Transcendent

Chapter VIII: Confession

His hands were freezing. His legs were numb, unable to carry the weight of his body any longer.

As the coldest period of winter hit the Gusu region, Caiyi Town was blanketed in ice and frost. Heaps of snow kept piling up on the ground, becoming taller and thicker with each passing hour. The busy townspeople now chose to stay in their houses and stores, very few still dared to venture outside and brave the chilling weather. Yet some were not so fortunate to be blessed with such a choice, and for these pitiful souls left out in the open, they could only sit where they were and pray, hoping that the snow would pass before the light of life was blown out of their flesh.

At the corner of a deserted street, in a small, dirty alley where nobody was willing to even glance towards, the little tramp was sitting slumped against the wall. Puffs of white momentarily whiffed up in the air whenever he breathed. His small figure was shaking; his complexion was pale. He could no longer feel the tips of his fingers and toes. Earlier, he had attempted to curl into a ball and hug himself, yet his short, skinny limbs were far from sufficient to give his body a much needed warmth, and the piece of rag he was wearing barely provided any help either.

Eventually, his energy was depleted and he could only surrender himself to the mercy of nature, whether they would allow him the chance to see another day or to bring his life into closure along with the arrival of night.

The child's body slid down and he fell sideway onto the frosting ground. As he blinked weakly, he caught the blurry sight of his own hands. A small toy remained in his grasp. Although he could not recall if he really had been holding onto it this whole time, seeing the pretty rattle drum, the tramp felt a sense of security. "At least it wouldn't feel that lonely" - he thought, even though there was also regret in his heart, because he hadn't yet had his chance to properly convey his gratitude to that kind boy in white.

Flakes of snow continued to fall. Before long, even the little tramp's feeble body was beginning to be covered under the merciless white as he laid motionless on the ground, no longer capable to muster any strength. The cold was biting into his reddening skin, but as time passed, he thought it wasn't as painful anymore. Perhaps, like this, he could simply close his eyes and fall asleep.

However, a tall, large shadow was cast onto him at that moment. The tramp, unable to look up, could only see a pair of fine black boots, and the hem of a purple robe of magnificent material, hiding a black inner part underneath. He had no idea who this person was, much less what he wished to do by approaching him in this dirty, deserted alley. And to be honest, he wasn't sure either whether he was awake or dreaming, but then he heard a kind voice reaching out to him, the voice of the man standing in front of him.

"Weiying? You are Weiying, right?"

***

A familiar air. A familiar scent.

Wei Wuxian gradually regained his consciousness. Light entered his still blurry sight, but it wasn't too much to blind his still adjusting eyes. The atmosphere felt warm and comfortable. Although he could not yet gather his thoughts in place, somehow he felt safe and sound, that after weeks of exhausting journey, he could finally allow his guard to lower down.

He was lying on a bed, this he could tell. Now finally awake enough, the first thing he saw was the intricate, yet beautiful wooden ceilings, and the familiar pattern of nine petal lotus decorating his surroundings. He turned his face aside then, and there on the headboard, he saw a rough drawing, seemingly made and left there a long time ago by a child, of two figures kissing.

It finally dawned on him now. He was home at last, back in his own little room.

"A-Xian, you're awake!"