Xu Yiran walked back quickly and hugged Xie Lingqin tightly, "Xiao Qin."
"Brother Yiran, I remember you. You've always been protecting me in secret."
"Yes, yes, ever since I sealed your memories, I've been terrified that you'd experience any further trauma and regain them. I was too weak then, too weak. I couldn't, I couldn't possibly. So all I could do was watch you from the shadows, watch you..."
"Yes, I remember."
I remember all the kindness and care you showed me, all my dependence on you. I also remember Yuwen Yao's cold, stern gaze, his sword pointed directly at her eyes, as he looked at her and asked, "Do you want to die? I can grant your wish."
That was Xie Lingqin's first formal meeting with Yuwen Yao.
He wanted to kill her the first time they met.
Oh!
It turns out that their relationship was destined to be impossible from that moment on.
Therefore, she now understands almost without asking that back then, eight-year-old Yuwen Yao must have accidentally discovered the Heavenly Mystery Hall and found out about her background from the Heavenly Mystery Hall's records. From then on, the relationship between the three of them had already begun in the dark.
"Xiao Qin, it's so good that you remember, you remember everything. But why, why do I also wish you didn't remember..."
The man, who was usually calm and composed, was now holding Xie Lingqin tightly, and even became incoherent, as if he was afraid that if he loosened his grip even slightly, Xie Lingqin would disappear.
Xie Lingqin let Xu Yiran hold her.
It was in that instant when the memory surfaced that she finally understood why she always felt guilty whenever she saw Xu Yiran, and why she sometimes felt so familiar with the scene of him using illusion magic to confuse their memories with Hei Bushui that night.
Because he didn't just use illusion magic to confuse Hei Bu Shui and the others' memories, but used Cloud Clan spiritual magic, which is why she had that feeling of déjà vu at that time.
Because he had done the same thing to her before.
"Xu Yiran, I owe you so much."
He knew, but never told her. He never took advantage of her vulnerability to say how good he had been to her, which made Xie Lingqin feel even more guilty now that she had realized what had happened.
Xu Yiran shook her head, a look of relief on her face. She gently released Xie Lingqin, raised her hand to stroke her hair, and sighed, "Yes, we'll be fine from now on. It's getting dark, let's find a place to stay."
Even while fleeing, and despite encountering numerous strict checks by government officials along the way, Xie Lingqin and Xu Yiran calmly checked into an inn.
"Cough cough..."
As soon as Xie Lingqin entered the best guest room, she started coughing.
The closer they got to the border, the colder the weather became, and Xie Lingqin's health, which had finally started to improve, weakened again.
"Shopkeeper, do you have any cough medicine here?"
Every time Xu Yiran heard Xie Lingqin cough, her brows furrowed a little more.
"Oh, sir, there's a pharmacy outside. The doctor there is an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor. I heard he even received guidance from that Master Dong from the capital. Why don't you ask him?"
"cough……"
Xie Lingqin originally wanted to tell Xu Yiran not to go through so much trouble, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she couldn't stop coughing.
Whether it was due to severe physical depletion since leaving Beijing or the unpleasant climate, her cough, which had stopped for two days, became increasingly severe once it started again, sometimes so badly that it felt like her internal organs were about to convulse.
Xu Yiran returned quickly and brought her a bowl of medicine.
Xie Lingqin didn't refuse; she was indeed coughing terribly. However, after drinking the medicine, she looked at Xu Yiran with a touch of emotion, "Did you brew this medicine yourself?"
"Could it be that there's still my scent in this medicine?" Xu Yiran laughed. "You can still smell it."
Xie Lingqin lowered her eyes and shook her head, "Barry doesn't smell like you, but there are traces of charcoal fire on your sleeves."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yiran looked at her sleeves and her smile deepened. "It's rare for me to do something like starting a fire. I'm sorry you had to laugh at me. It seems I still have a lot to learn."
Xie Lingqin lowered his eyelashes slightly; he knew that Xu Yiran was deliberately trying to make her laugh.
His smooth forehead and clear, bright eyes constantly offered her comfort and warmth, like sunshine and a spring breeze.
However, it felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on her heart, and she couldn't smile.
"Cough cough..."
Xie Lingqin suddenly started coughing heavily again.
“I think it’s still a problem with the climate here. We should return to Southern Qi as soon as possible. The climate there is warm and suitable for recuperation.” Xu Yiran said, gently patting Xie Lingqin’s back.
"I'm fine. You're right. Let's set off early tomorrow morning. I imagine Father and Nan Fenghuang will arrive soon."
Xie Lingqin spoke while desperately suppressing her cough.
Seeing that she had stopped coughing, Xu Yiran was relieved. "You rest well, I'll go and find out."
"good."
Xu Yiran went out.
The room fell silent instantly. Then, Xie Lingqin raised her hand to cover her mouth, and a series of suppressed coughs began to ring out.
Staying inside was really stifling, so Xie Lingqin covered her face with a face mask and went out of the room.
It's not far from the border here, and it's not only cold but also windy. Many women wear veils and headscarves when they go out, so Xie Lingqin's attire doesn't arouse suspicion.
"Hey girl, where are you going?"
Xie Lingqin walked through the lobby and was about to step out of the inn when the innkeeper called her back.
Xie Lingqin was wary, but when she turned around, she was completely calm. "I want to go for a walk."
"Oh, it's alright. Come back soon. It gets windy here late at night, which isn't good for your health."
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