"This is the smell of 'overspeed heartbeat'." His voice, a mixture of the sweetness of flower petals and the coldness of a sword, set off fireworks of 'promise' in her ears. "Now I can tell you - that day in the nursery, when the fireflies landed on your eyelashes, what I smelled was not the scent of cedar, but the scent of 'wanting to keep this softness forever'." Lin Yue looked up at the galaxies in his pupils and discovered that all her parallel universe selves had found their home in the same smile.
The Answer Tree bore fruit again at the maze's exit. This time, the fruit was no longer divided into "you" and "me," but a transparent "we" crystal, flowing with all the flavors of both past and future. A black cat crouched atop the crystal, its tail curled into a navigation arrow. "Next stop is the 'Habit Formation Zone.' Remember to bring plenty of 'Tolerance Seasoning' and 'Compromise Spice.'" Xia Zichen squeezed Lin Yue's hand. The Star Pattern Sword and the Wind Pocket simultaneously emitted a resonant light, illuminating the nebula entrance ahead, where the inscription "Co-Evolution" was written.
Old Zhang's pocket watch ticked, the hands stopping at the scale of "Infinity Approaching Eternity." Lin Yue suddenly recalled the fragments of the original Guardian's diary. It turns out that the unfinished sentences were never meant to maintain suspense, but to create a desire to continue with each "next." She looked at the lingering red on Xia Zichen's ears and suddenly felt that, rather than a perfect confession, this kind of clumsy yet courageous exploration was the most vital nourishment for the "emotional synapse."
The wind carried the scent of "next step" past, and the crystal of "us" warmed in my palm. It was a more complex experience than any known taste—an adventure, the unknown, and a gentleness that allowed each other to grow in chaos. Xia Zichen looked down at her and noticed that the curve of her hair was now pointing towards his heart. His sword-gripping hand had learned to let down all its guard in an embrace.
(End of Chapter 40)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
