The last day of the year.
The man left.
Chu Qianli lay in bed for a while before getting up.
Dong Qing brought hot water for her to wash up.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Chu Qianli saw only disappointment in her eyes.
In the end, he was still unwilling to say anything, about Huarong, about the Venerable Lord, about what they were going to do next.
Huarong had been "dead" for over a decade and returned as the Venerable Lord. This must be hiding a great secret.
Feng Yexuan was unwilling to do what Huarong planned, but in the end, he would inevitably carry it out.
Chu Qianli didn't want to pry into any secrets, but she wanted to truly enter his world.
Yet, he still pushed her far away behind that door.
He didn't tell her because he didn't trust her enough, perhaps?
If a couple cannot be completely honest with each other, what is the meaning of this marriage?
Suddenly, she didn't know what she should do next...
"Miss, the water is getting cold. Shall I wash you up first?"
Dong Qing's voice pulled Chu Qianli's scattered thoughts back.
Chu Qianli let out a long sigh, stood up, and nodded.
She never expected to lose her direction one day, not knowing which way to go.
This was absolutely not her style of doing things.
What was it that made Feng Yexuan so troubled? Why did his eyes always hold a heartache-inducing melancholy?
Her thoughts churned, and finally, she just ate some pastries and went out.
Not long after she stepped out, she heard someone and a horse rapidly approaching from behind: "A'li!"
Chu Qianli stopped in her tracks and turned back.
Deep in the street, a vigorous figure was galloping towards her under the blazing sun.
On such a cold day, this figure instantly warmed her heart.
"Fulong!" He was finally back!
Fulong leaped off his horse, pulled Chu Qianli into an alley, and hugged her excitedly.
He was truly excited! Truly!
He had almost thought he would never see A'li again!
This feeling of loss and recovery almost made him shed tears of a hero!
"A'li, it's really you! It's really you! You're still alive! You're finally alive!"
"Everyone thought I was killed by Yu Linglong? How could I die so easily? I have nine lives! I don't mind dying a few more times!"
"What nonsense! Don't talk nonsense! Quickly, say it properly again!"
Fulong's nose choked up, and his voice instantly became hoarse.
"Do you know how desperate I was with that fake A'li? I was so afraid that you already... A'li, no matter what you become, as long as you are still A'li, as long as it's you!"
He was truly too excited, otherwise, he wouldn't have held Chu Qianli so tightly.
He never dared to!
"I really thought..."
"Alright, aren't I still alive and well? Such a big man crying, people will see and make a joke of it."
Chu Qianli's heart also felt a pang.
Having died once, seeing old friends again brought unspeakable excitement and emotion.
Especially now, with an unbridgeable chasm between her and Feng Yexuan.
Fulong and Fuling were even more precious to her.
They were like family.
Having suffered grievances at her husband's home, seeing her own family now made her want to cry and complain.
Fortunately, she was born without the habit of complaining.
"I'm really still alive and well, Fulong. Don't be sad. At least we are both alive, and as long as we are alive, there is hope."