Chapter 115 The Ending (Part 1)
It was the Little New Year, just a few days before Lunar New Year's Eve. The Liang family mansion was already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the streets and alleys of the capital were filled with stalls selling all kinds of New Year's goods, creating an atmosphere of welcoming the New Year everywhere.
Liang Shao named his child Yuanbao, a name chosen for its auspicious meaning. He didn't expect his child to have great success in the future, but only hoped for a peaceful and happy life.
Shanhe, sitting beside her, slowly chimed in, "And I hope I never meet any bad people in my entire life."
Liang Shao was playing with a rattle drum to amuse the child when he heard this. His eyes flickered, and his smile froze on his lips.
Cai Xiang had already packed everything for the trip. Liang Shao put the little tiger-head hat on Yuan Bao, held him in his arms, and then led Shan He out the door.
The group walked slowly, with Yuanbao being the only one who seemed particularly happy. Liang Shao bought him a clay whistle to hang around his neck and a paper windmill to hold in his hand. As they approached a fortune-telling stall, the old woman running the stall suddenly spoke up: "Why are you unhappy, lady?"
Everyone thought she was a fraud and ignored her.
The old woman continued, "Young master's eyes are as black as lacquer, and his spirit shines brightly; he is no ordinary man. I think he seems to have a connection with you, madam, from a past life. Since it is a reunion of old friends, why does madam not show any joy?"
Shanhe stopped in his tracks: "What old friend?"
The old woman said, "Young lady, tell me the young master's birth date and time, and I will know the truth."
Liang Shao thought she was swindling him and tried to pull Shanhe away.
The old woman said, "The first six characters are fine too. Even if we only calculate the first three pillars, which is a rougher approach, we can still see the cause and effect."
After thinking for a moment, Shanhe told her the first six characters of Yuanbao's birthday.
The old woman calculated with her fingers and then asked Shanhe for the six characters of her birth date. After a short while, the old woman finally spoke: "Did you keep cats and dogs before, my lady?"
Shan's nose tingled, and she softly hummed in agreement.
The old woman laughed: "That can't be wrong. It must be a loyal cat or dog that protects its owner and has a deep bond with your wife. It protected your wife in its past life and doesn't have to be reborn as an animal in this life. It's rushing to be reborn as your wife's child. No wonder it looks so intelligent and clever."
Upon hearing this, not only did Shanhe feel a lump in her throat, but Liang Shao also felt a pang of sadness. Looking down, he saw Yuanbao's two small, round, dark eyes, like big grapes, full of spirit. Seeing Liang Shao looking over, Yuanbao neither cried nor made a fuss nor showed any fear; instead, he giggled and grabbed his father's collar, letting his drool flow freely onto it.
After giving them the silver, the group continued on their way. Liang Shao and Shan He both lowered their heads in silence. After a while, Liang Shao said softly, "Liu Liu is a good dog that protects its master."
Shanhe sniffed and responded with a heavy nasal tone.
Yuanbao, perched on Liang Shao's shoulder, pointed his chubby finger in the direction of the fortune-telling stall, laughing incessantly. Shanhe and Liang Shao looked back, but the fortune-telling stall was nowhere to be seen. Only an empty space remained, behind which stood a shrine built by the roadside. The group quickly approached and saw that there were plain candles and food offered before the shrine. Inside sat a clay statue of the Goddess of Mount Tai, with a kind and benevolent face, her eyes half-closed, smiling at them.
Shanhe immediately sent Miao'er to buy offerings, and then led Yuanbao and Liang Shao to bow devoutly several times.
Because of this serendipitous encounter, Shanhe finally showed some smiles on the way back to the manor. Liang Shao seized the opportunity, teasing Yuanbao while secretly observing Shanhe's expression, using Yuanbao's innocence and cuteness to soothe Shanhe's troubled heart. However, before they reached the Liang manor, the carriage was stopped. Huaifeng handed in a letter, the envelope addressed to "Zhang Fengliang."
Shanhe took the child and let Liang Shao read the letter carefully. Shanhe was playing with Yuanbao when she heard Liang Shao say in a harsh voice, "Shanshan..." Shanhe turned her head and saw that Liang Shao's face was pale and his lips were tightly pursed.
"What's wrong with you?" Shanhe asked.
