They had traveled in the desert for two full days, and Qin Jiujiu had not bathed for two full days.
Along the way, apart from encountering a mirage, they had found no water.
The wind and sand were incessant, and Qin Jiujiu could no longer be described as merely dusty.
She was a little parched, so she unfastened the water flask at her waist, tilted her head back, and poured it into her mouth, but only a few pitiful drops of crystal clear liquid slowly fell into her mouth.
The water in the flask was gone!
Helpless, Qin Jiujiu could only look at Bai Qianluo with a bitter expression.
"Sister Bai, do you still have water?"
Bai Qianluo unfastened the water flask at her waist, shook it in her hand, and then handed it to Qin Jiujiu.
Qin Jiujiu took it. The water in the flask seemed to be running low as well.
She turned her head and asked Bai Qianluo, "Sister Bai, are you thirsty now?"
Bai Qianluo shook her head, "Not thirsty for now!"
Qin Jiujiu took only a small sip and returned the water flask to Bai Qianluo.
Bai Qianluo fastened the water flask and quickened her pace to catch up with Xie Yun.
They had not found a water source for days, and their reserve water was running low. If they did not find water in the next two days, they would be extremely thirsty!
Qin Jiujiu watched the two figures ahead; they must be discussing finding water.
Suddenly, a gust of wind and sand struck, completely obscuring her vision and making it impossible to see the others.
Bai Qianluo's voice called out, "Jiujiu, where are you?"
Xie Yun: "It's a sandstorm! Jiujiu and Xiao Jing are still behind!"
Qin Jiujiu could only hear the voices, not see any figures.
At this moment, their vision was completely obscured by the wind and sand. The wind gradually intensified, stinging her face, and she could not open her eyes.
She could only cover her face and crouch down as much as possible.
The wind and sand showed no signs of stopping, instead becoming even more violent.
Qin Jiujiu had never wished to be a chubby girl more than at this moment!
Just as she thought she was about to be swept away by the wind, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.
The hands at her waist pulled her into an embrace, her head resting against his chest, and she was enveloped in a familiar scent.
"Second Young Master Xie?"
Xie Jing let out a low "Mm." Qin Jiujiu's previously anxious heart gradually calmed down. Held in his arms, she gradually felt at ease.
Qin Jiujiu tried to open her eyes a slit and looked at the person in front of her.
He was still standing straight, one arm around her waist, the other holding his sword, which was plunged deep into the yellow sand.
His hands, already fair, were now veined with bulging blue arteries.
Gradually, the wind and sand subsided.
Everything became calm. Four figures stood in the desert, embracing in pairs.
It was a peaceful scene. Xie Yun held Bai Qianluo, and Qin Jiujiu's small body seemed even smaller in Xie Jing's embrace.
"Miss Bai, please excuse my rudeness..." Xie Yun's face was flushed. Bai Qianluo's face was also red, and she turned her head away, seemingly unable to look at him.
Bai Qianluo's gaze fell on Qin Jiujiu and Xie Jing. For a moment, she didn't realize they were holding each other tightly.
She walked towards them, Xie Yun following behind.
"Second Young Master Xie, you can let go now..."
Xie Jing's voice came from above, "So I didn't know Miss Qin was such an ungrateful person? Discarding me so heartlessly after using me..."
Qin Jiujiu: Do you know what you're saying?
Qin Jiujiu was somewhat speechless. Xie Jing's words made it sound as if she had abandoned him!
Xie Jing still let go, but he lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Miss Qin, remember to repay my kindness!"
Qin Jiujiu was helpless. Xie Jing had indeed saved her, and many times at that; she could not deny it.
However, his words, coupled with his tone, made her feel strange.
"Jiujiu, are you alright?"
Bai Qianluo had already reached them, Xie Yun following behind her with a slightly red face.
Qin Jiujiu shook her head, indicating she was fine.
Xie Jing pulled out the sword still stuck in the sand. The sword was sheathed, its sharpness contained.
The sky was nearing dusk, and due to the sandstorm, they decided to find a place to rest.
Nearby, there happened to be a large, lush tree with red ribbons tied to its trunk.
In the desert, a flourishing tree adorned with red ribbons looked somewhat eerie.
"Someone must have been here!" Xie Yun stated with certainty. Qin Jiujiu nodded in agreement.
Footprints could be buried by the wind and sand, but these red ribbons could not, clearly indicating that someone had deliberately tied them.
Qin Jiujiu sat by the bonfire, gazing up at the night sky. The desert night sky seemed higher and more vast, appearing very distant from the ground, with a few twinkling stars.
She suddenly thought of her family and her own world, and felt a pang of melancholy.
She missed home!
Xie Jing leaned against the large tree, his gaze fixed on Qin Jiujiu. Her features were exceptionally clear under the firelight, but her eyes held an emotion he had not seen before.
She sat by the bonfire, looking up at the sky. Xie Jing also looked up, but saw nothing. He didn't know what she was looking at, nor did he find anything worth his attention.
He lowered his head, his gaze falling on her again.
Under the starlit sky, she looked at the stars, while he looked at her.
A wave of drowsiness washed over Qin Jiujiu, and she fell into a deep sleep. In the darkness, only Xie Jing's eyes remained fixed on that graceful silhouette.
Suddenly, she stirred, her brow furrowed, murmuring something unintelligible, appearing to be in pain.
The fox fur coat draped over her gradually slipped down. Xie Jing got up and moved closer to the graceful figure.
He gently held the fox fur coat, lifted it, and his gaze fell on her luscious lips.
"No! I want to go home! Don't kill me..."
Her previously relaxed brow furrowed again, as if she were having a nightmare. The fox fur coat was again brushed aside by her. Xie Jing, not understanding what she was saying, bent down and leaned closer.
"Don't kill me... I'm not... Xie Jing... Don't kill me!"
Xie Jing!
Something exploded in Xie Jing's mind, and pieces began to connect, making everything gradually clear.
She said she wanted to go home, but her home was in the Qin mansion in Shangyang Town. She could clearly return, couldn't she? She said she didn't regret dying; what didn't she regret? Wasn't it Qin Jiujiu?
Most importantly, Xie Jing couldn't understand why he would want to kill her!
Why did she know that he had previously wanted to kill her!
Memories flooded in, and his eyes gradually turned cold. Who was this person?
He could accept that she had been possessed, after all, he had never cared about the identity of the person in front of him; he had known this for a long time! However, why did she know he would kill her? Were her smiles in front of him these past few days fake? Was her fear of him real? Then was her kindness towards him also fake?
Xie Jing hated being manipulated; this was something he could not tolerate!
What happened to those who had manipulated him?
Oh! It seemed he had killed them all with his own hands!
His hand gradually moved towards her slender white neck, wanting to take her breath away.