Yan Xianmei and Xiao Ku'er rested for one night, and the next morning they rode their livestock out of Xinglong Market. As Xiao Ku'er had said, their trip was indeed an escape, and the purpose of their escape was—to elope.
The Yan family was a prominent clan in Shandong, but unfortunately, their fortunes had declined over the past decade. Yan Xianmei was practically the only great-great-grandson among the legitimate members of the Yan family, so the elders of the clan placed high hopes on him and arranged a marriage for him with a prominent family in the area, hoping to gain their support. The woman was the youngest daughter of the Xie family in Jiangnan, and it was said that she had a very fierce temper. Yan Xianmei was unhappy about this, but his fearless son, through much urging, managed to abduct his young master and run away.
The two of them continued their journey in silence. Xiao Ku'er tried several times to coax Yan Xianmei into speaking, but he remained silent, leaving the clever Xiao Ku'er at a loss. The sky was dim, the clouds heavy, and Yan Xianmei's face reflected his gloom. The surrounding white snow only added to Xiao Ku'er's bewilderment. Suddenly, a wind picked up, and the heavy snow began to fall again, making Xiao Ku'er shiver. He was trying to think of a way to cheer his young master up when, unbeknownst to him, his horse began sniffing nervously, its nose twitching. Then, no matter how much Yan Xianmei and Xiao Ku'er urged it on, the two animals simply pawed at the snow, refusing to move forward. After a while of this commotion, as Xiao Ku'er was muttering curses, Yan Xianmei suddenly pointed forward, his expression changed drastically, and exclaimed, "Xiao Ku'er, look!"
Little Ku'er knew his young master was usually stoic, so he looked up and saw that less than two miles ahead, a white wall about ten feet high suddenly rose up, seemingly rushing towards them. Little Ku'er was startled. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a strong wind carrying a swirling mass of snow, the wind dancing with the snow, the snow swirling around the wind, blocking their path like a white wall. Even the clever and brave Little Ku'er, seeing that vast expanse of white, found himself speechless, his tongue twitching.
"White-haired wind!" The master and servant almost simultaneously thought of these three terrifying words. They had heard of these three words as soon as they entered Liaodong; it was practically the most terrifying weather in the bitterly cold land of Liaodong, and few who were caught in it ever came out alive. It was said that the wind could sometimes whip up like a dragon's tail, lifting those caught in it off the ground and then slamming them hundreds of miles away. Yan Xianmei quickly turned his horse and shouted, "Little Ku'er, run!"
Little Ku'er, having changed his temper like Luo Zao, turned his horse around and was about to gallop away. But a glance out of the corner of his eye caused him to suddenly exclaim, "Oh!" and "Young master, look!"
Yan Xianmei turned around and followed Xiao Ku'er's gaze. He saw a black horse galloping away about a mile to the east, heading straight for the direction from which the white whirlwind was coming! Who was so bold as to do this? Did they not value their lives?
Both master and servant had excellent eyesight. The horse over there was so solidly black that, even amidst the white expanse of swirling snow, a glistening, oily black gleamed. The rider wore a long cloak, which billowed in the wind. The cloak's outer layer was also black, reminiscent of a line from a crosstalk performance: "Look at that black—it'd be infuriating Zhang Fei!" Then, as the cloak billowed in the wind, the lining was revealed. In the snowstorm, the lining displayed a striking red—a dark red that even the icy snow and dust couldn't conceal. Because it was dark, it was intense; once it caught the eye, it was hard to forget. The rider was extremely robust. Little Ku'er exclaimed in astonishment, "What a hero! He actually dares to defy this damned heaven!"
As he was speaking, the snow wall, carried by the fierce wind that had been more than two miles away, was now rapidly approaching, less than a few hundred feet away. The wind howled and roared, a sound that even the galloping of horses and the rushing of the ocean could not imitate. Little Ku'er had just cried out in alarm when he saw the man and his horse galloping incredibly fast, already engulfed in the white wall of snow. The man on horseback had his hair tied up, and his disheveled hair flew wildly. Suddenly, he became excited and let out a loud roar, a roar like an old dragon drinking water or a giant elephant galloping across the plains. Even the howling wind couldn't drown out his roar. Even the horses ridden by Little Ku'er and Yan Xianmei seemed emboldened by the sound, as if they had gained the courage to charge straight into battle.
Little Bitter Boy slapped his thigh: "Good sir! Young master, let's—"
Yan Xianmei glanced at him suspiciously, fearing that he too might be tempted and try to run into the snow wall. Little Ku'er shrank his neck and hissed, "Run! Run!"
