Chapter 129 If we have the chance to meet again, don't admit your mistake again.

The question was asked by Yu Qingzhou.

After thinking about it, Pipa finally decided to go and take a look.

...What if?

If that is the end, then before the curtain falls, Pipa feels that a simple farewell should be made.

Having experienced too many abrupt departures without saying goodbye, he was deeply weary of it all, and at least didn't want to become the kind of person he hated.

Moreover, since her last hasty escape, Pipa has not seen Li Xiao again.

There are countless reasons, but frankly, they are all just excuses.

No matter how eloquently she spoke, Pipa couldn't help but feel some resentment.

Regarding Li Xiao's disappearance back then...

The current misidentification of Li Xiao...

But if everything is about to come to an end, it doesn't seem so unacceptable.

Pipa was somewhat surprised to see Shen Yun at the prison cell door.

The young man seemed to have lost some weight, but his skin was still fair, though his eyes were slightly bluish, and he looked listless, as if he hadn't had a proper rest in a while.

When she met those long-lost dark eyes, Pipa couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in her heart. She subconsciously reached for her waist, only to realize that she had forgotten the dagger when she changed her clothes.

What a coincidence, I always carried it with me before.

It seems that I will not be able to return the items to the other party in person after all.

Pipa called out to Master Shen.

Just like back when we were at the Flower Moon Pavilion.

Shen Yun's eyes flickered slightly, but in the end she only nodded slightly, and then opened the last door lock in front of the boy.

As the lamps on the wall lit up.

Pipa heard the soft clanging of metal chains again, and the figure huddled in the corner gradually emerged in the firelight.

"Li Xiao".

"..."

"Young Master Li."

"..."

"Ah Xiao?"

Pipa called out each of those names.

As the final sound faded, Li Xiao finally raised his head, his eyes seeming slightly duller than the last time he was seen.

On his pale face, which wasn't covered by bandages, his emerald eyes were still beautiful, but they lacked vitality, making him look more like a finely crafted doll.

Pipa walked over and placed the box of snacks she had brought on a small table to the side.

They opened it and placed each item in front of Li Xiao.

These were all snacks that Li Xiao used to love, along with a bowl of red bean dumplings with sweet osmanthus blossoms floating in the water.

Seemingly stimulated by the sweet fragrance filling the room, Li Xiao's throat bobbed slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the boy's face.

The loquat smiled at the other person and asked, "Want some?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao blinked once, then mumbled a response from his throat, but made no other move.

Pipa then used a handkerchief as a pad to hold the pastry to Li Xiao's lips.

Almost as soon as the food was handed over, Li Xiao opened her mouth and took a bite. Sugar crumbs and pastry immediately fell out in a shower.

Some of the food got directly onto Li Xiao's lips, but the young man seemed completely oblivious, continuing to chew his food.

At the same time, his eyes were fixed on the person feeding him, as if the person were some delicious condiment.

Wait until everything in your mouth is swallowed clean.

It simply opens its mouth to indicate that it's ready to be fed again.

Pipa then handed over the pastries.

This continued until all the pastries were eaten by Li Xiao.

Pipa gently wiped the crumbs of pastry from the young man's lips with her handkerchief, but when she tried to take it back, it was suddenly grabbed.

A slightly cool sensation came from my wrist.

Then the palm...

Pipa watched as the young man placed one cheek in his palm and gently rubbed it in a pleading manner. Besides the smooth, soft touch of his skin, she could also feel the gentle movement of his hair, accompanied by his warm breath.

It felt a little itchy, and also a little tingly.

My fingertips trembled unconsciously.

They say the ten fingers are connected to the heart, and that's probably true, otherwise why would my heart suddenly clench with pain for no reason?

Feeling Pipa pull her hand back, Li Xiao almost instinctively tightened his grip.

However, upon seeing the other person frown, he showed a self-reproachful and flustered expression, like a child who had done something wrong.

Li Xiao was genuinely afraid.

He was afraid that if he did something wrong, the other party would suddenly run away like last time.

And then I don't know when we'll see each other again.

"Li Xiao, it hurts," Pipa said, frowning.

