hehe.
Ah Heng smiled, with many things she wanted to say but not knowing where to begin, so she could only look at him with a gentle smile.
Yan hope looked at her intently, his expression softening.
Ah Heng sighed softly, "Ah, it's clear that I really miss you, Yan hope."
He lowered his head, his eyes slightly red.
The boy spoke, his voice hoarse from a long silence—"Aheng..."
Ah Heng rubbed her temples and smiled—"Yan Xi, don't call my name. If I do, I won't feel comfortable when I wake up."
Although I really want to hear it, I'd rather not hear it.
She had always tried her best to live a peaceful and joyful life with Yan hope, who had an incomplete soul like a child. If in this life she ever dared to dream of Yan hope calling her Aheng, even if it was just a fleeting thought in her dreams, she would be punished by heaven.
Ah Heng thought for a moment, pushed his hand away, closed her eyes, and said with a calm expression, "You should... leave now, and don't come to my dreams again."
My lips tasted slightly bitter, like the taste of traditional Chinese medicine from my childhood. Now that I remember it, it was really hard to drink.
His soft breathing was always beside me, gentle and clear, carrying the cold indifference of the snow outside the window.
It has not dissipated.
She opened her eyes. The boy looked at her, took several steps back, and stood at a distance. His eyes were deep and swirling, like tender green tea leaves steaming in a cup.
"Aheng, I fought with all my might to defeat Pinocchio..."
The tone of his voice, hoarse and tinged with sorrow, came from the tea leaves sinking to the bottom of the cup.
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, his eyes widening uneasily, a mixture of pleading and feigned composure in his expression—"Aheng, you don't like me. I'll go back and give you back that obedient Pinocchio...please don't...be angry with me, okay..."
"Don't be angry with me..."
The sound gradually faded away...
He lowered his head, his soft hair lost its luster, and fell silent.
The faint breath, like an electric current, instantly ruptured her eardrums.
Then, they were utterly routed.
She cried, trying to hold it back, even her breathing became labored—"Yan hope..."
He stretched out his arm and bit down hard until blood seeped out, the pain returning to his numb senses after catching a cold.
It wasn't a dream after all.
She walked up to him, forcefully knocked him down onto the carpet, her breath mingling with the white plush, her chin almost touching his neck, and her long-suppressed grievances began to stir.
Yan hope was caught off guard by the sudden attack. His back ached a little, but when he heard her heartbeat, which beat in unison with his, he felt a tingling sensation. In the end, he could only let his arms hang down helplessly and silently stare at the ceiling.
Slowly, tears fell.
He didn't even know why he was crying. There was something burning hot in his chest, and he didn't know how to deal with it.
"Yan hope, I really hate you." Aheng gritted her teeth, smelling the sweet milk scent on him, her voice muffled, almost bringing tears to her eyes.
Yan hope's thin body trembled slightly, but in the end, he remained silent.
"Next time, if you dare to get sick again, get as far away as you can, and don't let me find you again."
He was stunned, gently closed his big eyes, and with a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth forming a faint heart shape, he said earnestly, "I will."
"Can't you just say I'll never get sick again!" Ah Heng gritted her teeth.
The boy stretched out his long arms and hugged her tightly, his back aching and itching unbearably—"Okay, I'll never get sick again."
His tone was so calm, as if he were discussing the weather.
Her voice was muffled and nasal—"What if you lie?"
After asking the question, I realized it was inappropriate; the tone was too intimate and too mournful.
Yan hope smiled – “Aheng, I’m not usually one to lie.”
Ah Heng nodded, her voice muffled and nasal – “Yes, you’re usually not human when you’re lying.”
Her cold was extremely severe, and her whole body was weak and limp. It was truly unbelievable that she was able to pounce on Yan hope just now.
"Uh, Yanxi, does your back hurt?" She blushed, regained her composure, and nervously fiddled with her fingers in her mind.
Yan hope smiled slyly—"Daughter, I can pounce on you and let you experience a sudden alien storm."
Ah Heng coughed violently and said seriously, "I'm sick now, I'm a patient, you have to understand!"
Yan hope's large eyes reflected Aheng's, smiling with a mixture of doting and teasing—"When I'm sick, am I as unreasonable as you?"
Ah Heng squinted at him—"Don't you remember what you looked like when you were sick?"
Yan hope seemed to remember something, her fair face flushed slightly, and she answered vaguely, "I don't remember most of it except for some fragments."
Oh... I don't remember...
"I see." Ah Heng stood up, smiling, and helped him up. "It's better if you don't remember."
