Homecoming

Fang Qi looked into her eyes, which were filled with fear.

Her red lips were trembling slightly.

He suddenly felt... that agreeing to bring Liguang back to this old place was a truly stupid decision!

Right...

If everything was exactly the same as in her dream...

She would definitely think—

Would their ending be exactly the same as in the dream, too?

This would only make her even more anxious and panicked!

He immediately reached out and gently patted the top of her fluffy head.

"Liguang, it was just a dream."

His voice was very soft and steady.

"It's normal for things in dreams to bear some resemblance to reality."

Liguang didn't say anything. She just turned her head again and looked at the cave entrance hidden by vines.

Then, holding his hand, she walked inside step by step.

Her footsteps were very slow, as if she were confirming something.

Upon reaching the center of the cave, she finally stopped. She stood there, staring blankly at the surrounding stone walls.

Fang Qi looked around as well.

This cave... was exactly the same as in the previous loop.

In the previous loop, they had hidden here for several days.

She had roasted rabbits and wild pheasants for him here.

She had used her laser blade to whittle wood here, and the two of them had built a raft bit by bit.

She had curled up in his arms here, using her remaining battery power to sustain that interference field and protect him from being discovered.

And he—

He had known nothing back then.

He had thought those helicopters were just useless junk. He had thought that running away with her was a brave and thrilling thing to do.

As he was lost in his melancholic memories, the silver-haired girl beside him began to murmur again:

"Master..."

"In the dream, Liguang... roasted a rabbit for Master here..."

"And roasted a pheasant, too..."

"Then... then built a raft with Master..."

"Using that tree outside... chopping it into wooden logs, one by one..."

"Tying them together with vines... tying them for a long, long time..."

Her voice grew softer and increasingly ethereal.

"Master's hands were all blistered and torn back then, Liguang's heart really ached..."

"Liguang even used the hem of her swimsuit to bandage Master's hands..."

As she spoke, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Fang Qi.

The unshed tears in her heterochromatic eyes could no longer be held back.

"Master..."

Her voice was trembling, and her whole body was shaking:

"Th-this dream, it's too real..."

"So real that... Liguang is truly terrified..."

Her delicate hands tightly gripped the hem of her clothes.

Fang Qi reached out and gently pulled her into his embrace.

"Don't be afraid."

He softly comforted her once more:

"It was just a dream. Nothing in that dream will happen."

The girl in his arms didn't speak.

She just trembled quietly, and then...

She suddenly raised her head, grabbed his hand...

Turned around, and bolted toward the outside!

Fang Qi was yanked into a stumble!

"Liguang?!"

She ran incredibly fast, much faster than when they had arrived!

Her delicate hand gripped his with a deathly tight hold, her strength astonishing!

Dragged by her, Fang Qi stumbled out of the cave, ran past the small tree, and plunged into the jungle!

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting rapidly shifting dappled shadows across her pretty face!

Her profile was etched with pure terror!

"Liguang! Liguang!"

Fang Qi called her name, trying to make her stop.

But she didn't stop.

She just ran, dragging Fang Qi along as she ran endlessly!

She shouted as she ran! Even her voice was trembling!

"Master...!"

"Liguang's dream... is a prophetic dream!!"

"It absolutely is! It's definitely a prophetic dream!"

She pulled him, running desperately!

"Everything in the dream... is exactly the same as in reality!"

"Even the positions of the crushed stones don't differ by a single millimeter!!"

"But Liguang... Liguang has obviously never been here before!!"

She looked back as she ran, her heterochromatic eyes brimming with tears, her beautiful face filled with fear!

"Master... Master, you have to believe Liguang!"

"What Liguang is saying is true, it's really true!"

"We... we have to leave! We must leave immediately!!"

Saying this, she tried to keep running!

But this time—Fang Qi suddenly exerted his strength!

Using all his might, he sprinted two steps ahead, rushing directly in front of Liguang!

Then he turned around—

Bang!

Her warm and soft body crashed solidly into his embrace!

The immense impact made it impossible for him to stay on his feet!

He fell backward—

Thud!!

His back slammed hard against the ground!

Fang Qi let out a muffled groan, his vision going dark for a split second!

It hurts so much...!!

Fallen leaves and dirt splashed up, raining down on the two of them!

It took him a few seconds to finally recover his senses, letting out a cough.

...This crazy girl, her strength is seriously huge!

Then he felt... something dripping onto his face.

Warm liquid fell onto his cheeks, drop by drop.

He blinked, and his vision gradually cleared.

Right above him was that small, tear-stained face. Silver strands of hair hung down, brushing against his face and tickling him.

In her amber left eye...

Large teardrops were falling continuously!

In her crimson right eye, a scarlet light was trembling madly!

She knelt beside him, hands pressing against the ground, her entire body frozen!

On her blank little face, the moment she met his gaze... panic immediately surged!

"M-Master...!"

Her voice was trembling, shaking violently:

"I-I'm sorry...! Liguang didn't mean to...!"

"Did Master fall anywhere bad...! Are you hurt...!"

Her hands frantically patted all over him, wanting to check but afraid to use too much force, her fingertips trembling:

"Does it hurt here...? What about here...?"

"Your bones... did you hurt your bones...?"

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry...! Liguang, Liguang used too much force...!"

Tears continued to fall, pattering down onto Fang Qi's face and neck.

Lying on the ground, Fang Qi looked at this panicked little face...

