My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

After stuffing their stomach with food paid from Xu Binchen's wallet, Shi Nian even went as far as to plead the man drive Jiang Jinyan and her home before he returned to the police station with Ru Meiqi. Even though Xu Binchen grumbled incessantly along the road, he still complied to Shi Nian's request.

By the time they arrived, the sun had started to set. Golden bursts of light sprinkled across the clouds, mixing with purple and blue streaks in the sky. It was a very breathtaking sunset. 

Shi Nian returned home to change into a comfortable sweater and pants. In the kitchen, she found Qiang Fei's note stuck to the refrigerator. [Niannian, it seems like Mama will be busy until a few days before Lunar New Year. There's a few side dishes inside. Share them with Xiao Jiang :)]

She counted with her fingers. It was only a little more than a week until Lunar New Year. Time really flew by so fast. Shi Nian packed a few side dishes that Jiang Jinyan liked and brought them to the man's house.

"What are you doing?" She asked after finding Jiang Jinyan slumped onto the couch. "Are you unwell?"

Jiang Jinyan spoke through gritted teeth. "I ate too much." He cursed inwardly for his stupidity. Well, he guessed that Xu Binchen wouldn't be any better either. Somehow, the harmonious dinner turned into a competition between the two men to see who could sweep the food on the table faster.

In the end, they matched evenly and it ended in a draw. Jiang Jinyan massaged his brows. How could he get carried away and act so childish? And that man, how old was he again? Twenty four? Twenty five? He was the most childish one there!

"Pfft." Shi Nian covered her mouth and dashed to the kitchen. "Wait a moment, I will boil you some digestive tea."

Jiang Jinyan narrowed his eyes and harrumphed. "Don't hide it. I saw you laughing."

Laughter drifted out from the kitchen in the next second, clear and sonorous like the bell chime. Jiang Jinyan gave another harrumph and decided to lay down so as to not feel nausea. He covered his eyes with his arm and took a deep breath. The soft rustle of Shi Nian's movement, the water boiling in the kitchen, the scent of tea that wafted out…

A sense of peacefulness filled Jiang Jinyan's chest and he subconsciously drifted off.

Ever since he fell off the cliff and woke up, a few strange memories started to surface in his mind. At first, he thought that everything was merely a dream. However, it was too vivid to be a dream yet the scenes also weren't clear enough for him to discern what it actually was. 

Sometimes, his dream took place in spring. Other times, it was winter. Sometimes, there would be people around him yet oftentimes, he would always be alone.

Sometimes, he would wake up with a smile but there were also times when he jolted awake with tears in his eyes, his heart aching like never before. The pain was crushing to the point where he couldn't breathe.

As the fog in front of his eyes gradually dispersed, Jiang Jinyan had the feeling that...he would be able to unravel everything soon.

***

Blood. Everywhere his eyes landed was crimson and the ground was littered with corpses and dying soldiers. 

He stood amidst everything with a bloodied sword in his hand. As soon as he sensed someone drew close, he swung his sword agilely — hard, brutal, without mercy. Heads flew and warm blood splattered onto his face.

He could hear nothing except his own heartbeat and heard nothing except for the cries of his soldiers. "General! General, help! Help us!"

In the distance was a royalty atop of a regal war horse — the Second Prince — looking down at him with disregard as if he was nothing more than another dead body. "Give yourself up, General."

Jiang Jinyan laughed, blood trickled down his mouth. "I'm afraid that as long as this body of mine can still move, I am unable to heed Your Highness' order."

"You—!" The Second Prince's face grew furious and he pointed the sharp tip of his sword in front of Jiang Jinyan's face. "Fine, you're the one who asks for this! Attention, kill the Great General of Wei Dynasty! Kill the traitor!"

"Kill the traitor!"

"Kill the traitor!"

"KILL—!"

What happened next was akin to purgatory, a hell that had descended upon Earth. The number of corpses beneath his feet increased, so did the wounds on his body. His black armor was cracked in a few places and his skin had been drenched in blood, its original color could no longer be seen. 

After they had incapacitated his right arm, he fought with his left. And soon, one of his legs could no longer be used, and he resisted while kneeling on one knee.

Three days and three nights. 

That was how long the war ensued until the end, what remained was only corpses — an endless amount of corpses that formed a hill.

