Sunset Clouds

20.

He was roused from his sleep by the quiet sounds of argument. He sat up slowly, feeling heavy underneath the multitude amount of blankets someone had heaped onto him.

Even with these amounts of heavy blankets on top of him, he still did not feel warm. Instead, he felt quite cool.

He shrugged off the blankets, looking around the room.

It seems that he was back in his room at the Xu Clan's peak.

Suddenly, FengYin felt anxious. If he was back there, does it mean that he was kicked out of WanYuan peak? Did the old man... not believe him?

No, it was too fast to jump to conclusions.

There was a knock on the door. FengYin's head abruptly shot up, gazing at the closed door in mild alarm and confusion. After a few seconds of still silence, someone knocked on the door again, this time a bit more gently.

There was a lump in his throat, unabling him from speaking out. He fought hard to overcome it, and bitterly swallowed down his hesitance. "...Come in."

Lu YanShui was already prepared to leave, thinking that the youth inside of the room hasn't woken up yet. Just as he was about to turn away, he heard a small voice float outside the room.

Swallowing his pride down, and feeling immense guilt in his heart, he stilled his resolve and went inside the room.

Inside of the room, and sittinf on the bed, was a pale young man. He was surrounded by thick blankets, in various shades of white and grey. The morning rays of winter fell from the window, covering FengYin in a blanket of light.

The petals of the plum blossom fluttered in from the window as well, coming to a rest around the sitting boy. The various shades of pink and red made a stark contrast against the monochrome of the sheets.

FengYin's gaze was lowered, and his eyelashes were fluttering slightly on the top of his cheeks. His eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought, and his lips were pursed. Head slightly bowed, his hair fell like a dark veil.

Lu YanShui's heart caught in his throat.

All the words he wanted to say, everyrhing was choking him up. His pride, his ego, his selfish thoughts, they were all factors that lead to his inability to properly apologise to this person before.

It is also the cause for this person's suffering.

Inevitably, FengYin would have noticed that there was someone in the room. It's just that, since the other person was so silent, he went into his thoughts for a moment.

Yet, as it persisted, FengYin couldn't restrain himself anymore, and looked up, curious on why the other person wasn't speaking. He was expecting someone else, perhaps his father or the old man. He wasn't expecting...

...Lu YanShui.

Almost immediately, distress filled his every being, and he fought hurriedly to squash it down. At long last, he breathed out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, and observed the other man warily.

Undescribable emotions ran through Lu YanShui's eyes.

However, there was one that FengYin recognised; regret.

Why did he feel regret? Was it regret that he could not get rid of him?

These thoughts ran through his mind, like a herd of animals rampaging to get away from a burning forest. Finally, unable to keep these thoughts gnawing on his mind, and also feeling that he has stared at Lu YanShui's face for quite long enough, he turned away, not knowing what to say.