"Someone must be deliberately slandering our Qin'er! Xuanyu, don't overthink it. You know that Qin'er has deep feelings for you and couldn't possibly do such a thing..." Nangong Xian tried to explain, but was coldly cut off by Xiahou Xuanyu.

Without even looking at Nangong Xian, he held a jade cup and said indifferently, "We'll know what really happened once we go and see for ourselves."

Nangong Xian returned to his carriage, his face immediately falling as he cursed under his breath. Xiahou Xuanyu was exceptionally talented and had inherited the North City at a young age, praised to the high heavens. He was truly too arrogant. If not for Nangong Xian's own schemes, he would have long been unable to tolerate him.

After Nangong Xian left, Xiahou Xuanyu could no longer conceal his anger, crushing the jade cup in his hand to dust.

"Xun, it's him again!" Of course he wouldn't suspect Nangong Qin. In his memory, Nangong Qin loved him so much that she was willing to give up her life for him. How could she possibly betray him?

For such rumors to spread, it must be Xun's provocation. He shouldn't have let this eyesore of a man live for so long. If he didn't appear before his eyes, so be it, but if he dared to show his face, he would thoroughly eliminate him, roots and all.

At this thought, Xiahou Xuanyu suddenly felt a moment of clarity, a panel gradually appearing before his eyes. He felt as if he had suddenly entered a strange state, seeming to understand many things at once. However, this situation didn't last long.

After a moment, he felt a splitting headache, everything that had appeared in his mind turning to mush. Not only did he remember nothing, the pain nearly made him faint.

-- "Connection unstable, reconnection failed, inner persona awakening failed."

The nearly formed panel disintegrated.

Xiahou Xuanyu slowly recovered. Afterwards, he felt a surge of inexplicable anger, only feeling that he despised Xun even more, wishing he could kill him swiftly.

At this time in the East City, Xun stood alone under the eaves, waiting for Tang Li's eye treatment to finish in the room. The door wasn't closed, only a folding screen separating them, allowing him to see Tang Li's silhouette.

Ever since that night, Xun had hardly let Tang Li leave his side for more than the time to drink a cup of tea. Similarly, unless necessary, he rarely allowed others to approach Tang Li, personally attending to everything himself, to the point of nearly being paranoid.

He appeared to have very easily accepted the fact that Tang Li had returned from the dead to his side. However, beneath this calm, even somewhat indifferent attitude, was a kind of suppressed unease.

In the eyes of Yuwen Jin and the others, Xun was very calm. Only Tang Li sensed that his emotions were off. Post-traumatic stress disorder - his reactions and many behaviors reminded Tang Li of this.

In their conversations over the past few days, Tang Li often tried to comfort him, but the effects were not ideal. Xun never rested beside her at night, only guarding her.

He might briefly fall into sleep, but it was very light and he was especially prone to startling awake. Unable to see, Tang Li patiently waited at night to determine if Xun had rested, only to discover that no matter when she made any movements, Xun would immediately react, seeming to have not only not slept, but to have never taken his eyes off her.

Additionally, he had an instinctive rejection towards anyone approaching Tang Li, even the maids attending to her. As long as they got close to Tang Li, he would suspect that they might harm her.

When the two maids were serving Tang Li's bath, one maid was going to trim Tang Li's nails. However, as soon as she took out those small scissors that couldn't possibly kill anyone, the waiting Xun behind the screen couldn't help but unsheathe his Xun blade an inch, scaring that maid pale.

Tang Li had no choice but to gently comfort the maid and send her out.

Having scared off the maid with his overreaction, Tang Li joked with him while lying in the tub, calling out, "Xun, I can't see. Will you come wash me instead?"

Xun: "..." He was silent for a moment before actually washing his hands and going to help bathe Tang Li. In his heart, he already considered Tang Li his wife, but in such circumstances, he still felt a bit embarrassed, not making a sound throughout the process.

Unable to see his expression, Tang Li deliberately teased him, "Did you purposely scare them off so you could come wash me instead?"

