He had truly come back to life.
He appeared before her, alive and breathing.
This time, his smile was genuine, not perfunctory or false, devoid of the lifelessness, the despair.
Instead, it was like the morning breeze today, gentle and soft, warm as a spring day.
Even the deathly aura he once saw deep in his eyes was gone.
"Why...?" Chu Qianli knew she shouldn't ask. After all, Feng Dingchu's current transformation was a good thing.
But she couldn't help it.
What exactly had happened? Why, in less than an hour, did he seem to have come back to life?
He was completely renewed, full of vitality!
Feng Dingchu withdrew his gaze, turned, and looked at the sky in the distance.
The smile on his lips had also disappeared, but he exuded a completely new feeling.
He seemed to have merged with this spring day.
"At least I know that in this world, there are still people who genuinely care about me."
So, let the past be the past.
Some people, some feelings, were destined not to be his.
But from today onwards, he was truly just A Chu, no longer A Jiu.
Chu Qianli walked slowly behind him. This time, she could finally be sure that his mood had truly improved.
"Then, what do you want to do next?" she asked.
Feng Dingchu shook his head, still looking ahead. "Perhaps, wander the world."
"To be able to let go of everything and wander the world is also a beautiful thing. Others envy it immensely."
"Do you envy it?" Feng Dingchu turned back, looking at her face, still a little pale from the cold.
"Of course, I envy it." Chu Qianli also looked at the distant horizon and sighed softly. "To be free of worries and desires, to live quietly, how wonderful."
No schemes, no deceit, simple, straightforward. Even without fine clothes and delicacies, it would be good.
Feng Dingchu smiled faintly and said nothing more.
The two stood by the river like this, looking into the distance, saying nothing.
But the atmosphere today was surprisingly good, and even their figures looked exceptionally pleasing.
The wind gradually began to warm up, just like the bright sun overhead.
... At noon, Aunt Sun cooked noodles for the two of them.
Although the ingredients were not abundant, it was evident that Aunt Sun had put her heart into it.
However, the taste of the noodles was indeed a bit too bland.
"Don't you like it?" Feng Dingchu saw Chu Qianli frowning. He picked up two pieces of meat and placed them in her bowl.
"It's a bit bland. Perhaps my appetite has been a bit off these past two days, and I'm craving something with more flavor."
After thinking for a moment, Chu Qianli's eyes suddenly lit up. With a turn of her wrist, a packet of something appeared in her hand.
Feng Dingchu's brow furrowed slightly. "Your Qiankun Chain's secret, you often reveal it in front of others. Aren't you afraid of being coveted?"
"You're not an outsider, what's there to fear? Besides, last night, when I gave them roasted meat and such, I took things out in secret."
"It will always arouse suspicion."
"Let them be suspicious. Anyway, most people won't understand, so what's there to fear?"
Feng Dingchu thought about it and felt that living freely was good.
Too many secrets would weigh down the heart.
"You never asked me why the Empress Dowager wanted to poison me? Aren't you curious?"
Chu Qianli had just opened the package of preserved vegetables and was about to put it in her noodles.
His question startled her, causing her hand to tremble, and the packet of preserved vegetables almost flew away.
She hadn't dared to mention this matter, not even a single word. She never expected him to bring it up himself.
She felt a little uneasy in her heart. "Will you... tell me?"