Feng Lezhen chuckled softly, ignoring his awkwardness as she carefully wiped the powder from his eyes bit by bit.
Who knew what the powder was made of—it clung to his skin like a thin film, giving off a faint silver sheen. His face had already been rubbed red by the time she managed to remove some of it.
“Does it hurt?”
In the blurry darkness, Feng Lezhen asked softly. They were so close that Wenge could feel her breath brushing against his face.
“…No.” He suddenly felt warm all over.
Feng Lezhen gave a silent smile. “You’re blind right now—how could it not hurt? But pain or not, we have to clean it off quickly.”
“Mm.” Wenge replied obediently, letting her do as she wished.
Wiping with one hand was difficult, so Feng Lezhen used both, gently cupping his face as she cleaned him inch by inch. Wenge couldn’t see anything, but he could feel her drawing closer. Even without his eyes, he could guess she was leaning over him, focused intently on his face.
The distance between them was just too close. If she regained her memory—even if she didn’t know martial arts—she could still kill him before he had time to react. Wenge thought absentmindedly. But the doctor had said she could never regain her memory, not in this lifetime. That was why she followed him without suspicion to save someone, why she could rescue him without hesitation, and even now was seriously wiping his eyes for him.
She had no memory, so there was no need for him to be so guarded. Just like now—she could kill him at any moment, and yet all she did was try to save him.
“What are you daydreaming about?” Feng Lezhen suddenly spoke.
Wenge paused. “Nothing…”
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a while, then the corner of her lips curved up. “Why do I feel like you’ve become so much more obedient ever since you lost your sight?”
“You’re overthinking it.” Wenge’s face immediately tightened.
Feng Lezhen let out a laugh and straightened up. “I’ve finished cleaning your eyes. Still can’t see anything?”
Sensing that she had moved farther away from him, a sudden wave of disappointment rose in Wenge’s heart. But he brushed it off as just the result of losing his sight. “Mm, still can’t see.”
“Then get some rest. Maybe you’ll be able to see by tomorrow morning,” Feng Lezhen said.
Wenge responded softly. Only after he heard her footsteps fade away did he feel his way to the bed and lie down.
The next morning, he opened his eyes—only to find a blanket of white before him.
Wenge’s heart sank. For the first time, a fear took root: that he might never see again in this lifetime.
Someone born blind can adapt to the dark better than anyone. But someone who once had perfect vision—who had seen all the beauty in the world—would find the sudden loss of sight enough to drive him mad.
When Feng Lezhen entered the room, she saw him sitting on the bed, eyes red-rimmed, as if completely swallowed by despair.
“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, breaking him out of his spiral.
Wenge’s eyelashes trembled. It took him a while to say, “I still can’t see.”
“It takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons. It’s only been one day. Why are you so anxious?”
Maybe it was her casual attitude, but Wenge actually felt a bit more settled. Still, he couldn’t help but ask, “What if I can never see again?”
“Then you can’t see. It’s not like your eyes were especially pretty anyway,” Feng Lezhen said offhandedly.
Wenge was speechless for a long time before he suddenly got angry. “So by your logic, people with unattractive eyes deserve to be blind?”
“Oh, you’re still capable of getting mad?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow. “Then clearly this isn’t as devastating to you as you thought. Come on, get up—I’ll help you to the latrine.”
“Y-you—you’re helping me?” Wenge suddenly stammered.
“To the latrine,” Feng Lezhen replied calmly. “What, were you planning to go on your own? Let me be clear, if you fall into the pit, I’m not fishing you out.”
Then she grimaced a little. “Just the thought is disgusting.”
Wenge, who had only been blind for one day and was already being treated like a burden, tugged at the corner of his mouth but gave in. Once she helped him into position, he absolutely refused to let her stay.
Once that was done, it was time to eat. Since Wenge couldn’t see, expecting him to cook was out of the question. Feng Lezhen simply washed two radishes. One for each of them—that was breakfast settled.
“We can’t just eat radishes every meal. I’ll cook lunch,” she offered.
Wenge sounded skeptical: “You can cook?”
“I’ve watched you do it often enough. Can’t be that hard. You can’t see—can you even start a fire?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Wenge said, “If you bring me to the stove, I can do it.”
“Alright. You light the fire, I’ll do the cooking,” Feng Lezhen decided.
She made the decision so quickly, Wenge thought she must have some hidden talent. But as soon as the first dish hit the wok, a strange smell wafted out. After a long moment of silence, he had no choice but to intervene himself.
“Give me the spatula,” he said, reaching out blindly. Once he took it, he asked for the oil jar too.
