Su Mo was a native of the vast Northwest. And in the Northwest, one simply couldn’t do without Qinqiang opera. Since childhood, he had watched a play called *Three Halls Joint Trial*, and the scene before him now mirrored it perfectly.
Su Mo, Ye Qingyu, and Ye Qingyi sat in judgment high above, jointly interrogating Li Xiaomou.
“Speak. Why is your Hundred Immortals Sect moving to the United States? What benefits did they offer you?” Ye Qingyu was the first to ask.
Li Xiaomou said resentfully, “Isn’t our leaving China a good thing for you?”
Ye Qingyi snorted. “Not at all! It’s easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Who knows what schemes you’ll cook up once you’re in the U.S.”
Li Xiaomou fell silent for a few seconds, then said through gritted teeth, “You forced us into this!”
Su Mo kept a stern face and said coldly, “Tell the truth, or I’ll beat you up.”
A flicker of excitement passed through Li Xiaomou’s eyes. She lifted her gaze slightly, her beautiful eyes appraising Su Mo, and asked weakly, “Beat me where?”
“Everywhere!” Su Mo blurted out almost instantly.
A faint blush rose on Li Xiaomou’s pretty face. Her eyes held a shy, timid look as she whispered, “Then be gentle… I’m scared of pain.”
Su Mo was left speechless, utterly stunned. Ye Qingyu and Ye Qingyi also wore strange expressions, looking at Su Mo with suspicion.
The scandalous scene from the Death Mountain flashed once more through Ye Qingyi’s mind. She remembered Su Mo even had a nosebleed back then.
Hmph!
(。・`ω´・)
Ye Qingyi bounded over, wrapped her arms around Su Mo’s waist, and pulled him firmly into her embrace. Her actions and expression were extremely possessive.
It was as if she was declaring her sovereignty. She glared fiercely at Li Xiaomou and said, “He’s mine! Don’t you dare try to seduce him, you vixen!”
As an observer, and as a woman, she keenly sensed that Li Xiaomou seemed to harbor unusual feelings towards Su Mo—a certain… special kind of emotion.
Watching her flustered reaction, Li Xiaomou covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Perhaps you haven’t realized it yet. Even though he currently has a woman’s body, his mind and… sexual orientation are entirely male. In this situation, how do you expect him to love a… non-binary monster like you?”
“Maybe he really loves you now, but can you guarantee he always will? Men are creatures who think with their lower halves. Don’t expect him to remain eternally loyal to your illusory soul.”
“Or, to put it another way, he likes women. A complete, thorough woman. Unless his psychology changes, he will eventually grow tired of you. Because love is the thing that stands up least to the test of time. Besides, what you have isn’t even real love—it’s just a form of mutual dependency.”
A bitter expression crossed Ye Qingyi’s face, and her eyes gradually filled with dejection. Although she knew Li Xiaomou was trying to drive a wedge between them, she couldn’t help but dwell on what had just been said.
Was she and Su Mo really together because of love?
Or was it because of mutual dependency?
In a way, her previous refusal to think about it was a form of escape. She was afraid that if she figured it out, the conclusion wouldn’t match what she hoped for in her heart.
She was terrified of losing Su Mo. No matter the reason, this was the most genuine emotion deep within her.
Now, she didn’t even know if this counted as love anymore…
Her mood low, Ye Qingyi had no heart to continue the interrogation. Using the need for fresh air as an excuse, she left. Su Mo immediately chased after her.
The two of them quickly left the hotel, one after the other.
Ye Qingyi wandered aimlessly through the streets, without goal or direction, simply going wherever her feet took her. Seeing this, Su Mo didn’t speak, just silently followed.
Both of them were pondering a single, critical question: Was it really love that maintained their current relationship?
Swapping souls had forced their paths to cross, forcing them to be together constantly. While familiarity can breed affection, in such a unique circumstance, was the affection that grew *real* love?
Su Mo liked chemistry, which is why he had chosen it as his major in university.
