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Winter has not yet passed, and the cold wind still blows fiercely. Shaoyi silently watched Cheng Mo Su's figure as she strolled through the courtyard, wrapped only in a thin silk robe. It was only five in the morning, and the entire Cheng Residence was eerily quiet. He did not know that she had not risen early but had stayed awake all night. He felt as if her delicate and frail figure might be blown away by the wind at any moment. He walked towards her, his familiar footsteps growing closer, yet Cheng Mo Su felt that their relationship had shifted from close to distant.
The familiar scent of gunpowder slowly enveloped her entire body, and only then did she feel a hint of warmth. Her slender hand brushed against the coat that Shaoyi had draped over her several times without her noticing. She turned her head to see Shaoyi's tense handsome face and his tightly furrowed brows. "Why are you dressed so lightly again?"
Cheng Mo Su forced a smile that seemed devoid of meaning, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The trees had already withered; even if they were adorned with paper and silk, they could not add a touch of spring color. The petals had long since wilted; even if they covered the ground, they could not bring forth any vitality. She had never felt winter to be so long and desolate. Although she could not be sure what Shaoyi and Xiao Zuo were plotting, an uneasy feeling lingered in her heart, as if Shaoyi had become transparent; no matter how much she reached out, she could not grasp him, only able to struggle endlessly.
"Shaoyi..." After a long pause, she finally spoke, forcing out a hint of a smile. "What have you and Brother Zuo been discussing lately? Can you tell me?"
Shaoyi did not expect Cheng Mo Su to ask so directly. He looked at her reddened cheeks and her hollow smile, feeling as if something was striking heavily in his heart—deep and shallow, without rhythm, disrupting his heartbeat. He wanted to tell her the truth but did not want to burden her. Finally, he turned his gaze away and said, "Miss must be overthinking; we haven't discussed anything."
"Don't lie to me." Her smile suddenly became ethereal, her tone even carrying a hint of tears. "You and Brother Zuo know I only understand a little German; you must be discussing things in German so I won't overhear. I believe you won't harm me, but why can't you just tell me?"
Shaoyi fell silent again; various mixed emotions reflected in his eyes were beyond her comprehension. At that moment, she realized how little she truly knew about Shaoyi. Her heart sank, and she bit her red lips lightly. "I'll go ask Brother Zuo; he will definitely tell me." A glimmer of stubbornness flashed in her eyes. "But I want to hear it from you."
Suddenly, snowflakes began to fall from the sky for no apparent reason, the cool chill melting into both of them. They became silhouettes in each other's gaze, only able to outline their initial forms. Cheng Mo Su's skirt was gently lifted by the wind, revealing her elegantly shaped calves; the sorrow on her face seemed dreamlike. She never expected to become this way one day; she turned and left him alone.
Shaoyi leaned against the withered tree trunk; although it was morning, he felt surrounded by darkness. The events of these past few months were vividly etched in his memory; he thought he would forget them but found that the more he tried to forget, the clearer they became.
"Shaoyi, how long have you been standing here?" It was Xiao Zuo's voice. Shaoyi came back to his senses and glanced at the now-stopped snowflakes before shaking his head. Xiao Zuo sighed. "I just went to find Xiao Su; she's angry and won't see anyone. I realized she must have figured out that we are plotting something behind her back. I was too careless; Xiao Su is so smart; I should have concealed it better instead of coming to find you every day."
"No matter how well you conceal it, it won't help; falsehoods are always false." Shaoyi stepped away from the withered tree trunk; although his tone was cold and hard, it carried an imperceptible loneliness. "She will eventually find out; being angry now allows her to vent at me. If she only learns when I leave, where will all that pent-up anger go?"
"We're leaving tonight; I've already made arrangements, and the passes are ready for action at three in the morning." Xiao Zuo lowered his voice and then patted Shaoyi's shoulder. "Xiao Su may seem gentle and weak on the surface, but she's actually very clever and stubborn inside; she probably realizes that we are not just distant relatives." He looked at Shaoyi's tightly pressed lips and cautiously asked, "Are you planning to say goodbye to Xiao Su before you leave?"
