Tomb Raiding: Snow Falls, Memories Remain, and Spirits Return in Time

[Pairing with Zhang Qiling + Female Lead + OOC]

[I’m not into the “Tender Beef Five” pairing. I’m here for brotherly affection, so I’ll break up the canon pairings. If you don’t like that, don’t read.]

Qi Nian: Xiao Bai, I think I fell in love at first sight.

Xiao Bai mercilessly called her out: [What do you mean, love at first sight? You just saw a hot guy and wanted him.]

Qi Nian crouched beside the bed, looking at Zhang Qiling’s still slightly pale face. Unable to resist, she reached out and gently touched the back of his bandaged hand.

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly, as if afraid of startling him.

Zhang Qiling glanced down at her and gently shook his head. “No.”

“Liar.” Qi Nian puffed out her cheeks, fished a milk candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and held it to his lips. “Have this. It’ll stop hurting.”

Zhang Qiling paused, then lowered his head slightly and took the candy into his mouth.

A faint sweetness melted across his tongue. Looking at the bright-eyed girl before him, he asked softly, “Do you always carry candy?”

“Of course.” Qi Nian smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. “I’ll bring some with me from now on, just for you.”

Zhang Qiling fell silent for a few seconds. A rare hint of warmth appeared in his dark eyes.

In a very quiet, very serious voice, he said, “…Okay.”

Qi Nian held on to the last thread of her consciousness and slowly turned to look at the still-stable protective barrier.

Inside it, Zhang Qiling was pounding desperately against the wall of light, his eyes filled with a panic she had never seen before.

He was calling her name.

But she could no longer hear him.

Qi Nian smiled faintly as blood kept running from the corner of her lips.

She had done it.