The shrill cry of the snow incarnate made it difficult for Jing Lin to compose himself. He waved his hand, and Xue Mei1 was flung out into the snow. The coldness of the snow unexpectedly eased some of his pain. He was terrified of Jing Lin and did not dare to linger, so he endured the pain, transformed into powdery snow and beat a hasty retreat.
The brocade carp was still covering his face, wailing. Jing Lin felt a splitting headache coming on. He could not even raise his hand to lift the brocade carp away. He could only partially close his eyes and said:
"Why are you so heavy?"
The brocade carp looked up and saw Jing Lin's pale face and the exhaustion between his brows. He looked even more sickly than last night. He did not know exactly where and how Jing Lin was injured, nor did he know why Jing Lin had turned so frail all of a sudden. His heart ached a little, and he raised his hand to hold Jing Lin's cheeks.
"Jing Lin." The brocade carp sobbed and murmured, "Don't die."
He was only a child at present. As he cupped Jing Lin's face, the sadness welled up in him, and he began to sob again. But he was an adorable child, and the sight of him crying as large tears rolled off his cheeks was a sad sight for anyone to behold.
"I am but a dead man." Jing Lin replied, his eyelids heavy.
"How can you be dead!" The brocade carp's head knocked against Jing Lin's chin, almost drowning him with his tears.
Jing Lin felt his collar getting soaked through as the tears slid across his neck and seeped into the pillow. He suddenly felt a little "alive", as if these little scalding tears had stirred up ripples in a world that had been dead for a long time. It had been a very long time since he had been this close or had spoken this casually to anyone.
"Why do you have so much tears?" Jing Lin's voice dropped gradually. "... Leave this place and explore the vast lands beyond. Like fledglings leaving the cage, you will come to understand that remaining here is no different from being a walking corpse. You don't know the world, so this lease of life will be your awakening. It's by a twist of fate that you could evolve. Your destiny isn't here."
"Can't I just stay with you?" The brocade carp asked.
Looking at how naïve the brocade carp was, Jing Lin endured his fatigue and repeated the words he had said that morning in a slightly mocking tone. "You know who I am, and you still dare to say that?"
"Then, who am I?" The brocade carp looked up. "I don't even have a name."
Jing Lin looked like he was asleep. After a while, he said, "Let's just call you Cang Ji."
The brocade carp wanted to continue chatting with him, but Jing Lin's breathing grew heavier as he fell asleep for real. Once Jing Lin was sleeping, it would be impossible to wake him up. If not for his chest that was still heaving, one would almost believe that he was truly dead.
The little stone figure suddenly stretched its arms and waist. It leaped up with vigor, entered the inner chamber, and climbed up the couch to look at the brocade carp. The expression on the brocade carp's face changed. He dragged the small stone figure off the couch and pushed it aside.
"What you saw and heard just now doesn't count for anything. I don't know that demon, and I don't know what he is here for. Don't feed Jing Lin any nonsense." He caught hold of the little stone figure to prevent it from running off, then said harshly, "If you dare to tell on me, I'll throw you into the pond."
