以前两日所剩的余米熬粥，滋味不见得属上乘，荒郊野岭，亦是难得。

显然云仲今日心境甚好，熬罢粥后捧碗，慢条斯理吹凉，笑盈盈朝吃瘪的李福顺看去，后者呲牙欲要发作，但掂量掂量方才那震人心魄的剑气，只得悻悻扭过头赌气，不看自家这位藏着掖着不实诚的师兄。三境对上二境，倘若仅有一两回马失前蹄，倒还尚可容忍，接二连三未能取胜，对从来颇为争强好胜，很有些自负的李福顺而言，仍觉灰心丧气。

步映清却并没顾着喝粥，......

云仲和李福顺在荒郊野岭，两人慢条斯理地吃完了熬出来的粥。cloudswerestillhanginglowinthesky,castingagentleshadowoverthetwomen.cloud‘seyessparkledwithamusementashewatchedLeewatchinghimeat.

cloudtookanothersipofhistea,feelingthewarmthspreadthroughhisbody.Hehadbeenthinkingaboutthismomentforalongtime,andfinally,hewashere,sittingwithhisfriendinthissecludedspot.Thesilencebetweenthemwascomfortable,likeanoldblanketthathadbeenwornandfrayedfromyearsofuse.

cloud‘sthoughtswanderedbacktotheirjourneysofar.Theyhadfacedcountlesschallengesandovercomemanyobstaclestogether.Buttoday,cloudfeltasenseofunease,likesomethingwasoffbalanceinhislife.Hecouldn‘tquiteputhisfingeronit,butheknewthatheneededtofindawaytoshakeoffthisfeeling.

cloudglancedoveratLee,atchinghimwithanintensitythatmadecloud‘sskinprickle.HeknewthatLeehadbeenholdingback,keepinghistruefeelingslockedawaybehindamaskofcalmness.ButcloudalsoknewthatLeewasnotonetobeunderestimated.Hewasstrong,resilient,andfiercelyloyal.

cloud‘seyesnarrowedslightlyashestudiedLee‘sexpression.HesawthetensioninLee‘sjaw,thewayhisshouldersweresquaredagainsttheworld.Cloudknewthatlook,hadseenitbefore.Itwasthelookofamanwhowasreadytofight,todefendhimselfagainstallcomers.

cloudtookanothersipofhistea,feelingthewarmthspreadthroughhisbody.Heknewthatheneededtotreadcarefullyhere,tofindawaytoconnectwithLeewithoutpushinghimtoofar.ButashelookedintoLee‘seyes,cloudfeltasparkofexcitement.Thiswasit,thiswasthemomenttheyhadbeenwaitingfor.

Withoutthinking,cloudstoodupandstretched,feelingthestiffnessinhisbackeaseaway.HetookastepclosertoLee,hismovementsdeliberateandslow.Lee‘seyesneverleftcloud‘sface,hisexpressionunreadable.

“Hey,“cloudsaidsoftly,hisvoicelowandhusky.“Whysoserious?“

Lee‘sgazedidn‘twaver,butclouddetectedaflickerofemotioninhiseyes.Itwaslikeatinyspark,smallandfleeting,butenoughtomakecloudfeelasurgeofhope.

“BecauseIknowwhatyou‘rethinking,“Leesaidfinally,hisvoicetightwithrestraint.“YouthinkI‘mjustgoingthroughthemotions,thatI‘vegivenuponeverything.“

cloudtookanotherstepcloser,hisheartpoundinginhischest.Heknewthathewastakingariskhere,buthecouldn‘thelphimself.Heneededtoreachout,totouchLee‘shandorkisshischeek.

“Iknowyou‘renot,“cloudsaidsoftly,hisvoicebarelyaboveawhisper.“Icanseeitinyoureyes.“

Lee‘sgazedropped,andforamoment,cloudthoughtthathehadmisreadthesituationentirely.Butthen,Leelookedupagain,hiseyesflashingwithanger.

“Youdon‘tknowwhatIam,“Leesaidharshly,hisvoicelikeice.

cloudtookanotherstepcloser,feelingtheairbetweenthemcracklewithtension.Heknewthathewaswalkingatightropehere,buthecouldn‘thelphimself.Heneededtoreachout,toconnectwithLeeinawaythattheybothunderstood.

“IthinkIdo,“cloudsaidsoftly,hisvoicefullofconviction.“Ithinkyou‘restillfighting,evenifitdoesn‘tfeellikeit.“

Lee‘sexpressiondidn‘tchange,butclouddetectedahintofsurpriseinhiseyes.Itwaslikeatinycrackinthefacade,asmallopeningthatallowedcloudtoglimpsethetruth.

Andthen,justassuddenlyasithadbegun,everythingstopped.Thetensiondissipated,thesilencegrewquietoncemore.

cloudtookadeepbreath,feelingtheairfillhislungs.Heknewthathehaddonesomethingright,thathehadreachedoutandconnectedwithLeeinawaythattheybothunderstood.

ButashelookedintoLee‘seyes,cloudsawaglimmeroffeartheretoo.Itwaslikeatinyspark,smallandfleeting,butenoughtomakecloudfeelasurgeofuncertainty.

Whatdiditmean?Whatdidthefutureholdforthesetwomen,boundtogetherbytheirsharedpastandtheircommongoal?

clouddidn‘thaveanyanswersyet,butheknewthathewouldkeepsearching.Hewouldkeepfighting,nomatterwhatlayahead.