"It's because I didn't know how to explain it to you that I hesitated to speak."
Yin Ming sighed softly, lowered his head, and drank the tea in his cup in one gulp.
At this point, drinking is actually more appropriate, because some things are easier to say when one is drunk.
There is another crucial point, which Yin Ming is unsure how to articulate.
Yin Ming was hesitating whether to take out a jar of spirit spring wine from his spatial ring and have a few drinks when Ling Yao, sitting opposite him, suddenly gently grasped his hand on the table, as if to calm his restless heart.
"If the events in the story are too complicated to explain, then it's fine if Yin Ming doesn't say anything."
Lingyao's deliberately lowered voice was soft and gentle, like the comfortable feeling of a breeze brushing past your ear.
Yin Ming subconsciously looked up at him and met his dark, bright eyes.
Those eyes were firm and clear, without the slightest confusion or fear.
Yin Ming suddenly felt like laughing; it turned out that he was the one overreacting.
But the less Lingyao pressed for details, the less Yinming wanted to hide it from him.
So be it.
Although it's unknown whether Lingyao can accept it, it's a decision he has to make himself.
All Yin Ming could do was tell him everything he knew and then quietly wait for his response.
Thinking this, Yin Ming smiled with relief and grasped Ling Yao's hand in return.
Seemingly drawing a continuous stream of energy from the warm touch beneath his hands, Yin Ming unraveled the threads of his chaotic thoughts and finally discovered the reason why he had hesitated to tell Ling Yao about his transmigration into the book—
He didn't say it at first, perhaps because he thought Lingyao wouldn't believe him anyway, and would instead misinterpret it as a fabricated story to exonerate him.
But later I became genuinely afraid.
He was not only afraid that Lingyao would find out he was just a fictional character and his worldview would collapse, but he was also afraid that Lingyao would think he was an alien and thus despise him.
He was even afraid... afraid that Lingyao would abandon him once he found out he wasn't the real villain from the original story.
Yes, it's because of fear.
When Yin Ming realized this, he finally understood what kind of feelings he had for Ling Yao.
The Heart Sutra says, "Because there is no hindrance, there is no fear."
The general idea is that if you have no worries in your heart, you won't have any fear.
Conversely, as long as a person has obstacles and concerns, they will never be able to escape the entanglement of suffering.
Therefore, 'fear' is, in a way, proof of caring.
Yin Ming's kindness towards Ling Yao was sometimes so profound that even he himself couldn't tell whether it stemmed from sympathy for Ling Yao's plight or from some other reason.
To put it more clearly, without realizing it, he also fell in love with Lingyao.
He was afraid that his identity as a transmigrator would be exposed and affect his current relationship with Ling Yao, so he wanted to keep it buried deep in his heart.
The possibility of having a different identity is like a thorn stuck in one's heart.
As his feelings for Lingyao deepen, this thorn will inevitably grow stronger and stronger, at which point he will become increasingly anxious and insecure, until he is filled with constant fear and unease.
It's better to be honest now and remove the thorn as soon as possible.
Yin Ming took a deep breath and mustered his courage to speak:
"Actually, there's nothing to be ashamed of. I was just worried you wouldn't be able to handle all of this, but now it seems you're much more resilient than I am—"
"When I found myself inexplicably in this world, I was far less calm than you are now."
The hand clasped in his palm seemed to tighten slightly. Sensing the slight resistance in this action, Yin Ming felt a sudden wave of disappointment and silently withdrew his hand.
As the warm, smooth touch faded, Yin Ming felt a sudden emptiness wash over him.
Lingyao showed no reaction to his deliberate distancing, and Yin Ming's eyes darkened. He forced himself to pretend not to care and continued:
“Yes, Yao… I’ve not only read the storybook, I’m not even… the real Yin Ming.”
A breeze seemed to have picked up outside the hall, causing the candlelight to flicker and dim, making it difficult to discern Lingyao's expression.
Yin Ming couldn't see or guess what he was feeling at that moment, only hearing him ask in a deep voice:
"So, does Yin Ming mean that he comes from another world?"
“Yes.” Yin Ming picked up the teacup in front of him and gently swirled it, recalling the real world that he had almost forgotten.
"Since this world is a storybook, there will naturally be people who write stories, and I come from the world that person lives in."
Yin Ming's gaze shifted, his lingering eyes landing on Ling Yao's incomparably handsome face. "A Yao, after hearing all this, what are your thoughts? Are you... afraid?"
Lingyao pursed her lips, and after a long while, finally nodded gently.
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