Chapter 8: Soft Heart

The carriage came to a sudden stop, and Yu Lingxi's body swayed, nearly knocking against the carriage ceiling.

Frowning, she lifted the curtain and asked, "What's going on?"

"Miss, there's a person lying in the middle of the road up ahead," the coachman's voice struggled against the biting wind.

Yu Lingxi raised her eyes and followed the faint light of lanterns. Indeed, not far ahead, there was a dark silhouette with a thin layer of white snow covering it. If it weren't for the sharp eyes of the coachman, the person might have been crushed by the carriage.

Probably just a drunken person, Yu Lingxi speculated. In the capital, every year there were people who got drunk and collapsed in the snow. Without timely discovery, they could freeze to death.

Regardless, it was a life. Yu Lingxi said, "Wake him up and move him to a sheltered and warm place."

The guards took the order, and with lantern in hand, approached the person lying in the snow.

Not long after, a guard hurriedly returned, his steps noticeably hurried and disordered.

"Miss! He's not a drunkard, but a young man with serious injuries!"

Thanks to Ning Yin's influence, whenever Yu Lingxi heard the word "young man," her heart instinctively tightened. But considering it wouldn't be such a coincidence, she relaxed slightly and bent to step out of the carriage.

The snow swirled, almost flipping over her cloak and hood.

A guard quickly came over, holding an umbrella to shield her from the snow.

After walking a few steps, Yu Lingxi felt something was amiss. She stopped, hesitated for a moment, took the lantern from the guard, and approached to illuminate...

Three feet of warm light spread across the ground, illuminating the familiar yet pale face of the young man. The flickering light brushed over his dark eyes, failing to reflect any warmth.

Only the beautiful and noble young girl walking in the snow could be seen in his dim vision, creating a more beautiful scene than the snow and moon.

The lantern fell into the snow, extinguishing with a soft sound.

In this snowy and stormy night, Yu Lingxi and Ning Yin, once again, awkwardly locked eyes.

Seeing Ning Yin in such a state for the third or fifth time, Yu Lingxi couldn't help but wonder if fate was punishing Ning Yin or punishing her.

A myriad of words condensed into two: doomed fate.

Had he escaped from the Immortal City, or had someone chased him to this point?

The details no longer mattered to Yu Lingxi, and she had no intention of guessing. She just wanted to deal with the trouble at hand. Frowning, she asked, "How far is the nearest medical clinic? Carry him there quickly."

"Miss, it's about two li away," the guard answered, "But this person seems to have internal injuries affecting his organs. It's not advisable to move him casually."

Unable to drive him away and unable to move him, was he supposed to lie here and die?

Just as she was contemplating whether to take a different route, the guard urgently said, "Miss, he has fainted."

Ning Yin had not dreamt of that woman for a long time.

He walked through a damp and dark dreamscape until a familiar palace gate appeared before him. Through the crack in the gate, a warm light illuminated the mottled bloodstains on the steps.

Ignoring the bloodstains, he ascended the stone steps. The palace gate opened slowly before him, revealing a woman in a flowing palace gown sitting amidst a dazzling sea of orange-gold light.

Upon seeing Ning Yin, the woman turned her blurry face towards him, extending her hand with a weak smile. "Yin'er, come to Mother here. Mother will take you away."

For someone rapidly losing body warmth, the warmth and embrace were undeniably fatal attractions.

However, Ning Yin remained motionless, even curling a mocking smile. "No."

"Why?" The woman's voice carried a hint of resentment.

"Because," he softly spoke, almost self-mockingly, "you're already dead."

The smile on the woman's lips froze instantly.

A dagger appeared in her chest, and blood rapidly stained and spread through her exquisitely embroidered garment, resembling a blooming chrysanthemum.

Ning Yin woke up in the midst of this sea of blood, greeted first by the slightly swaying roof of a carriage.

His initial reaction was to reach for the short blade in his sleeve, but he touched a soft mattress instead, covered by a delicate moon-white cloak obviously belonging to a young girl. The bleeding had stopped, the broken bones in his chest had mended, and thick bandages were wrapped around him.

The narrow space was filled with a pleasant fragrance.

The strong smell of blood on his body was out of place.

The sweet and soft fragrance of a young girl was a scent he had encountered twice before. Ning Yin recalled the last breathtaking sight before losing consciousness. Slightly turning his head, he saw a slender figure sitting against the carriage wall, at a distance from him.

Her eyelashes were half-lowered, and behind the gently swaying veil, a pair of autumn-water eyes appeared, radiating an extreme warmth in the light of the lantern.

Behind the veil, a peerless and charming face was hidden.

The owner of those eyes noticed that he had awakened, looking momentarily stunned.

Yu Lingxi didn't expect Ning Yin to wake up so quickly. Normally, someone with such injuries would either die or remain unconscious for at least a day or two. However, Ning Yin woke up in less than a quarter of an hour. The deep, beautiful eyes with a hint of light were unsettling.

