Qi Buyan and He Sui’an clasped each other’s hands tightly. His skin was thin, and his veins were slightly visible.
She felt his breath, and he took in hers. They were so close that their bodies seemed to collide, their body temperatures melding into one.
He Sui’an soothed the blue butterfly on Qi Buyan’s hand, and he kissed her small, colorful butterfly. The butterflies they had at this moment were born because of each other, gradually becoming more vibrant, dazzling, and beautiful because of each other.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, snow was falling outside, and a light, warm rain was falling inside, drenching He Sui’an.
Snow fell silently, while the rain made a sound.
The butterfly wanted to spread its wings and fly.
She didn’t look at the butterflies, nor did she care about their changes. She held Qi Buyan tighter, as if stimulated by the rain, seeking warmth that belonged to him, and Qi Buyan hugged her back.
It was late at night, and the snow weighed down the branches in the courtyard. They embraced each other as they slept, warming each other on this cold night. Although it was only He Sui’an who was afraid of the cold, Qi Buyan also craved her warmth.
In the middle of the night, Qi Buyan woke up.
He heard He Sui’an talking.
She was curled up into a small ball, her left hand gripping the quilt, and her right hand holding onto Qi Buyan’s sleeve. He didn’t know what she was dreaming about, but she was frowning and occasionally making some sounds.
Qi Buyan raised his hand to smooth He Sui’an’s brow. She frowned again, and he called her name: “He Sui’an.”
She was deep in sleep and didn’t respond.
Qi Buyan propped himself up, intending to wake her, but at that moment, he clearly heard what she was saying in her sleep. His hand froze in mid-air. She murmured, “Daddy, Mommy, I miss you so much.”
The “Daddy” and “Mommy” He Sui’an referred to were her parents. She had told Qi Buyan about them. He didn’t understand common human emotions well, nor did he understand He Sui’an’s attachment to her parents, much less comprehend it.
Qi Buyan’s understanding of the word “parents” from childhood to adulthood was indifferent and emotionless.
Qi Shu regarded him as nothing.
Bian Yichen had always wanted to kill him.
Were parents important? In Qi Buyan’s eyes, they were no different from ordinary people. But He Sui’an was completely different from him. He could feel that she missed her parents and wanted her parents.
Qi Buyan’s face was expressionless as he slowly traced He Sui’an’s features with his pale fingertips.
Letting go was not an option.
He would never let go, even in death.
As Qi Buyan thought this, He Sui’an bumped into his arms. Her rosy cheek rubbed against him as she unconsciously murmured, “Qi Buyan.”
Qi Buyan lowered his eyes slightly, his fingers curling and then relaxing. His fingertips rested on He Sui’an’s skin again. In his arms, He Sui’an nuzzled his face, then rubbed her head against him, like a fluffy animal.
He kept his eyes open and watched her all night.
*
Early the next morning, He Sui’an woke up at dawn. The sky was just beginning to lighten.
To her surprise, Qi Buyan was already up. Despite the cold weather, he wasn’t wearing much, as he wore only the two-layer indigo outfit with silver accessories that he wore year-round.
He stood by the window, which was open just a crack. His tall, slender figure was framed by the window, his narrow waist belted loosely, and in his hand was a bone flute, its indigo tassel swaying slightly before coming to a stop.
He Sui’an put on her shoes and got out of bed.
Qi Buyan, with his keen hearing, closed the window gap and turned to look at her.
Once she had her shoes on, she walked toward him.
Qi Buyan’s eyes softened as he seemed pleased that she came to find him first thing in the morning.
He Sui’an, still a bit groggy from sleep, instinctively walked toward him upon seeing him. Standing in front of him, she rubbed her eyes and asked what time it was.
“Just dawn,” Qi Buyan replied, smoothing out her slightly tousled hair.
She nodded.
It was time to wash up.
Yesterday, they had agreed to meet Su Yang not at noon but at the beginning of the hour after dawn. He Sui’an yawned and used the water warmed by the charcoal fire to wash her face and rinse her mouth.
Looking back, she saw Qi Buyan standing in front of the mirror. On the table was a new silk ribbon he had taken out, indicating he was going to braid her hair.