Seeing through her banter, Xun didn't answer her, only carefully coiling her long hair to the side before washing her back with a gentle touch. Tang Li discovered he was only washing that one spot on her back without any intention of washing anywhere else, and burst out laughing.

She lay on the edge of the tub laughing, "Xun, your strength is getting lighter and lighter. Don't worry, you won't scrub off a layer of my skin."

She guessed Xun's current expression must be very interesting. What a pity she couldn't see it right now.

Afterwards, Tang Li no longer used maids for her washing, it was all done by Xun. Tang Li found the joy in interacting with Xun while unable to see, deliberately teasing him whenever she figured he was embarrassed, not satisfied until she got him a bit flustered.

The ruthless blade master who was cold and silent towards everyone else only became a different person before her. He would tirelessly answer her questions and chat with her, willingly doing those trivial little things for her, giving her all his tolerance and tenderness. He was like a glacier slowly melting after merging with a warm ocean current, all the tender affection hidden beneath the ice and snow.

The doctor removed the white cloth wrapped around Tang Li's eyes, the honey-colored Honey Peach herb pasted over her eyes having turned from translucent pale yellow to a hazy gray.

"The residual poison is nearly all drawn out. With just one more treatment, your eyes will be able to fully recover," the doctor said with relief.

Tang Li politely thanked him, "Thank you. I'll have to trouble you again tomorrow."

Seeing Xun enter, the doctor quickly took his leave. Xun knelt on one knee before Tang Li, his robe pooling on the floor. He raised a hand to cup Tang Li's cheek, carefully examining her eyes. The originally lifeless eyes indeed gradually regained some spirit.

"Does it feel better?" Xun asked.

"Mm, I can see some vague shadows now, just still can't see clearly," Tang Li leaned forward. "I really hope it heals quickly. I want to clearly see what you look like right now."

Xun: "No rush. No matter when you recover, you'll be able to see me right away."

The Honey Peach is indeed one of the secret treasures of the East City. After using the Honey Peach for seven days, Tang Li could finally see clearly. She couldn't wait to look at Xun, who had been waiting beside her for a long time.

At the first glance of Xun, Tang Li was stunned for a moment. Until this moment, she finally had a real sense that five years had indeed passed.

The tall and straight youth in her memory had completely become a mature man. There was no longer a trace of youthfulness in him, replaced by a sense of vicissitudes.

Looking for too long, Tang Li's eyes were not yet fully adapted, feeling a bit sore. She blinked, blinking away the tears, and reached out to touch a strand of Xun's hair. "You... how come you have white hair."

Her hand stroked down Xun's hair and touched the hair tie on the back of his head. She didn't recognize the washed-out hair tie at first. When she saw a small leaf pattern underneath, she realized that it was the hair tie she had given to Xun Nu.

This hair tie was already very old, even broken in one section, looking a bit shabby, but Xun was still using it.

Tang Li lowered her head, wiped her tears, and suddenly stood up, pulling Xun to walk out.

Yuwen Jin and Duan Ming, who were also watching the excitement on the side, curiously followed them when they suddenly got up and left. "Ah Ming, where do you think Brother Xun and Nangong Qin are going?"

"Maybe they are going to find a quiet place to pour out their hearts to each other," Duan Ming said.

Yuwen Jin: "Then wouldn't we be spoiling their good thing if we follow them?"

The two of them talked and followed with great interest, but ended up following them to the kitchen.

Yuwen Jin was puzzled: "Kitchen? Why the kitchen, did they go the wrong way?"

Tang Li turned her head and said to him, "City Lord, I would like to borrow the kitchen to make something, may I?"

Yuwen Jin, dressed neatly, gave a charming smile, "Of course, Lady Nangong please feel free. But Lady Nangong is actually going to cook personally, I wonder if we have the good fortune to taste Lady Nangong's cooking together?"

Xun suddenly glanced at him. Yuwen Jin's brows twitched, and he subconsciously restrained some of his charm, rubbing against Duan Ming beside him, eyes observing the nose and nose observing the heart.

