The wind at Jialing Pass carried the faint sweetness of osmanthus, as though it had blown in from the depths of memory, brushing over Xiao Wu's reddened eyes. Liu Erlong unfolded the letter written to her. The tear marks on her fingertips had yet to dry as she choked back sobs and delivered Lin Zhixia's gentle reminders, word by word, into everyone's hearts.
"Xiao Wu, by the time you open this letter, the wind at Jiayu Pass should have already carried me to Zhi Nian's side—just like how you always cling to Little San. This time, it's my turn to cling to the person who has waited for me for so long..."
Xiao Wu leaned against Tang San's chest, tears falling down her cheeks like beads from a broken string. She remembered how they had first met in the Shrek dormitory, how she had secretly gone to Zhi Xia at night for Osmanthus Cake, how she had fallen painfully while practicing the Soft Bone Lock but stubbornly refused to let Tang San know, only to turn around and seek ointment from Zhi Nian in grievance—those little emotions hidden behind "I don't care about that anyway" were understood best by Zhi Xia alone.
"Later, we trained together at Shrek. You would end up covered in mud after falling while practicing the Soft Bone Lock... At night, you secretly stood guard outside his room, fists clenched, not even noticing when your tears fell onto your collar..."
Liu Erlong's voice was thick with tears as she read the details in the letter. Xiao Wu seemed to see herself again, restlessly waiting for Tang San to return from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye. She saw herself keeping watch outside his room at night whenever he was injured—everything she thought she had hidden