Awakening

When Bai Qingxue opened her eyes, the sun was shining brightly outside the window.

The shadow of the old plum tree fell upon the window, and a few more buds on the branches had cracked open, revealing tender green tips within.

Bai Qingxue stared at the roof beams for a few breaths, remaining motionless.

At this moment, her body was still cool, but it was no longer the deathly chill from when she was unconscious.

Bai Qingxue slowly sat up, leaning against the back of the bed. The quilt slid down to her waist, and her silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, a few strands draping across her chest.

She looked down at her hands, spreading her fingers and then closing them into a fist. Her spiritual power was still there, and her meridians were still clear, though a faint, dull pain throbbed when she circulated her energy.

The sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open drifted in from outside.

The footsteps were faster than usual, carrying an irrepressible sense of urgency.

Lu Xueqing walked in, carrying a bowl of medicine.

Lu Xueqing had brought medicine at this hour every day for several days without interruption. When she pushed open the door and saw Bai Qingxue sitting up in bed, her footsteps came to a sudden halt.

The medicine bowl wobbled in her hands, and a few drops of the dark liquid splashed out onto the floor.

She didn't bother to wipe it up. She just stood there, staring at Bai Qingxue. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed the words back down.

She placed the medicine bowl on the small table by the bed, her hand lingering there, bracing against the edge of the table.

“Junior Sister Bai, don't move around,” Lu Xueqing said, her voice a bit hoarse. “I'll go get Elder Liu right away.”

Without waiting for Bai Qingxue to respond, Lu Xueqing turned and ran back outside.

Bai Qingxue leaned against the bed and looked down at the bowl of medicine.

Steam was still rising from it, and there was a faint tea stain on the rim where Lu Xueqing's fingers often held it.

She picked up the bowl and, without waiting for Liu Ningshuang to arrive, drank the medicine sip by sip.

The medicine was bitter, but Bai Qingxue did not frown. She simply placed the empty bowl back, leaned against the bed, and closed her eyes.

Liu Ningshuang arrived quickly.

Lu Xueqing followed behind her, pushing the door open and stepping aside to let Liu Ningshuang enter first.

Liu Ningshuang skipped the pleasantries. She walked to the bedside, reached out to take Bai Qingxue’s pulse, and sent a strand of spiritual power through her meridians. Her brow furrowed slightly before relaxing.

“Your meridians have stabilized. The backlash from the Ice Spirit power has been suppressed for now.” Liu Ningshuang withdrew her hand. Her tone was as indifferent as usual, but it carried a hint of solemnity.

“You must not use your full strength again before Foundation Establishment. Otherwise, next time, your body truly will collapse.”

Bai Qingxue nodded.

She didn't ask what would happen if she did use her full strength; after all, there was no need to ask.

The body was hers; she knew its state better than anyone.

This time was merely overexertion; next time, she likely wouldn't be able to recover.

Liu Ningshuang glanced at her, said nothing more, and turned to leave. At the doorway, her gaze lingered for a moment on the green cord around Bai Qingxue’s wrist, but she asked no questions.

Lu Xueqing stood by the door with her head lowered. She saw Liu Ningshuang out, then closed the door and stood behind it, motionless.

She turned around and looked at Bai Qingxue, opening her mouth as if to speak, but found herself unable to say anything.

“While you were unconscious, Junior Sister Ye came every day,” Lu Xueqing finally said.

“Mm.”

Bai Qingxue gave a brief response and said nothing more.

Lu Xueqing opened her mouth again, wanting to ask about the cord on her wrist, wanting to ask if she would untie it, wanting to ask how she felt about Ye Qingyao.

But she couldn't bring herself to ask a single question. She simply gathered the empty bowl onto the tray and turned to leave. At the door, she stopped without looking back.

“I’ll bring more medicine later.”

Bai Qingxue did not respond. Lu Xueqing left, but the door wasn't closed tightly. The wind leaked through the gap, making the leaves of the old plum tree swirl on the ground.

Bai Qingxue leaned against the bed for a long time before finally getting up.

She walked to the bronze mirror and looked at the person reflected within.

In the mirror, her silver-white hair fell over her shoulders, making her face appear almost transparently pale. The sunlight from the window shone through, making the fine blue veins beneath her skin faintly visible.

Her eyebrows were extremely light, almost blending into her skin. When she lowered her eyelashes, they cast small, grayish-blue shadows under her eyes, like the lingering bruising of a long illness. Meanwhile, her lips were so pale they were only a faint watery red. The old, faint scar on her upper lip had faded almost to the point of disappearing, only showing as a fine line when she pursed her lips.

Her jawline was extremely narrow, and her cheekbones protruded slightly, evidence of having been gaunt for too long.

A thin vein on the side of her neck pulsed gently with her breathing, covered by skin so thin it felt as if one could see through it with just a bit more effort.

If the Bai Qingxue of the past was like a cold and towering icy peak, then at this moment, she was like frosted glass—clear and cold, but with very little life left in her.

...

In the evening, Ye Qingyao arrived.

She stood at the courtyard gate and saw Bai Qingxue leaning under the old plum tree as usual.

She stood there for a few breaths, took a deep breath, and then walked in. She was carrying a bag of spirit fruit—not anything expensive, just a few of the best ones she had picked from the back mountain of Qingyun Peak, wrapped carefully in a handkerchief.