Feng Lezhen stood nearby, dutifully assisting—occasionally guiding him to switch spots. The meal took nearly an hour to prepare, but finally, it was ready to be served.
“Eat,” he said.
Feng Lezhen looked at the bowl and chopsticks in his hands. “Do you need me to feed you?”
“Just help me with the dishes,” Wenge replied. His vision was still a blank white, so he didn’t bother being proud.
“Just help you pick dishes? Do you even know how to eat them?” she teased.
“…Even if I can’t see, I still know where my mouth is,” Wenge replied, exasperated. But the moment he finished, he heard her stifled laughter and realized she had been deliberately teasing him.
“You really are…” For the first time, Wenge felt a twinge of helplessness.
Feng Lezhen picked up a potato slice and placed it in his bowl. “I really am what?”
“Annoying,” Wenge said with a straight face—but the corners of his eyes curved with a smile.
Seeing him in good spirits, Feng Lezhen smiled too. “You worked hard cooking. Eat more.”
Wenge gave a light snort.
After the meal, Feng Lezhen looked at the pile of dirty dishes, then turned to the man sitting motionless at the table. “You’re blind, not useless. You can still wash dishes, right?”
“…Mm.” By now, Wenge had developed a thorough understanding of how shameless she could be. Hearing her say this didn’t surprise him one bit.
So in the end, the dishes were still washed by Wenge.
Now that he was blind, everything took longer than usual. In the past, after lunch, the two of them could still find time to play games or kill time. But today, it was cleaning up here, fiddling with things there—and by the time they snapped out of it, the sky had already darkened.
“It’s getting dark,” Wenge said.
Feng Lezhen was surprised. “You can see?”
“No. But I can feel the sunlight’s gone,” Wenge said, instinctively lifting a hand to wave in front of his eyes.
Feng Lezhen didn’t look disappointed. “Don’t worry, it’ll get better.”
Wenge responded faintly—it was unclear if he actually believed it.
In the next five or six days, his vision still didn’t return. Day and night became literal terms for him: all he could perceive was black and white, nothing more. During the first two or three days, he would still erupt in rage and frustration over it. Until one time, in a fit of anger, he flung a half-washed bowl that nearly hit Feng Lezhen. After that, he abruptly calmed down, and didn’t throw tantrums again.
It was as if he had accepted his fate in a single moment. Over the last two days, he’d also become familiar with everything in the house. Even without sight, he now knew where everything was placed, and didn’t need Feng Lezhen to guide him around constantly.
Yet, he relied on her more than before. Whenever he couldn’t see her for more than half an hour, he would start subconsciously searching for her. Only after confirming she was nearby would he feel at ease. He didn’t understand why—he just didn’t want to be apart from her, as if she were another pair of functioning eyes. Even if he didn’t use them, just her presence made him feel calmer.
“Wenge,” Feng Lezhen called after being summoned to his side yet again. She looked into his eyes and asked, “How long has it been since you had a good night’s sleep?”
Wenge’s lips moved slightly, then after a pause he said, “I’m not sure.”
“Why can’t you sleep?” Feng Lezhen asked again.
Wenge shook his head. “I don’t know. I just can’t fall asleep easily, and even when I do, it’s not deep sleep. I keep waking up.”
“I’ll take you to see a doctor,” Feng Lezhen said, for the umpteenth time since his vision failed.
As always, Wenge refused. “No. I can’t see right now. If we’re discovered, we won’t be able to defend ourselves at all.”
“Then I’ll bring the doctor here.”
“That won’t work either.”
“Why not?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Because I’m afraid that if you leave, you’ll never come back. The words turned on the tip of his tongue, but Wenge didn’t say them.
He had the same fear—but the reason behind it had changed. Before, he feared her leaving because he needed her as a hostage to rescue his comrades. But now, in his current state of helplessness, he no longer had the strength to think about what might happen to them. His refusal to let her go… was simply because he didn’t want her to go. No other reason.
He didn’t answer, but remained stubborn. Feng Lezhen let out a sigh. “Then sleep with me tonight.”
“…What?” Wenge was stunned.
“Sleep with me,” Feng Lezhen repeated. “I’ll stay with you.”
“But—”
But what? Feng Lezhen couldn’t be bothered to hear it. She made the decision and went off to wash radishes.
That night, Wenge appeared in her bedroom, stiff and uneasy. “Maybe I should go back…”
Without replying, Feng Lezhen changed into her nightclothes and pushed him onto the bed.
Feeling her suddenly close beside him, Wenge’s face instantly flushed red. He fumbled for words but couldn’t say a thing. Feng Lezhen, however, acted completely normal. After blowing out the candle, she pulled the blanket over the two of them.
