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"I'm sorry for causing trouble for your family," Ziya said, her voice choked as she lowered her head to apologize to Severe Cold, who was backing up the cart.
"You can't say that. We're all in this together now. How about we deal with this and leave this place once it's over?" Severe Cold replied playfully, trying to lighten the mood for the dejected Ziya.
Outside Severe Cold's home, a crowd had gathered, clamoring loudly for Ziya and Severe Cold to be handed over. Yan Father was apologizing profusely, bringing out tables and chairs for them. As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face; at that moment, Yan Father appeared to be the epitome of a good-natured person, making it impossible for the angry crowd to remain furious.
While Yan Father distracted the crowd at the front door, Severe Cold and Ziya quickly drove away through the side door. As their vehicle kicked up dust and sped off, the air was filled with cries of anger and despair. Ziya glanced back at the heavy scene, questioning in her heart who had truly harmed whom.
"Will your parents support you?" Ziya asked worriedly as she looked at Severe Cold. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, not immediately responding to her question. Previously, he had acted impulsively to protect this unfamiliar beauty so she could move safely in and out of town. Now, he not only wanted to continue protecting Ziya but also hoped to uncover the truth behind this incident.
The car traveled along a long, narrow, bumpy country road. As they approached a tree-lined path ahead, both their hearts sank again as they understood the consequences of entering it. The Mao Bamboo on either side of the path concealed a dark depth that was hard to see into, shrouded by a thin mist that curled around the shadows formed by the bamboo and trees.
As night fell, people shook off their fatigue and hurried home to their warm abodes. Meanwhile, Ziya and Severe Cold were heading toward that eerie and unpredictable area.
"Did you bring a rope?" Ziya suddenly remembered to ask.
"I did. I brought enough food and some clothes for you to change into," Severe Cold replied without looking back. His indifferent tone belied his thoughtful preparations.
Ziya fell silent for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. The car didn't stop in front of the villa but drove straight into the Riverbank area—the dark silt region. Amongst the tangled grass of the silt, cormorants with white wings moved gracefully on their slender legs in search of food before nightfall.
"What if Li Darwen's child hadn't died? How old would they be now?" Ziya asked seriously as she looked at Severe Cold.
"If that child had lived, they would probably be about the same age as my sister! I'm ten years older than her; she passed away two years ago when she had just turned twelve," Severe Cold replied softly, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I've touched on your painful memories again," Ziya said apologetically. Yet, in her heart, she thought: Li Darwen's child would have been fifteen if he hadn't died.
After they got out of the car, Severe Cold turned on the headlights. He took out the prepared oil and laid it on the bushes by the riverbank. In this moment, they resembled a pair of intimate lovers having a picnic in the wild. However, this romance felt somewhat out of place; both of their faces bore an overly heavy expression that clashed with the warmth of the scene.
Ziya took out the food from the car and arranged it on the oilcloth. They sat on the ground, exchanging bittersweet smiles. Severe Cold sighed, "This is fate. We went from not knowing each other to understanding each other, doing incomprehensible things for someone we never knew."
Ziya popped a small piece of pastry into her mouth and smiled coyly, "Do I understand you now? How much do you understand me?" Though her tone was teasing, there was a hint of worry and unease hidden in her eyes.
Severe Cold took her hand passionately and said, "Every smile and frown of yours captivates me. Just give me one chance to be with you! This could lead us to hell!"
Ziya forced a bitter smile and pulled her hand away. "Do as you wish; I won't force you. Besides, my driving skills are just mediocre. If you..." She hesitated to finish her sentence. Earlier in the car, Severe Cold had insisted they complete this task happily, but no matter how he tried to lighten the mood, Ziya couldn't shake off the shadow lurking in her heart.
They were here tonight to search for the body of a missing boy, trying to find a corpse that had been dead for years in the unmarked silt—a task as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Ziya gazed at the surface of the silt, which was covered by a faint dark gray mist, fixing her eyes on where a branch had been placed.
Severe Cold also focused on the branch he had broken last time; its twigs were already starting to wither. The silt showed no signs of their previous footprints, seemingly washed clean by the daily flow of the river.
Their gazes met at the riverbank, filled with unspoken thoughts that were hard to articulate. The river was still rising at this moment. The water gradually overflowed in the narrow channel before spreading into the silt area. It submerged large sections of silt until low tide would leave behind some debris and carcasses of dead pigs and dogs washed down from upstream. After the river passed, what remained were remnants of food for white cormorants, leaving tiny claw prints on the silt.
Ziya's bright eyes sparkled with an unusual thought as she withdrew her gaze to look at Severe Cold. "If it weren't for this silt, this would surely be a beautiful river. Look at those white cormorants; they're truly lovely."
"Yes," Severe Cold replied with a joyful glint in his eyes. "I remember after every rainy season, children from our town would come here in groups of three or five with shrimp nets to catch fish..."
Ziya looked at Severe Cold, who still had a hint of childishness about him. The thought of stepping into the frightening silt ahead filled her heart with an indescribable sensation.
"You think that child will rot in the Silt? Or perhaps only a Wreckage will remain."
"Whatever it is, as long as we can get him out of here, that's all that matters. We need to alleviate the town's panic to prevent those children from dying innocently." Severe Cold's demeanor suddenly shifted, losing its previous playfulness and becoming serious and composed.
Ziya felt a jolt of surprise; he hadn't expected this side of him. It's rare to find someone with such duality in their personality, and it seemed that this individual before him was indeed an exception.
The last glimmer of light in the sky was swallowed by the night, and darkness deepened. The water level on the Silt had receded, and the cawing Cormorants had already flapped their wings and flown away from the Riverbank. Night Mist slowly drifted in from the shadowy corners.
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