Become a cat [Zhan Zhao]

The sky is transparent and clear, without any color, like a motionless water surface.It was as if the weather was so cold that even the sky was frozen, turning into transparent ice crystals.

In the valley, however, the constant sound of the wind reverberates throughout the year, sometimes it is as strong as a roar, and sometimes it is as deep as a whimper.Walking through the rocks, from time to time, people will feel the loneliness that is difficult to resolve. In such a barren land, it seems that I am the only one left who is still moving forward slowly.

Fortunately, Zhan Zhao and his party consisted of three people, and they could talk occasionally to ease the dull atmosphere.Besides Han Shi who led the way, Ah Lan also followed.Although Zhan Zhao was very hesitant about bringing Alan with him, leaving her in the palace made Zhan Zhao feel even more uneasy—the invisible danger seemed to have not dissipated, and he couldn't tolerate Alan not being in his sight What's more, she was left alone in the place that had been attacked and invaded once.

Therefore, even though Han Shi assured him that the palace was absolutely safe, Zhan Zhao still obeyed Alan's wishes and brought her by his side.Although this meant that Alan had to support her newly recovered body to move forward in the cold wind, she insisted that her body did not feel any discomfort, and was even better than ever.

The weather is so cold that even the human blood flows more slowly.Since leaving the palace, the comfortable environment has been left far behind these winter walkers, replaced by cold wind, low temperature and rough and rough roads under their feet.

Han Shi said that it takes about half a day to go to Chixin Spring, and if everything goes well, they can go back and forth within a day.Although it was almost noon now, Zhan Zhao and Alan still couldn't see any trace of water, it seemed that the spring they had traveled thousands of miles for was still out of reach.

Alan had to close her mouth after exhaling a few mouthfuls of white steam. The act of opening her mouth to breathe just now did not relieve her already somewhat shortness of breath, but instead made her mouth more icy. It turned into ice water again, flowing down the throat and into the stomach.

This is probably the coldest winter Alan has ever experienced.Kaifeng is located in the Central Plains, so it won't be so cold even in the twelfth lunar month of winter.However, in this northern territory, it seems that warmth really only exists in the palace that belongs to the goblin, while all other places have been occupied by cold.

Zhan Zhao was walking behind her, only half a step behind.From time to time, Ah Lan secretly looked at Zhan Zhao from the corner of her eyes. Although everyone was wrapped up tightly, wishing she could cover her eyes and nose as well, she could still see Zhan Zhao's tough facial features.This kind of appearance seems to be very suitable for such a cold weather, showing a sense of determination, even the cold wind can't shake it.

"Here." Zhan Zhao suddenly stretched out his hand from behind, and handed over a thick wine bag.It was filled with spirits, and in this kind of weather where even the water was frozen to ice, the wine inside could still make a sloshing sound.Alan pulled out the stopper with her frozen fingers and took a small sip. When the cold liquid was in front of her eyes, she felt like she had swallowed a mouthful of ice and fire.

"How far away?" Zhan Zhao asked Han Shi who was not far away when he took back the wine bag. This was not the first time he asked the question, but it was not for himself.

Han Shi's answer was still the same as before: "Soon."

"How fast?" Zhan Zhao asked.

Han Shi paused, and then replied in a muffled voice: "... faster than half an hour ago."

"How many hours are left?" Zhan Zhao decided to go straight to the point.

Han Shi didn't answer this time, but just stretched out his finger and pointed to the distance: "Did you see that hill, Chixin Spring is at the foot of it."

Looking far away, Zhan Zhao saw a mottled gray hill in the pale ice and snow.Its shape is not ferocious or strange, but has soft lines. From a distance, it looks like a round boulder, covered with snow, and occasionally the black surface is exposed.The two blend together to create the gray that appears.

Han Shi also looked there, feeling a little emotional: "I haven't been there for many years." When he spoke, no white steam came out of his mouth, because it was made of stone, and he couldn't be warmer than the surrounding snow No matter how much, they are all the same cold.

He was also the only one among the three who didn't wear any cotton clothes, only a robe.When Ah Lan looked at the back of the other party, he would feel envious, because he didn't have to bear such wind and frost erosion.However, after thinking about it, Ah Lan felt that it was a pity not to experience the cold.

Just like what Zhan Zhao said to her a few days ago: Without pain, any joy would be false.In the same way, without the contrast of severe cold, warmth loses its value.

After trekking in the wind and snow for nearly an hour, they finally approached the foot of the hill.At this time, Zhan Zhao could already hear a strange sound of water.

It is strange, because this is not a pure sound of water, but a crisp sound mixed with it.Zhan Zhao quickly realized that it was the sound of icicles colliding, which sounded like ring rings, but more ethereal.

"Hey, it seems to be a little warmer." Ah Lan didn't know if he was freezing and hallucinating, or if the surrounding temperature really picked up, "Master, do you feel warmer?"

Zhan Zhao was silent for a moment, then vaguely agreed.He didn't have any special feelings, but if it made Ah Lan feel better, he didn't mind lying.

However, Han Shi answered, and said, "Indeed, it should be warmer here."

"Can you feel it?" Zhan Zhao looked at Han Shi curiously upon hearing this, "I don't intend to offend you, but I thought you couldn't feel the cold and the heat." Isn't it like this for all stones?

Han Shi smiled: "I really can't feel it, but the fact that ice can turn into water is enough to explain the problem."

"Yes." Alan smiled silly, as if she was simply happy to be warmer.