He Sui’an wiped the water droplets from her cheeks and happily walked over.
Her freshly washed face was a translucent white with a hint of pink.
The colorful butterflies from the night before were still present, but this time they didn’t appear on her face, only on her collarbone, shoulders, back, sides, legs, and feet.
Qi Buyan wanted to kiss He Sui’an, so he said directly, “I want to kiss you.”
He Sui’an heard his words but saw he didn’t make the next move. Guessing his intention, she suppressed her shyness, stood on tiptoe, and leaned her fair face toward him.
The next second, a warm touch landed on her cheek. He seemed to press his lips against her skin, and He Sui’an’s face turned visibly red. Qi Buyan pulled back and pinched her reddened earlobe.
He Sui’an tugged at his thin braid, “Hurry up and braid my hair.”
“Alright.”
Qi Buyan gathered her long hair.
He Sui’an watched in the mirror, initially focusing on her slowly forming braid, then her gaze shifted to Qi Buyan. As he raised his hand to braid her hair, the bone in his wrist stood out prominently.
He carefully braided her hair.
And He Sui’an watched him intently.
Ever since they had discussed the possibility that this snowfall might cause her to return, Qi Buyan had not asked her any related questions, nor had he asked her to promise never to leave him.
Was it because he knew she was also in a passive state within this snowfall, unable to make any promises? Indeed, she couldn’t.
She had no choice.
It was like being struck by lightning—you never know where it will strike, whom it will hit, and you can’t avoid it. You only find out when it hits.
He Sui’an felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
At that moment, Qi Buyan suddenly asked, “He Sui’an, do you want to leave me?”
He didn’t ask if she would leave him, but whether she wanted to leave him. The former, He Sui’an definitely couldn’t answer, but the latter, she could.
Qi Buyan divided He Sui’an’s long hair into sections, pressing them between his fingers, lifting them, and crossing them to form a braid. As he braided her hair, he waited for her answer.
He Sui’an looked at Qi Buyan’s profile and said, “I don’t want to.”
Just like she didn’t want to leave her parents.
He Sui’an lowered her head.
Not wanting to didn’t mean she wouldn’t. Qi Buyan blinked, but what he wanted was He Sui’an’s verbal affirmation that she didn’t want to.
He tied off her braid, loosened the silk ribbon, and, with a smile on his lips, said, “He Sui’an, can you braid my hair once?”
“Me?” She looked up.
Qi Buyan placed a sandalwood comb in her palm. “Yes, you.”
He Sui’an had tried to braid his hair before, but the results were less than satisfactory. “I don’t braid well; it will look terrible.”
Qi Buyan didn’t change his mind. “But I want you to braid it for me.”
“Then I’ll try my best to do it well.”
He Sui’an took the sandalwood comb and started combing his hair. Qi Buyan, much taller than her, sat down on a chair in front of her to make it easier for her.
Qi Buyan’s long hair was very smooth, without any tangles, making it easy for He Sui’an to comb. The sandalwood comb emitted a faint fragrance, which seemed to blend into his jet-black hair as she combed.
He Sui’an swore she had never been so meticulous in braiding someone’s hair.
Not even her own.
Fifteen minutes later, He Sui’an looked at the crooked braid in her hands and felt frustrated. “See, I still didn’t do it well.”
She suggested, “Why don’t I help you undo it, and you can braid it again? It’s not yet time to meet Sister Su and the others. We still have some time, it should be enough.”
“No need, just leave it as is.” Qi Buyan slowly stood up.
He Sui’an didn’t insist.
“Alright.”
Qi Buyan bent down again, and the silver ornaments on his clothes swayed conspicuously in front of He Sui’an. Pointing to the several small braids she had made, he reminded her with a smile, “You forgot to tie the silver ornaments.”
He Sui’an quickly responded with several “ohs” and reached for Qi Buyan’s silver ornaments on the table.
“I want yours.”
She was momentarily confused, “You want mine?”
The young man tilted his head, touching the small silver bell ornament in her hair, which jingled with a touch. “Yes, I want yours.”
