CHAPTER 365: 350 SNOW LAND·JOY AND HAPPINESS

In this dark and icy night, the only sound is each other’s breathing.

Tian Sangsang struggled to lift her exhausted body and sit up, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. She saw him putting on his clothes, the moonlight outside streaming in like water and reflecting on the bed. His back was firm yet solitary.

She felt a chill and wanted to touch his back, "Jinghuai, what’s wrong?"

After putting on his clothes, he stood at the edge of the bed and looked at her.

She couldn’t make out his full expression, but his quiet gaze was haunting. "Are you afraid of me?"

She paused, then slowly shook her head.

"But lately, you’ve been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding me." The blanket sank at one corner, and her shoulder was pressed down by his hand. "Why are you looking at me with those eyes, Tian Sangsang?"

He stared intently at her, his dark eyes brimming with the oppressive night’s depth, his voice hoarse and low, "At the time I needed you the most, your gaze hurt me. Tell me, what have I done that makes you fear me? What made you avoid me as if I were venomous?"

Hearing his accusations, spoken word by word, she was at a loss for words. These past few days, she had indeed been avoiding him, looking at him with a mix of pity and fear. She couldn’t even understand why—walking on eggshells, tiptoeing around.

"It’s not like that, you misunderstood me." Tian Sangsang stayed silent for a while, her voice choked with sobs. "I’m just worried about you. I don’t dare disturb you. I want you to feel better. If things like earlier can make you feel better, then do it more often. You don’t need to care about me."

She choked back tears and continued, "I know I can’t help you with anything. My selfishness even got you sent to such a faraway place. I’ve wronged you; I feel so guilty and ashamed. I always seem to do the wrong thing, always seem to bring you trouble. I don’t have Hua Jun’s prestigious background, nor do I have remarkable skills beyond compare. I have nothing, only an empty shell..."

"So," he chuckled coldly, his strength as if it would crush her shoulders, "you think I’m with you solely for your body?"

She hurriedly shook her head, "That’s not what I meant."

Jiang Jinghuai sneered bitterly, curling his lips. "Then should I understand that the reason you chose to come here with the army is because you feel guilty? Because you want to atone?"

She wanted to explain it wasn’t the case, but part of the reason indeed stemmed from that. However, she also didn’t want to admit that was all—it wasn’t solely because of guilt. She could only cry silently.

"Answer me! Tian Sangsang!" He roared with a near-violent anger, shaking her. "Who the hell wants your guilt!"

When Jiang Jinghuai got mad, he was genuinely terrifying. Even without any lights on, his cold presence was chilling. Scared out of her wits, she bit her lip nervously, trembling as she murmured helplessly, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

Jiang Jinghuai returned to the main house to sleep, leaving Tian Sangsang sitting in a daze in the West Room. She sat there for a long time, pondering endlessly. What had truly brought her here with the army? Willingly crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, traveling far to this freezing Beijiang—it definitely was not just guilt.

Early the next day, before dawn, Tian Sangsang rose to prepare breakfast. Recently, everyone was busy preparing for the New Year, festive celebrations everywhere. A heavy snow had fallen again last night, and the weather grew even colder. She could imagine the world outside, clad entirely in silver and white.

Hearing movement within the house, she turned and saw Jiang Jinghuai coming out of his room.

She stood up, looking at him quietly, intending to explain.

His cold eyes glanced at her. "What are you sitting around for? Aren’t you cold?"

She shook her head slightly.

One ate, while the other silently watched. No further words were exchanged.

Approaching noon, the snow began to melt, and the courtyard bustled with activity as people started throwing snowballs.

Tian Sangsang walked to the courtyard, stretched her arms, and couldn’t help but smile.

She stretched her arms out to loosen herself and even felt like joining in.

Oh! Not good, her foot was hit by something!

Who was it?

Tian Sangsang narrowed her eyes, looking toward the distance. The culprit, Meng Shuyan, was grinning at her, his crescent eyes sparkling mischievously. The little boy wore a bright red winter coat and a black hat, his fair little face a stark contrast to the vivid colors.

"Mama, I hit you!" he said sweetly, standing there like a small carved doll.

"Meng Shuyan." Tian Sangsang curled her lips into a smile, slowly squatting down to gather some snow into a ball. "You dare hit Mama, huh? Getting bold now, aren’t you, you little rascal."

Pretending to threaten him, she walked toward him, "You better run now, or Mama will smack you, you little one."

Meng Shuyan’s big eyes showed a flash of panic. Seeing the dark aura radiating from her, he sprinted away on his tiny legs. Mama never hit him before~

"Don’t run. Where do you think you’re going?" Tian Sangsang ran after him. He was so small, how could he possibly stand a chance against her? She caught him within moments. "Ah, Mama!" he twisted in her grasp, trying to wriggle into a fat little worm.

"Hit you, hit you, hit you!" She lifted the snowball in her hand, smiling as she spoke. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to throw it. Suddenly, Meng Shuyan looked up at her, leaped into her arms, and burst into laughter, saying, "Mama, you didn’t hit me!"

"You little rascal." Tian Sangsang chuckled and stroked his chubby head gently. How could she bear to hit him?

Suddenly, she felt a light impact on her back—a snowball had struck her.

She was playing happily with her son, and now, someone dared to interrupt her fun? Who was this cheeky nuisance?

Tian Sangsang wouldn’t let it slide. Standing up, she placed one hand on her waist and glared fiercely at the perpetrator with her beautiful eyes.

The person stood casually not far away, arms crossed leisurely, looking at her with a faint smile.

Ah... she froze.

A line from a song drifted into her thoughts unexpectedly: "... Gazing into a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes, like the breeze between snow-laden peaks of Huashan. Gentle rain cooling the air, the wind carrying faint fragrance, a momentary flutter of the heart, as though your soft sword strikes, fleeting like a startled swan."

Her eyes grew hot, and she rounded them in anger, shouting at him, "Jiang Jinghuai, I’ve had enough of you!" Saying this, she squatted down to scoop up a snowball and threw it at him. He dodged it effortlessly and returned her defiance with a lazy smile.

Unwilling to admit defeat, Tian Sangsang threw another snowball and muttered under her breath, "I’ll tell you—I’ve disliked you for a long time! Don’t let me catch you, or I’ll pin you down and make you surrender!"

In a fit of frustration, she hurled snowball after snowball, but not a single one hit its mark. Her poor aim really was hopeless.