In Ma Jingguo's horrific dream, he found himself staring at Mu Dishi tied to a pole. He saw Mo Ehuang walking around Mu Dishi carrying a torch. He drew his knife and started killing those who stood between him and Mu Dishi. He saw two men pour oil on Mu Dishi, and Mo Ehuang laughed and pointed her finger at the bound man. When Ma Jingguo was close enough, Mo Ehuang threw the torch onto the prepared oil-soaked wood, and Mu Dishi was engulfed in flames.
Mo Ehuang laughed maniacally. "You will never be able to save him." She then jumped into the fire and hugged Mu Dishi tightly. She laughed again. "Mu Dishi, let's burn together in hell."
Ma Jingguo screamed, "Xiao Shushu!"
Ma Jingguo sat up on the bed, panting and sweating profusely. When he lifted his left hand to wipe the sweat, his hand lifted up freely without touching Mu Dishi. Because the bed was small, his hand should have hit Mu Dishi. His heart sank. Mu Dishi was gone. He touched the place where Mu Dishi slept, and the sheets were cold.
Looking around the room, he was out of breath and frantic. He lifted the quilt and found himself still naked. He quickly got up, put on his clothes, and searched for Mu Dishi. He searched the bamboo shed twice but did not find him. He stood by the stone table in the kitchen area, and with a fierce blow, the edge of the stone table was instantly broken.
When Mu Dishi approached from behind the bamboo shed, Ma Jingguo was standing in the kitchen with his fists clenched, his face expressionless. As Mu Dishi drew nearer, he saw that Ma Jingguo's right hand was bleeding at the knuckles.
He asked, "Jingguo, what happened to your hand?"
Ma Jingguo quickly spun around and saw Mu Dishi standing handsomely under the morning sun. He immediately approached Mu Dishi and asked madly, "Where have you been?"
"I went to the village," Mu Dishi replied calmly. He handed Ma Jingguo an old basket full of pears, then turned and walked toward the kitchen.
Ma Jingguo grabbed Mu Dishi's hand, his desperation overriding his reason. "Who did you meet?" He stared fiercely at Mu Dishi. "Are you meeting Wang Biming secretly?" He turned around, frantically searching the bushes in the bamboo forest. "Tell me where you hid him!" He was so emotional upset that he threw the basket of pears onto the ground.
Mu Dishi instantly raised his voice. "Jingguo! Control your temper."
Ma Jingguo slowly closed his eyes and then exhaled a deep, long breath. Then, as quickly as his anger had surged, he smiled sweetly at Mu Dishi and asked, "Where have you been? I looked around for you twice."
Seeing the sudden, jarring change in Ma Jingguo's personality, Mu Dishi spoke softly. "Did you say that you wanted to restore Mu Village yesterday? I went to see if Yun Shushu's pear garden is still there." He pulled out his handkerchief and carefully wrapped it around Ma Jingguo's bleeding right knuckle. "Jingguo, promise me that you will stop practicing the 'Devil Fist Manual'. I find that your temper is out of control from time to time."
Ma Jingguo held Mu Dishi's hand tightly against his chest and said, "I promise I won't practice anymore as long as you are here with me."
Alone, inside the Beixing Sect manor that was heavily guarded by many high-skill martial artists, Gu Yingjie listened to the rain hitting the windowsill, staring silently at the oil lamp. Then Cao Wenyan and a servant walked inside. The servant placed a plate of food on the table, then closed the door behind him.
Cao Wenyan sat opposite Gu Yingjie. "Yueguang Sect got Zhu Mingyang. They refused to return him to us, for fear that we would not take them to the cave," he reported.
Gu Yingjie's first concern was immediate. "Was he injured?"
"He didn't suffer additional damage, but is being kept inside a cell," Cao Wenyan replied. He looked at Gu Yingjie sternly. "You shouldn't have tried to escape in the first place." He then pushed the plate of food toward Gu Yingjie. "Tonight you must have a good meal and a good rest, because tomorrow we are leaving, and you will see your beloved guard."
Gu Yingjie asked, "Do you think Ma Jingguo will keep his promises?"
Cao Wenyan smiled. "I don't know about Ma Jingguo, but I believe what Mu Gongzi said."
Gu Yingjie, surprised, asked, "Have you seen Mu Dishi?"
"Yes, he is with Ma Jingguo in Mu Village," Cao Wenyan confirmed.
Meanwhile, in the bamboo forest, the night wind blew gently, and the soft sound of bamboo leaves rustling came from the forest. Ma Jingguo sat at the stone table watching Mu Dishi cook.
Ma Jingguo smiled at Mu Dishi and asked, "Xiao Shushu, why did you decide to cook tonight?"
Mu Dishi replied simply, "Your hand is hurt."