As he spoke, he spurred his horse and galloped off, passing by Yan Xianmei. Before he could finish, he lashed his whip across the rump of his young master's horse. The two of them galloped away, the swirling snow chasing after them like a raging torrent. The wind shifted constantly, and Xiao Ku'er and his master had no time to discern direction, only running with the wind. They ran for the time it takes to eat a meal, until the wind howled further away, blowing in a different direction to the left. Xiao Ku'er wiped his sweat and looked back. His usually composed young master was now running with his hat askew, his face and head covered in fresh sweat. The sweat, barely released, froze into ice beads on Yan Xianmei's face, making him look quite comical. Xiao Ku'er couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Yan Xianmei, his gloom vanished. He stared blankly at Xiao Ku'er for a moment, then laughed—Xiao Ku'er must be in a similar sorry state as him. A playful thought crossed Yan Xianmei's mind. Suddenly, he kicked Xiao Ku'er, sending him sprawling off his horse. Xiao Ku'er landed with a thud, but his hands moved swiftly, grabbing his young master's leg and pulling Yan Xianmei down as well. The two boys didn't stop, playfully embracing and wrestling in the snowy field, vying to pin each other down. It seemed only this physical contact could erase the life-or-death ordeal they had just faced. For a while, both were panting and gasping for breath, before finally releasing their grip and collapsing onto the snow, looking up at the heavy clouds. After a while, Xiao Ku'er laughed, "Little Yan'er, how come we weren't swallowed by the wind?"
Yan Xianmei also laughed while panting, "You really don't know how vast the world is until you go out. It feels so good to be on the run for your life!"
"Damn, it feels so good to be alive!"
This was probably the first time in his life he had ever sworn. Little Ku'er was stunned, staring at him blankly for a while before bursting into laughter. Pointing at Yan Xianmei, he said, "Little Yan'er, you swore! If your seventh uncle hears this, he might whip your bottom with his cane!"
Yan Xianmei was taken aback and a little embarrassed. He suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "You've become even more rude—you dare to complain! You actually called me 'Little Yan'er' just now... Is that how you address someone? You should call me 'Young Master'!"
Little Bitter Girl chuckled and gave him a push, teasingly drawing out, "Fine... Young Master!"
The two looked at each other with smiles, feeling a warmth in their hearts despite the freezing weather outside. After a while, Yan Xianmei said with a smile, "It's so cold, Ku'er, let's quickly find a sheltered place to rest."
After searching for quite some time, the two finally found a sheltered spot in the mountains to sit down. They chewed on some cold meat they had brought with them, intending to catch their breath, find a fire to warm themselves, and then try to find a town to rest in. Suddenly, a song drifted from just beyond the steep slope behind them. The voice was hoarse and faint, and they could only hear it singing in a swaying, unsteady voice: "...Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Emperor, I have a noisy boy in my house. Passing gentlemen, recite this three times, and you'll sleep soundly until dawn..."
Xiao Ku'er was taken aback, and exchanged a glance with Yan Xianmei: What, there was a village nearby? We've finally found a place to rest! —On such a snowy day, which family's child was making such a racket that the adults had to come out to call back the child's spirit despite the weather?
Then the voice gradually drew closer, and then sang: "...Water returns to the house, earth returns to the ravine, little child, do not hide any longer. Blood and gore will soon rise, do not let your family lean against the door and wait!"
Little Ku'er's face immediately turned pale. Yan Xianmei couldn't help but be curious and smiled at Little Ku'er, "Ku'er, so there's someone here named Little Ku'er too. Hehe, and a noisy one at that! You must have been a noisy one when you were little, right? This child, I'm afraid he'll grow up to be just as talkative as you?"
But then Xiao Ku'er's face suddenly changed, turning almost white. Just as Yan Xianmei was about to speak, Xiao Ku'er leaned close to him and covered his mouth, shushing him, "Little Yan'er, don't make a sound!"
Yan Xianmei was immediately stunned. The song was still playing, lingering there. Yan Xianmei felt that even the usually bold and reckless Xiao Ku'er was now curled up in a ball, trembling slightly.
Suddenly, songs arose simultaneously from both the left and right sides, singing the same words. They sounded like they were merging with the first voice, sung by two men and a woman, all with aged voices: "...Water returns to the house, earth returns to the ravine, little child, no more hiding. Bloodshed and carnage are about to begin, lest your family lean against the door waiting..."
Yan Xianmei stared blankly at Xiao Ku'er with a puzzled look on his face. Xiao Ku'er said in a low voice with a bitter face, "They came to find me."
Yan Xianmei was taken aback. Little Ku'er had been with him for three years. The way they met was truly extraordinary—three years ago, when he first saw the child at the entrance of Green Willow Street in Jinan Prefecture, he found him to be playful and mischievous, with lively features, and particularly striking eyebrows—almost as if they were twisted backwards. That little face, though dirty, sallow, and thin, possessed a kind of elfin charm unmatched by a thousand others. Yan Xianmei was always very proud and rarely had playmates of his own age, but upon seeing this child, he felt an inexplicable affinity. He happened to witness Little Ku'er being bullied—he had cheated on a gambling game and had been caught, about to be hung up and beaten. Moved by a sudden surge of righteousness, he rescued Little Ku'er from the gang of thugs. Little Ku'er beamed with gratitude and insisted on coming to Yan's residence to serve as his servant. Yan Xianmei initially refused, but upon meeting Xiao Ku'er, he felt an inexplicable affinity with this person.
He didn't want to bully people for no reason, but Xiao Ku'er insisted on becoming his servant. Although Yan Xianmei was usually calm and rarely manipulated, he couldn't go against him. In addition, he also needed to give his family an explanation: he couldn't just bring a child into the mansion for no reason and say that they were sworn brothers, could he? So he had no choice but to give in.
