Chapter 50
After shutting down his computer, Yun Zhan didn't go to sleep immediately. Instead, he took out a dagger from his drawer.
Yun Zhan stared at the dagger, the cold light from its blade reflecting into her somewhat bruised eyes.
"What are you doing with that dagger? Good grief, are you planning to assassinate me?" 21 was startled. Why would someone bring out a knife out of nowhere?
"Make a blood essence pendant for Wen Sixue; fox blood is the best tonic."
Yun Zhan leaned back on the edge of his dormitory bed, his fingertips tightening on the hilt of the dagger, the metal as cold as ice.
The image of Wen Sixue sitting on a stool at home, her fingertips red from being pricked by a knitting needle, kept flashing through her mind.
The most expensive balls of yarn I bought, the sweater I knitted stitch by stitch, and the back view of someone turning away at the school gate, their shoulders trembling silently.
Guilt surged like a tide, wave after wave crashing against his chest. Yun Zhan felt as if every breath he took had a metallic taste, yet he could find no way out.
"I'm sorry, Wen Sixue."
The dagger was drawn, its cold light flashing.
Without hesitation, Yun Zhan aimed the tip of the knife at the pad of his left index finger and made a light cut. Blood immediately welled up, resembling a tiny ruby in the cold light.
The pain came sharply, but she didn't even flinch. Blood rolled down her cheeks, and Yun Zhan quickly formed a hand seal with his right hand. Silvery spiritual light spilled out from between his fingers, like moonlight being drawn into threads.
Soon, the blood began to coil around the bead of blood, forming a tiny pendant—transparent throughout, with a bright red dot at its center.
Yun Zhan held the pendant up to her eyes; the blood-red light and silver light intertwined, reflecting off her slightly pale face.
Despite feeling a little unwell, Yun Zhan smiled and said, "21, I think it looks pretty good."
Yun Zhan chanted an incantation in a low voice, and a drop of spiritual energy seeped into the pendant from his fingertip, completing the final seal. From then on, this pendant could sense Wen Sixue's essence and repair her depleted energy when necessary.
If Wen Sixue encounters danger in the future, Yun Zhan will be able to sense her location immediately.
"Warm as snow".
Yun Zhan's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible: "My abilities are limited; I only have so much essence blood left."
She put the pendant into the small velvet bag, and the moment she tightened the bag's opening, the pressure in her heart eased a little.
Outside the window, the early morning wind swept by, stirring a corner of the curtains. At this moment, Yun Zhan's face was pale, and he was sleeping very uncomfortablely.
As the bell rang for the second period, the wind from the corridor, carrying the scent of chalk dust and autumn sunshine, rushed into the classroom.
Yun Zhan lay slumped on his seat, propping up a book to cover his face, his cheek resting in the crook of his arm, his eyelashes trembling with exhaustion, his lips whiter than paper.
"I'm so tired, I just want to go back to sleep..." Yun Zhan coughed a few times, her vision was blurry, and she was completely unable to concentrate on the lesson.
"I'll take some time tonight to give this to Wen Sixue..."
Yun Zhan reached into her pocket and gently touched the pendant. She had spent a long time carving it last night to make it look nicer.
Hmph, Wen Sixue will definitely like it.
Wen Sixue sat in the front row, her back ramrod straight, her textbooks spread out on the table.
With each page turn, her peripheral vision couldn't help but glance at the desk behind her, where shoulders slumped slightly and breathing was so shallow it was almost inaudible.
Heartache surged like a tide, wave after wave crashing against her chest, but she could only pretend to listen attentively to the lesson, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the lid of her thermos.
get out of class is over.
Finally, Wen Sixue took a deep breath and stood up.
With footsteps as light as a cat, she circled around to Yun Zhan's table, gently placed the thermos on the corner of the table, unscrewed the lid, and the sweet warmth of goji berries immediately filled the air.
Wen Sixue lowered her voice, coaxing him with a hint of caution, "Drinking something hot will make you feel better. This tea is good for your blood and energy."
Yun Zhan looked up, his gaze piercing through the mist and landing on Wen Sixue's slightly reddened eyes.
Are we going home together today?
"Can we go home together?"
