Xile Town wasn't particularly large, but in the night, it looked like a lurking beast with a yawning maw, waiting to devour anyone who dared to come near.
Song Yihuan was riding the horse Ji Lingchuan had caught for her in the mountains. Sensing her unease, the horse trotted steadily, sparing her the jolts of a rough ride.
Guided by her instincts, Song Yihuan urged the horse along the main street until they reached the end of the town.
Crossing the memorial archway at the town's edge, she squinted into the night to get her bearings. Then, pointing to the rightmost path, she said, "Search that way!"
By the moonlight, she could just make out a mountain trail in the distance, flanked by towering trees on either side.
Gu Yunzheng didn't question her choice of path. Instead, he said, "The road ahead is uncertain. Don't rush in. Stay close behind me and don't get lost."
Song Yihuan tightened her lips, her limbs numb with cold. But she steeled herself and urged the horse forward.
She'd chosen this path because if the person who'd abducted Xuan'er intended to kill him, the mountains would be the perfect place to dispose of the body. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
All she hoped for now was that her hunch was wrong, that Ji Lingchuan would find Xuan'er safe and sound. Otherwise, she'd never forgive herself.
As time dragged on, the sky gradually lightened from a deep black to a lighter shade, a sign that dawn was approaching.
But Song Yihuan could feel that the air had grown even colder. At dawn, when light and darkness meet, it's always the coldest.
The moment she entered the mountains, she felt a strange tug at her heart. She sat up straight in the saddle.
She could sense that Xuan'er was here, waiting for her.
"Song—Yi—Xuan—"
She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the mountains.
The wind whipped through her hair, fluttering her sleeves and skirt. The frail woman looked as if she might be carried away by the wind at any moment.
Following the faint pull in her heart, Song Yihuan ventured deeper into the mountains. The terrain grew more and more complex.
She was getting closer. She could feel it. Xuan'er must be here.
Song Yihuan scanned the area around her, searching for any clues. Her eyes suddenly fixed on something, and she quickened her pace. Gu Yunzheng caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
"Watch out! There's a slope ahead. You might fall!"
"Let go!" Song Yihuan pushed his hand away and rushed forward.
By the light of the torch in her hand, she saw a tuft of fur caught on a bush. She picked it up and recognized it as fox fur. Her knees buckled beneath her.
She'd caught a red fox in the mountains and made a scarf out of its fur for Song Yixuan. He'd loved it so much that he'd worn it everywhere.
He was down there. He had to be.
She couldn't even cry out. She just pushed through the bushes and started to run down the slope. But the ground was uneven, and she almost slipped and fell.
Gu Yunzheng realized that she must have found something. He apologized under his breath and grabbed her wrist. Then, he shielded her with his body and helped her down the slope.
As the sky grew lighter, Song Yihuan saw a small hand curled up in the bushes at the bottom of the slope.
"Xuan'er!" she cried out. She yanked her hand out of Gu Yunzheng's grasp and stumbled forward.
She lifted the small body out of the bushes and held it tightly in her arms. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise. She couldn't breathe.
She wanted to call out his name, but no sound came out. Tears streamed down her face and onto her clothes and the child's face.
Xuan'er, Xuan'er.
Her Xuan'er!
"Ah—"
She finally found her voice and let out a heart - wrenching wail that echoed through the valley. Anyone who heard it would be moved to tears.
Gu Yunzheng knelt down in front of Song Yihuan and reached out to check Song Yixuan's breathing. He closed his eyes tightly.
He... was no longer breathing.
Gu Yunzheng felt the child's hands and body. The limbs were not completely stiff yet, and there was still a faint warmth.
His expression turned grim. He stood up and looked around. "He died not long ago. The person who brought him here can't have gone far. They must still be in the mountains!"
Despite his concern for Song Yihuan, Gu Yunzheng knew he had to act quickly. He set off in search of the murderer's trail.
Song Yihuan didn't notice that Gu Yunzheng had left. She gently stroked her brother's cold, lifeless face and sobbed, "Xuan'er, Xuan'er, wake up. Fourth sister is here to take you home."
"You're cold, aren't you? Don't be afraid. Fourth sister will warm you up."
She blew on her hands and placed them on the child's chest, rubbing gently. When her hands grew cold, she blew on them again. After warming his chest, she moved on to his limbs and hands, desperately trying to bring some warmth back to his cold body and make him open his eyes and call her "sister" again.
This was the scene that greeted Gu Yunzheng when he returned.
His heart ached. He stepped forward and tried to stop her. "Yihuan, stop. He's gone..."
Song Yihuan grabbed his hand and pleaded, "Brother Gu, please. Your hands are warmer than mine. Warm him up, okay?"
Looking into her broken eyes, Gu Yunzheng sighed. He blew on his hands and started to rub Song Yixuan's chest and limbs, just like she had.
But no matter how many times they tried, the child showed no sign of life.
The first rays of sunlight shone down on the earth. When Song Yihuan finally got a clear look at Song Yixuan's face, she gave up all hope.
"Stop, Brother Gu. That's enough," she said hoarsely.
Gu Yunzheng sighed and withdrew his hands.
Song Yihuan tenderly picked up Song Yixuan's body. She kissed his forehead and murmured, "Xuan'er, let's go home."
Gu Yunzheng helped her to her feet and escorted her down a small path at the bottom of the slope.
Every step was a struggle for Song Yihuan as she carried her beloved brother in her arms.
Her face was solemn, and her once - lively eyes were now dull, as if all the will to live had died with Song Yixuan.
Gu Yunzheng was deeply worried about her. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he didn't know where to start.
"Jingle, jingle, jingle—"
As they were about to leave the valley, a strange tinkling sound echoed through the silent forest. Song Yihuan turned her head in the direction of the sound.
A white - haired man riding a donkey with a bell around its neck was coming down the mountain.
The man was incredibly handsome, but his eyes were downcast, and his pupils had no focus. He seemed to be blind.
Song Yihuan stopped in her tracks and lowered her head, hoping that the man would pass by first.
The white - haired man rode past her and Gu Yunzheng. Just when they thought he was going to be a passing stranger, the man pulled on the reins, and the donkey stopped. The bell fell silent.
He turned his face towards Song Yihuan and said,
"Completely devoid of breath, yet still alive. Intriguing."