Chapter 215 – Worldly Delights
A light snow had started falling again when we stepped out of the cabin. Tiny thin flakes drifted weightlessly in the air, catching glimmers of gold as they descended slowly from the evening sky. Bai Ye held my hand as we trod through the white forest floor, pristine without a single trace of footsteps. Snow crunched softly beneath our feet, and the hem of our long robes brushed behind us, stirring a small swirl of powdered whiteness.
We didn't speak, letting the peaceful hush of nature surround us. I had always loved moments like this with him—quiet, serene. It was as if the whole world had disappeared, and it was just the two of us, side by side, hand in hand.
I glanced at him. A few snowflakes had landed on his ink-black hair, fluttering in the light breeze from our walk. The sight of him was somehow more mesmerizing like this than usual, and I smiled a bit idiotically, not willing to move my eyes away.
"Qing-er," he turned towards me, nodding towards my feet. "Watch your step."
I shifted my gaze reluctantly, realizing that we were already within paces from the edge of the precipice. He stopped, standing behind me so as to not obstruct my view. "Look," he leaned over and whispered into my ears.
I looked, and I gasped.
It was an utterly different view from what I remembered last year. The entire world beneath us was blanketed in pure whiteness, stretching into the distance for as far as we could see. The bare trees and dark evergreens were all laden with fluffy coats, the tip of their height catching the slanted light from the setting sun, tinted a shy shade of blush. The sky was a wispy blend of blue and pink, the clouds shifting into dreamlike shapes as the sun dipped lower, lower, casting one last colorful glow through the thin veil of snow.
"Do you like it?" he asked, gathering me into his arms from behind. "Sunrise is even better. If you want to wake up early tomorrow morning, we can come here again."
I clasped my hands over his that were looped in front of me, and I turned my head back, looking up at him. "Love it." I smiled. "How many more secret sceneries like this are you keeping from me?"
He chuckled. "Wait until you see it in the spring. Wildflowers will paint this valley in more colors than you can possibly name, and the fragrance will follow you wherever you go. You can make as many crowns as you like with them, I won't judge."
I laughed at his reminder of my silly childhood habits. "What about summer? With the rivers all full and trees all lush, the fields dense and busy with crops?" I gave him a sideways glance. "You sure knew how to pick a home for yourself. I thought cultivators are supposed to concentrate on their dao, not to pay attention to all these worldly delights!"
His smile only grew more tender at my chiding. "These worldly delights are nothing without someone to share with," he said softly. "I never knew what I had missed in life, Qing-er, until I met you. I never knew there were all these small things in this world that were worth our attention, that would bring us such simple but genuine joy. You showed me how to live this life … And I can't be more grateful that I still have the chance to share the rest of it with you in the way you wanted."
The last ray of evening sunlight danced over his cheeks, tinting them a luring rosy hue. My heart melted at the look in his eyes. "Bai Ye …" I whispered, but all other words failed me. Reaching up on my tiptoe, I turned around in his arms and sought his lips.
The sun had set then, and the breeze whistling past the cliff was starting to grow chilly, but I didn't feel cold. The warmth in his words, his smile, his embrace, bubbled in me like a hot spring, and I gave it all back to him in that kiss. It felt different to hear him declare his love for me like this, with no more worries to hold him back. It felt different to kiss him like this, with no more barrier spells to hide behind. And this was just the beginning of our new life, real and free.
I let myself get lost in that blissful sensation, lost in the softness of his lips and the taste on the tip of his tongue. That kiss had only started as an innocent peck … but it deepened too quickly, and before I knew it, my hands had slipped behind him, pulling him closer. "Bai Ye," I breathed into his mouth, "do you remember what you said to me last time after I returned to Mount Hua from this place? What you said you wanted to do with me on this cliff, when the first ray of the sun broke free from the horizon?"
I felt his lips curl. "Of course I do." He nibbled my lips teasingly. "But your deal still lasts one more day … I'm trying to be good and show you my resolve to keep my promise."
I chuckled. "Then you shall be rewarded for your effort. I declare the sunset the end of another day. Our deal is over." I kissed him again. "You said you'll share your life with me the way I wanted … So do it. You know what I want at this very moment."
He laughed, a ringing peal of joy that echoed in the hushed valley. The next moment, he swept me off my feet. "Much too glad to oblige," he said, "though I'm afraid we'll have to save the cliff for next time … As much as I love a tumble in the snow, our new bed needs warming. Won't you agree?"
Carrying me in his arms, he strode towards the cabin.
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by (f)reew𝒆b(n)ovel.com