“I…” Liang Shao hesitated, “I’m afraid I need to go back to Mizhou to take care of some things.”
Shanhe asked, "Do you want me to stay with you?"
"No need, I'll be back in a few days."
"The Lunar New Year is almost here, will you be able to come back before then?"
Liang Shao calculated the time: "It will probably be around the fourth day of the first lunar month."
Shanhe held Yuanbao, lifted Yuanbao's little hand, waved to Liang Shao, and said with a light smile, "Then Yuanbao will say goodbye to Daddy."
Liang Shao couldn't help but tell the truth: "Shanshan, I won't lie to you, it's my brother who has passed away. Why don't I stay and let Chengbao take care of it?"
Shanhe paused, then lowered her eyes and said, "Go ahead, he is your brother. You are the only one left in the Liang family, it wouldn't be good if you didn't go back."
"Then wait for me in Kyoto."
Shanhe looked up, her eyes crinkling as she smiled at him: "Yuanbao is waiting for Daddy to come back."
Liang Shao squeezed her hand tightly, then lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage. Shanhe, holding Yuanbao, sat inside and heard Liang Shao whispering instructions outside. Soon, the carriage started moving again, and Miao'er, sitting on the carriage floor, began to sing. Hearing Miao'er's singing, Yuanbao couldn't help but dance with joy. When the song ended, Miao'er sighed meaningfully, "Today is truly a good day! It makes one feel so happy!"
Meanwhile, Liang Shao, accompanied by Cheng Bao, traveled day and night to Tongjian County, where they met up with Zhang Fengliang and Cheng An. After placing Liang Ye's body in the coffin, they, along with Cheng Bao and Cheng An, escorted the coffin back to Mizhou. Only Zhang Fengliang and his wife, Meng Chiying, came to see them off for a short while; no one else came to mourn until Liang Ye was buried. On the day the funeral ended, Liang Shao, carrying Liang Ye's memorial tablet, walked alone along the path of the cemetery. Cheng Bao and Cheng An followed at a distance, leading their horses. When they reached the gate of the Liang residence, Liang Shao suddenly stopped, memories of the past flooding his mind.
At first, it was seven-year-old Liang Ye and nine-year-old Liang Ye, one carrying their father's memorial tablet and the other carrying their mother's memorial tablet, led by Old Master Liang, into the mansion called "Liang Mansion".
Later, it was nineteen-year-old him and twenty-one-year-old Liang Ye who walked in front, carrying the memorial tablet of Old Master Liang. He and Shanhe followed in turn, and together they entered the vermilion gate.
Now, at the age of twenty-one, he stands alone, holding Liang Ye's memorial tablet.
This vermilion gate has witnessed countless moments. There was Liang Ye carrying his books, walking out of here every day to study at the academy; there was also Liang Ye dashing out of here in a flash, followed by Old Master Liang chasing after him with a cane; and there was the wedding sedan chair coming to a steady stop in front of the vermilion gate, with Shan He, wearing a red veil, being helped out. Liang Ye, with a sour face, reluctantly stepped forward, carried Shan He on his back, and entered this deep mansion.
Now, the past is like smoke, and only one person remains. Liang Shao sighed, stroked Liang Ye's memorial tablet, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Brother, let's go home." He then stepped inside.
After the funeral arrangements were completed, Liang Shao finally packed his bags, preparing to return to the capital. On the day of his departure, an urgent letter arrived in Liang Shao's hands from the capital by fast horse: Xue Shanhe had disappeared.
According to Miao'er's recollection, Shanhe disappeared on the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year. Since Qingyue was now married, she naturally went with her husband to visit family during the New Year, leaving only Caixiang and Miao'er to care for Shanhe that afternoon. Yuanbao took a nap in the afternoon, and Shanhe stayed with him. Everyone assumed that now that Shanhe had a child, she would be settled and wouldn't do anything foolish again, especially since Shanhe hadn't shown any unusual behavior lately. Therefore, Caixiang went to the front office to settle the year-end accounts, and Miao'er went back to her room to paint, leaving only Shanhe and Yuanbao in the main room.
Perhaps because it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, the servants were all taking a break and slept quite long during their afternoon nap, undisturbed by anyone. Later, it was Yuanbao's crying that came from the main room. Miao'er rushed over and saw Yuanbao lying in his cradle, crying from hunger. Shanhe was nowhere to be seen. The group searched until dark but still couldn't find Shanhe, so they wrote a letter to Liang Shao.