“Sleep,” she said.
“…Mm.”
The night was silent. The two of them laid side by side on the not-so-large bed, and neither spoke another word.
No one knew how much time passed, when the distant sound of a night watchman’s call echoed through the air—his long, lonely chant breaking the silence in the room.
“Still can’t sleep?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“…Mm.”
“Then let’s chat,” she said, stretching lazily, the rustle of fabric sounding in the dark.
Even though Wenge knew the rustle was just her turning over, he still instinctively listened closely. “About what?”
“About you. About me,” Feng Lezhen said as she turned to face him. “How did we meet?”
“How else? I became a guard at your house, and over time, we got to know each other,” Wenge replied vaguely—he wasn’t good at lying, so he just brushed it off.
Feng Lezhen chuckled. “Why did you go to my house to be a guard?”
“To make a living.”
“To make a living,” she repeated the words with a deeper smile. “Sounds kind of pitiful. After you eloped with me, did they stop paying your wages?”
Wenge was amused by how she phrased it. “I stole you away. They’d rather kill me—how could they possibly still pay me?”
“Then with no wages, how do you plan to make a living? And if you can’t make a living, how will you support me?” she continued.
What started as casual nonsense suddenly turned serious, and Wenge couldn’t help but answer sincerely: “I have a lot of savings—enough for us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.”
“You? A lowly guard? How much savings could you possibly have?” Feng Lezhen didn’t take it seriously and turned her back to him.
Hearing her dismiss him like that, Wenge immediately replied, “I really do have a lot saved.”
Then, after a brief hesitation, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder, leaning close to whisper a number into her ear.
Feng Lezhen froze for a moment, then turned back in shock. “Where did you get that much money?”
“I earned it before,” Wenge said, sounding a little smug.
But Feng Lezhen wasn’t pleased. “What kind of job earns that kind of money? Don’t tell me you were doing something like arson or murder?”
Wenge hadn’t expected her to guess it right off the bat—and immediately felt a bit guilty.
“…It’s not exactly like that,” he coughed.
Feng Lezhen suddenly sat up.
“What are you doing?” Wenge asked in alarm.
“What do you think? I’m leaving!” she threw off the blanket, getting out of bed. “I thought I’d eloped with a lowly guard. Who knew it was a notorious outlaw? If it were just my family chasing us, we could dodge them. But how are we supposed to escape a government manhunt? I’m not spending my life hiding in the shadows with you!”
She was lying in bed, talking, but one leg had already swung over Wenge—she looked just about ready to leave.
Wenge hadn’t expected her to suddenly try to go. He instinctively grabbed her. “Let me explain—”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Seeing that he was stopping her, Feng Lezhen immediately struggled. Afraid he might accidentally hurt her if things got rough, Wenge could only forcefully pin her down, one leg thrown across to trap her firmly on the bed.
Feng Lezhen struggled twice without breaking free and became unhappy. “What, are you planning to kill me now?”
“Who wants to kill you?” Wenge flatly denied it.
The two of them fell silent for a moment. Finally, it was Wenge who broke it: “…Don’t worry. The authorities won’t put a bounty on me.”
“What makes you so sure?” Feng Lezhen shot back.
Wenge rubbed his head in frustration. “Because I work for the authorities.”
Feng Lezhen laughed. “You? Working for the authorities? Which authorities? What kind of government hires someone to kill and commit arson?”
Wenge didn’t know how to answer. After a long silence, he just said, “Anyway, the government won’t be hunting me down. Believe it or not.”
With that, he let go of her and lay back down.
The room fell into a deeper silence.
No one knew how much time passed before Feng Lezhen finally moved. Wenge’s hand, clenched tightly under the blanket, only slowly relaxed when he realized she wasn’t leaving—but had returned to the bed.
Just now, he had really feared she would go.
“You…” Feng Lezhen’s voice was a little muffled. “You weren’t lying to me?”
“No,” Wenge answered immediately.
Feng Lezhen gave a small huff, then asked, “Do your parents know you work for the authorities?”
Wenge paused. “I don’t have parents.”
Feng Lezhen was surprised. “You don’t have parents?”
“…Yeah. They passed away when I was five.” Maybe it was how well they’d been getting along lately, or maybe it was the increased dependence brought on by his blindness, but Wenge found the words surprisingly easy to say.
Feng Lezhen went quiet for a moment. “Then how did you grow up?”
“I… You could say someone took me in. He raised me, arranged for people to teach me to read and fight. When I grew up, I worked for him. You could say… it was a fair exchange.” Wenge didn’t want to talk about the past, so he glossed over it.
