Section 8

Du Heng only felt a sharp thorn piercing into his heart, causing him great pain. He deeply regretted the things he had done. But what good is regret? What is done is done. Fortunately, he still had time; he could still make amends to her

Fu Ji looked at that beautiful face filled with confusion, mercilessly shattering the indifference that he was trying to maintain. She said, "That Du Heng is not you, but you can no longer replace him."

At that time, he was an irreplaceable person

Du Heng followed her voice and found a hawthorn tree laden with fruit by the rocky stream. The tree was extremely tall and robust, swaying gently in the wind. On a high branch, a young man dressed in a simple blue shirt, bare-chested and revealing long legs, with his long black hair cascading down to his calves, looked down at Jiang Li with an innocent and naive smile.

He clumsily retorted, "That person may resemble me, but he is not me"

What is this feeling that is clearly one of joy yet also causes a heartache so intense that it makes one want to cry

He had already forgotten; people tend to habitually forget those things that cause them too much pain. A few months ago, he had desperately clung to that skeleton, and what was that suffocating pain in his heart really worth?

Regretful of our reunion, I must part from you as you already have a good companion by your side

Indeed, such a smile, will eventually depart from its original state, but when did that happen

Du Heng ... ... a gentle call as soft as a feather falling to the ground

"Everything is for you..." he said

On the branches of the locust tree beside her, Fu Ji sat on the back of a lark, laughing heartily, "How wonderful, how wonderful! Now you understand, she can have whatever she desires. Although she is a servant in this Meiwu, there is no need to bow and scrape to others, nor to endure the disdain of that turtle bastard, the Heavenly Emperor. Moreover, there is no need to love someone who has rendered her powerless. If it were you, would you leave?"

Meiwu is a basin surrounded by mountains, where Fujii resides atop a misty peak. In this palm-sized area, there stands a modest two-story wooden house, surrounded by five plum trees. Fujii is infatuated with plum blossoms; her outer robe is embroidered with proud snow-cold plums, and the painting of seeking plum blossoms in the snow hangs inside the house. Even the name of this territory is related to plum blossoms.

That face caused Du Heng to tremble; the features and appearance seemed to be carved from his own mold. The "Du Heng" smiled as he tossed the hawthorn fruit he was holding down, and Li, looking up with his head tilted, caught it in his arms, gazing up at him in confusion.

Haha, Lesheng, did you see that? His surprised expression just now is enough to entertain this demon for several years

She never mingled with others, residing in the depths of the mountains beneath a waterfall. As Du Heng journeyed to see her, he contemplated that as a celestial being, she still had three cycles of reincarnation in the mortal realm. At most, he could guard her for three lifetimes and then safely bring her back to the heavenly realm. She served in the Celestial Palace, while he was in the Extreme North Qilin Valley; being in the same territory allowed for more opportunities to meet. With these thoughts, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, and his face, usually adorned with a cool and proud demeanor, showed a few more blushes, while his eyes shimmered with the gentle light of the moon.

But now, there are people around him that he cannot replace

Du Heng slowly covered his chest, his heart truly ached so much now

Du Heng instinctively hid in the shadow of the large locust tree beside him, waiting until the person jumped down from the tree and walked away laughing and chatting with Jiang Li, before he slowly emerged. A tumult of emotions surged within him; what on earth was that Xibei product that looked exactly like him?

Du Heng only felt a "thump" in his heart, and he was momentarily stunned. It was the sound of separation, the sound of parting. He had yet to see the thatched cottage and waterfall that Le Sheng had mentioned, but he could vaguely hear the sound of splashing water, like the roar of a thousand troops passing through, and his own heartbeat was like the clamorous drumbeats, as if the books were about to shatter his eardrums.

In fact, it had only been a few years, when Jiang Li was about eleven or twelve years old. He thought she could not see him, so he slept by her bedside. At that time, he did not understand why this little girl liked to talk to herself so much, laughing and chatting as if she were mad, as mortals would say. Yet he enjoyed listening to her. During that time, Jiang Li kept watch over him, feeling both content and happy.

She stared at him blankly for a while, gathered the fruit in her arms, and lowered her head with a dazed smile, "But it can't be eaten." In an instant, her eyes and brows blossomed like spring returning to the earth. The wind scattered her hair and brushed aside the hem of her skirt, as he gently looked down at her, beautiful like a dream that would shatter with a single touch

Du Heng, Du Heng..." The voice of departure was as soft as a cloud that could be squeezed to extract water. She said, "The fruit of this tree is not yet ripe, so it cannot be eaten."

As the steward, Le Sheng is responsible not only for the expenses of the maidservant but also for managing the more than twenty servants in Meiwu. Those servants, aside from cleaning up the carrion spirits that accidentally wander in from the sand sea, lead a remarkably leisurely and carefree life. When two of them gather, they play chess; when three come together, they compose poetry; and when four are together, they play dice. There is no semblance of servitude; rather, it resembles a scene of ascension to the ranks of immortals.

"That person is certainly not you; how could you compare to him?" Fu Ji's disdain was evident, yet she proudly gave a thumbs up. "However, it is not entirely incorrect to say it is you. After all, that skeleton was something I had Le Sheng specially retrieve from the royal tomb in the capital of Yanqiu, and I had him flesh it out and present it to Jiang Li, so that the child wouldn't have to sit at the door all day, hugging his knees and staring with those two green eyes, which is quite pitiful. Strangely enough, it is curious that such a mere shell of flesh could awaken a sense of consciousness under Jiang Li's call. His life was given by Jiang Li, and he understands how to be a good Du Hang for Jiang Li, rather than a Du Hang who would stab her. Jiang Li's innocent and joyful smile rightfully belongs to him."