Farewell on a Rainy Night
The rain gradually subsided, the sound of dripping water from the eaves adding to the silence inside the house. It was completely dark, and only the faint light filtering in through the window vaguely outlined the silhouettes of the two people leaning on each other.
Tiaotiao leaned against Su Baiwei's shoulder, breathing evenly, and fell into a rare deep sleep. Su Baiwei's right arm had long been numb from the pressure, but she remained motionless, as if transformed into a gentle stone sculpture. Her eyes meticulously traced his sleeping profile, from the slightly furrowed brow to the slightly pale lips, as if she wanted to carve every inch of it into her heart, carrying this memory with her as she walked towards the unknown distance.
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door. Hongmao's voice came through the door, a little deeper than usual: "Bai Wei, it's time for us to leave."
"Okay." Su Baiwei responded with a strong nasal tone in her voice, which made Hongmao outside the door feel nervous and his throat dry.
He was silent for a moment, his tone full of worry: "You..." He paused, as if choosing his words, and finally asked a dry question: "...Are you ready?"
Su Baiwei took a deep breath and tried to calm her tone. "Hongmao, I'll come over as soon as I've settled Tiaotiao."
"Okay, the water and dry food are already in the secret room." His voice became softer, as if he was afraid to disturb the tranquility of the room. "Tiaotiao... I'll leave it to you."
"Yeah." Tiao Tiao muttered, having woken up at some point. He slowly raised his head from her shoulder, and in the faint light filtering through the window, he saw that she was still holding him. His heart ached. He gently lifted her right hand, which had long since become stiff and numb, and gently massaged the inside of her arm with his fingertips. "Is your hand numb?" He felt a lump in his throat before he could finish his words.
Su Baiwei's hands suddenly felt tingling, but she just shook her head: "It's okay."
Tiao Tiao's fingertips touched her red and swollen eyes again, and his voice was hoarse: "My eyes are swollen from crying." He took the fingertips of her left hand, guided her to touch his equally red eyelids, and whispered: "Is mine... the same?"
Su Baiwei looked at him and nodded slightly.
"This is bad," Tiao Tiao feigned annoyance, his fingertips lightly scratching the bridge of her nose. "I can't go meet everyone looking handsome and elegant. Doesn't this tarnish my reputation as the Master of the Green Light Sword?"
Su Baiwei wanted to smile along, but the moment her lips curled up, the curve was already etched with bitterness. She raised her hand and gently placed it on the spot around his eye. "Let me press it. It'll help the swelling go down faster." Her fingertips pressed gently, and she asked softly, "Is the pressure right?"
"Hmm." Tiaotiao closed his eyes, feeling the soreness and swelling from her fingertips. He imprinted this moment of tenderness firmly in his heart.
When she stopped, Tiao Tiao, relying on the movements he remembered, pressed the same spot for her, a little awkwardly. "Is the pressure appropriate?" he mimicked her words.
"Hmm." Su Baiwei closed her eyes, letting his clumsy, gentle fingertips linger on her skin. The two of them stopped talking, silently cherishing this final quiet before the storm.
Outside the window, the dark clouds still lingered. The last few raindrops rolled down from the tips of the leaves, hitting the stone steps with a scattered sound.
Su Baiwei supported Tiao Tiao and slowly walked to the stone door of the secret chamber. She raised her hand and ran her fingertips over the rough stone surface one by one. Tiao Tiao watched silently, memorizing the order in her heart.
The stone door slowly slid open, making a low, muffled sound.
Mu Jin, who was waiting inside, stepped forward to support him, but saw Tiao Tiao slightly sidestep away. Mu Jin's hand paused in mid-air, then she understood and stepped aside.
Uncle Li looked at the two people who were reluctant to leave and sighed softly. His wrinkled face showed helplessness and pity. He whispered to Mu Jin, "Girl, let's go out first."
Mu Jin nodded, took one last look at the cuddling figures, and followed Uncle Li out quietly.