After Xiao Ku'er entered the manor, although he violated many rules, he had the advantage of being Yan Xianmei's personal servant, and Yan Xianmei was well-liked in the household, so others couldn't really criticize him. Although they were nominally master and servant, they were practically brothers. Yan Xianmei was grateful for Xiao Ku'er's thoughtfulness and care, though he didn't say it aloud. However, despite their good relationship, whenever asked about Xiao Ku'er's background, Xiao Ku'er would unusually become silent, even tearing up once. Yan Xianmei didn't want to press him and never asked again. Now—in this harsh and cold place of Liaodong, why would anyone seek him out? What secrets does he hold about his past?
Yan Xianmei gently moved the hand that Xiao Ku'er had covered his mouth with, and asked in a low voice, "What, is it your enemy?"
Little Ku'er stared blankly, seemingly unsure how to answer, before finally nodding after a long while.
Yan Xianmei's face immediately turned angry. He was a young master from a noble family and rarely showed his emotions. But this time, though he was young, he had a kind of imposing air about him. He chuckled and said, "Little Ku'er, don't be afraid. Although I, Yan, am not fond of martial arts, if anyone really bullies you, the skills I've honed over the past ten years are not to be underestimated."
Little Ku'er stared blankly at the enraged Yan'er—Yan Xianmei, though born into a martial arts family, was inherently averse to martial arts. Although the Yan family had declined in recent years, the ancestral "Sword of the Warring States" had been passed down to him when he was just sixteen. That "Sword of the Warring States" was the Yan family's most prized possession; if one's skills weren't up to par, even as the only legitimate great-grandson of the Yan family in the current era, they wouldn't have been so solemnly entrusted with it. And the reputation of the Yan family was probably known to few in the martial arts world. Little Ku'er had known him for three years and had never heard him get angry.
Yan Xianmei was always composed. Although he had achieved considerable skill, he had never actually tested his swordsmanship. Little Ku'er was grateful and gently squeezed Yan Xianmei's hand, softly saying, "Thank you, Little Yan'er."
Yan Xianmei patted his shoulder and smiled, thinking to himself, "It's rare to see you afraid of showing your ignorance."
Although the two youths were chatting and laughing in hushed tones, they were both experts. From the shouts coming from the three directions, they could tell that the newcomers were all masters. Their technique of transmitting sound through the wind, condensing it into a single line, and leaving a lingering echo, was probably no less skillful than that of Gu Wuming, Zeng Yide, and Zhou Huntun, whom they had seen the previous night. The voices from the three directions gradually formed a triangle, echoing each other as if they were connected. Yan Xianmei's expression changed, and he exclaimed in a low voice, "The Demonic Sect?"
He had heard that the call was not made out of nowhere, and that the use of energy within it was quite eerie, resembling a demonic cult's magic.
Little Bitter sighed softly: "That's right, it's their 'Bat Sound Finding Object' technique. These three people—these three people, I'm afraid it won't even take the time it takes for an incense stick to burn for them to respond in unison, touch the object and return, and they will find our hiding place."
Yan Xianmei fell silent. His eyes, however, didn't look at the little boy, but rather at the horse he rode, its side adorned with his "All Kingdoms" longsword. Throughout the turbulent night at the Hu Family Tavern, Yan Xianmei had restrained himself, refusing to act. Now, with his brother in danger, a hint of resolute courage appeared on his face.
The sounds from the three sides grew closer and closer, indicating they had indeed pinpointed the two's hiding place. In a moment, they would likely be within a hundred paces. Although the two were concealed by the snowdrifts, the two horses could not be hidden. Yan Xianmei suddenly tightened his grip on Xiao Ku'er's hand and straightened up. Xiao Ku'er tried to pull him up, but failed, and was instead pulled upright by him. Yan Xianmei then spoke in a clear voice: "I, Yan from Jinan, am here! Who am I? Show yourself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, three figures appeared from the left, right, and front, a hundred paces away. The three were all dressed in colorful clothes, but they were quite old. Their faces were full of wrinkles, yet they were dressed like a group of children. Their attire was completely incongruous with their appearance, and Yan Xianmei was taken aback.
Upon seeing the two of them, the three men smiled with joy and exclaimed to each other, "Found them!" With that, they quickened their pace and rushed towards them.
Yan Xianmei, with Ku'er by his side, leaped to the front of his horse. With a flick of his right hand, he drew a three-foot-long green sword from the leather scabbard on the side of the horse—his family's heirloom, the "Sword of the Warring States." His "Wandering Swordsmanship" had reached a high level. But for some reason, Ku'er seemed extremely unwilling to face the three men. Yan Xianmei held Ku'er's hand with one hand, and with the other, his thumb pressed down on the spring on the scabbard as he drew the sword. With a clang, the bare sword was drawn. He tightened his grip on Ku'er's hand. Suddenly, he parted his lips slightly and exhaled a breath onto the sword. A flash of green light appeared on the sword, and a thin layer of mist formed. The mist instantly froze, and Yan Xianmei, without looking at his opponents, focused his gaze on his nose, his nose on his mouth, and his mouth on his heart, his mind as still as water, clearly having activated the power of meditation. Yan Xianmei was naturally steady. Although he didn't love martial arts, he was extremely willing to put in the effort for anything he felt he should do and had to do. Therefore, although he was young, his "calming mind" technique was extremely profound. The three people running towards him all exclaimed "Oh!" as they ran, and one of them whispered, "Still water and focused mind—truly impressive, such a young age, yet you have already cultivated to this level."
