Water Reflects Peach Blossoms

Looking at Nanzhi, Zhu Yan said softly, "Let's go home."

Go home...these two words touched Nanzhi's heart.

She has lost her home since her father died, and now Zhao Yuanzhou in front of her told her to go home with a gentle expression as naturally as possible.

Looking at the hand extended in front of him, Nanzhi slowly extended his hand, and was immediately firmly held by the broad, dry hand that seemed very warm in the rain.

A lonely heart was comforted a little, and Nanzhi said, "Let's go home."

……

In the evening, Nanzhi, who had received the reward, took Zhu Yan to a restaurant for a big meal.

When they went back, Nanzhi walked in front, and Zhu Yan followed one step behind her. Looking at his shadow covering the slender and fragile woman in front of him, his heart softened.

"Azhi." He called her softly.

Nanzhi stopped and looked back at him: "What's wrong?"

As if to imprint her pretty face in his mind, Zhu Yan stared at her intently. After a while, a slightly bitter smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "Nothing, I just suddenly wanted to call your name."

Nanzhi turned around and continued walking forward.

Zhu Yan followed up: "It's only right to reciprocate, shouldn't you call me by my name as well?"

Nanzhi, walking attentively on the tiled floor, turned her head to look at the tall man beside her: "Zhao Yuanzhou."

"I'm here." Zhu Yan replied calmly, "As long as you call me, I will respond to you."

"What's wrong with you? You seem strange." Nanzhi stopped and faced Zhu Yan, worried but stubborn, wanting him to explain himself.

Zhu Yan also stopped and looked at the moon in the sky. He sighed, "The moonlight is so beautiful tonight, and I can't help but feel sad."

Nanzhi asked, "Are you homesick?"

Zhu Yan came back to his senses and sighed, "There's nothing much to think about, but after hearing you say that, I do have some thoughts."

He missed home, Dahuang, Grandpa Yingzhao, Zhao Wan'er, with whom he was like a sister, and his good friend... Li Lun.

He used to have everything, but since eight years ago, he has nothing... Now he finally has warmth again, but because of his own plan, he has to let her go.

Looking at Zhao Yuanzhou's nostalgic expression, and the watery eyes that seemed to contain starlight, Nanzhi handed him a piece of her sleeve.

"for you."

The woman's clear and pleasant voice interrupted the sad thoughts in his heart. Zhu Yan looked down and saw a piece of moon-white sleeve handed to him.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Nanzhi. This was the first time Nanzhi took the initiative to hand something to him. Although it was her sleeve and not her hand, it was still the first time.

Nanzhi felt uncomfortable being stared at by Zhu Yan. She raised her sleeves and said, "When you're missing someone, you can't concentrate. I'll hold your hand and walk with you, so that if you fall into the water, I won't have to rescue you..."

Under Zhu Yan's gaze, the words that were harsh on the outside but soft on the inside became smaller and smaller until they were silent.

Zhu Yan held the sleeve that Nanzhi handed to him and obediently let her lead him home.

A touch of warmth passed from his fingers to his heart, and then burst into his limbs and bones through the beating of his heart, and his whole body became warm.

Suddenly, he didn't want to let go.

But... if he doesn't let go, if his anger gets out of control again, the whole world will fall into purgatory. He doesn't want any of the lives on earth to be destroyed, nor does he want Nanzhi to be hurt by him.

……

After Nanzhi fell asleep, Zhu Yan got up from the mat.

He walked to the bed, and with his calloused fingers, he gently tucked the loose hair on Nanzhi's forehead behind her ears, gazing at her peaceful sleeping face with tender eyes.

"Don't be sad," he whispered. "Your friend's fate doesn't necessarily have to be tragic. Perhaps there's still hope."

Zhu Yan looked at the long hair hanging down in front of his chest, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "Sometimes I think, it would be nice if you could comb my hair for me once."

"I'm satisfied once."

When a woman combs a man's hair, they are considered husband and wife.

He and Nanzhi were just his fantasies after all.

Seeing Nanzhi's brows slightly furrowed, as if she was about to wake up, Zhu Yan raised his hand, put two fingers together to form a seal, and gently opened his lips: "Sleep."

The power of the one-word technique spread, and Nanzhi slept even more deeply.

……

The sky outside the window is bright.

On the bed in the room, Nanzhi slowly opened her eyes and looked at the roof. She blinked slowly and turned her head to look at the floor, but found that the place where Zhao Yuanzhou was supposed to be lying was empty.

The mat on the floor had been folded and put into the cabinet long ago.

She threw back the quilt and got out of bed, but couldn't find Zhao Yuanzhou in the house or the yard. When she found the kitchen, she found a note under the candlestick on the table and breakfast in a steamer.

[Eat breakfast while it's hot in the steamer. Don't miss me if you're out for a few days.]

It's Zhao Yuanzhou's handwriting.

Zhao Yuanzhou went out. No one knew where he went or when he would be back.

Nanzhi didn't know why she felt empty inside. Although Zhao Yuanzhou wrote "Don't worry" on the note, she still couldn't help but worry about him.

The courtyard that originally housed two people was now empty and lonely, with only her as the only one left.

Nanzhi took the still hot buns out of the steamer and ate them. She had just completed the order from the Qi Mansion and had nothing to do today. After dinner, she sat under the pear tree in the yard and painted a lantern face.

She hung the lantern with painted branches on the pear tree and lit the candle after dark, which was warm and beautiful.

Nanzhi put away the bamboo pole with the lantern hanging on it and prepared to go out to buy vegetables.

……

Tianxiang Pavilion.

A woman in red was sitting on the bed in a domineering posture, holding a teacup in her hand, looking at the woman in purple who walked in.

With an evil look in her eyes, the woman named Zhimei looked at the purple-dressed woman named Aoyin and asked, "What's going on?"

Ao Yin replied, "Zhu Yan has arrived at the gate of the Demon Hunting Division."

After drinking the tea in the teacup, Zhimei raised the corner of her lips and said, "Very good. Now I can start my plan."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhimei's eyes suddenly turned golden, mixed with green, making it clear at a glance that she was not an ordinary person.

In contrast, Ao Yin's pupils also glowed with golden colors mixed with bright green, and Zhimei in her eyes had become a completely different person.

The man casually leaning on the couch had a handsome and charming appearance. The few strands of hair hanging down in front of his forehead made him look more evil. He was tall and dressed in black clothes. His open chest revealed his fair and strong chest. His dangerous eyes were as bottomless as the abyss, as if he could see through the deepest secrets of people, making people feel fear unconsciously.

Li Lun stared at the teacup in his hand, as if he was admiring it, or looking at someone through the teacup.

After a moment, he suddenly clenched the teacup, and with his handsome face, he looked at Ao Yin who was standing outside, and said with interest: "Zhu Yan is not with her. This is a rare opportunity. I want to see her. Bring her to see me."

Knowing who Li Lun was talking about, Ao Yin saluted and said, "Yes."