Li Yexuan, you’re really handsome.

For a moment, the atmosphere grew awkward, and I hastily closed my mouth. Clearly, such poetic words were not suited for us. Thankfully, Li Yexuan showed little reaction, absorbed in his own thoughts as he walked on. Perhaps he hadn't listened closely, which was for the best. I followed Li Yexuan once more into the maple forest.

They say men and women experience things differently, and it couldn't be more true. Even for someone like me, changing to a different gender's attire brought a wholly new sensation. Now, I could jump and skip as I pleased, and the scattered groups around us would no longer whisper about me being effeminate. I no longer needed to hold a folding fan; instead, I shoved it into Li Yexuan’s hand.

"Here, it's yours now."

From the timid days when I followed Li Yexuan like a dutiful little wife, I now leapt ahead while he walked behind me.

"No one in Maple Leaf City knows Mu Fan. Why not indulge yourself in this disguise for a while?"

Li Yexuan managed a rare smile.

"When I was at the General's Mansion, I always wore a maid's dress, styled my hair in silly maid’s buns, and purposely made myself look ugly to avoid trouble because of this face. After escaping, I never dared wear women’s clothes again."

I stood beside Li Yexuan, speaking softly. I trusted him deeply. I was not someone given to sentimentality, nor did I like to hang my secrets on my lips. But since Li Yexuan could read my heart, speaking of it didn’t matter.

"Now that you finally get what you wished for. Come, let’s go to the stream and see our reflections."

"Alright."

We crouched by the mountain spring halfway up the slope. My shadow appeared in the water; long hair fell over my shoulders, and Li Yexuan’s reflection was beside mine.

Through the spring’s mirror, I realized we had never smiled so harmoniously. In the years to come, I would dream of this day. I blamed myself for being slow to understand, for knowing that Li Yexuan saw through me, yet never seeking to understand his feelings. I lamented countless times: if only I had forgotten Yun Heng sooner, if only I had spoken plainly, all those years of suffering would not have been necessary. Nor was I alone in this suffering; many others were dragged into it. Alas, hindsight is priceless, and there is no way to turn back.

My hands dipped into the spring, the coolness seeping into my fingers, immersing my whole body in a refreshing sensation.

Li Yexuan was a prince; surely he wouldn't lower himself to drink from the spring, would he?

I turned to look, and indeed, he was crouched there, still holding the folding fan.

I scooped up the spring water in my hands and offered it to him. The gesture felt rash immediately after I did it.

How could he possibly drink? My hands froze, unsure whether to withdraw, as water dripped through my fingers. How embarrassing. Why couldn’t I think things through before acting?

Suddenly, something gripped my wrist and pulled me forward. Li Yexuan bowed his head and drank from my hands. His lips brushed against my skin, making it tingle.

"Li Yexuan… I…" The words ‘don’t misunderstand’ never left my mouth.

"The spring is sweet. Why don’t you try it?"

He wiped the water from his mouth, seeming entirely unconcerned.

"Alright."

Whether it was embarrassment or nervousness, I suddenly slipped, tumbling headfirst into the spring.

Heavens, this was halfway up the mountain—falling here could mean death or serious injury, not to mention being drenched to the core.

There must have been plenty of moss on the rocks by the spring, making them so slippery. I tried to grab Li Yexuan’s hand, but failed.

I thought my reputation as Huangfu Ziyun would be cut short, lost forever in the mountain spring of Maple Leaf Forest. Yet, a pair of hands caught me.

It was him—Li Yexuan.

His grip was strong, pulling me into his embrace.

"Li Yexuan…"

"Don’t be afraid…"

His words made me instinctively wrap my arms tighter around his waist.

A wicked thought flashed through my mind: with Li Yexuan here, my chances of avoiding injury were higher. And if I were to sacrifice myself in this spring, at least a beautiful man was by my side—no regrets. So I held on tight.

Indeed, Li Yexuan spun us around several times, stepping deftly onto the scattered stones in the spring.

I lifted my head from the shelter of his arms, meeting his gaze. I am not skilled at lying, especially when looking someone in the eye. That's why I seldom do so, since being Mu Fan means hiding Huangfu Ziyun's secret—a form of deception.

"Li Yexuan, has anyone ever told you how handsome you are?" Ha, I actually complimented him.

Unexpectedly, Li Yexuan stepped into thin air, and we both fell straight down…

"Ah… Li Yexuan, I swear I’ll never compliment you again!"

"Such nonsense."

With a twist and a burst of strength, Li Yexuan got us out of the spring and landed us on solid ground.