The stone door slowly closed, isolating the outside world. The familiar scene within the secret room came into view, though it seemed shrouded in a haze. Tiaotiao glanced around the corner and suddenly asked, "Where's the bottle of fluorescent coral?"
Su Baiwei was startled, the memory of her confession in the secret room that day suddenly flooding back to her mind. She came to her senses, supported him, and slowly walked towards the stone bed, saying softly, "I've distributed it to everyone. The fluorescent coral powder can suppress the secondary poison and slow the medicine man's movements. I've tempered it on the blades of my swords." This stone bed had once been where she lay, weakened after drawing blood, but now it had become the place where they said goodbye.
Tiaotiao pulled out a small crystal bottle from her bosom. There was still some shimmering powder in the bottle. "I have some left. Take it with you."
"No need," Su Baiwei shook her head, her eyes fixed on the sparse light at the bottom of the bottle. "That's enough. You can keep it."
Tiao Tiao stared at her, silent for a moment, and finally held the bottle tightly in his hand, as if holding on to the last bit of connection between him and her.
She helped him sit down carefully, and their eyes met.
Su Baiwei finally couldn't help but bend down and hugged him very gently and slowly, her movements were full of caution, for fear of hurting him accidentally.
Tiao Tiao suddenly tightened his arms, ignoring the tearing pain in his ribs and arms, and used all his strength to hug her tightly in his arms, as if only in this way could he be sure that she was still by his side, and he wished he could melt her into his bones and blood, never to be separated.
The chamber was completely silent, the only sound remaining was the mingling of their breathing. This moment seemed as long as a lifetime, yet as brief as a single instant. Finally, they slowly released each other.
Su Baiwei caught a glimpse of the faint trace of blood seeping from the cuffs of his blue shirt, and her heart ached. Her fingertips trembled slightly, wanting to touch him, but she stopped mid-move and whispered, "I'm leaving."
"Hmm," he replied hoarsely, his breathing a little disordered. His eyes still traced the corners of her eyebrows and eyes, his face growing paler as he endured the pain.
"wait for me."
"good."
She turned resolutely and walked towards the stone gate.
"Wei..."
A low call was heard and Su Baiwei stopped.
Tiao Tiao hesitated to speak, and finally said softly, "It's okay."
Su Baiwei pinched her fingertips into her palms, without looking back, and left quickly with her sleeves fluttering.
Tiaotiao sat alone on the stone bed. Even with the blankets covering her, she felt a chill run deep into her heart. The faint aroma of medicine lingered in the air, appearing and disappearing, as if it would dissipate at any moment.
Su Baiwei paused at the threshold of Huichun Hall. Outside, six figures stood silently in the damp night, like six sharp swords about to be unsheathed, their silence tinged with murderous intent.
Seeing her appear, everyone said nothing and tacitly climbed onto their horses. The horses trotted nervously, making urgent sounds on the stone slabs.
"Gee!" Hongmao shouted, jerked the reins, and galloped out first. The other five followed closely behind. The chaotic clatter of hooves tore through the tranquility of the night and hammered at Su Baiwei's heart.
She reached into her bosom and touched the crystal bottle wrapped in her body warmth. The thin layer of fluorescent coral powder at the bottom of the bottle glowed a faint blue light in the dark night.
She swiftly leaped onto the horse's back, gripped the reins tightly, and suddenly turned back. Her gaze pierced through the thick night fog, gazing towards the secret room deep within Huichun Hall.
After a pause, she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was only determination in them.
"drive!"
The whip swung in a sharp arc through the air, landing on the horse's rump. The white horse neighed loudly, raised its hooves and galloped away, like an arrow from a bow, chasing the retreating figures.
Inside the secret room, Tiaotiao, staring blankly at the stone door, suddenly felt a pang in his chest. He instinctively clutched his chest, frowning. Looking down, he noticed a few drops of dark water had splashed where she had been.
He slowly shifted his gaze to the bottle of fluorescent coral in his hand. The faint blue light flickered in the gloom, and a sense of unease crept into his heart.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
