"If you die, I'll certainly be glad. But if you die while we're in the same group, I won't be able to get out of this mountain either!"
From the moment He Kaeliannuo was assigned to his group.
Qing Muye not only gained a burden but also bore the responsibility of protecting He Kaeliannuo.
Whether it was He Kaqing Tang's foresight, having already seen through his identity, or He Kaeliannuo's own decision.
In any case, He Kaeliannuo could not die here!
He Kaeliannuo leaned on Qing Muye's shoulder. Despite the searing pain from her wound, her mind was filled with thoughts of Qing Muye.
Being this close to him was something she had long yearned for.
He Kaeliannuo's wrist soaked in the water, her blood seeping into it, dyeing a patch crimson.
Then, the scarlet water meandered downstream, like a red silk ribbon, exceptionally striking under the sunlight.
"Master, do you think... do you think I'll die here?"
Whether it was due to excessive bleeding from her wrist or the potent venom of the snake, dizziness began to overcome her.
He Kaeliannuo felt intensely dizzy, so she simply leaned into Qing Muye's embrace.
At that moment, Qing Muye almost threw her away completely, but considering she had 'saved' him, he refrained from acting.
He sat on a low stone, He Kaeliannuo nestled in his arms, one hand dangling in the stream.
She kept her eyes open, gazing at the man close at hand. Her heart raced, and her gradually paling lips curved upwards.
"I heard Meng Jingwei... she, she calls you 'A Ye', can I... can I call you that too?"
Envy.
He Kaeliannuo, who had always gotten whatever she wanted since childhood, felt envy for a woman for the first time.
Envy that she possessed what she herself could not obtain.
It was also the first time she understood what liking was, and what... love was!
Of course, it was precisely Qing Muye's appearance that made He Kaeliannuo believe that 'love at first sight' truly existed in this world.
"Shut up!" Qing Muye rebuked impatiently.
"How can you be so heartless."
He Kaeliannuo slowly raised her uninjured hand, her slender jade fingers brushing against his cheek. "Master, if... if I yield the position of Hidden Master to Meng Jingwei, would you... would you give me a future?"
Qing Muye held He Kaeliannuo's injured hand with one hand, keeping her wrist submerged in the water to wash away the snake venom; the other hand supported her body.
If he let go, He Kaeliannuo would fall to the ground.
The ground was covered with small, protruding stones. Qing Muye knew he 'owed her' a life, so he suppressed his anger. "Take your hand away!"
"I don't want to."
She shook her head, needing him to understand.
"If you don't take it away, do you believe I'll cut your carotid artery?" he threatened in a deep voice.
A faint smile still lingered on He Kaeliannuo's lips. "I don't believe you. But..." she panted weakly, "I'm truly not interested in the position of Hidden Master. However, many things are not up to me, and I... I'm so tired. Master, do you know? In this vast... vast palace, I am the one who wants to escape the most."
It was filled with scheming, which she found tiresome and wearying, even losing the meaning of her life.
She loved the boundless world, the air of freedom, a carefree spirit, and yearned for a life without restraint.
"You talk too much!"
Hearing her words, Qing Muye, though momentarily moved, expelled that emotion the next second.
He held her wrist submerged in the water, feeling that the poison was being cleared. He then lifted her wrist, settled her down on the ground, took out gauze and hemostatic powder, applied it to her wound, and bandaged it.