Are you going to jump or not?

Uh, I can't help but wonder if Li Yexuan has already made up his mind to jump off the cliff—and if he intends to take me with him. But I'm still in the prime of my youth; I don't want to die yet... I made no effort to hide my panic.

He couldn't hold back a laugh, and gave me a gentle knock on the head. "You were just so righteously indignant, and now you're scared out of your wits."

I couldn't believe he could still laugh at a time like this. The men in black were drawing closer, almost upon us. Their exposed, ghostly white eyes glared at us with chilling intensity.

"If I survive, you have to buy me roasted chestnuts," I blurted out, for some reason unable to get chestnuts out of my mind. I had a feeling the chestnuts Li Yexuan bought would be different from anyone else's. Even as I said it, I thought it was a little absurd.

"Are you jumping or not?"

Li Yexuan seemed almost eager to leap, impatience creeping into his voice. His expression silently conveyed: Why don't you go die with your precious chestnuts...

I steeled myself and gritted my teeth. "Jump."

The word had barely left my lips when Li Yexuan pulled me tightly into his arms, and with a single motion, we left the cliff behind and made our glorious leap. The rush of wind swallowed every other sound, as if something invisible was choking the life from me—it was suffocating, and though I wanted to scream, not a single sound escaped my throat.

Thank goodness, Li Yexuan's arms held me close, his warmth reassuring amid the terror.

I suddenly realized that whenever I was afraid, I became sensitive to cold—I always craved a source of warmth nearby. I once talked about this with my younger brother, and he suggested I get a dog—for the warmth, for the company, for the constant presence.

I tried to open my eyes—not out of a desire to see the world one last time, for deep down I didn't really believe I’d die so easily. I just wanted to see Li Yexuan, who was still clutching me so tightly my waist felt like it might snap. But the speed of our fall made it impossible to open my eyes. Dizziness engulfed my mind, and I lost consciousness.

I don't know if it was a dream, but I saw my father and mother, standing on the opposite bank of a river, calling me over.

"Father, Mother..." I could no longer tell what was real, but I wanted to believe they were calling out to me.

Not caring about my disheveled and dirty clothes, I stumbled to my feet, heedless of whether there was a bridge or a boat to cross the river—I just moved forward.

All I could see were my loving parents, and I wanted nothing more than to reach them, to keep them from drifting away.

"Mu Fan, Mu Fan..."

Why was someone calling Mu Fan? I am Zi Yun, Huangfu Zi Yun. Who is calling me? My head throbbed with pain.

"Mu Fan, Mu Fan, wake up..."

The voice grew clearer, while my father and mother on the riverbank faded into a blur.

No...

I stretched my hands toward them with all my might, but I could no longer reach them...

Pain radiated through my body, and sensation returned. Exhausted, I opened my eyes.

Before me, Li Yexuan looked utterly bedraggled, his image in tatters. His hair was disheveled, that devilishly handsome face marred by scratches, his clothes torn and filthy.

I wanted to laugh, but couldn't manage it. I must have looked no better myself.

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and flopped down beside me. I closed my eyes again and drifted back into sleep, but this time, there were no dreams of my father and mother.

I don't know how long we slept, but eventually we both woke, groggy but alive. I hurriedly checked myself over—aside from scrapes and bruises, nothing serious.

"Li Yexuan, are you alright?" I nudged him, though he was clearly awake, feigning sleep.

"I'm fine."

"Li Yexuan, I only remember us falling. What happened after that?"

"I have considerable skills. Saving a little girl is nothing."

He rolled over and went right back to sleep.

I lay there, my head resting on my arm, noticing for the first time that we were in a cave, cold and gloomy.

What I really wanted to ask was whether he'd heard anything—had he heard me calling out for my father and mother in my dream? If he had, perhaps he'd be itching to cut me down with his sword, or lock me up as a traitor. But since I was still lying here, maybe it was all right.

My stomach rumbled—it had probably been a long time since I'd eaten. Who knew how many days had passed in this mountain wilderness? Luckily, I'd eaten well before our fall, or I might not have made it this far.

"Li Yexuan, I'm hungry." I reached over to tug at his sleeve, but got no response. Was he dead asleep? Had he fainted?

Anxious, I scrambled up and tried to roll him over to check. But he was far too large for me, and I was too weak—no matter how I tried, I couldn't turn him.

I had no choice but to run around to the other side, only to find him still lying there with his eyes closed.

He didn't look so bad, actually. I reached out impulsively and pinched his face. From a certain angle, he was almost... cute. The more I played, the more I enjoyed it, kneading and pinching his cheeks.

Suddenly, his right hand shot out and caught both of mine, still on his face.

"What are you trying to do?" he said through gritted teeth, his voice edged with anger.

I quickly withdrew my hands, realizing I'd gone too far. If our illustrious Night King got angry and chopped off my hands, what would I do then?

"Um, I'm just hungry, Li Yexuan. Could you find something to eat?" Food is a necessity, and I was starving—I couldn't afford to worry about pride.

"Who’s the master here, and who’s the servant?" he roared again.

"I’m General Yunheng’s maid..." My voice was barely above a whisper, lacking all confidence.

I’m Yunheng’s maid, not yours, Li Yexuan. I have no obligation to serve you, so what if I refuse?

"Yunheng is nothing—he's my servant, too. Hmph." With a huff, he sprang up and stalked out, grumbling all the while.

By the time I came to my senses, he had already disappeared into the distance.

"Hey, Li Yexuan, come back!"

"Li Yexuan, where are you going..."

No matter how I shouted, there was no answer. The empty cave echoed with loneliness—I was alone.

"Ah... Li Yexuan, forget the food, just come back..." I ran to the mouth of the cave and shouted, only then realizing that night had fallen.

In the darkness, sending a prince to forage for food in the wilderness seemed almost cruel.

If something happened to him, would I be left here alone at the foot of the cliff?

Huddled in the deepest corner of the cave, I clung to the faint light of the fire Li Yexuan had kindled, as if it were the only thing keeping the darkness at bay. Alone with the flickering flames, I felt an overwhelming sense of desolation.