Chapter 72 A Dream of Yellow Millet
In the dimly lit hall, Yun Zhan stood at the crossroads, the hollow in his left chest emitting a faint hissing sound with each breath.
She lowered her eyes and called out, "21."
An electronic orb emerged from her shoulder, flickering restlessly: "Yun Zhan, I can't explore either of these paths, what... should we do..."
21 is also desperate, really... there's no way out.
"You go first." Yun Zhan interrupted it, his voice low but calm, "I'm not sure I can get out, and I don't want to drag you down with me."
The sphere of light suddenly became blindingly bright, and the crackling sound rose sharply: "What do you mean? At least I could stay here and keep you company, you...!"
"Thank you for your hard work, but you don't need to now..." Yun Zhan raised his hand and drew a symbol in the air, forcibly unbinding 21.
"Take Wen Sixue with you too." She paused, then took out three thumb-sized pebbles from her pocket. The stones had a soft blue hue, like a miniature starry sky. "And these too, give them to Shi Mingyue, Pei Yanxi, and Wen Sixue respectively."
"Let's go." Yun Zhan shook his head, his gaze falling on the distant palace gate.
The sphere of light flickered violently, and electricity crackled: "What's inside the stone?"
Yun Zhan's fingertips traced the stone surface, reflecting a fleeting tenderness in her eyes: "So much luck, and the beautiful memories I can leave them in the end."
She flicked her finger, and three pebbles flew toward the sphere of light, were enveloped by the data stream, and floated in the core.
21 tried to get closer, but was violently pushed away by the repulsive force of its release. It emitted a tearing, electric crackling sound: "Yun Zhan—! You idiot! Fool, they don't want your luck at all. You know better than anyone what they want! You desperately tried to make up for it with material things, risking your life to save them..."
"But what they want most is to be with you peacefully! Don't you understand?!"
“I understand, but it’s too late. It’s my fault. I’ll use the last little thing I have to make up for it. You can go now.”
Yun Zhan turned his back to the fork in the road where darkness and light intertwined, his voice drifting through the mist, "Tell them for me."
Yun Zhan paused slightly, but did not turn around.
"It's okay if you forget me, as long as everyone is safe."
The blue light suddenly contracted, and 21 was forcibly dragged out of the main hall. In the darkness, only Yun Zhan remained standing at the crossroads, the hem of his clothes being lifted by an unknown wind.
Yun Zhan gave a bitter smile and then looked up at the fox statue in the main hall: "Many truths can only be understood when one is close to death."
"I regret it... I regret what I did. I want to go home now, and be with the person I love..."
She regretted not discovering Su Jue's feelings sooner; she regretted not responding to Shi Mingyue's hints sooner; she regretted not taking better care of Wen Sixue; she regretted making things difficult for Pei Yanxi because of that damned mission.
Yun Zhan leaned against the stone pillar, resting his head on the rock. It was too late now...
After 21 returned, Wen Sixue also woke up.
It summoned Pei Yanxi and Shi Mingyue to Wen Sixue's house and gave them the pebbles that Yun Zhan had given it.
After explaining the whole story, all three of them were in a daze. Shi Mingyue was in a worse state, almost fainting, and was eventually forcibly taken home by the bodyguard.
Night fell, and a chill crept up their brows. Almost simultaneously, all three felt a heavy weariness, yet their fingers still gripped the stone tightly. The next instant, the lights dimmed, and the blue light vanished.
...
A dreamlike scene, a clear morning in mid-spring.
As the pale golden sunlight climbed onto the window lattice, Shi Mingyue gently opened her eyes from under the brocade quilt, and the first thing she saw was Yun Zhan leaning against the screen.
Yun Zhan wore a moon-white long-sleeved shirt with a black robe draped over it. The collar was slightly open, revealing that the skin below his collarbone was intact and no longer had any hollows.
Sunlight fell on her eyelashes, as if gilding them with a soft edge. Shi Mingyue paused, then suddenly felt a lump in her throat: "Yun Zhan?"
"I'm back! Thankfully, it was all alright..." Yun Zhan smiled and poured himself a cup of tea.
Shi Mingyue didn't have time to put on her shoes, so she ran over barefoot and bumped into Yun Zhan's arms.
He wrapped his arms around the person's back, holding him tightly, as if letting go would mean losing him again.
Tears streamed down her face, hot and urgent, and she couldn't stop them even by biting her lip. Soon, they soaked through the fabric of Yun Zhan's clothes, leaving dark circular marks.
