Silence reigned in the warm room. The flickering candlelight cast a warm, dancing light on the walls. Su Li remained silent for a long moment, only tightening her grip on Xiao Jue's hand. Her thousand words melted into the warmth of her palm. So that's how it was. That first snowfall that changed everything, that tattered scabbard that fell from the sky, that cry and call that transcended time and space... In some mysterious way, the Guihong Chiscabbard, following Lingbao's first cry of existence, broke free from the nothingness of Guixu, ultimately pulling that exiled soul back from the brink of eternal annihilation to the mundane world, back to... them.
[Beep! Warm reminder!] Aunt Libao's voice suddenly echoed in their minds, with a hint of suppressed excitement, [Detecting the activation of His Highness Lingbao's deep consciousness! Existential resonance surges! Star track coordinates... Locating... Zizi... Target locked: Primordial World Anchor Point!]
Su Li raised her head abruptly and looked at Xiao Jue. A sharp light flashed in Xiao Jue's eyes, and the arm holding Ling Bao subconsciously tightened.
At this moment, Lingbao's long eyelashes trembled, and she drowsily opened her eyes. She didn't cry, but simply stretched out her chubby hands, rubbed her eyes, and then looked blankly into the void on the side of the warm room. There, at some unknown time, a dreamlike painting of light and shadow unfolded silently -
Countless brilliant stars slowly moved along a mysterious trajectory, outlining a bridge paved with pure starlight, spanning the void. At one end of the bridge lay the warm lights of the warm room, illuminating the hazy yet reassuring figures of Father, Mother, and Brothers. On the other side, a bizarre world unfolded: towering buildings gleaming with neon lights, vehicles roaring past like steel behemoths, bizarre images flickering on giant screens, and people in diverse attire hurried about... It was the scene of Su Li's hometown, a scene long blurred yet deeply etched in his soul!
"Ah!" Lingbao let out a small, surprised cry. Her little hand unconsciously pointed toward the other end of the star-track bridge, her big eyes reflecting the glittering light of that strange world.
Su Li's heart felt as if gripped by an invisible hand, suddenly skipping a beat. She gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar scene, and countless fragments of deliberately sealed memories flooded back: the cold laboratory instruments, the throngs of the city, the lonely lamplight of a man working late at night, and... the blurred faces of her parents. A huge, bitter longing suddenly seized her, nearly forcing her to take a step! Home... that word held an irresistible power.
At this moment of intense emotion, a warm, strong hand grasped her cold, trembling hand. Su Li turned her head abruptly, and met Xiao Jue's deep, ocean-like eyes. There was no panic, no resistance, only a calm, gentle understanding that seemed to encompass all her hesitation. He said nothing, only tightening his grip on her hand, as if to pass on his strength to her.
At the same time, another small hand timidly grasped the edge of Su Li's clothes. It was Lingbao. She seemed to sense her mother's sudden and violent emotional fluctuations. A hint of uneasiness crossed her face. Her big eyes looked from the "colorful world" beyond the star track, then from her mother beside her. Her mouth pursed, and she whispered with a thick nasal voice, "Mom... hug me..."
The cry of "hug" was like the purest rain, instantly quenching the turbulent waves in Su Li's heart. The hustle and bustle of the world at the end of the star track suddenly faded away in the wake of her daughter's call, which was filled with the fragrance of milk and dependence, becoming distant and insignificant.
She suddenly squatted down and took Lingbao from Xiao Jue's arms, holding her tightly in her arms, her cheek pressed against her daughter's soft and warm little face, greedily breathing in the scent of milk and vitality. Lingbao immediately stretched out her little arms and hugged her mother's neck tightly, burying her little face in her neck and rubbing against her dependently.
"Mother is here... Mother won't leave..." Su Li's voice was barely audible, but she was incredibly resolute. She stood up, Lingbao in her arms, her gaze once again fixed on the bizarre world at the end of the star track. Her eyes were calm, leaving only a peaceful farewell.
"Daddy! Mommy!" The door to the warm room opened a crack, and three little heads poked in. Second child Su Heng, a mess of soft fur, cradled his golden pacifier; third child Su Yu's model of a cloud boat hovered above him; eldest child Su Chen stood at the front, his face a calmness unbecoming of his age, clutching his white jade abacus. They had evidently seen the strange star tracks, too. Curiosity crossed their faces, but more of a sense of relief at seeing their parents and sister present.
"Go to sleep?" Erbao asked while rubbing his eyes.
"Look at the stars?" Sanbao's cloud boat flew curiously towards the light and shadow of the star tracks, probing the edge.
Dabao's eyes flickered between Xinggui and his parents, the abacus beads moving silently. He walked forward, grabbed the corner of Su Li's clothes, and raised his little face: "Mom, it's time to tell my sister the bedtime story of 'Three Treasures' and 'The Giant Squid in the Void'."
Looking at the four children surrounding her, feeling the rock-hard warmth and support from Xiao Jue's palm, and then looking at the huge barrage of comments projected by Aunt Li Bao in her mind, which frantically scrolled across the screen like, "Stay, stay, stay! Isn't the hot pot delicious? Aren't these cute kids warm? Isn't it fun to argue with people?"... the last ripple in Su Li's heart completely subsided.
She held Lingbao in her arms, and smiled a relieved, warm smile at the end of the dazzling yet cold star track. She shook her head gently and silently mouthed, "Goodbye."
As if sensing her final choice, the star-track bridge that spanned the void, as if completing its final mission, began to slowly dissipate from its end. The grotesque modern scene faded like the receding tide, and the brilliant starlight gradually dimmed and converged. Finally, all the light and shadows converged into a soft, firefly-like glow, gently drifting onto Lingbao's open palm.
Lingbao curiously gazed at the warm glow in her palm and poked it with her little finger. The light silently merged into her tiny palm, leaving only a subtle warmth. She looked up at her mother and grinned, revealing a toothless smile: "Bright... warm... Lingbao's!"
The star trails dissipated, and the warm room returned to silence. The galaxy outside the window was still bright, but it no longer led to the distant other side, only gently illuminating the eaves of this world.
"Okay, let's tell a story." Su Li held Lingbao in her arms, held Xiao Jue's hand, and led the three eager little ones to the warm bed in the inner hall. "It's about... a mother who found her true home. There's the most powerful father in the family, there's Dabao who's good at accounting, there's Erbao with the invincible golden pacifier, there's Sanbao who's the master chef in Yunzhou, and there's our most amazing Lingbao, who can even chase away 'Dongdong'..."
The candlelight cast long shadows of the family on the warm wall, weaving together a timeless painting of reunion. Outside the window, the vast starry sky and the bustling world of fireworks were in full bloom. Their story had just written its most perfect prologue, and the long, happy days ahead, filled with the aroma of milk, the fragrance of hot pot, and Aunt Libao's complaints, unfolded like the boiling red soup in the pot, piping hot and vibrant.
(End of full text)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com