Mu Ran's heart gradually settled down, but that overly realistic nightmare still lingered faintly in her mind. Raising her eyes, she stared intently at his face.
It was different from the one in her dream.
Right now, he still had black hair, and his complexion wasn't that pale. There was no suppressed pain between his brows, and when he looked at her, his dark eyes curved slightly, holding the familiar tenderness she was so used to.
Mu Ran called him softly, "Jinzhi."
"Hmm, I'm here."
She said, "I had a very strange dream."
She was willing to confide in him, which was a good thing.
Cangshu Bai asked in a low voice, "What kind of dream?"
"In the dream, I seemed to have slept for a very, very long time. After waking up, I walked aimlessly for a long, long time before I saw you." Mu Ran furrowed her brows tightly and said with an aching heart, "But the you in the dream was also very strange."
"I was strange?"
She nodded, looking at a lock of black hair resting against his chest, and said slowly, "Your appearance changed. Your hair turned white, and you looked as if you had aged a lot. And here..."
Mu Ran freed her hand, gently stroking the space between his brows with her fingertips, and said, "There seemed to be an unresolvable sorrow, as if you had suffered a great deal of grievances without my knowledge."
Cangshu Bai caught her hand. "What else?"
"And..." Mu Ran looked at his arm, the mist in her eyes gathering and turning into spring rain that overflowed from the corners of her eyes. Her voice choked with emotion, "You lost this arm."
She knew it was a dream, but that dream felt so real. When she touched his empty sleeve in the dream, she felt as if her entire world had collapsed.
Cangshu Bai leaned down and gently kissed the corner of her eye. "It's just a dream. Don't be afraid."
Mu Ran reached out, wrapping her arms around his neck, and buried herself completely in his embrace.
Cangshu Bai gently stroked her back, his voice as low and soft as the evening breeze brushing past her ear. "I am here. Both of my arms are here, perfectly intact, right by your side."
In this world, there were very few who could sever his arm. How could he possibly end up in the miserable state she had dreamed of?
He thought that perhaps it was because this small town was gradually becoming unsettled, and his wife cared about him too much, which led to such a terrifying dream.
When it came to Mu Ran, Cangshu Bai possessed an inexhaustible amount of patience. Coaxing her and making her happy was something he had always gladly done and never tired of.
"Ranran, perhaps you've been too tired these past two days, which is why you had a nightmare. From now on, let's not take on jobs that require staying up late, alright?"
Mu Ran recalled the tragic state of Old Man Longsword she had seen at Hongfu's place. She couldn't help but wonder if she had been traumatized by that bloody scene, causing her to dream of such terrifying images.
She buried her face in his embrace, rubbing against his chest as she nodded. "Mhm, we won't take on such jobs anymore."
Mu Ran regained her vitality. She lifted her face and smiled, "I know. A dream is just a dream, and nightmares are the opposite of reality. Jinzhi will definitely be fine. After all, the real Jinzhi wouldn't burst into tears and cry like the Jinzhi in my dream."
Cangshu Bai fell slightly silent.
She snapped out of her sickly state, propped herself up, and shifted her position to straddle his lap so she could face him better, wrapping her arms around his neck once more.
"I smell something delicious. It's tofu soup. Were you cooking?"
He nodded and asked, "Hungry?"
Mu Ran replied, "Hungry."
He chuckled softly. "Put your shoes on and go wash your hands. We can eat very soon."
Because Mu Ran had been catching up on sleep, coupled with the nightmare incident, their dinner today was much later than usual. The moon had already risen, accompanied by the stars, making the night feel far from lonely.
She had indeed been exhausted these past two days. After finishing one bowl of rice, she added another half bowl. With sweet and sour pork ribs in her mouth, she looked somewhat like she was wolfing down her food.
Cangshu Bai served her a bowl of soup. "Slow down, no one is fighting you for it."
Mu Ran mumbled indistinctly, "I'll wash the dishes today."
She had been resting for so long, and he had done all the household chores by himself. She felt a bit embarrassed.
Cangshu Bai said, "We'll do them together."
Mu Ran beamed. "Okay."
When she was almost done eating, Cangshu Bai suddenly asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were going to the inn today?"
Mu Ran faintly sensed that he was trying to settle scores after the fact. "It's because Fairy Hongfu ordered something. She's a major client, so I delivered it to her door. I figured it was just a simple delivery and I'd be back quickly, so I didn't tell you."
"I was very worried when I didn't see you at the Song family workshop."
Mu Ran didn't think much of it. "I'm a grown woman; I won't get lost. Jinzhi, you're worrying too much."
"What if, like last time, you stick your neck out and encounter danger?"
Mu Ran's hand, which was reaching for a sweet and sour pork rib, paused. She was left speechless.
Cangshu Bai placed a piece of rib into her bowl. "Have you ever thought about what would happen to me if something happened to you?"
Mu Ran immediately felt guilty. She sat up straight and said obediently, "I'm sorry, Jinzhi. From now on, wherever I go, I will definitely tell you in advance."
Cangshu Bai lowered his eyes and gave a soft "Mhm," before asking again, "Did that woman named Hongfu make things difficult for you?"
Everyone in the world respectfully addressed Hongfu as a fairy, yet from his lips, she was merely "that woman named Hongfu." He was unwilling to offer even the slightest honorific.
It wasn't the first time Mu Ran felt that her husband occasionally revealed a strange sort of arrogance. She shook her head. "She just said a few words to me. She didn't make things difficult for me."
Of course, she omitted the bloody scene she had witnessed, as well as the condescending attitudes of Hongfu and her companions.
There was no need to mention it. Saying it would only make Cangshu Bai worry. He was just an ordinary doctor at a medical clinic; he could treat injuries and illnesses, but he couldn't fend off the cold glares and slaughter of those from the immortal sects. There was no need to make him feel bad.
Mu Ran knew that Cangshu Bai was perceptive. She picked up her bowl and lowered her head to drink her soup, using it as an excuse to avoid his gaze.
They were truly a married couple, possessing a great deal of understanding of each other.
Cangshu Bai said, "Ranran."
She looked up. "Hmm?"
"Would you be willing to accompany me on a trip back to my hometown?"
Mu Ran was puzzled. "Your hometown?"
"The anniversary of my parents' passing is approaching. I want to go back to pay my respects to them, and I also want them to meet you."
Mu Ran knew that Cangshu Bai's parents had passed away and that he had no other relatives. Pitying his loneliness, when they were first married, she had wanted to be a considerate, virtuous wife and loving mother, taking care of all the household matters, big and small. But later, she didn't know where things went wrong, and instead, she had been spoiled by him, becoming lazier and lazier.
Cangshu Bai held her hand. "The year we got married, I wanted to take you back to my hometown. But considering the long journey, there was no need for you to suffer along with me. However, things are different now."
How were things different?
He had to maintain a calm expression while telling a barefaced lie, "Our lives have improved a lot, and we are no longer as strapped for cash as before. I can buy a comfortable carriage, so we won't have to sleep in the open on the journey. If you come along, you will suffer less from the bumpy road."
All sorts of factions had converged on this town. Even though Hongfu had captured Old Man Longsword, those who coveted Old Man Longsword's treasure were still reluctant to leave. Sooner or later, another storm would brew here.
He would not allow this storm to implicate her.
Mu Ran did not hesitate. Her eyes curved into sweet crescents as she smiled and said, "Alright, I will go back with you to pay our respects to Mother and Father."
