Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 76: Fourth Life - Snowy Reconciliation

So many thoughts went through my head as I lied awake on the bed. The soft covering of the curtains blocked out the crystal's light, but I could still not welcome sleep.

Can I really be this woman of Master's dreams? Just why is she still appearing in Master's dreams if he's chosen to forget her? Who is holding onto whom?

I tossed and turned underneath the covers, sighing out numerous times. Finding my throat dry, I got up to find some water.

"Where is the kitchen?" I wondered. The only hallway I saw was the one that led to the hot spring bath.

Feeling around the wall where Master went in, I heard the crumbling of dusts and pebbles. The rock wall moved to the side allowing a walkway into another room. Following the crystal's beam, I found myself nearing a storage. It looked like a kitchen with the basic cooking necessities.

In the distance, a huge opening led to a different room with sparkling lights. Wandering in, my mouth dropped in awe of the missing ceiling. The dark sky of purple and fuchsia dotted with a million stars and painted with streaks of foggy white encroached the entire room. I saw Master resting his head on his hand, lying on a daybed. He looked like a fairy from another galaxy.

Approaching with quiet steps, I kept my eyes on his composed face. Sitting down on the bed, I continued to look at Master, filling my cup's worth of admiration. When his eyes slowly opened, I started to panic. Was he going to lecture me again for staring?

"Did you have a bad dream?" His voice... sounded different. More gentle and caring.

I shook my head.

"I'll hold you while you sleep. Here." Master opened his arms, inviting me to lie next to him.

My mouth dropped open again.

"Come." Annoyed that I disturbed his sleep, Master sat up and wrapped his arms around me. Pulling me back down to lie on the bed, I struggled to remove myself from his hold. I could feel Master's cold body up against my back. We were too close!

"Master! We can't do this... No matter how frivolous you think of me, I— I'm still a woman!" I wanted respect my virtue, but Master was tempting me! Also I was afraid I'd really give in!

I'm so helpless!

"Just sleep..." He whispered. Quietly squirming in his arms, I kept my complaints to myself.

After awhile, I found myself drifting on and off to sleep. It was really comfortable in Master's arms. Although his body temperature was as cold as ice, I didn't mind since the summer nights were humid.

About to fall asleep, I heard Master's voice calling me, "Na Li, I've missed you. Do you know how long I've waited for you to come back?"

What?

Na Li?

Who's that?

I had a bizarre dream.

After hearing Master's words, I fell asleep right away. As though blind, I couldn't see anything but white. A completely white space with sounds of piercing wind. And it was so cold. I was lying deep in snow. Sitting up from a pile of snow, I saw a forest of trees with red leaves. I climbed out and walked around observing the weird environment.

"Na Li!" A man yelled at me from behind. Turning around I saw that it wasn't a stranger but Master. But he didn't really look like Master. Instead of pale pearly skin, he had a farmer's tan. He looked more youthful and happy. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Master?"

"Na Li!" He pulled me into a warm embrace. Holding me so tightly, I almost couldn't breath anymore. Struggling to push him away, I rapidly patted his arm. He softened his hold around me, but held me by the shoulders while trying to get a good look at my face. Without warning, he lifted me into the air, and swung me around happily.