Her sister was living with the enemy.

Xiaoyu let her hands drop to her sides. Her stomach lurched with dread as she stepped away from Lanying. The crowd around them lapsed into a hushed silence, watching them with trepidation.

She shot a glare at Jiang Yuhan, before turning around to stare at her sister with a pleading look in her eyes.

Tell me you didn't do it.

Tell me that you didn't marry him and give birth to his child.

Lanying swallowed hard. Her bottom lip quivered nervously and her hands fisted into her clothes. Even as Xiaoyu desperately wished for her to explain, to tell her that she was wrong, she didn't.

Instead, Lanying's chest heaved and her red-rimmed eyes fluttered closed in resignation – a silence that spoke louder than words.

And just like that, reality came down hard on Xiaoyu.

Her heart sank. With a shaking head, she started taking slow steps backwards, drawing herself away from her sister. From the corner of her eye, she barely noticed how confused and worried Zhijian was. His hand reached for her, but she was already moving away from them.

Her hurtful eyes were pinned on Lanying.

How could you? Why him and not some other man?

Why?

"Please," her sister pleaded. Her voice cracked with remorse. "I can explain–"

With a look of betrayal, Xiaoyu turned and broke into a run, slipping through the crowd that parted for her. She heard voices calling after her but she refused to return. Bile rose in her throat and burning tears formed in her eyes.

She didn't stop running. She needed to be away from her sister, Jiang Yuhan and his clan.

Everything.

Running past the cottages, she entered the woods. She didn't know how far she ran, but once her legs grew tired, she slumped against one of the trees. Panting heavily, she glanced up and watched as patches of sunlight streamed through the canopy and made the small flower buds on the ground twinkled like stars.

As tranquil as everything around her seemed, her heart was unsettled. Why was it that no matter where she went, she could never shake the Jiang clan off her tail?

Several seconds later, footsteps came from behind her. She didn't have to turn to know who it was.

His concerned face came into view. "Hey," Zhijian breathed, stepping in front of her and letting his fingers entwine with hers. "What's wrong?"

She leaned her forehead against his chest, allowing his scent to calm her. "He's alive," she explained in a bitter tone. "He's together with my sister."

"Who?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Jiang Yuhan."

Zhijian stiffened for a moment. "Isn't he supposed to be dead?"

"That was what I thought too."

She felt his hands wrapped around her and pulled her closer into his chest, engulfing her in his warmth. He pressed a kiss into her hair and tucked her under his chin. Whenever he was around, she felt completed. Safe.

"I'm tired," she admitted feebly. "Tired of being chased and surprised."

"What do you want to do now?" he asked. "Do you wish to leave? Or stay? No matter what you choose, I'm with you."

Xiaoyu mulled over his words carefully. For as long as she lived, she had always been hiding herself and running away. And yet, if she continued to remain like this, she would never be set free from her past.

She gazed up at Zhijian, looking right into his eyes that told a story of his loss, hardships and strength. They were barely adults but they had gone through so much and were forced to grow up too fast. It was sad, but irreversible.

As his thumb brushed across her cheek gently, a sudden realisation dawned upon her; The Jiang clan was never her greatest enemy. Rather, the enemy within her is the cowardice that refused to face her fears.

Unlike before, she wasn't alone now. After all, she had her soulmate by her side. It was time for her to move forward.

With a set of determined eyes, her decision was made.

"I don't want to run anymore," she told Zhijian. "Let's head back."

***

When they returned to the village, they found her sister and Jiang Yuhan waiting in the same spot by the campfire ring. The crowd had dispersed and their son were nowhere to be seen.

Lanying was still sobbing as her husband comforted her. The moment she heard them returning, she glanced up and ran towards Xiaoyu.

She clutched her hands tightly, fearing that she might run away again. "You came back."

Jiang Yuhan strode up to them and Xiaoyu refused to spare a look at him. He shot a hard look at prying eyes and their heads snapped back to whatever they were doing.

"Let's not talk here," he spoke quietly. "There are listening ears around us. I've already spoken to the village head. You guys will be staying with us."

As he led the way, the group walked to one of the cottages located right at the end of the row. It was small but gave off a homey feeling, with a garden flower border running along the sides of the house. They entered the place and settled around a small, wooden dining table.

Lanying poured them some tea before looking towards Jiang Yuhan, who was leaning against the wall. His eyes were fixed on Xiaoyu, his expression unreadable.

