Chapter 172 Meeting at the Old Place, Waiting for You
Wang Xiuying didn't bother to pick them up. She rushed to her son in three steps and grabbed his hand with trembling hands: "Yun Ce, tell your mother, is it... is it that you remember?"
Xie Yunze raised his head, his gaze sweeping over his mother's graying temples before looking at his sisters who had gathered around him.
A flicker of pain crossed his eyes, and his voice was hoarse: "Mother, I'm sorry, I made you worry..."
This statement is tantamount to an admission.
Wang Xiuying's tears instantly welled up uncontrollably. She rushed forward and hugged her son tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Silly child, why are you apologizing? I'm just happy from the bottom of my heart."
“These days, I’ve watched you being so clueless all the time, like a child who never grows up. It feels like my heart is being cut by a knife, it’s so painful.”
Her body trembled slightly, her voice thick with nasal tone, and her tears were filled with heartache for her son's condition during this time, as well as joy at the thought that her son might be regaining his memory.
Second sister Xie Xiahe's eyes also reddened, and she stepped forward to gently pat her mother's back: "Little brother, you have no idea how many tears your mother has secretly shed in private."
"You talk too much." Wang Xiuying glared at her daughter feigning anger, but couldn't help but burst into laughter through her tears.
She seemed to remember something then, and hurriedly bent down to pick up the enamel cup from the ground, examining it carefully with concern: "Luckily it wasn't broken, your brother brought it back from the army..."
Xie Xiahe and Xie Dongmei exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"You two girls, all you do is laugh at your mother all day long."
Wang Xiuying laughed and scolded, but her hand gripped the enamel cup tightly, as if she were holding a treasure that had been lost and found again.
The kerosene lamp crackled and popped, casting a warm, yellow glow over the family.
Xie Yunze was overwhelmed with mixed feelings as he looked at his mother and sisters laughing and crying.
The four months he lost his memory felt like a long dream, and now that he's awakened, he realizes how much he's caused his family to suffer.
He gently grasped his mother's rough hand and said, word by word, "Mother, I'm back."
This time, they're really back.
The next day.
It was already bright outside. Xu Zhili glanced at An'an, who was still fast asleep beside her. The little guy's cheeks were rosy from sleeping.
She gently called for Ya Ya, and the tender green seedling immediately lay obediently beside An An's pillow, its leaves swaying gently as if making a promise.
Xu Zhili left a note under the enamel mug, which read neatly: "An'an, there are amaranth and meat dumplings on the stove. Remember to put a cloth on when you take them, be careful not to burn yourself. I'm going up the mountain to find food. If I find a white rabbit, I'll catch it and bring it back to keep you company. The comic book is on the table. You have to take a break after reading for a while. If you get bored, go play marbles in the yard, but don't go too far."
The reason she dared to leave An'an alone at home was entirely because of Ya Ya, her guardian spirit.
She could immediately know the slightest disturbance through their telepathic connection.
After settling everything in, Xu Zhili picked up her bamboo basket and walked towards the back mountain, her feet glistening with morning dew.
The mountain air was fresh and moist, and Xu Zhili kept an eye on her surroundings as she walked.
Occasionally, a pheasant would flap its wings and startle up from the grass. She would react quickly and store it in her spatial storage.
Upon encountering several familiar medicinal herbs, I squatted down, carefully dug them out, and put them away properly.
Before long, a huge banyan tree came into view, and sure enough, a delicate treehouse was built among its thick branches.
Xu Zhili looked up and saw Xie Yunze sitting on a railing woven from vines, his brows furrowed, glancing down the mountain from time to time, clearly having been waiting for a long time.
The moment he saw Xu Zhili, his tense expression suddenly relaxed, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a genuine smile.
That smile was like sunlight piercing through the morning mist, making Xu Zhili's heart skip a beat.
Today, Xie Yunze had changed out of his military uniform and was wearing an old, faded shirt, but his shoulders were still straight. He wore common military green trousers, and his whole body was bathed in the rising morning light, his features clear and strong.
Xu Zhili quickly averted her gaze, composed herself, as if simply to cover up her momentary loss of composure.
Just then, a familiar, sweet, caramelized aroma wafted into my nostrils.
She followed the scent and saw a small campfire still burning in the open space below the treehouse, with faint steam rising from it.
She walked over naturally, brushed away a thin layer of ash to reveal the wild melons that were baked to perfection underneath.
She carefully poked it out with a twig, and it burned her so much that she kept blowing on her fingers.
Then, she picked up a large sycamore leaf and wrapped the warm sweet potato in it, making the sweet aroma even stronger.
Holding this unexpected delight, she took a gentle bite, and the soft, sweet taste instantly spread across her tongue.
However, just as she was savoring the moment, she suddenly felt the light dim, as if something was blocking the sunlight.
She subconsciously looked up and realized that a large shadow had fallen over her.
She finally raised her head and met the gaze that had been fixed on her.
"Sister, you found something delicious, but you didn't even call me?"
Xie Yunze's clear voice, tinged with laughter, came from above.
Xu Zhili looked up at the sound and momentarily forgot what she was doing.
She was holding a warm sweet potato, with a small piece of orange-yellow sweet potato puree unconsciously sticking to the corner of her mouth, which was particularly conspicuous in the sunlight filtering through the woods.
Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes showed a mix of panic at being caught and bewilderment at not being able to react. She looked a little silly, yet exceptionally vivid.
Xie Yunze's smile deepened as he looked at her.
He naturally leaned down to meet her gaze, and then extended his hand.
Those fingers were long and slender, with calluses on the knuckles from years of training, yet they were remarkably steady.
He gently brushed his fingertip across the corner of her lips, wiping away the bit of sweet potato paste.
The movements were gentle, yet carried an undeniable intimacy.
Xu Zhili froze instantly, feeling as if the small patch of skin he had touched had been branded with a hot iron, the heat shooting up her cheeks and even making her ears burn.
Her heart was pounding like a drum, her eyes were wide open, and she almost forgot to breathe.
To her surprise, Xie Yunze's eyes darkened slightly. He looked down at the bit of sweet potato puree on his fingertip and then naturally put it into his mouth, tasted it, and nodded in his evaluation.
"Yes, my sister's sweet potatoes are really sweet."
"What...what are you doing?"
Xu Zhili seemed to have finally found her voice again, but when she spoke, she realized that she was both anxious and embarrassed, and her voice had changed tone.
She hurriedly lowered her head, wishing she could bury her burning face in the sweet potato in her hand, and dared not look at him again.
Seeing Xu Zhili's face turn red, looking both embarrassed and ashamed, Xie Yunze secretly felt that his actions just now might have been a bit rash.
He coughed lightly, trying to hide his slight embarrassment, and then gently sat down beside her, so close that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats.
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