Some people are good at hiding their true feelings, not necessarily because they are cunning, but simply because they don't want to expose their weakness in front of others. Some people are clear and transparent, which could be a facade of inconsistency between appearance and reality, or it could be a pure and innocent heart that remains untainted by the mud.
Zhong Sixin is the latter.
A pair of anxious yet expectant eyes, devoid of desire, met Lin Rui's response. He neither agreed nor refused, but simply turned and sat back down on the sofa.
"Come in."
Zhong Sixin was a little reserved. After observing for the past few days, she was 100% certain that Lin Rui was Fusheng.
"Tell me, what do you want from me?"
At first, Zhong Sixin was a little conflicted, but after meeting Lin Rui's gentle yet encouraging gaze, she gradually calmed down.
"Can you tell me what it feels like to be on the verge of death?"
After speaking in one breath, Zhong Sixin looked at Lin Rui nervously again. She had no idea of the turmoil in Lin Rui's heart after she blurted out what she had been preparing for so many days.
Although the appearance of the word "near death" was unexpected for Lin Rui, the complete fusion of his memories from the two lifetimes also gave him more composure in the face of adversity.
Lin Rui gave Zhong Sixin a deep look, his tone calm.
Why would you ask such a question out of the blue?
Lin Rui's composed demeanor failed to glean any information from Zhong Sixin, and she couldn't help but feel guilty when questioned. At this moment, she became uneasy.
"When I was three years old, a car accident took my father away. In my memory, all that remains is the smile on my father's portrait."
"When I was seven years old, my grandfather fell ill and passed away. I remember him as a very serious man who rarely smiled, but he smiled while holding my hand before he died."
When I was ten years old, my mother remarried in Yunzhou and never came back, leaving me and my grandmother to depend on each other for survival.
“My grandmother passed away when I was fifteen. That night, she seemed to realize something and left with her hunched back. Before she left, I saw a strange smile on her face.”
"It wasn't until the next day that my relatives called to inform me and helped with my grandmother's funeral arrangements."
"To raise tuition and living expenses, I worked as a caregiver in a nursing home for the three months before the start of the semester. A very kind grandmother passed away, and on her face, I saw the same smile as my grandfather before he passed away."
Lin Rui didn't comfort Zhong Sixin about her ordeal, not because he was heartless, but because he understood that Zhong Sixin wasn't revealing these experiences to gain sympathy.
At least those were eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge, nothing more.
After pondering it for a while, Lin Rui realized that the problem lay in the word "smile".
The repeated and deliberate use of these words is hard not to raise suspicions. He just doesn't understand how Zhong Sixin is so certain that he can provide the answer.
After a moment of careful consideration, could it be that when he first arrived in Yuezhou and his memories merged at the peak of his ten points of stress resistance, his unintentional changes in expression were noticed?
This is the only reasonable explanation Lin Rui could find.
After taking a deep look at Zhong Sixin, who was full of curiosity, Lin Rui couldn't help but sigh, "She's a girl with amazing observation skills."
"The person is gone; is it meaningful to talk about these things now?"
"have."
Zhong Sixin's gaze was firm.
"I understand, come with me."
Lin Rui got up and walked towards the door. Zhong Sixin's eyes lit up, and she immediately followed, closing the suite door behind her.
The two entered the elevator one after the other and eventually arrived at the hotel's fourth-floor lounge.
The restaurant is right next to the lounge. It's not mealtime yet, so the whole corridor is empty, with only one or two waiters passing by occasionally.
An old piano is placed to the right of the lounge, right next to the restaurant. When the restaurant hosts a banquet, the hotel usually invites some pianists to play and entertain.
Less than three meters away, there were three massage chairs. Lin Rui pointed ahead and said, "Go lie down there and relax."
Zhong Sixin nodded obediently and sat down on the massage chair without hesitation.
After Zhong Sixin lay down, Lin Rui sat down in front of the piano and gently stroked the black and white keys.
Instead of rushing to play, Lin Rui first checked the system interface.
Active Aura!
[Conduction I]
The conducting aura can act on itself or on others.
[Conduction I] can only produce an increase of 1.1 times, which is a bit poor, but better than nothing.
As for its function, it is reflected in deepening the understanding of the eighteen realms.
What are the Eighteen Realms?
Six roots.
The six dusts.
The six senses.
Lin Rui continued to gently stroke the black and white piano keys, his mind flashing through some of the pieces he had bought, before finally choosing one.
—Asphyxia.
"This piece of music is called Suffocation."
Is he suffocating?
Zhong Sixin thought to herself.
As the clear piano music began, Zhong Sixin suddenly felt as if she were there, as if a pair of soft little hands were gently brushing across her forehead.
She was unaware that this sense of immersion came from the conductive halo; she simply admired Lin Rui's skill on the piano.
Slightly melancholic piano music lingered in her ears, and her thoughts gradually drifted back to when she was three years old, standing in front of her father's funeral hall, listening to her grandparents and mother wailing.
Soon, her thoughts drifted back to the rainy night before her grandfather passed away, his hand trembling as he held hers tightly, filled with reluctance.
The illness made her already battered and broken body even worse. When her withered right hand quietly fell, she saw the smile on her grandfather's face—a smile of relief.
Zhong Sixin tried to wake her grandfather, but the scene shifted to the night when she was fifteen.
Zhong Sixin saw the sorrow on her grandmother's face as she approached her end, and the hesitation in her eyes when she looked at her.
She sensed that her grandmother didn't want to leave like this, because she couldn't bear to leave her helpless granddaughter.
Unfortunately, the idea that "man can conquer nature" is just a beautiful lie. Heaven wanted to take away her little remaining time, and she was powerless to resist. But she didn't want her granddaughter to see her close her eyes and leave this world.
She had to support her already aching body and stagger away from the old house, not wanting to collapse there and leave this clean little home shrouded in gloom.
But she could never let go of her granddaughter whom she had raised for so many years. She wanted to see her granddaughter holding her college acceptance letter, and she wanted to see her granddaughter walk down the aisle.
Unfortunately, despite all the regrets, nothing can overcome the pain of separation by death.
She looked at her granddaughter behind the door, and at that moment, she smiled.
My child, may everything be well for you in the future.
"grandmother…"
Zhong Sixin uttered unconscious murmurs. She finally understood the smile; it was a blessing.
She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Lin Rui continued to play the piano lightly. He was also somewhat surprised that the conduction halo had actually put Zhong Sixin into a hypnotic state.
While it cannot be denied that both piano technique and the music played played a part, the effect still surprised Lin Rui.
It's important to understand that this is only the first stage of transmission!
"Don't go..."
"grandfather…"
"dad…"
"grandmother…"
Zhong Sixin occasionally uttered unconscious murmurs. Lin Rui was unsure whether this seemingly strong but actually fragile and pitiful girl had found the answer she was looking for, but he did not intend to continue.
The function of the conduction halo is still unclear, and to avoid any undesirable side effects, he must reassure it as soon as possible.
Some things cannot be accomplished overnight by taking things for granted, otherwise they will inevitably backfire. This is a psychological issue, and what it needs is healing, not depression.
Lin Rui's eyes flashed, and the rhythm of his fingertips suddenly changed.
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