Love and choices across time and space

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it looked as if it could drip from it. A howling wind swept through, stirring up a cloud of flying sand and rocks. The icy raindrops were like the water of a celestial river pouring down from the sky, mercilessly pounding upon everything in the world.

Princess Changle's petite frame seemed so fragile in the raging storm. Her once carefully coiffed hair had been ripped apart by the wind, leaving its silky locks plastered to her pale cheeks. Every drop of rain that slid down her face felt like a tear of fate. Her magnificent palace dress, once so dazzling, was now soaked through, weighing heavily on her body, and the gold embroidery on her skirt had lost its luster under the rain.

The princess's eyes revealed a deep sense of fear and helplessness. Those once bright eyes were now shrouded in a haze. Her lips trembled slightly, her teeth chattered uncontrollably, and every breath seemed labored. Yet, amidst this endless terror, her gaze remained fixed on Li Yifeng, as if he were her only lifeline in this raging storm.

Li Yifeng's situation was no less grim. His clothes had long since been ripped apart by the wind and rain, revealing his sturdy yet scarred frame. Rain streamed down his face, blurring his vision, but his gaze remained firm and sharp as he searched for shelter. His hair, wet and plastered to his scalp, fluttered wildly in the strong wind, unable to conceal the furrowed brow and the tightness of his mouth.

"Princess, don't be afraid, I will definitely protect you!" Li Yifeng shouted loudly. His voice seemed so weak in the strong wind, but the determination contained in it was as firm as steel.

Princess Changle nodded with a slight tremor, her voice as soft as a mosquito: "Yifeng, I believe you."

The wind roared like a demon, seemingly trying to tear them apart. Li Yifeng used all his strength to hold Princess Changle tightly in his arms, struggling to move forward. Each step sank deep into the mud, as if the earth was holding them tightly, refusing to let go.

"Ah!" Suddenly, a gust of wind blew violently, and Princess Changle's petite body was instantly knocked to the ground.

Li Yifeng's heart tightened, and he quickly squatted down, his eyes full of concern and anxiety: "Princess, are you okay?"

Princess Changle bit her lip, endured the pain and shook her head: "I'm fine, it's just that the wind is too terrible."

Li Yifeng looked at her distressedly, holding her arms tightly with both hands, trying to give her strength: "Princess, hold on a little longer, we will definitely find a place to shelter from the rain."

After saying this, he pulled Princess Changle up and continued to move forward in the storm.

Li Yifeng's shoes had long been swallowed by the muddy road, and every time he lifted his feet, he had to put in a huge effort. His feet had lost all feeling in the cold muddy water, but his steps did not hesitate or stagnate at all.

Suddenly, a dazzling flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, briefly illuminating the road ahead. At that moment, Li Yifeng saw a dilapidated temple not far away.

"Princess, look, there is a temple over there. Let's go take shelter from the rain!" Li Yifeng shouted excitedly, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Princess Changle looked in the direction of his finger, and a hint of joy appeared on her tired face: "Great!"

They quickened their pace and ran towards the temple, the door of which was half-open, as if awaiting their arrival.

Li Yifeng cautiously pushed open the door, and a stale, decaying atmosphere filled him. Inside the temple, the walls were covered with the marks of time, the plaster peeling off, revealing the mottled brickwork beneath. A large, dilapidated statue stood in a corner, its painted decorations faded and covered in cobwebs and dust.

Li Yifeng searched the temple for dry branches, his hands groping in the darkness, occasionally touching cold, sharp objects. Finally, he found some relatively dry branches, hurried back to the statue, and tried to light them with a flint.

His hands trembled in the rain, and he struck the flint again and again, but no sparks were produced.

"Damn it!" Li Yifeng couldn't help but curse, his heart filled with anxiety and helplessness.

Princess Changle walked up to him and said softly, "Yifeng, don't be anxious, take your time."

Her voice was gentle and firm, as if it had a magical power that gradually calmed Li Yifeng's originally anxious heart.

Li Yifeng took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, and tried again. Finally, with his unremitting efforts, a faint spark splashed out, and gradually, the branches were ignited. A ball of warm flame jumped up in the darkness, illuminating their faces that were tortured by rain and fatigue.

