Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

The next day, the sky was still clear.

Two figures arrived at Merlin one after the other from different directions.

Before they could even say hello, their gazes were immediately fixed on the familiar figure beside Qi Zhimu's tombstone.

She sat quietly in the snow, leaning against the stone tablet with her eyes half-closed.

"Ah Ruan?"

"It's her..."

Yu Qingtu and the black swan both showed expressions of utter surprise.

This unexpected feeling didn't last long; it quickly transformed into a more complex emotion.

In that complex gaze, there was a hint of relief at finally seeing the person in question appear.

Little did they expect that this wait would last for hundreds of years.

The two slowly approached each other.

A thin layer of pale white frost covered the surface of Ruan Mei's long eyelashes and her drooping black hair.

Clearly, she had been here for at least one night.

There was no snow last night, otherwise she would have been covered in a thick layer of snow.

She remained motionless, her eyes dull and lifeless, her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.

If it weren't for the fact that they could still sense the breath of life emanating from her, Yu Qingtu and the Black Swan would almost have thought that she had also gone with Qi Zhimu.

Loneliness enveloped them, separating them into two worlds.

Ruan Mei seemed not to hear or see the arrival of the two.

"How much do you know about Qi Zhimu's future?" Yu Qingtu stepped forward and asked abruptly.

She was certain that Ruan Mei would understand.

as predicted.

The moment she heard that name, it was as if a switch in Ruan Mei's body had been flipped.

The thin layer of frost on her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her lifeless gaze stiffly turned, falling on Yu Qingtu.

"He stripped away his memories..." Ruan Mei's voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.

Yu Qingtu and the black swan exchanged a glance.

The latter didn't waste any words or procrastinate, and threw the memory bubble that had been prepared for hundreds of years to Ruan Mei.

"Mr. Qi spent his last days before he passed away, and all of that time is contained within."

The reason she so readily handed over her memories to Ruan Mei was, of course, because she had ulterior motives.

The most direct reason was to want to see Ruan Mei regret her actions.

But... we've already seen it in advance.

The words "If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place" lingered on my lips, but I ultimately didn't say them.

Looking at Ruan Mei's current appearance, Black Swan felt no joy as she had expected; instead, a faint sadness welled up inside her.

Perhaps it was because he knew that Mr. Qi had never hated his teacher...

His gentleness remained unchanged until the very end of his life.

Ruan Mei reached out and cupped the floating bubbles of memory in her hands, pressing them against her forehead.

Scenes of memories flooded my mind, and familiar voices brought a little warmth to my frozen heart.

She saw Qi Zhimu telling the young girl a short story about a couple about to part forever.

Understanding his interpretation of the story finally made me realize why he chose to leave alone.

It was he himself who crushed Qi Zhimu's attachment to the mortal world and pushed him into the shadow of nothingness.

Fate played a cruel trick; that day happened to be the day Yu Qingtu came to visit her.

That day, I said to myself: I did nothing wrong, so why should I regret it?

Looking back now, every word feels like a knife, yet it can never be taken back.

Just like those words thrown at Qi Zhimu back then, words that sounded like a final verdict.

All causes and effects are created by oneself, and now this heart-wrenching pain can only be tasted by oneself.

But this pain was nothing compared to the pain she inflicted on Qi Zhimu.

She saw Qi Zhimu tell Clarice that he had never resented the unfairness of fate.

She heard Qi Zhimu say that meeting his teacher was his salvation, a reward from an unjust fate.

But... has Qi Zhimu become the person he wanted him to be?

she does not know.

Ruan Mei was at a loss.

Amu's life was always being pushed along. That one time he took the initiative, however, he was given the announcement of his departure from the program and a final farewell.

He forgot the unforgettable relationship he had from the age of 16 to 18.

But how can one easily erase what is deep in one's consciousness and soul?

So he still created that song with lyrics and music that blended together.

Amu waited alone for her to turn back.

Within 111 years, she could have countless opportunities to look back.

But she didn't.

He kept his deep affection hidden for three years, never uttering a word. She had 111 years to dispel his despair and sorrow, and not to betray his waiting.

But she didn't.

Ah Mu was already heartbroken and could only numb himself with alcohol, entrusting his obsession to the bright moon and asking if it knew.

But she knew nothing of this, and walked away alone, never looking back.

He sighed, deeply in love, but she was unaware, and could only watch helplessly as everything turned to nothing.

For countless late autumns, Amu had been hoping she would turn around.

He remained silent, trapped in the abyss, and finally, no longer attached to the mortal world, he chose to bid farewell in silence.

The past has become a curse; he and she are like strangers, and after many years, he still hasn't looked back.

Even if you drink a thousand cups of strong liquor, it will be of no use.

Looking back on this life, after waiting through life and death, are you willing to stay by my side...?

"Alas, our deep affection is known; our love has finally blossomed into a life together..."

As she softly sang the lyrics that Qi Zhimu had once sung, Ruan Mei's eyes welled up with tears once again.

How could she not know that this was a vision that Amu could never completely erase, even if he lost those memories?

He longed for a glance back, for a lifetime of companionship, for mutual understanding of their deep affection, and for them to walk hand in hand in love.

but……

He didn't wait.

He never did until his death.

It's all her fault...it's all her fault!

Why did you coldly drive him away when you weren't even angry back then?

Why did Amu plead so much, yet he still didn't soften his heart even a little?

Ruan Mei gave a bitter smile.

It's just that she can't face the fact that she has let her parents down, can't accept her own incompetence, and is delusional about trying to mend that broken past.

That's it.

In trying to mend the past, we lose the future forever.

She deserves it, she has no right to it.

She watched as Qi Zhimu's health deteriorated day by day, and watched him pick plum blossoms for her one last time to make wine.

Looking at him reminded me of how to make pickled soybean cake, so I made it one last time, leaving it for my future self.

Watching him silently bid farewell to Clarice, and part ways with Dragon Crystal without regret.

He said he had no regrets, which is why he had no attachment to this world.

No…it’s because he knew that the regret was irreparable.

Short-lived species are different from long-lived species.

For long-lived species, a hundred years is but a fleeting moment; for short-lived species, it is a lifetime.

Amu waited for 111 years.

He waited his whole life, and he won't wait any longer.

He chose a date for himself, made arrangements for his affairs, and only wanted to leave alone, not wanting anyone to grieve because of his departure.

But in the final stage of his life, someone who loved him deeply came to bid him farewell.

But that person wasn't himself.

Finally, Ruan Mei witnessed Qi Zhimu's last moments before he left.

"I only pity that you cannot see my joys and sorrows, and I can only lament that our fates are separated."

"The north wind whips up snow and blows flowers down, past events entangle my heartstrings."

"Words cannot express all that is said, only memories remain, lingering in vain."

"In the end, the lone plum blossom stands alone through the cold years, but the youth of yesteryear can never be found again..."

The memories dissipated into specks of light, and Ruan Mei subconsciously reached out to try and grab them, but to no avail.

Her Amu... never hated her.

Ruan Mei knelt weakly beside the stone tablet, her head bowed and her voice murmured.

"Why be so gentle to a teacher who hurt you like that..."