It was already dark, and suddenly two groups of flickering but fast-moving flames appeared on the dark street. They were particularly eye-catching in such a night.
He Hui and Ruhua held paper lanterns and searched everywhere in fear. Zhao Pei left early in the morning, but she hasn't come back yet. He Hui was worried. What if... she was caught? He didn't dare to shout loudly, for fear of attracting patrolling soldiers.
Ruhua was very anxious, her eyes were full of tears. She kept running around the streets in the sleepy night until her legs were numb and she had no feeling.
Finally, a young man in a red shirt slowly emerged from the bleak mist. Ruhua screamed in her heart, threw away her lantern, and ran over, holding up her skirt.
"Miss..." He threw himself into her arms and began to sob, "Miss, you scared me to death. Where have you been?"
Zhao Pei seemed to be still lost in thought, her body stiff. Looking down, she saw Ruhua leaning against her, and forced a smile, joking: "Are you ashamed to cry?"
Ruhua cried in tears, "Miss, you are the most heartless. Don't you know that people are worried?"
Zhao Pei patted her shoulder and said, "Okay, I know Ruhua is worried. Isn't she back now?"
He Hui walked towards her quickly. After seeing her clearly, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around and said, "Zhao Pei, have you been discovered?"
Zhao Pei finally laughed and shook her head.
He Hui nodded and pulled her arm: "It's not advisable to stay here for long, we should leave early. I have packed my things, let's go."
Zhao Pei stood there without moving, and just asked: "Brother He, how can we get out? The city gate is closed."
He Hui said slyly, "Doctor Zhou originally had a tunnel, which just came in handy now."
Zhao Pei thought for a moment and then asked, "Brother He, are you leaving with us?"
"Well. I am a wandering person, stopping here and there. I have been in Yongchang Town for a while, and it is time to move to another place. Besides..." He glanced at Zhao Pei and continued, "It is not safe for you two women to be on the road after all, so it is better to have someone by your side."
Zhao Pei stared at him for a long time, sighed softly, and took Ruhua with her to follow him. A big stone in He Hui's heart fell to the ground, and his mood became much better. He led them through the alley and said with a smile: "We can go to Qiushan to have a look. The sunrise there must be more spectacular than here. We can also go all the way north to have a look..."
He turned back to look at her, but was stunned. Zhao Pei lowered her head and slowly stopped walking.
He also stopped, turned around and looked at her silently.
Ruhua had no idea what the two were thinking, and couldn't guess their expressions, so she could only ask tentatively, "Miss?"
Zhao Pei ignored her, and suddenly raised her head, looking at the tall and graceful He Hui through the gloomy mist. She said nothing, but just looked at her silently.
She knew that He Hui understood her thoughts.
Indeed, He Hui looked at her clear eyes, which reflected the moonlight, and he couldn't help but tremble. He understood, but for some reason, he didn't want to understand it at this moment.
His chest was weighed down, and he was a little breathless under her gaze. He turned his head away with difficulty, looking at the indifferent corners of the eaves in the night. He knew that he could not influence her decision at all. He could only watch her from the side. Even if they had been together for a few days, he seemed to be the pillar of her heart. But the fact was, her eyes told him otherwise. He was just someone she trusted, not someone she relied on. She relied on herself, and only herself.
I understood it deeply, so I felt deeply hurt. After a long time, He Hui smiled and met her gaze again, forcing himself to smile calmly: "Zhao Pei, as long as you don't regret it, as long as you are happy and comfortable. Just do what you want."
His weak words were dispersed in the mist, and it was unknown whether Zhao Pei heard them clearly. He only saw her smile very softly and comfortably.
Well, that's enough. (To be continued)