Xiao Yuan did not survive that summer.
All signs of improvement were merely a final burst of energy before death; she did not stay with Xie Rang as he grew up, but instead vanished into the depths of the palace.
At that time, Xie Rang had just returned from the Imperial Hospital. Some kind-hearted people were moved by him and would give him some medicine from time to time, but that was all they could do and they couldn't help him any further.
The room was quiet; even the usual coughing was gone. As if sensing something, he approached the door, his footsteps very soft, and he knocked cautiously: "Mother?"
No response.
The medicine bag he was carrying suddenly fell to the ground. Xie Rang pushed the door open forcefully and then saw a person lying motionless on the bed.
He strode over and grabbed Xiao Yuan's hand; it was ice-cold, and this time, he couldn't warm it up.
"mother……"
Xie Rang lowered his eyes, his voice trembling. Yun Qing couldn't see him and didn't know if his eyes were red, but at this moment, he was enveloped in a low and sad mood, which could be felt even from a distance.
It was as if he was getting closer to his mother for the first time, and yet it was also as if he was being so far away from her for the first time.
Regardless, he needed companionship at this time, even though he didn't know that there was another soul following him. Yun Qing still went over and quietly accompanied him.
"Don't be sad. Maybe this is a relief for her. She loves you very much, she just can't say it. So, cheer up..."
Xiao Yuan was like a bird trapped in the harem, spending her whole life hoping that the emperor would change his mind. But she knew clearly that she would never get the chance. This hopeless expectation was the most tormenting thing. This ending was probably a good one for her.
It was too cruel for Xie Rang.
Born in the cold palace, he was already lonely and helpless. Although his mother was always cold to him, being there and being completely gone were different concepts. He knew for sure that there would never be such a person in the world again.
Yun Qing's soul did not grow up, but her mind gradually matured as she stayed here for so long. She understood many things and knew how suffocating the deep palace was.
Xie Rang knelt before Xiao Yuan's bed for a very long time. Only when the sun was high in the sky and then set did he seem to come back to his senses and stand up in a daze. His legs were so weak that he staggered and barely managed to steady himself by holding onto the bed.
Yun Qing saw a pair of withered, red eyes, devoid of tears, as if they had been dried up. After a moment of blank stare, she slowly walked away.
She saw the young boy running around, spending the last of his valuables, before finally asking someone to bury Xiao Yuan—luckily, that person was kind and didn't take the money and not do the work. Yun Qing went to see what was going on.
The guards had long since left, and in the Cold Palace, no one would care about Xie Rang. Therefore, he was able to have the opportunity to burn some paper money for his mother.
As the wind blew, the ashes were carried upwards, and amidst the flickering flames, Yun Qing silently stayed by Xie Rang's side.
Just as the fire was about to go out, Yun Qing heard Xie Rang ask in a dry, hoarse voice, "Have you been here the whole time?"
This time, there was no one else around, and Xie Rang's words were clearly pointed at someone. Yun Qing looked at him in confusion: "Are you talking about me? But can you hear me?"
Xie Rang seemed to sense something, looked up in the direction where Yun Qing was, and stared at her for a long time.
His gaze was deep and profound.
Yun Qing stared in astonishment. Slowly, she found her figure gradually appearing in Xie Rang's pupils. Although she was still in a soul form, Xie Rang seemed... to be able to see her!
"You've always been there."
Xie Rang managed a weak smile, the first smile he'd shown since learning of his mother's passing. It wasn't particularly beautiful, but it carried a hint of joy.
He didn't question Yun Qing's sudden appearance or ask where she came from. He simply asked in a low voice, "Can you keep me company?"
The young boy was already thin, and after all this, he looked even more haggard. Yun Qing swallowed the words she wanted to say and instead said, "Of course, I'll always be by your side."
She didn't know why her range of movement was expanding, but she guessed it might be related to Xie Rang. Because of this, Xie Rang was always the person she paid the most attention to.
Yun Qing floated to his side, reached out and touched him. It seemed to be real, so she raised her hand and hugged him: "Don't be too sad. The deceased is gone, and you should live well."
Xie Rang: "Mm."
The feeling of being a soul was somewhat ethereal and intangible. Compared to the state where he couldn't see it at all before, he could feel it now. After holding it quietly for a while, Xie Rang's emotions calmed down a lot.
He looked at Yun Qing and smiled, "Thank you."
Yun Qing was taken aback for a moment: "You're welcome."
...
I don't know how he came to his senses, but in any case, he recovered from his grief much faster than Yun Qing had imagined.
After getting to know each other, they tried to learn some information about each other.
Yun Qing sat down beside him, paused for a moment, and then began to speak: "My name is Yun Qing, and I am... from the future."
Anyone else would find this absurd and incomprehensible, but the situation that happened to Yun Qing is beyond the realm of common sense, so saying this is to be expected.
"So that's how it is."
Xie Rang was precocious, and understanding these things was not difficult for him. He even considerately refrained from asking Yun Qing about things she hadn't revealed.
Yun Qing, on the other hand, had been holding back for a while and was eager to speak: "Aren't you curious about anything else? For example, whether I know your future fate."
"This is your secret." The young boy spoke earnestly, pursing his lips and stealing a glance at Yun Qing. "If you're willing to tell me, I'll listen."
No matter how mature he was, he was still young. Yun Qing easily saw through his curiosity hidden beneath the surface and couldn't help but laugh: "I know, you will become a very, very powerful emperor in the future."
Although he was a tyrant, he was a notorious tyrant in history.
"Me? An emperor?" Xie Rang was stunned. His eyes widened slightly. "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"Of course!" Yun Qing excelled in every subject, and even though the history lesson didn't cover much about Emperor Li, she remembered it perfectly. "Just wait a little longer, until you..."
The rest of the words seemed to be forcibly silenced by some invisible force, and Xie Rang couldn't even see Yun Qing's lip movements. He was puzzled, and Yun Qing was also puzzled: "Can't we say it?"
She tried several more times, but all attempts ended in failure.
"Okay, I really can't." Yun Qing was a little disappointed. She lowered her head. "I don't think I can help you."
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