018 Attacked Together

Back then, I never truly understood what Li Yexuan meant when he told me not to be so naïve.
“I’ve already tricked you into giving me so many delicious treats, isn’t that hardly naïve?” I said, shaking the food in my hand.
“You…”
“Why won’t you buy me chestnuts?”
“Don’t ask again.”
It was as though my words had struck a sore spot; his smiling face suddenly turned grave, and he walked off at a brisk pace.
I had to run to barely keep up with him. It was obvious I had stepped right into his line of fire, so I quietly hugged my food and followed behind.
When the general’s residence was nearly in sight, I said my farewells to Li Yexuan.
Just as I stepped through the gate, I glanced back and saw a shadow dart past, followed by the clash of blades filling the air.
I hesitated for a moment—could it be an assassin? Those people I’d seen on the street were truly up to no good.
I let go of the food I’d painstakingly carried back, letting it scatter across the ground, and without a second thought, I turned and ran back the way I’d come. No matter what, I had to see for myself that Li Yexuan was safe.
The sounds of battle grew ever more intense, and I could already see the assassins’ shadows cast upon the wall.

Gritting my teeth, I kept running forward.
At last, I saw Li Yexuan standing among a group of men clad in black, sword in hand, blood still dripping from its blade. Bodies lay sprawled at his feet.
He was unharmed, and I breathed a sigh of relief—only to tense again the next moment. Damn, I’d forgotten I knew no martial arts, and now I was exposed in the sight of the assassins.
Sure enough, one of them rushed toward me.
All I could do was run; I regretted bitterly not knowing how to fight.
But the expected blade never came. Li Yexuan appeared beside me without my noticing, grabbed my hand, and said, “Run.”
He didn’t linger to fight, but instead pulled me along, fleeing into the night.
He must be capable enough on his own, yet he still brought me, a burden, with him.
“You go ahead, don’t worry about me.” We weren’t related; he needn’t risk missing his escape for my sake. I steeled myself and said it aloud.
“What are you saying? If we leave, we leave together.”
He tightened his grip on my hand, and I did the same to his.
Though we were escaping into the darkness, I didn’t feel alone. With him there, I felt a strange sense of safety, his hand warm in mine.

I wondered at myself—why am I always running for my life? Can’t I ever have a few peaceful days?
“By the way, Li Yexuan, why won’t you buy me chestnuts?” Since we were fleeing, I didn’t care anymore and called him by name.
“You’re still thinking about food?” He looked at me in utter astonishment.
“Yes,” I laughed, though I couldn’t say why—I just really wanted chestnuts.
“Run for your life!” He quickened his pace, almost dragging me along.
The black-clad pursuers were strange; they never overtook us, but kept pace as if playing a cat-and-mouse game. When we slowed, they slowed; when we sped up, they did too.
But there were so many of them, and our situation was far from optimistic.
Li Yexuan and I were forced to run in one direction, and only later did we discover that ahead lay a sheer cliff…