Tang Li smiled, pressed Xun to sit on the side, then she rubbed her hands, rolled up her sleeves, and began to select ingredients.

Because it was not mealtime, the busy servants in the kitchen were relatively idle. Seeing the few noble people coming, they all waited on the side, also curiously watching Tang Li's actions.

Tang Li was very focused when cooking. Her movements were skilled, processing the ingredients one by one, and putting them into the pot one by one. She didn't make anything very complicated, just a pot of noodles - the same as the noodles they made in that black inn when they walked out of the Ghostly Crying Plains.

She served the noodles, mixed the sauce, and brought it to Xun.

Xun looked at the bowl of noodles, silently picked up the chopsticks and started eating. He ate several mouthfuls, put down the chopsticks, and looked at Tang Li again, his eyes bloodshot.

Tang Li looked at him tenderly, "Can you believe now, can you be sure, that I'm back?"

Xun held her hand over his eyes, took a deep breath to stay calm, his voice still a little unsteady, "Yes, you're back."

"Really, it hasn't changed at all." After he let go of Tang Li's hand, he suddenly revealed a smile as if the ice and snow had melted.

Yuwen Jin and Duan Ming's fans fell to the ground with a clatter at the same time.

Yuwen Jin: "..." Brother Xun smiled? What, this person can actually smile?

Duan Ming: "..." Nangong Qin is truly a divine person, able to turn the rotten into the magical, I admire her.

Tang Li looked at his smile with satisfaction, somewhat fascinated as she touched his cheek. It's so good, still her Xun Nu, loyal, persistent, and so pitiful and adorable.

"Whatever you want to eat, I'll make it for you. You must not have eaten well these years. Look, your face is so thin. I felt before that your cheeks could cut my hand. This won't do." Tang Li was in a good mood and especially wanted to cook.

This large kitchen had all kinds of ingredients, the most abundant Tang Li had ever seen. She showed off her skills and made a sumptuous lunch, as well as a few small desserts, two kinds of steamed, two kinds of fried, and a sweet soup.

Yuwen Jin and Duan Ming sat down to eat together. Yuwen Jin was particularly fond of the few appetizers Tang Li made. After eating them in a few bites, he said with lingering interest, "This flavor is fresh. How come I've never eaten this kind before?"

Xun just looked at Tang Li humming and cooking in a good mood for a while, and found that the few appetizers Tang Li brought to the table were almost eaten up by the other two people at the table.

"Ah, Brother Xun, Sister-in-law's cooking skills are very good." Yuwen Jin casually called out to him, "Brother Xun, eat too. Sister-in-law made it especially for you."

Xun gave him a look that was hard to put into words, obviously also at a loss for words with his personality. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating too.

Tang Li looked at him eating with a loving and gratified gaze, not forgetting to bring a large bowl of soup, "Too thin, I'll stew soup for you to drink every day from now on. You must be well nourished and make up for these few years."

Xun suddenly felt a heavy love. He responded in a low voice and silently finished the soup.

This feeling of eating until full was a long-lost familiarity. When he and Tang Li were living in Bailu City, he could have this feeling almost every day, which was memorable and... helpless. He had just put down the bowl when a pair of delicate jade hands appeared in front of him, holding several plates of beautiful and novel-looking desserts.

Xun subconsciously touched the sword at his side.

Tang Li patted his hand with a smile, "It's okay, this is dessert. I know you can't eat it now. Eat it later. This dessert tastes better when it's cooled down. Later, a layer of sugar syrup will be poured. This sugar syrup needs to be simmered now. It won't be too sweet. You'll definitely like it."

Yuwen Jin walked to Xun's side, belching, and looked at Tang Li's back as she went to simmer the sugar syrup with a smile. He sincerely said to Xun, "Brother Xun, if you eat like this every meal in the future, you will definitely gain weight."

After saying this, he whispered in a sneaky voice like a thief, "Be careful that Sister-in-law will think you've changed and won't like you anymore after you gain weight." Yuwen Jin was really worried.

Xun flicked away Yuwen Jin's hand on his shoulder.

"A blade master won't get fat." He said coldly.