Yu Lingxi furrowed her brows, softening her expression into a hint of displeasure. "Awake?" Her voice, deep and resonant, seemed to be angry with someone.

Truly, she was a contradictory and intriguing woman. Every time he saw her, she was either surprised or angry. Yet, every time if there is a helping hand, it was also her.

Moreover, the Yu surname was not common. In the entire capital, only one family could afford to employ such skilled guards as attendants.

Regardless of whether it was fate or human design, she carried secrets unknown even to herself.

As her thoughts spun, Ning Yin's pale lips moved, and he hoarsely said, "Miss recognizes me."

It was the first time in his life that he heard him speak, and it startled Yu Lingxi. She almost thought Ning Yin had memories from a previous life, seeing through her clumsy disguise.

However, immediately afterward, Ning Yin said with difficulty, "Otherwise, why save me twice?"

Yu Lingxi breathed a sigh of relief, observing his reaction. It didn't seem like he had memories from a previous life. Besides, a normal person, upon being saved, would usually express gratitude instead of bringing up such matters.

Yu Lingxi couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity. With a stubborn attitude, she denied, "Who saved you? I just thought you were in the way."

Ning Yin looked at her, silent. Yet, Yu Lingxi couldn't shake the feeling that his eyes had seen through everything.

It was the same in their previous lives. Nothing could escape his scrutiny, and Yu Lingxi feared looking into his eyes the most. She regretted sharing the carriage with him or wished he had remained unconscious for a little longer.

Fortunately, the carriage came to a stop, and a guard reported, "Miss, we've arrived at the medical clinic."

Yu Lingxi felt relieved, composed herself, and said, "Since you're awake, get off the carriage and go back to wherever you came from."

Ning Yin's lips moved again, his voice much softer, "Can't go back."

Yu Lingxi felt her mind tangled with conflicting emotions, thinking, 'Did he truly escape from the Immortal City?'

"No matter what your plans are, they have nothing to do with me," Yu Lingxi said, lifting her chin slightly. "Get off."

Seeing her firm attitude, Ning Yin had no choice but to force himself to stand up. He carefully folded the cloak with a soft fragrance and placed it aside. Supporting himself against the carriage wall, he stood up slowly, a painful and slow process due to the injury in his chest.

In just a moment, his lips turned even paler, and fine cold sweat emerged on his nose.

Yu Lingxi decided to turn her head away, pretending not to see.

At this late hour, the medical clinic had already closed its doors.

Under the eaves covered in accumulated snow, the dim lamp stretched Ning Yin's lonely and slender figure.

"Wait." Yu Lingxi impatiently called out to him.

Ning Yin turned around to find Yu Lingxi, who had somehow disembarked from the carriage. In one hand, she held a red plum-patterned paper umbrella, and in the other, she carried the cloak that covered him.

He blinked slowly, displaying a puzzled expression.

Softening her heart, Yu Lingxi calmly spoke, "This cloak is stained with blood, and I don't want it."

She handed the cloak to Ning Yin. After a moment's thought, she left the umbrella as well, gently placing it by his feet. The umbrella unfolded in the vast whiteness, the red plum blossoms depicted on it radiant and vivid.

A thought brewed and surged within her heart, eventually overcoming her formidable rationality.

Ning Yin's eyes flickered, and he almost blurted out, "Take me away."

Yu Lingxi halted, turning to look at him with disbelief.

Ning Yin appeared weak and sincere, his eyes seemingly bottomless.

His Adam's apple moved slightly, and he repeated in a hoarse voice, "Take me away; I'm willing to do anything."

The lantern swayed in the blowing wind, and the sound of the wind and snow echoed between the two of them, separated by a distance of ten feet.

After a while, Yu Lingxi restrained her surprise, her gaze warm and determined. "Unfortunately, I don't need you."

She turned and walked towards the carriage. Ning Yin pursed his lips, immediately following a few steps behind.

Hearing the stumbling footsteps behind her, Yu Lingxi couldn't bear it any longer. She turned back and shouted, "Don't follow me!"

So Ning Yin stood still, like a discarded sword in the snow.

However, as Yu Lingxi set off for the Yu Mansion once she boarded the carriage, the guards alerted her, "That person is still following. Could he be trying to extort us?"

Here we go again! Was Ning Yin born in the year of the dog when he was young—mad and stubborn?

Yu Lingxi lifted the curtain and looked back, only to see the red plum-patterned paper umbrella moving laboriously in the pitch-black night, in the midst of the swirling snow.

Indeed, madness wasn't developed overnight. He was willing to give up even his life.

Well, let it be.

Yu Lingxi thought, tonight's unexpected events had been dealt with appropriately. She returned to the Yu Mansion very late, and attendants came out with lanterns to welcome her.