Little Ku'er understood his thoughts perfectly. Suddenly, she flicked her finger, and the armor struck the sword with a resounding clang. The three men on the other side laughed and said, "Ku'er, you've had enough fun outside. There are people waiting for you at home. This time, we can't let you cause trouble anymore."
"Didn't we agree beforehand that you could do as you pleased normally, but once that 'earth returns to the house, water returns to the ravine' spiel is uttered, do you really have to go back?"
Little Bitter just shook his head.
The three men said, "A bloodbath is about to break out in the martial world. You really can't afford to be reckless this time. Quick, come with us. Don't you know who's coming? Why aren't you coming back with me?"
Judging from the tone of those people, Yan Xianmei didn't seem to have any grudge against Xiao Ku'er. Just as he was hesitating, he heard Xiao Ku'er whisper in his ear, "Young master, I would rather die than go with them. We should... run away."
Yan Xianmei straightened his back involuntarily, about to shout. Suddenly, he saw Xiao Ku'er staring into the distance and cried out in alarm, "Oh no!"
The three men over there seemed to be used to Xiao Ku'er's cunning and didn't turn around to look. Yan Xianmei, however, could tell from Xiao Ku'er's voice that he was truly anxious. He looked up and followed the sound, only to see that the white-haired wind they thought they had escaped suddenly reappeared out of nowhere a few hundred feet to the left. A wall of snow rose up out of thin air, even more imposing than before. Xiao Ku'er feared neither heaven nor earth, yet he was no match for the power of heaven and earth. Having just escaped with his life, he was terrified of the white-haired wind. He screamed in a shrill voice, "The wind is strong—do you all want to die?"
Get out of here!
His voice was naturally high-pitched, and the sound that came out was like a whip mark drawn across the vast snowfield. Suddenly, the white-haired creatures that had turned back also began to roar with power, and the sounds of thousands of drums and horses rose up together.
The three approaching figures were also startled and turned around, exchanging pale glances. In that instant, Xiao Ku'er and Yan Xianmei pulled on their horses, and Xiao Ku'er, in the midst of their busy activity, kicked Yan Xianmei's mount in the back.
The two men and two horses, carried by the wind, fled for their lives once again.
But this gust of wind was unlike the previous one. Its fierce speed and force exceeded the limits of the two exhausted horses' pace. The horses seemed to know their end was near; though utterly weary, they ran for their lives without being urged. They had run less than two or three miles when the wind caught up, sweeping them both into a sea of snow. At that moment, the sky was no longer the sky, but a vast expanse of snow; above, below, left, right, front, and back, all they could see was snow, nothing but snow, interspersed with icicles. The two were like fish swimming in the snow, nearly frozen; at first, they could vaguely see each other's figures, but in an instant, they disappeared completely. Yan Xianmei and Xiao Ku'er shouted at each other, but they couldn't hear what the other was saying; only the sound of the wind filled their ears. Then, large snowflakes suddenly struck, blinding them. When they finally opened their eyes, all they saw was a white expanse; they knew the other was nearby, yet he had vanished without a trace. Xiao Ku'er and Yan Xianmei cried out, "Xiao Yan'er!" and "Xiao Ku'er!" but neither they heard a sound from their mouths, nor from the other. Xiao Ku'er could only spur his horse and gallop away, still hoping to find his young master, but there was no sign of him anywhere. A wave of sorrow washed over him—was this it? Was he really going to be separated from his best and only friend of the past three years? How unfair was Heaven! A deep grief welled up within him, and he struggled desperately against the wind and snow. His horse, spurred on by his spirit, also refused to accept its fate, blindly staggering and galloping away in the wind. Xiao Ku'er's heart sank: Was he and Xiao Yan'er going to perish in this white, blizzard-like storm?
He didn't know how long he struggled; the little boy had lost all sense of time, only feeling that the wind seemed to never stop. Suddenly, he heard the wind in his ears weaken. At first, he thought it was a hallucination and couldn't believe it. It took him a while to open his eyes—he had kept his eyes closed because of the strong wind and heavy snow—and he saw that the wind had suddenly stopped, and he didn't know where it had gone. And he—was still alive.
The wind came and went so quickly. Little Ku looked around; all he saw was snow, nothing but snow, a blinding white expanse. There was no direction, no reference point, nothing at all. His heart felt empty, filled with a bewildering sense of having escaped death, yet unsure what to do with the rest of his life. A surge of anxiety welled up inside him, but no tears fell. He couldn't bear this emptiness; he had never been able to bear it since childhood. He couldn't bear the sight of his grandfather's large house, nor the somber, lifeless faces of the people within. He loved the sounds of laughter and play, the sizzling aroma of vegetables being cooked… That's why he had run away. —But had the playmate he had so easily found been lost just like that? He looked down at his right hand, which had just been held by Xiao Yan'er. Although it was cold, it seemed to still retain a trace of warmth. So he couldn't help but shout, "Xiao Yan'er, Xiao Yan'er... Young Master, Young Master... Where are you? Let's stop playing, let's stop hide-and-seek, okay? Come out quickly!"
