Tenderness and sweetness

Although the weather was getting colder, the early winter sunshine was still very warm. In the morning, Ling Xue opened the door and saw Chou Doufu standing outside.

"City Lord?" Ling Xue was extremely surprised by the appearance of Stinky Tofu at this moment.

Upon hearing this, Stinky Tofu turned around, his face haggard and tired, a smile plastered on it. Ling Xue looked at him, bewildered, and asked, "City Lord...what do you want to talk to me about?"

Stinky Tofu hesitated for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Ling Xue's hand: "I have something to tell you."

Ling Xue was startled: "Why are your hands so cold? Come inside!"

Ling Xue took Chou Doufu's hand and walked quickly into the room, closed the door, asked Chou Doufu to sit down, and poured him a cup of hot tea.

"Could it be that the City Lord... stood at the door all night?" Ling Xue asked cautiously.

Stinky Tofu nodded.

"What happened?" Ling Xue asked with concern.

"Nothing happened. I was just thinking about something and before I knew it, it was daybreak." Stinky Tofu replied.

"The city lord misses Yingying, but he must also take care of himself, otherwise Sister Yingying would be so heartbroken if she saw it in heaven!" Ling Xue said with a frown.

After drinking the hot tea, the color returned to Stinky Tofu's face. He put down the teacup and held Ling Xue's hand. Ling Xue did not struggle, but just let him hold her hand like this.

"Lingxue, I'm sorry." said Chou Doufu.

"What are you sorry for?" Ling Xue was puzzled.

"I'm sorry, I made you suffer." said Stinky Tofu.

"City Lord..."

"Call me Stinky Tofu." said Stinky Tofu.

"Stinky... stinky tofu, do I sound like it?" Ling Xue asked hesitantly.

"Who does it look like?"

"Does it look like Sister Yingying..."

Stinky Tofu shook his head firmly: "You are the one and only Ling Xue."

"What about Yingying?" Ling Xue asked.

"Yingying is forever Yingying, and Lingxue is the only Lingxue. I like you not because you look like Yingying, but because you are Lingxue. Life is short, I've already missed Yingying, I can't miss you again." Choudoufu said sincerely, "I'm sorry, Lingxue, please forgive me for causing you pain because I couldn't let go of the past. From today on, I will cherish you and treat you well. Will you be with me?"

Ling Xue's eyes were filled with tears: "What you said... is it true?"

"It's true," Stinky Tofu nodded firmly, "Lingxue, I love you."

"Then... can I call you Renhe?" Ling Xue asked.

"Okay, you can call it whatever you like." said Chou Doufu.

Ling Xue's tears welled up in her eyes: "Renhe, am I dreaming?"

Stinky Tofu held Ling Xue in his arms and said softly, "You're not dreaming. This is real. Ling Xue, I love you."

Inside the palace hall.

"Where is Shi Qiuyan?!" Bantianyue asked roaringly.

The guard's voice trembled with fear: "In reply to the City Lord, the General's Mansion... is empty..."

"Shi Qiuyan, you truly betrayed me!" Ban Tianyue roared. "Post a notice, searching the entire city for Shi Qiuyan and his gang. Once found, they will be killed without mercy!"

Inside the dungeon of Chunfengdeyi Palace.

"It's time to eat." Leng Yue said.

Shi Qiuyan rubbed his sleepy eyes, walked forward, picked up the food and started eating obediently.

"You are quite obedient." Leng Yue said with a smile.

"I won't be hard on myself." Xiaoyan said while eating.

"How did you sleep last night?" Leng Yue asked.

"It's so lonely and cold here, there's not even a mouse." Xiao Yan swallowed his food and smacked his lips, saying, "You'd better lock me up with my men. Otherwise, once you leave, I won't even have anyone to talk to."

"You still need to negotiate terms for jail time?" Leng Yue rolled her eyes at him, "You're so hypocritical."

"Just tell me whether you agree or not." Xiaoyan said.

"Don't even think about it." Leng Yue said.

Xiaoyan handed the bowl to Lengyue and said, "Then I won't eat it. Just let me die of the poison."

Leng Yue rolled her eyes at him again and said coldly, "You've almost finished eating and now you're saying you don't want to eat anymore. If you dare, go on a hunger strike and show me."

Leng Yue said this, turned around and left.

Not long after, several soldiers brought two of Shi Qiuyan's subordinates and locked them in the same cell with him.

Xiaoyan smiled slyly: "I knew you couldn't bear to part with it."

Leng Yue sat on the long stone skirt in the corridor, frowning and saying nothing.

"You've been sitting here for a long time," Mingri walked over and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"

Leng Yue came back to his senses and smiled slightly: "I was thinking about how to convince Xiao Yan in the shortest time."

Mingri sat down and handed the cloak he brought to Lengyue: "Why do you want to convince Xiaoyan?"

"Thank you." Leng Yue took the cloak with a smile and put it on. "What do you mean?"

"I just want to ask, why do you have to convince him? Maybe he doesn't want to understand all this at all. What you say may not be what he wants to hear. You always know too much and think too much. Don't you think this is tiring?" Mingri asked.

After hearing Mingri's words, Leng Yue suddenly remembered the questions she had pondered in that dark dream: "Why do I think this way? What gives me the right to think this way?"

