Zhu Qingyue accompanied Li Meirong back into the cabin, and helped her settle onto the bed. He sat on the small stool facing the mattress, his watchful eyes never leaving hers. He stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to tell him what had occurred in his absence without asking her outright.

Li Meirong couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved by the intensity of his attentiveness.

She kept her head down, avoiding his gaze.

"I shouldn't be surprised by anything at this point, really," she uttered weakly, "but right before you arrived, a visitor calling himself a 'Wise Sage' appeared out of nowhere. He told me… many things which made no sense."

Zhu Qingyue grasped Li Meirong's wrist, his touch tentative. He trailed his fingers up and down her arm lightly. His caress was so feather soft that it almost tickled, and his fingers were warm, slightly sweaty.

"Did this Wise Sage mention anything about me?" he asked.

The question caught Li Meirong by surprise. She raised her head slowly to assess the man before her. Though his shoulders seemed to be held a little stiffer than usual, his expressionless face and enigmatic eyes gave nothing away.

"He did nothing of the sort," Li Meirong answered eventually. She eyed Zhu Qingyue with a hint of suspicion, but then quickly looked away once more.

Even now, despite her mixed feelings for him, she couldn't help the way she was affected by his sheer presence. Looking directly at him made her feel dazed.

She was embarrassed to admit it, even to herself, but he was simply too handsome. Zhu Qingyue was the type of man that made it impossible for others to admire him for only a moment. A reserved and elegant bearing complemented his refined and unparalleled face, and the simple attire he wore couldn't mask the noble aura radiating from his body. His looks were of the like that caused people to stare and forget their thoughts. She knew this because shamefully; it had already happened to her on more than one occasion.

However, whether or not he noticed her reaction to him, Li Meirong wasn't able to tell, and could only hope that he didn't.

Li Meirong heard rather than saw Zhu Qingyue stand and move closer. She felt his overwhelming presence settle onto the bed beside her. He shifted, then wrapped his arms around her and pressed her back into his embrace, her back to his chest as he resettled them both.

She could hear her own heart beating as she sank into his arms, a special sort of warmth engulfed her. It was a type of heat that made her feel cared for and protected. In the recesses of her mind, she found herself craving this welcoming, fuzzy feeling.

His tender embrace gradually managed to make her relax. Whatever apprehension she felt towards Zhu Qingyue vanished quickly in the wake of his gentle touch.

A low rumbling sounded from the man behind her and she felt him crane his neck forward, his chin pressing lightly on her head.

"Wife, what did the Sage tell you?" he inquired softly, his breath brushing against her ear as his deep voice sounded.

The words spilled from Li Meirong before she could stop herself. "He showed me a painting of a tree and told me to find it. 'Find the tree, find your roots,' he said."