Quand je reviendrai avec toi

Chapitre 36

He didn't want to think about Jia Ye's current situation, yet he couldn't help but think about it.

I imagined her cool skin, her refreshing fragrance, and how she must have been biting her lip as she was being taken advantage of by others.

I recall her heartless words and mocking gaze.

That cold, aloof beauty was so captivating it made one feel as if their blood was being drawn out.

Having fallen from such a lowly and contemptible state, he still couldn't turn away, unable to find any reason to continue. He wished he could beat himself up.

It started to drizzle outside the window.

I don't know how much time passed, but the night seemed endless.

It felt like a hundred years had passed before the barely audible footsteps finally sounded.

The door opened slightly, and Jia Ye stepped in, her clothes covered in mud, her shoes filthy, and she was carrying something in her hand. Blood dripped from her wrist, leaving a trail of wet, muddy footprints on the ground.

She wasn't wearing an outer garment; her undergarment was soaked through and clung tightly to her delicate body. Her black hair was disheveled and hung down her cheeks. Water droplets rolled down her small chin, and she shivered slightly from the cold.

“You…are still here…” She gave a slight smile, her body as cold as ice.

He grabbed her hand; her slender white fingertips were covered in scratches and grime. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a shocking array of crisscrossing wounds on her wrist, from which blood slowly seeped.

An irrepressible urge to kill surged within him, and he turned to leave, but she grabbed him.

Where are you going?

"I'll go kill him!" He shook his arm and broke free.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when she grabbed him from behind, her wet arms wrapping around his waist.

"It has nothing to do with him." Her voice was low, her vest gradually becoming damp, and he couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the heat.

Seeing that he remained silent, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing the bright red mark of her virginity. "I cut myself."

She turned back stiffly, her gaze surprised and confused. She offered no further explanation, and put down the object she had been carrying.

"My clothes are very dirty, I'm going to take a shower first."

When Jia Ye came out of the bathroom, he was staring at the objects on the table.

Her outer garment was torn in two, each piece wrapping a pile of bones. One pile belonged to a woman and was clearly older, while the other pile was likely the remains of a minor male.

Jia Ye silently took out two jade jars, carefully placed the skeleton inside, and meticulously packed it away bit by bit.

“These two skeletons, one is my mother, and the other is Huaiyi.” Jia Ye’s skin was as clear as porcelain, her black hair fell to her shoulders, and her expression was calm, without any sign of grief. “I dug them up at night. My mother was hastily buried back then, and even though we found her, we couldn’t be sure, so we had to do a blood test on the bones, which took some time.”

"You..." Having put aside her questions about the wound, another mystery immediately arose.

"I didn't let him touch me." He obediently allowed her to apply medicine and bandages. Seeing his confusion, Jia Ye smiled gently, like a flower of pure ice. "I used benefits as bait to get him to agree to wait a few more days."

The rain outside the window stopped. I opened the window and looked out; the sky was full of twinkling stars.

She lifted the jade altar, gesturing for him to follow. They quietly stepped out of the water palace, crossed the rain-stained stone path, passed over the dark buildings, and arrived at the Siji Jian (Imperial Stables) located at the exit of the mountain path.

The stables were completely silent, except for a solitary lamp hanging in a secluded stable, casting a dim yellow light.

Pushing open the door, there was a fully saddled and bridled horse inside, carrying the necessary packs on its back, lazily chewing on hay.

"Time is of the essence, I only had time to prepare one horse, so..." She turned her head away somewhat uncomfortably.

After a long silence, just as she was about to say something, the man suddenly mounted his horse, pulled her up, and wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Sit tight." A deep male voice sounded in my ear.

They spurred their horses forward, their hooves thundering like a torrential downpour, and quickly galloped out of the quiet mountain path.

As we moved further away from the heavy mountain shadows, we gradually slowed the reins.

A bright moon emerged from between the layers of Tianshan peaks, floating above the vast sea of clouds, making even the morning stars lose their luster.

A relentless wind sweeps across the land, brushing past the pavilions of Jiangnan and the cold moon over the borderlands, its vastness and continuity unending. Like a ribbon of clear light, it blankets the heavens and earth, a magnificent natural spectacle that intoxicates the soul.

Even though he was used to it, the person in his arms still couldn't help but admire it. He tightened his arms, his chest filled with emotion, and suddenly his heart surged with emotion, and he let out a clear whistle.

…This place has always been a battlefield, where no one returns… The long wind blows for tens of thousands of miles, passing through the Jade Gate Pass…

After seven years of bloodshed and warfare, he finally returned home, freed from the cage he had been imprisoned for so long.

He lowered his head and gently kissed the hair that was being blown about by the wind.

"Let's go back."

End of Volume 1

Jiangnan Chapter

Jiangnan

In the warm spring of March, the grass grows long in Jiangnan, flowers bloom on the trees, and orioles fly in flocks.

In springtime in Jiangnan, the breeze is gentle, the willows sway, and the deep green leaves are in full bloom.

