“…So Brother Mu really hasn’t given up yet. You’re so eager to know what I look like?”

Bai Fanlu sighed helplessly, “Then I’ll let you see.”

But just as he raised his hand, he heard the door open and then close with a bang.

Huh? He left just like that?

Heh. Bai Fanlu chuckled lightly. To think he would use helping me bathe as an excuse, truly relentless. When he couldn’t keep up the pretense, he was too embarrassed and just walked away.

This bad temper, it’s starting to resemble Yun Zhan a little.

Not taking Mu Yunhe’s strange behavior seriously, Bai Fanlu tidied up, listened at the door to ensure there were attendants outside, and then had them come in to clean. Afterward, he lay down to rest.

As he closed his eyes, he suddenly remembered something. Bai Fanlu reached for the jade ring by his pillow, feeling secure only when he held it, and gradually drifted into a peaceful sleep.

As soon as he fell asleep, he had a dream.

At first, the dream was rather clear: amidst a few words exchanged, before the black boat drifted away, there was the beautiful scenery of the Jiangnan region by the clear waters of the green riverbanks.

From Bai Fanlu’s perspective, it was as if he were sitting on a boat, gazing at a corner of the stone path on the shore where a wine flag was fluttering.

By the side of a pavilion by the flowing clouds, a person was quietly sitting with their back to him.

Dressed in a long, snow-white robe, with hair as black as a cloud, left unbound by any silk ribbons or hairpins, even just their back exuded elegance and an otherworldly grace.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t see the person’s face, but from this angle, he could only admire the elegant and unhurried manner in which the person lifted a cup to drink, completely devoid of any vulgarity, with a distinct and ethereal presence that seemed not of this noisy world.

Who is that?

A thought arose in Bai Fanlu’s mind, urging him to go over and take a look.

But just as he was about to move, someone else beat him to it and approached the person.

It was a burly man. He stood by the table, slammed his hand with a knife onto the table, propped one leg on a stool, and as he stroked his chin, his gaze roamed provocatively over the person in white.

“Hey, little beauty, why drink alone?”

Bai Fanlu frowned upon hearing this. However, the person in white still calmly poured more wine, not flinching even though a sharp blade was just inches away.

“Tsk, refusing a toast only to be forced to drink!”

The man reached out to grab the person in white, but before he could touch him, the person casually flipped their wrist, and the entire cup of wine splashed squarely onto the rogue’s face.

Bai Fanlu was surprised, and before he could react, his vision suddenly brightened, as if he had been pulled far away.

Then he saw another man, dressed in a dark golden robe, who led the person in white and leaped away, disappearing into the shadows cast by the oars of the black boat.

The boat’s bow cut through the water, stirring up waves of white foam.

Bai Fanlu vaguely heard the two of them speaking.

“You… You’re a man?”

“What did you think? Heh, thanks for the rescue, but I must leave now.”

“Hey! What’s your name?”

“My name is Mo Jiuli. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Mo Jiuli… Mo Jiuli…

Bai Fanlu suddenly woke up from his dream. He remembered—the voice he heard was the same one he had dreamed of before, the one that said, “I cannot rest in peace.”

“You must do it yourself, only then will I be content. Otherwise… I won’t be able to rest in peace.”

The voice that had sounded so desolate back then was lively and light in this dream.

Is there some connection between these two dreams?

When he awoke, it was already morning. Bai Fanlu heard movement outside the door, indicating that it was morning. After waiting for a while, he heard a maid knock, summoning him to his new residence.

Although he couldn’t see, he could sense that this place was special. As he entered the courtyard, he could smell a faint fragrance of flowers, elegant and serene—a very pleasant scent.

When he asked, he learned that this place was called “First Snow Garden,” with a plaque inscribed with the words “Pear Blossoms Before Snow.” The courtyard was filled with pear trees, though Bai Fanlu couldn’t see them.

However, as he sat in the courtyard, he overheard some gossip about the “First Snow Garden.”

The two maids cleaning the area seemed to be visiting for the first time and marveled at the beauty of the pear blossoms. They didn’t forget to speculate about the mysterious guest—him.

The most laughable speculation was that he was Mu Yunhe’s new lover, brought here to be kept as a hidden treasure.

Bai Fanlu wondered just how bad Mu Yunhe’s reputation was that bringing a guest would make people think of such things. However, he also heard that it was the first time Mu Yunhe had allowed anyone to stay in “First Snow Garden.”

Rumor had it that “First Snow Garden” was Mu Yunhe’s most treasured place. He had personally planted all the pear trees and tended to them himself, never allowing anyone else to do so.

