“You’re afraid.”
Ye Lan’s gaze did not leave the road ahead, yet she precisely captured every subtle reaction from Mu Xi.
Mu Xi shook her head, but in the next second, she let out a startled cry as the vehicle hit a sudden bump.
She immediately bit her lower lip, as if ashamed of her own weakness.
“No need to force it, Little Xi,” Ye Lan’s voice suddenly softened, like a wisp of warm wind in the dark night.
“After going through so much, feeling afraid is normal.”
Mu Xi looked out the window at the boundless darkness.
Under the moonlight, The Desert appeared a strange silver-gray, and the distant rocks looked like monsters lying in wait.
Her heartbeat was still abnormally fast, but Ye Lan’s presence was like a Sedative.
“Where can be considered safe?” Mu Xi asked softly, her voice hiding a fear of the unknown and a reliance on Ye Lan.
Ye Lan accelerated through an open area, her fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel as if she were calculating something.
“My Escort Team,” Ye Lan’s lips curled upward slightly, a spark of confidence flashing in her eyes.
“They have already heard the gunshots and should catch up soon. We don’t need to go too fast; just maintaining a steady speed is enough.”
“Will they really come?” Mu Xi asked, realizing as she spoke that she had exposed the deepest unease in her heart.
‘Afraid of being abandoned, afraid of being alone.’
Ye Lan glanced sideways at Mu Xi, her gaze serving as both a promise and a reassurance, “They are loyal to me, just as I am to you.”
Too many unspoken vows were hidden within those words.
Mu Xi felt a sudden, inexplicable palpitation.
She did not remember who Ye Lan was, yet she was terrifyingly familiar with this feeling.
She lowered her head, her silver hair falling to hide her slightly flushed cheeks.
“Then how long will it take for them to arrive?” Mu Xi’s voice carried a hint of urgency, like a lost child asking for the way home.
Ye Lan checked the time and distance.
“It should be around dawn. Don’t worry, get some sleep first.”
“I don’t want to sleep,” Mu Xi shook her head stubbornly, her eyes fixed forward as if she feared that if she closed them, Ye Lan would disappear by the time she woke up.
Ye Lan suddenly turned her head, a sharp light flashing in her phoenix eyes.
Her tone turned slightly heavy, “Not sleeping is bad for your health. You must sleep.”
Her tone was indisputable, carrying an unconscious sense of The Order.
This sudden assertiveness made Mu Xi’s heart skip a beat.
She felt a strange current surge up her spine; this side of Ye Lan made her heart flutter even more than when the woman was being gentle.
Mu Xi pouted and let out a soft “Mhm,” but she did not return to the bedroom in the back.
She unbuckled her seatbelt and, under Ye Lan’s surprised gaze, gently shifted her body to rest her upper half on Ye Lan’s lap.
Mu Xi looked up at Ye Lan, her eyes filled with testing and a hidden sliver of anticipation.
“Will this affect your driving?”
Ye Lan’s breath hitched for a moment.
Mu Xi’s long silver hair was scattered across her lap like silk woven from moonlight.
The weight was almost non-existent, yet it was heavy enough to make her heart race.
Driving did indeed require full concentration, but she could not refuse Mu Xi’s request, nor could she push away this girl who had just experienced such a fright.
“It won’t,” Ye Lan lied, her voice deeper than usual, “Sleep well.”
Mu Xi closed her eyes.
Ye Lan’s body heat radiated through the fabric, bringing a strange sense of security.
Her heartbeat gradually stabilized, and her tensed nerves relaxed in this intimacy.
Mu Xi did not know why she trusted someone with such blurred memories so much, but at this moment, she only wanted to immerse herself in this tranquility.
Ye Lan controlled the steering wheel with one hand and let the other rest lightly on Mu Xi’s hair, her fingertips carefully smoothing the silver strands.
Her gaze shifted between Mu Xi’s peaceful sleeping face and the desert ahead, a complex emotion welling up in her heart.
‘I will protect you, no matter the cost.’ Ye Lan recited in her mind.
These words were like a vow, yet also like a curse.
The RV continued its journey through The Desert.
The headlights illuminated a limited path forward, but they could not reach into the distant future.
Luoyuan would never give up easily; the pursuers would come one wave after another.
But for now, the sound of Mu Xi’s steady breathing in her lap brought her a strange sense of peace.
In a half-dreaming state, Mu Xi felt Ye Lan’s fingers lightly stroking her hair.
The touch felt like a fragment from the depths of her memory, familiar and warm.
Her lips curled upward unconsciously, revealing a peaceful smile at an angle Ye Lan could not see.
“Ye Lan…” Mu Xi murmured the name in her Dream.
Ye Lan’s fingers paused for a brief moment, then she gently brushed Mu Xi’s cheek.
Her movements were as light as if she were afraid of waking a beautiful dream, “I’m here. I’ve always been here.”
***
Time passed quickly.
The light of dawn was like a sharp Knife, slicing through the long night.
Mu Xi woke from her light slumber to find that her head was still resting on Ye Lan’s lap, but the RV had stopped moving.
She blinked her sleepy eyes and saw Ye Lan’s tensed jawline and slightly furrowed brows.
Ye Lan’s fingers tapped the steering wheel twice, her eyes fixed on the flashing control panel ahead.
“The vehicle isn’t moving.”
Her tone was calm, but Mu Xi could feel the anxiety surging beneath that surface.
Mu Xi sat up abruptly, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders.
“I thought you stopped to rest.” Her heart rate suddenly accelerated, and her throat tightened, “What’s the problem?”
“I’m not sure.” Ye Lan unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned forward to check the warning lights flashing on the dashboard.
“It could be engine overheating, or perhaps a fault in the fuel system.”
Her fingers moved across various buttons, a flash of hidden worry appearing in her eyes.
“I need to get out and check.”
Mu Xi grabbed Ye Lan’s wrist, her fingertips feeling the pulse thrumming beneath the skin.
“What about your Escort Team?”
There was fear hidden in her voice.
“They should be here soon.” Ye Lan turned her hand to hold Mu Xi’s, her thumb gently rubbing the back of the girl’s hand.
“If we’re lucky, they will find us before Luoyuan does.”
Her words were meant to comfort, yet they exposed the worst possibility.
Mu Xi bit her lower lip and said, “I’ll go down with you.”
She didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of being left alone in the vehicle filled her with a wave of panic more terrifying than facing the unknown desert.
Ye Lan wanted to refuse, but seeing the determination in Mu Xi’s eyes, she finally nodded, “Stay close to me. Don’t wander off.”
The morning in The Desert was more piercingly cold than imagined.
The dry wind carried fine sand, like countless tiny blades scraping against exposed skin.
Mu Xi followed behind Ye Lan, watching as she opened the hood and bent over to inspect the engine.
The sunlight fell upon Mu Xi, dispelling the chill of the night.
She took a deep breath.
Although the air was thick with the smell of metal and sulfur, this wild atmosphere actually made her feel a strange sense of comfort compared to the recycled air inside the vehicle.
“Are you feeling better?” Ye Lan asked without looking up, her fingers checking various components of the engine, yet her voice reached Mu Xi’s ears with precision.
Mu Xi nodded, then realized Ye Lan couldn’t see her.
“Mhm, much better.”
She looked around; in the morning light, The Desert possessed a haunting beauty.
“But I’m worried Luoyuan will catch up.”
As if those words had triggered some sort of premonition, a sudden sharp pain stung the back of her neck.