The vast sea of snow offered no echo. —Has Xiao Yan'er escaped this calamity? But she had insisted on bringing him to this damned Liaodong. Tears welled in Xiao Ku'er's eyes, but they froze before reaching her cheeks, turning into ice beads. Xiao Ku'er hastily wiped her face with her sleeve, feeling the swelling and pain in her eyes, knowing they had been stung by the white snow. She whispered to herself, "He'll be alright—how could someone I, Xiao Ku'er, be so unlucky? I, Xiao Ku'er, am a person of noble birth and strong destiny, blessed with good fortune and a long life, a spirit that even gods and ghosts avoid! We've only been separated for a while; we'll find each other eventually."
Then he stretched out his index finger and scratched his face, smugly saying, "How old are you? Still crying? You're so embarrassing!"
He was naturally optimistic, and after singing and performing for himself, his mood actually improved somewhat. Then he even started singing at the top of his lungs: "Heavenly Emperor, Earthly Emperor, I have a noisy son in my house. Little Yan'er, call my name three times, and we can talk even at the ends of the earth..."
His voice was hoarse, and his singing was utterly devoid of charm. But his heart was warm; after that song, the snow in his eyes was no longer just snow—it seemed as if he felt that everything shrouded in snow—the mountains, rocks, grass, and trees—was moved to tears. So he grinned too, continuing his off-key, self-composed, and slightly altered song. As he sang, he dismounted to check his surroundings, so the horse could rest. Suddenly, a low, almost inaudible groan drifted into his song. Little Ku'er was startled for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh, jumped up, and cried out, "Little Yan'er!"
Even after jumping up, he kept talking and laughed in the strong wind, "My good young master, you are too fragile. It's just a little wind. Little Ku'er didn't even flinch, and you're already calling out like a little girl."
His eyebrows didn't budge at all—because they had long been frozen solid by the sweat mixed with snowflakes, turning into two twisted, defiant, and joyfully dead lines.
Little Bitter heard the sound coming from behind a snowdrift. He followed the sound and saw a figure lying stiffly on the ground in the distance, with a horse lying beside it. The figure was no more than a hundred paces away and was groaning softly.
Little Ku'er waded through the snow, his feet sinking deep into the ground, joking as he patted his numb legs and said, "Hey, we really have an unbreakable bond. It seems you're really going to be my young master for life, and I'm really going to be your servant for life. Even this strong wind can't separate us—poor me, Little Ku'er, so clever and shrewd, I'm going to be bullied by you for the rest of my life. How bitter!"
He groaned in pain, but if anyone had seen his eyes at that moment, they would have thought the smile on his face was practically leaping out, a warm glow that would sting the heart even in the freezing snow. The person lying on the ground was dressed in light-colored clothes, with some soft fox fur peeking out from the collar, shivering softly in the lingering wind. Little Bitter glanced at the animal first, already certain it had frozen to death. His eyes were swollen and painful from the snow, and he dared not open them wide, only squinting as he approached, trying to make out the shape of the creature. The snow on the ground was too white, so he dared not get close. He simply lifted the body of the fallen person and rolled it upwards. He knew that Yan Xianmei was always tough and wouldn't groan unless he had been frozen unconscious, so he didn't look closely. He lightly patted the person's face twice, then reached out to check his heartbeat, while his other hand went to the back of his clothes to find the prepared medicinal wine. He was still saying, "Young master, young master, you won't even let me bring wine. Look, what are you hoping to use to keep you warm now? Hehe, I, Little Bitter, have always been prescient, even more so than that fortune teller Lu. I knew you would freeze, and I knew about this blizzard even earlier."
While holding the wine in one hand, his other hand suddenly felt something soft against his skin. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Young master, what's that in your arms? It's so soft. Are you pretending to be a girl?"
Curious, but with his eyes swollen and sore, he didn't open them. He rubbed them a couple of times and felt the person turn their face, which was pressed against the snow, and let out a weak groan. He figured Yan Xianmei was angry at him for teasing him, so he chuckled and said, "I know you're not happy, but do you have the energy to scold me now? — Do you have the energy? If not now, when will you find a chance to tease my little rascal's naturally sharp tongue?"
He joked and laughed, but in his heart, he felt his eyes were being severely injured by the white snow, swollen and painful. He could only keep them almost completely closed, using the tiny bit of vision between his eyelashes to lift the head of the fallen person and hold him in his arms. He didn't care about his own eyes first, and when he touched the person's mouth, he pried it open and gulped down a large mouthful of wine. The person made gurgling sounds in his throat, and Xiao Ku'er felt the body in his arms gradually become more lively. He still said lightly, "Aristocratic children are just too fragile, delicate bodies and delicate lives. It's a pity you've practiced martial arts. As for me, Xiao Ku'er..." He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, holding Yan Xianmei in his arms, and suddenly felt a warmth in his heart. He said softly, "...Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Why can't you move? Hurry up and breathe, so we can find a sheltered spot to rest.
