"In your eyes, does saving you always have to come with a motive?" Ye Yutian's lips curled into a bitter smile, his voice laced with exhaustion. During the time Ye Lanshan had been unconscious, he hadn't rested properly either.
"Everyone who saves someone has a motive—some out of admiration for talent, some out of selfless desire to move themselves, some might do it on a whim, some for their own power, but most do it for treasure."
Ye Lanshan lounged lazily against the bed, her whole body aching so much she couldn't muster any strength, yet her gaze remained sharp. She continued analyzing, "I've long heard that the Dark Lord is moody, bloodthirsty, and cruel, with influence rivaling the Three Sects. So it definitely wouldn't be out of kindness or power—the most likely reason is treasure."
"I told you, the only reason I saved you is because I like you. If it were for the Fuxi Qin, why go through all this trouble? I could have just killed your brother directly." Ye Yutian rubbed his brow, his voice no longer as gentle as before.
"But before you even met me, you said you already had someone you liked. Dark Lord, do you fall for everyone you see?" Ye Lanshan clung stubbornly to this point, leaving Ye Yutian at a loss for how to explain.
"What if I told you our first meeting wasn't at the city gate? Would you believe me?" Just as Ye Lanshan thought Ye Yutian had nothing to say, he suddenly blurted this out.
"Are you joking? I don't recall seeing you before the city gate." Ye Lanshan's voice was cold, her smile mocking.
"And now? Do you believe me?" Ye Yutian removed his mask, even tearing off the human-skin mask on his face, revealing his true features beneath.
"You're Ye Yutian? So the Dark Lord of the Shadow Sect is actually a prince of a kingdom, meaning this is Night Country territory." Ye Lanshan's tone was calm, revealing no other emotion—not even the anger Ye Yutian had expected.
"Now—"
"Stop. I remember the first time we met, you wanted to kill me. The second time, you still wanted to kill me. In the end, I only escaped by swearing a vow under heaven and earth."
Ye Lanshan cut him off mid-sentence, swallowing before continuing, "And even in our later interactions, unpleasant moments outweighed the good. You even nearly snatched my herbs. That hardly looks like you like me."
"I... at the time, I didn't realize my feelings for you were love. I just felt this emotion was out of control and tried desperately to suppress it." Ye Yutian honestly confessed his inner struggle to Ye Lanshan.
"Well, thank you for your affection, but I'm sorry—I don't like you, and I've had someone in my heart for a long time." As she spoke, Ye Lanshan's gaze grew distant, as if recalling something, as though such a person truly existed.
He actually made Ye Yutian believe she had someone in her heart, which sparked a surge of jealousy in him. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Who?"
"She's no longer in this world." Ye Lanshan's expression darkened. She was thinking of Yu Ying—the girl who had shielded her and confessed with her dying breath. She knew she would never forget that girl who once chased after her with a pure smile, who spoke the most beautiful words of love with her blood.
How many times had this nightmare-like scene appeared in her dreams? Perhaps her orientation was normal, only liking men, but whenever someone confessed to her, she couldn't help but think of that blood-soaked girl, the one who had promised to be her best friend forever.
"If she's watching from above, she'd want you to be happy, not like this." Sensing the deep sorrow radiating from Ye Lanshan, Ye Yutian pulled her into a hug, hoping to offer her some warmth and ease her grief.
"You just think I'm different from other women, a novelty. Over time, you'll realize your feelings for me aren't love—just curiosity." Ye Lanshan suppressed all her sadness, pushed him away, and stepped out of his embrace, her gaze calm and her tone cold.
"So that's what you think? I'll prove to you that I truly like you, that I'm devoted to you, not just momentarily curious." Ye Yutian now felt he had missed too much of Ye Lanshan's story, and he was eager to delve into everything about her.
"Do whatever you want." Ye Lanshan seemed weary, her voice growing faint.
"Drink this porridge before you sleep, or your body won't handle it." Seeing her about to drift off, Ye Yutian quickly shook her awake.
"Mm." She nodded heavily, just as the enticing aroma of the rice porridge reached her.
"The taste is much better." She took a small sip, squinting in satisfaction, looking as lazy as a cat.
"Here, lie down for a while. I'll call you for dinner." After she finished the porridge, her face still pale and her expression listless, Ye Yutian set the bowl on the table, tucked the blanket around her, and quietly left the room.
"Lanshan, do you remember this peach grove?" In her dream, Yu Ying stood in the place where peach blossoms once bloomed, smiling gently at her, her gaze so tender it mirrored Ye Yutian's exactly.
"I remember. I once said roses are just a foreign symbol of love, but in China, peach blossoms should represent it." Ye Lanshan slowly walked toward Yu Ying.
"But if someone were willing to plant a peach grove for you, would you be willing to become their Dao companion?" Yu Ying softly smiled, plucking a flower from the tree and tucking it behind Ye Lanshan's ear.
"Yu Ying?" Ye Lanshan looked at her in confusion.
Yu Ying gently wiped the tears from the corner of Ye Lanshan's eye. "After all these years, can you still not get past that hurdle? I'm already gone. Why let me hold you back from your own love?"
"Forget me, and forget that painful memory. Then you won't have to live so tiredly." Yu Ying spoke softly.
But Ye Lanshan felt the peach petals falling around her and said flatly, "Forget? I wish I could. But this memory is etched into my bones—I can't forget it."
"Ye Lanshan, Ye Lanshan." The sweet voice of Yu Ying gradually turned into a gentle male tone. She opened her eyes to see that Yu Ying had somehow become Ye Yutian.
Suddenly, she woke up to find Ye Yutian leaning by her bedside, ready to call her for dinner.
"So it was a dream?" Ye Lanshan murmured quietly, her voice so soft even Ye Yutian couldn't make out what she said.