Chapter 75 The Sound of Pomegranate Blossoms in the Rain (End) A high fever and persistent dizziness...
After crossing the horizon, they saw the sun again, which should have been setting in the west. This phenomenon was abnormal, but Xia Zhu had no time to analyze it.
The two walked aimlessly toward the setting sun, which would never fall. A strange atmosphere filled the space between them, as if a transparent, bubble-like film enveloped Xia Zhu and Ying Huo behind her, and they were inevitably stuck together because of their attributes.
Xia Zhu kept her eyes fixed on the ground half a meter in front of her feet. Her throat was tight, and no matter how hard she swallowed, she couldn't breathe smoothly. Her mind was also in a mess. She explained this panic as anxiety caused by her inability to exit the dream.
The journey was indeed long, so long that Ying Huo behind him had already broken free from his fear and reverted to his usual cold and aloof demeanor. He took a long stride and walked to Xia Zhu's side, probably believing that being side-by-side would make it easier for them to speak as equals.
"Were you scared out of your wits by the ancient battlefield? Don't overthink it, this is just reasonable concern." He suddenly spoke, which really startled her. She had been walking this endless road for so long that Xia Zhu felt like she hadn't heard human voices in a long time.
But she was baffled by Ying Huo's "concern," and even felt a surge of anger rising in her chest after hearing his voice. She replied in a harsh tone, "If you have nothing to say, you can explain why your obsession is a war."
She suddenly stopped, looked at Ying Huo who was speechless at the question, and then added with satisfaction: "An ancient war that couldn't have happened too recently."
Admittedly, his reaction was too obvious, and the details revealed a strange coincidence. Xia Zhu could not deceive herself that what she had just experienced was the nightmare of the person next to her.
Ying Huo was speechless. To be honest, he didn't need to explain anything about the dream. The reason he was uneasy was that Xia Zhu kept replaying the sword that Xia Zhu had blocked for him with his bare hands. The wound was shocking and must have hurt a lot.
So why did she save him? To Xia Zhu, he was just a stranger she had only recently met. Even her friends' hostility towards him was so great that it couldn't be ignored.
Would a normal person really risk their life to save someone who means nothing to them?
He simply couldn't understand it.
Xia Zhu stood opposite him against the light, seemingly still waiting for a reasonable explanation. A damp breeze blew from behind her, and Ying Huo looked up, unexpectedly meeting Xia Zhu's bright eyes in the darkness. Her features appeared softer than usual in the backlight, but were undoubtedly resilient. There was always an indomitable strength about her, which Ying Huo found most incredible.
A human being? Why does such an ordinary human being always radiate a warmth that makes him unconsciously want to follow? He finds this terrifying, utterly terrifying. It makes his originally resolute and unwavering heart waver.
Something flickered behind Xia Zhu's head, and Ying Huo's thoughts were disrupted. He turned his head to look at the tip of her ear.
Xia Zhu had been waiting for his reply, but what was with this person not saying anything for so long, and then suddenly giving a cryptic smile?
Ying Huo took a step to the side, his body slowly relaxing from the previous vulnerable posture. He casually put his hands back into his pockets, the wind gently blowing his hair. He slightly raised his chin and looked behind Xia Zhu.
"That's right, it was indeed my nightmare just now, but now something even more interesting has appeared. Let's take a look."
Xia Zhu turned around in confusion, following his gaze. What was originally a road that seemed to stretch endlessly had now transformed into a shimmering sea under the warm glow of the setting sun.
A glimmer of light jumped into her eyes, forcing her pupils to dilate slightly. The sea was calm and peaceful, shimmering with golden particles of light. A small building, dyed golden-red by the setting sun, stood quietly by the sea, facing the boundless expanse.
"I admit, that was just my dream. If I'm not mistaken, the scene here now should be related to you, right?" Ying Huo's tone was filled with excitement, and he even broke through the safe distance, leaning close to Xia Zhu and whispering triumphantly in her ear. Without even looking, Xia Zhu could imagine his expression and the curve of his lips.
"Alright." Ying Huo straightened up, walked straight past Xia Zhu, and strolled diagonally down the hillside towards the small building without looking back. "I can't wait to find out what's going on," he said quietly.
Xia Zhu stared blankly at his back. The setting sun shone brightly on the land, making Ying Huo's body feel fuzzy, as if a soft, silent fire was surrounding him.
Is it an obsession of hers? Even she herself is curious.
She brushed aside her hair, which was ruffled by the sea breeze, and chased after Ying Huo.
Beneath their feet lay soft, fine white sand. The two-story building nestled close to the tide line, with two deck chairs in front, a large pot of Endless Summer plants, and ferns hanging from the eaves, all bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, swaying gently in the sea breeze. Ying Huo had no interest in admiring the view and unceremoniously pushed open the door and walked inside, Xia Zhu following closely behind him.
Xia Zhu was very pleased with the interior furnishings of the small building. She liked everything about it, from the colors to the decorations. There were sparkling wind chimes hanging from the windows, soft handmade rugs piled up in the living room, and all sorts of futons and cushions. When she passed by, she even counted on her fingers: 1, 2, 3, 4... Feng Feng and the others could all sit down.
Ying Huo quickly wandered around the first floor, seemingly finding nothing exciting. He then stomped up the wooden stairs, the sound pulling Xia Zhu back from her reverie. She lowered her head and smiled sheepishly, then quickly followed him.
