The girl was still crying, weeping out the grievances in her heart, weeping out the guilt she felt.
From her fragmented words, Xu Xi finally understood the real reason why Mo Li had been reluctant to meet him.
It was the regret of witnessing the death of a loved one and being powerless to do anything. It was the escape from the harsh reality of becoming a heavy burden.
"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..."
"It's all my fault. I caused my brother's death..."
"I'm the one who's wrong. I'm the one who caused my brother to lose his life. I'm the one who should be apologizing..."
Xu Moli's voice grew increasingly mournful, gradually turning into pure sobbing.
She leaned on Xu Xi's back, burying her head into his shoulder. All her regret turned into crystal-clear tears, soaking the shoulder she relied on.
Once a frail girl, she had now become an existence transcending eternity.
But even now, she still couldn't forgive herself.
She couldn't forgive the version of herself who had caused her brother's death, who had been powerless throughout, who could only wail in despair.
"Mo Li."
Xu Xi's voice rang in the girl's ears once more, causing her body to tremble.
Was her brother going to scold her now?
Would he not accept the changes in her?
None of the fears the immortal girl had imagined came to pass.
Instead, slow and gentle words, like warm spring sunlight brushing against her cheeks, reached her: "You've been through a lot all by yourself, haven't you?"
"I'm sorry. I've been too late."
There was no trace of blame in the man's voice. On the contrary, it was filled with tenderness, constantly comforting the insecure girl.
But his words were like sharp, piercing thorns, striking straight through Xu Moli's chest.
It made her cry even more uncontrollably.
The autumn was cold, and the approaching winter was even more chilling.
The passage of time had brought external changes.
Compared to the end of the first simulation, Xu Moli's appearance had changed slightly. That change was called maturity, and it was also called loneliness.
Xu Xi was pleased with the girl's growth, but he also grieved the price she had paid for it.
Once.
Twice.
Xu Xi reached out his hand and gently placed it on the small head that was crying sorrowfully on his shoulder.
He gently stroked her head, just as he had done to comfort his little sister in the past.
"It's good that you're back. You don't need to blame yourself or feel guilty. Let the past stay in the past."
Xu Xi's voice was gentle.
The girl didn't respond.
Only the sound of her crying grew softer, and the strength of her embrace around Xu Xi grew tighter. That heaviness, that closeness, meant that the helpless, tearful little girl had found her support once again.
She had regained her "hero," the one who would brave thorns and face the blazing sun, resolutely determined to save her.
"Brother, will you leave Mo Li again?"
A trembling, uneasy voice came from behind.
"...Never again."
It wasn't a lie. It was the truth.
Hearing the answer she wanted, the girl's emotions seemed to ease a little, but she still clung tightly to Xu Xi's neck, resting her head on his shoulder from behind.
She refused to let go.
For some reason, Xu Xi felt that this scene was somewhat familiar.
Why was that?
"I feel like I've experienced this before," Xu Xi searched his memories and soon realized that there had been a few mornings when he woke up feeling suffocated, as if something heavy was pressing on him.
That feeling was the same as now.
In other words, the so-called "ghost pressing" didn't exist. The discomfort he had felt all along was due to his sister sneaking into his room in the middle of the night.
Xu Xi smiled.
He was smiling at the truth behind this farce, and also at his little sister's mischievous behavior.
After what felt like an eternity, under Xu Xi's gentle strokes and comforting words, the girl finally stopped crying. She was led by Xu Xi's hand and sat down on the other side of the wooden table.
Now, Xu Xi could finally see the girl's full appearance.
Was she unfamiliar? Not at all. She was still the same familiar, tearful little girl.
Was she familiar? Not quite.
Unlike the eternally 17-year-old witch, Xu Moli, though her appearance had been preserved due to her cultivation, her body had still grown somewhat.
She was a little taller, her hair a little longer, and she seemed a little colder than Xu Xi remembered.
The little sister who had once chased after Xu Xi, asking him about the meaning of life, had now grown to the point where she could understand life on her own.
It was almost surreal.
"You're so beautiful."
Xu Xi said softly, wiping the tears from the girl's face, restoring it to its clean state.
"Thank you, brother..."
The words were familiar, but the tone was different.
When Xu Moli was young, her voice had been lively, filled with the innocence of a child.
Now, the grown-up girl seemed a little reserved. The long-awaited reunion made her slightly nervous, and she didn't even know what to say.
"Mo Li, have a piece of candy."
Xu Xi decided to ease the awkward atmosphere.
He opened the candy jar again, took out a brown piece of soft candy, and handed it to Xu Moli, who was sitting beside him.
"Okay."
The girl replied obediently, taking the candy and putting it in her mouth.
The taste of the candy wasn't extraordinary.
But there was something special about it.
The sentiment it carried would never expire.
Because the person who had given meaning to the candy, the brother she had always longed for, was now sitting beside her, gazing at her with tenderness.
"Brother, the candy is delicious. Mo Li likes it very much."
After finishing the candy, Xu Moli smiled at Xu Xi.
This time, her expression was somewhat familiar, carrying a hint of the coquettishness from her childhood and the purity from her frail days, as if she had returned to the past.
But as she smiled, two clear tears slipped down her cheeks uncontrollably, wetting her face once more.
"I'm glad you like it. There's plenty more candy. We can enjoy it slowly from now on," Xu Xi's movements were meticulous as he slowly wiped away the tear stains on his sister's face, wiping away the pain left by the passing years.
The happier their childhood had been during the first simulation, the deeper Xu Moli's sorrow had been after it ended.
Xu Xi tried to mend her shattered heart.
But the girl shook her head.
It no longer needed mending. It no longer needed to be hidden. The moment she truly appeared before Xu Xi, her frozen heart had warmed once more.
Just by looking at Xu Xi, just by gazing at him, the girl felt an immense sense of fulfillment.
"Is that so? Well, as long as you're okay, that's what matters."
Xu Xi smiled.
He instinctively wanted to pat the girl's head.
But then he suddenly remembered that his sister had grown up, and after years of cultivation and battles, she might no longer like such childish gestures.
So, he withdrew his hand.
Unexpectedly, Mo Li took hold of Xu Xi's wrist and lowered her head, letting his hand rest gently on her head.
"Brother, do you remember?"
"Remember what?"
"When I was little, I complained to you, saying that you patted my head too much, and that's why I didn't grow taller."
"Oh, right. I remember that. So why are you..."
"Now, Mo Li has grown up. I don't need to grow any taller."
The girl spoke softly, her gaze fixed on Xu Xi, yet it seemed as if she was looking at something far beyond him.