Ling Cage: Twelve Talismans? I have everything I need.

Chapter 146 Theresa: "???"

The night breeze downstairs was cool, gently caressing the father and son standing under the streetlights.

Bai Jingyu looked up at the window that shone with warm light; it was the apartment he had prepared for his children.

In the clarity that followed the fading of his drunkenness, his face was tinged with an unyielding regret and unease.

"Moonlight." Bai Jingyu said, somewhat uncertainly.

"Did I just say something I shouldn't have? Is Yue Kui...is she unhappy?"

He now recalls that he seemed to be holding onto the white moonlight, repeatedly reciting the memories about the future that he had seen from ASH.

Theresa's departure, the suffering that Moon King endured alone, and his profound helplessness and self-blame.

The immense guilt that had been suppressed in his heart and had not yet been properly processed was poured out all at once under the influence of alcohol, which may have hurt his daughter again.

Seeing his father's cautious demeanor, Bai Yuetian felt a pang of unease.

He patted Bai Jingyu on the shoulder.

"Oh, Dad, you're overthinking it!" Bai Yuetian grinned.

"Yue Kui isn't unhappy, she just... just hasn't figured out how to get along with you yet."

Unlike Bai Yuekui, who completely severed ties, Bai Yuetian still maintained private contact with Bai Jingyu in the past.

He paused for a moment: "Compared to our dad back home who's been through it all, you're too 'new' now, you know? She knows those things weren't your fault, but it still feels a bit awkward. You need to give her some time."

"Besides, Yue Kui isn't as shameless as I am."

Bai Jingyu remained silent, his gaze still fixed on the window.

"I know, I know it will take time," he said softly, as if telling himself.

"I'm just afraid she'll push me away again."

Just as shown in ASH's memory, she left resolutely and never looked back.

"Hey, no way!" Bai Yuetian put his arm around his father's shoulder and led him toward the parking lot.

"Look, isn't she willing to stay here now? She's even willing to eat the meals you prepare and accept the gifts you buy, even though my gifts were a bit outrageous. But these are all improvements."

He leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Dad, if Yue Kui really still held a grudge about the past, she wouldn't have come to Jiu Chuan in the first place, let alone let you know about the existence of Dragon Bone Village. The fact that she's willing to let you get involved and help you is the greatest acceptance she can give."

As Bai Jingyu listened to his son's words, the heavy weight in his heart seemed to loosen.

He looked at Bai Yuetian, his son who had endured hardships in another world yet remained cheerful and open-minded; Bai Yuetian was his only lifeline at this moment.

"Really?" he asked, as if seeking confirmation.

"Of course it's true! Why would I lie to you?" Bai Yuetian nodded firmly, then resumed his playful grin.

"So, Dad, take it slow! Look at me, don't we get along pretty well?"

Looking at his son's radiant smile, Bai Jingyu finally smiled slightly as well.

The gloom in his heart was dispelled considerably. He took a deep breath of the slightly cool air and nodded.

“Yes, you’re right. Take your time,” he repeated.

"That's more like it!" Bai Yuetian said with a smile as she opened the car door for him.

"Let's go, I'll take you home first. Mom and us kids are waiting for you at home."

Bai Jingyu glanced back at the bright window one last time, then bent down and got into the car.

The car slowly drove away.

In the living room, Yang Chen placed the last washed plate on the drain rack and wiped his hands with a towel.

He walked to the sofa and sat down next to Bai Yuekui.

The game on the screen had paused, and Maido was clumsily but excitedly recalling the controls she had just learned, gesturing with her little hands on the controller.

Bai Yuekui turned to the side, occasionally offering a word or two of guidance, looking very relaxed.

After observing for a while, Yang Chen asked softly, "Did you check on that batch of supplies at the warehouse today?"

Bai Yuekui shifted his gaze from Mai Duo to Yang Chen and nodded.

"Yes, the first batch has been counted and put into storage. ASH coordinated very well, and everything has been properly categorized."

She paused, then added, "The following batches are already on their way."

"That's good." Yang Chen was relieved.

He looked at Bai Yuekui's profile and asked, "I'm planning to take Maiduo out for a walk tomorrow. There are still many places Jiuchuan hasn't seen. What about you? Want to come along?"

Bai Yuekui remained silent for a moment upon hearing this.

Her gaze swept over Maido, who was engrossed in studying the controller, and then looked out the window at the dazzling night view of Hisakawa City, as if she were pondering something.

Over the course of a few days, the city's familiar prosperity and tranquility seemed to have quietly dissolved some of the things in her heart.

She turned back, met Yang Chen's gaze, and nodded slightly: "Alright, I'll come too."

the next day.

