Chapter 167: The Desire That Never Falls

Lu Shenchen had already sensed the chilling aura radiating from Song Qing'an and couldn't help but shiver. He dared not meet Song Qing'an’s eyes, fearing that in the next second, he would be pierced through by that icy gaze. He believed that Song Qing'an cared nothing for their past friendship.

Furthermore, Qin Sheng acted as if she were completely oblivious to Song Qing'an’s abnormal expression, continuing to chat with Lu Shenchen without even sparing Song Qing'an a single glance. Caught in the middle, Lu Shenchen knew he could afford to offend neither Song Qing'an nor Qin Sheng. He could only break into a cold sweat while engaging in awkward conversation with her.

The waiter at Spring Garden was quite perceptive. Seeing how engrossed Qin Sheng and Lu Shenchen were in their conversation, he brought the Peach Blossom Brew that Qin Sheng had ordered to their room. When Qin Sheng grew tired of talking, she poured herself a cup. Yet, from beginning to end, she did not say a single word to Song Qing'an. It was as if she were doing it on purpose; even knowing that he was watching her, she refused to turn her head to look at him even once.

Qin Sheng was afraid—afraid that if she met his peach-blossom eyes, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from demanding why he had ignored her and walked away when he clearly saw her earlier. She wanted even more to ask why he had left without a proper farewell. What if she hadn't come to this Otherworld Continent? What if she had arrived but never found him? What would all of this have been? Just her own wild imagination?

At this thought, Qin Sheng took a sorrowful breath and downed the freshly poured Peach Blossom Brew in one gulp. Song Qing'an opened his mouth slightly, intending to stop her, but not knowing what right he had to do so, he closed it again without a word. Although the brew was a wine made from peach blossoms, it had a high alcohol content; Qin Sheng only tasted the faint fragrance of the flowers, and it wasn't unpleasant.

"By the way, do you not plan on going back?" Qin Sheng asked, turning to Lu Shenchen as if something had just occurred to her.

Going back to where? Naturally, it meant the other world—the world currently facing the apocalypse. Lu Shenchen looked up at Song Qing'an, momentarily unsure of how to answer. This time, they had come back with the intention of not returning. The Otherworld Continent was in turmoil, and they had their duties here. However, his decisions were no different from Song Qing'an’s. If Qin Sheng learned that Song Qing'an had no intention of returning, it would confirm that he had accepted the possibility of never seeing her again in this lifetime. For Qin Sheng, that was simply too cruel.

Lu Shenchen knew that Song Qing'an felt guilty toward her and wanted to handle everything for her in silence. But as a friend, he couldn't bear to see this pair of lovers part ways. "Of course we have to go back; after all, there are people and things there that we hold dear," Lu Shenchen replied slowly, his gaze shifting to Song Qing'an when he mentioned "important people." It was obvious he was trying to tell her how much Song Qing'an cared for her.

Whether or not Qin Sheng understood the hint, she merely chuckled without a word and slowly finished her second cup. Song Qing'an’s gaze never left her for a moment, while Qin Sheng, acting out of spite, continued to ignore him. Two stubborn souls, neither willing to set aside their pride and open their hearts to the person they cared for most. Feeling awkward between them and not knowing how to intervene, Lu Shenchen eventually joined Qin Sheng in drinking cup after cup.

***

Seeing that his cup was empty, Song Qing'an reached for the wine pot to pour himself a drink, but Qin Sheng snatched it right out of his hand.

"This... this is my wine... you can't have any!"

Qin Sheng's face was flushed, her drunken eyes struggling to stay open. She swayed as she pointed at Song Qing'an, rambling on and on, but the gist was clear: she wouldn't let him touch her drink. Song Qing'an watched her drunken, muddled state, his lips curling slightly as his dark eyes filled with doting affection.

"Song Qing'an!" Qin Sheng clutched the bottle and suddenly looked up, shouting his name.

Song Qing'an’s voice turned even gentler, as if he were coaxing a child. "Yes?"

When she heard him answer, Qin Sheng couldn't control her emotions; tears began to fall. Song Qing'an’s pupils constricted at the sight of her wet lashes, and he panicked.

