Since it was early morning, even the birds had gone out to forage, so within the gardens there was only the sound of trickling water.
It was quiet, fitting the scene.
Yan Shouyi looked towards the stone table in the center of the pavilion. A pot of hot tea sat there, prepared long ago by Master Qin.
He smiled. In the past, he would always go to General Qing Jiang's world and be invited for tea by the general.
This time, it was different. The general was coming out, and he could invite the general for tea in return.
He held Lin Zitong's hand, and the two of them sat by the stone table in the pavilion.
Yan Shouyi poured two cups of hot tea, then carefully took out the bone chain from his embrace.
The bone chain was smooth and warm like jade, and it carried a faint fragrance.
Lin Zitong could tell that the fragrance did not come from the bone chain itself, but from the souls within it.
Princess Yu Shu was like a proud, cold, and unyielding flower. Even after so many years, she still guarded her fragrance, waiting for General Qing Jiang's arrival.
"We looked for it for a very, very long time," Yan Shouyi said with a hint of emotion.
A tremor rippled through him. Without thinking, he knew it came from General Qing Jiang.
General Qing Jiang had likely sensed the souls within the bone chain as well, making it impossible for him to hide his excitement and continue to slumber.
Lin Zitong clutched her chest. She also felt her heart pounding: "I don't know if it's the Princess or Lian He, but either way, they're impatient."
Yan Shouyi placed the bone chain into Lin Zitong's hand, then held her hand with his own larger one: "Don't keep them waiting too long."
"Mmm."
The two of them closed their eyes, emptied their bodies and minds, and waited quietly.
Suddenly, the bone chain held in their palms emitted a faint blue glow. These rays of light all drifted towards Lin Zitong and entered her body.
Although Lin Zitong's eyes were closed, she seemed to see a female general clad in fiery red armor, looking valiant and heroic.
This was Princess Yu Shu.
The female general met Lin Zitong's gaze, her eyes filled with admiration and gratitude.
She bent down and bowed to Lin Zitong in thanks.
Lin Zitong quickly stepped forward to stop her, but as soon as she touched the princess, the two of them suddenly merged into one, becoming one.
Lin Zitong opened her eyes, her expression changed slightly. Her gaze was not as gentle as Lin Zitong's, but the affection was equally boundless.
She looked at Yan Shouyi with tender affection.
Yan Shouyi slowly opened his eyes as well. His gaze was even firmer than before, his pupils as if forged from iron, incredibly resolute.
"It's me." They spoke in unison.
Lin Zitong lent her body to Princess Yu Shu, and Yan Shouyi similarly allowed General Qing Jiang to control him.
Both of them were in a state of residual soul, possessing only a sliver of power. After leaving the Spirit Observation Platform, they were unable to manifest in soul form at all.
Therefore, in the very end, they could only borrow Yan Shouyi's and Lin Zitong's bodies to walk their final journey.
After the two reunited, they fell into a silence that lasted for ten seconds.
A thousand years of waiting had made them forget how to express love.
The person they had longed for for a millennium was now before them, yet embraces and kisses felt so strange. Both felt the same hesitation, unsure of what to do next.
This scene couldn't help but make the "onlookers," Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong, anxious.
They had waited for a full thousand years!
Every remaining second was precious, how could it be wasted on such awkwardness?
Thus, with unspoken understanding, they attempted to regain control of their bodies.
They wanted to control General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu, to have a passionate embrace, a kiss with all their might.
Unfortunately, they did not succeed, but it did stir an impulse within General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu.
General Qing Jiang's Adam's apple moved.
Princess Yu Shu tilted her head slightly, her alluring lips pressed together uneasily.
"Kiss her! Kiss her!" Yan Shouyi yelled in his mind.
General Qing Jiang roared in his mind, "Noisy! This general knows what to do!"
Yan Shouyi froze. General Qing Jiang could hear his thoughts?
Haha, the tables had turned. Previously, Yan Shouyi controlled the body, and General Qing Jiang nagged in his mind.
Now, General Qing Jiang controlled the body, and it was Yan Shouyi's turn to chatter endlessly.
However, Yan Shouyi stopped speaking for now, as he saw the faces of General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu slowly drawing closer.
The two closed their eyes simultaneously, their lips touched, infinitely soft, infinitely filled with love.
Suddenly, General Qing Jiang reached out and tightly embraced Princess Yu Shu, as if wanting to meld her into his very being, so they would never be separated again.
Princess Yu Shu also hooked her arms around General Qing Jiang's neck, her breathing sounding so anxious.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Princess Yu Shu nestled in General Qing Jiang's embrace and whispered, "I have been waiting for you. I knew you would come."
"But I made you wait too long," General Qing Jiang said, his heart aching with guilt.
"A thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. What matters is that you are by my side now," Princess Yu Shu replied softly.
"This world is no longer the world we knew," General Qing Jiang sighed. "But fortunately, our descendants are together."
"Are they in love?"
"As much as we are."
"Are they happy?"
"They are facing many difficulties now, but I believe they will overcome them."
"They..."
Princess Yu Shu asked many questions, as if asking about Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong, or perhaps about the future she and General Qing Jiang had lost.
As she asked, Princess Yu Shu began to weep softly, "I envy them so much. They were born in the right era, became the right people, they have an infinite future."
General Qing Jiang held Princess Yu Shu tightly, wiped away her tears, and gently comforted her:
"At least we are together now. Even staying with you for one more second feels like ten thousand years of happiness."
In the garden, a gentle breeze after the rain blew, and the trees by the pavilion rustled their leaves.
Beneath the trees, the two sat embracing, speaking no more.
They sat in the pavilion, savoring the tranquility, much like a thousand years ago, on that night of their escape, when they huddled together by the bonfire, leaning on each other.
At this moment, one second was ten thousand years.
...
"Yu Shu."
After a long while, General Qing Jiang spoke, breaking the silence.
"Mmm?" Princess Yu Shu replied softly, looking up at General Qing Jiang.
"It is time for us to go."
"Mmm..."
"Are you afraid?"
Princess Yu Shu replied, "I never feared anything when I fought on the battlefield, but now I am afraid... afraid of being without you by my side."
General Qing Jiang smiled and held Princess Yu Shu's hand, "I will hold you, and we will leave together. No matter how long the road, we will never be separated again."
Princess Yu Shu gazed intently at General Qing Jiang, then softly nodded, "Okay."
A gust of wind blew past, and something seemed to scatter from their bodies.
Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong regained control of their bodies.
They knew very clearly that General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu were gone.
Faded away with the wind, leaving hand in hand.
This pair of unfortunate lovers, who had waited for a thousand years, were finally reunited before their end.
And they maintained their embraced posture, not disturbing the current tranquility, sitting quietly in the pavilion, enjoying this moment of peace.
As if continuing the story of General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu, making up for the lost time.