17
In the blink of an eye, winter had arrived.
Xie Huai Yan's birthday had also come.
I held Xie Huai Yanâs hand as we walked slowly, reminding him over and over again:
"Donât open your eyes, okay? Weâre almost there, but if you open them, there wonât be a surprise!"
Xie Huai Yan smiled a little helplessly and said,
"This is the tenth time youâve said that."
"I really havenât opened my eyes, baby."
The villain whom the outside world feared like the plague was now obediently lowering his head, step by step, letting me lead him along.
Seeing him like this made my heart flutter. I couldnât help but smile and say, "Youâre so obedientâarenât you afraid Iâll take the chance to sell you off?"
"How heartless. Why would you sell me?"
"Hmm... it's not like I have to sell you. If you beg me, I won't."
"Alright," Xie Huai Yanâs voice carried a trace of gentle laughter. "Iâm begging you, baby. Donât abandon me, donât leave me, okay?"
This version of Xie Huai Yan was impossible to refuse.
Clutching my chest dramatically, I swore:
"Even if Iâm desperate for money, I wouldnât sell you. I was just joking earlier."
"Weâre hereâopen your eyes."
Xie Huai Yan smiled faintly and opened his eyes.
But the moment he saw his surroundings, he froze on the spot.
The space was bathed in bright hues.
The soft, orange-toned light wrapped warmly around the furniture, and the room exuded a familiar atmosphere.
It was his homeâhis and his motherâs home...
On his twelfth birthday, everything here had changed overnight.
When he returned back then, the place was already in ruins, shrouded in lifelessness.
The devastating news of his motherâs death had come with it.
From then on, this house had become the nightmare Xie Huai Yan never wanted to step into again.
But now, it was as if he had returned to his childhood.
The terrifying shadows began to fade, bit by bit, replaced by the warmth of the golden light.
â¦
I stood to the side, seeing Xie Huai Yan unmoving for a long time, and my heart began to feel a little uneasy.
This birthday gift was something I had planned for a long time.
After all, this house was filled with the most beautiful memories of Xie Huai Yan's childhood, yet it had been abandoned just like that, which was truly a pity.
So, I asked the system to provide the original photos of the house.
Following those images, I cleaned away the cobwebs and dust bit by bit, and slowly found people to repair the worn-out furniture.
I did my best to restore the place to what it once was.
But some traces of time could not be erased after all, and it was impossible to recreate everything exactly as it was.
So, in those places, I added a bit of my own favorite touches.
By the time the work was complete, the entire house looked both simple and warm, with a hint of modern vitality.
I had been very satisfied, butâ
I glanced nervously at Xie Huai Yan beside me:
âI donât know if youâll like it, or if Auntie would mindâ¦â
Hearing this, Xie Huai Yan seemed to finally come back to his senses.
He turned to look at me, didnât say a word, but instead stretched out his arms and hugged me tightly.
I was being held so tightly that I almost couldnât breathe. I could only pat his shoulder and say, âYou still havenât answered me, howâs this gift?â
Only then did Xie Huai Yan loosen his hold a little.
His deep, dark eyes, at this moment, were dyed a beautiful warm hue by the light.
âI like it very much.â
He was clearly talking about the house, but his gaze never left my face.
The next moment, as if unable to hold back any longer, Xie Huai Yan pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
A single tear slid down the side of his neck.
âThank you, baby.â
Once, it had been his mother standing here, smiling as she said to him: Xiao Yan, welcome home.
And now, it was the person he liked standing here, smiling with her brows and eyes full of joy as she saidâ
Xie Huai Yan, welcome home.
And so, he finally had a home again.
(The End)