Chapter 17

Once his cup was empty, Murong Su clung to me like a wandering soul seeking a kiss.

His kisses were urgent, fiercely intense. I responded as best I could, only to find that our kisses had turned bitter.

I didn’t know whose tears they were.

Tears were salty.

My mooncakes were salty too.

We were only crying because the mooncakes tasted so awful.

The man in my arms gradually lost his strength, sinking against me in a deep sleep.

Who in this world could account for every possibility?

I touched his face and took a good look at him. I also left the books I’d read, the pictures I’d painted, and my diaries beside his pillow.

“Thank you. Until we meet again.”

Then I took my bundle and ran out.

I headed south. I’d already found a route near the south gate, where there were few patrols. Tonight, there were even fewer.

I reached the area without trouble, only to spot a familiar figure in the distance.

Wei Qinghe.

I almost turned and fled. But I still wanted to trust her, so I slowly approached.

She gave a soft laugh. “You really are leaving. I thought Noble Consort Li was talking nonsense.”

“Sister, you can come with me if you want.” An autumn breeze passed. I shivered.

Her smile changed, becoming a little helpless, a little bitter. She gently shook her head. “Go. The world outside may not be so wonderful, you know.”

“I know.”

I’d already prepared for the worst.

At the same time, my heart was surging, imagining a life of boundless freedom.

She came up to me and produced a purse, one of my paper-cut cats attached to it. “There’s a jade token from my family inside. Showing it is as good as having me there. Find anyone from the Wei family and they’ll arrange everything for you. In the thirteen northern cities, no one will dare make trouble for you. There are banknotes too. Take care on the road.”

I accepted the purse and threw my arms around her. “I’m going to miss you so, so much.”

This time, she didn’t resist.

“Go quickly. From tonight onward, Mei Anqing no longer exists. I’ll say you died of illness.”

I nodded hard and waved goodbye.

Still, I said, “Until we meet again.”

Even if we might never see each other, I wanted us to keep the ability to look forward to something.

To meeting again. To the future. To tomorrow.

I crawled out, then scrambled and stumbled onward.

By daybreak, I’d completely left the place that had trapped me.

The Mei household could no longer hold me. Neither could the deep palace.

The sun rose high. I looked back toward the palace. After a long moment, I raised my middle finger and roared, “You can fight over his favor yourselves!”

I was going to roam the world and start my life anew!

When I’d finished shouting, I silently wiped away my tears, turned, and walked on.

——

Her gifts still lay beside his pillow.

Murong Su sent no one after her.

He simply couldn’t tell whether what he felt was loneliness or pain.

They had seen through one another.

He knew she was destined to leave. She knew he was destined to soften and let her go.

That was why she’d been merciful even when drugging him. He’d woken after only a short time.

The night was desolate. The moon so full, so cold.

A tear slipped from the bridge of his nose and crossed into his other eye.

As though Mei Anqing’s tears had fallen into his eyes.

The sting was unbearable.

He savored that pain over and over.

But only for this one night.

After tonight, he would live as usual. He could do it. He had to.

The things in this world that he loathed but couldn’t surrender—wasn’t it good to see someone else let them go?