Chapter 98:

The girl continued to cry, her sobs filled with all the grievances and guilt she had held in her heart. Through her fragmented and intermittent words, Xu Xi finally understood the real reason why Mo Li had refused to appear.

It was regret—the unbearable weight of witnessing the death of someone she loved and feeling powerless to prevent it. It was the burden of believing she was responsible and unable to face the cruel truth.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“It’s all my fault. I hurt my brother…”

“It was me… It was my fault that my brother lost his life. I should be the one apologizing…”

Her voice became increasingly mournful until it dissolved into pure, heart-wrenching cries. She buried her head against Xu Xi’s shoulder, her tears soaking into the fabric as she clung to him tightly.

Though the once frail and sickly girl had become an eternal, transcendent existence, she still couldn’t forgive herself. She couldn’t forgive her helplessness on that fateful day, unable to do anything but cry in despair.

“Mo Li,” Xu Xi called softly.

His voice reached her ears, making her body tremble. Was he about to scold her?

Would he reject her for what she had become? But what she feared didn’t happen.

Instead, his words were gentle and warm, like the light of spring sunlight brushing softly against her cheek:

“You’ve had to endure so much alone, haven’t you?”

“I’m sorry… I came too late.”

There wasn’t a trace of blame in his voice.

On the contrary, it was filled with love and understanding, easing her insecurity. Yet, to Mo Li, those kind words pierced her heart like a blade. Her sobs grew louder, more uncontrollable, as if every word stripped away a layer of her long-buried pain.

The seasons were shifting. Autumn’s chill lingered, and winter’s sharp bite loomed closer. Time’s passage brought changes, both external and internal. Compared to the first simulation’s end, Mo Li’s appearance had altered slightly—maturity replacing the innocence of youth, loneliness etched into her expression. Xu Xi was proud of her growth but couldn’t ignore the heavy price she had paid for it.

He gently placed his hand on her head, just as he used to when she was a child, and rubbed it lightly to comfort her.

“It’s enough that you’re here now. Let go of the guilt and pain. The past is behind us.”

Xu Xi’s voice remained soft and steady.

Mo Li didn’t respond, but her crying gradually subsided. She clung to him even tighter, her embrace firm and close, as though she had finally found the strength she had lost. The helpless little girl, once drowning in despair, had her anchor once more.

“Brother, will you ever leave me again?”

Her trembling voice carried all her fear and unease.

“…Never again,” Xu Xi replied firmly.

It wasn’t a hollow promise—it was the truth.

Hearing his answer, Mo Li seemed to relax, though she continued to hold onto him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder and refusing to let go. The scene felt oddly familiar to Xu Xi.

Where had he experienced this before?

“I remember,” he murmured. “It’s like those mornings I woke up feeling something heavy pressing on me.”

It dawned on him that what he had once mistaken for “ghost pressure” was actually caused by Mo Li sneaking into his room in the middle of the night.

Xu Xi chuckled, amused by the discovery and his sister’s mischievous behavior.

After a while, Mo Li’s tears finally dried under Xu Xi’s gentle comfort. He guided her to sit across from him at the wooden table.

Now, Xu Xi could clearly see her face.

Strange? No. She was still the same Mo Li he remembered—a girl who cried easily and relied on him.

Familiar? Not entirely. Time had shaped her. Unlike Krisha, who remained eternally seventeen, Mo Li had grown, her body and demeanor reflecting the passage of years. She was taller, her hair longer, and her demeanor carried a cooler, more composed edge than before.

“Beautiful,” Xu Xi whispered as he wiped the tears from her cheeks, restoring her face to its natural radiance.

“Thank you, brother…”

Her words were familiar, but her tone was different.

In her youth, her voice had been bright and lively, filled with a child’s innocence. Now, it carried a touch of hesitation, the awkwardness of reuniting after so long.

“Mo Li, have some candy,” Xu Xi said, breaking the tension.

He opened the sugar bowl and handed her a brown gummy candy.

“Okay.”

Mo Li obediently took the candy and placed it in her mouth. Its taste wasn’t extraordinary, but its significance was profound. The emotions it carried were timeless, and the person who had given it meaning—her brother—was now sitting beside her, watching her with a gentle smile.

“Brother, this candy is delicious. I really like it,” Mo Li said, smiling softly.

Her smile was familiar, a mix of the coquettishness from her childhood and the purity of her vulnerability. It was as though time had rewound, bringing her back to those carefree days. Yet, as she smiled, tears streamed down her cheeks once more, dampening her face.

“As long as you like it, there’s plenty more. We can take our time enjoying them,” Xu Xi said, carefully wiping her tears away.

Their childhood during the first simulation had been so happy. Yet, after it ended, Mo Li had carried unimaginable sorrow in her heart. Xu Xi hoped to heal those scars, but the girl shook her head.

There was no need to cover or hide her wounds anymore. The moment Xu Xi reappeared in her life, the coldness in her heart began to melt. Simply being with him, simply looking at him, was enough to fill her with warmth and satisfaction.

“That’s fine, then,” Xu Xi said with a smile.

He instinctively reached out to pat her head but hesitated. Mo Li had grown up—she had endured years of practice and hardship. Perhaps she no longer liked such childish gestures.

Before he could pull his hand away, Mo Li grabbed his wrist and guided his palm to rest gently on her head.

“Brother, do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“When I was little, I used to complain that you patted my head too much, saying it was the reason I couldn’t grow taller.”

“If that’s the case, why are you letting me do it now?”

“Because Mo Li has grown up. I don’t need to grow taller anymore.”

Her voice was soft, her gaze fixed on Xu Xi, yet it seemed to look far beyond him, into a distant memory.