Chapter 27: Fateful Bond

  "I didn't talk nonsense, I know you have me in your heart, and I also know that Murong likes you just like I do, but you still chose me, Ruòér, thank you, I will cherish our three-life romance." Yù Fēng said with deep emotion.

  "Wait, speak slower. What three-life romance? What do you mean Mo Shen likes me? I don't understand." I suddenly remembered what Mo said, "In his dream, you may find the answer you're looking for." Is this the answer?

  The wind gently stroked my face, and he smiled, "Is it my Ruo'er, still so silly and lovely?" He held my hand, "Come, let's sit down, listen to me slowly." I obediently leaned against him as we sat down, he put his arm around my shoulder, letting me lean on him.

  "Alright, Like the Wind, hurry up and say it, what's going on?" I'm a bit nervous, somewhat expectant. Like the Wind points at the sea of 'flowers' in front of us and asks: "Ruo Er, do you still remember this 'flower' garden?" I shake my head blankly.

  He continued with a knowing look: "I should have known, I shouldn't be telling you this. This 'flower' garden used to be the immortal god's sacred garden, and I was his book boy, usually in charge of managing this 'flower' sea. He especially liked one of the 'flowers'..." "I know, lilies." I interjected. He looked at me stunned: "You know?" I nodded: "Yeah, I've been to his lily garden, it's so beautiful!" My face was full of admiration.

  "Oh, Yurong Garden? He really hasn't let go." I felt a strange tone in his voice, and as I looked up at his face, I sensed a hint of sadness. I reached out to stroke his cheek, "What's wrong, Rufeng?" He gently grasped my hand, leaned down and lightly kissed it, then smiled and said: "With You'er here, I'm very happy!" I laughed loudly in response: "With Rufeng here, I'm happy too!"

  The wind laughed loudly and hugged me tightly, after a while he said: "Do you know what kind of lily Shu Shen likes? Her name is Zi Ruo, Shu Shen comes to the 'flower' garden to see her every day, sometimes when she doesn't have time, she asks me to take good care of her. After a long time, this 'flower' actually gained spiritual nature and can transform into human form."

  His eyes, like the wind, stared at me tightly, but his gaze was a bit 'dazed': "Do you still remember that day, when Mu Shen wasn't around, I was alone in the flower garden tending to the flowers and grass. Suddenly, a spirit-like girl jumped in front of me and smiled foolishly at me. She said her name was Zi Ruo, she said she knew I took care of her every day, she said she liked me. She also asked me what she should do?" He paused for a moment, I quietly looked at him, with an answer bursting to come out in my heart.

  "When she smiled at me like that, I knew my heart had fallen. When I heard her say she liked me, my heart skipped a beat. We hugged each other tightly, but then Mudan returned and saw us embracing, flying into a rage and destroying all the 'flowers' in the garden. He laughed maniacally, saying he knew today was Zi Ru's 'coming of age' day and had come back especially to celebrate, only to see this result." Like Wind sighed, "In the end, we owed him one."

  "What happened afterwards?" I asked softly, with a pang of pain somewhere in my heart. "After that, the gods punished us by reincarnating us into the mortal world, to undergo three lifetimes of trials." Like the wind, he held me tightly again, "But he couldn't bear to abandon you, and in each lifetime, he would find ways to help you, just like now, you have appeared in my dream, haven't you?"

  I muttered to myself: "So, you're saying I'm that Zi Ruo? I'm the Zi Ruo that Mo likes? No wonder... no wonder..." My mind flashed with scenes of Mo, Mo's lily garden, Mo embracing me and softly calling out "Zi Ruo", Mo's gentle kiss.... Oh my god, such a free-spirited and perfect Mo actually likes me? I've caused him so much pain. It's really unbearable to think about.

  "Are you an immortal now?"

  "No, I'm just his book boy, still need to cultivate." Like the wind shook his head, "Actually, Ruo Er, I have to tell you, back then you thought that person who took care of you every day was me, but it wasn't. In the entire 'Flower' garden, only you were personally taken care of by Mo Shen, and I just occasionally helped out. At the time, I didn't dare say anything because I was afraid you would leave me. Now, I have to say it, because we only have this one life's fate left. Later on, I'll continue to cultivate, while you still have other emotional debts to repay." The reluctance in Like the Wind's eyes was thick and heavy.

  "If it weren't for me, you would have been a god long ago, right?" I choked back tears, feeling an urge to cry, "It's all my fault." "No, no, no, don't blame yourself. Good Ruo'er, don't blame yourself." Ruofeng anxiously held my face, gently kissing away the tears from the corners of my eyes, then kissed my forehead and eyes, his lips slowly moving down to lightly kiss mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, passionately responding to him, our bodies tightly pressed together as we fell onto the sea of flowers...

  "Hey, Ziruo, wake up..." Whose voice is this? What's wrong with me? Where am I? Why can't I open my eyes? A pair of warm hands gently brushed over my eyes. Mmm, it feels so comfortable. I slowly opened my eyes to find a pair of enlarged eyes in front of me. Ah! I was startled. Oh, it's Mo, I patted my head and asked dazedly: "Mo, did I just have a dream or something? But I couldn't remember it." Looking around, we were on top of a mountain. I got up from the recliner and asked puzzled: "Mo, why are we here?"

  Mo Liang smiled lightly: "You're just sleep-addled. Alright, now I'll send you back to sleep and you'll be fine." With that, her sleeve fluttered, the recliner disappeared, and she took my hand, floating off into the distance.

  Looking at Mu's silver hair fluttering, white robes fluttering, I became more and more 'dizzy' in my heart, and couldn't help but ask: "Mu, why are you so good to me? I'm just an inconspicuous little girl." Mu grasped my hand tightly, turned his head and smiled lightly: "How about it? Don't you like me being good to you?" I pouted: "Of course not, I'm just curious."

  "Alright, you're home now. Get some rest." Mu Song let me go, "You know how to reach me, go ahead!" I floated back to my own room, and Mu Song left as well. The moment I reunited with my body, my mind suddenly cleared up, and everything that happened when Mu Song took me away came flooding back. I realized it was him; he must have already known that I had figured some things out, and was afraid I wouldn't be able to face him, so he sealed off my memories just now. And yet, despite his kindness towards me, I still wronged him! Alas, doesn't that mean he's also aware of everything that happened between me and Ru Feng in the 'Flower' garden? Fortunately, Ru Feng stopped at a critical moment; perhaps he was thinking of Mu Song too?

  Nowadays, Mo is so gentle and it's hard to imagine his furious look back then. So many rare flowers were destroyed because of me, but later he actually planted a large patch of lily garden again. Mo is after all soft-hearted.