ever discovered that General Shence of Luofu is so magnanimous as to be willing to share his—'lover' with others."

When he said the last two words, he almost raised his voice, as if afraid that the person in front of him wouldn't hear him.

Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan maintained his usual composure, as if this provocation was merely a discordant note in the rain. He stood quietly, letting the raindrops slide down his temples, concealing the fleeting anger that surged in his eyes.

However, her fingertips tightened subtly within her sleeve, sinking deep into her palm and leaving a barely perceptible mark.

Ren's lips curled into a smile, his voice laced with laughter: "Jing Yuan, have you been sitting in such a high position for too long that you've even forgotten how to take off your mask?"

"Blade," he whispered, his voice extremely low, like the stillness before thunder, "There are some things you'd better only say once."

Upon hearing this, Ren paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, the sound particularly jarring in the rain.

“This is the real you, Jingyuan.” He suppressed his smile and changed the subject: “I won’t waste any more words with you. Lend me Chen Mi for a few days.”

"what you up to?"

"Don't you know what I want to do? Stop treating me with that perfunctory attitude. Danheng was kept in the dark because he was too stupid to understand the situation. But you saw it with your own eyes, something that happened to Shen Mi that can only be described as a 'miracle'."

Jing Yuan naturally knew what Ren was talking about, which was also the point of his struggle and dilemma. Although he was unwilling to admit it, at least on this issue, he and Ren were on the same side.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Give me some time, and I will find out the truth."

Upon hearing Jing Yuan's words, Ren's lips curled into a meaningful smile. He slowly took a step closer, raindrops pattering on his shoulders and splashing up tiny droplets.

He paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on Jing Yuan's face as if trying to see through every single intention. "Don't disappoint me, Jing Yuan. I hope you can still maintain your composure and rationality when facing the issue of Chen Mi."

Jing Yuan let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and composed himself before saying, "Don't worry, this concerns the Immortal Ship Alliance, I won't show favoritism."

Hearing the answer he wanted, Ren was satisfied. He patted Jing Yuan on the shoulder and said, "I'll come again."

Ren's figure disappeared into the rain. Jing Yuan slowly lowered his head, letting the rain hit his face and slide down his neck into his soaked clothes, as if he was trying to completely wash away the struggle in his heart.

The rain stopped, and the bluestone street reflected a dim light, which, reflected in Jingyuan's eyes, condensed into a dark, lonely, distant galaxy. When he looked up again, a resolute look flashed in his eyes.

——

"...Wake up, it's getting late, you'll be late if you keep sleeping."

In a daze, Shen Mi felt as if she were lying on a clean white bed. The sounds around her were separated by a thick fog, sometimes near, sometimes far, like the ebb and flow of the tide, pounding against her heart. She tried to make out the sounds, but could only hear a blur.

The mist gradually faded, and light, like fine feathers, gently landed on her eyelashes, the warmth slowly dispelling the chill of the dream. The sound gradually became clearer, as if slowly rising from the depths of distant water, finally reaching her consciousness.

Shen Mi suddenly opened her eyes and found herself back in her room. The sky was just beginning to brighten, and a breeze drifted in through the half-open window, gently lifting the white gauze curtains, like a silent fish slowly swaying in the morning light.

The air still carried the damp scent of the night rain. Shen Mi stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before she came back to her senses.

She's back?! And what about Danheng?

She vaguely remembered last night; she remembered that Danheng had carried her back. But now, was he still there? Or had he already left?

Her heart tightened suddenly. Shen Mi barely had time to think; she was eager to find out where he was. She didn't even bother to put on her shoes and rushed downstairs barefoot.

Before she even turned the corner at the top of the stairs, she heard sounds coming from the kitchen: the clatter of knives hitting the cutting board, mixed with the dull thud of a blender in operation.

Shen Mi abruptly stopped, even her breathing becoming cautious. Her chest heaved heavily, and a nameless unease suddenly welled up within her. She dared not move forward, dared not confirm whether the busy figure in the kitchen was indeed the person she so desperately wanted to see.

