For a while, the two sat in silence by the river, wrapped in the kind of peace that only follows fulfillment.
Yu Sui lay in Mo Yan's lap, eyes closed, a faint smile on his lips. Mo Yan, mischievous and gentle as ever, quietly plucked a tiny frog from the water and....without a word.....placed it right on Yu Sui's nose.
Startled, Yu Sui's eyes fluttered open, only to find a little frog staring back at him from his own nose.
Before he could react, the frog leapt
...and landed squarely on his head.
Yu Sui screamed and jumped up in panic.
"Mo Yan!" he cried out, flailing. "You know I'm terrified of frogs!"
But though his voice was sharp, his limbs trembled too much to remove the little creature from atop his head.
The frog, for its part, seemed quite comfortable....happily perched, as if it had found a warm little throne.
Mo Yan was laughing silently
Yu Sui began running in circles behind him like a startled rabbit....half yelling, half scolding....too scared to touch the frog, and too embarrassed to ask for help.
The quiet riverbank echoed with laughter, love, and soft moonlight.
---
On the Forest Path
Elsewhere, Su Nian and Duie walked quietly beneath the starlit trees.
Peace surrounded them, broken only by the rhythm of their footsteps.
After a while, Su Nian turned to Duie and asked gently, his gaze warm:
"So… do you remember your promise?"
Duie didn't respond right away. He was quiet for a moment, thinking.
Then he smiled and looked back at Su Nian.
---
Flashback
Second Year at the Liuguang Sect Academy
They were sitting beneath that blue-blossomed tree, the one surrounded by lotus flowers. There was a small patch of clear ground....Su Nian was lying there, reading a book, and Duie was gently playing with his long hair.
Duie suddenly snatched the book from Su Nian's hands.
"Why do you keep reading this one book over and over?" he asked, puzzled.
Su Nian didn't even get annoyed.
"Because," he smiled, "it's my favorite. It tells the love story of Master Jayong and his stepbrother."
Duie blinked and handed the book back. But curiosity lingered.
"Wait," he asked, "what was his stepbrother's name?"
Su Nian chuckled.
"His name was Ming Jing Men. He was a merchant."
At that, Duie nearly choked.
"Wait! Ming Jing Men?! That's the name of your current sect!"
Su Nian smirked.
"You really haven't read the story, have you? Let me tell you properly."
He sat up, took a deep breath, and began.
---
The Tale of Master Ming Jing Men
Su Nian begins to speak :
"Originally, the Ming Jing Men Sect was called the Wexzion Clan.
Its queen was cruel and harsh.
One day, Master Ming Jing Men arrived....his arrival a turning point in history.
"When he tried to sell white stone ornaments, the queen forbade it.
But he was not just a merchant.....he was a warrior.
He resisted. That resistance turned into war.
"And that war became legend.
Master Ming Jing Men killed the queen himself
In mere hours, he defeated her armies. He killed two hundred thousand men.
He became the ruler....by the ancient custom of the victor."
"Later, his mother married Master Jayong's father.
But Jayong's stepmother hated him and cast him out.
Still, by then, love had already bloomed between the two boys.
"They left their home to live freely.
Years passed. Ming Jing Men's mother died of illness.
Then Jayong's father followed.
"Even so, Master Ming Jing Men did not stop.
He helped millions....his kindness unmatched.
"Eventually, when his love was revealed, the world accepted it out of gratitude.
They created rituals, garments, and ceremonies in their honor.
Their love became a legacy."
"And you know what else?
Master Jayong was a renowned musician from Xuemo Sect
And also…
A direct ancestor of the Nian family."
And then the chwen language created by master jayong also became very famous
Duie sat stunned, mouth agape.
Su Nian tapped his forehead playfully.
"Duie. You look like your soul left your body."
As Duie blinked back to life, another question burst from his lips.
"Then… do you think… we could get married too?"
Su Nian's breath caught in his throat.
He turned his face away, blushing deeply.
But Duie wasn't joking.
He took Su Nian's hands in his own, gently...like a butterfly resting on silk.....and whispered:
"If destiny ever gives us the chance...
Then I want to marry you.
That's my promise to you."
Then he leaned forward....softly, reverently...
And kissed Su Nian.
Beside the tranquil lotus pond, they lay down upon a bed of soft petals
Two souls becoming one beneath the blue flowers.
---
End of Flashback