Water Reflects Peach Blossoms

After staying in the wooden house in the peach blossom forest for a few days and recovering from his foot injury, Jiang Ruan packed his bags and took some food. Before leaving, he cleaned up all the furnishings in the house and put them back in their original places.

She walked out of the cabin, went to the peach tree outside and looked at the bird standing on the branch.

"I'm getting out of here."

Jiang Ruan felt a little reluctant to leave. This bird was the only one that accompanied her during these days here. She raised her hand, and the bird landed on her fair and shiny knuckles, tilting its head to look at her.

"Thank you for bringing me here and for staying with me these past few days."

"Take good care of yourself after I leave here. If I have time in the future, I will definitely come back to see you."

After saying goodbye to the bird, Jiang Ruan listened to its chirping sound, which seemed to be puzzled, so he explained: "Are you asking me where I'm going?"

Zhe Yan: I know without asking that you are going to find that Cen Sheng...

These days, he was really annoyed and tired of hearing the name Cen Sheng.

Jiang Ruan let the bird on her finger fly away, and walked towards the winding stream outside the Ten-Mile Peach Forest with her package on her back.

She had been exploring the peach forest for a long time these days, and had not left the forest for a single day. The forest was so large that it was beyond her imagination. The only way was to find a stream and follow it to the north where Jian'an was.

After finding the village, you can ask where it is and come back to keep the appointment later.

……

Standing on the tree branch, watching the woman's graceful figure gradually disappear among the peach blossoms, Zheyan caught up with her when she walked to the stream.

Hearing the familiar "chirp" sound behind him, Jiang Ruan looked back in surprise and joy.

Sure enough, she saw a fiery red bird flying in front of her and circling around her several times.

Using his fingers as a shelf to catch the bird, Jiang Ruan asked it, "How did you chase it out?"

Accompany you to break free from your worldly ties. This was the decision Zhe Yan made on the first day he met Jiang Ruan.

Zheyan thought to himself: If Jiang Ruan is allowed to leave the Ten-Mile Peach Forest alone, Donghua will discover her tracks as soon as she leaves the forest, and she will surely be captured and taken to the Heavenly Palace to be married. But if he is there, he can ensure that Donghua will not find her.

The road ahead is long and full of dangers, but he can protect her when she encounters danger, allowing her to meet Cen Sheng safely, end her earthly relationship, and then embark on the immortal path, which will be much smoother than now.

Jiang Ruan asked: "Do you want to leave with me?"

Zheyan nodded, not wanting to pretend to be young anymore.

"I can't take you away. This is your hometown. If you leave with me, I don't know when you will be able to come back." Jiang Ruan was a little hesitant, and couldn't help worrying about the bird.

Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?

This bird is so human-like. Even if it is not human-like, how could it not miss home?

Feeling Jiang Ruan's consideration, Zhe Yan gently placed his hand on her shoulder and expressed his determination to go with her.

Seeing this, Jiang Ruan took the bird on his shoulder in his palm, raised it in front of him, and solemnly promised: "Since this is the case, you and I are friends. I will definitely protect you with my life. If you miss home, I will definitely take you back to your homeland."

Zheyan's heart couldn't help but be touched.

When he came to his senses, he saw the beautiful face magnified in front of him. The soft skin touched the soft feathers on his head, and the delicate touch like white jade spread from the place of contact to every corner of his body and mind.

As they got closer, Zheyan could even see her fine, curly eyelashes trembling slightly. The fragrance emanating from her body enveloped him completely. Even the rich peach blossom fragrance in the Ten Mile Peach Blossom Forest could not break through the envelope of this fragrance.

It was as if a stone was thrown into the water, causing ripples in my still heart.

He pressed his forehead against the bird in front of him, closed his eyes and repeated the oath in his heart. Then Jiang Ruan stepped back, a soft and happy smile on his face: "Thank you for being with me."

The ripples on the water in his heart gradually subsided, but the stone that fell into the water continued to sink, reminding Zheyan of its existence.

"Even though we're friends, I still don't know your name."

Jiang Ruan's voice brought Zhe Yan back from his thoughts.

Before Zheyan could chirp twice, Jiang Ruan said, "Even if there is one, I can't understand you. How about I give you one? It'll be a name used only between the two of us."

Zheyan: This is absolutely true. It’s up to you.

After thinking about it, Jiang Ruan felt that the bird's chirping was very pleasant, so he said, "Chirp, do you like it?"

Zhe Yan: “…”

When she called me like that, it was as if the evidence of my pretending to be young in front of her was thrown in my face.

Zheyan: “Chirp.” Change it.

Jiang Ruan mistakenly thought it liked it very much, and her almond-shaped eyes curved into a crescent moon: "As long as you like it."

"Chirp!"

"Yes, Chirp. From now on I'll call you Chirp."

Zhe Yan: “…”

It was tiring not being able to talk, he didn't want to chat anymore.

……

Zheyan cast a spell in front of the stream, connecting it to a forest in the mortal world.

Jiang Ruan followed the stream out of the peach forest and saw a forest in front of him that was connected to the peach forest. After passing through the forest, there was a rugged mountain road in front of him.

Walking along the road, we soon saw a village with smoke rising from cooking fires in the distance.

Jiang Ruan was overjoyed and took Zheyan to the village to stay overnight.

She successfully borrowed a place to stay from an old lady who lived alone. Seeing that the old lady was making a fire and cooking, Jiang Ruan put down the package in her hand and went to help her make the fire.

Zhe Yan, who revealed his true form, looked at Jiang Ruan's back as he carried firewood to make a fire, then walked to the room where Jiang Ruan was staying. He first cleaned it thoroughly with magic, and then turned all the quilts in the rooms into thick and soft brocade quilts.

Only the color of the fabric used on the outside of the quilt looked dull. The old woman had poor eyesight, but she just felt that the quilt at home suddenly became soft.

Jiang Ruan gave half of the steamed bun for dinner to Zhe Yan.

She had no money on her, so she helped the old woman mend clothes at home at night as money for food and lodging.

It was cool outside. Zheyan stood in the courtyard, with his hands behind his back, gazing at the stars in the sky.

This is a small village on the border, about three months' journey from the capital Jian'an. I wonder if Jiang Ruan can withstand the hardships of the long journey.

As for why the place connecting the peach blossom forest and the mortal world was set here, Zheyan himself was not quite clear.

He just hoped that Jiang Ruan could meet Cen Sheng later, so that maybe he could spend more time with her.

His long, dark hair was tied into a bun and fell loosely on his back. His pink hairband was blown by the wind. His deep eyes on his handsome face reflected the starry sky. Zheyan tried to infer his future destiny from the astrology, but found that no matter how he calculated, the future was shrouded in fog.