Yun Zhan suddenly reached out and grabbed the other's wrist. His palm was icy cold, but his voice was soft and sincere. He looked at Wen Sixue like a puppy and said, "Of course, let's go back together tonight. I want to go home."
The words "I want to go home" sent a shiver down Wen Sixue's spine, and her nose instantly stung with tears.
I don't know why, but I suddenly feel like crying.
Wen Sixue forced back her tears and nodded quickly, her voice choked with emotion but gentle: "Okay, I'll wait for you after class tonight."
Sunlight fell on their clasped hands, and warmth spread along their fingertips, like the first flower quietly blooming in the spring night.
Wen Sixue's back remained straight, but her eyes quietly reddened.
"Drink this first, you don't seem to be feeling well."
Wen Sixue didn't cry or make a scene in front of Yun Zhan. She simply pushed the thermos towards Yun Zhan, as if offering him a burning heart, asking for nothing in return, only hoping he would feel more comfortable.
Yun Zhan held the cup, sipping it slowly, the sweet, warm liquid sliding down her throat. When she looked up, Wen Sixue had already gone back.
Her gaze followed Wen Sixue's retreating figure, and a corner of her heart quietly loosened, like a crack pierced by sunlight, slowly growing soft vines.
Yun Zhan had time to say thank you, or perhaps she could say it wasn't necessary. She didn't say much, but simply held the cup of goji berry tea as if it were a silent favor, drinking it sip by sip until the cup was empty, until her heartbeat returned to normal, until her body slowly warmed up.
Six o'clock in the evening.
Wen Sixue sat alone in her seat. She glanced in Yun Zhan's direction, but the place was empty; she didn't know where he had gone.
Wen Sixue felt an instinctive sense of loss, and in the instant her eyes darkened, Yun Zhan suddenly appeared in front of her.
Yun Zhan held a small box in his hand and took her hand: "It's a bit cold, let's go back first. I prepared a little gadget for you."
Yun Zhan shook the small box in her hand, which contained her fox essence blood.
The evening wind, carrying the chill of early spring, swept in from the street corners and alleyways, rustling the fallen leaves under the streetlights.
Yun Zhan led Wen Sixue out the door, and a cold wind rushed towards them, but it was silently blocked by the gaps between their clasped fingers.
Yun Zhan's palm wasn't large, but it was very warm, with distinct knuckles. His strength was just right, completely enveloping Wen Sixue's entire hand.
Wen Sixue lowered her head, her wool scarf half-covering her face, revealing only a pair of bright, clear eyes. She stared at their clasped hands, Yun Zhan's thumb gently stroking her protruding knuckles.
The wind lifted a corner of her scarf and ruffled the stray hairs on her forehead, but it couldn't dispel the undisguised affection in her eyes.
The streetlights cast their intertwined shadows, gilding the cold night with a soft, warm glow. Wen Sixue buried the lower half of her face in her scarf, her breath warmed by Yun Zhan's palm, and her heart began to race.
She didn't speak, but used her bright eyes to meticulously depict the two people's clasped hands, the only scene in the entire spring night that deserved her full attention.
The kitchen was bathed in warm yellow light in the evening, and the range hood hummed softly.
"You go and rest first. I'll cook dinner tonight. Do you want to eat the shrimp we had before? I see there's some left in the fridge."
Yun Zhan wore Wen Sixue's old apron, made of light checkered fabric, with the ties tightly around her waist.
Yun Zhan chopped tomatoes with a knife, the juice splashing onto her sleeves, but she didn't care. She then bent down and stirred the soup in the pot, the steam condensing into tiny water droplets on her eyelashes.
"I feel like this range hood isn't working properly. I'll get Wen Sixue a new one later," Yun Zhan said, taking a plate out of the cupboard.
Wen Sixue leaned against the door frame, her gaze never leaving it.
The kitchen light shone on Yun Zhan's face and also reflected Wen Sixue's slightly red eyes.
She greedily remembered every move Yun Zhan made. These small details, like a pinch of salt in a simple meal, were simple yet enough to make her heart ache.
Of course, she wanted to be with Yun Zhan, to be his girlfriend openly and honestly, and eventually get married and spend her life with him.
A gentle stream flows on, and life is peaceful and serene.