Princess Changle slowly walked to the fire and stretched out her hands, trying to absorb a little warmth. Her lips were already purple from the cold, her face was as pale as paper, and her once rosy cheeks had lost their luster.

Li Yifeng looked at her with a heart full of pity. He took off his soaked coat and gently placed it on Princess Changle's shoulders.

"Princess, please rest for a while and wait until you warm up." Li Yifeng said, his voice full of concern.

Princess Changle looked at him gratefully and said, "Yifeng, come over and warm yourself by the fire."

Li Yifeng shook his head and said, "I'm not cold, you rest first."

He stood aside, looking around the temple vigilantly, listening to the sounds of wind and rain outside.

At this moment, the wind and rain outside became more and more violent. The raindrops pounded the roof and walls of the temple frantically, making a sound like a war drum. Each drop of rain was like a sharp arrow, piercing the temple's fragile defenses and splashing water on the ground.

"Yifeng, do you think we can escape?" Princess Changle asked suddenly, her voice trembling slightly, as if she was cautiously searching for a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

Li Yifeng walked over to Princess Changle, squatted down, and held her hand. His eyes were firm and gentle, like the brightest stars in the night sky. "Princess, believe me, no matter how many difficulties and obstacles we face, I will take you away and lead you to the life we ​​want."

Princess Changle looked at Li Yifeng's determined eyes, and her heart was slightly relieved. She nodded slightly and said, "Well, I believe you, Yifeng."

At this moment, Princess Changle's stomach began to growl. In the quiet temple, the sound was particularly clear.

Li Yifeng heard this and a trace of guilt appeared on his face: "Princess, it's my fault for making you hungry."

Princess Changle quickly said, "Yifeng, this is not your fault. It is forced by the situation."

Li Yifeng stood up and searched around the temple, hoping to find something to eat. He searched every corner, but only found some broken clay pots and rotten wooden boards.

He returned to Princess Changle helplessly and said, "Princess, wait until the rain stops, and then we'll go out and look for something to eat."

Princess Changle nodded, but a hint of worry appeared in her eyes: "Okay, I'll do as you say."

The rain kept falling, showing no sign of stopping. Time seemed to freeze in the wind and rain, and every minute and every second seemed so long.

Princess Changle's body began to tremble constantly, and her teeth kept chattering, making a "clucking" sound.

"Princess, are you cold?" Li Yifeng asked worriedly, his brows furrowed and his eyes full of heartache.

Princess Changle nodded weakly, her voice trembling as she said, "Yifeng, I... I feel so cold."

Li Yifeng hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to Princess Changle and held her tightly in his arms. Although his body was also soaked by the rain and extremely cold, he hoped to use his body temperature to bring a little warmth to the princess.

"Princess, this will be warmer." Li Yifeng said, his voice low and gentle, as if coaxing a frightened child.

Princess Changle did not refuse. She leaned in Li Yifeng's arms, feeling his body temperature and heartbeat. The strong heartbeat made her feel a little relieved.

"Yifeng, thank you." Princess Changle said softly, her voice choked with sobs and tears welled up in her eyes.

Li Yifeng gently patted Princess Changle on the back and said, "Princess, don't be polite with me. As long as I can keep you warm, I'm willing to do anything."

In this warm embrace, Princess Changle gradually relaxed, and her breathing became more stable. However, the wind and rain outside showed no signs of abating.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps outside. The footsteps seemed so abrupt amid the sound of wind and rain that it made Li Yifeng and Princess Changle nervous.

"Who is it?" Li Yifeng asked loudly, his voice full of vigilance.

"Don't be afraid, we are just passers-by. We saw the fire here and wanted to take shelter from the rain." A man's voice came, with a hint of fatigue and pleading in his voice.

Li Yifeng hesitated for a moment, then stood up, walked to the door and opened it.

Standing at the doorway was a middle-aged couple, their clothes soaked through by the rain, clinging to their bodies and outlining their gaunt figures. The man's face was covered in rain and sweat, his eyes revealing a trace of fatigue and helplessness. The woman's hair was disheveled and plastered to her face, her lips purple from the cold, and her body trembling constantly.