And except for now, when he had allowed someone to stay here, he had never let servants in.

It was indeed strange that he, a guest of only two days, was allowed to stay in such an important place. Bai Fanlu wondered what Mu Yunhe was up to.

He thought he should ask Mu Yunhe when he came by later, and perhaps request to stay elsewhere to avoid any unnecessary rumors.

But instead of Mu Yunhe, he was unexpectedly visited by the mistress of the manor, Mu Yunhe’s mother, the Princess Consort.

Bai Fanlu was still in the courtyard, painting, when he suddenly heard someone comment, “These pear blossoms are beautifully painted!”

Indeed, he was painting pear blossoms, though Bai Fanlu had never closely observed such flowers before.

In his previous life, he had spent his early years with children, and then, after losing his sight for ten years, he had been too busy making a living after regaining it to have time for leisurely pursuits. If he had ever seen pear blossoms, it was likely just those in small roadside gardens.

But today, hearing the maids describe how beautiful the pear blossoms were, he casually began to paint. As he did, it felt as if he was guided by some divine force, and even though he couldn’t see, he felt as if his vision was filled with snow-white pear blossoms, as if he were truly among them.

The novel had mentioned pear trees, so Bai Fanlu thought this memory might come from Yun Zhan’s soul.

He was lost in thought as he painted, and when he heard the compliment, he initially didn’t know who had spoken. From the sound of the voice, it seemed to belong to a young woman, bright and confident, not a servant. He stood up and bowed.

Before he could speak, the Princess Consort laughed and said, “There’s no need to be so formal at home. I am Yunhe’s mother. You must be Lu Linqiu?”

This Princess Consort was indeed a true warrior woman, and she had been deeply in love with the late General Mu. She now commanded a military force and was rightfully considered a heroine among women.

Bai Fanlu had heard a bit about her and had long since admired her. “I have seen Your Highness before. I am indeed Lu Linqiu. I apologize for the trouble I caused last night and for not greeting you sooner. Please forgive me.”

The Princess Consort nodded, and Bai Fanlu sensed that she was observing him. He had initially worn the hat as a necessity, but later, after befriending Mu Yunhe, he kept it on to tease him.

He hadn’t expected the situation to spiral out of control, and now he had to be cautious, especially as a guest in someone else’s home, facing the family’s matriarch. It was rather impolite, so he reached up to remove the hat.

Unexpectedly, the Princess Consort stopped him, “No need to take it off now. Leave it for Yunhe to remove.”

“?” Bai Fanlu was confused.

The Princess Consort seemed to be smiling, but there was a hint of awkwardness in her tone. “Well, Linqiu, could you show me that jade ring?”

So that’s what this is about. Bai Fanlu understood and took out the jade ring from his robe, saying, “This half of the jade originally belonged to the Young Lord. It should be returned to him.”

He was about to separate the jade into two pieces when the Princess Consort said, “No, I don’t want you to return it. Just let me see it as it is.”

Bai Fanlu didn’t understand but complied. The Princess Consort took the jade and examined it closely, turning it over in her hands.

“The characters ‘Yun Zhan’ are engraved on this jade. What do they mean?”

Of course, Bai Fanlu couldn’t tell her who Yun Zhan was, so he said, “This jade was given to me by a revered monk when I was young. He said that wearing it would allow me to meet the benefactor destined to protect me and ensure a lifetime of peace. He didn’t mention the two characters.”

The Princess Consort was pleasantly surprised. “Is that so? Then you and Yunhe are truly fated.”

“The Young Lord’s jade too?”

“Indeed! When he was ten, he fell gravely ill. A Daoist priest gave him this jade, and only after wearing it did he recover. However, after his father passed away, the boy’s personality changed drastically. He used to be so calm, but as he grew older, he became more rebellious. No one could control him, and at his worst, he acted like he had lost his mind…”

Lost his mind? Bai Fanlu thought. Perhaps this corresponds to losing his soul. In the novel, the original protagonist exhibited similar symptoms after losing his soul.

“But that Daoist priest returned once more. He said… what he said was slightly different from what he told you, just a small difference, not much, haha!”

As Bai Fanlu listened to the Princess Consort’s sudden change in tone, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. That “small difference” didn’t seem all that simple.

The Princess Consort lowered her voice, “Linqiu, could you help me with something?”

“…Please tell me, Your Highness.”

“Will you promise me first?”

That request sounded suspicious. Bai Fanlu hesitated.

The Princess Consort added, “It concerns my son’s life and death. You must help me with this.”

