书斋小说网

第 7 章（第1页）

Beforedawnhadfullybroken，Suyuanwasawakenedbyaheavycough。Shecoveredhermouthwithhersleeveandwaiteduntilthedisfortpassed，butthedullacheinherheadremaiheairhadgrownnoticeablycolderht，andSuyuanknewwhatthatmeant。Winterwasing。Herbodyhadalwaysbeenmoresensitivetogesintheweatherthanotherpeople。Wheheseasonsged，herweaknessbecameworse，andthecoldseemedtosettleintoherbones。Shehadlearnednottoplainaboutit。Thereweresimplysomethingsshecouldnotge。

Suyuanslowlysatupandreachedforhercloak。Herheadstillfeltheavy，butsheforcedherselftostand。"Ayao，wakeup。"Ayaostirredbehherbla。"Miss。。。itsstilldark。"

"Weregoingtotheriver。"

Ayaoimmediatelyopenedhereyes。"Theriver?Atthishour?"

"Weneedmorefishbeforeitfreezes。"

ThatwasenoughtomakeAyaoclimboutofbed。Theyhadalreadyprepareddriedmeataablesforwinter，butfreshfishwouldmaketheirmealsmuchbetter，especiallyforShuran。Oheriverfrozepletely，therewouldbenoeasywaytocaty。Thetwogirlsquietlyleftthecourtyardbeforethepalacebecamebusy。Theyfollowedthefamiliarhiddenpaththroughthetrees，carryingtheirfishingrodsandawoodenbucketbetweehemairwascoldenoughtomakeAyaoshiver。

"Miss，youshouldhavestayedioday，"Ayaosaidworriedlyastheywalked。

"Imfine。"

"Youcoughedsobadlythism。"

"Itwasonlybecauseofthecold。"

Ayaofrowned。"ThatsexactlywhyImworried。"

Suyuansmiledfaintly。"Thencatoughfishsowereturnquickly。"

Whentheyreachedtheriver，thesunhadonlyjustbeguntoriseabovethedistantmountains。Athinmisthoveredabovethewater，andthesurfacewasalreadycolderthanithadbeenafewweeksago。SuyuansatcarefullyheriverbankwhileAyaopreparedthebait。Theyhadchosenaquietspothiddenbyreedsandtrees，farfromtheusualpathsusedbythetribesmen。Forawhile，therewasonlysilehefishinglinefloatedgentlyoer。AyaoyawnedandSuyuanglaher。"Ifyoufallasleep，Illleaveyouhere。"

Ayaoimmediatelystraightened。"Iwasntsleeping!"

"Youwere。"

"Iwastrating。"

Suyuancouldnthelplaughingsoftly。

Thenthefishinglinesuddenlymoved。

"Ayao。"

"Isawit!"

Ayaograbbedherrodexcitedly，butthefishescapedatthelastmoment。

Shestaredattheemptyhookindisbelief。

"Itgotaway。"

Suyuansmiled。"Youpulledtooquickly。"

"Thenyoutry。"

Suyuantookthefishingrodfromher。

Afterseveralattempts，theyfinallycaughtonefish，thenanother。Itwasntagreathaul，butitwasenoughtomakethejourneyworthwhile。

"WemakeanothersoupforHerHighness，"Ayaosaidhappily。

Suyuannodded。"Letscatoreandgohome。"

Sheshiftedclosertothewater，carefullyltheline。

Theriverbankwasdampfromthemmist。

Shedidntnoticetheloosepatchofearthbehherfootuntilitgaveway。

"MissYuan!"

Ayaosvoicerangout。

Suyuanlostherbalandslippedintotheriver。Thefreezingwaterstartledher，andthecurrentimmediatelycarriedherawayfromthebank。Ayaodroppedthefishingrodandrushedtowardtheriver，butthebankwastoosteepforhertoreachSuyuansafely。

"Miss!"