Yun Zhan chuckled softly, placing his palm on the top of her head and stroking her hair back and forth, as if coaxing a frightened cat.
"Can you marry me now?" Shi Mingyue's voice was muffled inside her clothes, tinged with tears, yet surprisingly bright.
Yun Zhan didn't keep her waiting and nodded readily, "Okay."
The joyous day arrived in a flurry of activity.
The main gate of Mingyue Villa was wide open, and crimson silk cascaded down from the lintel like a scalding river.
Shi Ke personally wrote the invitation, and Shen Qingyi led the purchase. The wedding candies were packaged in gilded boxes with mandarin duck knots tied to the corners.
All the media outlets in Yuedu rushed to the streets to photograph the red lanterns hanging along the roadside. The red lanterns stretched from Mingyue Villa to the university town, and from a distance, the mountaintops looked as if they were floating in a sea of fire.
The Shi family values tradition, so the east wing was decorated as a wedding room, with a double-layered red brocade quilt on the couch, double happiness symbols pasted on the window frames, and a pair of dragon and phoenix candles lit on the table.
The candlelight flickered like gold, making the moon's cheeks blush.
Shi Mingyue tied her hair up and was embroidering the last stitch. On the silk, two mandarin ducks intertwined their necks, their green feathers were made of turquoise thread and their water ripples were made of silver thread. Their tail feathers were intertwined, as if they were about to swim into the depths of the brocade.
"Actually, I didn't like learning this when I was a child. I even secretly asked Wen Yuan to help me while I went out to the flower and bird market."
Yun Zhan sat cross-legged to the side, wrapping wedding candies.
The crimson candy wrapper fluttered between her fingers, glowing brightly in the candlelight.
She crossed her legs, a smile playing on her lips, but her gaze never left Shi Mingyue.
When Shi Mingyue raised the embroidery frame, Yun Zhan leaned out and looked at the little mandarin ducks in Shi Mingyue's hand: "Beautiful! The mandarin ducks embroidered by our Miss Shi are the best in the world!"
After saying that, he gave a thumbs up.
Shi Mingyue blushed bright red from the praise and couldn't help but smile.
Just then, the red candle popped and burst open, as if it were secretly laughing.
A flutter of excitement quietly began to stir in the room. The two looked at each other and simultaneously put down what they were holding.
Yun Zhan reached out his hand, and Shi Mingyue stood up, their clothes overlapping, their lips touching.
The shadow of the red candle cast the silhouettes of the two people onto the window screen, creating a soft ripple that lingered for a long time.
Married life is like being soaked in spring water, soft and bright.
During the day, Yun Zhan often went out to work with Shi Ke. Shi Ke taught Yun Zhan a lot, including but not limited to how to raise a glass, how to discuss cooperation, how to understand the company's true accounts, and how to distinguish truth from falsehood in laughter.
At night, she accompanied Shi Mingyue as they leaned against the window reading poetry. Xuan paper was spread out on the table, the scent of ink mingling with the fragrance of night-blooming jasmine.
Shi Mingyue took out a poem she had written when she was seven years old and asked Yun Zhan, "What do you think of my writing?"
After saying this, Shi Mingyue's cheeks flushed, and there was a hint of expectation in her eyes.
Yun Zhan then laughed and replied, "So, Madam was quite the charmer even when she was little." This made her blush, and she picked up her pen to hit him, but he grabbed her wrist and kissed her fingertips.
One evening, Shi Mingyue was scolded by Shi Ke for making a mistake on the gift list, and she remained silent with her head down.
When Yun Zhan found out, he rushed over and immediately knelt down in front of Shi Ke: "Dad, don't be angry. I arranged the gifts. It has nothing to do with her."
Shi Ke snorted twice, flicked his sleeves, and left. How could he not know Yun Zhan's abilities? He wouldn't make a mistake in such a small matter as giving gifts... However, this incident showed that Yun Zhan really liked his daughter, which made him feel a little better.
Shi Mingyue had been pouting, but when she saw Yun Zhan turn around and wink at her, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. She tickled Yun Zhan's palm with her fingertips and said, "It's so good to have you, Yun Zhan..."
The moonlight outside the window shone like a ribbon, illuminating their clasped hands. A breeze rustled through the eaves, causing the lamplight to flicker, as if it too were secretly laughing. The days were long, and they had a lifetime to walk through them at their own pace.
...
A dream world, 6:15 AM.
A thin mist still lingered at the alley entrance when Wen Sixue heard what sounded like the door outside being opened.