The handkerchief had been clutched in her hand all the way there and was now wrinkled.

She sat down opposite Bai Qingxue, placed the spirit fruit on the stone table, and glanced at Bai Qingxue’s wrist.

The green cord was still there, tied very lightly with a small knot.

She stared at it for a long time before shifting her gaze.

“Sister Bai, the tea is cold. I’ll go refill it.”

Ye Qingyao picked up the teapot, her fingers trembling slightly on the handle.

In truth, no tea had even been poured yet; there was no need for a refill.

By the time she returned with a freshly brewed pot of tea, Bai Qingxue had sat up straight and moved the plate of spirit fruit to the side of the stone table.

Ye Qingyao placed the teapot on the table and poured two cups, pushing one toward Bai Qingxue. Bai Qingxue looked down at the tea infusion in the cup, picked it up, and took a sip.

The tea was hot but not scalding. Ye Qingyao’s tea-brewing skills had improved; the temperature was just right, and the amount of tea leaves was perfect.

Ye Qingyao didn't know when she had learned this. Perhaps during those six months, every time she brewed tea, she would think: If Sister Bai were drinking this, what would she like? Now, Bai Qingxue was drinking it.

Ye Qingyao picked up her own cup but didn't drink. she just held it, using the cup to shield her face.

She glanced at the green cord on Bai Qingxue’s wrist again. The cord really was still there, not untied.

She didn't dare ask if Bai Qingxue would wear it forever; she just watched it for a long time.

Bai Qingxue set her teacup down and pushed it forward, stopping it in front of Ye Qingyao.

Ye Qingyao looked down at the cup, the tea infusion within rippling slightly.

She didn't know what Bai Qingxue meant. Was she asking for a refill, or for her to drink it, or was it nothing at all? Perhaps Bai Qingxue had just pushed it out of the way.

Ye Qingyao didn't know.

She set down her own cup and picked up the one that had been pushed toward her, taking a sip.

She didn't speak. Neither did Bai Qingxue. The leaves of the old plum tree rustled in the wind, and the twilight crept over the mountain ridge, dyeing the entire sky a purplish-blue.

Ye Qingyao stood up.

“Sister Bai, I’ll be heading back now.”

“Mm.”

She turned to walk toward the courtyard gate. After a few steps, she suddenly stopped. She didn't look back, but stood there as the shadow of the doorframe fell over her.

“Sister Bai, that cord...” Her voice was very soft, as if she couldn't bring herself to ask, or as if she feared that if she didn't ask now, she would never have the chance again. “Will you untie it?”

Bai Qingxue did not answer.

Ye Qingyao waited for a while. While waiting, she didn't dare to breathe, fearing the sound of her breath would drown out any answer Bai Qingxue might give. But Bai Qingxue said nothing.

Silence pressed in from behind her. It had no weight, yet it somehow made Ye Qingyao’s shoulders sink.

Ye Qingyao bit her lip and stepped out of the courtyard, waiting no longer.

The courtyard gate remained open.

Bai Qingxue sat under the old plum tree and looked down at the green cord on her wrist.

She didn't reach out to touch it. The plate of spirit fruit was still on the stone table. She picked one up and took a bite.

It was sweet.

She finished the fruit and placed the pit on the table.

Just then, Lu Xueqing pushed open the door, carrying a fresh bowl of brewed medicine.

Bai Qingxue had already returned to the bed, leaning against the headboard with her eyes closed to rest.

Lu Xueqing placed the medicine bowl by the bed but didn't leave immediately. She stood there, her gaze sliding from Bai Qingxue’s pale face to the wrist resting outside the quilt.

At this moment, the sleeve covered Bai Qingxue’s forearm, so she couldn't see the red mark.

While caring for Bai Qingxue over the past few days, Lu Xueqing had never again lifted her sleeve.

But after what happened that day, every time she entered this quiet room, her gaze would unconsciously fall on Bai Qingxue’s forearm, on the spot hidden by the sleeve.

Lu Xueqing didn't know if that mark had faded yet.

She couldn't lift the sleeve to check, she couldn't ask, and she couldn't mention it.

She could only wait for it to fade on its own.

But in her heart, she knew that whether it faded or not, she would never know.

Bai Qingxue wouldn't let her know.

And she wouldn't let herself know.

Besides, what if she did know? What could she do?

“Junior Sister, drink the medicine while it's hot.”

Bai Qingxue opened her eyes, picked up the bowl, and finished it sip by sip.

As she handed the bowl back, she glanced at Lu Xueqing. The look was so fleeting it was almost impossible to tell she was looking at all.

But Lu Xueqing felt it. By the time she looked up, Bai Qingxue had already closed her eyes.

Lu Xueqing carried the empty bowl out of the quiet room. Standing on the corridor, she reached her hand out from her sleeve and looked at her own forearm.

That day, she had touched that red mark at roughly this same spot.

But now, she could see nothing.

Lu Xueqing pulled her hand back and clenched it into a fist.

In this moment, she felt both relieved and empty.

Relieved because it seemed Junior Sister Bai hadn't discovered the mark.

Empty because the mark had faded, as if that event had never happened at all.

But did she truly wish it had never happened?