He stood in the brilliant white snow, pouring bucket after bucket of icy cold water over his head to wash away the bloodstains, dust, gunpowder smell, and restlessness from his body, persisting until his skin turned bright red. Then, he finally dried himself off.
Chen Ji returned to his room and changed into dry clothes before lighting the stove in the kitchen and tossing his old clothes into the fire.
He sat on a small bamboo stool in front of the stove, allowing the warm, orange-red glow to envelop him. The dry wood crackled in the fire, creating a particularly peaceful atmosphere.
Wu Yun, stepping lightly through the snow in the yard, came into the kitchen. He jumped onto Chen Ji's lap and curled up comfortably. "It's so cold… I followed Gui and Wu Hongbiao, making sure they got out of the city safely before coming back."
"How did they get out of the city?"