My son’s life and death? Bai Fanlu’s heart skipped a beat. Could this be about the heavenly tribulation? If so, he had no choice but to agree.

“But…”

“I won’t ask you to kill or do anything against your principles. It’s just that no one else can do it. Only you.”

Given this, Bai Fanlu couldn’t refuse. After all, he had come to this world for Yun Zhan. Even if he had to break through any obstacles to help, he would find a way.

“Very well, I agree. Your Highness, what do you need?”

“Really? You truly agree?” The Princess Consort had to confirm.

“I agree.”

How could he not? This concerned Yun Zhan’s heavenly tribulation. No matter how difficult, he would have to agree first and figure it out later. After all, there would always be a way to solve the problem.

With that thought, Bai Fanlu heard the Princess Consort breathe a sigh of relief. “Wonderful! The Daoist priest predicted that on Yunhe’s twenty-second birthday, he would face a life-and-death situation. The only way to resolve it is to find the person who possesses a jade ring identical to his…”

She paused slightly. “They must do something to help him survive the calamity. And that person would be able to calm him down and keep him from causing more trouble.”

She concluded, “From my observations, Yunhe behaves differently around you, which proves the Daoist priest was right.”

So it was because he had lost his soul that he became this troublemaking rogue, but since his soul was with Bai Fanlu, he happened to be the cure.

And this life-and-death situation… it must be the heavenly tribulation. Bai Fanlu understood. “What does Your Highness need me to do?”

“I…” The Princess Consort opened her mouth several times but couldn’t bring herself to say it. Finally, as if it was something too embarrassing to admit, she turned and shouted outside, “You brat, come in already! You should be saying this yourself!”

Only then did Bai Fanlu realize that Mu Yunhe had been there the whole time.

Mu Yunhe had actually been watching for a while. He had heard Bai Fanlu agree, but it was clear that the Princess Consort was tricking him. Mu Yunhe had wanted to interrupt several times, but each time, his mother had given him a stern look, forcing him to hold back.

“Mother, you’re the one who insisted on telling him yourself!”

“What? When did I say that?” The Princess Consort tried to play dumb.

Mu Yunhe wasn’t about to let her off the hook. “You said it just now, half an hour ago. You insisted that it had to be done through proper channels, with the approval of parents and matchmakers.”

“I…” The Princess Consort was at a loss for words.

As he listened to the back-and-forth between mother and son, Bai Fanlu felt completely lost. What were they talking about? What matchmakers and parents?

“Excuse me…” Bai Fanlu hesitated to speak.

At that moment, Mu Yunhe seemed to walk over to him, and Bai Fanlu could feel his hand resting on the back of his bamboo chair.

“I’ll explain, but…”

Mu Yunhe frowned and glanced at the Princess Consort. “Mother, could you please leave first?”

The Princess Consort looked at her son, who wore a serious expression as if he were about to go to battle. Although she tried to appear nonchalant, it was clear that she was feeling awkward. She couldn’t help but laugh.

But for the sake of her son’s dignity, she left, handing the jade ring to Mu Yunhe and saying to Bai Fanlu, “Linqiu, remember, you promised me.”

“…”

Bai Fanlu suddenly had a bad feeling.

With a soft click, the courtyard door closed gently.

The courtyard returned to silence, as if only Bai Fanlu remained, but he knew that Mu Yunhe was sitting right beside him, his breathing clearly audible. Why did he seem so nervous?

Before Bai Fanlu could ask, Mu Yunhe spoke first, “Linqiu, are you painting pear blossoms? There are many pear blossoms in this courtyard, all planted by me. I really wish you could see them.”

Bai Fanlu could sense that Mu Yunhe was beating around the bush, as if he were preparing for something.

“I’ve planted pear trees before,” Bai Fanlu replied.

In the novel, Yun Zhan and the original protagonist first met in a pear orchard. Yun Zhan was five at the time, waiting for the pears to ripen so he could eat them.

But the trees had only just blossomed, and the original protagonist told young Yun Zhan that he would have to wait for the flowers to fall before the fruit appeared. So Yun Zhan climbed the tree and shook all the blossoms down.

The sky was filled with snow-white petals—a rather romantic beginning.

Bai Fanlu mentioned this intentionally to test Mu Yunhe further.

Mu Yunhe asked, “Where did you plant pear trees?”

Obviously, Bai Fanlu couldn’t say that it was in the world outside of the game. He thought of the dream he had the previous night.

That’s it. I’ll just say it was in a dream. So, half-truthfully, he replied, “It was probably in a dream.”

