Chapter 133: Speak Love Out Loud

With Lin Yunxi's quiet nod, Zhou Qing drew her into his embrace. As he did so, her flushed cheeks appeared close to his gaze, and a strange sense of fulfillment stirred within him. He whispered softly to the woman in his arms, "Sister Yunxi, take a deep breath. We're going out."

Held tightly against him, Lin Yunxi nodded silently, then wrapped her arms around Zhou Qing, burying her head into the crimson robe he wore to ward off calamity.

Seeing her actions, Zhou Qing, holding her close, tipped them out of the bubble and into the water. With a single thought, their figures glided, ghost-like, toward the entrance leading to the small Mirror Lake.

Slipping through the mouth of the cave, they entered the powerful water column formed by the array within, and the force quickly swept them up into the air above the lake.

Suspended mid-air, Zhou Qing looked down at the woman in his arms, finding her beautiful eyes studying him at close range.

Their gazes met once more; after a brief look, Zhou Qing shifted his eyes away, and Lin Yunxi again buried her head into his robe.

Landing atop the lake, the two made their way to the shore and, after tidying themselves, headed through the wooded hills toward a small mountain.

At the mountain's mid-slope, they paused. Lin Yunxi helped Zhou Qing sit upon a large stone, then glanced around the forest.

"In truth, we shouldn't have hurried to leave the lake below," she said.

Seated, Zhou Qing looked at her with some confusion.

Seeing his gaze, Lin Yunxi smiled and explained, "The fish demon below has been vanquished by you. That water manor is far safer than these woods. You're wounded and unfit for travel; wouldn't it be better to recover in the manor?"

"You're right," Zhou Qing agreed, nodding.

"Well, since we've already come out, let's leave it be. This place is fairly secluded. Let's stay here for today," she said, moving to his side and lifting his left arm, which had been bound with branches.

Thanks to Lin Yunxi's earlier medicine and the days of immobilization, Zhou Qing's left arm had regained a bit of movement. Though he couldn't use much force, his fingers could now move slightly.

"The conditions here are rough, and we lack medicine for your wounds. If we had proper care, your arm would be fully healed by now," Lin Yunxi said, carefully examining his arm before rewrapping it.

"It's alright. As long as it heals, a few days sooner or later makes no difference," Zhou Qing replied.

Their eyes met again. As before, they quickly looked away to break the awkwardness between them.

But as they ventured out of this wild forest, they would surely travel together, and awkward moments like this were bound to happen again.

"Sister Yunxi, I..." Zhou Qing began after looking away, intending to voice his thoughts, but paused halfway.

Hearing his unfinished sentence, Lin Yunxi turned to him, her eyes encouraging him to continue.

"I think I've fallen for you. Before meeting you, I always thought those phrases—'love at first sight,' 'instant affection'—were mere inventions in romantic tales. But now, I believe such feelings exist among ordinary people.

It's almost laughable; we've only been together for three days. Yet these three days have made my heart race. I once thought I'd live as my master did, spending a lifetime in pursuit of the Dao, untouched by worldly love.

But now, I feel something strange toward you. At first, I thought it was gratitude for saving me years ago. But now I realize it's the feeling of being moved."

Zhou Qing was not one to be reserved. Once he recognized the true feelings in his heart, he spoke without hesitation.

He had thought carefully about his confession. Having been stirred, there was no need to hide it. Whether Lin Yunxi accepted or rejected him, he would not regret speaking his heart.

To him, love should not be suppressed, but boldly expressed. Even if unrequited, in years to come, he would not be left with regrets.

After finishing, Zhou Qing looked at Lin Yunxi. She merely gazed at him in silence, giving no response, prompting him to continue.

"I know my words are abrupt, but love in this world cannot be restrained. Some people, even knowing they love another, keep their feelings hidden for various reasons. But I do not wish to be such a person.

Whether you accept me or not, I just wanted to say what was in my heart. You needn't feel troubled; if you cannot accept it, just treat my words as a joke."

As he spoke, Zhou Qing recalled Fu Wan Jun, whom he met in Datian Village. The woman had a temperament much like his own; because she liked him, she spoke her mind.

As for the outcome, though Zhou Qing left the town the next day, he believed that at least Fu Wan Jun would have fewer regrets in her heart.

If she hadn't spoken, she might have carried thoughts of Zhou Qing for a lifetime. But by expressing herself, she knew she was refused; though it wounded her at the time, with the passage of years, that wound would heal.

Thinking of Fu Wan Jun, Zhou Qing felt uneasy, fearing his confession might end as hers had.

"But your words have already been spoken, and I have heard them clearly. How could they not cause trouble?" Lin Yunxi said after a long silence, her words drifting into Zhou Qing's ears and casting a look of disappointment over his face.

Seeing his disappointment, Lin Yunxi suddenly sat down beside him, took his hand in hers, and spoke gently, "Though I am orphaned, my master raised me since childhood. What you ask must have my master's consent."

Her sudden grasp and the unexpected turn in her words rekindled Zhou Qing's spirits in an instant.

It was as though, on the still, dark surface of a lake, oil had suddenly been poured and a spark thrown in.

Lin Yunxi's words hung in the air, and Zhou Qing gave no reply, only embracing her tightly.