Her hut with Luo Yuan began construction.
The hut was to be built near the Luo Stream, not far from the wormhole. It was in this stream that Luo Yuan, as a child, had found Jason's camera. After hiring the old carpenter and a few workers from the village at the foot of the mountain, construction of the hut soon commenced.
Han Dan Chun volunteered to go to the city to buy materials, and he would also bring back letters from Luo Yuan.
To match Yang Ruo Ning's level of education, Luo Yuan's love letters were simple but contained exquisite poetry. One day, Han Dan Chun returned with a perfumed letter. On it were written two lines of poetry, which Yang Ruo Ning read aloud: "White tea, pure joy, nothing else matters; I am waiting for the wind, and waiting for you."
Once their hearts were set on each other, parting seemed even more unbearable. Time crawled by, and the longing was maddening, Yang Ruo Ning sighed. Consequently, she learned to meditate, finding that it helped suppress the intense urge to see him that grew in her heart. She would sit in the deserted Buddhist hall late at night, gazing at the Buddha statue, vowing that when she next saw Luo Yuan, she would cling to him so tightly that they would never be separated again.
Ah, how she longed to see Luo Yuan, Yang Ruo Ning slumped down dejectedly. In the lonely silence of the night, her longing seemed to be magnified countless times by the flickering candlelight, much like the shadows of all objects. But she could only stay in this small temple in the valley, for she knew she could not go looking for him recklessly; she could not add to his troubles.
Suddenly, she heard the faint sound of a wooden door closing. The sound was extremely subtle, but in the profound quiet of the valley night, Yang Ruo Ning still heard it.
Yang Ruo Ning tensed, her first thought being, an assassin! She rose swiftly, blew out the candles before the Buddha statue, and then grabbed a bronze candlestick. It was the only thing within reach that she could use as a weapon.
She silently darted to the side, hiding behind the door.
Yang Ruo Ning saw a dark shadow on the ground growing larger, an assassin approaching the hall. Yang Ruo Ning held her breath, waiting for the moment the assassin stepped through the door to catch him off guard.
A black boot crossed the threshold and stepped inside. Yang Ruo Ning raised the candlestick high, and before the person could turn, she swung it down towards the black-clad figure's head.
The black-clad person reacted with extreme agility, sensing someone behind him and turning sharply. Upon seeing the face of the attacker, Yang Ruo Ning gasped. However, her poor reflexes made it difficult to control her momentum, and the candlestick, carrying its inertia, landed heavily on the black-clad person's head. Stumbling, the figure recoiled, clutching their head.
"My dear! Are you okay?!" Yang Ruo Ning dropped the candlestick and rushed forward.
"Young lady, you truly have quite a strong arm," Luo Yuan said with a wry smile, holding his head.
"I thought it was an assassin, why are you here? Are you hurt?" She grabbed his hand. "Let me see."
"It's nothing, I'm fine," Luo Yuan said, paying no mind to his wound. While comforting her, he pulled her into his embrace.
A wound half a finger long was bleeding profusely on Luo Yuan's forehead. She was heartbroken. "It must hurt terribly. I'm so sorry, I didn't expect it was you and I hit too hard..." Luo Yuan's face was a work of art, a face she wanted to gaze upon for the rest of her life. How could she let a scar mar it? "Don't move, I'll get some ointment for you..."
"It doesn't hurt, just a small scratch, it's nothing," Luo Yuan said. He reached up, lifted her chin, and, unable to wait any longer, kissed her lips. "I had to come. I felt that if I waited another second, I would go mad with longing..."
Yang Ruo Ning was somewhat entranced by his kiss. After a while, she came back to her senses and gently pushed him away before he could go further. Pointing to the large Buddha statue standing silently in the darkness beside them, she said, "Wait, Luo Yuan, I don't think we should be here."
Luo Yuan turned his head to look at the great Buddha and nodded, "Yes, I think you have a point."
"Let's go outside," she said with a playful raise of her eyebrows.
With Yang Ruo Ning's large mountain backpack between them, they went to the grassy area by the stream—just as they had done many years ago when she, leading a seven-year-old him, had climbed the gentle slope and camped by the stream.
Time had left no trace on Yang Ruo Ning, but the snot-nosed little boy had grown into a world-renowned hero of this era.