It was unknown when the snow started to fall. When Jiang Jinyan realized it, the ground had been covered in snowflakes.

He coughed out blood, a sword was stuck on his left chest near where his heart was beating weakly. His limbs had turned numb and his blood had soaked the snow underneath him crimson. 

Slowly, he let out a laugh. A weak, ironic laugh. More than two decades had he spent his life guarding the border of the country and in the end, what he received was a demise that was worse than death itself.

He could feel life slowly slipping out of him. Helpless, forsaken...like the puff of white mists that floated out from his mouth and quickly disappeared into thin air.

It was said that when someone was on the brink of death, they would see the scenes of their whole life passing in front of their very eyes. Or so he had read from many books and scriptures.

So why...was the one reflected in his mind at this moment was no one but her and her alone?

His blurry eyes took in the open sky, gloomy clouds and falling snowflakes. Somehow, the white tiny crystals resembled the cherry blossom petals he had shown her once before. Those times were so peaceful, so beautiful to be true.

The expression she showed right before he left, her reddened eyes, the tears she tried so hard to suppress; everything about it haunted him.

He wondered, would she cry by the news of his death? He also wondered... whether his servants would treat her well after he was gone, whether she would be bullied again?

It had truly slipped his mind. He should have ordered Fu Jia — his head servant — to take care of her better; to give her delicious food, warm blankets when the weather turned cold, to let her tend to his flower garden as she pleased because he didn't trust anyone but her to be able to make them thrive. 

He should have done more for her before he left…

Unbeknownst to him, a drop of tears slid down the corner of his eyes. He exhaled softly; a lamentable sigh contained all of the regrets he couldn't deliver any longer. His body gradually cooled down and air could no longer fill his lungs.

His eyes fluttered shut and his breathing ceased like gentle snowflakes that melted with the slightest warmth. Silently, lightly.

Dear God, 

He was aware of the sin that he carried in this lifetime. He didn't care what he would be reborn as nor did he mind that he would be doomed with continuous misfortunes throughout his life. He also couldn't care less if he was missing an eye or a leg.

He only wished...to meet her once again.

May the Gods fulfilled his sole wish.

And...may she live a life full of happiness, both in this life and the next lifetimes after that.

"—yan!"

"Jinyan!"

"Jiang Jinyan!!"

He jolted awake, his eyes blurry with tears. In front of him was an anxious and distressed Shi Nian, her fingertips lightly brushing against the corner of his eyes. "Jinyan, are you awake? What's wrong? You're crying in your sleep…"

Jiang Jinyan stared at her, dazed.

Memories poured into his mind. This time, it was whole. The girl whose tongue was cut off, who embraced death without the slightest hint of fear in her eyes. The girl who appeared strong but quite fragile and sensitive inside. 

At the beginning, they were just two lonely people that were brought together by fate. But now, love had bloomed beautifully between them, tying them together with a red string weaved by affection and passion they held toward each other.

Two lifetimes… They had finally met again. Not as the General and the Witch. Not as the Master and his maidservant. Only two ordinary human beings; Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian.

"Jinyan?" Shi Nian asked in concern. "Are you okay? Do you have a nightmare?"

He surprised the girl by suddenly bringing her into a tight embrace, his head buried into her shoulder, inhaling deeply. "Shi Nian...Shi Nian…"

Shi Nian paused before gingerly placing her palms on his back, caressing there. "What's wrong?"

Jiang Jinyan shook his head. The memories of their first encounter in this lifetime replayed in his mind. In fact, he had always wondered why she could still persistently try to get close to him after he had been so harsh to push her away. He had none of the admirable traits; he was disabled, depressed and full of thorns.

While she...she was like a moth that was unafraid of flame, courageously letting herself be burned so brightly, so beautifully that he couldn't avert his eyes away.

"So it's you…" He sighed. Finally… he understood everything. "It has always been you." 

Whether it was their past lives or now, the person who stayed by his side had always been her. He smiled and caressed Shi Nian's dumbfounded face. "My apologies for having you wait for so long, my dearest."

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The End of Volume 3 [Rose - Ardent Love]

My Dearest General's Main Story — Completed

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A/N: AAAAAAAH! IT'S A WRAP! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! QAQ

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HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! My only wish is that you will have a good year ahead, be healthy and safe, and lastly...stay with me for my next projects :)

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