Qianyuan enters the instance but cannot find Shi Qianxi and Ilya.

What appeared around him was a road made up of countless mirrors.

I don't know where it leads, nor where I'm headed.

But Qianyuan was worried about their safety, so she had to take two steps forward and fall headfirst into a mirror.

Qianyuan found herself in a familiar place.

But he couldn't remember where he was for a moment.

As Qianyuan walked down the corridor, she saw a figure she hadn't seen in a long time.

The figure was as upright and reliable as ever, but his temples were slightly gray, and he looked much more lonely and weathered.

Qianyuan was momentarily dazed.

The reason he couldn't remember was because Qianyuan never expected to see his father from the previous world here.

Orc Shen Qianyu.

"dad."

Qianyuan didn't even dare to walk over, afraid that the illusion would dissipate, so he could only call out softly, lest he disturb the person he longed for day and night in his dream.

Shen Qianyu seemed not to hear.

"dad?"

Qianyuan could only call out closer, but Shen Qianyu remained standing in the same spot, unable to hear Qianyuan's voice.

"Dad!" Qianyuan rushed to Shen Qianyu, but Shen Qianyu seemed not to see her at all, his gaze fixed blankly into the distance.

He had a cigarette between his fingers, and the ashtray next to him was full of cigarette butts that had only recently burned out.

The wine bottle was placed on the table, along with a few documents scattered around.

Qianyuan looked down and saw a fat-headed snake that he had carved on the table when he was a child.

It's both abstract and unattractive; you could say it ruins the aesthetic.

But Dad didn't ask anyone to replace the table; instead, he kept trying to preserve these traces, as if they were from yesterday.

This is the essence of remembering someone by seeing an object.

At that moment, the assistant uncle walked in.

The assistant uncle also seemed to have changed a lot. He was no longer as serious and rigid as before, and spoke to Shen Qianyu more like he was talking to an old friend.

"It's the anniversary of Zai Zai's death, aren't you going to visit?"

Shen Qianyu did not reply.

"Fine, I know you keep saying the cub isn't dead, so I won't force you to watch these rituals, lest you be even more heartbroken."

"I passed by the Northwest Ring Road and bought some snacks that young orcs have been liking lately. I thought my little one would like them too, so I brought them back without thinking."

Shen Qianyu stared at the packaging bag on the table, remaining silent and unmoved.

The assistant came and went.

As the sun set and night fell, Shen Qianyu remained in that same position, motionless.

At ten o'clock, the clock in the office rang, and Shen Qianyu walked back to the room where he and the cub lived.

Qianyuan knew why, because the cubs always fell asleep at this time.

Shen Qianyu would carry the cub back to bed, hug the cub, pat its back, tell it stories, and sing to it until the cub and he both fell into a deep sleep.

Now, that noisy little guy is no longer in the room.

Shen Qianyu transformed into a snake. The giant black snake, covered in knife wounds and scars and battle-hardened, was now just a pitiful snake, disheartened and lonely.

He slowly swam into the protective circle formed by the plush toys on the bed. Even though the circle would only get smaller and smaller for Shen Qianyu, he still tried his best to tuck himself in. He curled up until he finally managed to coil himself up into a tight black disc, his tail drooping by the bedside, his head resting on the plush toys, and fell asleep smelling the scent of the cubs on the toys.

Qianyuan looked at the unaltered furniture and decorations in the room, and then at the black snake that slept curled up in the small bed every day. Tears welled up in her eyes and she could no longer hold them back.

He walked over and stroked his father's majestic scales, wanting his father to hear his voice and feel his embrace, but all he got was a barely perceptible breeze.

Until a tear fell on Shen Qianyu's scales, still warm.

Qian Yuan continued to cross another mirror, where the antique buildings and pavilions overwhelmed him with countless memories.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty——"

The familiar shout made Qian Yuan turn his head. He immediately saw Emperor Chong Le riding past him, and the palace maids and servants who were used to sprinting past him.

Emperor Chongle seemed to have just returned from hunting, with a live rabbit tied to his horse. The rabbit's color was unusual, a rare meteorite color.

If the cubs saw this, they would definitely come over and kiss his cheek, praising their father as the most amazing person in the world.

I love you so much.

The cub would whisper sweetly in his ear, but instead of holding him, it would hold the rabbit in its arms tenderly.

Emperor Chongle would then hold the little boy, listening to his sweet words while wiping away the crumbs of cookies he had secretly eaten from the corner of his mouth.

If he were to turn an overweight cub upside down and shake it, all sorts of random little things would come out.

Finally, Emperor Chongle also checked his sleeves and the hem of his robe.

After all the little things have been shaken out and the cub has been punished, let him snuggle in his father's arms and apologize with kisses.

But now no one praises him for being amazing, no one comes to affectionately touch his cheek, and no one hides pastries and toys in his sleeves and under his clothes.

No one calls him "father" anymore.

Emperor Chongle reined in his horse and used his light footwork to leap onto the roof.

This is the second favorite place for young dragons to perch.

He said this would show off his imposing and powerful physique.

His favorite thing to do is to coil around his father, or wear it as a necklace around his neck, or as an armband on his arm, or use his father as a pillar, shrinking to his own size and resting his head on his father's head. He looks majestic, but he can't help but chirp whenever he sees his father.

When Emperor Chongle had no children to care for, he only needed to wear his crown once a day. But after having children who frolicked all over him like puppies, he had to groom himself at least five times a day.

But now his personal eunuch is free again.

Emperor Chongle disapproved of their idleness and punished them by cutting off their salaries.

But the eunuchs who used to greet him with smiles no matter what he did were now all looking mournful.

"Your Majesty, you must not grieve too much... The young prince sacrificed his destiny to save you and millions of people of the Great Yu, and he would never want to see you so depressed."

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health!!!"

Emperor Chongle's face darkened, and he told them all to get out, or they would stay and be used as wooden stakes for him to poke and play with.

The palace servants then left.

Emperor Chongle sighed, but he had nowhere to vent his loneliness.

A subject can only be a subject, a servant can only be a servant; they all have a few close friends and relatives, but he is all alone...

He did not want to face the empty palace alone. As the cub said, standing on high ground overlooking the land and watching the fleeting life, one can see the happy smiles on the faces of one's people.

That way, your heart won't feel empty or in pain.

For as long as Emperor Chongle stayed on the roof, the palace servants below stood guard. It was Qianyuan, who couldn't transform into a dragon, who had to climb the ladder for a while before finally reaching Emperor Chongle's side and tugging at his sleeve to keep him company.