When Bai Yuekui came out of the bedroom, a clear look of amazement flashed across Yang Chen's eyes.

She changed into the dress she couldn't wear that day for some reason.

The color of the dress was very close to her white hair, and the soft lines of the neckline subtly revealed a deep straight line.

Maido was stunned, her mouth slightly agape: "Boss, you're so beautiful!"

Bai Yuekui seemed somewhat uncomfortable with such a gaze.

She awkwardly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone deliberately indifferent: "Let's go."

And so, on this day, a striking scene appeared on the streets of Hisakawa City.

The tall and imposing Yang Chen stood beside Bai Yuekui, who was dressed in a dress and possessed a cool and stunning beauty.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui each held Mai Duo's hand on either side as they strolled through the bustling street.

Over the past three days, he and Bai Yuekui have taken the little one to almost every place in Jiuchuan City where she can play and see.

From whimsical zoos and aquariums to technologically advanced immersive experience centers, Maido's eyes were almost always sparkling with wonder at everything in this world.

Three days flew by in this relaxed and novel atmosphere.

The afternoon of the fourth day.

The sun is shining and the breeze is gentle.

Maiduo rode on Yang Chen's shoulders, her little hands clutching his hair, watching the children laughing and playing on the grass in the distance and the kites flying in the sky.

"Just then, Yang Chen's ASH mobile device vibrated slightly."

"Maiduo." Yang Chen gently patted her calf.

"Hmm?" Mai Duo lowered her head and looked up at Yang Chen's head.

"We should go back," Yang Chen said.

"Everything the village needs has been delivered."

A hint of reluctance flashed across Maido's little face. She looked at the other children running and laughing around her, then at the towering Ferris wheel in the distance, and asked softly.

Are you leaving today?

Yang Chen could feel her small hand gripping his hair tighten slightly.

"Well, we're heading back today. Everyone's waiting for these supplies. And don't you want to tell your friends at school about what you saw here as soon as possible?"

The thought of sharing her experiences from the past few days with her friends made Maiduo's eyes light up again, and her reluctance to leave was greatly reduced.

She nodded vigorously: "Yes! I want to tell them that there are so many different birds in the sky here! And the sea!"

Yang Chen chuckled: "Alright, then let's set off to get the 'gift' and then go home."

"Okay!" Maido's voice became cheerful again.

"Oh, right, Brother Yang," Mai Duo suddenly remembered something. "Aren't the boss and the others going back with us?"

Yang Chen smiled and said, "They have something to do today. They need to meet with a very important person."

"Oh," Maido nodded, seemingly understanding.

Based on the coordinates provided by ASH, Yang Chen brought Mai Duo to a large warehouse located on the outskirts of Jiuchuan City.

This place is far from the city center and sparsely populated.

The huge, silver-gray warehouse door was tightly closed, and the surroundings were quiet.

As soon as Yang Chen stepped into the identification area, the warehouse door silently slid open to both sides, revealing a brightly lit and incredibly spacious interior.

"Wow!" Maido exclaimed in amazement as she looked inside the warehouse.

Here, various supplies are categorized and neatly piled up in different areas, like colorful mountain blocks.

The area near the entrance was piled with a large number of books, ranging from thick hardcover encyclopedias to brightly colored children's picture books.

Next to it were tightly sealed boxes of precision instrument parts and special alloy materials, gleaming with a cold metallic luster.

Further away, you can see brand-new experimental equipment, medical devices, and even several large water purifiers and generators.

All the supplies were packed very neatly, with labels clearly indicating the item name, specifications, and destination.

Main village and No. 2 village.

ASH's virtual image appeared in the center of the warehouse at the right time. She smiled at the two of them and said, "Yang Chen, all the materials on the list are here and have been classified and registered. They are ready to be shipped at any time."

Maiduo climbed off Yang Chen's shoulder and ran to a stack of picture books taller than herself. She carefully touched the wrapping paper, her eyes full of joy.

"Can I take all of these back with me?"

“Yes, you can take them all back.” Yang Chen stepped forward, looking at the warehouse full of supplies.

In just a few days, Bai Jingyu managed to gather all the necessary supplies; this is simply incredible financial power.

He looked at Ash: "Thank you for your hard work, Ash. Leave the rest to me."

"It's my duty." ASH nodded slightly, and the image slowly disappeared.

Yang Chen took a deep breath and said to Mai Duo, "Stand next to me, we're going to start 'packing'."

Maido immediately obediently ran back to Yang Chen's side, hugged his leg tightly, and her big eyes were full of expectation.

Yang Chen stretched out his hand, his mind stirring slightly.