"Song Qing'an! Why didn't you even... even say goodbye when you left? Are we... are we not good friends anymore?"

Borrowing the courage of the wine, she vented her long-repressed feelings, her tears falling in large drops like beads. She didn't know how to describe their relationship, so "best friends" was all she could say. The thought only made her more depressed, and her tears flowed over her tear mole, dripping onto the table.

Song Qing'an’s heart shattered. Not knowing how to comfort her, he could only lift his hand to wipe the tears from her face, over and over again, until she finally cried herself to exhaustion and fell asleep on the soft couch behind her. Only then did he stand up and walk toward the girl who had occupied his heart for so long.

Her dreams did not seem pleasant. She curled up, occasionally whimpering like an injured little beast—insecure, as if she could be abandoned by anyone at any moment. Song Qing'an had rarely seen this side of her, and his feelings were complex. There was joy that she was so emotionally affected by him, but also heartache that, due to uncontrollable circumstances, he had made her feel wronged and insecure.

He sat beside her and gently stroked her hair. Gradually, as if sensing the comfort, her curled body relaxed. Her breathing steadied, and the whimpering ceased. Song Qing'an looked at the tear tracks on her face and the moisture still lingering in the corners of her eyes. He wiped them away silently, his heart rippling like a lake disturbed by a stone. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss upon the tear tracks, as if kissing his most precious muse.

Noticing that she wasn't sleeping comfortably, he rose to lift her, but her cool hand suddenly touched his warm one.

"Don't go... please..." she murmured softly.

"All right, I won't go," he whispered back, even though she couldn't hear him.

As if she had heard the promise, she settled into a peaceful sleep. The insecurity vanished, and a faint smile even graced her lips. Song Qing'an watched her quietly, a beautiful curve forming on his lips.

***

The girl slept soundly. Just watching her sleeping face made him want to stay, to linger for her sake. Qin Sheng was the desire that would never fade in Song Qing'an’s life.

He didn't know how long he watched her; he only knew that his legs had gone numb countless times. It was only when he realized she would be uncomfortable waking up that he quickly stood, picked her up, and walked straight to the only bed in the room.

Once she was in bed, Qin Sheng found a comfortable position and drifted off again. Song Qing'an sat by her bedside until, he knew not when, he lost consciousness and fell asleep leaning against the bed frame.

After a good night's sleep, Qin Sheng opened her eyes and realized she must have blacked out from the alcohol. She sat up quickly, checking that her clothes were still intact, and let out a sigh of relief. Turning her head, she noticed Song Qing'an sleeping uncomfortably against the side of the bed. She leaned closer to him, catching the faint sound of his breathing.

She had no memory of the previous night, but seeing him by her bed when she woke up told her that her goal had been achieved. Song Qing'an had not had the heart to abandon her and leave. Qin Sheng smiled involuntarily, which unfortunately disturbed the light sleeper.

Song Qing'an rubbed his aching temples and looked at Qin Sheng, who was sitting on the bed with a smile on her face. A handsome smile tugged at his own lips. All the decisions he had made the day before had crumbled under her tears. He couldn't ignore her, and he certainly couldn't bear to hurt her, not even by causing her sadness.

"It seems you slept well; you were smiling as soon as you woke up."

While Qin Sheng was still lost in her own thoughts, his voice—tinged with a teasing tone—came from above. Her face flushed hot instantly, and she sat up quickly, not realizing he was looking over at the same time. Their heads collided, and for a moment, Qin Sheng felt as if she were seeing several versions of Song Qing'an.

"Are you all right? Does it hurt?"

Before she could complain, she felt a warm hand touching her forehead, accompanied by Song Qing'an’s anxious voice. Looking into his worried eyes, she felt the pain in her head vanish.

"Let me see if you're hurt." He gently rubbed the spot where they had bumped and blew on it softly. Qin Sheng became even more certain: Song Qing'an would not ignore her as he had the day before. His disguise had finally been torn away by her.

"It doesn't hurt," she whispered, shaking her head and reaching up to touch the hand he had placed on her forehead. At the touch, she clearly felt him tremble. For a moment, he was stunned, just watching her hold his hand.

"Song Qing'an, no matter what happens, can you promise not to ignore me?"