The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Xu Nian swallowed hard and slowly walked up to the girl who was squatting inside the military overcoat.

The latter's silver hair was torn into strands, falling loosely across her forehead and back, with a few broken strands embedded in her fingernails.

Her pink pajamas were torn with holes, and the teddy bear she was holding was wet with tears.

Those empty, lifeless eyes stared blankly at the man, as if their souls had been ripped out.

Suddenly, she realized something, lowered her head, and moved her little feet back a few steps.

"You can leave now."

Xu Xi said coldly.

"I'll come back in two months."

Xu Nian gazed at her tenderly, her eyes filled with unconcealed heartache.

It turns out that during the days he was away, Xu Xi would spend his depression periods in this small room filled with his scent.

I'll come back in two months.

She wanted to bear this painful frost alone until the ice and snow melted, returning to him a warm stream.

Xu Nian felt as if her heart was being squeezed tightly.

He forced a smile, knelt down, and hugged the nearly broken Xu Xi.

"Are you playing hide-and-seek with me...?"

"Now, I've found you."

"We're all adults, stop saying such childish things."

His response was a cold and hoarse voice.

It's hard to imagine how heartbroken the owner of that voice must have been to cry to make their voice sound like that.

Xu Xi raised her head haughtily, feigning indifference, and stared coldly at the man with her swollen red eyes.

"You'd better leave before I regret it and tie you up."

"Otherwise, you'll never be able to leave."

"I'm not leaving."

Xu Nian ran her fingers through the tips of her hair, gently combing through her messy strands.

"I'm sorry, I just went out to buy groceries. The dishes I wanted to cook for you were all sold out online."

"Don't pretend with me."

Xu Xi sneered, his laughter tinged with a hint of misery.

"Being around someone like me must be painful."

"After suffering half a lifetime, I still have to play an actor in front of me and live my life according to my mood just to make me happy."

"The person you like is Xiaoxi, who will always follow you around calling you 'brother,' not me, this lunatic."

"Don't worry, I will safely hand her over to you in two months, and I won't drag you back halfway."

"Anyway, you have everything she gave you, and you have received the reward you deserve."

"If you feel sorry for me, then get out of my sight immediately."

I dislike meeting, because it means parting.

"It's always better to get used to separation than to get used to meeting again and then having to part again."

After hearing these words, Xu Nian silently stood up and left the attic.

Hearing footsteps rushing down the stairs, a single, cloudy tear rolled down Xu Xi's cheek.

During this time, she quietly watched her "sister" and Xu Nian interact while she was asleep, and finally became convinced of what Xu Nian had told her a few months ago.

Xu Nian never owed her or her "sister" anything; on the contrary, she was their savior.

Looking back on what he had done to him, Xu Xi always felt a little guilty.

But her proud nature would not allow her to lower her head and apologize to anyone.

That's it, that's it.

Let him repay all this by bearing the pain for his beloved.

Xu Xi lowered her head, hugged her knees, and clutched the teddy bear tightly, letting despair fill her mind, taking away her memories and turning into tears that poured down her face.

After a while, footsteps sounded again outside the door.

However, this time it wasn't the sound of footsteps moving away, but rather the sound of footsteps approaching her.

Xu Xi raised her head blankly, looking at the doorway of the attic with eyes blurred by tears.

In the early morning light, a man bathed in the glow of dawn slowly walked towards her.

He was holding a pair of silver handcuffs, one end of which was cuffed to his wrist.

He gently lifted the girl's slender arm, warming the cold shackles with his body heat.

Then, the other end of the handcuffs was handcuffed to the girl's arm.

"We will never be separated again."

Xu Nian said gently.

"I will always be by your side, no matter what you become."

"Whether it's madness or insanity, it doesn't matter."

"I can't take away your pain, but I can make you feel... a little better."

He smiled and placed the only key in Xu Xi's palm, then raised his wrist and shook the shackles, making a crisp sound.

"See? Nothing can separate us now."

Xu Xi stared at the gleam reflecting off the handcuffs, slightly taken aback.

She turned her head, looked at Xu Nian whose eyes were full of sincerity, and said sarcastically.

"You're just like that girl, incomprehensibly stupid."

"Being with me will only bring you painful torment; I can offer you nothing."

"It's okay...it's okay..."

Xu Nian bent down and gently hugged the girl and the teddy bear together in her arms.

"Get out of here!"

Xu Xi struggled fiercely, her small body bursting with astonishing strength.

She quickly untied the shackles connecting the two of them and forcefully broke free from the man's embrace.

"I'll repeat myself! I don't need your hypocritical posturing! What's the point?"

Even if you're not here to put up with my attitude, I'll still give your stream back to you!

"You're still sticking to me like a leech, what exactly do you want?"

She practically screamed those words, and her voice became even hoarser afterward.

Xu Nian endured her desperate shoving and tried again and again to pull her into his arms.

He couldn't understand why this sickly girl had such great strength.

Like a little hedgehog, she is difficult to approach.

Having already been traveling for a long time, he gradually felt somewhat exhausted.

His body began to go limp, and he could only lie on the ground, clinging tightly to the girl's legs.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but when the words reached his lips, a look of hesitation appeared on his face.

After hesitating for a while, he gritted his teeth and spoke in a low voice.

"Because...because I need you..."

"I...I actually...I also have a bit of a masochistic streak...I like being tortured like this by you...It's okay...it's really okay...as long as it makes you feel better...I'll do anything..."

Upon hearing this self-destructive statement, Xu Xi was momentarily stunned.

She looked at the man who had been exhausted and was now lying on the ground, still clinging tightly to her cotton socks, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

She struggled again, trying to get rid of the plaster on her body, but after several attempts, she failed each time.

Aa ...

After many efforts and attempts, Xu Xi finally gave up.

"You bastard..."

Her proud tears fell uncontrollably, sliding down her fair face and dripping onto the man.

She leaned down and gently cupped the man's face in her hands.

"You'll regret staying by my side."

"Won't."

Xu Nian gazed tenderly into her eyes and said firmly.

Then, he aimed at the girl's dry, cracked lips and gently kissed them.

Caught off guard, Xu Xi's pent-up grievances and anguish were instantly ignited by this intimate gesture.

She closed her eyes and kissed him back forcefully.

"Hmm..."

Her kissing skills were still so poor, a mix of frenzy and awkwardness, like a raging fire that mercilessly devoured everything.

Xu Nian responded patiently to her, like a little lamb submitting to the big bad wolf.

After a long while, their lips parted.

A faint tooth mark was left on the corner of Xu Nian's lips from being bitten.

Xu Xi's fair and smooth face was already soaked with tears.

She clenched her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears, and sobbed softly.

The aloof image she had cultivated for so long completely collapsed at this moment.

But she still held her head high with pride, refusing to let her tears fall.

"It's okay...it's okay..."

The man reached out and wiped away the tears from the corner of the girl's eyes.

"Thank you for carrying all of this."

"This backpack must be heavy."

"Let me help you...carry it together."

Finally, Xu Xi could no longer hold back. With red eyes, she threw herself into the man's arms and burst into tears.