Xiao Hao also mimicked the monkey, plucking a broad leaf nearby. He bent over the pool, scooping water to tend to Yingzi’s wounds. To his surprise, Yingzi refused his gesture, pushing his hand away, spilling the water onto the ground. Xiao Hao was not angered. He tossed the leaf aside and plopped down onto the earth, meeting Yingzi’s gaze. “My lady,” he began, “look at yourself now. It’s one thing to not scare people away, but what if Xing’er returns one day, sees you in this state, and doesn't recognize you? Wouldn’t that break his heart?”

These words struck the precise nerve. Though Yingzi had resolved to send Xing’er away, the bond of blood was an unbreakable tether. No matter what, she held onto a sliver of hope that one day she would reunite with her son. This was the contradiction of the human heart: anger laced with sorrow, sorrow threaded with helplessness, and beneath the helplessness, endless anticipation. When Xing’er was near, she had despised his every flaw; once he was gone, regret consumed her, and all his good qualities came flooding back.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yingzi abruptly plunged into the pool with a splash, allowing the bone-chilling water to fully submerge her. Xiao Hao sat on the bank, watching her swim as if observing a water spirit. After a long moment, running out of breath, Yingzi kicked off the bottom, breaking the surface. She took a deep gasp, shaking the pool water from her face. Her incomparably beautiful features had returned to Yingzi; her skin was smoother than before she gave birth to Xing’er, and her eyes clearer than before she sank into the bottom of the Sea of the Dead. Gazing upon her own beautiful form, Yingzi suddenly recalled the legendary Fountain of Youth. It was said that just a few drops could restore youth and grant eternal vitality. Could this deep pool be...

Just as the thought formed, Xiao Hao called from the shore, “Are you truly over sending your son away?”

Indeed, he had touched a raw nerve. Yingzi silently cursed Xiao Hao for his lack of social grace, rolling her eyes before bracing her hands on the edge of the pool, preparing to climb out. However, the pool walls were severely steep, sheer ninety-degree angles like those of a modern swimming pool, offering no foothold. While a monkey could easily scramble out using sheer arm strength, an ordinary person would struggle considerably. Just as Yingzi strained her arms upward, kicking her leg, trying to pull herself clear of the water, Xiao Hao sauntered over from the bank. He gently gripped her shoulders and lifted her just enough to set her down firmly on the ground. Looking at Yingzi now, this moment was different from the last; she radiated a captivating allure, reborn as if after a phoenix’s trial by fire.

Xiao Hao stole a glance at the revitalized Yingzi, deliberately turning his back. “I’ve asked the Monkey Clan to search for Xing’er,” he said. “Stay here in the Sea of the Dead for now. If Xing’er returns, you can discipline him or dote on him as you wish. But one thing—allowing him to wander aimlessly benefits no one; it only breeds more tragedy and distress. Giving up is not a responsible course of action.” With that, he walked straight into the woods and did not reappear.

Watching his retreating back, Yingzi clenched her fists and silently mimed a furious gesture toward him. Yet, it was only a pantomime. Just as Xiao Hao was helpless in the face of Yingzi sending Xing’er away, Yingzi could do nothing about Xiao Hao’s lecture except shake her fist in secret behind his back. This is what the English call relationship—a bond that spans between two people. Whether arguing, fighting, being intimate, or loving, it is all because of this.