It was a thick book with a creamy white cover that had turned yellow and the edges were worn and mottled.
The photo album was opened, and the first photo that caught the eye was taken in front of the carousel at an amusement park, showing a family of four.
The man was refined, the woman was radiant, and the two children, a boy and a girl, only reached the adults' waists and were both very beautiful and adorable.
It was winter, and everyone was wearing thick cotton-padded clothes, the kind of old-fashioned style from ten years ago.
The radiant woman wore a gray plaid scarf around her neck, which clashed with her red belted down jacket and looked more like a man's style.
Two children stood in the middle holding hands, while two adults stood on either side, each holding one child's hand. The family of four held hands tightly, and everyone was smiling happily.
Pei Zhi knelt by the bay window, his fingers unconsciously stroking the photo, his eyes suddenly welling up with tears.
Beside him, Pei Xi opened his eyes groggily.
Seeing Pei Zhi in front of her, she paused for a few seconds, then asked softly with some hesitation, "...Brother?"
Pei Zhi snapped out of his daze, squeezed his eyes shut to ward off the heat in them, and asked softly, "Did I wake you up?"
"No, my hand just went numb from being pressed down."
Pei Xi shook his head, sat up, and moved his wrists.
Seeing this, Pei Zhi got up and sat down next to her, massaging her wrist with his large hand. "If you want to sleep, go back to your room. It's not comfortable to sleep here."
Pei Xi gave a barely perceptible "hmm," then picked up the photo album next to him, handed it to Pei Zhi, pointed to the photo, and said, "By the way, brother, look what I found?"
"What?"
Pei Zhi scanned the area but didn't find anything unusual.
“Look at this.”
Pei Xi pointed to the bottom right corner of the photo.
There was a little boy there.
He was about the same size as them in the photo, squatting by the fence, holding a large bunch of colorful cartoon balloons.
The boy's face was blurred, becoming an indistinct blur, and his clothes were ill-fitting and very worn.
He seemed very cold, squatting on the ground, trying to curl himself up into a ball.
"Do you remember him?" Pei Xi asked. "I didn't expect him to be in this photo."
Pei Zhi pursed his lips, hesitating slightly before asking, "The one selling balloons?"
He remembered that it was a very cold day. Pei Xi and he went to the boy to buy balloons. The boy was about their age and was pitifully cold, with his hands red and swollen and covered in chilblains.
Pei Xi nodded, "Yes, it's him."
She held the photo up a little closer.
A long time has passed, and she has long forgotten what this person she met once looked like.
I was particularly struck by his worn-out, ill-fitting clothes and the shocking frostbite on his hands.
She looked at the blurry face and murmured, "I wonder how he's doing now."
Pei Zhi paused for a moment, then raised his hand to rub Pei Xi's head and said softly, "Just pretend he's doing well."
When something is uncertain, try to think positively.
Pei Xi nodded, as if the box of memories had been suddenly opened. She turned to look at Pei Zhi, her eyes sparkling. "I remember, there was an auntie selling pretty and delicious food as soon as you entered the store."
She smiled and said, "There are also roasted sweet potatoes, fresh out of the oven, hot and warm, you can even warm your hands with them, and they taste so delicious."
"And that pirate ship..."
Pei Xi.
Before she could finish speaking, Pei Zhi suddenly raised his hand and cupped Pei Xi's face, interrupting her.
Under the moonlight, Pei Xi's amber pupils appeared even clearer, untouched by any dust.
Pei Zhi looked down at her, his Adam's apple bobbing, and asked softly, "Do you miss your father?"
Pei Xi did not respond.
After a while, a tearful "Mmm" came from inside the room.
Pei Zhi felt a pang in his heart. He pulled Pei Xi into his arms, one arm around her shoulder, the other stroking her hair gently.
His throat tightened, but Pei Zhi tried his best to control his emotions, his voice unusually gentle, "Your brother is here too."
Pei Xihuan's hand around Pei Zhi's waist gradually tightened.
After a long time, Pei Zhi heard a heavy gasp coming from his arms.
"I've found that if I don't look at photos, I'm almost forgetting my dad's face."
Pei Xi's voice was buzzing, yet it was so hot that it made Pei Zhi's heart clench.
Her gentle voice carried an emotion called guilt, which made Pei Zhi feel a tightness in his chest, as if he were about to suffocate.
He hugged Pei Xi tighter, his Adam's apple bobbing laboredly, "Yes, brother knows."
He paused for a moment, then said, "It's...perfectly normal for memories to fade."
“That’s normal.” He repeated, “Pei Xi.”
Pei Xi gave a muffled "hmm," and Pei Zhi hugged her even tighter.
He always thought, "If only there were no illnesses in this world."
That way, they won't lose their father before they're even ten years old.
Even though Pei Xi didn't say it, he was very aware that his impression of his father was becoming increasingly blurred year by year.
The image of my father—gentle, refined, and knowledgeable, who always patiently cared for them and told them many interesting stories—is becoming increasingly blurred in my mind, gradually fading into a mere shadow of memory.
Of course, this also means that, year after year, he and his sister have grown up.
The two little children, like two tiny mushrooms, leaned against each other, comforting one another, and getting through every long, cold winter.
Then he grew into a tall teenager.
This is probably what Dad wanted to see.
He nuzzled Pei Xi's hair with his chin, just like countless nights when it was only the two of them when they were children. His voice was deep and reliable as he said, "It's okay, your brother is here."
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