And this time, with Luo Yuan's help, Yang Ruo Ning quickly set up the tent and the stove. While she prepared instant noodles, Luo Yuan watched her quietly, the anticipation in his eyes the same as when he was seven. She looked at the pink Mickey Mouse bandage on his forehead and let out a chuckle, "You look like a child waiting for candy."
Luo Yuan stared at the canned ham she was slicing. "Can I put the whole can in?"
"Haha, you liked this canned ham back then too."
"Yes, these noodles are so delicious. You don't know how long I've waited for you to make them for me again," Luo Yuan said with a slightly aggrieved tone, like a child.
"Alright, alright, it's all yours. Just wait patiently a little longer, it'll be ready soon," she said as she added the ham to the boiling pot.
Once the instant noodles were ready, she sat beside him, sipping coffee and watching him joyfully devour the noodles from the small pot. After he finished, she handed him a cup of coffee. "Would you like to try again? You're an adult now, perhaps you'll find its charm."
Luo Yuan took the coffee and took a large sip. "Yes, indeed. I can somewhat understand why you like it now. Although this drink is bitter, it has a rich aroma."
"Actually, I came today to give you a few things as well," Luo Yuan said. He put down his coffee cup and took a photograph from his embrace, handing it to Yang Ruo Ning.
She recognized the photograph, of course. "You went to Jiang Xian Pavilion?"
"Yes, I saw it in a room at Jiang Xian Pavilion when I left the capital," Luo Yuan said, pointing at Ruo Xuan in the photo. "Do you know? I recognize your brother. He was His Majesty's National Preceptor back then."
"Really?" Yang Ruo Ning was delighted to hear that Luo Yuan recognized Jason.
"Yes, the National Preceptor used to make something called 'gun gun tang' for me to eat whenever His Majesty punished me."
"'Gun gun tang'?" Yang Ruo Ning burst into laughter. "Jason's Chinese is really poor. I don't know how he managed to become the National Preceptor. It's truly miraculous." She fumbled in her backpack for a while and took out a lollipop. She tore off the wrapper and handed it to Luo Yuan. "This is called a 'bang bang tang lollipop'."
Luo Yuan put the lollipop in his mouth. "Fate is truly wonderful. I never expected the National Preceptor to be your brother. I should have recognized him sooner."
"Jason looks like our mother, while I resemble our father more, so it's not your fault for not recognizing him."
"Yes, I have something else for you," Luo Yuan said, reaching into his embrace again. "Give me your hand."
Yang Ruo Ning extended her hand, and Luo Yuan slipped a ring onto her finger. "You found this ring again!" It was her celestial sphere ring, the ring she used to buy Luo Yuan!
"I searched for this ring for a long time. I only found it recently by chance."
"You know," Yang Ruo Ning suddenly took the ring off her finger, "I think I should do this again, properly." Saying this, she got up, tidied her appearance, and walked in front of Luo Yuan. She knelt on one knee and extended the ring towards him. "Mr. Luo Yuan, will you marry me?"
Her series of sudden actions stunned Luo Yuan. He froze, bewildered, and after a long pause, said, "Haven't we already gotten married?"
"No," Yang Ruo Ning said solemnly, enunciating each word. "This time, I want to do it in your way. We will invite so many people," Yang Ruo Ning pointed towards the small temple and village down the slope, "invite all the neighbors. I want to tell everyone that I am your wife, and you are my husband."
Hearing this, Luo Yuan lifted his chin haughtily. "If you want to marry me, you must first agree to a few conditions."
"What conditions?"
"First, you must never disappear without reason. You must never leave me alone again."
"Yes, I promise."
"Second, every morning for the rest of our lives, the first thing I want upon opening my eyes is a big kiss from you."
"Every day for the rest of our lives? What if you become a toothless old man?"
"Then kiss my gums."
"Okay, I promise."
"Alright, Yang Ruo Ning, I accept your proposal," Luo Yuan said, helping her up from the ground.
She took Luo Yuan's hand and slipped the ring onto his left little finger. "Well, this ring should be on your left ring finger, but it's too small for you, so it'll have to be on your little finger for now. When we return to the capital, I'll have a large gold wedding band made for you!"
"Yang Ruo Ning, if you dare go back on your word, you're dead," Luo Yuan said with a gentle smile, pulling her into a tender embrace. "I love you, Yang Ruo Ning."
"I love you too, my dear Luo Yuan."