Chapter 999: Wake Up (1)

Shen Miao had a long dream.

That dream seemed so long, longer than a lifetime. As a bystander, she watched herself transform from a babbling baby into a bouncing little girl, then into a slender, youthful young woman, then into the unattainable mistress of the six palaces, and finally into the deposed empress in the cold palace, turning into a smear of ash in the raging fire.

She watched herself fall in love with Fu Xiuyi and beg Chen Xin to marry her to Fu Xiuyi. She sat aside and tried desperately to stop herself from this foolish behavior, but it was in vain. No one could hear her words, so she could only watch everything happen again.

Looking back from a bystander's perspective, Shen Miao finally understood how foolish her actions were. The most terrifying thing was to experience the heart-wrenching pain she had felt back then again. Her girlhood ended after she married Fu Xiuyi. Those carefree days, even if she was called foolish and stupid, were ultimately free and enjoyable. But when she became Princess Ding, she was forced into the intrigues.

Even her two children were not spared.

As the people around them left one by one, the Shen family's main branch gradually declined. Its former prosperity was like flowers blooming to their fullest in spring. As spring passed and summer wore on, the flowers withered in the autumn wind, becoming increasingly desolate and desolate.

In that dark, almost lightless life, there were some things she overlooked. Those things were like stars in the dark night, obscured by other things, becoming unreal, but then discovered by chance, they shine as brightly as ever. Or like the embers of fireworks that stumbled into her own yard, bringing a touch of bright color and making the dull, cold night fragrant.

She saw Xie Jingxing.

He wasn't the mischievous young man, nor the hero who died on the battlefield. He was as proud and arrogant as he would be in later generations, riding a high horse, carrying a longbow, and overthrowing an entire dynasty with a casual chat. He drank the farewell wine she gave him under the bright moonlight, and on the dark day of the city's destruction, he fulfilled a wish she had spent her entire life hating to fulfill.

They watched a fireworks display during the day, even if they hadn't broken up their previous New Year's Eve appointment. Although they were only casual acquaintances, he had become the most indispensable person in her life.

Because of him, my wish was fulfilled and because of him, I was reborn.

It's just that our fate in that life was so short-lived. Such a beautiful, long-awaited fate was forced to end due to a trick of fate. It's so regrettable, so we have the opportunity in this life to continue that brief fate.

All the unasked questions seemed to no longer need to be asked, and many things disappeared at that moment, including questions and answers.

The Dharma conditions of the past determine the results of the future.

Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes.

As far as the eye could see, there was a tent, the color of a sunny day after rain. In one corner of the tent hung a delicate sachet, probably to dilute the bitter smell of the medicine. The fragrance and the smell of the medicine mixed together, revealing an even more intriguing flavor.

Shen Miao raised her eyes and looked to her side.

The young man slumped over the bed, one hand still tightly clasping hers. His eyes were closed, and a faint stubble grew on his chin. It wasn't particularly noticeable, but it was a stark contrast to his usual pampered appearance.

His hand was long, slender, and warm, with distinct joints, and it perfectly covered her hand. Shen Miao only moved slightly, and Xie Jingxing woke up.

Seeing her eyes open, Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment, as if he hadn't reacted yet. After a pause, he suddenly said, "You're awake!"