Jade of Another World

That night, Lin Ning became heavy-hearted again, haunted by the recurring nightmare.

She had barely fallen asleep when the terrible nightmare returned, plunging her once more into that chilling scene. The despair and fear of impending death enveloped her, threatening to devour her completely. Lin Ning awoke from the nightmare again, gasping for breath, her forehead covered in cold sweat. Her pajamas were soaked through, clinging stickily to her body, making her extremely uncomfortable.

She lay in bed, staring at the dark ceiling, unable to fall asleep. The images from her nightmare kept replaying in her mind, filling her with fear and unease. She didn't want to disturb Xiao Cui, who was already asleep, because of her condition.

So, Lin Ning quietly got up, put on an overcoat, and tiptoed out of the house into the courtyard. The courtyard was eerily quiet at night, with only the faint moonlight casting dappled shadows on the ground. Lin Ning walked slowly, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts, but the shadow of the nightmare lingered in her mind, refusing to dissipate.

Just then, she glanced up casually and suddenly spotted a dark figure in a distant tree. The figure was agile, dressed in black, and masked. In the moonlight, the silhouette seemed strangely familiar, increasingly resembling Nangong Jin. Lin Ning's heart skipped a beat, filled with both surprise and joy. She never expected Nangong Jin to be here. Wasn't he supposed to still be at the border? Had he returned ahead of schedule?

At that moment, Lin Ning couldn't care less about anything else. Filled with doubt and anxiety, she took off running towards the back door. Her steps were light yet hurried. She quickly opened the back door and ran out. The streets and alleys outside were deserted. Only the cold moonlight shone faintly on the bluestone path through the distant woods. Lin Ning looked around anxiously, searching for that figure.

After chasing through the deserted streets for a while, the night wind blew, and she gradually calmed down. Reason began to return, and a sense of lingering fear crept into her heart. After all, it was the dead of night, and she was chasing after someone alone. What if she encountered some danger? Moreover, the other person was masked and their identity was unknown. What if they were someone with ill intentions? Her rash actions were far too reckless. (Perhaps Lin Ning already liked Nangong Jin at this moment, but she just wouldn't admit it.)

Thinking of this, Lin Ning stopped and hesitated for a moment before deciding it was best to go back first. She looked around warily, then turned and walked towards home, glancing back every now and then, afraid that the mysterious masked man might suddenly appear from some corner.

However, to her utter surprise, as soon as she turned around, she saw the masked man who had been in the tree had silently appeared not far behind her. The moonlight shone on him, outlining his tall and straight figure. The black mask covered most of his face, revealing only a pair of deep eyes that exuded a mysterious and chilling aura in the night.

Lin Ning turned deathly pale with fright, her eyes widened, and her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment before pounding violently again, as if it were about to jump out of her throat. She instinctively took a few steps back, stumbled, and almost fell to the ground, but luckily she managed to steady herself by grabbing the wall next to her.

"You... Who are you? Why are you following me?" Lin Ning's voice trembled. She tried to suppress her fear and make her voice sound calm, but the slight trembling tone still betrayed her extreme fear.

The masked man didn't answer her immediately. He just stood there quietly, his eyes fixed on Lin Ning, as if scrutinizing her. After a while, he slowly spoke, his voice low and hoarse, as if he had deliberately lowered his voice: "It's so late. It's not wise for a young lady like you to chase after me like this."

Lin Ning bit her lip, feeling increasingly panicked. She knew she was helpless and had to find a way to escape, so she mustered her courage and said, "I don't care who you are, don't come near me. If you don't leave, I'm going to prick you with a needle. This needle in my hand is coated with deadly poison."

The man chuckled softly, a sound that seemed particularly eerie in the quiet night. He took a small step forward and said, "Oh? I saw it was you looking for me, but now that I've come out, you treat me like this?"

Lin Ning trembled with fear. She backed away while frantically searching for a solution in her mind. She felt as if she were trapped in a desperate situation and regretted her impulsive decision to chase after him. But it was too late to say anything now. She could only stare wide-eyed at the terrifying masked man in front of her, awaiting her unknown fate. The atmosphere was so tense that it was as if even the air itself had frozen.

In that tense, almost suffocating atmosphere, Lin Ning was nearly overwhelmed by fear. Her gaze was fixed on the mysterious and terrifying masked man before her, and she dared not breathe. The man seemed to sense Lin Ning's tension and fear. After a moment of silence, he slowly raised his hand and gently removed the mask from his face. Moonlight, like water, shone on his face, illuminating the familiar face that Lin Ning had longed for day and night.

It really was Nangong Jin! Those deep eyes, that high nose bridge, and those lips that always carried a gentle smile—everything about him was exactly as Lin Ning remembered him. At this moment, his face showed some fatigue, but it still couldn't hide his handsome and extraordinary demeanor.

Lin Ning was stunned at first, her eyes filled with disbelief, as if she couldn't believe that what she was seeing was real. She blinked, and after confirming that it really was Nangong Jin, her tense heart instantly relaxed, replaced by endless surprise and excitement.

"Nangong Jin! It really is you!" Lin Ning's voice trembled with tears. She could no longer care about her composure and, like a bird returning to its nest, rushed over and hugged Nangong Jin tightly. The force of her embrace seemed to convey all the longing and worry she had felt over the past few days.

Nangong Jin was slightly taken aback by Lin Ning's sudden action, but soon a doting smile appeared on his face. He stretched out his arms and hugged Lin Ning tightly, feeling her trembling body and his heart filled with tenderness.

