LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 97:
Chapter 97: Mo Li? Mo Li.:
“Woooooooooooooo…”
The long, mournful sound echoed faintly, blending with the rustling of dry leaves rubbing against each other in the courtyard.
Time had flown by.
When Xu Xi and Krisha reunited, it was the early days of autumn, with cool breezes weaving through the air. Now, two months later, they found themselves in the quiet desolation of late autumn. Winter would soon arrive, harsh and unyielding, replacing the remnants of fall. The passage of time felt strange—like water slipping through one’s fingers. Everyone could feel its disappearance, but it wasn’t truly understood until the “water” was nearly gone.
In the bedroom, Xu Xi approached a tall storage cabinet. His gaze lingered on the sugar bowl and wand inside as he sank into deep thought. Over the past two months, he had poured considerable effort into coaxing his sister to reveal herself in the real world, but it was all in vain. Despite his attempts, there was no response from her.
Through subtle signs, Xu Xi could sense that his sister was still around, watching him, but she remained hidden. No matter what he tried—calling her name, rearranging the sugar bowl with Krisha’s help, or creating scenarios to draw her out—she gave no indication of appearing.
Was she still angry about the past? Did she hold onto unresolved grievances?
“What could it be?” Xu Xi muttered softly.
Unable to communicate directly or discern her true feelings, Xu Xi was left to guess the reasons for her refusal to emerge. But all his assumptions led nowhere. As his third simulation loomed closer, the girl still showed no intention of revealing herself.
He didn’t even know if she was observing him now or if she was far away, lost in her own thoughts.
“Huh…” The gentle sound of wind brushed past his ears.
Xu Xi opened the cabinet, retrieved the porcelain sugar bowl, and placed it alongside the Eternal Teardrop on a small wooden table in the bedroom. These two items represented the sole connection to his sister after the first simulation—the sugar bowl, a gift of candy he had given her, and the Eternal Teardrop, a token she had left for him.
“Speaking of which, I’ve never actually tried the candy inside,” Xu Xi murmured, sitting down and gazing at the cylindrical, light-blue bowl with a wistful expression.
In the first simulation, nearly all the candy he bought was given to Mo Li. Xu Xi himself had never found it particularly delicious, yet Mo Li seemed to adore it. She always lit up with joy whenever he handed her a piece.
“Let’s try one,” he decided.
Opening the lid, Xu Xi retrieved a small white hard candy from the pile. Placing it in his mouth, he tasted a light malt aroma with a faint hint of glutinous rice flour.
The candy was hard, meant to be savored slowly.
The sweetness was accompanied by a subtle tang.
Was it delicious? Xu Xi thought it was decent—a pleasant snack, but nothing addictive.
“Did that kid Mo Li pretend to like sweets just to make me happy?” Xu Xi paused, his expression turning contemplative.
He recalled how, during the first simulation, Mo Li had always been precocious, sometimes displaying maturity beyond her years.
She had never openly shown a fondness for sweets at Forest Sword Peak but would always accept them without complaint. Xu Xi had never questioned this. He assumed she loved candy and continued buying it for her without a second thought.
“It seems I really was an incompetent brother…” Xu Xi leaned back in his chair, letting his weight rest against the wooden frame as he stared at the ceiling.
“The reason she accepted them every time was simply to avoid making me sad.”
“Was I… too presumptuous?”
“Not only did I rarely consider her feelings, but I also imposed my own decisions on her life, hid her ability to shape spiritual roots, and concocted lies to avoid responsibility.”
Sunlight poured through the window, casting fine patterns on the wooden table. It illuminated the porcelain jar filled with candies and the warm, blood-red glow of the Eternal Teardrop, making their surfaces gleam.
Xu Xi sat silently, lost in thought. He felt he had uncovered the true reason why his sister refused to appear. The weight of his actions had likely been too much for a young girl to bear. Especially his decision to leave the Tianjian Sect before her death—those final words he had spoken to Mo Li must have left a deep wound in her heart.
“I’m sorry, Mo Li…” Xu Xi whispered. “As your older brother, I failed you.”
The candy in his mouth released a sweetness that contrasted with the bitterness in his heart. After a long pause, Xu Xi spoke into the empty room, unsure if his sister was listening but compelled to express his regret.
“I’m sorry… truly sorry,” he said softly, his voice tinged with guilt.
With a gentle motion, he closed the sugar bowl’s lid and returned it to its original place. Just as he did, a sudden wetness brushed against the back of his hand.
Sweat? The cold autumn air made that impossible.
Rain? The sunny courtyard ruled that out as well.
What was this unexpected dampness?
“Brother, I’m sorry…”
“…I’m sorry… it’s all my fault… all my fault…”
A weight pressed onto Xu Xi’s shoulders, accompanied by quiet sobs. He felt arms, pale like jade lotuses, wrapping around his neck from behind. The embrace was warm yet trembling.
Tears flowed freely as Mo Li’s suppressed emotions broke free, and her cries filled the room. Unlike Krisha’s silent tears, Mo Li’s outpouring was raw and unrestrained. It was an eruption of guilt, self-blame, and the burden of years of separation.
Xu Xi was momentarily stunned before his expression softened. He gently held her hands, his voice carrying the warmth of the past: “Welcome home, Mo Li.”
The girl’s sobs grew louder, her cries filled with pent-up sorrow. The years of regret and pain she carried for Xu Xi’s death had shattered under the weight of his apology. The stark contrast between her guilt and his forgiveness broke her defenses, leaving her vulnerable and fragile.
Outside the door, Krisha stood silently, holding a tray with tea and desserts prepared for Xu Xi. Her silver-gray hair gleamed in the sunlight, but her indifferent expression remained unchanged. Normally, she would have entered the room without hesitation.
But Mo Li’s cries stopped her in her tracks.
Just this once. Only this once.
The witch turned away, choosing to leave them in peace. For this rare moment, she allowed time to belong to them. But from now on, the witch who claimed to have no emotions would no longer tolerate such indulgences.