In an instant, the supplies in the entire warehouse seemed to be enveloped by an invisible force. The piles of boxes and equipment began to glow slightly, and then disappeared in large swaths, as if erased from a drawing paper by an eraser.

In just a few breaths, the huge warehouse that had been packed full became empty, leaving only a smooth floor and cold walls.

All the supplies have been transferred by Yang Chen using the power of talismans.

"Alright." Yang Chen smiled down at Mai Duo, who was staring in disbelief. "We should go home now."

He took Maido's hand.

The little girl took one last look at the now empty warehouse, then nodded firmly.

"Yes, let's go home!"

With a flash of light, the two figures disappeared into the warehouse.

The heavy warehouse door closed slowly, as if nothing had happened.

Something was off at home.

Theresa sat on the living room sofa with her arms crossed, her gaze calm yet scrutinizing as she looked at Bai Jingyu, who seemed somewhat uneasy across from her.

Bai Jingyu has been acting very strangely lately.

Company affairs seemed to have suddenly become extremely busy, and I didn't get home until very late every day, occasionally smelling faintly of alcohol.

This was something she had never experienced before.

What bothered her even more was that he didn't seem to care about Xiao Kui and Xiao Tian as much as before.

Xiao Tian was on school holiday and excitedly asked his father to take him and his sister to the newly opened science museum. However, his father just absentmindedly patted his son's head and said, "Dad is very busy lately. How about Mom takes you?"

Even Xiao Tian and Xiao Kui noticed the perfunctory tone in his voice, and the two little ones were disappointed for a long time.

She could understand the immense pressure her husband was under at work. With the mayoral election for Hisakawa imminent and the "Internet of Everything" project entering a critical negotiation phase with the Coastal Alliance, the burden on his shoulders was indeed heavy.

In the past, no matter how busy or tired he was, Bai Jingyu would always try to keep his family in mind, listen carefully to what the children had to say, and talk to them about their work troubles.

Instead of feeling like my soul has been ripped out, and often spacing out even when I get home.

When asked what he was busy with, he would always give vague answers like "company matters" or "project progress."

As for the suspicion that Bai Jingyu cheated on his wife?

The thought only flashed through Teresa's mind before she completely dismissed it.

This possibility is less reliable than the impending doomsday.

She understands Bai Jingyu, his character, and his feelings for this family, for her, and for the children.

That's not the kind of man who would do something like that.

That's why his unusual state at this moment worries her even more.

She took a deep breath, breaking the silence: "Jingyu, what's wrong with you lately? Is the Coastal Alliance putting too much pressure on you? Or has something happened at the company?"

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes filled with concern and confusion.

"No matter what happens, you should at least tell me the general idea. We're husband and wife, what problems can't we face together? I'm your wife, not a porcelain doll that you need to protect with utmost care."

Bai Jingyu's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the water glass.

The memories transmitted by ASH flashed rapidly through his mind.

ASH is able to recreate real feelings because the original ASH had uploaded his consciousness data.

But Tereza did not; Ash's self-awareness only began to take shape when Tereza died.

Tell her directly about these bizarre and terrible things.

Will she believe it? How will she react?
More importantly... can she accept it?

Accept those two children from the future, who are even older than she is now?

Theresa's gaze remained fixed on his face, which held no doubt, only deep worry.

Bai Jingyu recalled what Bai Yuetian had said that day.

The fact that she's willing to let you get involved and help is the biggest form of acceptance she can show.

"...Perhaps trust and honesty are the only way out? Keeping it hidden all this time would only hurt Tereza as well."
He took a deep breath, as if making a decision, and suddenly raised his head, looking directly at Tereza.

“Teresa,” Bai Jingyu said slowly.

"What I'm about to say may be outrageous, completely beyond your comprehension, and may even sound like a fantasy... but it is absolutely true! Please... listen to me first, no matter what."

Teresa was taken aback by his unprecedented seriousness. She widened her eyes slightly, unconsciously lowered her arms, and sat up straighter.

She didn't interrupt, but simply looked intently at him with her intelligent eyes, nodded, and gestured for him to continue.

Her background as a neuroscientist and physician has made her accustomed to receiving information first and then analyzing and judging it.

Bai Jingyu felt somewhat nervous after receiving his wife's tacit approval.

"It all started with... with the portrait I showed you a few days ago, no, it should be said that it came from... from the future, ASH..."

"No, that's not right either." Bai Jingyu shook his head.

Theresa reached out and placed her hand on the back of Bai Jingyu's hand: "Tell me slowly, I'm listening."

"Hmm," Bai Jingyu reorganized his thoughts.

"Teresa, the future Xiaotian and Xiaokui are currently in Jiuchuan City."

(End of this chapter)