The amplitude was very small, but the fleeting dimple was very sweet.
Yao'er was seeing the immortal smile for the first time, and his mouth opened wide in surprise. Then, he excitedly hugged Shen Yue, like a little koala, his voice sweet and soft.
"I like seeing you smile, Immortal. Can you smile at me more often from now on?"
He seemed to be acting spoiled, his voice a little delicate, endearingly coy.
After speaking, he toddled over with his short legs and brought the flowers he had painstakingly picked earlier, shoving them all into Shen Yue's arms.
"These are all for you. As long as you smile at me, I can pick even prettier flowers for you."
His tone was quite proud, as if what he had picked was gold.
Shen Yue lowered her head, her ink-black hair falling, her eyes smiling as she gazed down. The gentle breeze lifted her dark tresses, her eyes like a clear spring, pure and unblemished.
"These flowers are truly beautiful."
Though she couldn't see, she inexplicably felt they were exquisitely beautiful. Everything in Fengyan Valley must be incredibly beautiful.
Sadly, she was destined not to behold it.
The rich floral fragrance was not overpowering. Shen Yue's face, nestled among the vibrant, colorful flowers, was as white as the moon in the sky and the snow on the ground.
Her jade-like fingertips gently touched the delicate petals, but her pale pink fingertips were even more striking and beautiful than the most brilliantly blooming flowers.
Shen Yue suddenly asked, "Does Yao'er know of a medicine that can bring the dead back to life?"
Yao'er was still immersed in his sweet joy. His fair cheeks were smudged with a bit of dirt from accidentally brushing against it while picking flowers.
Upon hearing Shen Yue's question, he first blinked in surprise. He thought for a moment with his innocent mind, then shook his head. "I haven't heard of such a thing."
Shen Yue was not discouraged by his answer. It was normal for Yao'er not to know; after all, he was just a child and not particularly mindful of things. She had merely asked casually.
However, Yao'er took it to heart. He took Shen Yue's hand with his chubby little fingers and softly asked in a voice as sweet as soft cake, "Is that thing very important to the Immortal?"
Shen Yue thought for a moment and nodded. "Very important."
Yao'er secretly remembered it.
When Chang Sheng returned, he saw Shen Yue surrounded by flowers.
Her snow-white clothes were covered in vibrant red petals, her waterfall-like hair draped across her body, adorned with specks of fallen red.
Chang Sheng tiptoed over, reached out, and tugged at the sleeve dangling by her side, pulling with a playful force.
Shen Yue turned her head, her eyes like a painting, her pupils reflecting a dim light.
"Yao'er, stop fooling around."
She thought it was Yao'er teasing her again.
Yao'er was chasing a beautiful butterfly on the other side. Children were like this; they always wanted to give the most beautiful things they had to the people they liked the most.
He had his eye on this butterfly and wanted to give it to the Immortal.
Chang Sheng felt a mischievous urge and remained silent, quietly approaching. He reached out and gently touched Shen Yue's nose. Then, as Shen Yue raised her hand, he quickly retracted his own.
He repeated this, teasing her greatly.
Shen Yue's nose felt very ticklish. Seeing that "Yao'er" was still disobedient, she hugged him tightly.
The tall, strong body surprised Shen Yue. Chang Sheng was also stunned by the sudden embrace, his entire being becoming extremely stiff, his pupils slightly contracting, his hands instinctively rising.
Time seemed to slow down at this moment.
A faint, clean fragrance mixed with the rich floral scent, creating an alluring aroma. He remained in a somewhat rigid posture, a hint of sweet shyness about him.
This unfamiliar yet intimate feeling made Chang Sheng's earlobes flush red. His hands, hanging by his sides, clenched unconsciously.
"Chang Sheng."
Shen Yue smelled the faint medicinal scent on the man. She slowly let go and looked up, calling his name.
As the soft, warm body moved away, a profound sense of loss settled in his heart for some reason. He bit the tip of his tongue to suppress the strange, sour feeling spreading from his chest.
"It's me."
Because Shen Yue was sitting, she could tell from the man's voice that he was above her. Her brows were clear, her eyes like distant mountains and still water.
She asked innocently, "Were you touching me just now?"
The wind blew, rustling the fallen flowers. They fluttered over and landed on Shen Yue's white-clad shoulder before gently rolling off. The white became whiter, the red contrasting like blood.
Upon hearing her words, Chang Sheng was startled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. His eyes held a hint of shyness, his tongue becoming unruly. "I, I wasn't touching you..."
I just wanted to touch you.
Chang Sheng did not say the latter part, his eyes fixed on Shen Yue.
Late into the night, Chang Sheng was still tending to the medicinal herbs, his figure elongated by the candlelight.
Outside, the chirping of cicadas could be heard, and the faint sound of the breeze tapping against the window carried a hint of coolness.
Chang Sheng meticulously recorded all the herbs he had picked that day on a stack of paper. His handwriting was like his person – elegant and fluid.
"If you don't sleep soon, you won't grow taller."
Chang Sheng spoke in a low voice. The small figure, who had been lurking suspiciously by the door, finally appeared, walking over shyly.
Chang Sheng did not even look up. "It's so late, and you're still not asleep. What are you doing in the pharmacy?"
Gently tapping his shadow with the tip of his toe, Yao'er counted on his fingers. "...I'm looking for a type of medicine."
"What medicine?" Chang Sheng dipped his brush in ink and continued his record.
"A medicine to bring the dead back to life."
The smooth flow of his brush stroke paused. After a moment, it smeared, leaving a heavy ink mark. However, no one paid it any mind. Chang Sheng looked up, his expression in the dim lamplight obscure and unreadable.
He asked softly, "What do you need it for?"
Yao'er puffed out his little chest, his tender face bearing an innocent smile. His voice was soft and sweet, "The Immortal said this medicine is very important to her. I want to find it and give it to her. The Immortal will surely be very happy, and if she's happy, then I'm happy."
Chang Sheng tightly gripped the brush in his hand. With a crack, it snapped into two pieces.
Anger mixed with twisted, dark emotions spread. A deep well of bitterness flowed from the depths of his heart, as if it were being squeezed forcefully. Chang Sheng's fingers whitened from the pressure, and his usually calm dark eyes churned with intense emotion.
His voice was hoarse and dry, as if he were desperately suppressing something.
"Did she personally ask you for it? Did she tell you to look for it here?"
Yao'er, not sensing anything unusual about Chang Sheng, saw his smile fade slightly, a hint of worry on his face. He pouted. "No, I just want to find it myself because I think that medicine seems very important to the Immortal."
Because the Immortal thought it was important, he wanted to find it and give it to her.
Chang Sheng lowered his head, feeling as if his very breath was stinging. He threw away the broken brush in his hand and walked to the window, gazing at the moon outside.
All his ambiguous thoughts were like a bubble, popped by a sharp needle, shattering his bitter delusion.