The Princess’ Shadow Guard Cannot Be Too Clever

d said, “Thank you.
You’ve done well.
You may leave now.”

Facing such an obvious intention to drive her away, Song Shu Qing touched her nose, picked up the medicine box, and before opening the door, she suddenly said, “If you’re going home for the festival tomorrow, you can let me come over.
I’m free in the palace anyway.”

Murong Yan did not answer, just let Song Shu Qing leave.

She looked at the person in front of her, buried her head in Ming Qin’s chest, and tightly grasped her clothes, murmuring softly.

“Besides being by Ah Qin’s side, where else can I call home?”

Ming Qin was falling.

Or maybe she wasn’t.

But the light in front of her faded away, getting smaller and further away.

In the midst of the silence, suddenly, memories long forgotten flooded her mind, so distant that she didn’t know if they were real or not.

『Where’s the money? Is there no money left in the house?』

『You used the last bit of money to buy alcohol yesterday.』

『Don’t we still have some things in the house? Can’t we sell them for money?』

『But… all my bracelets have been pawned already…』

『Why are you so useless? Now we not only have no money to buy alcohol, but we can’t even afford firewood for the winter! We won’t be able to make it through these tough times.』

『You can’t drink anymore.
Maybe you should go help with a shipment, and we still have three kids to take care of…』

『Fine, sell the daughter then.』

『What?! But she’s so young, no one would even take her at the brothels.』

『Do you want me to abandon our son instead?』

『I… I don’t know what to do.』

『Just throw her somewhere then!』

It’s so dark.

It’s so cold.

Ming Qin didn’t know if it was because of the piercing cold of winter or because of these unpleasant memories that made her feel a tearing pain all over her body.

It’s like falling into the lake, with something that doesn’t belong to her rushing into her lungs, causing a sour sensation in her nose and making her cough uncontrollably.
But every time she coughed, more water rushed in, making her feel like her chest was about to explode.

She wanted to cry for help, but found that opening her mouth only made the air in her lungs disappear like bubbles from a fish, exchanging it for more coldness and pain.

The long-lost intense pain reminded Ming Qin of the time when her shattered self was still able to feel the pain.

How did she endure it back then?

Did she grit her teeth and bear it?

But now she’s in so much pain that she can’t bear it anymore.
What should she do?

Give up.

She could only continue sinking, had to continue sinking.

Something wrapped around her foot and pulled her down, dragging Ming Qin slowly into the abyss.

She didn’t care and closed her eyes.

After all, everything within her vision was already pitch black, wasn’t it?

『Ah Qin.』

『Ah Qin.』

『Live on.』

『For me, live on.』

A woman’s voice sounded, and Ming Qin, who was covered in a layer of mist, didn’t know who it was.
She only felt as if this familiar voice had penetrated into her heart a long, long time ago.

With each call, she felt like she was being hugged and kissed.
In the darkness where she was alone, the warmth of those little touches was so precious.

Twelve years old.

Red.

Candy.

The images in her mind gradually became clearer.

As if back to that year, nestled in the arms of the woman in red, she was like a redemption from heaven in the moonlight, bringing brilliant light and driving away her endless pain, like a rat in the gutter.

Perhaps when she was looking up at the woman with a sparkling gaze, smiling and feeding her a sweet rice candy, her young self had already fallen and entrusted her whole heart.

Her shattered consciousness pieced together memories, frame by frame, gradually becoming clear, mixed with calls from above.
Ming Qin struggled to open her eyes, looking up to see the only light spot.

It was Yan Yan.

The only person who was ever in her heart, the only reason for her to survive, was always Yan Yan.

Her peony flower.

…Is she crying?

A sour, restrained, and heart-wrenching sob.

『Ah Qin, I miss you so much.』

Don’t cry.

『Ah Qin, don’t leave me.』

My peony, my light, don’t cry.

『Don’t die.』

Ming Qin tried to comfort her with words, but as soon as she opened her mouth, it was swallowed by water, and the words that emerged from the depths of her heart could not be conveyed.

Yan Yan, don’t cry.

Although submerged deeply, Ming Qin still knew that the woman was shedding tears and wailing, a feeling that broke her heart, is far more intolerable than the pain in her body.

She wanted to wipe away her tears, to hold her gently and soothe her, to kiss away the tears trickling down her cheeks.

But as she reached out her hand, Ming Qin realized how helpless she was, constantly sinking deeper and deeper.

The distance grew farther and farther, but the calls in her ears became clearer and clearer, each one making her heart tremble.

It’s impossible.

She couldn’t bear it, couldn’t bear to leave Yan Yan crying alone.

Struggling in the water, Ming Qin felt her soul being pulled, as if being split in half, but she still tried to regain control of her body.

Ming Qin’s mind was filled with only one person, driving her to break free from the restraints, resist, and give it her all.

Yan Yan.

Don’t cry.

Finally, perhaps it was because of her unyielding will, or perhaps it was because the calling voice was too poignant, the thing that had wrapped around her ankle slightly loosened.

Seizing the opportunity, Ming Qin immediately resisted stubbornly, and in that moment of freedom, she pushed her arms up.

She worked hard to move closer to the light spot, feeling her body slowly floating upwards.

Looking up,

Wait for me, Yan Yan.

Don’t cry anymore.