A dark, surging crowd rushed towards the one person on the scene who was the least likely to fall, the one who absolutely should not have fallen, but who was, in fact, the only one who had.
The night boiled over. The snow in the sky was practically vaporized as a deafening roar erupted from within the crowd:
"Get away! All of you, get away from me!"
It was as if a fierce beast had burst into the camp. A streak of blue and white shot through the crowd, sending people flying and knocking them down in droves wherever it passed.
It was as if her soul had been torn away, the concepts of time and space thrown into chaos. In the instant she heard those words, Ling's world was reduced to nothing but the frantic beating of her own heart and her own ragged breaths.
Faster than the snowflakes could melt above her, Ling crashed into the center of the crowd. He was there, propped up against a tree by the village chief, his eyes tightly closed, motionless.
"Dad?"
Her legs felt as if they were filled with lead. Ling called out his name in a daze. This time, her legs grew weak, and she could no longer walk. But she had to get to him. And so, step by step, she dragged herself forward until she was before him. Finally, unable to stand any longer, she collapsed to her knees, her trembling, terrified violet eyes never once leaving him.
"Dad? Dad?"
Ling gently shook the man's arm. There was no response.
So, what happened?
Why did it end up like this?
Was it... was it these... these animals?
"Lady Ling, Lady Ling?"
The words of the people around her reached her ears, but Ling remained frozen on the spot, her thoughts and consciousness unresponsive. In the depths of her being, a shackle seemed to shatter. Rage, violence... every negative emotion imaginable consumed her heart.
In a daze, a distant memory wrapped in hatred whispered in her ear: "Sui, you don't have to hold back anymore."
"..."
Under the watchful eyes of all, Ling slowly rose to her feet. Death began to spread silently through the dark night. The people who had rushed forward wanted to flee, but found their legs would not obey.
With a clang, she drew her sword, her tone so indifferent it was no longer human:
"Someone... explain this to me."
"Huff, huff..." The village chief fought back his fear and stammered, "Lady Ling, I..."
The moment he spoke, a cold light flashed towards his neck.
"Ah!"
The village chief cried out in shock. When he came to his senses, his head was still properly attached to his body. The sword had stopped.
"Ling'er."
Wei Bai's voice was weak. He retracted his bloody left hand.
"Brother Sui, you're attacking the wrong person, dammit. It's me, Wei Bai... If you've got the guts, go to the capital and take a swing at that old coot the emperor. Wouldn't your heart ache if you killed me?"
"..."
"Ling" took a long, deep look at the weakened Wei Bai. Then, the clarity returned to her eyes.
"Dad?"
She looked blankly at her father, then at his mangled, bloody left hand. The terrified gazes of the common folk were like blades piercing her heart.
What... have I done?
I...
"I..." Ling opened her mouth, but no words came out. She took two steps back, instinctively wanting to flee.
"Ling'er."
Her father's voice called softly from behind her.
"Where are you going? Hurry up and help your old man up."
His tone was as flippant as ever, without a single trace of anger, blame, or the disappointment she feared most.
Stopping in her tracks, Ling ultimately chose to turn back and help her father up. But the moment he stood, she was locked tightly in a pair of arms. She couldn't escape even if she wanted to, and could only cry like a coward.
"What are you running for? I'm the one who should be running."
Wei Bai swayed from side to side, barely managing to steady his weak body.
"Your dad was born to clean up your messes, to be struck down by you. I deserve it, and I'm willing... Don't be afraid, Ling'er. Don't be afraid to cry for a bit, ah? It's a small thing. Even if you really did go and kill that old coot the emperor, your dad would die for you."
After comforting his daughter, he raised his voice and shouted to the crowd:
"What happened here today is my fault, and mine alone."
Then, without waiting for their reaction, he began to stumble his way home.
"Lord Wei!"
The village chief, ignoring his fear of death, quickly scrambled to his feet. "What kind of nonsense are you talking? We'd all be dead without you! You make it sound like we're afraid to die! Where are you going, my lord? I'll watch over you."
Wei Bai did not turn back, leaving only a few words behind: "Going home. To stop the snow."
——————
It was really snowing.
Shu was趴ing on the windowsill, her sleepiness swept away by the falling snowflakes.
She reached out a hand to catch one. It was cool and icy. The fire in the house seemed even warmer now.
But when would Daddy be back?
Shu waited pitifully, and waited, and waited, until a series of urgent knocks came from the door.
Is it Daddy?
Her heart filled with joy, little Shu quickly ran to the door, just about to open it.
"Lord Shu, is Lord Shu at home! Lord Wei collapsed in the forest! You have to go see!"
What did he say?
Shu's pupils constricted. She threw the door open to ask for clarification, but the man was already gone in a hurry, leaving only his back in her view.
Daddy collapsed. Why did he collapse? Collapsed, did he faint, or...
"Ah, ah..."
Shu clutched her chest and slid slowly to the ground, leaning against the doorframe.
When the feeling of suffocation and pain had subsided slightly, she got up and ran towards the forest at the village entrance.
How could it be? Daddy was fine this morning.
Shu ran and ran, her small body running with all its might.
He said, he even said...
"Waaah, ah!"
She couldn't run anymore. Her legs gave out, and she fell into the muddy ground, wailing in anguish.
Daddy, Shu'er was wrong, Shu'er doesn't want the hairpin anymore, just come back, please come back.
Shu'er is so, so cold. Shu'er doesn't want to see the snow anymore, doesn't want to have snowball fights or build snowmen. Shu'er hates the snow, Shu'er, Shu'er...
"Ah, ah!"
The cold, snowy night was filled with nothing but the girl's cries.
But it was okay. Miracles and justice may arrive late, but a father never will.
"Shu'er? Shu'er?"
A series of faint calls came from the darkness in the distance. Shu stopped crying and lifted her small, tear- and snot-streaked face, looking with a sliver of hope in the direction of the voice.
Because a father will never, ever disappoint his daughter, this hope would certainly not be in vain.
Out of the darkness, in the heavy snow, her father came stumbling and limping towards her.
The blood that dripped continuously from his body drew the path of his advance. The endless snowflakes fell upon his head. His pale cheeks and colorless lips told the story of what had happened.
Wei Bai bent down and picked up his physically and mentally exhausted daughter.
"I told you... to wait nicely at home. You still had to run out. Now look at you, you've cried yourself into a little messy-faced Shu, haven't you? You disobedient rascal."
With a "hehe" and a smile, Wei Bai wiped the mess from his daughter's face with his sleeve. Then, he freed a hand to gather her shoulder-length hair. A simple wooden, yet exquisitely crafted, hairpin was placed securely in her tri-colored locks.
"Do you like it?"
Shu was speechless, her only reply a stream of scalding tears.