Wen Sixue was wearing rabbit slippers, and her robe was loosely tied around her waist. As soon as she opened the door, a warm breeze carrying the sweet aroma of soy milk wafted towards her.
Yun Zhan stood at the door, his hands full. In his left hand were steaming hot soy milk and freshly fried dough sticks, and in his right hand were still steaming glutinous rice dumplings and tofu pudding in a paper bag.
She was wearing an ordinary white T-shirt, with a little soy milk stain on the collar, probably from sneaking a bite along the way.
Upon seeing Wen Sixue, Yun Zhan smiled with his eyes crinkling, and unceremoniously squeezed through the door, piling breakfast all over the small table. He then expertly pulled a red apple from the fruit basket, took a bite, and juice splashed everywhere.
"Sorry, I woke you up," she greeted him indistinctly, as if she were in her own living room.
Wen Sixue stood frozen at the doorway, her rabbit slippers askew, one askew and the other straight, before finally managing to ask, "Yun Zhan, you...? Where's your heart... your heart?"
Yun Zhan switched the apple to his left hand, freeing up his right: "I got it back. You chose correctly the first time. Smart, right?"
Yun Zhan smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his face radiating confidence.
Yun Zhan stuffed the last shumai into his mouth, clapped his hands, and wiped the foam off the rim of Wen Sixue's soy milk cup: "Go change your clothes later. It's the weekend today. Do you want to go to the supermarket together?"
His tone was as natural as that of a family member.
Wen Sixue was pushed into the bedroom. When she came out, Yun Zhan was already leaning against the entrance, turning a spare key in his hand, making a jingling sound.
Sunlight streamed through the lintel and fell on her shoulders, bathing her in a soft, warm glow.
Wen Sixue suddenly felt her chest being gently filled, and the reassuring feeling of "someone waiting for you to come home" made her nose tingle.
At noon, City Supermarket
The automatic door dinged, and a cool breeze carrying the aroma of fruits and vegetables wafted out.
Wen Sixue pushed the cart, and Yun Zhan walked on her left, his arm brushing against her shoulder from time to time, as if unintentionally or intentionally.
Passing by the snack section, Yun Zhan suddenly stopped, raised his hand and swept all the original flavor potato chips on the top shelf into the car, the packaging bags falling down with a clatter.
Wen Sixue's eyes widened: "Buying so many? Potato chips are high in calories, you should eat your meals properly."
Yun Zhan hummed a few times, then casually pulled another pack from the shelf and deliberately waved it in front of her: "I only eat this 'occasionally' once in a while. You know I like this flavor, so you're letting me eat it."
Her tone was soft and coquettish, with the last syllable drawn out like a cat stretching.
Wen Sixue blushed, but couldn't help laughing, reaching out to tap her forehead: "Okay, okay, here you go."
The two stopped as they passed the fresh produce section.
The lights were bright, and the air was cool.
Yun Zhan stood in front of the fresh meat counter, tapping the glass lightly with his fingertips, and asked, "How about stir-frying some pork tenderloin? Would you like something else? It's rare for us to have time tonight, so you can order."
"Let's buy some more shrimp," Wen Sixue said, pursing her lips. "You cooked the shrimp balls very well last time."
Yun Zhan's eyes lit up and she added another box of live shrimp to the car. She continued her plan: "Spring bamboo shoots are the most tender this season. Add a couple of pieces to the pork rib soup, and the soup will have a sweet taste..."
She chattered on and on, her voice mixed with the background music in the supermarket, making it a little hard to hear, but Wen Sixue couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile.
Yun Zhan stood beside her, carefully selecting dishes.
Wen Sixue's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She hurriedly lowered her head, pretending to tidy up the shopping cart, but secretly wiping away her tears with her fingertips.
Yun Zhan leaned closer, his voice low and gentle: "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Wen Sixue sniffed and smiled, "I'm just a little sleepy. Let's go home early and come again next time..."
Yun Zhan paused for a moment, then smiled and took her hand, their fingers intertwined: "Okay, let's go home and find a movie to watch together."
evening
The pork rib soup simmered in the clay pot, and the aroma of bamboo shoots filled the entire house with the rising steam.
Wen Sixue leaned against the door frame, watching Yun Zhan wearing an apron, using long chopsticks to stir the shrimp balls in the pot, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his slender white wrists.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people outside the window, overlapping them like a warm painting smoothed by time.