“Those companions of yours—were they also raised by that person?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“You could say that,” Wenge replied.
“And they also think it was a fair exchange?”
“They… they didn’t. They’re very grateful to the one who raised us. But I don’t think there’s anything to be grateful for. There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Wenge said. It was the first time he had voiced these thoughts to anyone, and once he started, he couldn’t stop. “He raised us, and we did plenty of work for him. That’s more than enough.”
Feng Lezhen smiled. “Sounds like you don’t plan on working for him anymore.”
“Yeah. I’ve done enough. I’m tired of it. Once this is all over, I’m going to resign. I’ll find a place with green mountains and clear waters, buy a few acres of land, build a small house, wake at sunrise and sleep at sunset… Just thinking about it makes me feel at peace.” As he imagined the future, Wenge’s lips slowly curled up. But the moment he thought of his eyes, that good mood scattered completely.
Feng Lezhen knew what he was thinking. In the quiet, she suddenly held his hand. “When the time comes, I’ll be your eyes. Whatever you want to do—you’ll be able to do it.”
Wenge was stunned for a moment, and a wave of bittersweet warmth surged in his chest. But the moment didn’t last, because she continued, “If you want to wash dishes, I’ll let you wash dishes. If you want to plow the fields, I’ll supervise from the side—make sure you’re never idle from morning to night.”
“…Should I be thanking you?” Wenge was speechless.
Feng Lezhen: “No need to be so polite.”
Wenge let out a quiet scoff. After a long pause, he finally interlaced his fingers with hers.
That night, he had a peaceful sleep—no more sudden awakenings.
Since the arrival of March, the weather had grown warmer by the day. Early the next morning, sunlight poured through the window and fell on the small bed. Wenge was woken by the brightness, squinting uncomfortably. He gave a soft groan and reluctantly opened his eyes. As he tried to sit up, he noticed his arm was pinned down. He turned toward the pressure and saw Feng Lezhen sleeping soundly, her head resting on his arm.
She wore no makeup, and her black hair spilled softly behind her. Her eyes were closed, like a tranquil ink painting of mountains and water—calm, quiet, and captivating. Beneath one eye, her skin was slightly broken, a red dot like a tiny mole—more like a small plum blossom.
A red plum blossom…?
Wenge froze. Then, as if something clicked in his mind, he suddenly shot upright.
Startled by his sudden movement, Feng Lezhen opened her eyes, clearly annoyed. “What are you doing?”
“I—I—I can see!” he exclaimed in excitement.
Feng Lezhen also sat up with a jolt. “Really?!”
“Really! I can see!” Wenge grabbed her shoulders and shook her in excitement.
He lost control of his strength for a moment, and Feng Lezhen was almost shaken apart. She quickly grabbed his hands. “Wait, wait! You really can see?”
“Yeah, I can see!” Wenge said, then pointed at the small scratch near her eye. “Here—your skin’s broken.”
“You really can see!” Feng Lezhen beamed.
“I can see!”
“I can see!”
Their eyes met, and the two of them were as giddy as children. They suddenly hugged each other and rolled around on the bed, repeatedly shouting, “I can see!”
When the excitement finally settled, Wenge abruptly became aware of the soft warmth pressed tightly against him—and suddenly snapped back to his senses.
Feeling him suddenly let go, Feng Lezhen looked over in confusion—only to be met with a face as red as if it had been boiled.
“I…” He had just spoken one word when his voice suddenly cut off.
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a long while and then smiled. “Such a big thing to celebrate—let’s celebrate it, then.”
“How should we celebra—”
Before he could finish the word “celebrate,” Feng Lezhen sealed his lips with her own.
Wenge stared wide-eyed in shock. By the time he came to his senses, he had already instinctively pried open her lips and teeth, invading like a barbarian taking a city.
Oil poured on dry firewood, the fire ignited—and could not be stopped. Only when one of their lips was bitten and the taste of blood spread silently did the two barely regain a shred of reason, gasping as they locked eyes in silence.
After a long moment, Feng Lezhen’s breathing steadied and her whole demeanor grew languid. “Want to keep going?”
“K-Keep going with what?” Wenge could hardly speak.
Feng Lezhen gave a smile with an unclear meaning. “You tell me—keep going with what?”
Wenge’s face turned even redder. His youthful face looked even more vivid now. Feng Lezhen felt her heart stir as she propped herself up and kissed the corner of his lips.
This kiss was neither teasing nor the wild heat from earlier. It was simple—just an expression of closeness and fondness.
It was only a light touch, but it felt like a tremendous shock wave had hit Wenge’s heart. He stared at her, dazed.
—
