Leaning against a tree not far from the others, Ping'an watched the lovers sitting across the creek, immersing themselves in conversation. She closed her eyes, a heavy sigh escaping her.
Deep down, she knew Zhao Renshu was his own self, fiercely independent. If he chose to love another person, she understood she had no right to stop him. She loved him deeply, profoundly, but that didn't mean he had to love her with the same exclusivity she felt. After all, he had saved her countless times, given her a place to call home, a life she could never have imagined. A familiar ache settled in her heart; she had known, a long time ago, that they might separate one day, but the thought of it now felt too soon, too raw to fully accept.
She also reminded herself that within two short months, Guo Baiyu, the other man she loved so fiercely, would become someone else's husband. She looked down at the ground, seeing only her own shadow stretched long beside her. A faint, melancholic chuckle escaped her lips, tinged with a quiet bitterness. From birth to the very last breath, she would take in this world, the only constant companion, she realized, was always her own shadow.
A rustle of movement drew her attention. She opened her eyes to see Zhao Renshu walking towards her.
"Ping'an..." Zhao Renshu murmured, his voice low, filled with a palpable shame. He couldn't quite meet her eyes.
"Are you done clearing your issue with Miss Hu?" Ping'an asked, her voice calm, almost too calm.
"Mmm..." Zhao Renshu mumbled, avoiding her gaze.
Ping'an offered Zhao Renshu a gentle, reassuring smile, though her heart ached with a quiet pain. "That's good. Leaving misunderstandings unresolved is harder to fix later on." Then, her gaze shifted to Guo Baiyu, who had approached silently. "Baiyu, he is doing well. Let's go." Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Zhao Renshu standing alone.
Guo Baiyu looked at Zhao Renshu, a flash of anger in his eyes, a silent accusation passing between them. He took Ping'an's hand, his grip firm, and together they walked away with Shui Aichi trailing behind them.
Zhao Renshu turned his face to Hu Qingge, his expression now a mask of furious resentment. "If you hadn't saved me, I would definitely hit you right now," he snarled, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. "Let's make it clear." He stared at her mercilessly, his eyes burning. "I don't love you, and I will never. I hate people like you. Those who think they are too smart, who twist words around." His left hand clenched into a fist, and the binding string around his wrist burned fiercely, then snapped in the middle, falling to the ground. "I owe you for saving me, but your words broke her heart. We are even." He then stormed after Ping'an, his earlier calm shattered.
Zhao Renshu caught up to Ping'an, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to stand in front of him. "If you are angry with me," he pleaded, his voice raw with desperation, "then hit me or yell at me, but please don't walk away from me."
Ping'an smiled, a faint, sad smile, and shook her head. "Renshu, actually I am not mad. I understand."
"How do you understand when I haven't explained anything to you?" Zhao Renshu demanded, confused by her placid response.
Ping'an's smile widened slightly, tinged with a deep weariness. "No need to explain. I understand."
Zhao Renshu frowned, his frustration mounting. "No, you don't understand! I can explain!"
"Because of some promises between the two of you," Ping'an insisted, her voice soft but firm, "you don't have to wait for me to choose between him and you. I understand... I know that one day we must separate. Sooner or later that day will come, so let it be today." Her smile held a heartbreaking resignation. "You don't owe me anything. You are your own self. You have the right to love and be loved by others."
Zhao Renshu did not expect her to say that. He exhaled deeply, a ragged gasp of anger and disbelief. "You really mean it?" He stared intensely into her eyes, searching for any sign of doubt. "Is this what you want?"
"Yes," Ping'an said, her voice barely a whisper, but firm. She smiled at him, a tear finally escaping and tracing a path down her cheek.
Zhao Renshu was consumed by a blinding rage, not at her, but at himself, for his inability to control his emotions, for the pain he had caused. His eyes snapped open, a desperate spark igniting as he saw Shui Aichi, who was still holding her woven string, watching them with wide eyes. He snatched the string from Shui Aichi's hand and, with a furious resolve, tied one end tightly to Ping'an's left wrist and the other to his own right wrist.
"What are you doing?" Ping'an gasped, surprised by his sudden, defiant action.
"I don't believe in this shit, but you do!" Zhao Renshu snarled, tying the string tightly. He looked fiercely at Guo Baiyu, a challenge in his eyes. "Let's go."
"What do you think this will achieve?" Guo Baiyu questioned, his voice laced with exasperation.
"I don't know," Zhao Renshu retorted, a wild gleam in his eye, "maybe the same way you agree to marry a woman you don't love!"
