After they left, only Ningning and Pei Ji were left in the dining hall.
The boy looked uneasy, stealing glances at her quietly; when Ningning turned to face him, he hurriedly lowered his head.
He heard the footsteps getting closer, his heart hanging in suspense with each sound.
Ningning said, "It's time to go. Is there anywhere you want to go? Hmm... read books, drink tea, sleep, or something else."
Pei Ji didn't know.
Usually, he spent almost every day in the cellar, either passing out from pain, staring blankly, or talking to Chengying.
"You can do anything..."
He awkwardly replied, frustrated with his hoarse voice, trying to jump off the stool while pondering his words: "I—"
The word got stuck in his throat in a mess.
Before Pei Ji could leave the wooden stool, his waist and back were suddenly pressed. The soft touch left his mind blank, and when he reacted, Ningning had already picked him up.
He was stiff all over, afraid to move.
This was a close embrace.
When he was younger, Pei Ji had longed for this gesture. The neighbor's children could easily get it, smiling sincerely every time they were held by their parents.
But his mother never bothered to do so.
Even the simplest touch with him would make her feel disgusted.
"Let me think, this action should be..."
Ningning's breath fell on his neck, accompanied by her voice full of a playful tone, "You have to use your hand to hold onto my neck, or else you'll fall."
So Pei Ji timidly raised his hand.
His bony hand brushed over the clothes, reaching the girl's fair, slender neck. When his fingers touched her skin, he held his breath in nervousness.
Being gently held by someone was such a feeling.
The sharp thorns on his body disappeared completely, not wanting to think about anything, let alone resist, willingly drowning in it.
Pei Ji took a quiet breath.
So fragrant.
"Where would you like to go?"
After thinking for a while, Ningning smiled and asked him, "Pei Ji, do you want to see the mountains and snow?"
*
Ningning took Pei Ji to Wangyue Peak.
They agreed to watch the snow here. Today, although the Pei Ji by her side was a smaller version, they still fulfilled their promise.
Wangyue Peak stood tall, with extremely low temperatures. Upon reaching their destination, Ningning set Pei Ji down from her arms, holding his left hand tightly in her right hand, transmitting a warm spiritual force continuously.
"Follow me."
She was very familiar with this place, passing through a tangled bamboo forest, leading Pei Ji step by step to the most steep and rugged mountain peak.
The cold winter wind wailed as it swiftly approached, in the midst of the snow, the boy widened his eyes in astonishment.
He had been living underground for a long time, besides the place he was familiar with, the mountain village where he had lived for many years.
The scenery before him was magnificent, with countless mountains and valleys extending endlessly, like the deafening drums and bells of dawn and dusk, shattering his narrow world.
Looking out from the mountain top, the rugged hills and mountains resembled soaring dragons, outlining a majestic and overwhelming momentum that swallowed the sky, with a flick of their huge tails, soaring into the clouds.
Amidst the mountains, the misty waves flowed, the flowing water hit the steep cliffs, and the white mist carried the flying snow, like the tide, surging incessantly. Looking into the distance, it resembled layers of snow waves stirred up by the fierce wind, with snow white as far as the eye could see, endless without a boundary.
In such a scenery, everyone appeared particularly insignificant.
Ningning sat with Pei Ji on a rock, turning her head to look at him, "Have you ever been to the mountain top?"
He shook his head.
"Oh, I see."
She paused, her tone light, "Do you like it?"
Pei Ji stared at her blankly.
The fierce wind at the mountaintop lifted her skirt and long hair, Ningning smiled and looked at him, as if she could dissipate with the wind at any moment.
That unreal, dreamlike feeling came again.
His breath was chaotic, softly responding, "Hmm."
"It's good that you like it."
Her smile deepened, and suddenly she said to him, "Pei Ji, do you see the cluster of flowers on the opposite hill?"
Pei Ji didn't understand the purpose of this question, following Ningning's gaze, looking into the distance.
Under the thick snow, everything was covered with a layer of moonlight-like white, only the cluster of small flowers on the opposite hill stood out, showing a faint pink color.
As he carefully observed, he suddenly saw a white light flash across, coming from the sky, cutting off a small petal from the flower on the opposite hill.
More surprisingly, in an instant, the white light appeared in front of him with the petal.
"Catch it."
It was Ningning speaking.
He reached out as instructed, the sword energy that was sharp and cold moments ago, when approaching him, became gentle like the wind in spring.
The petal spun and floated down, when it fell into his hand, it brought some new snow from the distant mountains.
"A little gift for you."
Ningning chuckled at his astonished expression, "I'm amazing, right?"
Really amazing.
Pei Ji thought, clearly separated by a great distance, she hardly made any movements, but it seemed like she had full control over everything in the distant mountains and rivers.
He wanted to reply, but heard Ningning say, "You will also become so amazing in the future."
The boy was stunned, gazing blankly at her eyes.
He wanted to say he wouldn't.
From birth until now, he had grown up in a secluded little village, knowing nothing, covered with diseases and scars.
He was worthless, the only thing he had was a despicable lineage that even he detested.
But Ningning's smile was gentle and serious, she raised her hand to brush off the snow on his head, softly saying to him, "The mysterious mountains and rivers may seem unattainable, but in the future, you will be far above these mountains and rivers, not hindered by any distance or obstacles—just like now."
Pei Ji stood dumbfounded in place.
The mountains were filled with howling winds, but he could only hear his increasingly heavy breathing.
"Your lineage is not lowly, as you grow up, you will become a very good person."
She said with a smile, randomly patting his head, "No, the current Pei Ji is already a very good kid—everyone likes you a lot."
Liked.
This strange word weighed heavily on his chest, Pei Ji was at a loss, when he opened his mouth without thinking, "And you? Do you like me too?"
The words fell hastily, the boy knew he misspoke, a hint of red suddenly flushed his colorless cheeks, biting his lip and lowering his head.
His head was patted again, and soon a clear and clean girlish voice sounded next to his ear, "I like you the most."
The wind around was piercing, yet everything fell silent.
The small, weak boy held the petal tightly in his hand, a subtle curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The long numb heart, at this moment, beat rapidly.
In the cold winter, Ningning gave him a handful of new snow from afar, a soft petal, or a stretch of mountains and rivers, a small world that brought peace.
And an unknown, hopeful future filled with possibilities.