Zhan Zhao also nodded, and he felt it again, but he still couldn't feel the "warmer" that A Lan said.Although for Zhan Zhao, the cold is not so unbearable now, he has practiced internal skills for many years, it is not an exaggeration to say that the cold and heat do not invade.

After walking for a while, the sound of water became more obvious, as if emerging from the background into the air, from faint to deep and long.Some yellow-green weeds can be seen between the rocks under the feet, shivering in the wind, but still growing tenaciously, adding some adjustments to the black and white colors.

Finally, they saw the spring.On the ground that has been frozen hard, the flowing spring water seems to have life, meandering on the ground, moving towards the unknown destination.Alan screamed in a low voice, and ran forward excitedly, bent down and stretched out her hand to get the water in the Ju spring.

"Be careful of the cold." Zhan Zhao followed helplessly, for fear that she would accidentally fall into the water.In this weather, that would be deadly.

A Lan had already put his hand into the water, and was immediately excited by the ice water and let out a low cry.However, she didn't pull her hand back, instead she raised her head and excitedly said to Zhan Zhao, "The water is so clear."

Many years later, Zhan Zhao can still recall this scene.In the snowstorm, A Lan seemed to be the only bright color in the vastness.She looked at him with that kind of frank and sincere eyes, and the joy in her words was full of innocence.Zhan Zhao has an illusion, as if winter is quietly leaving the scene, and Alan's presence makes a small area around him turn into spring, because of the melting warmth.

"This is the Fountain of Infatuation." Han Shi's voice suddenly sounded behind him, bringing Zhan Zhao back to his senses, "But if you want to get water from the spring, you have to keep going up." There seemed to be some depth in his tone. Hidden smile.

Zhan Zhao pulled Ah Lan up, and calmly squeezed her cold fingers into his palm: "It must be numb from the cold."

"Fortunately, I've been numb for a long time, and I don't feel anything at the moment." A Lan has become accustomed to the intimacy shown by Zhan Zhao, and she thought it was Zhan Zhao's considerate care for her when it was cold.

Zhan Zhao's hands were warmer, he stroked those cold and slender fingers, and asked Ah Lan as he walked again: "Are you tired?"

"Not tired, really not tired." Alan was a little interested, "I feel so energetic before."

Zhan Zhao glanced at A Lan suspiciously, trying to make sure if the other party was trying to hold on: "You were unconscious not long ago."

"But I really don't feel anything special, just like I fell asleep." A Lan tried to convince Zhan Zhao to believe herself, she said seriously, "If there is anything special, it is that I feel very good now, unprecedented good."

Han Shi glanced at A Lan calmly, and was careful not to let Zhan Zhao notice.He turned his head, and a smile slowly appeared on the corners of his stone-made lips.

The more you go up, the bigger the water, it seems that the temperature has really risen.When Zhan Zhao and A Lan finally felt that the water was coming, the water gradually became smaller.It turns out that if there is still the width of the bed board, now it is only half the width of the bed.

"Why is the water getting smaller?" Zhan Zhao couldn't help asking Han Shi, "We didn't go in the wrong direction, did we?"

"No. Chixin Spring is like this. The water is small at first, and then gradually becomes turbulent. If it is winter, like now, it will freeze in colder places." Han Shi smiled, "It's like you The love between a man and a woman, like a trickle at the beginning, will become crazy and hot later. But as time goes by, the feelings that were so hot that they seemed to melt iron will be frozen into ice. Even if you look back When you watch it, you will wonder how you could fall in love so deeply.”

Alan couldn't help curling her lips: "It may not be frozen into ice, right? There are also couples who live together and love for a lifetime." She tried to find an example from the books she had read and the stories she had heard. , but I can't remember it for a while.

"Anyway, it's going to be thawed in spring." Zhan Zhao couldn't help saying seeing A Lan thinking hard, "Winter will always pass."

Han Shi suddenly laughed loudly, his laughter was as cold as a stone, and it spread far away in the cold wind.

At the foot of the hill, there are already patches of weeds.At this time, the rocks became decorations instead, the ice and snow had partially melted, and the hard soil became slightly softer.Han Shi took the lead with big strides, passing through clumps of dark brown bushes, and came to a gentle slope.Finally, they found the spring.

This slope is like a smooth mirror, clearly reflecting future people.On the lower left side, clear water is bubbling out of a finger-thick hole, falling along a line, and finally merges into the thin spring water.And there are complicated patterns carved near the entrance of the cave, which seems to be some kind of human traces.

"Is this water induced artificially?" Zhan Zhao couldn't help asking.

But Han Shi said: "I don't know. This water has been flowing for thousands of years, but no one has ever asked where it came from, whether he wanted it to flow out or that person wanted it to flow out."

"There are patterns on it." A Lan couldn't help pointing out, "What are the engravings? Words or paintings?" When she was talking, she saw herself making the same movement reflected on the opposite slope, and she couldn't help but feel a little strange .

Han Shi shrugged and said: "It's not important. Anyway, you just want spring water, if you can't get it, you can get it."

"En." Zhan Zhao looked at the sky, then took out a water bottle and stepped forward to collect water.When the mouth of the kettle was aimed at the line of spring water, the echoing sound of water stopped for a moment and became muffled.

All of a sudden, Ah Lan's childlike innocence grew, and she hid behind Zhan Zhao and made a face at him.

"I saw it." Zhan Zhao suppressed a smile and took the kettle back, the sound of water revived.He looked up at the smooth stone mirror on the opposite side, and looked at A Lan and laughed.

He suddenly thought, after finishing this journey, let's go back to Kaifeng.

It's New Year's Eve.