When Yu Lingxi got off the carriage, she specifically glanced back but didn't see that figure laboriously holding the umbrella.

The snow-covered streets extended into the distance, black and desolate. She couldn't express whether she felt relieved or burdened.

After standing for a while, she instructed the coachman, "Clean up the blood in the carriage, replace the bedding, and don't let anyone notice."

Upon entering the main gate, Lady Yu rushed over with a worried expression. "Sui Sui, why are you back so late? I heard there was a fire on Yongning Street. Did it startle you?"

"I'm fine, Mother. Just took a detour," Yu Lingxi reassured, the warmth and comfort of her mother's hands. With a relieved smile, she said, "You can't withstand the wind, go back to rest quickly."

At the late hour of night, the snow stopped.

Yu Lingxi came out of the bath, wrapped in a cloak and holding a hand warmer, still feeling the bone-chilling cold.

She couldn't help but think of the young figure left behind the carriage.

Could it be that his internal injuries worsened, and he collapsed halfway?

That's his own doing!

Yu Lingxi lay on the couch, turning over, thinking: I've treated him with utmost kindness and righteousness.

The north wind howled, making the window panels rattle, and there was a commotion outside the courtyard. Yu Lingxi was awakened by the noise after a short nap. She rubbed her forehead and asked, "What's the commotion outside?"

The night servant, still half-asleep, came in with a candle and reported, "Miss, there's a beggar outside, and the guards are thinking of driving him away to another place."

A beggar?

Wait a moment...

A subtle thought crossed her mind. Yu Lingxi decided to put on her coat, picked up a cloak from the wooden rack, and said in a low voice, "Bring a lantern; I'm going out for a while."

In the frigid weather, Yu Lingxi hurriedly walked, and the night servant, holding the lantern crookedly, followed, repeatedly saying, "Miss, it's cold, and the road is slippery. Please slow down!"

Yu Lingxi seemed to ignore the advice and ordered the opening of a side door.

Just as she stepped out, she was stunned.

On the doorstep, there was a familiar red plum-patterned paper umbrella, and beside the umbrella, a black-clad young man huddled in the shadows, holding his arms tightly.

Frost clung to his eyelashes, his pale face almost blending with the snow and ice on the ground, showing no signs of vitality.

The gatekeeper hesitated and said, "Miss, this person can't be awakened. He's probably frozen to death. It's really ominous..."

Yu Lingxi raised her hand, silencing the gatekeeper.

No matter who died, it couldn't be Ning Yin.

Because this man would become the nightmare of the imperial city three years later.

She crouched down, her ink-black long hair softly cascading from her shoulders. She reached out to feel Ning Yin's breath. As her index finger approached Ning Yin's straight nose, he opened his eyes. His dark gaze fell on her, revealing a faint hint of surprise.

Although weakened, he was indeed alive.

Locked in a gaze, a furry object emerged from his arms, making a trembling "meow."

Following his gaze, Yu Lingxi discovered a dirty and injured stray cat, cradled in his arms, providing warmth with its meager body heat. For a moment, Yu Lingxi's emotions were complex, and her thoughts uncontrollably returned to a distant past life.

She remembered that in her previous life, Ning Yin had a wolfhound he took hunting every time.

Once, after a autumn hunt, the hound got into a fight with some wild animal and suffered severe injuries. Lying on the ground, it struggled to breathe, appearing in great pain. Ning Yin walked over and gently touched the head of his beloved hound. Just when Yu Lingxi thought Ning Yin would do everything to save the hound, she heard a crisp cracking sound. Without hesitation, he broke the hound's neck.

The poor dog didn't even have a chance to whimper.

Yu Lingxi found it terrifying and incredible. Trembling, she asked, "Didn't Lord Ning love this hunting dog the most? Why would he be so heartless..."

Ning Yin closed the hound's eyes and casually wiped his fingers, saying, "It can't survive, and gasping for breath would only bring more suffering."

Knowing that Ning Yin's thoughts were twisted and he had no reverence for life, Yu Lingxi couldn't help but feel compassion.

Being frail and sickly herself, living each day carrying the wishes of deceased loved ones, she fundamentally wasn't much different from the wounded hunting dog. Many times she wanted to ask Ning Yin, why didn't he kill her? Just like he did to the dying hunting dog.

This doubt, even after her true death, remained unanswered.

Now, seeing everything in front of her, Yu Lingxi's heart seemed to understand something. A madman who could numbly kill his beloved hound had also desperately protected a stray cat.

Yu Lingxi, cloaked in a furry orange-gold light, pursed her lips and asked, "Is it for this cat that you couldn't catch up with my carriage?"

Ning Yin lowered his eyes, nodding slightly.

Yu Lingxi remained silent for a while, took a few steps into the room, and then stopped again.

Without turning around, she instructed the guards, "Bring this person inside for me!"

In the part she couldn't see, the pale lips of the young man curled slightly.

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