newbobooks Chapter 251
Chapter 251
As dusk fell, the wind and snow continued to fall incessantly.
Nalan Jingwen strolled aimlessly, unknowingly reaching the outskirts of the city. Outside the city lay a vast expanse of open grassland, buried and covered by thick white snow. The grass and trees were withered and yellow, and frost was everywhere. Perhaps she was tired from walking and feeling slightly tipsy, her head was a little dizzy. She casually sat down on a huge rock, without brushing away the snow, and lay down on it, letting the icy snow water soak through her clothes.
The bright moon hung high in the sky above, its light spilling down upon the world and reflecting on Nalan Jingwen's slightly weary face. The emotions overflowing in his eyes dissipated in the flickering moonlight, and he slowly closed his eyes.
The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of snow falling softly could be heard. In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, it seemed as if she were the only person there.
Her breathing gradually became long and gentle. A fiery red lay on the boulder, as if it were the only color in the world. The slight rise and fall of her chest proved that she was still breathing. Snowflakes fell on her body, her cuffs, her collarbone, and her hair, and then gradually melted away, in an endless cycle.
A familiar presence slowly approached, cautiously, until it reached her side. A burning gaze fell upon her, filled with longing and sorrow, as if trying to hide its intensity, a restrained and controlled look.
Nalan Jingwen was not actually drunk, nor did he intend to open his eyes.
The person beside her stared at her for a long time, scrutinizing every inch of her. Just when Nalan Jingwen thought he was going to keep staring, he moved closer to her again, his hand, which was about to touch her, stopped in mid-air. He was so close, he could touch her with a single reach, but he hesitated, and his fingertips began to tremble.
He was enveloped in inner torment and pain, unable to move. If he took that step, there would be no turning back.
Nalan Jingwen was in no hurry, waiting for the other party's next move. But before he could touch her, a soft, cool snowflake suddenly fell on her lips, carrying a trembling breath, restrained yet burning.
Nalan Jingwen seemed surprised, paused for a moment, but quickly regained his composure, as if nothing had happened.
The person beside her stopped moving, standing quietly beside her, his figure slender and upright, shielding her from the wind and snow behind her, his large hand hovering above her face, blocking the snow falling on her face.
He stood there for as long as Nalan Jingwen had been lying down, until his shoulders were covered with fine snow, dressed in black, his brows and eyes sharp and fierce.
The moon gradually sank in the west, and in the distance, the first rays of sunlight burst forth.
Nalan Jingwen opened her eyes, which were clear and showed no signs of a hangover. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a large hand hanging above her. The palm was rough with thick calluses and many small scars. Compared to the hands of the men around her, this hand was not good-looking at all.
She turned her head and saw that the owner of the hand had his eyes closed and was covered in snow, his hair, eyelashes, and shoulders, almost burying him into a snowman, but he did not move an inch, like an unyielding mountain.
Nalan Jingwen calmly withdrew her gaze, stood up, and shook off the snow from her body. Most of the snow had melted, staining her clothes a dark red. The moment she stood up, Jingchi had already woken up. He stared blankly at Nalan Jingwen's back, his infatuation and longing growing stronger in his eyes. He carefully treasured every movement and every breath in his heart, gently caressing them.
In the instant she turned around, she concealed all the emotions in her eyes, her face blank, like a puppet waiting for instructions, silent and taciturn.
Nalan Jingwen looked at his beautiful eyes and felt it was a real pity. His bright blue eyes were like dazzling sapphires, attracting attention at all times, but it was a shame that they were with such a dull and brooding master.
Noticing Nalan Jingwen's gaze, his heart gradually quickened, and a secret joy rose in his heart, but it was quickly overshadowed by a greater sense of inferiority, leaving no room for further excitement. His hands, hanging at his sides, slowly tightened, his nails digging into his palms, as he tried his best to restrain himself.
He had always known that he was ugly and vulgar, and that women preferred men with delicate and charming appearances. He only knew how to wield swords and spears, and he couldn't do anything that men could do. Moreover, all the men around Nalan Jingwen were handsome and had the appearance of immortals. Compared to them, his appearance was really unpresentable, and no one would like someone like him.
How could he possibly deserve to stand beside her?
The more Nalan Jingwen looked at him, the more inferior he felt. He wanted to cover his ugly face, but he was afraid of displeasing Nalan Jingwen, so he could only stand stiffly in place, enduring Nalan Jingwen's gaze.
His little movements did not escape Nalan Jingwen's notice. Seeing that he didn't know where to put his hands, Nalan Jingwen finally took pity on him, withdrew his gaze, and turned to leave.
She didn't use her spiritual power to dry her already wet clothes, intending to go back and take a bath. The wet clothes were really uncomfortable sticking to her body, so she quickened her pace.
As Jingchi watched her leave, he was about to follow when he caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of his eye, and he stopped abruptly.
A sachet lay quietly beside the boulder, hidden in the shadows and difficult to spot.
He glanced at Nalan Jingwen's gradually disappearing figure, then at the lonely sachet lying there. His thin lips were tightly pursed as he stared at the sachet in a daze. Then, as if possessed, he walked over, carefully picked up the sachet, and held it in his palm.
Feeling the soft touch of the sachet, he gently raised his hand and held it to his nose as if it were a precious treasure. He took a gentle sniff until he smelled that familiar scent. Only then did his tense jaw relax, and a glint of light appeared in his eyes. It was as if he had finally obtained what he wanted. A look of satisfaction and longing appeared in his eyes. With extremely light movements, he carefully placed the sachet into his bosom.
He also had his own selfish motives; let's leave him some memories.
A sudden gust of wind swept across, and the vast snowfield had long since lost sight of that black shadow.
……
After returning to the inn, Nalan Jingwen immediately ordered someone to boil water for her bath. When she took off her clothes, she discovered that the sachet the man had given her yesterday was now gone. She searched the room but couldn't find it. It must have been left on the road. Since she couldn't find it, she gave up. It could only mean that the sachet was not meant for her.
She was having trouble deciding who to give the other one to, so losing it solved that problem for her.
She quickly tidied herself up, and as soon as she opened the door, she saw Jingchi standing at the entrance, like a statue. He covered his face again, exuding a cold aura. People passing by did not dare to look in her direction, glancing at her before hurrying away.
Nalan Jingwen glanced at him and saw that he had changed his wet clothes. She didn't say anything more. After leaving the inn, everyone had finished packing and was ready to set off. After she got into the carriage, she subconsciously looked back and saw that Jingchi's figure had disappeared into the shadows again.