"Little girl, is the smoke in my room too thick? It's making your eyes water."
Grandpa Hu revealed a kind smile.
"Lingzhi, we're here to visit Grandpa Hu. Acting like this will scare him."
Nangong Yehen came over and gave her a firm nudge.
Chu Lingzhi's eyes were blurry with tears as she gazed sorrowfully at Grandpa Hu for a long time.
Finally, she kept wiping her tears, alternating between crying and laughing.
"Grandpa Hu, I'm sorry. I have trachoma—if sand gets in my eyes or there's thick smoke, I can't stop crying."
Chu Lingzhi suddenly stood up. "I'm going out for some air..."
With that, she rushed out.
Nangong Yehen followed her out.
Grandpa Hu crouched down, picking up the medicine Chu Lingzhi had dropped beside him.
He held those bundles of herbs, gently stroking them.
As if what was in his arms wasn't medicinal herbs, but... his most beloved granddaughter.
Two streams of tears slid down his face...
Chu Lingzhi didn't stop until she reached the fields.
She stood there, covering her face with both hands, sobbing bitterly.
Back then, that great fire replayed in her mind like a demon.
Thinking of her family, she was overwhelmed with grief.
She never used to cry when remembering them, but today, she could no longer hold back the pain inside and burst into loud sobs.
Nangong Yehen watched her cry so sorrowfully, her shoulders trembling, and his heart felt like it was struck hard by something.
He walked over and pulled her into his arms.
"Seeing him reminds me of Grandpa..."
Chu Lingzhi sobbed breathlessly in Nangong Yehen's embrace.
In no time, her tears soaked his clothes.
Nangong Yehen gently stroked her back, his voice low, "Cry it out. Let the pain out, and it won't hurt anymore."
"Grandpa Hu's face and hands are burned." Chu Lingzhi said through tears.
"I know." Nangong Yehen kissed her hair tenderly.
Hearing her cries and thinking of poor Grandpa Hu, Nangong Yehen's heart ached too.
He was also a man of flesh and blood, with a grandfather and father of his own.
He could understand Chu Lingzhi's pain.
"I'm so sad..."
"Cry. In my arms, a good cry will make it better." Seeing her like this hurt him too.
Chu Lingzhi collapsed into his arms, crying until the world went dark. She didn't know how long she wept until no more tears came, then she pulled away from him.
She walked toward the river and stood by its edge, watching the slow, flowing water.
The river wasn't deep or wide—at most, it would reach Nangong Yehen's knees.
"Thinking of jumping in and ending it all?" To help her snap out of her grief faster, Nangong Yehen teased.
"Do I look like that kind of person?"
Chu Lingzhi glared at him displeased. If she wanted to kill herself, she'd have done it long ago. Now she had two sons she cared about—was she willing to die?
"If you're not planning to drown yourself, why stand here so long? If you don't go back soon, it'll be completely dark."
"I'm going to catch crayfish."
"Crayfish?" Nangong Yehen raised an eyebrow. What was a crayfish?
He only knew trumpets, not crayfish.
"Big-headed shrimp!" Chu Lingzhi suddenly yelled at him.
"Fierce woman." Nangong Yehen wasn't angry; instead, he smiled fondly. "Looks like I can't spoil you."
"Are you cold?" Chu Lingzhi asked, her tone not sounding like she cared about him at all.
Nangong Yehen shook his head. "Not cold."
"Take off your coat and give it to me."
"You're cold?" Nangong Yehen quickly took it off.
Chu Lingzhi grabbed his coat and waded into the river.
Nangong Yehen was puzzled. "What are you doing?"