"A Ning..." the call grew nearer.
Xue Zi Ning pinched herself hard. She knew this wasn't a dream; it was truly Yan Zhao.
She saw a tall, slender figure emerge from the mist of the hot spring. Even in the haze, she recognized it as Yan Zhao.
She plunged deeper into the water.
Through the water, she saw the person she hadn't stopped missing.
"A Ning, is that you?" Yan Zhao had found the hot spring, but there was no one in sight.
He was certain that voice belonged to his A Ning.
"A Ning, if it's you, come out!" He looked around, his gaze finally settling on the hot spring.
The misty vapor obscured what was inside.
"A Ning, please come out."
Outside, Yan Zhao's calls continued. Xue Zi Ning closed her eyes, not moving an inch.
Having chosen never to meet again, she would not show herself.
"Yan Zhao..."
A voice came from outside. Yan Zhao stood up and looked towards the figure approaching.
It was A Ning, the same voice, yet he felt something was different.
"A Ning..."
"Yan Zhao, why did you come here without telling me?"
Xue Chang An saw Yan Zhao looking at her with a faint, chilling gaze.
For some reason, she felt a chill in her heart. Could it be that Yan Zhao had discovered something?
"I just came to see this place," he said slowly.
Upon hearing this, Xue Chang An replied, "This is a place we spent time together. Yan Zhao, I will accompany you here again in the future."
Yan Zhao calmly withdrew his gaze and walked towards the outside.
Xue Chang An breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she hadn't been exposed.
She could replicate his speech and actions perfectly, but today, in this valley, she had only learned about it from Xue Yu.
Fortunately, she had asked more questions, otherwise, wouldn't Yan Zhao have become suspicious?
"Yan Zhao, let's ride in the carriage together. I've already had someone take your horse back," Xue Chang An said to Yan Zhao.
"No one can take my horse," Yan Zhao called out, "Luo Xue!"
Shortly after, the sound of hooves approached, and a pure white horse appeared before Yan Zhao, pawing the ground.
It snorted towards Xue Chang An, who instinctively took a step back.
Earlier, outside the valley, she had seen Yan Zhao's mount and whipped it, ordering it to leave.
"Luo Xue seems very angry," Yan Zhao said, reaching out to soothe the horse.
Luo Xue whinnied softly and calmed down. Yan Zhao mounted the horse with practiced ease. Looking down at Xue Chang An, he said, "You can take the carriage!"
With that, he rode off.
Xue Chang An stamped her foot in frustration. A perfect opportunity to deepen their relationship had been ruined by a horse.
Watching Yan Zhao's figure disappear, Xue Chang An got into the carriage and followed.
Xue Zi Ning walked out of the valley, her expression somewhat forlorn.
She had hoped Yan Zhao would recognize that the fake her was Xue Chang An impersonating her.
Yet, she also didn't want Yan Zhao to recognize it, because then he would search for her everywhere. Now, she was just an ordinary person and not worthy of Yan Zhao.
She was so conflicted.
Truly conflicted.
Upon returning home, Hua Yun Jin was not there.
Xue Zi Ning sat on a stone chair in the courtyard, waiting. She waited for a long time, but Hua Yun Jin did not return.
She stood up and went to Hua Yun Jin's room. His room was very clean, with the quilt neatly folded.
There was a letter on the table.
She opened it.
"A Ning, may this letter bring you joy!"
"Last night, I thought for a long time. I know you have never had romantic feelings for me, and marrying me was merely out of gratitude. This gratitude is precisely what I do not want. A Ning, I want your heart, the heart that loves Yan Zhao."
"But, I know that is just my selfish desire. In your heart, Yan Zhao cannot be replaced by anyone. I do not want you to go against your feelings because of gratitude. A Ning, someone who truly loves you will share your hardships and joys. Even if you think you are not worthy of Yan Zhao now, the person who loves you will never think that."
"A Ning, I wish you happiness. Marry the person you love, and that is why I choose to leave. You must face your own heart..."
"Yun Jin."
Xue Zi Ning gave a bitter smile. Had she been abandoned?
Putting down the letter, she sat in Hua Yun Jin's room for a very long time.
Daybreak arrived.
She stood up and walked out of the room. The light of the rising sun fell upon her, dazzlingly bright.
She walked out the door. At this moment, she didn't know where to go.
She felt as if she had been abandoned, with no path forward and no path back.
"How about it? Will you cooperate with this old man?" A voice came from behind her.
Xue Zi Ning turned around and looked at Fan Min. "You really are a persistent shadow."
"As long as Xue Chang An is not killed, this old man will not rest."
"Find someone else. I can't help you," Xue Zi Ning said, turning to go inside.
"Xue Zi Ning, you are truly a coward. Xue Chang An is about to marry the man you love, sleep with the man you love, and you remain indifferent?"
Xue Zi Ning looked at Fan Min indifferently and sneered, "The same goes for you. Xue Chang An used your beloved's body, so you hate her, yet you are still indifferent. If you are so capable, go take revenge yourself, why are you looking for me? I am just an ordinary person."
Fan Min's white beard trembled with anger. Finally, he roared, "Xin'er has been utterly annihilated. To save Xin'er, I lost all my internal energy, but..."
He grew dejected, his entire demeanor defeated, his voice filled with unprecedented sorrow, "But I still managed to keep Xin'er..."
"You can find Han Xi Wen. He is your child with Xin'er."
Fan Min shook his head. "I merely gave him the chance to be born, but I never raised him. If he is well, I will never disturb him."
Xue Zi Ning looked at Fan Min and said, "So, you do have a heart."
Fan Min chuckled softly. "Even the most wicked person has a soft spot in their heart."
"Fan Min, I will not be complicit with you." Xue Zi Ning stepped inside and was about to close the door when Fan Min suddenly threw a book inside.
Xue Zi Ning wanted to throw it back, but Fan Min said, "This is a secret manual from my Poison King Valley. You can practice it even if you have lost all your internal energy."
Xue Zi Ning looked at the manual in her hands when suddenly a voice called out from outside, "Fan Min, we've finally found you."
She trembled all over. Through the crack in the door, she saw several people surrounding Fan Min.
Fan Min chuckled softly and looked up, saying, "What? Is Xue Chang An afraid I'll cause trouble? Afraid the Crown Prince of Xue Kingdom will know she's a fake?"
"His Majesty has ordered us to find you and leave no survivors."
Xue Zi Ning was stunned. Just as she was about to open the door, she heard Fan Min say, "Is that so? It doesn't matter. This old man has no more attachments. Convey this to Xue Chang An: someone will eventually seek revenge upon her, and she will have no good end. My fate will be her future fate."
"Too talkative." As the voice fell, the sound of a sword piercing flesh reached Xue Zi Ning's ears.