The second floor is the bedroom, extending out to a small terrace filled with all sorts of flowers and greenery. Pink and white snapdragons are in full bloom, with clusters of plump flowers adorning the branches. In the corner, there are lilies and dahlias, edged with gold in the setting sun. A string of sparkling wind chimes hangs from the eaves, making a melodious tinkling sound that, at certain moments, perfectly matches the sound of the tide.
Looking out from here, it felt as if she were surrounded by the sea, with crosses shimmering on the surface, sparkling in Xia Zhu's eyes. She stood there on the terrace, gazing at the ocean, even the breeze seemed to soften into gentle wisps.
"That's it?" Ying Huo looked around but didn't find anything hidden. He crossed his arms and leaned against the edge of the terrace. "A dilapidated house facing the sea? There's nothing there except the two of us?"
The wind chimes tinkled, and the shimmering waves on the sea were scattered by the wind. Xia Zhu blinked.
"What did you say?" she asked Ying Huo.
“I said, this dilapidated house has nothing of any use except for the two of us.”
Ying Huo's voice reached her ears as the bell rang. Xia Zhu suddenly lowered her head and stared intently at her clasped hands. Once again, she felt her breath become scalding hot.
"What's wrong with you?" Ying Huo was startled by her sudden action. He thought that Xia Zhu was experiencing fear or some other emotion. He pretended to be concerned but was actually very curious. He stretched his head over and tried to bend down to see Xia Zhu's expression.
"It's nothing!" She suddenly raised her head and slammed it hard into Ying Huo's chin, making him let out a sharp scream, but she ran into the room without looking back.
She ran down the stairs with a thud, through the incredibly cozy living room, and out onto the beach in one breath. The wind chimes by the door were knocked over by her, making a series of chaotic noises.
She felt that her reaction to her obsession had worked; the feeling was similar to a high fever. Her nerves were tense and excited, her breathing was a little rapid, her chest felt sore and itchy, and her brain was a complete mess, making it impossible to think.
She stared at the sea surface shimmering with golden spots of light, feeling as if her eyes were being burned, with a faint urge to cry. It was as if those cross-shaped spots of light had all rushed into her eyes with the waves, and the consequence of the cut was that she would shed some tears.
The gentle, undulating sound of the sea filled her ears, pushing the molten gold of the setting sun toward the shoreline and toward her feet. It was a distant, unknown sound, yet it made her heart race and her body temperature rise uncontrollably.
She began to feel afraid, thinking that she might have the same symptoms as Ying Huo, otherwise she couldn't explain the unprecedented emotional changes and feelings she had experienced. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her mind and not be controlled by the dream, but instead rubbed out a hot tear that fell onto the back of her hand.
This place was empty except for the boundless sea, yet why did her heart feel like it was stuffed with something? The feeling was like blowing up a balloon: taking a deep breath, blowing hard into a limp balloon until her mouth ached and her brain was oxygen-deprived, finally resulting in a round, light, and full balloon.
At that moment, her heart swelled up as if blown by something.
Amidst the sound of crashing waves, the tinkling of a broken wind chime pierced the air, and the sand behind us sank in.
"What exactly did you do..." Ying Huo hadn't even finished asking his question when Xia Zhu suddenly turned around to face him.
"I said it's nothing!" She had to appear calm and composed; she couldn't appear like a cowardly nightmare-fearing person in front of Ying Huo.
She swung her arms and walked past him with a proud and arrogant air, leaving Ying Huo standing there dumbfounded, his chin still a little sore from the bump.
Her eyes were glistening; had she just been crying? Ying Huo felt like he'd hit his head, and a strange heat rose rapidly, eventually settling on his face.
Oh no, it's really bad.
He angrily ruffled all his hair.
*
The two lay lazily in the chairs in front of the door, completely clueless about how to leave the dream. They watched as the round sun slowly sank into the sea and starlight appeared overhead, but neither of them intended to speak first.
The sound of the waves became muffled and rhythmic. The clear night sky was high and far away, with stars scattered across the sky like shattered diamonds. Ying Huo was horrified to find himself enjoying this state. He nervously straightened up from the recliner, trying to shake off the comfort and softness in his limbs.
"Hey, have you figured out how to get out?"
He turned his head to look at Xia Zhu in another recliner, only to find her curled up in a ball, her face peaceful, with a dark red flush on her cheeks, clearly asleep.
He noticed that Xia Zhu's features were delicate, yet when arranged together, they created a harmonious and beautiful effect, perfectly matching her personality—she appeared gentle and frail, yet could take on ten people with a single punch.
Ying Huo felt that if he stayed here any longer, his thinking ability would regress to that of a newborn. Otherwise, why would he feel dizzy instead of trying to solve the problem at hand?
He stared at Xia Zhu's torn pajamas, revealing loose threads, then looked at her injured hand hanging to one side.
Her hands were well-proportioned, with long, slender fingers and clean, flowing lines at her wrists that gave people a sense of peace. He recalled the way Xia Zhu held the short sword, her veins bulging as she exerted force.
Distracted, he looked away, leaned back in his chair, and unconsciously twirled the ring on his hand or tapped his fingertips on the armrest of the recliner.
When trying to return to his usual state of absolute calm, Ying Huo needed to expend a lot of energy to focus on something. But tonight, perhaps the sound of the waves was too soothing, and the starlight was conducive to relaxation, he actually fell asleep for the first time in a place where there was another person present.
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Author's note: Two slow-witted people.
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