Ma Jingguo smiled affectionately. "It's just a little bit painful, I can still cook."
Mu Dishi looked at Ma Jingguo and smiled. "My cooking skills have improved. This time, you won't taste burnt ashes or salty vegetables."
Ma Jingguo's heart nearly stopped. This was the first time Mu Dishi had truly smiled at him. He almost leaped up, rushed over, and hugged him. "Xiao Shushu, you look different when you smile. Your face is so innocent." He wiped his wet eyes, overwhelmed with emotion. "Xiao Shushu, this is the first time you smiled at me. I'm very happy."
Mu Dishi put the tray of food on the table. Ma Jingguo saw grilled fish and pork stir-fried with mustard greens. Mu Dishi sat opposite him, took a pair of chopsticks, and handed them to Ma Jingguo.
Ma Jingguo took the chopsticks and quickly tasted the stir-fried pork with mustard greens. He chewed slowly, savoring the flavor. "Xiao Shushu, this tastes very good."
"Really?" Mu Dishi asked.
"Yes," Ma Jingguo confirmed, and began to eat in earnest.
Mu Dishi smiled, a rare gift. "Then I'll often make it for you."
Ma Jingguo smiled back, delighted by the promise of domesticity. "I love that." He looked at Mu Dishi. "Xiao Shushu, it's a pity there's no wine."
Mu Dishi said, "Jingguo, a little bit is good. Don't drink too much wine."
Ma Jingguo, thinking of his goal, replied, "I promised Batu that I won't act like that anymore. I want to stand by your side and be equal to you. I don't want you to be disappointed in me." Mu Dishi did not answer this.
Instead, Mu Dishi changed the subject to domestic care. "Jingguo, remember to wear more clothes when it's cold. You like to kick the quilt when you fall asleep. You have to get rid of this habit. I don't want you to sleep trembling all night."
Ma Jingguo didn't seem to pay attention to the warning. He ate his food happily, like a child who had just received a stick of tanghulu from his mother.
Later that night, Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo were lying on the bed. Ma Jingguo held Mu Dishi in his arms. Mu Dishi felt Ma Jingguo's soft breath on his forehead and Ma Jingguo's hand stroking his hair. Mu Dishi then put his right ear on Ma Jingguo's left chest.
Ma Jingguo asked, "Xiao Shushu, what are you doing?"
"I just want to hear your heartbeat and breathing," Mu Dishi replied.
"Alright," Ma Jingguo agreed softly.
Ma Jingguo turned Mu Dishi around and began to kiss him. While kissing Mu Dishi, his hand slowly ventured down into Mu Dishi's pants. He slowly stroked Mu Dishi's member and began to move his kisses downward. He hovered his tongue over Mu Dishi's breasts, and the pace of his hand movement began to increase. Mu Dishi started moaning.
Ma Jingguo's right hand went behind Mu Dishi's rear and inserted one finger into Mu Dishi's backdoor. After some time of preparation, he knelt before Mu Dishi's rear. He lifted Mu Dishi's legs onto his shoulders and guided his member into Mu Dishi's backdoor. Penetration was easy because they had been intimate the night before and that morning. Ma Jingguo began to thrust, and Mu Dishi began to moan.
Mu Dishi heard Ma Jingguo gasping softly in his left ear. Ma Jingguo's left arm rested on the back of his neck like a pillow, and his right hand reached under Mu Dishi's right arm to support his body weight. Mu Dishi hugged Ma Jingguo tightly in his arms, and as Ma Jingguo penetrated faster and faster, he let out loud moans.
Ma Jingguo hooked Mu Dishi's lips and began to kiss him fiercely. Ma Jingguo moaned and said, "I really, really like you, I'm going crazy for you."
Mu Dishi could not speak; he was overwhelmed with joy. His mind was blank, and he couldn't think of anything to say in return. With every thrust Ma Jingguo gave him, he felt loved. With every moan Ma Jingguo let out, he felt alive. With every kiss Ma Jingguo kissed him, he felt full. Hearing Ma Jingguo's heart beating on his chest, he didn't want the night to end.
Mu Dishi reached out, put his arm around Ma Jingguo's neck, and pulled him closer. He kissed Ma Jingguo and whispered, "Jingguo, loving me like this is our last time."
Ma Jingguo's lips remained connected to Mu Dishi's. He said softly, "Okay." Ma Jingguo continued to thrust nonstop, and Mu Dishi continued to moan.
In this small bamboo shed, their love story did not end as Ma Jingguo had feared, but their love story continued where it left off. He kissed Mu Dishi and said, "Dishi, I love you, and I will love you more than those who have loved you." He released inside Mu Dishi. He continued to kiss Mu Dishi until his member became soft and slipped out of Mu Dishi's backdoor.