Mu Xi was drawn by a formless power.
Deep inside, a complex emotion was quietly growing.
‘Is it dependency, gratitude, or… love?’
She wasn’t sure.
Her memory was a total blank, and her impression of Ye Lan was blurry, but a strong, indescribable feeling surged within her chest.
It felt as if a deep bond already existed between them, one that transcended language and memory.
She thought back to a moment ago, when she had thrown herself in front of Ye Lan without concern for her own safety to block a grenade for her.
In that moment, she hadn’t hesitated at all, as if it were the natural thing to do.
For Ye Lan, she could give everything, even her life.
This feeling was both strange and familiar, terrifying yet something she craved.
“Little Xi, are you cold?”
Suddenly, the door opened, and Ye Lan’s voice reached her ears.
She bent down, leaning in to look at Mu Xi with concern.
Wind and sand rushed into the vehicle as the door opened, bringing the coarse scent of the Desert.
Mu Xi shook her head.
Looking at Ye Lan so close to her, her heart rate accelerated again.
Ye Lan’s face was stained with dust, but there was a touch of tenderness in her eyes.
Her phoenix-like eyes reflected Mu Xi’s silhouette, focused and affectionate.
“It’s windy outside, and the car won’t be fixed for a while. Rest in the vehicle for now.”
Ye Lan’s voice was gentle, brushing against Mu Xi’s heart like a feather.
Mu Xi looked at her, momentarily speechless.
A thousand words rushed to her lips, but she didn’t know how to start.
Ultimately, she just asked softly, “Ye Lan… where are we going?”
Ye Lan smiled slightly.
It was like a night-blooming cereus in the Desert — brief and stunning.
“Where? To a safe place, of course. A place with only the two of us.” Her voice held a hint of allure, but her gaze was incredibly serious.
“Little Xi, trust me. I will protect you, forever.”
Mu Xi looked at her and slowly nodded.
The anxiety and confusion in her heart gradually dissipated under Ye Lan’s gentle gaze.
She didn’t know what the future held or where they were headed, but as long as Ye Lan was by her side, she felt at ease, warm, and… hopeful.
“I’m… a little thirsty,” Mu Xi said softly, breaking the silence in the cabin.
Ye Lan stood up immediately.
She took a thermos handed over by the Escort Team from outside the door and gave it to Mu Xi.
“This is hot milk. It’ll warm you up.”
Mu Xi took the cup, and a wave of warmth spread from her fingertips throughout her body.
She opened the lid, and the aroma of milk wafted out, warm and sweet.
She took small sips of the milk, her gaze never leaving Ye Lan’s face.
Ye Lan stood by the door, quietly watching her with a gentle, doting look.
The wind and sand howled behind her, but it was as if they were blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to get close to her or disturb this moment of tranquility.
Mu Xi suddenly felt that the Desert didn’t seem so terrifying anymore.
As long as Ye Lan was there, anywhere was safe, and anywhere was a warm home.
The RV was repaired.
The engine let out a low growl, like a beast lurking in the desert being awakened.
Ye Lan moved nimbly.
She pulled the door open and, without a word, took Mu Xi’s hand and half-carried, half-pushed her into the passenger seat.
“Sit tight, Little Xi,” Ye Lan said with a hint of urgency and a trace of tension that was hard to detect.
Before Mu Xi could fully react, she was already seated by Ye Lan’s movements.
The door closed with a “thud”, cutting off the noise of the wind and sand outside, while also cutting off any potential danger following them.
Ye Lan circled around the front of the car and quickly sat in the driver’s seat.
The roar of the engine intensified, and the off-road RV shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
The three armored vehicles of the Escort Team followed closely behind, carving three straight lines through the yellow sand.
The car bumped slightly.
Mu Xi turned her head to look at Ye Lan’s focused profile.
The lines were smooth and sharp, looking even deeper in the dim light.
Her fingers on the steering wheel were long and powerful, with distinct knuckles.
She controlled the direction of this steel beast and perhaps Mu Xi’s destiny as well.
“Where are we going?” Mu Xi asked again, her voice soft and carrying a sense of dependency she hadn’t even noticed herself.
Ye Lan looked straight ahead, her gaze sharp like a lone wolf surveying its territory in the Desert.
“Stone City,” she uttered, her voice was low and slightly raspy.
“Stone City?” Mu Xi repeated the name.
Her mind was a blank; she had no impression of it at all.
Ye Lan slowed down slightly, her tone softening, “Yes. A relatively safe place.”
‘Allies? Family?’
To Mu Xi, these words felt as if they were behind a layer of fog — blurry, yet faintly tugging at some emotion deep in her heart.
“Are you saying… they will help us?” Mu Xi asked cautiously, her voice tentative.
Ye Lan glanced at her, a meaningful smile curling the corners of her lips.
“Of course. Little Xi is the daughter of the Wu City Lord, after all. They’ll show us some respect.”
Mu Xi lowered her head, looking at her hands folded on her lap.
They were slender and white with rounded fingertips, like meticulously cared-for works of art, yet they seemed so fragile and vulnerable.
“Don’t worry,” Ye Lan’s voice came again, sounding reassuring, “Once we reach Stone City, everything will be fine.”
‘Will everything really be fine?’
Mu Xi looked up at Ye Lan again.
Her gaze was firm and confident, as if she had already paved the way ahead and cleared all obstacles.
Mu Xi nodded silently.
The trace of anxiety and confusion in her heart seemed to have truly faded a bit.
She chose to believe Ye Lan, like a drowning person clutching at a final straw, believing in her wholeheartedly and without reservation.
Silence fell over the cabin once more, save for the roar of the engine and the monotonous, continuous sound of tires crushing gravel.
As the sun set, the Desert was dyed gold.
The undulating sand dunes in the distance looked like frozen waves, magnificent and desolate.
Mu Xi watched the scenery flash by outside the window, her thoughts drifting.
Deep in her memory, it felt like something was trying to break through the surface, but it was tightly encased in a thick layer of ice, unreachable and imperceptible.
She only remembered Luoyuan, the title ‘good sister,’ the cold and mechanical instructions, and the sweet, metallic-tasting liquid she had to drink every day.
And, for Ye Lan, that indescribable, intense emotion.
That emotion was like a lamp in the darkness — weak, but truly there, guiding her, pulling her, and making her involuntarily want to get closer, to depend on her, and to want… more.
The sky gradually darkened.
Night fell, and the Desert was shrouded in deep darkness.
Only the headlights of the off-road RV, like two sharp swords, pierced the night sky and illuminated the road ahead.
Mu Xi felt a wave of fatigue.
The long journey and the mental strain were taking their toll on her.
She closed her eyes, wanting to rest for a bit, but she couldn’t truly relax.
“Are you tired?” Ye Lan’s voice suddenly broke the silence.
Mu Xi opened her eyes and looked at Ye Lan.
“A little,” she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of raspiness.
“Then sleep for a while.” Ye Lan slowed the car down, driving onto a relatively smooth stretch of road.
“I’ll wake you when we reach Stone City.”
“Okay,” Mu Xi replied, closing her eyes once more.
This time, she didn’t refuse Ye Lan’s kindness, allowing the exhaustion to take over.