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“Do you finally admit that you love me?”
“Li Yunli!!”
He shouted into the desolate wilderness, but the surroundings remained eerily silent, devoid of any human presence. The only response he received was the distant howling of wolves.
As snow fell, the world became even quieter. Yun Chu suddenly shivered, his eyes locked onto the faint footprints on the ground. Without hesitation, he spurred his horse forward in a frenzied gallop.
If that woman had been devoured by wolves, wouldn’t it be utterly absurd?
For the first time, he truly panicked.
Even his horse, Treading Cloud, seemed to sense his unease, its hooves kicking up snow as they raced across the landscape.
They passed by an abandoned farmhouse. The courtyard lay in ruins. Yun Chu scanned the surroundings and saw that the footprints became chaotic upon entering the farm.
Li Yunli had wandered here.
She had likely intended to rest but, upon finding the place deserted, must have been disappointed.
Yun Chu studied the footprints carefully, and suddenly, his heart clenched.
Among the human footprints were distinct traces of wild beasts.
He took a deep breath, struggling to stay calm.
He wanted to hear a sign, something to guide him forward. But he also dreaded the possibility that the next sound he heard might be the gruesome tearing of flesh.
His hands, gripping the reins, were slick with sweat despite the cold. His back felt ice-cold.
“Li Yunli…”
Yun Chu inhaled deeply. The only sounds were the wind rustling through the dry branches and the soft thud of snow falling from treetops.
Regret washed over him.
He should never have agreed to let her go. All for a foolish bet, he had allowed her to face such dangers alone.
His knuckles turned white, his teeth chattering from the cold.
Then—
“Ugh…”
His ears caught a faint noise.
Yun Chu whipped around!
Even Treading Cloud sensed the source of the sound and, following Yun Chu’s command, charged toward a frozen pond within the farm.
They moved swiftly, rounding a massive boulder.
And then, Yun Chu saw her.
“Li Yun…li.”
The words caught in his throat, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword.
Two wolves.
Large and strong, their fur gleamed white against the snow. Their eerie eyes glowed with hunger, drawn by the scent of fresh blood.
And Li Yunli—
She was cornered at the center of the frozen lake, collapsed on the ice. Blood stained the ground beside her.
Motionless.
For a fleeting moment, Yun Chu thought she was dead. A chilling dread swept through him, freezing him from head to toe.
Then, her fingers twitched.
A small movement. But Yun Chu saw it.
“Ah Yun!”
His voice echoed across the lake, startling the wolves into pausing.
Li Yunli, lying on the ice, had been so focused on the danger that she hadn’t noticed his arrival. Now, she turned her head toward him, exhaling deeply in relief.
The wolves turned in his direction.
Yun Chu wasted no time.
With a swift motion, he drew his bow and let an arrow fly.
A sharp whistle cut through the air—
One of the wolves collapsed, the arrow embedded deep in its skull.
Li Yunli gritted her teeth, using the momentary distraction to push herself up. She was gasping for breath, her body trembling from exhaustion and cold.
The remaining wolf growled lowly, claws scraping against the ice as it fixed its gaze on Yun Chu.
Yun Chu nocked another arrow.
His eyes were sharp, dark, and piercing—like those of a hunting hawk.
“Whizz—!!”
The wolf fell.
An arrow had pierced its right eye.
It was over.
Li Yunli closed her eyes in relief, her body finally relaxing after escaping death.
She flexed her fingers. Her palms were ice-cold, but at least she could still feel them. Her blood began to circulate again.
Yun Chu dismounted hastily, running onto the ice. He knelt beside her, panic written across his face.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have left you alone…”
His hands hovered over her, unsure where to touch, afraid she might collapse at any moment.
“Are you hurt? Don’t be scared. You’re safe now, don’t be afraid…”
Li Yunli’s lips were pale. She let out a weak chuckle—then promptly fell into his arms.
“Ah Yun!”
Yun Chu caught her, alarmed. She was unconscious, her body heavy in his embrace. He tried to lift her, to carry her off the ice.
But then—
Like a predator sensing danger—
His eyes sharpened.
Around them, four more wolves emerged from the shadows, moving in a slow, menacing circle.
They were surrounded.
When Li Yunli opened her eyes, she was lying inside a small hut.
A fire crackled in the hearth. There was no dry firewood, so someone had broken apart an old wooden bench to burn instead.
She was lying on a simple bed, a small brazier nearby to provide warmth. Beneath her, clean straw had been laid out, covered by a familiar robe.
Yun Chu’s robe.
Her wounds had been carefully bandaged. The cloth used was white and clean.
She sniffed at it curiously, recognizing the embroidered patterns at the edge.
Was this… his undershirt?
His outer robe had become her bedsheet, and his inner garment had been torn into bandages.
Then… what was he wearing?
Before she could think further, the wooden door creaked open.
Yun Chu entered.
He wore a tattered, patched-up gray shirt, likely scavenged from somewhere. He wasn’t expecting her to be awake, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other.
“You… you’re awake?”
He held a chipped ceramic bowl filled with freshly crushed herbs.
Her eyes scanned him. Despite the crude clothing, he didn’t look shabby. Instead, he resembled a scholar from a humble village.
She parted her lips to speak but coughed instead.
Yun Chu hurried inside, shutting the door.
“You have a fever. Don’t let the cold in.”
Li Yunli finally noticed—the sky was dimming.
Evening was approaching.
Yun Chu placed the bowl on a wobbly stool and, grasping for words, explained, “It snowed, so your footprints were easy to track.”
Li Yunli nodded slightly.
She had expended too much energy crossing the mountain. The unexpected snowfall, the wolves—surviving was a miracle.
She lay back down, her voice hoarse.
“You win. I’ll go back with you.”
Yun Chu’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’ll stay with me?”
“Not willingly.”
Her gaze was steady. “I have my own home, but I can’t return to it now. The capital is hundreds of miles away. I can’t escape you, and I can’t return to the Chu Kingdom. I might as well accept reality. A bet is a bet.”
Yun Chu sat silently by the fire, sulking like a dog denied its bone.
She closed her eyes.
“You always do this,” he muttered.
“Huh?”
“You act so heartless. Do you know how much I hate you?”
“Then hate me.”
Her voice was exhausted.
“Li Yunli, you’re a liar,” Yun Chu accused. “You sought my help when you were trapped, and I helped you. You made promises in the army, and I fought for you. You act like you don’t care, but why did you run from me?”
His gaze was desperate. “Or… tell me the truth. From the moment you brought me to the Grand Princess’s residence… have you ever, even for a moment, truly…?”
Li Yunli laughed bitterly.
“Loved you?”
She whispered, “How could I dare?”
Yun Chu’s breath hitched.
“I did love you once… but I can’t afford to anymore.”
Yun Chu clenched his jaw, his heart aching.
He leaned in, his forehead pressing against hers.
“Do you finally admit that you love me?”