The next day, afternoon. The back mountains.
Looking at the cluster of graves before her, Xiaoyao felt an unbearable weight in her chest. Back then, her mother had gone to the battlefield and never returned. Her fourth aunt had taken her own life right there in front of everyone, blood splashing across the ground. Past scenes flashed through her mind one by one—those details she had once deliberately tried to banish now ruthlessly unfolded before her, one by one, clear, desperate, and cruel, as if mocking her self-deception...
Tears fell silently. Cang Xuan reached out and pulled her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She did not pull away. It was just like the countless cold nights when two lonely, helpless children had huddled together for warmth after losing their dearest family members—free of gender, free of romantic love. Xiaoyao had silently prayed countless times in her heart: *If only big brother could always stay the way he used to be, how wonderful that would be! He was supposed to be her closest family in this entire world!*
Chapter 216