"Don't drag my problem into your problem!" Guo Baiyu shot back, his face tightening.
Zhao Renshu ignored him, turning to Ping'an, his expression softening to one of possessive adoration. "Ping'an, dear, do you think I am going to let you off that easy?" He smiled, a dark, dangerous edge to his charm. "After all we have been through, do you think you can just tell me to break it off, and I would accept it, and walk away sadly? Let me tell you, even if you go down to the eighteenth level of hell, I will never let you go. I will still chase after you!"
"What you mean is that even if she chooses me, you will still follow her," Guo Baiyu interjected, a resigned understanding in his voice.
"Stop interrupting me, I'm not even talking to you!" Zhao Renshu snapped, his gaze fixed solely on Ping'an. "Let us be clear, even after death I will still chase you!"
"It's not funny to joke about death," Ping'an said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"You can break up with me in two months," Zhao Renshu conceded, a cunning glint in his eye. "As of now, I still have every right to be close to you."
Three days later, Shui Aichi and Grandfather Shui bid farewell to the lovers, their faces a mixture of relief and fondness. When they reached the T-shaped intersection, Hu Qingge was already there, waiting. Zhao Renshu, avoiding eye contact, stared straight ahead, clutching Ping'an's hand tightly.
"Renshu, can I have a moment with you?" Hu Qingge asked, her voice soft but persistent.
Zhao Renshu continued walking, ignoring her. Hu Qingge reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Renshu, talk with her," Ping'an said, stopping him gently. She offered a small, strained smile to both Zhao Renshu and Hu Qingge. "It's not good to part on bad terms." She gently pulled her hand away from Zhao Renshu's. Ping'an smiled again, her voice calm. "Talk to her nicely, and don't get angry. Baiyu and I will wait for you at the tree."
Ping'an and Guo Baiyu merged onto the main road. They found the familiar tree that Guo Baiyu had once leaned under five days ago. Ping'an and Guo Baiyu sat in its welcoming shade, seeking refuge from the hot summer sun.
Ping'an didn't speak to Guo Baiyu at all. He didn't know what she was thinking. He couldn't decipher if she was sad or happy. He didn't know whether she would forgive Zhao Renshu. He didn't know if she would choose him, and he didn't know if he could ever truly be with her. The uncertainty was a heavy weight. Suddenly, she turned to him, and a bright, genuine smile illuminated her face.
"How about," Ping'an mused, her voice light, "when we get back to Capital City, I make you an outfit?"
Guo Baiyu looked at her, surprised. "...?"
"I was thinking what color the outfit should be," Ping'an continued, her eyes sparkling. "How about white and blue?"
"Any color will be fine," Guo Baiyu said, a fond smile returning to his face.
Ping'an rested her head on Guo Baiyu's right shoulder, a soft, contented chuckle escaping her lips.
"What's so funny?" Guo Baiyu asked, gently stroking her hair.
"Baiyu, you may not know," Ping'an confided, a teasing note in her voice, "but the first time I saw you, I thought you were an angel." She then scoffed playfully. "I remember when we first met, you were wearing white and blue clothes with a pair of white boots."
"I don't remember what you wore," Guo Baiyu replied, a soft, intimate smile on his lips. "I only remember your face."
Ping'an looked down at the ground, watching her shadow once more. She sighed, a deep, contented sound. "That's good enough," she murmured. She closed her eyes and said softly, "Baiyu, let me rest my head on your shoulder a little bit. I am very tired."
"Hmm..." Guo Baiyu hummed, settling her more comfortably.
Ping'an and Guo Baiyu sat there, sharing a peaceful silence, waiting for Zhao Renshu. Soon after their conversation, Ping'an fell asleep, her head nestled securely on Guo Baiyu's shoulder. One hour later, Zhao Renshu walked towards them, his steps lighter.
"Have you solved your problem?" Guo Baiyu asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Yes, I have cleared it," Zhao Renshu replied, a tired but satisfied smile on his face. He sat down next to Ping'an, his gaze tender. "How long has she slept?"
"For a while," Guo Baiyu answered. "In the past two days, she didn't fall asleep because she was worried about you."
Zhao Renshu smiled, a soft, loving expression, and stroked her right cheek with his left hand. "Let me carry her." He handed his sword to Guo Baiyu and squatted down, preparing to lift her. "I don't want to stay in this place any longer."
Guo Baiyu carefully helped Ping'an onto Zhao Renshu's back, a silent understanding passing between them. With Ping'an secure, the lovers turned and walked east, back towards Sunshine Town, united once more.