Liang Shao held the letter, stunned for a long time. He hurriedly unpacked his luggage and ordered Cheng Bao and Cheng An to go to Jinling to search for people. He also wrote a letter to Cai Xiang and others to search in the capital, while he stayed in Mizhou.
In this vast and bustling world, how easy is it to find someone? Liang Shao searched Mizhou for seven or eight days, turning up almost every inch of the city and countryside, but couldn't even find a scrap of clothing belonging to Shanhe. It was as if she had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. The news sent back from Jinling by Cheng Bao and Cheng An was also disappointing, and Cai Xiang and Miao Er were equally helpless in the capital.
He returned to the empty Liang mansion, only to find it desolate and lifeless.
A letter from Kyoto said that Yuanbao was being well cared for by his wet nurse and Caixiang, but the child seemed to sense Shanhe's departure and was not as cheerful as before. He often stared blankly around with those clear eyes that resembled Shanhe's. Liang Shao clutched the letter, unable to sleep. Tossing and turning, he simply got up, put on his robe, and rode his horse slowly outside.
These past few days, searching for Shanhe, he had become intimately familiar with every road in Mizhou. Now, the sky was dark, with only a few scattered lamps faintly pointing the way. Liang Shao let his horse roam freely, eventually reaching Gongyuan Street. This area was mostly lined with calligraphy and painting shops, so he dismounted and led the horse slowly. Suddenly, a plaque appeared before him, bearing the four characters "Danxia Painting Workshop."
He was struck dumb, and immediately thought of Wu Tianqi and his wife. Yes, Shanhe didn't have many acquaintances in the world; who could she turn to for help? If she left the capital, who could she find?
The next morning, Liang Shao hurriedly changed into an inconspicuous set of casual clothes and headed straight for Gongyuan Street. Fearing to alert the enemy, Liang Shao did not rush in to inquire. Instead, he asked for a window seat on the second floor of a teahouse across the street, his eyes fixed on the people coming and going from the painting studio with the sharpness of a hawk.
One day, two days, three days... The painting studio was bustling with customers, and Mi Xiaoxiao greeted them at the door, everything seemed normal. Liang Shao's heart sank little by little. More than ten days had passed since Shanhe disappeared, but there was still no news at all.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, the setting sun bathed Gongyuan Street in a warm golden light, and a familiar figure that made his breath catch in his throat appeared at the entrance of the painting studio.
It is Shanhe.
She wore a light purple dress that was neither new nor old, and her hair was simply tied up with a plain silver hairpin. Compared to the brocade and beaded clothes she wore at the Liang residence, she looked much more frail. She stood silently at the entrance of Danxia Painting Studio for a long time, until the sun set in the west, but she did not go in. Instead, she turned around and walked to the other end of the long street.
Liang Shao almost rushed downstairs immediately, but then he remembered that the day she left, Yuanbao was fast asleep, and she was willing to leave even the child behind. Could he take her home now? Liang Shao suppressed his turbulent emotions, left some money for tea, and hurried downstairs, following her from a distance.
Shanhe seemed to have no clear destination, simply walking slowly with the crowd, occasionally pausing for a moment at stalls selling paper cuttings or lanterns, but buying nothing. The crowd thronged, and Shanhe's slender figure appeared even more frail and lonely amidst the throng. Liang Shao carefully maintained his distance, his thoughts a complex mix of emotions.
She continued onward, leaving the city at the last moment before the gates closed. She then rented a mule cart by the roadside and slowly made her way into the mountains and fields.
The area was sparsely populated, so Liang Shao had to keep a greater distance on horseback.
Shanhe stopped in front of three bungalows at the foot of the mountain. The three small houses were arranged in a triangular shape, surrounded by a fence. There was a pear tree in the yard, and under the tree was a stone table. This was the place where Wu Tianqi had lent her after her divorce from Liang Shao.
The courtyard gate was also made of fencing, without any latches. Shanhe pushed the gate open and went inside, then gently closed it behind her. Liang Shao, hidden in the shadows of the forest, looked at the tightly closed wooden door and the single light shining from behind it, and felt a pang of heartache.
