"Yin? So you're here?" I looked at her in surprise and quickly grabbed Gu Yuan's arm to stop him for a moment.
"There are too many people here. Let's talk outside." Yin looked around and walked in another direction.
"Do you know her?" Gu Yuan asked in confusion.
"Yes. Let's catch up with her quickly." I pulled Gu Yuan's hand and followed Yin closely out of the crowd.
As we left the crowd, a graceful young man appeared on the door of the City That Never Sleeps.
He stood with his hands behind his back and found me at a glance in the vast crowd.
I locked eyes with him for two seconds, pretending I was mistaken, then immediately turned my face and walked into the back alley beside the crowd.
Seeing that there was no one around, I quickly stepped forward and grabbed Yin's hand.
"Yin, I'm so glad I found you. What on earth happened?"
Yin looked extremely worried. She looked up at Gu Yuan. Due to his presence, she seemed to have something hard to say.
I turned around and looked at Gu Yuan, saying gently, "Gu Yuan, I'd like to talk to Yin alone. Is that okay?"
"But..." Since Gu Yuan had never met Yin before and didn't know her true identity, he couldn't help but worry that her intentions might not be pure.
"Don't worry. She's my good friend. I'll be fine."
"You've never left the Mist. Where did you get a friend?" Gu Yuan looked at me suspiciously.
I pretended to be helpless and pushed him towards a stone bench not far away. "I'll explain this to you in detail later. Give me some private space. I'll be back soon."
After Gu Yuan was pushed away for a short distance, he quickly ran back to check on Yin. From time to time, he would turn back to look at me. He was just standing not far away watching me.
I smiled at him to tell him not to be too nervous. Only then did he relax his tense face and return a smile to me.
"Yin, what's going on? Why did I become Chiyu? And this isn't my past - life memory, is it?" I quickly grabbed Yin's hand and asked.
"This is your past - life memory. I didn't do anything. I just brought you here." Yin looked serious. She didn't seem to be joking.
"How could this happen?" I still had too many doubts that couldn't be solved.
"Lanlan, how are you getting along with Gu Yuan?" Yin asked.
"Very well. He's really a good man. He's willing to give up everything for Chiyu." I turned to look at Gu Yuan again and smiled at him.
That smile came from the bottom of my heart. I really wanted to stay with him in the Nine Netherworld forever and never be separated.
"You're completely wrong!" Yin pounded her hand and paced back and forth.
I didn't understand what she meant.
"Don't you think something is wrong?"
I tilted my head. "What's wrong? I think it's very reasonable. God gave me a chance to be with Gu Yuan for a lifetime. This time, I'll never let what happened back then repeat itself."
"Lanlan, you're so confused. You're Chiyu's reincarnation and you probably know how things will develop in the future. You want to avoid Chiyu's tragic death. But then what? Do you want to be in love with Gu Yuan here for the rest of your life?"
"Isn't that good?" I still didn't understand what Yin was trying to say.
"What about Chiyu? You've occupied her body. It's as if you've already killed her."
Yin's words woke me up. I suddenly felt so selfish. In order to be with Gu Yuan, I had completely forgotten about Chiyu.
Wasn't this the same as seizing someone's body? When did I become so despicable?
"Was I... wrong?" I asked Yin sadly.
"Lanlan, it's not your fault. Someone deliberately wants to trap you here. So you must go back with me and find out what this person's purpose is."
"Is it the White Impermanence? Did he bring us to the Goddess Temple?" I quickly asked.
"We need to go back to find out about all these." Yin tightly grabbed my hand, afraid that I would refuse.
I lowered my head and didn't say a word. Just thinking about leaving made my heart feel empty, as if I was already saying goodbye to Gu Yuan.
"That's why I came to find you, Lanlan. This place doesn't belong to you. If you stay any longer, Chiyu will really die."
"But..." I looked up at Gu Yuan not far away. He was still standing there, quietly looking at me. There seemed to be a bit of sadness on his gentle face.
I blinked my tear - filled eyes and gave him a sweet smile.
He pursed his lips and looked at me. When our eyes met, he deliberately avoided my gaze and looked down at the ground.
"The past can't be changed. If you forcefully change it, you'll be going against the rules and will not be tolerated by heaven."
Although Yin was very direct, what she said was the truth. Thanks to her appearance, she woke me up and prevented me from being further infatuated.
"How much time do I have left?" I didn't continue to be entangled.
"Now."
"Ah? No, this is too sudden. I still have something to do. I have to wait until I send Gu Yuan into the City That Never Sleeps before I leave. I promised Xinv that I would definitely send Gu Yuan there safely."
Seeing that I was about to cry, Yin felt so heart - broken. She looked up at the red moon in the sky and said,
"Alright. At the latest, when the red moon is directly overhead, I'll take you away. You must leave." She emphasized.
I took Yin's hand and smiled through my tears. "Thank you, Yin."
"Don't thank me. I can only help you this far. We'll meet at the stone bridge in front of the River of Forgetfulness later."
That stone bridge carried too many happy times between Gu Yuan and me.
"I won't interrupt your time together. Go and explain it to him clearly. I'll leave first."
Yin hugged me and then turned around and left.
I stood there, not daring to move for a long time. How could I explain this to Gu Yuan?
My brain was spinning at high speed as I tried hard to adjust my sad emotions.
Actually, I didn't seem to need to explain anything. Maybe I could just leave silently. After I left, Chiyu would still be by his side.
"Are you done talking?" Before I knew it, Gu Yuan had come to my side and asked softly.
I quickly looked up and said, "Yes, I'm done."
"What did you talk about?" he asked with concern.
"Nothing much. She just wanted to invite me to take a stroll in the Nine Netherworld." I answered sincerely with a smile on my lips.
"Let's go. We're going to the City That Never Sleeps." I pushed Gu Yuan on his back and walked in the direction of the City That Never Sleeps.
I did this because I didn't want him to see my about - to - break expression.
Suddenly, Gu Yuan squatted down, put my hand on his shoulder, and with a gentle lift, carried me on his back.
Against the backdrop of the high - hanging red moon and the Kongming lanterns reflected on the River of Forgetfulness, Gu Yuan carried me slowly across the arch bridge. The scene was so warm and sweet.
But the sweetness finally turned bitter. I hated farewells so much. I really wanted to accompany him from this moment on so that he wouldn't have to suffer so much.
I leaned my head on Gu Yuan's neck, and tears slid down helplessly.
"Gu Yuan, will you miss me if you can't see me?"