"It's me, I'm back. I'm sorry to have worried you." Nangong Jin said softly, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze, lightly brushing past Lin Ning's ear, making her feel incredibly at ease. However, his voice seemed a little rough, probably from the fatigue of fighting on the battlefield.

Lin Ning buried her face in Nangong Jin's arms, tears streaming down her face. She said in a sob, "Why did you come so late? You didn't even tell me beforehand..." She wanted to say that she had heard during the day that the army had not yet returned to the capital, but the words stuck in her throat.

Nangong Jin gently patted Lin Ning's back and softly comforted her, "I wanted to give you a surprise, not scare you. I was still dealing with some things here and thought I'd come see you first, but I didn't expect you to find out."

Lin Ning looked up at Nangong Jin with teary eyes, gently punched his chest, and said reproachfully, "You still have to say that? Wearing your face covered in the middle of the night, you scared me to death. I thought you were some kind of bad guy."

Nangong Jin smiled and said to Lin Ning, "It was my oversight. I'm sorry I startled you."

Looking at her face, still streaked with tears yet filled with joy, Nangong Jin's expression turned serious. He spoke softly, "I actually came back secretly this time. There's been some trouble in the army. Enemy spies are secretly watching our every move."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ning's smile faltered slightly, her eyes filled with worry, and she quickly asked, "What should we do?"

Nangong Jin frowned slightly, nodded and said, "Their secret communication is extremely disadvantageous to us, so I must find these people as soon as possible. However, the situation is complicated now, and it is inconvenient for me to show myself in the open. Once the spies discover that I have returned, they will definitely be on guard, and it will be even more difficult to find out about them. Therefore, I can only investigate in secret."

Lin Ning gently bit her lip and said with concern, "Isn't it dangerous for you to act so secretly? Do you need my help?"

Nangong Jin gently patted Lin Ning's shoulder, reassuring her, "Don't worry too much, I know what I'm doing. It's just that we have to be extra careful now. To avoid any unforeseen complications, I can't go back to the Prince's Mansion for the time being, since there are too many people and too many eyes in the Prince's Mansion."

Lin Ning asked curiously, "So where do you live now?"

Nangong Jin pointed in the direction of Fahua Mountain and said, "I have a cave on the back of Fahua Mountain. It was where I stayed when I was in trouble before. The place is very secluded and rarely visited. I have also prepared a lot of daily necessities. There is also a hot spring in the cave. It is a very good place to hide. Moreover, it is convenient for me to come and go, which makes it easy for me to secretly investigate the whereabouts of those spies."

Lin Ning nodded slightly, then, as if remembering something, quickly said, "What should I do if I want to find you, or if there's something I need to tell you?"

Nangong Jin looked at her, smiled gently, and said, "Ning'er, if you want to find me, you can go over there, but you must be careful. It's best to choose a time when no one is paying attention and go there quietly. Don't let anyone find out."

Lin Ning said firmly, "I understand. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Nangong Jin said with deep emotion, "Ning'er, don't worry, I will definitely find those spies as soon as possible and solve this troublesome matter."

Lin Ning stood at the door, watching Nangong Jin's departing figure until it completely disappeared into the night before slowly turning around and returning to the house.

She gently closed the door, walked to the bedside and sat down, but she was not sleepy at all. Her mind kept replaying the scenes she had just spent with Nangong Jin. For some reason, she felt that Nangong Jin was acting strangely tonight, as if he was not the same as usual.

In the past, when they were together, Nangong Jin was always very caring towards her, and his words were affectionate, but he rarely called her by such an intimate name as "Ning'er." But tonight, those "Ning'er" calls seemed to carry a different kind of warmth, each utterance striking straight into Lin Ning's heart, stirring ripples within her. And also, Nangong Jin's attitude tonight seemed unusually warm. His tight embrace, gentle words, and the deep affection in his eyes when he looked at her made Lin Ning feel both sweet and slightly puzzled.

Lin Ning gently bit her lip, tilted her head, and pondered carefully, thinking to herself: "Could it be that after experiencing this cruel battlefield, he walked on the edge of life and death, and understood his own feelings even more, so after returning, he wanted to cherish the relationship between the two of us even more?"

She thought that Nangong Jin must have gone through countless hardships and witnessed too many separations and deaths at the border. Perhaps it was those experiences amidst the flames of war that made him see his true feelings, which is why he changed from his usual reserved nature to become so warm and affectionate.

Thinking this, Lin Ning's lips unconsciously curled up slightly, a faint blush spreading across her face, her heart as sweet as if she had eaten honey. She lay down, pulling the blanket over herself, but her eyes remained wide open, staring at the bed canopy. Her mind was filled with Nangong Jin's image, those sweet moments replaying before her eyes, immersing her in them and making it difficult for her to fall asleep for a long time.

However, behind these sweet thoughts, a faint doubt lingered in her heart. But the doubt was like the moon's reflection in the water, indistinct and vague. She couldn't grasp it for a moment, so she simply stopped thinking about it.

The next day, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, casting warm rays. Lin Ning kept thinking about what Nangong Jin had said, and about him living in that cave. So, she packed some medicinal herbs early in the morning, carefully selected several thick, warm clothes, wrapped them carefully in a bundle, and, taking advantage of the fact that no one in the manor was paying attention, secretly left alone, heading towards the back of Fahua Mountain.