Small bridges over flowing water, winding alleys and deep courtyards, black tiles and white walls.

Pedestrians thronged the streets, and bustling vendors and shops lined up one after another, selling all sorts of delicate items, as well as rouge and face powder favored by pretty young girls, and ink and brush paintings on raw Xuan paper for scholars. The soft, melodious voices of bargaining filled the air, and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of peach blossoms.

The weary travelers from the northern frontier stepped into Jiangnan, as if entering a new and strange world. After washing up, Jia Ye, with her hair still wet, leaned against the window and gazed at it for a long time.

He used a cloth to wipe the water dripping from her hair.

"It's so beautiful here." She sighed, resting her arms on her hands, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"After seeing so many, they all become ordinary." The sunset over the snow-capped peaks when he first arrived in the desert had amazed him.

"You're not happy about going back to the Central Plains?"

"No."

She wouldn't understand. Having been away from home for many years, the closer she gets to her hometown, the more timid she becomes.

Everything at home is shrouded in mystery and dread. How can we explain the seven years that have vanished without a trace?

Her bright, clear eyes stared at him for a long time before suddenly looking away.

Let's part ways here.

His hand paused, and she continued directly, "You have your destination, and I have mine. There's no need to linger together any longer; it's better to go our separate ways as soon as possible."

"Where do you want to go?" After a long silence, the hand behind him began to wipe his black hair again.

"Me?" She picked up a stray strand of hair and twirled it delicately between her fingers. "I'm just here to enjoy the scenery; the rest is none of your business."

"Then let's go together."

“There’s no need,” she calmly rejected. “You are free now that you’ve left Tianshan. You no longer need to obey my orders, especially since your skill level is now higher than mine.”

Are you afraid of me?

Knowing it was a provocation, she gave a light snort. "What are you referring to?"

"I'm afraid my martial arts skills are enough to threaten you." He replaced the cloth with a toothbrush and slowly combed his cloud-like hair, his movements as unhurried as his words.

“Is it necessary? If you want to kill me, you’ll have to pay a considerable price.” She closed her eyes, analyzing the situation as if she were detached from the matter. “Even if you resent the years you spent as a slave, you will surely weigh the consequences of your actions. Hating me wouldn’t lead you to take such a risk.”

Do you think I hate you?

“It’s normal to hate me. Nobody likes to be controlled, especially someone like you.” She took the comb and slowly gathered her black hair, still looking out the window.

"You've always been good to me."

"I'm not so foolish as to think you'd be grateful." She laughed sarcastically. "It was all just mutual exploitation; it would be a miracle if we could go our separate ways in the end."

"Why did you agree to come with me?" He wasn't provoked; his deep eyes seemed to be probing.

"What do you want to hear?" Jia Ye turned around, meeting his gaze with a mocking look. "I was determined to kill the Pope, but I didn't think about what would happen after I succeeded. Coincidentally, Qian Ming's coercion also disgusted me. Since I didn't want to agree, I naturally had to leave Tianshan. Traveling with you was just a side trip."

Her smile was cold and indifferent. "Don't overthink it; a misjudgment can be fatal."

"That sounds so heartless." The man's words were a mixture of regret and sigh as he braced himself against the windowsill, trapping her inside. "So, for the past seven years, you've only been using me."

"So what? I still got what I wanted." She tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge.

"In the end, you're still afraid of me."

"What do you mean?" Disliking the submissive posture, she used her true strength to shake them off and walked to the bedside to pack her belongings.

"If you're afraid I'll seek revenge, you'd better get away as soon as possible." He was still leaning against the window, and it was hard to tell how sincere his words were.

"You can say that if you want," she replied indifferently, without even looking up.

"or………"

After a moment of silence, the man approached and pressed her hand down, his eyes filled with a strange light.

Are you afraid that if you stay with me for a long time, you won't be able to leave?

His eyes were bright, his handsome brows held a hint of defiance, and he stared intently into her eyes with a dazzling and spirited air.

He was stunned for a moment, unable to find a reply in his mind.

Before she could answer, it was too late. A smile suddenly bloomed on his handsome face, like the sun breaking through the clouds, and he pulled her up with an irresistible hand.

"If that weren't the case, why would we have parted ways?"

"Let's go, I'll take you to explore Jiangnan."

Walking down the bustling street, she gently touched her forehead, still unable to understand why she had been lost in thought for a moment.

He was flicked on the head, and he looked at her with a smile.

"Walking and sightseeing, there's not much to see on the ground in Jiangnan."

The teasing tone struck a chord within him, and he suddenly realized something was amiss. Since leaving Tianshan, he had become increasingly assertive, no longer the silent shadow following behind. With the shift in his status and power, many things had spiraled out of his control, and he was the most affected by it.

It doesn't feel comfortable, so going our separate ways as soon as possible is the wisest choice.

Having made up my mind, I have no more doubts.

She looked up and surveyed the street scene, listening to him point out the sights and sounds of Jiangnan, appreciating the charm that was completely different from the desert, and was soon captivated.