The next morning, Shanhe left early. Liang Shao tied his horse in the bushes and quietly followed him.
She traveled to a neighboring village, hired a carriage to enter the city, and went straight into a gold shop, not emerging until half an hour later. Liang Shao went in to inquire and learned that Shanhe had purchased two gold lockets for children. Full of suspicion, Liang Shao could only continue to follow Shanhe. As they walked, they arrived at Danxia Painting Gallery. This time, Shanhe didn't stand outside; she went in carrying the gold lockets and emerged with red eyes after an incense stick had burned.
As soon as Shanhe left, Liang Shao immediately entered Danxia Painting Studio. Mi Xiaoxiao was sitting at the sandalwood table admiring paintings when she saw Liang Shao walk in with a cold face. Mi Xiaoxiao said, "Are you buying a painting, sir?"
Liang Shao didn't beat around the bush: "What does Xue Shanhe want with you?"
Mi Xiaoxiao frowned and asked, "And who are you?"
"Liang Shao".
Mi Xiaoxiao then seemed to realize something and sneered, "She came to apologize, why doesn't General Liang ask her about it himself?"
Liang Shaofang said, "Don't tell her I was here."
Mi Xiaoxiao snorted coldly: "If you dare not interfere in the affairs of your Liang family again, don't let my wife get into trouble again."
Liang Shao paused for a moment, but without saying a word, he continued to chase after Shan He.
Wu Tianqi came out leaning on his cane, and said weakly, "Why did you have to do that? We ruined her reputation, and she still had the heart to come here today to give Sister Wen and Brother Xiang auspicious locks. It is truly admirable! In a way, we are the ones who have wronged her."
Mi Xiaoxiao hurriedly helped Wu Tianqi up: "To help her, you ruined your health, our two children died, and the government confiscated our shops in Jinling. We lost several thousand taels of silver. What did we do to wrong her? She was able to come all the way from the capital and give birth to a healthy baby boy. What about you? Tianqi, you still have to use a cane!"
Wu Tianqi pressed his hand down and said with a sigh, "It's probably retribution for our past actions, and I accept it..."
The two stood at the entrance of the painting studio, Mi Xiaoxiao with her arm around Wu Tianqi's shoulder, watching Liang Shao's figure gradually disappear into the distance.
After leaving Danxia Painting Studio, Shanhe didn't return to her residence. At first, Liang Shao didn't know where she was going and followed behind, his heart pounding. When they were still three miles from the cemetery, Liang Shao realized that Shanhe had come to kowtow to Old Master Liang.
He followed quietly and watched as Shanhe bought wine, dishes, and candles, and carried them to the cemetery.
Shanhe knelt before Old Master Liang's tombstone and arranged the wine pot and dish bowls one by one.
Having fled Kyoto for so long, this place was her final journey. Shanhe took out a handkerchief and wistfully wiped the dust off Old Master Liang's tombstone. She murmured to herself:
"Grandfather, Shanhe has come to visit you."
"It was truly not my intention to come, Shanhe, please don't blame me. If even you blame me, I really don't know how I would face you." Shanhe gently wiped away her tears. "Grandfather, you saved my father before, so he could study, take the imperial examinations, and become an official, and that's how I came to be. Later, you saved me too, allowing me to live, giving me money and respect, and even letting me marry Ah Shao back then—even a direct granddaughter wouldn't receive such treatment. Shanhe has always felt that she can never repay your kindness in this lifetime. You not only saved me, but also my father, and saved so many children who couldn't afford to go to school. But I have failed you..."
“Grandfather, I’m so sorry, I really can’t help hating Liang Ye, I really can’t help wanting revenge. There are just too many things, Grandfather…” Shanhe covered her face and cried, “I can’t let go. At first, I wanted to run away, I wanted to escape from him, to get far away from him. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but he found me again. I finally made a friend, her name is Wu Tianqi. She helped me, she showed me the world outside the boudoir, and she helped my paintings get appreciated. But Liang Ye almost ruined her family and even her life. In fact, Wu Tianqi’s tragedy was indirectly caused by me… I really can’t accept it. I’m sorry, Grandfather, I caused your most beloved grandson to drown in the river, but I… I really can’t forgive him.”
"Grandfather, can you forgive me...?"
