Ten years passed in the blink of an eye…
Lan Yan woke up early to the sound of knocking, pulling the blanket over her head. She knew who it was without thinking!
With a bang, Ruo Niang pushed the door open, threw off the blanket, and put her hands on her hips. "Lan Yan, what time is it? Still not up! Those two families at the village entrance are arguing again."
Lan Yan sat up, utterly helpless, and spread her hands. "Ruo Niang, these two families have been arguing for ten years. Their children are already married. Let them be. I want to sleep a bit longer."
She made a move to lie down again, but Ruo Niang snatched the blanket away.
Ruo Niang exclaimed, "Lan Yan, no, you have to come with me." She grabbed Lan Yan's arm and pulled her towards the door.
"Oh my, wait a moment, I need to put on an outer garment." Lan Yan, yielding to Ruo Niang, quickly dressed and walked into the courtyard.
She paused, looking at Jun Ye Lan in the kitchen, wearing an apron, and smiled. "Ye Lan, I want to eat steamed buns today. I'll be back later."
Jun Ye Lan poked his head out, holding a cleaver for mincing, and replied gently, "Okay."
"Let's go," Lan Yan waved, her face beaming.
Ruo Niang couldn't stand it and pulled her away. "You spend all day together, don't you get tired of it!"
"No," Lan Yan narrowed her eyes and teased, "Ruo Niang, it's been ten years, why don't you find someone too? Flower Pavilion doesn't have suitable people, but Assassin Pavilion does."
Ruo Niang blushed, her eyes darting away. "What are you talking about? I wouldn't look at them."
Seeing this, Lan Yan knew Ruo Niang was shy and didn't tease further. "It's all about fate. Like Ye Lan and I, we haven't argued in ten years and have always been deeply in love."
"Alright, we know you two have a good marital relationship, everyone in the village knows." Ruo Niang had heard this every day, her ears were almost calloused.
Lan Yan smiled. This was because her husband was too good, making her unable to help but praise him.
She walked to the village entrance with a smile, saw the two families already drinking, and said, "Ruo Niang, I told you, you worry too much."
Ruo Niang looked at the harmonious scene before her and was stunned for a moment. "They were just arguing so fiercely, it was like the roof was about to be blown off."
Lan Yan curved her lips, pointing to the daughter of the family on the left and the son of the family on the right. "With these two around, these two families will be safe and sound."
She patted Ruo Niang's shoulder and said with a smile, "Ruo Niang, how about this, I'll arrange blind dates for you starting tomorrow. You should start busy with your own affairs."
Ruo Niang said, "I don't have time." She hurried forward, bumped into a man walking towards her, and was steadied by him holding her waist. Her cheeks flushed as she stared at the man.
The man looked at Ruo Niang and smiled gently.
Seeing that the two had taken a liking to each other, Lan Yan quietly chuckled and left, not wanting to disturb them. She walked along the small path, smiling, "Ye Lan's steamed buns should be ready by now, I should hurry back to eat."
However, a long-lost system voice appeared. "Host, it's time, please be prepared."
Lan Yan: "..." She felt like hitting someone. "System, can't you pick a better time? Can't you see I'm busy!"
The system could do nothing; everything was prompted by the interface. Besides, if she stayed too long, he worried Lan Yan wouldn't want to leave, and there were other missions later.
"Host, I've said what I needed to say. I won't bother you. I'll wait for you."
Lan Yan had already raised her fist, and the system went offline. "Stupid system, what book have you been reading lately to use this tone? Never mind, I'll go find Ye Lan first."
The system looked at the booklet in his hand, which was titled "How to Communicate with the Host," and closed it with satisfaction. He then looked at the interface and said with a troubled expression, "Big shot, for your future, please don't interfere."
Lan Yan ignored the system and walked forward, a sharp pain suddenly struck her chest.
She leaned against the nearby wall, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and then angrily said, "Damn system, are you ever going to stop? This time you pull this stunt." She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and continued walking, returning to her own courtyard.
Jun Ye Lan was taking out the steamed buns, placing them on the table, and turning his head to see Lan Yan. He called out, "Yan'er, you're back just in time, we can eat now."
"Okay." Lan Yan held back her tears, her lips curving upwards as she walked over. She sat at the table and took a bite of a bun. "Ye Lan's cooking is getting better and better."
Jun Ye Lan couldn't help but smile. "Yan'er, what else do you want to eat? I'll learn and make it for you." He reached out and wiped the crumbs from the corner of Lan Yan's mouth.
Lan Yan turned her head away, desperately trying not to let her tears fall, and nodded. "Alright, I'll eat the buns." She lowered her head and ate heartily, not daring to look at Jun Ye Lan.
"Ye Lan, from now on, even if you're alone, you must eat properly. If you really can't eat, then eat what I like."
Jun Ye Lan froze, staring at Lan Yan, puzzled. "Yan'er, is there something you're hiding from me?"
"I..." Lan Yan wanted to say more, but the pain in her chest intensified. She clutched the front of her clothes and collapsed to the ground in discomfort.
"Yan'er!" Jun Ye Lan called out anxiously, scooping her up and placing her on the bed, intending to fetch a doctor.
Lan Yan still had some strength. She grabbed Jun Ye Lan's sleeve, her pale face beaming with a smile. "Ye Lan, it's just my old ailment acting up again, I'll be fine after some rest."
It was all the darn system's fault!
Jun Ye Lan sat by the bed, holding Lan Yan, tears streaming down his face. "Yan'er, I beg you, stay, don't leave me." It was all his fault, why couldn't he bear it!
Lan Yan placed her hands on Jun Ye Lan's back, using all her strength. "Ye Lan, I'll always be here, I can't let go of you." With that, she closed her eyes, her hands falling limp.
"No!" Jun Ye Lan immediately held Lan Yan tightly, crying like a child. He carried Lan Yan on his back and shouted, "Yan'er, didn't you say you wanted to go to the mountain to pick plums? I'll take you."
As he stood up, he suddenly knelt on the ground, grabbed the head of the bed, and slowly got up again. Step by step, he carried Lan Yan out of the room, out of the courtyard, and to the mountain.
All along the way, others dared not speak, only watching this scene unfold.
Jun Ye Lan brought Lan Yan to the mountain, picked a few plums, and placed them beside her. He dug a grave with his own hands, placed Lan Yan inside, and also placed his sword and saber within.
Then he sat before the grave, a smile playing on his lips. "Yan'er, in the next life, let me bear these burdens, alright?"
When night fell, Ruo Niang and others arrived, saw the frozen Jun Ye Lan, and burst into tears.
Above Jun Ye Lan's head, a fragment floated out.
…
At this moment, Lan Yan reopened her eyes. What met her gaze was the slaughter of armored figures. She was in a battlefield, also clad in armor, holding a silver sword.