"Can you leave us first?"

He gave a quick nod of understanding and pushed himself off the wall, disappearing from the house. Lanying turned back to her younger sister, who simply watched their exchange with mild displeasure.

"He's gone now. You can speak comfortably," she said. Her eyes flickered to Zhijian with curiosity and wariness. "And as for you-"

Xiaoyu finally spoke. "He's staying," she answered quickly. "I trust him."

Lanying was flabbergasted. Her jaw dropped and her wide eyes flitted between them, especially at Zhijian.

"Wait, he can hear you speak?"

He shrugged casually whereas a smile broke out on Xiaoyu's face. As far as her sister knew, only her family members could hear her voice without getting enchanted.

Until he came along and surprised them.

"I'll tell you all about it later," she promised. "But first, what happened? Why is Jiang Yuhan alive? Why are you guys together, after everything that happened between our clans?"

Lanying flinched at the harsh reminder. Her hands clasped together tightly, her brows pressed together.

"Do you remember what happened that night? After our clan was eradicated, you went ballistic. When you tried to kill yourself, I had to suppress you and give you a sleeping potion."

The terrible memories shuffled through Xiaoyu's mind and a storm of emotions swept through her; remorse, rage and hatred but guilt overrode them all. She felt her hands tremble slightly, but when Zhijian rested his hand on her underneath the table, a wave of comfort washed over her immediately.

He was listening quietly and being respectful not to interrupt their conversation. His presence alone filled her with warmth that she wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.

"What about...Jiang Yuhan?" she asked.

Lanying closed her eyes, releasing a deep sigh. "He was barely alive," she replied. "I could have left him to die for disclosing your existence to his father, but as selfish as I am, he's still my first love. Before I knew what I was doing, I healed him. I tried to drive him away but he followed me, pleading for my forgiveness. Even though I refused his help, he persisted and volunteered to help me find the Legendary Enchantress to save you."

Xiaoyu frowned, having no recollection of it. "He...helped?"

"He did. When we finally put you to sleep, I had nowhere else to go. I was lost, I didn't know what to do. He deserted his clan and promised to build a new life for me. For us. As much as I resisted, his love and devotion won me over. I–I couldn't find it in me to say no. Despite what happened between our clans, I realised I still love him. I still do, even till today."

Tears formed in Lanying's eyes and she reached for her hands. "It was selfish of me and I'm truly sorry if this has hurt you, my baby sister."

Xiaoyu regarded her, reminded again at how things had turned out for them. For all she knew, her sister could have been dead but here she was, alive and healthy. Regardless of Jiang Yuhan's mistake in the past, he took great care of her.

He had proven himself to be different from the rest of his people. Just like how Xiaoyu had found her second chance at living life again, did he deserve one as well?

After a moment of silence, she responded calmly. "Don't be," she said finally. "Rather, I'm sorry for what I put you through. For everything. If he gives you the happiness that you deserve, then I'm more than happy for you."

"However, this doesn't mean I've forgiven him," Xiaoyu added quietly, in which Lanying nodded in understanding. "For all the deaths that he had caused, I hope he treats you a thousand times better, considering you're one of the last remaining descendants of the Bai clan."

Her sister blinked back tears, before throwing her arms around her and gave her a tight hug. "My dearest sister," she sobbed. "I'm terribly sorry. We both are."

Zhijian cleared his throat loudly, reminding them that he was there. He cuts in quickly, "I'm not as kind as Xiaoyu is. If he hurts her again, do not expect me to show him mercy."

Sniffing, Lanying straightened and tilted her head, trying to figure out their relationship. "I'm sorry," she shook her head. "We weren't properly introduced to each other earlier. I'm Bai Lanying and you are?"

"Xu Zhijian. From the Valley of the Dawn."

"Wait. You're from the Xu clan?"

When Zhijian nodded, she let out a small gasp, as if this matter was more important than their previous topic. Swivelling around to grab Xiaoyu by her shoulders, she shook her hard.

If there was one thing about Lanying that hadn't changed for the past twenty years, it was her bubbly personality.

"You held out on me!" she exclaimed. "You found yourself a handsome demon slayer!"

A/N: A terrible writer block has hit me but I'm trying to overcome it somehow. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ Forgive me for the late update. 💕

Also, if you enjoy this story, please remember to hit the vote button as it would mean a lot to me! 🌸