Upon hearing the boy say this, Li Xiao was stunned for a moment. Despite feeling extremely reluctant, she slowly let go of him.

Pipa noticed Li Xiao's reluctance.

He ignored the red marks on his wrist and asked Li Xiao if he wanted to eat more glutinous rice balls.

"Do you remember? The first time we spent the winter solstice together. That night, you put coins into dumplings filled with cilantro, hoping to bring good luck and make Lan Gongzi happy, but I ended up eating them. It made me so cold that I couldn't speak without shivering all winter."

"..."

Li Xiao did not answer, but the fluctuation in his eyes proved that he was trying hard to recall everything the boy had said.

“I also made some glutinous rice balls that time. But they weren’t very round, so you made a lot of fun about it. You may have forgotten about it, but I’ve always remembered it.”

Pipa paused slightly before continuing, "Back then, you would always make fun of me and cause me trouble. I was so annoyed with you. I thought, how could there be such an annoying person in the world?"

Hearing the word "disgusting" uttered by the boy, Li Xiao's shoulders trembled violently.

Her crimson lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words. She could only look at the loquat pitifully and innocently with her one and only eye, as if she was telling her grievances with her gaze.

Pipa saw this and chuckled softly: "Of course, you're not always that mean to me, otherwise how could I have fallen for you?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao's eyes visibly brightened; this time, he genuinely wanted to speak.

But as soon as I opened my mouth, a chewy, glutinous rice ball was fed to my lips.

"Try it," Pipa said with a smile.

As if bewitched by the smile on the boy's face, Li Xiao froze for a moment, then opened his mouth and swallowed back the glutinous rice balls and the words he wanted to say.

"Do you want more? Nod if you do," Pipa asked softly.

Li Xiao nodded, and then scooped up another spoonful of loquat.

As he fed them, he talked on and on about things from the past.

What was once said, what was never said... little by little, like patiently untangling a knotted ball of yarn, revealing the past one by one.

Li Xiao chewed slower and slower, and then stopped altogether, staring intently at the boy, at his calm eyes, and at his opening and closing lips.

Gradually, various images began to appear in his mind.

Snow-covered winter days, willow-catkin-filled spring days, scorching summer days, and slightly bleak autumn days.

In every season, in every scene, there is always the person in front of you.

From a naive toddler, to a tall and straight young boy, and now... now...

"Actually, the first time I saw you, I thought, how could there be such a beautiful person in this world? It's a pity that when a beauty opens her mouth, she only knows how to curse."

"..."

"I didn't understand anything and just stood there, not knowing what to do. Luckily, Young Master Lan came to my rescue. At that time, I never imagined that one day I would hear this grumpy person say that he liked me."

Pipa spoke quietly, and Li Xiao listened quietly, though the expression on his face changed from time to time as she spoke.

Upon hearing the boy say that he had confessed his feelings to her, Li Xiao showed a somewhat awkward expression, as if she was shy, but also as if she couldn't help but feel secretly happy.

Pipa saw all of this and silently put down her bowl and spoon.

“Fate is truly a magical thing, easily connecting two unrelated people.” Pipa sighed softly, slowly standing up under Li Xiao’s puzzled gaze.

Then she continued, "But fate is also such an elusive thing. Sometimes, even if you grasp it, you may not be able to hold on to it tightly. Like you and me, in the end, our fate is too shallow."

As soon as the boy finished speaking, the smile that had been on Li Xiao's face vanished completely.

He looked at the boy in front of him with a mixture of surprise and fear, who could leave at any moment.

He squeezed out a hoarse, broken voice from his throat.

“No, no, I…we…” he said, his voice choked by the thick smoke.

Trying to salvage something through words.

But the loquat retreated, retreating until it was out of reach of the chains.

She then spoke again: "Li Xiao, I've come to say goodbye. I really liked you because you were so wonderful. Because I thought you liked me too. But you were wrong, so I misunderstood as well. But now that I know, it's not too late."

"..."

"Alright, that's all for now. If we meet again next time, don't apologize again. Otherwise, even the person you like will probably be unhappy."