Bai Qingqing was still crying. She didn’t mean to—it was just that the fear she’d bottled up inside the crevice had finally found an escape, spilling out as tears on its own. Her hands and feet were ice-cold, her heart hollow and jittery, cold sweat seeping from her skin. But still, she stubbornly asked again, “Was I really that amazing?”
“You were. Incredibly amazing.”
Ning Yan chuckled helplessly and wiped her face. “You did wonderfully. I’d been worried about this all along. That path is brutal, and I honestly didn’t expect you to make it all the way through. You’ve really surprised me.”
Bai Qingqing felt like her fingers had regained some strength—Ning Yan had praised her! And not just once!
It was rare to hear such genuine admiration from him. She was still clinging to his clothes, her voice a little shy. “I didn’t really do much. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have dared.”
It was because she knew Ning Yan was always just ahead of her, holding her hand, answering her calls—that was how she’d been able to keep going.
Ning Yan’s gaze softened. “Feeling a little better now? Or do you want to cry a bit more?”
“I don’t… cry that easily. I was just scared. Let’s get moving.”
She felt much better now, even gave him a little push to get going, though inside she was still scolding her unruly tears. She hadn’t meant to cry, not really.
…
Ning Yan led her through the forest to a horse that had been stashed there earlier. He lifted her up into the saddle first, then swung his long legs up behind her, settling in.
“The nearest town probably isn’t safe. We’ll need to ride farther before we can stop. We’ll be traveling through the night—lean back against me, it’ll be less tiring that way.”
Bai Qingqing’s expression grew solemn. “I know. Prince Ping is sly and calculating. He won’t easily believe something’s happened to you. It’s okay—I’m not afraid of a little hardship.”
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They rode out, hooves drumming against the earth. Bai Qingqing had thought that Ning Yan must be far more exhausted than she was, so she sat ramrod straight, trying not to lean on him, determined to ease his burden in any way she could.
But while she had some riding experience, she hadn’t expected it to be this grueling over a long stretch. Her back ached, her legs were sore—every inch of her felt battered and weary.
Just as she shifted her weight to find some relief, Ning Yan’s arm came around her waist, pulling her gently but firmly into his chest. “Relax. There’s still a long way to go.”
With the solid support behind her, Bai Qingqing immediately felt better. She didn’t resist. If she kept pushing herself like that, she might just end up slowing them down.
“We’re headed to Yuan City,” Ning Yan said. “It’s near the largest fortress in the southwest—densely populated, and beyond the reach of Prince Ping’s men.”
“And how do we get in?”
“I’ve already prepared the travel papers. When we arrive, we’ll say we’re siblings, visiting relatives.”
Bai Qingqing etched the plan into her memory. Then, on impulse, she looked up at him. “Big Brother.”
Ning Yan’s body went still, so subtly most wouldn’t have noticed. He looked down to see her serious face.
“I’m worried I’ll slip up,” she said. “I need to get used to it. Big Brother, do you think Prince Ping might have people waiting at Yuan City? What if someone recognizes us?”
Her head was full of anxious thoughts, but when Ning Yan didn’t respond for a long moment, she poked his arm. “Brother?”
“No,” he said at last, eyes fixed on the road ahead. The reins twitched slightly in his hands. “His reach isn’t that long. Yuan City is beyond his grasp.”
Bai Qingqing instinctively leaned back against him. “Hey hey hey, why’d the horse suddenly speed up? It’s so dark—slow down, Brother…”