Wen Sixue quietly walked over, wrapped her arms around Yun Zhan's waist from behind, pressed her face against her shoulder and back, and said in a voice as soft as a sigh, "Don't move, let me hug you for a bit."
Yun Zhan smiled and let her hug him, tapping the edge of the pot lightly with the spatula, making a crisp sound.
Steam rose, the lights were soft, and in the small kitchen, the aroma of soup, shrimp, and the intertwined breaths of the two people blended into the most comforting smell in the world.
Wen Sixue's diary at night
"It's sunny today. Yun Zhan is back, bringing my heartbeat and breakfast. She bought me a lot of original flavor potato chips and promised to cook me pork rib soup. I said I was sleepy, but what I really wanted to say was—if this is a dream, don't let me wake up."
...
After learning about Yun Zhan's situation, Pei Yanxi drank all night. When she woke up, her long hair was casually tied into a messy bun.
Upon arriving at the school, she originally planned to sneak into the secret room to see if there was any way to save Yun Zhan, but she caught a glimpse of a familiar yet unbelievable figure at the corner of the corridor.
The person crouched low, tiptoeing close to the carved wall.
Pei Yanxi's heart skipped a beat, and the document in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".
"How did you get here?" Her voice was strained, her eyes filled with astonishment. "You've found your heart again?"
Caught red-handed, Yun Zhan coughed awkwardly twice and scratched the back of his head with one hand: "Of course I'm fine. Senior... I have to go to class, I'll be going now!"
After saying that, he slipped away and dashed towards the stairwell.
Pei Yanxi dared not let her run away. She chased after him in her slippers, stretched out her long arm, grabbed Yun Zhan by the back of his collar, and dragged him into the office next door.
The door slammed shut, and she pressed the deadbolt with her other hand, a series of smooth movements.
Yun Zhan was forced into a chair and watched as Pei Yanxi took out a stethoscope and a blood pressure monitor from a drawer, and even shone a flashlight into her pupils.
“Heartbeat is normal...blood pressure is normal too…” Pei Yanxi murmured to herself. After confirming that everything was normal, she breathed a sigh of relief, but her eyes were red.
Seeing this, Yun Zhan quickly took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and quietly handed it over.
There was also a smiling fox drawn on the paper package.
Pei Yanxi took it, wiped her eyes, and said in a nasal voice, "You're better now but you didn't come to see me. Why did you run back to school? And why were you acting so suspiciously..."
Yun Zhan's little brain was working at lightning speed, his eyes darting around: "I... I thought you were at school, so I came to find you."
After saying that, she glanced guiltily out the window. Pei Yanxi saw through her lie immediately but couldn't bear to call her out on it, only raising an eyebrow and asking, "Trying to investigate the school again? Didn't you investigate my basement enough?"
Yun Zhan didn't answer, but secretly took out a small box from his backpack, and then magically pulled out a beautiful rose from the inside pocket of his school uniform.
The flower stems were carefully trimmed and wrapped in silver foil, clearly indicating that they had been treated to prevent moisture.
"No, I didn't. It was 21 who told me you were here."
Yun Zhan presented the flowers and box with both hands, her eyes sparkling, "Senior, this is a little gift I prepared for you."
Pei Yanxi took the rose, her fingertip was lightly pricked by a thorn, but she felt no pain.
She lowered her head to smell the flowers, concealing the smile on her lips, and her voice softened: "Thank you..."
Just then, Yun Zhan suddenly leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers, and whispered in a coquettish tone, "Senior, please change my seat for me since I'm so sincere... I want to sit in the last row."
Pei Yanxi's heart raced wildly at the sudden intimacy, and her ears turned bright red instantly.
She coughed lightly and turned her face away, but couldn't hide the increasingly wide smile on her lips: "...Fine, last row, no more trouble."
With permission granted, Yun Zhan slipped out of the office with his backpack, turned a corner at the end of the corridor, and gave 21 a high-five in a low voice: "Yes, plan successful!"
21 floated on her shoulder, its static filled with helplessness: "You just know how to tease that senior."
Pei Yanxi leaned against the doorframe, listening to the whispers at the end of the corridor, and couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle. She looked down at the rose in her hand, her fingertips caressing the stem, her heart feeling as if it were being soaked in warm water, incredibly soft.
"Little liar."
She cursed softly, but couldn't hide the smile on her lips, "...But these days are so good."
The sun shines brightly outside the window, and the fragrance of roses quietly permeates the air, like a spring dream you don't want to wake up from.
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