After distancing themselves from the crowd, Zang Ling turned back, still shaken, and said, “That was really a bit scary just now. Luckily, I was able to hold them off.”

Yan Wenshu’s voice was low as he said, “…Sorry.”

“Hmm? Why are you apologizing?” Zang Ling found it a bit strange. “It was those people who were the problem. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“If you hadn’t come here today, you wouldn’t have been scolded, and you wouldn’t have been blackmailed,” Yan Wenshu replied quietly.

Zang Ling spoke seriously, “There’s no point in making such a hypothesis. If I hadn’t come, would I just let them bully you? It should be, ‘I’m glad I came.'”

She observed his expression for a moment, then asked carefully, “You… How was your childhood here?”

“Things were fine before my parents passed away.”

“And after that?”

Yan Wenshu said淡淡ly, “Afterwards, I was the only one left in my family. My relatives didn’t want to associate with me, and the people in the village thought I was unlucky, calling me a disaster.”

Zang Ling furrowed her brows tightly. “Why did they think you were unlucky?”

“Because I didn’t die.”

“…What?”

Yan Wenshu repeated patiently, “Because I was the only one who didn’t die.”

When Zang Ling heard this, she could see there was no expression on his face, and her heart clenched. She pursed her lips tightly and said, “Can I ask? How did your parents pass away?”

“It was an accidental car crash. I was in the car too, but I survived.”

The few short words were shocking.

Zang Ling widened her eyes, slowly understanding the meaning behind them. The weight in her heart felt like a mountain. She hadn’t expected this kind of outcome.

“Sorry, I… I shouldn’t have…”

Yan Wenshu gave a slight smile and interrupted her, “That was a long time ago. I’ve almost forgotten. But I still remember why I survived—it’s because my mother protected me with her body at the last moment.”

“If I hadn’t asked to buy a toy that day, the car accident might not have happened. It was because of me.”

He lowered his eyes, a bitter smile on his face.

[Host, you’re so tragic!] The system cried loudly, not expecting he had such a past, crying like a dog in the space.

[Don’t cry, I’m fine.]

[Mm… okay! wahhhh…!]

In reality, he hadn’t forgotten at all. He’d been blaming himself all this time, and perhaps he would never be able to free himself from this burden in the years to come.

A strange thought crossed Zang Ling’s mind as she pictured the scene he described. Tears couldn’t help but fall.

She turned and embraced him.

“Yan… Yan Wenshu, you’re not a disaster. You still have me.”

“Aunt Yan is so amazing. As a mother, she did everything she could. In the end, she must have wanted you to be safe…”

Yan Wenshu heard Zang Ling’s trembling voice and froze for a moment. Then, his expression became complex as he said, “Mm… So, I will live.”

If he had heard these words back then, he would have been very happy, but it was too late…

“Live healthily, happily, and joyfully,” she raised her eyes, her eyelids slightly red, and said.

Yan Wenshu’s gaze met hers. After a few seconds, he lowered his eyelids, reached up, and gently wiped away the tear at the corner of her eye, then changed his words, “I will, live healthily… happily, and joyfully.”

“That’s more like it.”

Zang Ling was somewhat satisfied, her eyes still a little red. She grasped his hand firmly, “I have to buy more things for Uncle and Aunty Yan. Let’s go quickly, before it gets completely dark.”

Yan Wenshu spoke softly, “Thank you.”

“What about the money… Are you really going to give it to them?”

Zang Ling replied, “I originally planned to, but after hearing about your situation, I don’t want to give it to them anymore.”

She had plenty of money, but that didn’t mean she could casually give it to people without morals.

“Don’t worry. I have a way to get it back. There’s nothing that can’t be resolved with the law.”

Yan Wenshu responded with a simple “Mm.” Zang Ling held his hand, and the warm atmosphere between them spread.

They encountered a few people from the village along the way. The looks they gave were not friendly, and could even be described as full of malice.

Perhaps the events at the village entrance had already reached their ears.

Zang Ling didn’t care. Others’ gazes couldn’t affect her.

Yan Wenshu didn’t care either. If not for special reasons, he wouldn’t have stepped into this place even once.

They went to the cemetery at the back of the village. Compared to the other tidy graves, Yan Wenshu’s parents’ graves were overgrown with weeds, with a few saplings growing high on top, making it look particularly desolate.

The moon gradually climbed into the sky, and a few stars twinkled in the twilight, as if someone were blinking their eyes, quietly watching the world.

While Yan Wenshu cleaned, Zang Ling placed paper money, incense, and various offerings in front of the tombstone.

Once everything was ready, they each took three incense sticks and respectfully bowed three times before the tombstone.

May you bless him.

I’ve come to see you, hoping that everything will go smoothly from here on.

Thank you.