It was like a chemical reaction. Each one has its specific reaction conditions. These conditions might be stringent, perhaps casual, maybe difficult to achieve, or easily met. But they must be obeyed to obtain the desired product.
Otherwise, the same two substances could easily undergo a different reaction, yielding a different outcome. Even if the reaction itself remains unchanged, the purity of the final product can vary. For a product to be usable in the next stage of a process, purity is often crucial.
75% alcohol can be used for disinfection. 95% alcohol can be used as fuel. But only alcohol within a very specific range of concentrations can be used as drinking liquor.
Emotions follow the same principle. Under different conditions, with different catalysts added, the final outcome between two people can be altered.
Time passed from morning to noon, from noon to evening, from evening to deep night. They walked on without stopping.
The distance between them never changed, though their individual paces sometimes quickened, sometimes slowed.
Unconsciously, they had reached the outskirts of the city.
This place was nothing like the city center. There were no dazzling neon lights, no vibrant nightlife. There was only the sound of the howling wind, and the beating of two hearts.
Snow began to drift down from the sky, as if it, too, lamented the plight of the young boy and girl.
Though the beginning of spring had already passed, early spring in the north was still bitterly cold. A strong wind, carrying heavy snow, swept towards the earth, waiting until it neared the ground to suddenly scatter and blanket the entire land.
Ye Qingyi stopped by the river in the suburbs, her back to the tranquility, gazing into the distance at the bustling city lights. Su Mo walked up and stood beside her, shoulder to shoulder.
Neither of them spoke. They just looked into the distance.
The roaring wind, the drifting snow, the endless stream of traffic, the dazzling city lights—none of it had anything to do with them, yet all of it lay within their view.
The snow fell heavier. The two young figures stood together, both contemplating a future with the other, their heads gradually turning white.
The young man suddenly moved. He gently wrapped his arm around the young woman’s waist. They leaned against each other, quiet and still, as if the world had nothing to do with them.
A long time passed.
The young man suddenly spoke: “Su Mo.”
The young woman hummed in response. “What is it?”
The young man grinned. “Nothing. Just wanted to say your name.”
They looked at each other and smiled.
The snow gradually lessened, and the wind grew gentler.
In the night sky, a faint strand of moonlight broke through the clouds and reached the earth.
The young woman’s voice was soft. “Qingyi.”
The young man turned to look at the young woman’s face. Using the magnetic tone unique to his male voice, he said tenderly, “What? Just wanted to say my name too?”
The young woman shot him an annoyed glance. “Your belt is loose.”
“Oh, you’re right!” The young man looked down. His belt had, at some point, become loose and slack. The corners of *his* mouth lifted slightly into a wicked grin. “Isn’t that just perfect?”
The young woman’s face filled with panic. “Don’t you dare!”
The young man chuckled mischievously and pounced like a hungry wolf seizing its prey. “That’s not for you to decide.”
The young woman, like a little lamb, was caught firmly in the young man’s embrace. They held each other tightly.
Suddenly, the young woman pointed at a figure on the bridge not far away. “Look, someone over there is watching us.”
The young man turned to look. It was true.
“Since we’ve met, it must be fate. How about we make a heart shape for them?” the young man suggested.
“Okay,” the young woman agreed readily.
They pressed their heads close together and bent their arms to form the shape of a heart.
“He’s sure to bless us.”
“Yes, definitely.”
…
On the bridge.
A man who had just gone through a breakup was preparing to jump, ready to end his life as a pathetic “simp.” Just then, a couple on the riverbank started flaunting their affection right in his direction.
He immediately cursed out loud: “Think you’re so great being together? I’m a simp, not a cuckold! Why are you throwing dog food my way? Ptooey! Screw dying, I’m gonna awaken instead!”
The man threw away the liquor bottle in his hand and staggered off unsteadily.
The wind ceased, and the snow stopped.
In the pitch-black night sky, a bright moon hung high—sacred and luminous. But if one looked closely, they would see the moon wasn’t truly flawless; it was slightly imperfect.