As he spoke, he reached out a hand and slipped it into the chest of the person in his arms. He gently channeled his inner energy into the person's mastoid acupoint and slowly massaged it. A gentle flow of yang energy entered, and the person seemed to feel a little better. Little Bitter said softly, "Little Yan'er, don't blame me. It's my fault. I shouldn't have dragged you to this godforsaken Liaodong. If I hadn't wanted to find my mother, I wouldn't have done this. It seems that one really shouldn't have selfish desires; once you do, you almost lose your best friend's life."
Because the person he was holding was semi-conscious, and he himself had just escaped danger, a surge of emotion welled up within him, leading him to reveal this secret he had never told anyone before. His hand slipped inside the person's clothing; due to his effort and movement, it had gradually warmed and his sense of touch had returned slightly. But beneath his touch, it felt incredibly soft, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Little Yan'er, why is your chest so... strangely soft!"
Before he could finish speaking, the person in his arms could already move. Little Bitter Child was overjoyed and opened his eyes wide: "You're alright!"
Before he could even fully open his eyes, he felt a hand slap heavily across his face. Little Ku'er was completely stunned. In all the years he'd been with Yan Xianmei, Little Yan had never laid a hand on him, nor had he ever uttered a harsh word. He heard the voice, though weak, still dripping with anger, utter: "You…!"
That doesn't sound like Yan Xianmei's voice!
Startled, the little boy ignored the pain in his eyes and forced them open, only to find that he was not holding a stranger.
Although the person was dressed as a man, the wind had blown off their headband, revealing them to be clearly a girl, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, not much older than Xiao Ku'er. Xiao Ku'er's hands froze in the person's arms. Seeing him still staring at her blankly as if he'd seen a ghost, the girl's pale face flushed slightly with anger, and she weakly said in a low voice:
"Get your hand off me now!"
Little Ku'er recoiled, startled. The man, having just caught his breath, reached out to slap him across the face again. Little Ku'er instinctively flinched, not even seeing the man's face clearly. His mind raced with thoughts: She wasn't Little Yan'er, so where was Little Yan'er? I've lost him! I've lost Little Yan'er! A sudden, heart-wrenching cry of grief erupted within him—I've lost Little Yan'er! If he were lying in the snow now, would anyone save him?
As he pondered, he suddenly became resentful. Seeing that the man was so ungrateful that he even raised his hand to hit him, he slapped him across the face. The man jumped up and shouted angrily, "You're not Xiao Yan'er! Tell me, why did you lie to me! Why did you lie to me?"
The woman was probably being beaten for the first time; she was stunned and speechless from the blows. Little Ku'er abandoned her, turned, and walked away, each step heavy with worry: Little Yan'er, though skilled in martial arts, was physically weak. Where was he now? Was he also…? He dared not think further. He heard the person behind him softly say, "Come back…"
Little Ku'er had no time to think about anything else; he just wanted to get on his horse and find Yan Xianmei immediately. He had already taken more than ten steps when he heard the man say, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have hit you. I know you didn't mean it. But... but... but... have your friends also been lost?"
The mention of 'friends' seemed to clear Xiao Ku'er's mind a little. He nodded blankly, then suddenly felt very tired and couldn't move his feet, so he stopped.
The girl said, "Thank you, please help me."
The voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of pleading. Xiao Ku'er was startled, as if only then remembering that a life had also been taken lying there. Thinking of Xiao Yan'er and his friends, he felt a surge of appreciation for the world—if he were kinder—even someone as unkind as him—wouldn't there be many good people in the world? If he saved this person, perhaps someone would be willing to save his friend—wouldn't that be right? Wasn't that so?
As he thought about it, a glimmer of hope seemed to appear in his heart, and he couldn't help but feel a little excited. The other man, however, was unaware of what he was thinking and said urgently, "If you save me, I will definitely thank you. I have lots and lots of gold with me."
She wanted to use money to win over the poor boy's heart.
Little Ku'er suddenly turned around. Seeing his resolute turn, the girl felt a pang of fear: Would he try to murder her for her money? How foolish—she was so foolish. But then she saw the furrowed-brow boy stride towards her. Startled, she closed her eyes, only managing to see him stretch out his arms and hug her—he was surprisingly strong—as he carried her towards his horse.
The woman finally relaxed. She seemed to be a local and pointed out in a low voice, "Go to the left, get on your horse, and there's a sheltered cave less than a mile away. There's firewood that hunters have prepared in the cave."
The girl wasn't wrong; just a mile away, there was indeed a small hill with a cave at its foot. Xiao Ku'er carried her inside, and led the horse in as well. There was indeed firewood in the cave, and Xiao Ku'er piled it up, but the embers on his clothes got wet, and it took him a lot of effort to start a fire. He left the woman by the fire, feeling exhausted himself. He sat down by the fire, truly feeling the chill of the wind against his back. Seeing that he had placed her in a sheltered spot, while he himself had shielded the cave entrance from the wind, the girl felt a surge of gratitude.
Little Ku'er had been battling the wind for half a day, and was indeed exhausted, so she fell asleep. She slept for an unknown amount of time, when suddenly she felt a warm breath close to her face, so gentle, so soft—was it her mother?
Suddenly, a bright light shone through his heart, illuminating the darkness that had weighed on him for so many years. He seemed to have forgotten that he was almost sixteen, an adult. He felt his body shrinking, becoming so small, so tiny. He no longer needed to care about his pride, no longer needed to fear pain, no longer needed to fear the world. He whispered:
"Mother..."
