Ye Ziling, though delirious, vaguely remembered the way back to the inn.
"I told you to try a couple of cups, not to drink them all!" In a narrow alley, Mu Heng supported Ye Ziling, stopping and going as they walked, complaining.
Ye Ziling waved her hand and smiled faintly, "Don't worry, even if thousands of demons stood before me now, I could... kill them all."
She felt her mind clearing up. Soon, she was leaning against the wall, unable to walk any further.
"Go fetch the boat, I can't be bothered to walk." Ye Ziling looked up at him, then lowered her head and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes to rest.
"What a disaster," Mu Heng muttered, turning to leave. He pointed back at her and instructed, "Wait here."
Under the moonlight, Ye Ziling watched his receding figure, a faint smile touching her lips.
What a drain.
She regretted it.
If only she had been lighter in her attack, she could have gotten a demon core. Now her whole body ached, and she got nothing for her wasted energy and effort.
After an unknown amount of time, measured footsteps echoed nearby. A figure, silhouetted against the moonlight, slowly ambled towards her.
Ye Ziling's vision was blurry. She tried to open her eyes to see the person's face, but could only make out a face shrouded in darkness.
"... Mu Heng, where's the boat?"
The person stood in the darkness, not replying, just watching her.
"I'm talking to you... don't play mute with me." Ye Ziling leaned closer, supporting herself on his arm, and slurred, pointing at his ear, "... Deduct it from my pay."
If he couldn't even bring the boat over, he wouldn't get his monthly salary this month.
In the hazy moonlight, the face shrouded in darkness finally reacted: "Where did you drink this wine?"
Ling Xi gazed at her for a moment. Seeing the intoxication in her eyes, he couldn't help but frown.
"... Didn't you tell me to drink it?" Ye Ziling pushed the person beside her away. Looking at his refined features, she pointed, "Commander Mu, I've noticed you've become quite handsome. Add it to my salary..."
Ling Xi's brow furrowed. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her closer, and said sternly, "Ye Ziling, look clearly at who I am."
Ye Ziling felt her head buzzing. She opened her eyes, saw it was Ling Xi, and straightened up, trying to regain her composure.
"Ling Xi... what are you doing here? Where's Mu Heng?" Ye Ziling's tone was slurred, her vision gradually clearing.
She shook his arm off, attempting to steady herself.
"The matter of the divine spring is entrusted to you..." Ye Ziling suddenly felt a splitting headache. She clutched her forehead, "I want to sleep for a bit."
Her eyes flickered, her fair cheeks blushed like a sunset, her lashes fluttered, and her gaze was a little hazy.
Seeing her like this, Ling Xi felt an inexplicable irritation. He grabbed her hand and said sternly, "I'll take you back."
Ye Ziling smiled faintly and waved her hand, "No need, I can get back myself."
Ling Xi lowered his brows, pursed his lips, and a spark of fire flashed in his eyes. He asked, "... Do you like me?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Ziling froze. After a long moment, she found her voice, "... What?"
Ling Xi looked up at her, his gaze burning, and repeated, word by word, "... I asked if you like me."
"... And if I do, so what?" Ye Ziling, having cleared her thoughts, replied without any change in her tone, answering instinctively.
The wind was somewhat desolate. The balloon flower scent from her body mixed with the smell of alcohol, wafting through the air.
Ling Xi looked at her, his thin lips pressed tightly together, as if suppressing some emotion with all his might.
His eyes brightened. He stared intently at her, his fingertips tentatively touching her cheek.
Ye Ziling avoided his touch and took a step back, languidly saying, "Ling Xi, I'm a bit sleepy."
She tugged at his arm, coughed a few times, and rested her chin on his shoulder.
In the moonlight, Ling Xi saw the mist in her reddened pupils, flickering as if ready to shed pearls.
Ling Xi had never seen her like this. Looking at her now, his heart ached.
He had indeed tested her too much, and now he was suffering as well.
Ye Ziling felt her head swim. A bitter taste spread across her tongue, like drinking poison, so bitter that her eyes watered.
Soon, she realized something was wrong. Why did this wine taste bitter?
Damn it, Mu Heng had put something in the wine. It was so bitter it made her want to cry.
She should have known, how could someone as stingy as him afford to treat her to wine?
A moment later, Ye Ziling felt a warm touch on the corner of her eye, and the scent of cold plum blossoms wafted onto her cheek.
He leaned down, his lips tracing the curve of her cheek, kissing away her tears.
Ye Ziling felt somewhat dazed. She looked up at him, seeing his clear eyes filled with moonlight, gazing at her reddened lips, tentatively drawing closer.
Before he could get any nearer, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. Ye Ziling slumped onto him and fell into a deep sleep.
Ling Xi listened to her gradually even breathing and smiled faintly.
Sunlight streamed in through the window. Ye Ziling lazily turned over and opened her heavy eyelids, her mind a complete blank.
Her mouth was dry, and a bitter taste lingered in it.
She looked closely and found tear-inducing powder on the table. She savored the taste in her mouth.
Didn't she go to catch a demon last night? Why was she here, and why had she ingested tear-inducing powder?
Mu Heng walked into the room, placing several dishes on the table. He said to her through the veil, "I knew it, crying it out would solve everything."
Based on Mu Heng's years of experience in mediating breakups, crying was always the best solution, capable of driving away all suppressed emotions.
Since Ye Ziling couldn't cry, tear-inducing powder would do the trick. It was all about shedding tears, so the effect wouldn't be that different.
"Last night... did you bring me back?" Ye Ziling's mind was a bit hazy. She only remembered breaking into the courtyard with Mu Heng to catch a demon; she couldn't recall anything else.
"What happened to your face?" Ye Ziling asked, looking at Mu Heng's bruised and swollen face with confusion.
Mu Heng put down the food box and instinctively covered his side of his face, "... What happened? I look handsome."
If he hadn't arrived in time, that kid Ling Xi would have taken great advantage. He couldn't fight them, so he thought about targeting Yao Na, the soft persimmon, for a one-on-one, but he didn't expect to be defeated by a mere girl!
Ye Ziling's eyes shifted slightly. She knew without asking that he must have gotten into a fight.
Useless, can't even beat anyone.
"Hey, you promised me you'd return to the valley today. Don't think you can renege just because I forgot."
Ye Ziling frowned in confusion, "How did you know I forgot?"
She had indeed forgotten, but how did Mu Heng know? Had this guy slipped her something else?
Mu Heng's gaze shifted guiltily, and he changed the subject, "Don't ask so many questions, quickly... I've packed everything."
Ye Ziling was taken aback. She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath, responding faintly, "Okay."
At noon, as Ye Ziling stepped out of the door, she bumped into Ling Xi, who was walking towards her.
He was dressed in a dark robe, approaching her slowly, his eyes lighting up slightly.
"Awake?"