Lan Yan lunged forward, catching the falling Jun Yelan. Her arms ached from the impact.
She bit her lip, refusing to let go, then grasped Jun Yelan’s arm to support him. "Are you alright?"
Jun Yelan's face was pale, his eyes unfocused, and blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. He clutched Lan Yan's wrist weakly and shook his head. "I'm fine."
He didn't want Lan Yan to worry, wishing she could always remain carefree.
Lan Yan could tell Jun Yelan wasn't well. Seeing him try to comfort her, she desperately held back tears.
She remembered how Jun Yelan had recovered from severe injuries with pills before, and she was sure he could do it again. She fumbled open her necklace, staring at the empty pendant, and cried out, "Where are the pills?"
Jun Yelan looked at Lan Yan's frantic state and tightened his grip on her hand, murmuring, "Yan'er, I truly am fine."
Lan Yan continued her desperate search, rummaging through her bags, finding nothing. Her face fell, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Jun Yelan, why are there no more pills? How can I save you?"
Jun Yelan's heart ached instantly. He pulled Lan Yan into his arms and stroked her back. The previous pills were a single dose, which he had saved for Lan Yan's own protection, but she had used it on him.
He was an assassin, his hands stained with blood, and he had always known this day might come. He had thought he would leave alone, but he hadn't expected to meet Lan Yan, to have his heart filled with thoughts of only her.
"Yan'er, this is enough. In the village where we lived, there is a box on the roof of your room. Inside, there is a seal. With this seal, you can collect the bank notes I have deposited."
Those were his last provisions for Lan Yan.
Lan Yan stopped crying and looked up, tear tracks still on her face.
"Who wants these things? Can they save your life? If you give up now, I'll take that money and marry someone else, and you'll regret it even in the afterlife."
"You know my temperament. I mean what I say." She wiped her eyes, not wanting Jun Yelan to see her in such a state.
Jun Yelan smiled instead, pulling Lan Yan's hand to his chest and curving his lips. "Yan'er, as long as I am alive, I will protect you. I will not give you to anyone else."
"I just want to give you management of all my assets."
He would no longer make decisions unilaterally, believing it was for Lan Yan's own good. This time, he would listen to Lan Yan, even if the outcome was the same; he just wanted to spend more time by Lan Yan's side.
Lan Yan finally felt a little better and said, "That's more like it. If you dare to leave me again, I really won't speak to you anymore." No matter what happened to Jun Yelan, she would stay with him.
Besides, she still had the system; it would surely keep Jun Yelan safe and sound.
"I can't bear to watch either of you anymore." Ruo Niang really wanted to roll her eyes. As a single person, she had to endure watching these two be affectionate for so long.
She hadn't intended to interfere, but seeing Lan Yan genuinely distressed, she said, "Legend says there is a Snow Mountain Fruit on the northern snow mountains that can heal the body. I think Jun Yelan's body is overloaded, and this item would be most suitable."
"Really!" Lan Yan was immediately overjoyed. She rushed forward, hugged Ruo Niang, and smiled, "Ruo Niang, thank you."
Ruo Niang felt a little awkward, cleared her throat, and called out, "Let me clarify first that this is just a legend. I'm not sure, and you might be making a fruitless journey."
Lan Yan released Ruo Niang, patted her chest, and said, "I will make the legend come true. Ruo Niang, I'm leaving now." She had already submitted her resignation list and had no further ties to the Hua Pavilion. She probably wouldn't see Ruo Niang again.
Ruo Niang pouted and said nothing.
She walked to Jun Yelan's side and looked at Lan Yan next to him, saying, "I won't do anything to him, but there is something I need to say."
"Okay." Lan Yan glanced at Jun Yelan, gave him a faint smile, and walked a short distance away.
Facing Ruo Niang, Jun Yelan dropped his smile and asked coldly, "What is it?" These people had taken Lan Yan away before, and he couldn't pretend it didn't bother him.
Ruo Niang instinctively took a few steps back and said, "Don't hold any ill will towards me. I have only one thing to say: don't make someone sad again. Whether you live or die is your responsibility; don't burden others."
With that, she turned and left.
Jun Yelan bowed respectfully behind her. "I know you truly care for Lan Yan and will not forget what you said today."
Ruo Niang didn't stop but led the remaining Hua Pavilion members and shouted, "Let's go! From now on, if our Hua Pavilion encounters these two again, they will be killed without mercy." This was all she could do.
The Hua Pavilion members departed.
Lan Yan watched them go, helped Jun Yelan onto the carriage, went to a nearby town to purchase some supplies, and then headed north.
In the carriage, Jun Yelan grew increasingly weak, only able to stay awake for two or three hours each day.
He was a weapon trained by the阁, and over the years, he had accumulated many injuries that were now surfacing.
His greatest worry was Lan Yan. Watching her busy herself every day, he wanted to stop her but couldn't. Knowing why Lan Yan was doing this, he would always offer some food to distract her and encourage her to rest.
Lan Yan was engrossed in a medical book, a dried fruit piece offered to her lips, which she habitually bit into. She chewed, her eyes still fixed on the book.
Jun Yelan smiled helplessly, took the book from her hand, and placed a plate of dried fruits into her palm. "Yan'er, you haven't eaten much these past few days. Your face has even thinned."
"Has it?" Lan Yan touched her face, wondering if it was her imagination; she felt she had even gained weight. "How could that be? You feed me snacks every day."
"Yes." Jun Yelan reached out and pinched Lan Yan's cheek, his eyes filled with doting affection. "My speed can't keep up with yours. So, eat properly now and no more reading."
Lan Yan looked regretfully at the book but then embraced the fruit plate and began to eat. She leaned closer, resting her head on Jun Yelan's shoulder, and murmured, "It's getting colder the further north we go. Fortunately, I prepared plenty of provisions."
On the road, Jun Yelan would also hunt, and she would handle the preparation. Anything left uneaten was made into jerky, and on days with bad weather, they would eat simple meals in the carriage.
"Yan'er, you are indeed thoughtful. But you must also take care of yourself." Jun Yelan took the fox fur beside him and draped it over Lan Yan. "If you get out of the carriage, you must wear a cloak."
He couldn't help but shake his head. Lan Yan always rushed out without an adequate layer of clothing.
Seeing this, Lan Yan fed Jun Yelan a piece of dried fruit and said with a hint of coquetry, "I know. I'll be more careful from now on."
In truth, she knew, but she wanted Jun Yelan to worry more. That way, Jun Yelan could hold on and continue to persist, unwilling to give up.
Just as Jun Yelan knew she had grown thinner, she was also aware of the state of Jun Yelan's illness.
At that moment, the coachman outside called out, "Miss Lan, we've reached the snow mountains."