Chapter 459

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Chapter 459: Just Not at the Point of Sadness Yet

In the bustling night market, the little snake girl wandered aimlessly, while Chao Lu, who had little interest in shopping, was reluctantly dragged into the crowd.

Women like them were not uncommon here. The market was filled with various exquisite goods. Some women enjoyed collecting these beautiful handmade crafts. Even if they could not wear them or thought them beneath their standard, they would still find a wooden box to slowly gather them.

Chao Lu used to have such boxes, gifts sent by loved ones from distant places.

Before the war, Bai Ze Kingdom was a peaceful and prosperous land. Merchants from all corners passed through, and the market there was even busier than Longyao City’s. The lights stayed on until dawn during the night market, and wealth flowed continuously, as though the kingdom lay in the heart of the world.

But what had become of Bai Ze Kingdom now?

Chao Lu picked up a pendant, feeling an unexpected sense of familiarity.

The vendor smiled, noticing her interest. “Do you like it, miss? I can offer a discount.”

“Where did you get these goods?” Chao Lu asked, her voice calm but inquisitive.

The vendor hurriedly replied, “I assure you, miss, these come through legitimate channels, not stolen goods. If they were stolen, their value would drop. As a merchant, I need to know the origins of what I sell, or I’ll be stuck haggling with customers and end up losing money.”

Chao Lu’s eyes lingered on a bracelet. “This is a Rain Flower Stone from Jinling City,” she noted. “But the rest… they’re all red agate.”

The vendor nodded, resigned. “The source of goods has been cut off. The only way to acquire Rain Flower Stones now is through Bai Ze Kingdom, but…” He trailed off, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

“I’ll take it,” Chao Lu said softly, making her decision.

“Thank you for your purchase,” the vendor replied, his smile wide and grateful as he accepted her payment.

Yubing, watching closely, asked Chao Lu, “Sister, is this Rain Flower Stone very expensive?”

“No,” Chao Lu answered quietly. “It’s not expensive at all. In Jinling City, you can get a handful for just ten yuan. The Rain Flower Stones can even be nurtured in water. They become crystal-clear and beautiful—known as the queen of stones. The best ones are about the size of a goose egg, but when they’re cut into bracelets, they lose their color. These… they’re…”

Her voice faltered, and the snake girl looked up, watching as Chao Lu’s face suddenly blurred with tears.

“Chao Lu, sister?” the little snake girl asked, concerned.

Princess Bai Ze stood in the dim light, tears falling freely, dampening the Rain Flower Stones. She trembled, touched her cheek with shaky fingers, still unaware of the tension that had been coiling within her.

Through blurred vision, she seemed to see the faces of her loved ones through the stones.

Her sixth uncle had loved to collect Rain Flower Stones more than anything.

But he never returned once he put on his armor and went to battle.

Memories flooded her mind, and with them, a profound sadness and helplessness. The tears flowed freely as if the weight of everything had suddenly collapsed on her.

She clutched the bracelet tightly, bowed her head, and silently sobbed amid the noise of the street.

Who can stop tears from falling, only until they reach the point of heartbreak?

Losing loved ones, witnessing the destruction of home and country—it’s not something that can simply be shrugged off. You can’t pretend not to care, pretend to be brave, or pretend to sacrifice selflessly. It’s all a façade.

Because the blood has not yet been shed, because she has not yet come close enough.

But when she truly faces it, the pain overwhelms, and the mask cracks.

In this critical moment, the little snake girl remained calm. She quietly bent down, gently holding Bai Ze’s hand, not knowing what to say, but offering silent support.

After a while, she finally found the words to speak. Her voice was light and ethereal. “Are you crying?”

Bai Wei’s voice was calm under the bronze mask, his eyes unreadable. “I see,” he said, the skewers of lamb in his hands emitting a delicious aroma that cut through the air. The scent of grilled lamb fat and chili powder filled the atmosphere.

Chao Lu couldn’t help but shed a tear, the smell so strong and real amidst the rawness of her emotions.

She quickly wiped her face.

“It’s okay, keep crying for a little while,” Bai Wei said gently.

“I don’t feel like crying anymore,” Chao Lu murmured, feeling the atmosphere shift. She wasn’t accustomed to crying in public, not wanting to appear weak or embarrassing. But the floodgates had opened, and now she couldn’t hold back.

The young man, seemingly uninterested in her tears, handed her a skewer of lamb. “Try it?”

Chao Lu glanced away, not feeling any appetite. She sighed softly, but it was less about the food and more about the feeling of vulnerability she couldn’t shake.

Bai Wei handed the skewer to the little snake girl, though she, being a puppet, did not need to eat. Bai Wei sat beside Chao Lu, quiet, watching the lively night market.

Chao Lu broke the silence. “Don’t you want to ask anything?”

Bai Wei shrugged. “I’m good at reading faces. If you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask.”

Chao Lu raised an eyebrow. “You just find it troublesome, right?”

Sitting there, her hands clasped awkwardly in her lap, Chao Lu shifted uncomfortably. After a moment, she tried to change her posture, but still, her hands had no place to rest.

Bai Wei spoke again. “It’s annoying when little kids cry, but when big kids cry, it means they’re truly sad.”

Chao Lu looked down and mumbled, “Uh-huh.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Bai Wei continued. “I just… I’m not very good at comforting people. But when I see others crying, it makes me feel… bothered.”

Chao Lu grabbed her sleeve, her flushed eyes meeting his. Nervously, she shot him an accusatory look, as if warning him to stop.

“Don’t… look down on me,” she muttered weakly, her voice trailing off. She realized her threat lacked weight, and the words faltered on her tongue.

Bai Wei paused, contemplating his response. His mask hid his expression, but his voice was clear, the metal tone unnerving in its steadiness. “When you cry, it makes me feel anxious, reminds me of things I’d rather forget.”

Chao Lu froze, the weight of his words hitting her harder than she expected. The tears welled up again, but this time, they weren’t from sadness—they were from something deeper. Confusion, pain, and perhaps, something else she couldn’t name.

She bent her head, burying her face in her knees, a gesture of retreat, of vulnerability.

Sometimes, love comes when you least expect it, but like all fragile things, it can be swept away by the wind. Yet, it always leaves a scar.

Things had taken an unexpected turn, catching her completely off guard.

This goodness, this kindness—it was too much for her to accept, too overwhelming to handle.

She couldn’t respond. She couldn’t even dare to.

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, as if it might explode from the sheer weight of emotions she couldn’t understand.

Bai Wei, seeing her turmoil, whispered to himself, “Seems like I’ll have to kill someone else to give you peace of mind… because I can’t have it either.”

Chao Lu, frantic, tried to stop him. “No, it’s not true.”

After a while, the little snake girl interrupted. “Was it the general in the white fur coat that you saw when you entered the city? I saw Chao Lu sister staring at the fur earlier.”

Bai Wei, ever calm, responded, “Got it, I’ll go kill him now.”

Chao Lu, moved by the absurdity of it all, cried even harder, this time with laughter.