The Love of Ice and Fire

"Something big is about to happen, I can feel it! Father went to meet some uncles from the other major tribes a few days ago. He said he'd only be gone for a few days, but it's been much longer. He even forgot our stargazing promise! Big sister was the one who took me in the end. Stinky Daddy! Good Sister!"

"A strange uncle came to the tribe today. Sister keeps saying he's the one from the prophecy, but he's all messy and unkempt. What kind of hero looks like that?"

"Why is everyone packing their things these days? No way! Mom says this place has been our family's home for generations! We absolutely cannot leave! That stinky sister is actually organizing everyone to leave! Hmph! I'm going to tell Mom!"

"Mom! Big sister… Big sister wants to take everyone away from here. Jinxi doesn't want to go! Jinxi wants to stay with Mom! Jinxi only feels safe by Mom's side!"

"Mmm… Huh? Where's Mom? Where am I?" Little Jinxi woke up in a cave. It was vast and dark inside. Mom was gone! "Mama? Sister? Papa?" Little Jinxi got up and looked around. It was empty. Not a single person, not even a trace.

"What's this?" On her body lay a piece of jade larger than her palm. She hadn't seen it before. She picked it up to look, and suddenly—she didn't know how—she pressed something, and her sister appeared.

"Little Jinxi!" It was a projection. Lan Jinxi rushed forward tearfully to hug her, but passed right through. "Sister?…" She fell, hurting herself. A sob caught in her throat, and tears welled uncontrollably in her eyes.

"There, there! Don't cry, little Jinxi!" Her sister's phantom gently stroked her forehead. Though it held no warmth, Jinxi felt a comforting warmth in her heart, and the pain vanished instantly.

"Little Jinxi, Sister, Dad, and our clansmen are going to search for a great, mysterious treasure! But Jinxi is still too little to come. So, you stay here safely and wait for our return, okay?"

"How… how long will you be gone?" Upon hearing that everyone had left, that they had gone on an adventure while leaving her behind, Little Jinxi felt abandoned. Tears welled in her eyes, refusing to fall.

"…" Her sister fell silent, but soon smiled again at Lan Jinxi. "Little Jinxi, we… we don't know how long it will take. But it's okay. You eat well, sleep well, and take good care of yourself. Trust Sister, we'll be back very soon!"

Lan Jinxi felt dejected. She turned away, lowered her head, and started drawing in the dirt with a twig, ignoring her sister. Tears dripped down one by one, falling onto the soil.

She didn't catch what her sister said after that, only the final words: "Don't let your future husband come looking for us to get cultivation techniques…" Then, Lan Jin'yao's projection dispersed. The jade pendant fell to the ground and split into two pieces.

Little Jinxi thought she had been abandoned by everyone. Seeing her sister disappear, she slumped to the ground in a daze. She didn't cry much; she just stared blankly at the jade pendant now broken in two. One piece had chipped a small notch on its side.

So cold, so cold. It was summer, and the cave should have been warm, yet she felt utterly chilled. Shivering all over, she collapsed. Tears flowed from the corners of her eyes onto the ground as she curled up on the spot.

She didn't know how much time had passed. She only felt her body burning up, so tired, so exhausted. Her eyelids felt heavy. Hazily, she thought she saw her father coming to get her…

...

In Xianyang of the Qin State, a medical clinic received a mysterious guest.

Inside a private estate, servants paced back and forth anxiously. Members of the former Zhou Royal Family also searched everywhere in a panic—the original Son of Heaven's eldest legitimate son had run away again!

"This... this little brat!" The former high-status Son of Heaven, now dressed in rough cloth and shouldering a hoe, was also searching anxiously. "What did I owe him? I severed the dynasty that should have been his! I deserve this! Ji Chi, you... you deserve never entering...!" Overwhelmed by fury, he coughed up a mouthful of old blood.

"Dad, you're not young anymore, yet you're still so hot-headed. See? Just two days ago you chased Uncle Peng away!" A man leisurely vaulted over the wall from outside and leaned against a corner.

"I couldn't care less about that empty title of yours, old man!" Yan lazily flipped down from the wall, snatched the hoe from his father's hands, and walked toward the field to start plowing.

"Hey! Kid, you look down on the title of Son of Heaven because it holds no real power? Then why don't you marry into one of those noble, influential families! Maybe they could even help our Ji family rebuild a Great Zhou like in our ancestors' time!"

Chi paid no heed to his father's words and continued plowing by himself. However, his swings became particularly forceful when the term "political marriage" was mentioned. In no time, he had finished working several hundred acres of land alone.

"Old man, catch!" Chi walked up to his father, hoe in hand, and tossed it to him casually. "I've got unfinished business, wait for it!" Then he strode straight out of the main courtyard.

He arrived at the medical clinic and, guided by an attendant, went up to the second floor.

"How is she...?" Looking at Lan Jinxi lying quietly on the sickbed, Chi felt a pang of heartache. He turned to ask the physician beside him.

"The young lady shows no major abnormalities. She simply caught a chill and hadn't eaten for several days..."

"That's a relief." As he spoke, Chi casually pulled out a silver ingot and tossed it to the physician. "This covers the medical fees. Treat her well, let her stay here for a while, and incidentally, teach her some of your best skills. The payment will be more than enough!"

The physician accepted the heavy silver ingot with both hands, bowing under its weight, then retreated from the room with a smile.

Chi squatted before Lan Jinxi, gazing quietly at her face. Occasionally, he poked or pinched her cheeks, grinning like a fool.

"H-here?... My soul drifted into someone's house on its own..." Lan Jinxi turned her head and saw Chi looking right back at her. "What's this person staring at? He's so handsome!"

"Of course! Not a single person in the entire Zhou Royal Family can match this young master's looks!" The moment he heard the praise, Chi instantly puffed up with pride.

"Eek! You... you're a ghost too?" Lan Jinxi was so startled she sat bolt upright and immediately scrambled backward.

"Me? See who dares call this young master that!" Chi was somewhat taken aback and spoke without thinking.

"So... you're alive?" Lan found it unbelievable and leaned forward to pinch the corner of his sleeve. "Really! Then... does that mean I'm not dead either?"

"What do you think? This young master went through great lengths to carry you back!" Chi grabbed Lan Jinxi's face with both hands and gently tugged her cheeks outward.

Afterward, Lan Jinxi gradually recovered, and the two grew fonder of each other the more time they spent together.

However, Chi's old father constantly nagged him to marry into a family currently friendly with the Zhou Royal Family. Their relationship worsened, and Chi returned home less and less. The time he freed up was spent entirely on cultivation and on Lan Jinxi.

One dusky evening, Lan Jinxi jogged all the way to Chi's cultivation spot, carrying a few jugs of wine. This place was also one of their private meeting spots.

The lingering sunset glow created a romantic atmosphere, and under the influence of the wine, the two embraced. Lan Jinxi then took out a jade pendant and tied one half to Chi's waist. "Brother Chi, my mother gave this pendant to Jinxi. I accidentally broke it the other day, but it still looks nice! How about we each keep half?"

Chi was dazed for a moment, not quite understanding Lan Jinxi's meaning. It wasn't until he picked up the pendant and looked at it that he understood. He also took out a bronze mirror and—with a swift swipe nobody knew how he managed—split it in two. He tucked the slightly smaller half into Lan Jinxi's embrace, then swiftly produced a fine silk cord and tied it around Lan Jinxi's wrist.

"Hard to promise riches and honor, but I vow to stay by your side for life.

Not asking for crimson glory, only wishing you peace and safety for a lifetime."

Of course, Chi's father knew nothing of the two privately pledging themselves to each other.