Fortune Across the World

Chapter 184: Shared Affections, Decisive Hearts

The most crucial obstacle in the mechanism had been overcome by the little carpenter and Master Yan, and now they were all ready to leave the valley... The situation at Qianli Palace was unknown, and many matters awaited resolution. Meanwhile, the little carpenter, Ding Qiyu, would leave Danming Mountain and return to Yinzou to continue her mechanical endeavors. Perhaps they would truly never meet again... As Le Zhuyi pondered this, her heart throbbed painfully, and the small branch in her hand traced a long line in the sand table, ruining the few sentences she had painstakingly written.

Yet Le Zhuyi paid it no mind, her thoughts drifting further. Although the little carpenter's home was far in Xingcheng and her work was in Yinzou, if they didn't wish to part, even if the little carpenter chose to stay in Yinzou, it wasn't far from Danming Mountain. They could still meet often, so why the need for complete separation? The little carpenter clearly had feelings for her, so what underlying issue was causing her to choose absolute separation over facing these feelings? The more she thought about it, the less she understood, and the more resolute her conviction became. Determinedly, Le Zhuyi made a decision...

That night, Ding Qiyu emerged from the workshop and, as usual, retrieved her bamboo flute from the room, preparing to find Zhuyi by the waterfall pool. Glancing at the sky, she noted it was a new moon night, with the moon entirely absent, replaced by a sky full of stars. Carrying a lantern, she hurried to the pool.

Zhuyi was already waiting on the large rock by the pool, with a lantern beside her. Facing away from the path, she seemed lost in thought, the warm orange light casting a soft glow over her. Hearing Ding Qiyu's footsteps, Zhuyi turned, her smile so bright it made Ding Qiyu smile in return.

Ding Qiyu climbed up to sit beside Zhuyi, who didn’t lean against her as usual. Instead, she gazed at the pool reflecting the starlight and asked, "Little carpenter, I heard you made significant progress with the mechanism today. Is it almost complete?"

Ding Qiyu couldn’t discern Zhuyi’s emotions from her tone, but the question stirred her own tangled thoughts. Distractedly, she replied, "Yes... The conversion device for the Mountain Driller is done and tested successfully. I've figured out the rest, so once assembled and tested, it should clear the trap path debris."

Le Zhuyi nodded silently, pondering the decision she made earlier in the day, feeling a mix of tension and anticipation. Ding Qiyu also fell silent, staring at the cascading waterfall, both lost in thought.

In her reverie, Ding Qiyu noticed a faint warm glow on the rock wall by the waterfall. Intrigued, she whispered to Zhuyi, "Zhuyi, look, what is that?"

"Hmm?" Le Zhuyi snapped out of her thoughts, following Ding Qiyu's gaze to the soft glow not far away.

They exchanged a glance, understanding each other's curiosity. Ding Qiyu jumped down from the rock, carefully helping Zhuyi down as well. Their hands lingered in each other's grasp, reluctant to part, as they moved together towards the glowing site, lantern in hand.

The rock's height posed no challenge to a martial artist like Le Zhuyi, yet she relished Ding Qiyu’s attentive care, descending only with her help. Allowing herself to be led, her earlier anxiety gave way to a calm anticipation.

Rounding the pool, they reached the other side of the waterfall, awestruck by the sight before them. In the grove, every tree was adorned with branches drooping clusters of small, warm-glowing flowers, illuminating the valley like a celestial starfield. It was as if the stars had descended to earth, painting a hidden masterpiece in the secluded valley.