“I wanted to take Yuanbao with me, but he was too big then. He would kick my stomach at night, he would suddenly move. He was a living, breathing child, I really couldn’t bear it… How could a mother bear to kill her own child? Grandfather, in heaven, please bless Yuanbao so he can stay with Ashao and not be a burden to him, and that he will love him for the rest of his life. If he can’t be loved by Ashao for the rest of his life, then at least please bless him to find a virtuous and tolerant wife who can accept our Yuanbao, and not mistreat him, and not let Yuanbao suffer in this life…” Shanhe sniffed, “And please bless Yuanbao so that he will not harbor resentment because of his mother’s absence, nor give up on himself because of his mother’s incompetence, nor feel ashamed to face others because of his mother’s experience of serving his brothers. Please bless Yuanbao to live a pure, upright, kind, and optimistic life.”
"Grandfather, it's all because of my fault that Yuanbao was born prematurely. The doctor said his mother's constitution was weak in the womb, and he might not be healthy in the future. Grandfather, please bless Yuanbao so that he may live a healthy and peaceful life, free from illness and disaster. When he is eighty or ninety years old, our Yuanbao will die peacefully in his sleep, and people from all over the world will come to see him off on his final journey, just like you, Grandfather..."
Liang Shao hid behind someone else's tombstone, silently shedding tears.
Shanhe looked up, swallowing her tears. All she could see was a clear blue sky with calm clouds, and occasionally a bird would flit overhead. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in, carrying the scent of incense and candles. The willows beside Old Master Liang's grave, adorned with new green leaves, swayed gently in the breeze.
Shanhe stared blankly, then asked softly, "Grandfather, will you forgive me?"
The tombstone did not answer, standing there silently.
Shanhe said with tears in her eyes, "If you can forgive me, please show me your power."
The world remained silent.
Shanhe knelt for a while, and seeing that it was getting late and it was finally time to leave, she had no choice but to stand up, supporting herself on her knees.
Liang Shao quickly hid behind the tombstone.
Shanhe, carrying a bamboo basket, had only taken two steps when she heard a commotion behind her. She turned around and saw two birds perched on a willow branch. They chirped at Shanhe a few times, as if they were speaking to her, before fluttering their wings and flying away towards the warm red sunset.
The auspicious locks she gave to Wu Wenzhi and Mi Xiang cost Shanhe her last bit of money. She had no choice but to leave on foot. Fortunately, Shanhe didn't intend to go back. There was a mountain not far away, with a cliff face on one side. Taking advantage of the last glimmer of light, Shanhe carefully examined the cliff. She was satisfied. On her way here, Shanhe had considered many ways to die, finally choosing to jump off the cliff. From the moment she jumped until she landed, she was suspended in mid-air for a period of time, unbound, unfettered—this was a free death. Shanhe envied birds, able to soar through the sky, free and unrestrained. She had had too little freedom in her life, always acting against her will. If she could experience complete freedom before dying, she would have no regrets.
She tossed the bamboo basket aside and focused intently on climbing the mountain. The mountain was desolate, overgrown with vegetation and thorns. Shanhe pushed through them with her bare hands, her skin already bleeding. Fortunately, the mountain wasn't very high, and she reached the top in about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, leaving her drenched in sweat.
Liang Shao followed behind, gradually understanding Shanhe's intentions. No wonder she came to apologize to Wu Tianqi, no wonder she came to see her grandfather, no wonder she abandoned Yuanbao; it turned out she had already made her decision. He thought Liang Ye was dead, everything was over, Shanhe would start a new life, and he and Yuanbao would accompany her to slowly emerge from the shadows. But it turned out that wasn't the case, never had been.
By the time they reached the mountaintop, it was already pitch black, and the night wind was biting cold. Shanhe shivered as she approached the cliff, hugging her arms tightly. Her tears had dried, and her blood had stopped flowing, but her heart remained warm.
It was finally coming to an end. She felt a pang of reluctance, but there was nothing she could do; she couldn't find a reason to live. Life, like the night before, was bleak and colorless.
Shanhe stood in the wind for a while, but the cold became unbearable, so she walked towards the edge of the cliff. Moonlight peeked through the clouds, illuminating the strangely shaped rocks in the mountain stream. By the moonlight, Shanhe smiled faintly, thinking: "Alright, I'm finally free." She spread her arms and leaped forward like a butterfly.