Perhaps many years later, Wen Sixue will recall the nights when the two of them washed dishes together, the sound of rushing water, and Yun Zhan smearing foam on her nose.
She remembered the scarf Yun Zhan had knitted for her, which was still hidden in a drawer.
Now, these memories have been shattered by those rumors. Even though Yun Zhan personally denied that he was not with Pei Yanxi, Wen Sixue's sense of crisis still exists.
The short sentence, "Yun Zhan might become someone else's girlfriend," tore Wen Sixue to shreds, each blow stabbing into her heart, causing her so much pain she could barely stand.
Yun Zhan turned around, about to ask about the taste of the soup, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of tears glistening in Wen Sixue's eyes.
She paused for half a second, and the soup ladle in her hand clattered into the pot, splashing a few drops of hot soup.
Yun Zhan didn't bother wiping it, hurriedly turned off the stove fire, and quickly walked to Wen Sixue.
"What's wrong? Are your eyes bothering you? Should I take you to the hospital to get them checked out? Your eyes are always red... What's going on?" Yun Zhan's voice was low and urgent, still warm from the lingering smoke of cooking oil.
She raised her hand, her fingertips hovering above Wen Sixue's cheek, but dared not touch her rashly, only gently wiping away the tear that was about to fall. "Tell me, okay?"
Wen Sixue shook her head, but her tears fell even more fiercely.
She forced a smile, her voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible: "It's nothing... I was just thinking about the past."
She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet Yun Zhan's concerned gaze, afraid that one look would cause her to completely break down.
Yun Zhan stopped asking questions, and simply reached out to pull her into his arms, placing his palm on her thin back and gently patting it.
The kitchen light fell on their overlapping shadows, as if adding a soft edge to this sudden embrace.
Wen Sixue buried her face in Yun Zhan's shoulder, her tears soaking through her clothes and also dampening Yun Zhan's heart. She didn't know how to comfort him, so she could only hug him tighter.
Yun Zhan lowered his head and rummaged in his pocket, his fingertips touching the pendant formed from her blood essence from the previous night.
"Alright, stop crying. How about I give you a little gift? This is made from fox spirit blood." Yun Zhan took out the box, opened his palm, and spoke in a low but earnest voice.
Wen Sixue froze, her gaze falling on the small pendant, her eyelashes still damp.
“This is…” Wen Sixue looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and slightly swollen at the corners.
Yun Zhan placed the pendant in her palm, his fingertips touching her cold knuckles, and then grasped it.
"Fox essence is a very good tonic, it's good for your body. My essence is coagulated."
Yun Zhan paused, his ear tips turning slightly red: "Wearing it is like wearing me on your body. When your energy is low, it can help you replenish it. When necessary... I can also sense you."
Wen Sixue's fingertips trembled, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She lowered her head, her fingertips tracing the smooth surface of the pendant, her voice hoarse: "Will this be harmful to you?"
Yun Zhan didn't answer directly, but reached out and gently patted the top of her head, his voice so soft it was as if he didn't want to disturb her dream: "It's just a little blood, don't be sad, okay?"
One sentence was like a key that unlocked the lock on Wen Sixue's heart.
Her forehead rested against Yun Zhan's shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around him, her voice muffled by the fabric of her clothes, carrying a slightly damp nasal tone: "Can you come back often in the future? I'm actually quite scared living alone..."
Yun Zhan let her hug him, placing his palm on her back and gently patting her, as if soothing a frightened little animal.
"Okay. Wait for me a while. Once I've finished what I'm doing, I'll take you to the amusement park, okay?"
She remembered that Wen Sixue had said before that the thing she wanted to do most when she was a child was to go to the amusement park with her family.
Yun Zhan thought: Although I am not her relative, I can still keep her company.
21: Of course, maybe...
Yun Zhan: Maybe what?
21: It's nothing... You'll find out later.
Wen Sixue was stunned for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up, like sparks scattered by the wind gathering again.
She said it casually, but Yun Zhan still remembered it.
Wen Sixue extended her little finger, her voice so soft it was as if she didn't want to disturb a dream: "Then... pinky promise."
Yun Zhan chuckled and extended his little finger, gently hooking it with hers.
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