That’s right, the savior complex, that’s it!

If Leng Yue didn't want to turn the situation around, if she didn't want to save everyone, if she didn't want to make up for the self-blame and guilt Xiaoyan's death brought her, why would she work so hard and try every possible means to resolve the grudge between herself and Xiaoyan?

What right did Leng Yue have to interfere with Xiaoyan's thoughts? She had always wanted to resolve her emotional entanglement with Xiaoyan, but no matter how hard she tried, she still felt criticism and resentment. It was so difficult to convince herself, so how could she possibly convince Xiaoyan, who had never thought about such things, and make him willingly resolve these grievances?

We can be 100% responsible for what happens to us, but it is always a battle we fight alone, not a process of defeating or conquering anyone.

I always feel like I'm doing this for the good of this, that for the good of that, always thinking I'm right, but what is right? Xiaoyan has been captured, and as long as Bantianyue is eliminated, he can be free. Then, we can settle accounts, reconcile, whatever we want. For now, letting him spend a few days in prison peacefully seems like a good idea. Convincing him isn't the only solution.

There are many things in this world that don't require sacrificing one's own happiness or well-being, or even wasting any time on them. Often, it's not that things aren't going well, or that one lacks wisdom, but rather that some people self-righteously take on too many things that shouldn't be their responsibility, racking their brains over them and blaming fate and unfairness.

"You're right. There's no need to convince him now. It seems that I have regarded myself as the savior again." Leng Yue said with a smile.

"Can I hug you?" Mingri asked softly.

"Yes, why not?" Leng Yue threw herself into Mingri's arms, and suddenly remembered what she had said before - "Don't call me Yue'er..."

"Have I put a lot of restrictions and pressure on you? Sometimes I am indeed too sensitive, and I can't do this or that, so you always speak to me carefully. Now, you even omit the name." Thinking of her previous sensitivity and how much pressure it brought to Mingri, Leng Yue felt very uncomfortable.

Mingri smiled gently: "Actually, these are not related at all. I just don't want you to recall those sad memories. You always act very open-minded and take everything lightly, but I can feel that you are very fragile inside. I don't want to touch your inner wounds, because that would make you feel uncomfortable."

"It's all my fault." Leng Yue said.

"No, you're fine. Don't blame yourself." Mingri gently patted Lengyue's back and whispered, "I often wonder what it is that has made you learn to silently endure so many things that you shouldn't have to endure alone? A woman in her prime should be pure and happy, the recipient of countless adoration, but you... the calmer, wiser, and stronger you are, the more heartbroken I feel."

"Tomorrow, call me Yue'er. I don't care now." Leng Yue said.

"Don't force yourself. It's also good to call you Lengyue." Mingri said.

Leng Yue smiled and placed Mingri's hand on her chest: "I really don't care anymore, otherwise you should call me a few more times. I know you understand me. If I have any displeasure in my heart, I believe it will not escape your eyes. Besides, you can't lie to your heartbeat, right?"

Mingri used his other hand to stroke Leng Yue's face and called out cautiously, "Yue'er..."

"Yeah." Leng Yue replied with a smile.

"Yue'er." Mingri called again.

"Yes!" Leng Yue answered firmly.

"Yue'er!" Mingri called out the name firmly.

"Well, I'm Yue'er, I'm tomorrow's Yue'er!" Leng Yue said firmly, "I've figured it out. You are you, and he is him. No matter what dissatisfaction I have with Xiaoyan, it has nothing to do with you. I don't like him calling me Yue'er, but I like you calling me Yue'er. I am Yue'er, I am Ouyang Mingri's Yue'er."

Mingri smiled and hugged Lengyue in his arms, a hot tear slowly falling from the corner of his eye.

"Yue'er..." Mingri said gently.

Inside the palace hall.

"Report to the city lord, the spies reported that someone has appeared at the headquarters of the Shenyue Sect." A guard reported.

"Who is it?" Bantianyue asked.

"Our people were afraid of alerting the enemy, so they didn't dare to go forward to investigate. But it is said that people entering and leaving the main temple are wearing military generals' clothes." said the guard.

"Military general's clothes? Are they hiding there with Huangfu Renhe and his soldiers, or does Shi Qiuyan want to set up his own faction?" Bantianyue was confused.

"Or maybe Shi Qiuyan has already joined forces with Huangfu Renhe, so he moved out of the general's mansion overnight and went to the headquarters to plot a rebellion?" Bantianyue thought again.

Shi Qiuyan and his men had vanished overnight, yet someone had appeared at the Shenyue Sect headquarters. Bantianyue believed this was no coincidence. After much deliberation, he concluded that Shi Qiuyan had most likely defected to Huangfu Renhe and was plotting a rebellion.

"Then let's catch the turtle in the jar! You, come closer." Bantianyue pointed at the guard and said.

The guard came forward, and Ban Tianyue whispered a few words to him. After listening, the guard said, "Yes, I will do it right away!"

"Don't worry, you guys make preparations first and go after dark. Make sure to ambush enough people so that they can't escape!" Bantianyue said.

"Yes!" The guard left.

"Shi Qiuyan, Huangfu Renhe, Ouyang Feiying! This day next year will be the anniversary of your death! Hahahahaha..." Bantianyue said proudly.