＂toorrownight，＂hesaidftly＂i，llhaveeverythgreadyallyouodoistrt＂

        shetookadeepbreath，herheartpoundgwithaixoffearandhope＂whendoweleave?＂

        iepackedafewpreciobelonggs，herheartheavywiththekhatshewasleavgbehdthelifeshehadknown

        butjtastheywereabouttocrossthethreshold，avoutthedarkness＂gogwhere?＂

        hetookadeepbreath，hiseyesfilledwithdeteration＂sukie，i，tpretendthatourfeelgsdobuehavetobecarefulxietianxieiswatg，andhe，snottheonlyoneweofdarotectourselvesandourfaily＂

        sukieforcedasile，butherhearasheavysheuldfeelhanfenglg，sprotectivepresencebesideher，astantreihattheywerethistother

        ＂we，lldealwithit，＂hesaidfirly＂totheri，veadearrastoleavethispcewestartoverwherenew，wherenooneknows＂

        shelookedupathi，hereyesfilledwithtears＂whatdowedo?＂

        xietianxieughed，aenagund＂oh，butthereisyoee，i，vebeenwatgyouoyourlittleloveaffairhasnotgoneunnoticedandnow，youwillpaythepriceforyourbetrayal＂

        daysturoweeks，aensioweensukieandhanfenglgonlygrewstroheyspentoretitother，theirbonddeepengwitheachpassgdaytheypracticedtheirartiartstother，traedstrategy，andstudiedthewftheirfailybesseverystolengnce，everybrhoftheirhands，everysharedsilewasasilentproiseoftheiritnttoeachother

        sheturohi，hereyessearghis＂abouhat?＂

        shenodded，herheartpoundg＂iknow＂

        hepulledhertoanotherebrace，hisvoicefir＂westaystroaytotherandwefightforwhaebelieve＂

        sukielookedtohiseyes，seegtheloveaerationthereshekhahateverchallensyahead，theywouldfacethetother＂itrtyou，＂shewhispered

        sukie，sheartskippedabeatasxietiaeppedtoview，hiseyesgleagwithtriuph＂didyoureallythkyouuldescape?＂hesneered

        beforetheyuldreact，xietianxiedrewhissword，thebdegltgtheoonlighthanfenglgphedsukiebehdhi，draghiwnon＂run，sukie！＂heshouted＂i，llholdh

        shenodded，hereyesfilledwithdeteration＂yeslet，sgo＂

        hereyeswidenedsurprise＂youanleaveeverythgbehd?＂

        ＂sukie，＂hesaidftly，sittgbesideher＂i，vebeenthkg＂

        hanfenglgsteppedprotectivelyfrontofsukie，hisexpressionfierce＂we，releavg，xietianxieandthere，snothgyoudotos＂

        heseezedherhand，hiseyesfilledwithdeteration＂ourfailywillbesafei，veadesureofitbutyouandiwedeserveaceathappess＂

        sukienodded，herheartagwiththeweightoftheirunspokenlove＂buhaedo?ifpeoplefdout＂

        oneeveng，asthesuabzeeandpk，theyfoundtheselvesalohegardenonceoresukiesatonastonebench，watgthekoifishswizilythepondhanfenglgapproached，hisfootstepsftonthegravelpath

        astheystoodthere，holdachotheruheoonlight，sukiefeltasenseofhopeiouldn，tbeeasy，butshekheyuldfacewhateverchallenscatheirway，aslongastheyhadeachother

        therestoftheevengpassedabrsukieexdpleasahtheguests，herdonlyhalfontheversationssheuldfeelxietianxie，seyenher，hispreseant，ulgreihedaheyfaced

        thedaypassedabrofpreparationandsecrecyhanfenglgadearraswithtrtedallies，ensurgthattheirdeparturewouldgounnoticedsuk

        henodded＂yesit，stheonlywaywetrulybetotherbuehavetoactfastxietianxieisbegorespicio，andit，nlyaatteroftibeforeheakeshisove＂

        theyovedsilentlythroughtheshadows，slippgpastguardsandservantswhowereunawareoftheirpnsastheyreachedtheedoftheestate，asenseoffreedowashedoverthetheywereleavgbehdaworldofdanraion，steppgtotheunknownwithnothgbuttheirlovetoguidethe

        asnightfell，theytthegarden，theirheartspoundgwithanticipationhanfenglgtookherhand，hisgripfirandreassurg＂areyouready?＂heaskedftly

        tearsfilledsukie，seyesassherealizedtheagnitudeofwhatheroposg＂idon，anttoloseyou，fenglgbutidon，antutourfailydaher＂

        asthebadrewtoaclose，hanfenglgguidedhertoaietererofthegardealk，＂hesaidftly

        ＂aboutaboutourfuture＂hetookherhandhis，histouchwarandreassurg＂we，tkeephidgourfeelgsit，snotfairtoeitherof＂

theurtyard，hiseyesgleagwithalice＂ah，thereyouare，＂hesaidsoothly＂iwasjttellishowfortuheyaretohavesuchabeautifundtalentedhostess＂