It was a low groan, and then tears streamed down his face—"Mom, I've searched for you so hard. Why do they all say I'm a degenerate? Why won't Grandpa let me leave the house? If I leave, everyone will know my background and look down on me. But I look down on them too!"
For a moment, Xiao Yan'er's face appeared before his eyes. Xiao Ku'er smiled upon seeing him. He chuckled and said:
"But now I have a friend too." He took Xiao Yan'er's hand and gently said to her mother, whose face was blurred and indistinct, "He won't look down on me. As long as he won't look down on me, I don't care what others say…"
As he spoke, he gently grasped Yan Xianmei's thin, hard, and fair hand, and smiled at his mother, saying, "He's a young master from a noble family. Humph, Grandpa is a big bad guy. When he's happy, he says I'm his grandson, with unparalleled status and position, the most noble person in the world. When he's unhappy, he calls me a bastard. Bah, I don't want to be a demon in some sect because of him, and I'm not afraid of being a bastard. What's wrong with being a bastard? Many people want to be one but can't! But why did you abandon me? — I've been looking for you for over ten years! Little Yan'er is still the best... no... he's not my friend, he's my little master. They say the fallen people are lowly, but I don't care. I'm going to be a servant, to make him angry, to make Grandpa angry, to make everyone around them angry. Humph, is being a servant so lowly? Only if you're lowly in your heart can you be lowly. If you're not lowly in your heart, even if you're just a little servant, you're not lowly."
He rambled on and on about some profound truths, feeling a sense of peace within him, but then suddenly began to sob softly: "Mother, am I really a bastard? Are we, the fallen people, truly born inferior to others? If Xiao Yan'er knew, would he still consider me a friend?... Waaah, he won't, he won't, right?"
But the figure in the dream seemed to be fading away, and the little girl suddenly cried out, "Mommy, don't go. Don't leave every time you come out. You—I know you might be in a place I don't know and can't leave, but before you go, kiss me, kiss me, okay?"
Little Ku'er seemed to faintly hear a soft sob beside him. He said gently and tenderly, "Kiss me..."
…"
Then, he felt a soft, warm lip gently touch his cheek. It was a happiness he had long awaited, and he fell asleep again in this bliss.
When Xiao Ku'er woke up, a sweet smile still lingered on his lips, as if he didn't know where he was. He first felt a little cold, and when he opened his eyes, he saw a girl looking at him with a gentle and sympathetic expression from across the fire.
He jolted awake, remembering the day's events, and sat bolt upright. Then, he noticed with shame that his face was slightly damp, as if still wet with tears. He cursed himself inwardly—he'd completely lost face. It was bad enough he was crying in his sleep, but that young woman had probably seen it too. Thinking of this, he felt a surge of anger towards that "young woman." Although he had slapped that girl hard, he held a grudge and still remembered how she had slapped him like a shrew. He had mistaken her for Xiao Yan'er and let her hit him. Thinking of this, he felt indignant and wanted to curse—when had he, Gan Ku'er, ever been hit? But then he remembered the women he'd met, each one more talkative than the last. —Yes, he'd stay silent, stifle her, and wait for her to speak first.
The moment this agonizing thought crossed his mind, he became engrossed. As if he hadn't even seen the girl, he pulled a large piece of frozen meat from his leather pouch. He loved to eat, and he always carried plenty of food with him. It was a large piece of cooked, spiced beef. He took it and roasted it by the fire, thinking, "I bet I can roast it until you drool."
The little girl didn't say a word, but after a short while, Xiao Ku'er could hear her stomach rumbling with hunger. He chuckled to himself and roasted the piece of meat even more vigorously. Although his own stomach was also growling, he was determined to make the girl's mouth water, so he wasn't in a hurry to fill his stomach. After a while, when the aroma of the beef filled the entire cave, he finally picked up the piece of meat and took a big, satisfying bite.
He pretended not to notice the girl, but his eyes and ears were constantly glancing at her. Sure enough, he heard a soft 'gulp,' knowing the girl had clearly swallowed. He was overjoyed and wanted to eat even more heartily. Then, the girl finally spoke hesitantly, "Um, thank you for saving me. What's your name?"
Little Ku'er pointed to his ear, gave her a cold look, and pretended to be deaf without saying a word. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw that the girl's face seemed to have changed color with anger. The girl tried to strike up a conversation again, but Little Ku'er pretended not to hear. The girl kept talking to herself for a while, then suddenly became angry. She was already cold and weak from hunger, and tremblingly walked towards the cave entrance. As soon as she reached the entrance, the cold wind outside made her shrink back. In this cold weather, and without her horse, where could she go? She angrily shouted, "Hey, if you don't talk to me, I'm leaving!"
Little Ku'er glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, without saying a word. The girl, in a fit of anger, disregarded the freezing weather outside and turned to walk out of the cave. She was resentful and cursed, "You heartless wretch! I can tell you're not a good person at first glance! If you want to pretend to be deaf, then pretend. You even talked in your sleep. Now you're pretending to be deaf, just for a little bit of meat? Afraid that I'll beg for it? You have no manly spirit at all."
