Cheng Muyun's nose suddenly stung, as if he had been hit hard by something.

He looked up at Xu Shinong, his eyes suddenly welled up, and tears unexpectedly rolled down his cheeks, splashing onto his clothes and leaving a small dark stain.

Those eyes, which once held an abyss of darkness, now shone with a faint light, like stars lit up in the night sky. Little by little, they dispelled the heavy black mist in their eyes, illuminating their entire depths.

A warm current seemed to flow into my heart out of nowhere. It wasn't strong, but it had a temperature that penetrated to the bone marrow. It instantly spread throughout my heart, flowed through my blood vessels and into my limbs, soothing all the dull pain and coldness.

Like the earth at the beginning of spring, a tender sprout slowly emerges from the damp soil. No one knows when it was sown, no one knows how much effort it took to sprout, and no one knows what kind of seed it is or what it will grow into.

but.

newborn.

hope.

It has grown up.

Xu Shi Nong never believed that a person who had lost their spirit could regain their strength, let alone such an illusory promise.

But at this moment, in this place, he saw with his own eyes that Cheng Muyun's eyes had regained their sparkle.

That was the kind of spirit that only someone of Cheng Muyun's age should have, the demeanor that a young marshal should possess.

Cheng Muyun's lips trembled, and words rushed out of his throat, "You..."

Xu Shinong raised her hand to interrupt him, "I don't care what you think. Now that Zhuohua has left, it's enough for you to indulge in this for a while. She wants you to live well, so you can't waste her good intentions."

Cheng Muyun's tears fell in a stream, hot and unstoppable.

"But without Zhuohua, I cannot even survive on my own."

A moment's hope cannot irrigate a desert that has been parched for many days.

Xu Shinong suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Cheng Muyun's collar, and squeezed so hard that she almost crushed the fabric.

"You can't just jump into the fire yourself!" he roared, his emotions surging in his chest as if they were about to burst out. "If Zhuohua, a mere woman, is willing to fight for you, why can't you? Do you believe in fate, or in Zhuohua?"

The question struck Cheng Muyun's heart like a resounding bell, making his eardrums buzz.

He stood there dumbfounded, the little flame that had just ignited in his eyes flickering like a candle flame caught in a gale, struggling and uncertain.

Xu Shinong loosened his grip on her collar and instead untied the kapok flower jade pendant from his waist.

The jade pendant is warm and smooth, with delicate carvings, and the petals have a luster that has been worn away over the years.

He solemnly tied the jade pendant to Cheng Muyun's belt, his fingertips gently brushing against the tassel beneath it, causing the tassel to sway and make a soft, rustling sound.

“This is Zhuohua’s jade pendant.” He lowered his voice, his tone heavy with unspeakable weight. “She originally said she would return it to me after the bet was settled. But in the end, it ended up back in my hands. Now I’m giving it to you. You must always remember—Zhuohua fought with all her might in Dongzhou just so that you could live.”

A broad, calloused hand patted Cheng Muyun's shoulder repeatedly, as if injecting strength into him and awakening his confused mind.

Even if you know the road ahead is difficult, even if you may fail in the end, you have to take the risk for Zhuohua.

Cheng Muyun slowly raised his fingers and gently grasped the jade pendant.

Beneath the cool jade, Xu Zhuohua's warmth seemed to linger, and a faint yet firm force spread up from his fingertips, flowing into his limbs and bones.

He gripped her tighter, as if holding onto the words she hadn't finished saying, or the light that had helped him stand up.

Xu Jixin looked at his father, whose eyes were wet with tears, and felt a pang of sadness.

To comfort Cheng Muyun, Xu Shinong even gave away the family's prized jade pendant, which meant that the Xu family would use all its resources to protect Cheng Muyun.

There was no one behind Cheng Muyun.

Cheng Muyun himself realized that Xu Shinong had sided with him.

That means Cheng Muyun can no longer give up on himself. The Xu family is not only his support but also his Achilles' heel.

Cheng Muyun bid farewell to the Xu family. He arrived with a heart full of despair, but left with a renewed spirit.

Just as Zhang Qi sat in the car, the leather seats still warm from the afternoon, and he was about to start the engine when a teenager suddenly darted out from the side of the street.

The child, about seven or eight years old, was wearing a patched short jacket. Before the two could react, he shoved something wrapped in oiled paper into the car window and then, like a startled rabbit, ran into the alley and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Alarm bells rang in Zhang Qi's mind instantly, and his hand instinctively reached for the holster at his waist, his knuckles already gripping the gun handle.

Cheng Muyun pressed down on his wrist, his gaze fixed on the oil paper package. The aroma of fried dough cakes mingled with a faint smell of ink wafted out. He picked up the edge of the oil paper with his fingertips and slowly unfolded it.

“Zhang Qi, don’t be nervous.” Cheng Muyun’s voice was steady. “There seem to be words on this oiled paper.”

He picked up the fried dough cake and spread out the oil paper underneath. In the dim light, a few hasty but clear characters came into view: "A Gathering in the Pear Garden, Chen Hede".

Cheng Muyun stared at the line of words, a silent smile curving his lips, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

What's going on today? Even Chen Hede, someone I have absolutely no connection with and with whom I've vowed never to see each other again, has taken the initiative to send me a message wanting to see him.

He subconsciously grasped the kapok flower jade pendant at his waist. The warm, smooth jade against his palm seemed to transmit a calming power.

A moment later, he looked up at Zhang Qi and said decisively, "Go to the Pear Garden."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!