"Thank you, sir, for taking us in from the rain." said the middle-aged man, his voice full of gratitude.

Li Yifeng nodded and said, "Come in."

The middle-aged couple walked into the temple and saw Princess Changle. A hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, but they quickly regained their composure.

"It's raining so heavily," said the middle-aged woman, her voice trembling and her teeth chattering.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle nodded in agreement. For a moment, the atmosphere in the temple became a little awkward.

"Where are you going, young master and young lady?" The middle-aged man broke the silence, his eyes curiously scanning Li Yifeng and Princess Changle.

Li Yifeng hesitated for a moment and said, "We came out for fun, but we didn't expect to encounter this rain."

The middle-aged man nodded, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask any more questions.

Suddenly, Princess Changle started coughing. The cough was so harsh in the quiet temple that it made Li Yifeng's heart tighten.

"I'm afraid this girl has caught a cold. We need to see a doctor right away." said the middle-aged woman, her face full of worry.

Li Yifeng was even more anxious. "Where can I find a doctor in this remote place?"

The middle-aged man thought for a moment and said, "There's a village not far ahead. Maybe there's a doctor there."

Li Yifeng heard this, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes. "Thank you both for letting me know."

The rain finally stopped, and the sky began to lighten. A faint ray of sunlight shone through the clouds, bringing a touch of warmth and hope to this rain-bathed world.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle said goodbye to the middle-aged couple and walked towards the village. The road was muddy and every step they took would lead them into deep mud pits. Their shoes were covered with thick mud, making walking extremely heavy.

Li Yifeng carefully supported Princess Changle, his eyes always paying attention to the princess's every move, for fear that she would accidentally fall.

"Yifeng, I'm a burden to you." Princess Changle said, her voice full of guilt.

"Princess, don't say such things. As long as you are safe, everything I do is worth it." Li Yifeng said, his voice firm and powerful.

Finally, they arrived at the village. A thin layer of mist filled the village, and houses were arranged in an orderly manner, with smoke rising from the chimneys.

Li Yifeng asked around and finally found the doctor's home. It was a simple courtyard with a few herbs planted at the door, emitting a faint fragrance.

Li Yifeng knocked on the door, and soon an old man in his fifties opened the door.

"Excuse me, are you a doctor? My daughter has caught a cold. Could you please take a look at her?" Li Yifeng said anxiously.

The doctor looked at Princess Changle and quickly let them into the house.

The room was filled with the smell of herbs, and the walls were covered with various medical books and prescriptions.

The doctor took Princess Changle's pulse and frowned, "Her condition is serious and requires proper care. I'll prescribe some medicine for her."

Li Yifeng thanked the doctor, took the medicine and took Princess Changle to find an inn to stay.

Although the rooms in the inn were simple, they were a rare place to stay for them.

Li Yifeng prepared the medicine and brought it to Princess Changle. The medicine had a pungent smell that made people want to vomit.

"Princess, drink the medicine quickly." Li Yifeng said, his voice gentle and patient.

Princess Changle frowned and said, "This medicine is so bitter."

Li Yifeng smiled and said, "Princess, you will be cured after drinking the medicine. Come, I have prepared a candied fruit for you."

Princess Changle obediently drank the medicine, then held the candied fruit in her mouth with a smile on her face.

At night, Princess Changle lay in bed, and Li Yifeng sat beside her, watching over her. Moonlight shone through the window onto his face, reflecting his tired yet resolute expression.

"Yifeng, you should take a rest too." Princess Changle said, her voice as soft as the breeze.

Li Yifeng shook his head. "Princess, go to sleep. I'll stay with you."

Princess Changle looked at Li Yifeng, her heart filled with emotion, and gradually fell asleep.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the window. Princess Changle woke up and felt much better.

"Yifeng, thank you." Princess Changle said with a happy smile on her face.

Li Yifeng looked at the princess with a relieved smile on his face, "Princess, your recovery is more important than anything else."

They continued on their escape journey. Although the future was still full of unknowns and challenges, they relied on each other and their hearts were filled with hope...