We sat down abruptly—how close we came to disaster…

My shout drew a crowd, including Kong Juelin, who arrived at the sound.

"Yexuan, what on earth are you doing… huh… Mu Fan?" Kong Juelin was clearly startled by my appearance.

"Perfect timing, give me a hand."

Li Yexuan’s skills were impressive; despite the chaos, his clothes were barely wet.

"You robbed a girl? Why play the thief instead of behaving properly?" Kong Juelin’s reaction to my attire was to accuse me of robbery. Unbelievable.

"You’re the thief; your whole family’s thieves, hmph."

Almost falling into the spring was humiliation enough, and Kong Juelin seemed determined to make it worse.

"Otherwise, why do you look like this?"

"Li Yexuan bought it for me."

"What…"

Kong Juelin’s voice was so loud it frightened a flock of birds from the woods.

"Can you keep it down? Haven’t you ever seen anything before?" I muttered, returning to the spring’s edge and crouching.

"Mu Fan, you…" Li Yexuan came over quickly.

"Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Besides, if it does, I have you all here."

Li Yexuan said no more. Kong Juelin hooked his arm around Li Yexuan’s shoulders, whispering something I couldn’t hear.

I removed my hairpin, letting my hair cascade down, and gazed at my reflection in the spring, smoothing it with my fingers.

By chance, I glanced toward the mountaintop and saw a woman standing there.

Forgetting my unfinished hair, I sprang up and ran.

"What’s wrong…" Perhaps my expression was too grave, for Li Yexuan and Kong Juelin followed closely.

"Look at the summit."

"Hurry!"

They saw the figure too, and the three of us raced upward.

In the past, I thought my stamina was decent, but now it was clear I was woefully lacking. Li Yexuan and Kong Juelin reached the summit while I still had much of the trail left. The person attempting suicide was a girl—how could two men persuade her?

My sluggish pace was almost unbearable. Li Yexuan returned, took me with him, and used his lightness skill to reach the summit.

Saving a life was urgent; I had no time to thank Li Yexuan.

"Miss, whatever it is, talk it out. Don’t do anything rash." I tried to approach the woman.

"Don’t come any closer."

"Alright, we won’t approach. Just don’t step back any further."

I shot a glance at Li Yexuan and Kong Juelin.

Speak up, especially you, Kong Juelin—weren’t you always so talkative?

But they seemed at a loss for words.

Catching my hint, they finally spoke.

"If there’s anything troubling you, tell us. We can help." Li Yexuan, ever succinct.

"Yes, yes," Kong Juelin added, earning a roll of my eyes—couldn’t he say anything better?

"Miss, whatever it is, talk to us; nothing is unsolvable. Don’t do anything foolish, don’t make decisions you’ll regret."

"No, you don’t understand. You’re not from around here, are you? You must be people I can’t afford to offend. Thank you for your kindness, but before anyone sees, you’d better leave. This is my fate. After I jump, dust returns to dust, earth to earth." As she spoke, she held her stomach, glancing at it and then down the mountain.

Indeed, as she observed, the scattered people in the maple forest had all but vanished. Perhaps they knew something, staying clear of this trouble, while only we three outsiders had come up to intervene.

"Wait, if you must jump, let me finish speaking first." My words made Kong Juelin look at me with surprise.

Wasn’t I just asking for trouble?

"Miss, listen to me. Are you really determined to jump? It doesn’t matter if you die, but isn’t it a pity for the child in your womb?"

"You… how do you know…"

"Intuition. Because I am a woman too."

"But this child has no reason to exist."

"But he is here, isn’t he? Once here, he is a life, and has the right to live. Are you standing here to end both your lives? To do what will pain those who care for you and delight your enemies?" My voice rose sharply. "Wake up! If death could solve everything, this world would be filled with corpses."

"I have no way out…"

"Solutions are created by people. As long as you live, as long as you think and your heart beats, there will be a way." A sense of determination welled up inside me.

I had witnessed the fall of my country, the death of my parents before my eyes, separation from my brother whose fate remains unknown. I have contemplated death, yet I survived. I refuse to believe there is anything insurmountable.

"Think carefully now—will you jump, ending it all and leaving those who care for you in lifelong pain? Or will you step forward, reconsider, and find another way? If you still can’t, then jumping is always an option. The three of us may not have great power, but we have sharp minds and fearless spirits. Isn’t that so?" I nudged the two men with my elbow; both nodded in agreement.

"But their power is overwhelming. I am just a weak woman; I cannot fight them. I don’t want to drag you into this…"

"Maple Leaf City is nothing to us."

I secretly gave Li Yexuan a thumbs-up. Well said.