Just then, all the sounds in the kitchen suddenly stopped. Shen Mi stood frozen at the top of the stairs, her heart pounding, her eyes fixed on the doorway, as if the person who walked out the next second could determine her fate.

When the most familiar red color at the corner of his eye caught his eye, Shen Mi heard himself breathe a sigh of relief, a slight, uncontrollable tremor emanating from his throat.

Danheng walked out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of steaming hot buns in his left hand and a cup of freshly ground soy milk in his right. Steam rose between his brows and eyes, as if the rain and mist from the previous night had been completely washed away, leaving only an unspoken promise—I am willing to stay for you unconditionally, even if you have never been honest with me, even if you have someone else in your heart.

"Why are you standing there like that, without even wearing shoes?" Danheng looked at her bare feet, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

Shen Mi's heart tightened, and a wave of guilt washed over her, almost overwhelming her. Her throat tightened, her eyes welled up, and she nearly choked up.

She quickly turned around, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, cleared her throat, and tried to make her voice sound natural: "Oh... I'll go right now, wait for me and we'll have breakfast together!"

Dan Heng spoke softly, his tone gentle: "Slow down."

Shen Mi ran back to her room in one breath, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. While washing up, she almost cried as she brushed her teeth, foam covering her entire face, but her heart was filled with gratitude and apology.

Thank you for staying even though I didn't listen to your explanation. Thank you for not caring whether I have feelings for someone else...

She knew in her heart that she could never repay his feelings for her. It was hard to imagine how much pain Danheng had endured and what kind of inner turmoil he had suffered when he made the decision to stay. Even so, he had never said a harsh word to her.

Shen Mi wiped away her tears with a towel, quietly making a decision in her heart: no matter what, she would make sure Dan Heng lived a good life. She would do everything in her power and fight for every possible future.

She absolutely could not allow their story to be reduced to something that could be easily summarized in a single line of text.

After composing himself, Chen Mi smiled again, took a deep breath, and went downstairs full of hope.

The chairs at the table had already been pulled out, as if quietly waiting for her to return. The neatly arranged bowls and chopsticks on the table gleamed softly, and the steaming buns, while waiting, cooled down from their initial scalding heat to a perfect temperature for eating.

"Danheng! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

Shen Mi walked quickly, his voice light and cheerful.

Dan Heng simply nodded, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable gentleness: "Come and eat, lest you be late."

Oh right, she still has to go to work. Chen Mi's heart tightened; she hoped the weekend would come quickly so she could have more free time.

As soon as she settled into her chair, Danheng casually took out an elegant lunchbox from the side and pushed it in front of her: "I've prepared lunch for you."

Just as Shen Mi was about to speak, before she could utter a word, Dan Heng continued, "Jing Yuan has gone on a business trip for a month. He left in a hurry, and he asked me to tell you—that you and Qing Cu will have to review the celebration arrangements together, and that you will also have to personally oversee the event arrangements."

Shen Mi's fingertips trembled, and her hand covering the lunchbox tightened involuntarily. She looked up at Dan Heng, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton, and after a long while, she managed to utter a strained sentence: "...Yes, I understand."

The smile that tugged at the corners of her lips was faint and stiff. She tried to appear relaxed, but her heart ached quietly. Those few words of relaying information sounded polite to the point of being distant, as neat and calm as an official document. It was precisely because of this that she found it even more impossible to pretend to be indifferent.

It seems like she and Jingyuan can never go back.

Dan Heng sat quietly beside her, his gaze fixed on her trembling eyelashes. With his keen perception, he naturally noticed the momentary disappointment in her eyes. He pursed his lips, as if hesitating, but finally added a soft, almost fabricated word of comfort: "...He said to tell you not to work too hard and to take good care of yourself."

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Author's Note: Dear readers, with this chapter finished, we'll be entering the final countdown to the story's conclusion. There are approximately 20,000 words left to write. [crying emojis]