He Sui’an took her own silver ornaments to give to Qi Buyan. This set of small silver bell ornaments was a wedding gift from him, each engraved with the character “Sui.” The ones she was currently wearing were from this set as well.
She tied them to his braids, finishing quickly. “Done.”
Qi Buyan picked up the small silver bell ornament at the end of his braid, slowly rubbing the engraved “Sui” character, without making any further requests.
They had some of the pastries and hot tea they bought yesterday and then left their room.
Su Yang and the others had arrived early as usual.
Shen Jianhe looked like he hadn’t slept well, appearing as if he had been woken up early and was low on energy. Zhong Kong and Zhong Huan, who looked identical, stood guard at the door on either side.
Su Yang was pacing in the front hall, lost in thought.
He Sui’an, with her eyes covered, walked into the hall. The twin guards, Zhong Kong and Zhong Huan, closed the door after they entered and announced to Su Yang, “Princess, they have arrived.”
He Sui’an untied the silk band and looked at them.
Su Yang gazed at He Sui’an and Qi Buyan, her mood somewhat heavy.
They had only been married for a few days, and tomorrow was the day of Liu Yan’s action. There would certainly be danger. Su Yang could disregard her own life, but she didn’t want the young Qi Buyan to lose his.
Not to mention he was still young and had his whole life ahead of him. If something happened to him, how would He Sui’an cope?
She could only hope that everything would go smoothly tomorrow.
That they would all be safe.
Su Yang took out an almost worn-out map of Chang’an. “I believe Liu Yan will order the Spirit Gu people to act once the wedding procession leaves the city gates because he won’t want to harm innocent citizens of Chang’an.”
Following her words, He Sui’an looked at the city gate on the map of Chang’an. “So, Sister Su, you plan to have people lying in wait outside the city gates?”
Next to them, Shen Jianhe shook off his drowsiness, rubbing his chin and listening intently.
Su Yang confirmed.
She said, “The city is too crowded to hide so many people, and Liu Yan is concerned about not harming innocent civilians. Tomorrow, I will lead our people outside the city gate an hour early.”
He Sui’an suddenly raised her hand. After years of schooling, raising her hand to answer questions or indicate she had something to say had become a habit, one she sometimes did unconsciously.
Qi Buyan, propping his face with one hand, watched her raise her hand, noting her slender fingers and small palms.
Su Yang said, “Go ahead.”
He Sui’an spoke about Jiang Xuewan and Jiang Songwei, recounting the events of last night, including Xie Wenqiao, even though he hadn’t been directly involved.
Su Yang’s tense nerves eased slightly.
With the addition of Jiang Xuewan and Jiang Songwei, their shortage of trustworthy people could be alleviated.
She acknowledged knowing this.
Su Yang assigned Shen Jianhe, along with her personal guards Zhong Kong and Zhong Huan, to stand watch at the city gate to prevent any unforeseen incidents. Once she had led her people to hide, they would regroup.
As for Qi Buyan.
He was to go to the palace gate to see when the wedding procession would depart. As soon as they left, he would send a signal for Jiang Xuewan to be ready to switch the princess out of the carriage on Chang’an’s main street.
Jiang Songwei would infiltrate the wedding procession to help Jiang Xuewan successfully switch the princess and take her away, ideally back to the palace.
Su Yang had no specific role for He Sui’an, not expecting her to be involved.
That was the rough plan.
She asked if they had any questions.
He Sui’an saw no issues, and Qi Buyan rarely commented on Su Yang’s plans, leaving it unclear whether he agreed or simply didn’t care.
He collaborated with them because He Sui’an wanted to; he sought out Jiang Xuewan last night to involve them because He Sui’an wanted it.
Ultimately, these actions held little significance for him.
The reason was that Qi Buyan intended to die with He Sui’an the next day. Of course, he first had to kill Liu Yan, as he didn’t want his blood taken and to be separated from He Sui’an after his death.
He Sui’an had told him this morning that she didn’t want to leave him either. Qi Buyan glanced at the small silver bell ornament on the end of his braid, its engraved “Sui” character catching his eye.
How beautiful.
He would wear it in death.