This is a secluded canyon with a mountain spring about ten feet wide flowing through it, making a "splashing" sound.
Liuli leaned against the mountainside, curled up with her knees drawn up to her chest. She hadn't uttered a single word since arriving here. Shichan sat silently beside her, keeping her company. The dim, golden sunlight of the setting sun shone down, gently illuminating them.
At this moment, even with his head tilted back, Shi Chan could no longer see the setting sun, and the sky gradually darkened.
“Aunt…” Shi Chan began softly, instinctively wanting to call her “Miss,” but he paused after only uttering one word. After a moment, he said softly, “Liuli, it’s getting late. Shall we stay here for the night, or leave?”
Liuli did not answer, and Shichan did not continue to ask, but simply waited quietly.
After a long while, Liuli's muffled voice finally came through, sounding somewhat choked up. Only then did Shichan realize that she was crying, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.
“Shi Chan…” Liu Li said sullenly, “I would rather he stop me from going with you, I would rather fight all the demons in the city, fight him… or let him hit me a few times, curse me a few times, and scold me for being heartless and betraying him… that way, I might feel a little better…”
"But, but he..."
At this point, Liuli finally broke down in tears.
Shi Chan frowned slightly, lowered his eyes, and said sadly, "Liuli, do you... do you regret coming out with me? If you... want to go back, I won't stop you..."
Liuli raised her head, turned around, and suddenly hugged Shichan. She rested her forehead on Shichan's shoulder and burst into tears. Her face was streaked with tears as she choked out, "I don't regret it, but Shichan, I'm so sorry to him. The person I, Liuli, have wronged the most in my life is Li Molin..."
Hearing Liuli's three words, "No regrets," Shichan's brows quietly relaxed. His hand hesitated before moving to her back, gently patting her delicate back. He opened his mouth but didn't know how to comfort her, so he fell silent, simply staying by her side quietly.
So only Liuli's low sobs remained in the quiet canyon, gradually subsiding only as darkness fell completely.
In the darkness, Liuli's voice was still somewhat hoarse as she whispered, "Shichan, where are we going?"
Shi Chan smiled gently and replied, "Tell me, from now on, wherever you go, I will go."
His gentle voice finally dispelled the deep guilt Liuli felt towards Li Molin. She looked up and, in the faint moonlight, could see the tender expression on his profile.
“Then…” Liuli said softly, “Let’s go into seclusion. Are you willing to give up the sentient beings you’ve been trying to save, and go into seclusion with me, so that the troubles of the world will no longer concern us?”
Shi Chan lowered his eyelashes, a moment of hesitation passing through his mind.
A moment later, he turned to look at Liuli, his eyes gentle, and said softly, "Okay."
Liuli's face was still streaked with tears, but a happy smile appeared on her lips. She lowered her eyes and thought for a while before saying, "Then... let's go to Magpie Bridge Town."
Even now, she still remembers the simple and honest folk of Queqiao Town, and the Holy Monk Temple in the town. She wonders if the Holy Monk Temple still exists more than a hundred years later.
Shi Chan nodded and said softly, "Okay."
The smile on Liuli's lips deepened. She tightened her arms around Shichan's neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and greedily inhaled the pleasant sandalwood scent emanating from him.
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