Shaoyi had been silent for a long time, his memory filled with her gentle smile. He closed his eyes, wanting to imprint her image in his heart forever, murmuring, "I will go see her one last time."
It was already noon. Normally, the young lady would just be getting up at this hour, but today, for some reason, she had risen early and gone to Huang Wei's house, even calling Rickshaw herself. Feng Yin was filled with confusion as he packed a few clothes in Cheng Mosu's room to take for washing. Turning his face, he was startled to see Shaoyi standing before him like a block of ice, completely motionless.
"Shaoyi, is there something you need from me?"
"Where is the young lady?" he asked in a deep voice, devoid of any expression.
"The young lady went to Huang Wei's house. She called for a car herself and said she would be staying there tonight," Feng Yin replied, unable to look at Shaoyi's face and lowering his head. A buzzing sound suddenly filled Shaoyi's ears, disturbing his nerves as they tightened and relaxed. He wore a lonely smile on his face, but inside he felt heavy.
Would he not even get to see her one last time...
He had thought that when the day of return came, he would be filled with joy, but he did not expect that the bits and pieces of life here would bring him unbearable melancholy. The road ahead was uncertain, possibly leading to a final farewell. He had never been good with words; he could only act and not speak. However, today there was something he had to convey to her no matter what. He looked seriously at Feng Yin, as if through him he could see Cheng Mosu. "Feng Yin, take good care of her. Also, please tell her for me..." His face bore an unprecedented seriousness. "I'm sorry, and thank you."
Although Feng Yin only partially understood, seeing Shaoyi's earnest expression made him refrain from being impudent and hurriedly nodded in acknowledgment.
In the early morning hours, Shaoyi met with Xiao Zuowei at the entrance of the Cheng Family. Both wore serious expressions as if they were about to attend a meeting concerning matters of life and death. Cheng Mosu peeked out, holding her high heels in hand so that she wouldn't make any noise following them. Her petite feet touched the ground lightly; soon the cold air began to invade her, but she paid no mind to it and silently followed the two tall figures.
The two men walked briskly; she even had to jog to keep up with them. Fortunately, they were both focused on what was about to happen next and did not notice her. Cheng Mosu tucked some loose hair behind her ear after overhearing their conversation in the side courtyard and learned that they were leaving. The mention of going to stay overnight at Hang Wei Family was merely a pretext; she had been waiting at the door for both of them, ready to follow them and find out what was going on.
She didn't know how long they had walked; her feet felt so cold that they had lost all sensation. Finally, the two ahead slowed their pace. When she looked up, she saw it was the City Gate. Although it was night, she seemed to see a row of dark figures standing in the distance—neat and solemn. Instinctively, she hid behind the city wall where she would be hard to spot yet could hear their conversation.
Shaoyi shook off his coat onto the ground. The leader among those people hurried forward to drape a high-collared military uniform over him and offered him a pair of shiny black gloves. He put them on and loaded his gun at his waist; the sound echoed loudly in the silent night. From behind, Cheng Mosu could feel his impressive demeanor radiating confidence.
Shaoyi walked toward that dark crowd as the leader shouted loudly: "Salute!" Cheng Mosu felt a jolt in her heart as she heard the sounds of boots clashing and clothes rustling echoing through the air.
"Report! Shen Mingliang First Team has completed the assembly, welcome back Young Commander! Please give instructions, Young Commander!" The leader bowed again, and Cheng Mosu felt as if time had come to a standstill. What did he say... he said... Young Commander?! Cheng Mosu couldn't hide her surprise and accidentally exclaimed.
"Who?!" On the Battlefield, after countless battles of Life and Death, Shen Mingliang reflexively aimed his gun at Cheng Mosu, his finger ready to pull the trigger. At this moment, Cheng Mosu was still in shock, unable to regain her senses. She stared blankly at Shaoyi, a chill sweeping through her heart. She couldn't clearly see Shaoyi's expression, only vaguely sensing a hint of surprise in his shining eyes and the heroic outline against the night.
It seemed she was unaware that her Life and Death hung by a thread.
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