Liang Shao rushed out of the darkness. He grabbed Shan He around the waist, and with a backward jerk, the two of them fell to the ground together. Several pebbles tumbled down the ravine with a rustling sound.
Shanhe lay on Liang Shao's back. She had just twisted her ankle and was curled up in pain.
Liang Shao quickly helped her sit up and nervously looked at Shanhe's feet.
Upon seeing that it was Liang Shao, Shanhe was stunned and speechless. She lowered her head, unsure of what to say.
Liang Shao gently helped her take off her silk stockings; her ankles were scraped and bleeding.
"Did you sprain your ankle here?" He pressed his five fingers on Shanhe's ankle.
"You don't need to worry about me," Shanhe said firmly.
Liang Shao pursed his lips: "Who cares about you?" He paused, "I know what you want to do. If you want to die, I won't stop you. But there's one thing: if someone jumps off a cliff and is smashed to pieces, how am I supposed to collect your body? Do I have to pick up every single arm and leg you have?"
Shanhe felt a little scared: "It can't be like this..."
“Why not? Have you seen it?” Liang Shao said confidently. “Look at this cliff, with its jagged rocks and withered branches. You’ll trip here, get caught on something there, your hand will fall onto a dead branch, your legs will hang on a rock. Would I have to climb the cliff to collect your corpse?”
Shanhe frowned as she thought of herself torn to pieces, but she still forced a brave face: "You don't need to worry about me, and you don't need to collect my body. Dying outside, under the sunlight, is fine too."
"Xue Shanhe, Xue Shanhe! Think about it carefully. If you were a wandering ghost, your body exposed in the wilderness, and a passerby stumbled upon half a body and a head, what if they fell ill from fright? Besides, no one would collect your body, and since your body was shattered, your soul might not be complete either. I once heard someone say that those whose souls are incomplete cannot be reincarnated and can only repeat the cycle of their violent deaths. If you were to relive that moment of falling every single moment, could you be happy? You couldn't, could you? If you're unhappy, wouldn't you harbor resentment? And if you harbor resentment, wouldn't you harm those who are living peacefully, becoming a vengeful ghost?"
"I would never hurt anyone!" Shanhe cried out. "I would never hurt anyone!"
Liang Shao subtly tightened his fingertips, tracing the spot where Shanhe was injured, and continued, "Alright, you're not a vengeful ghost, you won't harm anyone. There's one more thing. Without someone to collect your body, I can't set up a memorial tablet for you. How will Yuanbao worship you then? You're heartless, you don't want Yuanbao. But how do you know Yuanbao will also abandon you, his mother? If he asks me where his mother is in the future, what should I say? If I say you've passed away, and he wants to come and worship you, what should I do?" Seeing Shanhe listening intently, Liang Shao pinched Shanhe's ankle and pressed hard. Shanhe gasped in pain, tears immediately welling in her eyes.
Liang Shao laughed, "Alright, alright." He flicked his fingers to wipe Shanhe's tears. "Shanshan, you're so beautiful and kind-hearted, how could you fall and be so disfigured? Even if you don't want to live anymore, you should at least die cleanly and whole, right? I should be the one to collect your body, that's not too much to ask, is it? Alright, it's too late tonight, let's wait until tomorrow! Tomorrow morning, we'll get up, and I'll help you find a way to die." Without waiting for Shanhe to reply, Liang Shao picked her up and carried her on his back.
He tucked Shanhe's legs under his arm and led her down the mountain step by step. At first, Shanhe kicked and resisted, but once they entered the deep forest, the vegetation and thorns attacked again. Liang Shao wrapped Shanhe's legs around his waist, supporting her inner thigh with one hand and clearing away obstacles with the other. He was in front, his injuries were more severe, and he was also carrying Shanhe on his back, so he soon began to pant heavily.
Liang Shao felt a sharp pain in his heart. He dared not say too much, afraid of upsetting Shanhe and making her even more unwilling to live. He also dared not remain silent, fearing that if Shanhe had no one to talk to, she would overthink things. So he could only ask Shanhe rambling questions about how she got here after leaving the capital, to which Shanhe only responded with "uh-huhs." The night grew deeper, the mountain wind grew stronger, and only the warmth from her body on his back was a tangible comfort.
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