Mu Yunhe immediately followed up, “What kind of dream?”

“It had a lot of pear blossoms, and there was a little boy named Yun Zhan. We planted pear trees together, hoping to harvest fruit later.”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Is there something strange about the dream?”

Mu Yunhe stared at Bai Fanlu, his gaze fixed on the brim of his bamboo hat, where a pear blossom had fallen.

As Bai Fanlu tilted his head slightly, the hat shifted, and the pear blossom fell into Mu Yunhe’s palm. But sadly, Bai Fanlu couldn’t see it.

“Did you happen to…”

“Hmm?”

Mu Yunhe took a deep breath and cautiously asked, “Did you happen to call the boy… Ah Zhan?”

Bai Fanlu was visibly stunned.

“It’s true, isn’t it?”

Mu Yunhe didn’t need a verbal answer. Bai Fanlu’s silence confirmed his question.

As for Bai Fanlu, hearing Mu Yunhe call out “Ah Zhan” was something he hadn’t expected.

Because the original protagonist only called Yun Zhan that name when they were alone. In front of others, he would always address him as “Junior Brother.”

Mu Yunhe continued, “Ever since I received this jade pendant when I was ten, I started having dreams—always about the same person. But when I woke up, I would forget the details. I… Honestly, I was too skeptical. I never believed what my mother said.”

Dreaming about “Ah Zhan” was more proof of Yun Zhan’s identity than the jade pendant. Hearing Mu Yunhe explain this, Bai Fanlu realized that Mu Yunhe had retained some fragmented memories.

But Yun Zhan had lost his soul and should have forgotten everything. Could it be because of the jade pendant?

In any case, since it had been confirmed multiple times that this was Yun Zhan, the next step was to stay with him until the heavenly tribulation was over.

Bai Fanlu’s offhand remark about the dream had unexpectedly hit the mark. Pretending to be ignorant of the truth, he listened as Yun Zhan continued.

“Because of my mother’s constant reminders, I did value this jade, but after hearing the Daoist’s words, I thought it was all nonsense. That’s why I kept going to the Jiang Tian Yi Se Brothel…”

Bai Fanlu was confused. What did the brothel have to do with anything?

He didn’t say anything, so Mu Yunhe, thinking Bai Fanlu was holding a grudge, quickly clarified, “Don’t worry. I never did anything there. I was just putting on a show. I won’t go there again.”

The tone of his reassurance sounded odd to Bai Fanlu. “Brother Mu…”

Just as he was about to say that these words didn’t seem necessary, Mu Yunhe suddenly moved closer, as if afraid Bai Fanlu wouldn’t believe him.

“After meeting you… I believed the Daoist’s words. I…”

Mu Yunhe held tightly onto the jade ring his mother had given him earlier. Its warmth had seeped into his palm.

But after all that “I…” he still couldn’t manage to finish his sentence.

Bai Fanlu finally sensed that something was wrong. “What exactly did the Daoist say? The Princess Consort mentioned it was a life-and-death matter. Is it really that difficult?”

Both mother and son seemed to have some secret they couldn’t speak of, and neither of them was being straightforward, only talking in circles.

“It’s… not that difficult,” Mu Yunhe paused. “Are you worried about my safety?”

That question was quite skillful.

Bai Fanlu thought about it. After all, this was just a game world. There was no harm in admitting it. His sole purpose here was to ensure Yun Zhan’s survival. Even if he had to die in this world to save Yun Zhan in the real world, that would still fulfill his mission.

“Of course, I’m worried.” For once, Bai Fanlu didn’t lie and admitted it frankly.

Mu Yunhe’s heart leaped with joy, his eyes lighting up. “So, you’ll keep your promise to my mother?”

“I will.”

Although Bai Fanlu still didn’t fully understand what the Princess Consort had asked of him.

“Then… Linqiu…”

Finally, it seemed that Mu Yunhe was going to explain the situation. Bai Fanlu figured that since it was related to overcoming the heavenly tribulation, there would undoubtedly be some challenges. He was ready to listen carefully.

Just as he thought that, his hand was suddenly held.

Those long, calloused fingers, toughened by sword practice, easily wrapped around Bai Fanlu’s hand.

“…”

“…What did you say?” Bai Fanlu thought he must have heard wrong.

Mu Yunhe moved closer, his deep gaze fixed on the beautiful profile behind Bai Fanlu’s white veil, not missing a single change in his expression.

Then, leaning in close to Bai Fanlu’s ear, Mu Yunhe whispered, “Senior Brother, let’s get married.”