Floating life reflects two lotuses

Upon seeing this, Li Heng's heart tightened, and without hesitation, he leaped into the lake. The icy water pierced his bones, and he swam with all his might towards the faint starlight. The light came from Chu Wanlian's bracelet, faint yet resilient, like some kind of summons.

“Lian’er…” He gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on her. Finally, he saw her figure; her face was as pale as paper, her bracelet shimmering faintly, reflected on her tightly closed eyelashes.

He held her tightly and swam with all his might towards the shore. The lake water dragged him down like a giant shackle, but he didn't loosen his grip even slightly. The moment he surfaced, Li Heng gasped for breath, holding Chu Wanlian protectively to his chest, as if embracing his entire world.

Outside the princess's room, the silence was broken only by the echoing of footsteps. The emperor paced back and forth, his brow furrowed. Consort Yan stood to the side, her expression concerned, occasionally glancing at the closed door, her gaze unfathomable.

"The princess is out of danger." The imperial physician's words eased the emperor's expression slightly, and he turned to give Li Heng an approving look.

"General Li's son has indeed lived up to expectations," the emperor said slowly, his tone tinged with satisfaction. "I will reward him handsomely for saving the princess today."

Li Heng knelt on one knee, his tone firm: "Rescuing the princess is my duty, and I dare not ask for any reward."

The emperor remained silent for a moment, then nodded and turned to leave. Silence gradually returned outside the door, broken only by the faint flickering of the candlelight.

Inside the room, Li Heng approached the bed, quietly gazing at Chu Wanlian's serene face. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her pale face appeared even more delicate in the candlelight. The bracelet lay quietly on her wrist, as if concealing some secret.

"Lian'er," he said softly, his tone gentle yet firm.

He slowly reached out, his fingertips lightly touching her cold face. At that moment, a complex mix of emotions he had never felt before welled up in his chest. He remembered her struggle when she fell into the water, remembered that faint light, as if reminding him: none of this was an accident.

"No matter who it is, no matter what power they have, I will not let you suffer this torment." His voice was low and firm, like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, revealing a sharp determination.

He slowly bent down, his voice like a vow: "From now on, I will protect you and never let such a thing happen again."

The candlelight flickered, and his gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he stood up, turned, and left the room. His shadow stretched long in the candlelight, appearing both composed and lonely, as if he carried all responsibility and determination on his shoulders.

"I'm late getting off work again..." Xiao Jinlian ran breathlessly towards the subway station, her steps unsteady, her phone slightly warm in her hand. Xu Nianni's message appeared on the screen:

Xu Nianni: My supervisor is so heartless! Even on my birthday I have to work overtime! It's okay, Lianlian, take your time, be careful, I'll wait for you!

Seeing this familiar greeting, a smile appeared on Xiao Jinlian's tired face. She tightened her bag strap and strode forward: "Ni Ni, with you here, life isn't so hard."

Suddenly, a series of urgent shouts broke the silence of the night.

"Help! Someone's fallen into the water!"

She stopped and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw the water churning on the river, a little boy struggling to stay afloat, and not far away, a woman was also waving frantically for help.

Xiao Jinlian froze for a moment, countless voices tuging at her heart: "Don't worry about it! You're not good at swimming, you'll only hurt yourself!"

But she had already run to the riverbank, thrown down her bag, and jumped in without hesitation.

The River's Struggle

The icy river water made her gasp, but she swam desperately toward the boy. The current was swift, and every stroke felt like a struggle against fate.

She finally caught up with the boy, and with all her might, lifted his head and swam towards the shore. People on the bank reached out and pulled the boy ashore. Before she could even catch her breath, someone shouted, "The child's mother is still in the water!"

She looked in the direction of the shout and saw the woman floating in the middle of the river, her movements becoming increasingly weak. Xiao Jinlian jumped into the water again and swam towards her.

"Don't be afraid! Hold on to me!" she shouted with all her might, her voice almost swallowed by the sound of the water. She desperately lifted the woman up and swam towards the shore. However, just as they were about to reach the bank, a powerful current suddenly surged in, and her body was swept to the bottom of the river.

The icy water seemed to engulf everything; her limbs went numb, and her consciousness gradually faded. At that very moment, her bracelet suddenly emitted a soft white light, runes shimmering in the water like some ancient summons.

"The moon in the mirror reflects two lotuses, good and evil share the same fate..." A deep and unfamiliar voice echoed in my mind.

Xiao Jinlian suddenly opened her eyes, and in a daze, she saw another face—cold and dignified, a face she had never seen before yet was familiar with. It was Chu Wanlian.

Two figures appeared in the water, overlapping and then separating. She felt a tearing pain in her body, as if her soul was being forcibly pulled apart by some force. The voice in her ears grew clearer: "Day and night alternate, shadows intertwine in life and death..."

Her consciousness was drawn into the depths of the light, her last shred of reason vanished, and the world fell silent.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she was suddenly pulled to the surface by a powerful force. A pair of strong arms held her tightly, and a deep voice whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, I've got you."

She groggily opened her eyes, only to see a blurry profile, cold yet vaguely familiar. Before she could see clearly, the figure had already gently placed her on the riverbank.

"She's still alive!" cheers erupt from the people on the shore.

The runes on the white jade bracelet on her wrist gradually faded, as if everything that had just happened was nothing but a dream.

"Who saved me?" she gasped, looking at the crowd, only to find that the person had already disappeared into the night.