If Yan hope remembered and knew that vow of lifelong commitment—that he didn't want a son, a daughter, a wheelchair, or the whole world, he only wanted one person—how awkward would that be...?
The marriage proposal she solemnly and nervously made suddenly felt like the sea foam that the Little Mermaid turned into—beautiful yet ultimately ephemeral.
Everything seemed to have returned to what it was a year ago.
Well, maybe nothing ever happened.
In short, Yan Xi, welcome home.
*********************Divider**********************************
Yan hope has recovered, Dr. Zheng concluded, her eyes are very bright.
He smiled and patted Yan hope on the shoulder—it must have been tough, getting rid of another version of yourself.
Yan hope glanced sideways—"Isn't it hard work? I just feel like it's really hard work for you guys to tie me up and give me acupuncture every time."
Dr. Zheng sweats – Didn't Aheng say you don't remember most of your things?
Yan hope waved his hand—"I don't know why, but I remember this part particularly clearly."
Dr. Zheng... = =
When Xin Dayi saw Yan hope, he grinned foolishly—"My beauty, say something."
Yan hope rolled her eyes – Aunt Flo.
Xin Dayi burst into tears, rushed towards Yan hope, and wept bitterly—Damn it, well said! Shout it a few more times!
Yan hope scolded him, "You're crazy again! You're eighteen years old, how can you still be so silly?" But his eyes were full of tenderness and indulgence.
Xin Dayi just grinned foolishly, her eyes sparkling.
Yan hope was green with envy—Xin Dayi, get out of here! I just spilled a vat of salt water in front of my daughter, don't provoke me again.
Behind them, Chen Juan smiled silently and embraced the two of them.
"Yan hope, welcome back."
Even though you're not coming back, the sun still rises in the east as usual, and the earth still turns, but it is indeed a little lonely.
Yan hope smiled, his big eyes shining warmly, exuding extraordinary spirit—"Hey, I knew it, you can't live without me."
Without me, even the stars wouldn't shine.
Suddenly, remembering something, Yan hope raised an eyebrow—Da Yi, Rou Si, why don't you treat your brother to dinner today?
Da Yi frowned – Why should we? We've been worried sick all day because you're sick. You should be the one to pay for it.
Yan hope gave a forced smile—"Just because you bullied my daughter every day while I was sick! I'm telling you, I'm back, and I'll settle all the old and new scores together."
Chen Juan raised his phoenix eyes—what does that have to do with me? I treat Aheng very well, caring for her every day.
Yan hope slammed his fist on the table, spitting as he spoke—"You took advantage of my illness to seduce my daughter, and you still dare to say you didn't do anything wrong?"
Rou Si twitched her lips—Brother Yan, you're not faking illness, are you?
He remembers everything, big or small, in great detail, so why would Ah Heng say he doesn't remember things from when he was sick?
Clearly, those involved are often blinded by their own perspective.
She's sick, not lost her memory, you silly child, Ah Heng.
***************************************Divider line********************************
When the Wen family saw that Yan hope had recovered from his illness, they were all in tears and set off several strings of firecrackers to sweep away the bad luck.
Crackle, boom.
Siwan, who had returned home for winter vacation, stood frozen outside her house, startled by the cannon fire that made her break out in a cold sweat.
⊙﹏⊙, it's not Chinese New Year yet...
He looked up and saw a beautiful woman leaning against the door frame, gazing at a certain spot with focused and gentle eyes amidst the misty sky.
He was stunned. Following the man's gaze, he saw a girl with black hair and black eyes squatting not far away, earnestly covering her ears. The scenery was clear and bright.
Something flashed through Siwan's mind, and the luggage slipped from her hands, falling heavily to the ground.
The boy leaning against the doorframe saw him and smiled—"Siwan, you're back."
For a whole year, he never called him Siwan once.
Siwan climbed the steps, staring blankly at the boy.
Still slender, still proud, still agile.
She smiled broadly, still like a child who never grew up.
"Yan Xi." He hesitated, trying to call his name, his whole body trembling, unable to move. His eyes blurred with tears, and for a moment he was confused, wondering why he could bear to leave him.
Yan hope straightened up and smiled calmly, "Auntie has been nagging me for ages, saying why you haven't come back yet."
He was clearly visible in his features, yet he seemed like a complete stranger.
Siwan stepped forward, and Yan hope raised an eyebrow, watching him without showing any emotion.
Ah Heng stood at a distance, squinting. The two of them standing together in the mist looked truly beautiful.
She sighed, feeling anxious and insecure, always uncontrollably thinking about things she couldn't control.