readsfreenovel Chapter 2 If you can't name something, just call it Chapter 2
Chapter 2 If you can't name something, just call it Chapter 2
Nalan Jingwen wanted to go forward, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, preventing her from taking a step.
They could only watch helplessly as the woman's figure gradually disappeared, and a thick fog rose, covering everything around them.
A blinding white light pulled her out, and all the images disappeared.
She slowly opened her eyes, momentarily confused, but then the vigilance ingrained in her bones instantly brought her to her senses, and she scanned her surroundings.
How dilapidated was the temple?
The paint on the walls was peeling off, the red paint on the Buddha statue had long since faded, and spider webs hung from the eaves, corners, and even the Buddha statue itself. The roof tiles were broken, and there was a hole through which sunlight shone, forming a beam of light. It seemed that this temple had been abandoned for a long time.
Nalan Jingwen turned his head and looked at himself lying on the ground, with a tattered straw mat under him and a light blue cloak on his body. A fragrance as pure as ice and snow lingered around his nose.
Her eyes darkened, and the fur on the cape's hood brushed against her cheeks, tickling her slightly yet feeling unusually warm.
The spot where she was lying had clearly been cleaned; there was hardly any dust, and it was the only relatively clean spot where she was sheltered from the wind and rain.
Her tattered clothes had long been stripped off, leaving her completely naked. If it weren't for the cloak covering her, anyone who saw her would probably think she was a pervert. Her wounds seemed to have been treated, and she could smell herbs.
Now that her body has warmed up and is no longer numb, her wounds have started to ache again, but it's within a tolerable range. However, when she tried to move, she found that she still had no feeling in her hands and feet.
Unable to move, only his head could move. Looking at the dilapidated temple, it seemed that the person who found him was not in good condition either.
There was a fire of firewood nearby, not too far from her, just enough for her to feel the warmth of the firelight. The firewood was mostly burned, which meant that the person who found her had been gone for a while.
She didn't know whether he went out or left, leaving her here. But no matter what, she was grateful. After all, if it weren't for that person, Nalan Jingwen would have frozen to death in the snow long ago. At least that person spared her life.
Even if they abandoned her, it would be understandable, since she is now a cripple, and it would be extremely troublesome to take care of a cripple. Besides, they at least left her a cloak and made a fire for her so that she wouldn't freeze to death.
Nalan Jingwen kept his eyes open, listening to the howling cold wind outside the temple, but his heart was filled with peace and tranquility, perhaps because he was in a temple.
Thinking back to the dream I just had, I didn't feel much emotional fluctuation.
She had this dream countless times, from childhood to adulthood, but she had never once seen the face of the protagonist in her dream. She went from being surprised and curious at first to being indifferent now.
It was just a dream.
She had this dream for over twenty years.
The cold wind outside mixed with the crackling sound of firewood inside made her feel drowsy, probably because of her injuries. After thinking for a while, she got tired and fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was completely dark outside, and the firewood had burned out and was cold.
It seems she has truly been abandoned.
She had no complaints. From a young age, she never had high expectations for anything, because the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment, especially growing up in such a cannibalistic environment.
Having expectations creates weaknesses, giving others leverage to harm you, which is like handing a knife to someone else. She absolutely cannot allow this to happen, so when she finds herself having even the slightest expectation for something, she will destroy it herself, at any cost.
Nalan Jingwen stared at the roof with his eyes open. Through the broken roof, he could see the night sky, with light snow falling like goose down, creating a unique atmosphere.
Unfortunately, she was never a person of refined tastes, and she quickly looked away. Her throat was so thirsty that it felt like it was about to burst into flames. If this continued, she would probably die of thirst rather than by sword or in the freezing cold.
But there was no water in the temple; only snow drifted in through the hole in the roof, falling to the ground and forming a small puddle.
She looked at the puddle of water and tried to move her body, but every movement aggravated her wounds, causing her to frown in pain. Her lips turned even paler, and the cloak covering her slipped down slightly due to her movements, revealing her fair and smooth shoulders with deep, bone-revealing knife wounds.
Nalan Jingwen felt a chill, paused for a moment, looked at his cloak and then at the puddle of water, and finally chose to drink the water.
I moved my body slowly, each movement causing pain, so I had to stop and rest. After several such repetitions, half an hour had passed without me realizing it. Fine beads of sweat had appeared on my forehead, but I hadn't even covered half the distance.
Nalan Jingwen couldn't help but sigh, speechless with emotion.
At this rate, when will she be able to get water again? Her cloak had now slipped down to her waist, leaving half of her body exposed.
Suddenly, a faint sound reached her ears, and she stopped moving, listening carefully to the sounds outside, including some disordered footsteps and soft, ragged breathing.
He immediately held his breath, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp. How could there still be someone outside at this hour?
Was he a passerby or a bandit from the nearby mountains?
Either way, it would be extremely detrimental to her current situation.
A pair of sharp, dark eyes were fixed on the doorway, waiting for the person outside to enter. Her whole body was tense; she was like a fish out to be slaughtered, unable to move an inch.
As she watched the somewhat dilapidated door being slowly pushed open, her heart leaped into her throat. The door, long neglected and creaking, made a jarring sound in the silent night.
Just as the door was pushed open, revealing the figure inside, Nalan Jingwen was stunned.
It wasn't because she recognized it, but because a faint fragrance wafted in with the wind and snow, a fragrance she knew all too well; the cloak smelled the same.
The man who entered was dressed in a blue robe with some stains. He was tall and slender, yet as resilient as a pine or bamboo. His features were exquisite, and his hair, which was as black as ink, was somewhat disheveled and draped down his back. Some strands fell at his temples, adding to his delicate beauty.
Despite the pitch-black environment, Nalan Jingwen could see clearly. For some reason, she could sense that her five senses were more acute. Was it because this body possessed martial arts skills?
She remained silent, quietly watching the man. The tension from before had completely vanished, and she relaxed. Perhaps she herself didn't even realize that she had let her guard down so easily with a complete stranger.
Perhaps it's the gentle yet resilient quality of the man, like green bamboo, that gives people a sense of security and a feeling that he wouldn't harm them.