She pursed her lips and gave a soft hum in acknowledgment.
He sighed with a smile, "Are you afraid that I’ll see and be overwhelmed by emotion?"
She didn’t answer, but he knew he had hit the nail on the head.
"I’d rather you be a bit more selfish than always bearing the burden alone. You need to know I don’t mind these things. When you’re sad, you can’t talk to others, afraid to show weakness, so you endure it alone, suppressing it alone... But we share the same pain, and I never intended to forget Shujun. On the contrary, I hope for someone to talk to me about her."
Afterwards, he leaned down and looked at her earnestly again.
"Human memory is fragile, and I don’t need to forget, so you shouldn’t have so many concerns."
She gazed up at him with a dazed expression, "But..."
But she didn’t want her emotions to affect others, especially because she had seen how much pain he was in, and she was even less willing to prod at the raw, unhealed wound in his heart.
Liang Zhichen exhaled, feeling all the more devoted to and compassionate for her the more he understood her.
"Sometimes, you really can be foolish."
His forehead resting against hers, he gently asked, "Do you remember the note you left when you initially ran away? You gave Haoming a phrase. Now, I realize that this phrase also suits you well."
"Communication is the most important thing between people. I hope I can be your strength, your support, rather than your worry, your burden."
She paused for a moment, "I’m sorry..."
Liang Zhichen held her quietly for a long while, until he heard noises from the front yard and slowly smiled, "Alright, we should head back now, lest staying out too long makes them worry."
She looked down, and he naturally took her hand.
As the two returned from the riverside, Yue Ning suddenly called out joyfully, "Baobao!"
Someone darted towards the corner of the yard by the pile of firewood.
Dong Xin Yuan was plump and had a fair complexion. At this moment, her chubby body seemed to curl up entirely.
She wished she could become a tiny mouse, burrow into a hole, and tremble as she watched the yard entrance, catching sight of her older sister walking back and forth with a man.
Dong Huiying looked puzzled for a moment, "Who is she?"
Liang Yue Ning dashed towards Baobao, catching a glimpse of his brother holding Baobao’s hand. His fingers tightened, and his previously good mood vanished, his expression turning glum as he replied, "Dong Xin Yuan, the Dong family’s second young miss."
Dong Huiying was stunned, her mouth slightly open in shock.
She looked at the plump Dong Xin Yuan, momentarily unsure how to react.
Is this child... her sister?
She seemed about eleven or twelve, but she was already as tall as herself.
Dong Xin Yuan was timid, and her behavior caused the Liang family to stifle their laughter. Probably feeling embarrassed, she peeked out and then, with a pale face, stammered out a greeting, "Big, big sister..."
The original host’s memories were partly inherited by her, but a portion had also been permanently lost due to the Devouring God Gu, including some matters about the Dong family.
She looked at Dong Xin Yuan closely again, realizing that there was indeed a resemblance between them. For instance, the eyebrows, the eyes. Although Dong Xin Yuan was chubby, making her face look large, her features were actually quite exquisite. She had good bone structure; if she lost weight, she was sure to be a beauty.