After returning to the Qinghuan Inn, Chu Xiyue headed straight for her master's room, her steps hurried and her breath uneven.
Ye Mingzhi looked up from his tea and raised a brow with a soft smile.
"Why the rush, little ponytails? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Master…" she panted, "I… I was attacked by an assassin. They were looking for you! Who exactly are you? And…" — she handed him a worn scroll — "I found this in the royal library. Was it written by you?"
Ye Mingzhi took the scroll, his smile fading as he slowly unrolled the parchment. His eyes dimmed, the air around him sinking into silence.
"…This book," he murmured, "I wrote it… long ago, for someone I once loved."
He paused, then turned toward her, eyes deeper than the night.
"My name is Ye Mingzhi. In the past, I was known as the Celestial Lord of the Nine Heavens — a title as burdensome as it sounds. I fell in love with a girl… no, a woman with demon blood. The Dao rejected her. They despised her very existence."
"But to me," he said, voice lowering, "she was light, warmth… life itself. Cheerful, kind-hearted. She didn't deserve what they did to her."
Chu Xiyue's voice was soft. "They punished her?"
He nodded slowly. "They were jealous. They feared what she meant to me. I tried to protect her… but I failed."
"A tragic love story…" she whispered, her heart aching faintly for reasons she couldn't explain.
Ye Mingzhi gave her a long look. "But the heavens gave me a second chance. I found her again — in this life… as you."
She froze, eyes wide.
"I know it sounds absurd," he smiled wryly, "but I'll prove it to you. No matter what it takes."
He leaned closer, concern replacing his usual teasing expression. "You're hurt. Let me see."
Chu Xiyue's face flushed a vivid red, her voice barely audible.
"O… okay…"
His touch was gentle, his fingers brushing her shoulder as he examined the shallow wound. Her heart pounded, unsure if it was from pain or the sudden closeness.
She dared not meet his eyes.
And neither did he say a word — but in that silence, something delicate had begun to bloom.