Little Bitter was startled when he heard her talking in her sleep. Although he was a lazy bum, he wasn't so brazen as to provoke the girl into leaving the cave. He said casually, "Are you talking about me? I'm not deaf, but I don't like to answer. I already know you're talking to that piece of beef, not me. Why should I pay attention to you?"
The little girl stamped her foot in anger, too furious to speak. Little Ku'er chuckled, waving the beef in her hand, and said to it, "Beef, oh beef, these days there are actually crazy girls like this, talking to you! Not saying it outright, but just hinting: 'Meat, oh meat, would you like me to eat you?'"
He acted so convincingly that, though the little girl was angry, she couldn't help but chuckle. Little Bitter, looking distressed, patted his belly and said, "I say, meat, I'm full! Say something, do you want someone else to eat you?"
The little girl already knew his temper, so she stopped sulking with her stomach. She turned around and went back to the fire, snatched the beef from Xiao Ku'er's hand, and glared at him: "It says it's willing..."
There was another sentence below, mumbled and inaudible—it turned out her mouth was stuffed with that piece of beef.
By the firelight, Xiao Ku'er observed the girl. She was probably a year or two older than him, with a pretty face and a few freckles on her left cheek, which were just right, preventing her from looking so beautiful that she seemed otherworldly.
The firelight made her pretty face slightly flushed. She was still dressed as a man, with a slender waist and long arms, and a crane-like and mantis-like posture. She was extremely well-proportioned.
The dog was about the same height as Xiao Ku'er, with a piece of beef in its mouth, revealing a set of pearly teeth, which made Xiao Ku'er feel happy.
Little Bitter Boy suddenly became interested and couldn't help but speak. He said, "Meat, oh meat, you were just eaten like this, and they didn't even ask what the person who ate you was called?"
The little girl couldn't help but smile, and mimicked the way, she said to the beef in a sweet voice, "Little devil meat, let me tell you, my name is Shanshan, Hai Shanshan."
Little Bitter grinned: "Vulgar, so vulgar, unbearably vulgar."
The young girl couldn't help but get angry: "Your name is quite something, tell me about it!"
Little Bitter was about to speak, "Little Bitter," but then she thought, "Is this the name she's supposed to use?" It's one thing for Little Yan to call him that, but he should tell her his 'honorable name'. He straightened his expression and said, "My name is Gan Ku'er. Gan Ku means both sweet and bitter. Heh heh, those who only recognize flesh and not people certainly can't appreciate the elegance of my name."
The little girl couldn't help but smile. Although she hadn't spent much time with Xiao Ku'er, she had already figured out the child's temperament. She turned her head and remembered what Xiao Ku'er had said in her dream, and smiled warmly, "Indeed, quite remarkable, a good name! My 'Shan' isn't the 'Shan' in 'arriving late,' but the 'Shan' in 'delete.'"
When Xiao Ku'er saw her smile, although his back was chilled, he felt as if spring had filled the cave. He smiled back and said, "On such a snowy day, why aren't you at home cooking meat? What are you doing out here all by yourself? Are you out of your mind?"
As he uttered the words "reckless," a sudden, sharp pain ripped through his heart—Little Yan'er, is Little Yan'er alright? He himself is warming himself by the fire in the cave, with people chatting and laughing with him, but is Little Yan'er still frozen in the snow?
Hai Shanshan seemed quite perceptive; upon seeing the expression on his face, she guessed what he was thinking and said softly, "You're thinking about that friend of yours again?"
Little Ku'er glared at her, unhappy that she had seen through her thoughts, and also unhappy that she mentioned the word "friend"—thinking to herself: You little brat, what do you know about friends!
Na Haishan seemed unconcerned by his expression, put down the meat she was eating, and said softly, "He'll definitely be fine. You're such a good person, and he's your friend, so he must be a good person too. How could a good person be in trouble? Besides, you two are such good friends, if something were to happen to him, you would definitely sense it, right? If you didn't sense anything was wrong with him, then he must be alright."
She spoke these words gently, her eyes looking at Xiao Ku'er with a cool and gentle gaze. Xiao Ku'er slapped her thigh: That's right, if something happened to Xiao Yan'er, she would definitely be able to sense it. She felt a surge of comfort.
For the first time, he looked at the girl with a hint of agreement and said gently, "You still haven't told me, what are you doing out here all alone in this heavy snow?"
Hai Shanshan lowered her eyes, seemingly unwilling to think about it, but she still whispered, "I had a fight with my family."
Little Ku'er's eyes lit up—he himself had run away because he had quarreled with his family, and upon hearing this, he felt a strong sense of kinship and couldn't help but ask, "Was it with your maternal grandfather too?"
After asking the question, he felt a burning sensation on his face—"Stupid! Everyone else is just like you, always arguing with Grandpa."
Hai Shanshan sighed softly, "No, I don't have a maternal grandfather, nor do I have parents. I had a falling out with my brother."
Little Ku'er exclaimed "Huh?" and asked, "Oh? Your brother. Who is he? Does he always bully you?"
Hai Shanshan sighed, "He sometimes bullies me."
She looked up and said, "Because he has such a bad temper. The name he gave himself is just as bad as his temper—he stopped using the name his parents gave him a long time ago—he's now called 'Haidongqing,' a very fierce eagle—'Haidongqing.'"