[BL] Eternal Spring

第三十章

A/N  everyone's favourite: long chapter, almost 3k words

When Liu Qingyuan next woke, the fire was long dead. The cottage was empty and silent, and the pot on the stove was gone, as if it's never been there. A small pile of clothes lay on the end of the mattress, the fabric rough and befitting of a commoner's clothes. Liu Qingyuan sat up, feeling like his chest was no longer stuffy and painful with each breath and that the ache in his leg had long gone. He paused with suspicion. That mysterious porridge...of course, his leg was still broken and his ribs still bruised, just that the injuries were significantly better in such a short time; it seemed impossible.

Balancing carefully on one leg, Liu Qingyuan changed his clothes, the simple sash tying his shirt together. At the bottom of the pile was a small cloak. Although it was made of simple material, it was warm. And that was all that was important in the upcoming winter.

He touched his neck, feeling that the temperature was still slightly warmer than normal, but still, he forced himself up and limped to the door. Beyond the world of the messy, cluttered cabin, the ground was white with soft snow and a chilly wind blew through the gap in the cloak. The red winter berries shone like jewels in the warm dawn light, quietly accompanying the silent brown silhouettes in the woods. The man frowned unconsciously. Though it was beautiful, winter meant prolonged and increased difficulty in travelling. Not to mention, he still didn't know the aftermath of the granary fire and the situation further north in the capital.

There was nothing else in the cottage that would be useful to him. Liu Qingyuan took a step forward and halted at the aching pain that ran up his leg. After a while, he could only reluctantly withdraw. He would wait, but only until his leg healed a little more.

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That woman never came back again and Liu Qingyuan spent his days foraging in the woods by the cottage. Although the dishes he made weren't very tasty, they were nutritious and filling enough. His leg slowly got better to the point where he could walk normally and could even practice his sword for an hour everyday. It still hurt when he overexerted himself, but it wasn't a big problem. In the time that had passed, the forest changed from its first sprinkling of snow to a thick carpet coating the forest floor. The days were chilly but the nights were colder; Qiangda was officially in winter.

Liu Qingyuan gazed at the rising sun with half-closed eyes, hoisting the small satchel a little higher on his shoulder. His fingers curled around the straight branch he'd used partially as a sword and partially as a walking stick. The door of the cottage closed behind him and he paused for a moment, silently thanking that mysterious woman.

The soft morning wind fluttered the edge of the plain grey cloak and stirred up dark strands of his hair. As he took his first step off the dilapidated porch, a touch of happiness seemed to glow in the depths in the eyes. He was finally returning home.

Liu Qingyuan didn't take a break until midday. It was only when he sat down on an overturned log did he feel the burst of pain in his leg that came with exhaustion and the cold. He kneaded the muscles of his legs, forcing blood into them, but he didn't stop for long, stubborn on continuing with his journey. He'd waited until now for his leg to heal, he really couldn't wait any longer.

Having scouted out the territory beforehand, it would take him about a day and half to traverse the path upwards the cliff he'd fallen from. After travelling for another half a day, he spent the night shielded in a crock of trees, staring distantly at the stars winking from the edges of the firelight. He still remembered this starlight reflected within a pair of dark eyes. Ones that curved up slightly at the ends in a gentle smile. He couldn't wait to see those eyes again.