And suddenly smiled.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms!

"Mmph...!"

Liguang let out a short gasp as her entire body fell against his.

Her slender body was trembling slightly. With her cheek pressed against his chest, her tears quickly soaked his clothes.

Fang Qi tightened his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head.

His voice was very soft and steady:

"We'll leave right now."

He no longer offered those utterly useless words of comfort.

"We'll leave now. Right this instant."

The girl in his arms stiffened for a moment.

Then, those two small hands tightly gripped the fabric at his waist.

So tight, so incredibly tight, as if she wanted to meld him into her very bones!

She buried her face in his chest and said nothing.

Fang Qi felt the front of his shirt rapidly growing damp again from the warm liquid.

He didn't move. He just lay there on the ground, holding her.

Fallen leaves rested upon them, and as sunlight filtered through the branches, dappled shadows danced across their bodies.

A long time passed—long enough for her trembling to slowly subside, long enough for the dampness on his chest to stop spreading.

He spoke softly:

"Liguang, let's go."

The girl in his arms gave a slight shudder.

Then... her small silver head nodded gently against his chest.

A muffled voice came through:

"...Mhm."

Fang Qi, holding her, slowly sat up.

That little face was covered in tear stains.

Her eyes were red, her nose was red, and tiny droplets of water still hung on her eyelashes.

Her amber left eye was wet, and the crimson in her red eye was dimming, flickering on and off.

She just looked at him like that, her lips slightly pursed, as if desperately holding something back.

Fang Qi reached out his fingers and gently wiped the tears from her face.

Then he stood up and pulled her up as well.

He took her small... still slightly trembling hand, their fingers intertwining.

"We're going home."

Liguang blinked.

And then—

Those heterochromatic eyes curved into shallow crescents.

With tears, and with a smile.

She nodded vigorously.

"Mhm! Let's go home!"

...

They said they were going home, and so they did.

Fang Qi quickly went through the procedures without a moment's delay.

The two of them were busy for a whole day and night.

Packing their things, contacting a boat.

This time, they didn't choose to take the fastest helicopter or plane... but instead, by a tacit understanding, chose to take a boat.

Liguang stuck closely by his side the whole time, never leaving him for a single step.

Those heterochromatic eyes would occasionally sneak a peek at him, then quickly look away.

The corners of her lips were pursed into a shallow curve, as if confirming that he was still there.

Fang Qi let her look and let her follow, occasionally reaching out to rub her fluffy head.

She would narrow her eyes and nuzzle against his palm, impossibly obedient.

After bustling about until evening, the two finally boarded the boat for their return trip.

Liguang leaned on the ship's rail, looking at the island growing farther away, her eyes showing a complex expression.

Fang Qi stood beside her without speaking.

He just reached out and gently wrapped his arm around her waist.

The person in his arms softly leaned over, pressing her cheek against his chest.

The sea breeze blew over, salty and astringent.

Her silver hair brushed against his face, tickling him.

And then...

The boat sailed through the whole night.

Liguang just nestled in his arms like that, motionless.

Occasionally, she would raise her head, look at him with those heterochromatic eyes, and then lower her head to continue nestling.

Fang Qi couldn't sleep either.

He just held her, looking at the moonlight on the sea and the sparkling waves.

Looking at that little star dangling and swaying from her earlobe.

...

When they finally returned to that familiar neighborhood and pushed open that familiar door...

The sky was already faintly bright.

The morning light filtered in through the window, falling on the pure white walls, the minimalist hidden light strips, and the exquisite white coffee table.

Everything was just as before.

Fang Qi stood at the door, looking at this home that couldn't be any more familiar...

Suddenly, he felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Even though he had only been away for a few days, even though, including the previous loop, it was only a few days of experience.

Yet he felt as if he had lived through several lifetimes.

Sigh... it was a bit melancholic.

Then, the pale blue shadow beside him slipped inside.

The silver-haired girl spun around in the middle of the living room!

Her pale blue skirt fluttered up gently, and her long silver hair traced a soft arc in the air.

She took a deep breath, then turned her head to look at him.

Those heterochromatic eyes curved into crescents.

"Master!"

Her voice was soft and sweet, making no secret of her joy and relief!

"We're really back!"

Fang Qi looked at her little face, slightly flushed with excitement, and smiled:

"Yeah, we're back."

He stepped inside and threw his entire body onto the sofa.

The soft leather instantly enveloped him.

It was so comfortable that he... almost groaned out loud on the spot!

Exhausting...!

This past day and night, taking the boat and rushing on the road...

It was truly exhausting!

Right now... he just wanted to sprawl out like this, sprawling until the end of time!

Just as he closed his eyes to enjoy this rare relaxation, light footsteps sounded by his ear.

Then, that familiar sweet strawberry scent leaned in close to him.

He opened his eyes, and that charming little face was right in front of him. Silver hair hung down, brushing against his face and tickling him.

Her amber left eye was gentle as water, and the data stream in her crimson eye was flowing softly.

And in her hands... she was holding a cup of tea.

A white porcelain cup, curling steam.

But this time, she didn't kneel across the coffee table like before.

Instead, she leaned in right in front of him, her knees pressed against the edge of the sofa, bringing her whole body close!

Liguang raised her delicate hands and offered the teacup to his lips.

Her soft, sweet voice carried a hint of careful coaxing:

"Master, your tea."

"The temperature has been adjusted to your favorite 52 degrees Celsius."