âSecond uncleâ¦â Chu Jiao raised her head, the rims of her eyes turning red. âDonât ever forget meâ¦.â
âMy name is Chu Jiaoâ¦â
âThe Chu from the words moving beauty and Jiao from the word delicateâ¦.â
Only you were able to truly see my moving beauty, and only you were aware of my delicate side
Thank you. For letting me know the meaning of my name.
Chu Minshen broke into laughter. âOf course I know what my Jiao Jiao is called.â He planted a kiss on the increasingly darkening red mole on the corner of her eye and promised. âMy Jiao Jiao, second uncle will never forget you.ever.â
No, you will.
Chu Jiao was unable to hold back her tears as they started trickling down her cheeks.
After I leave, youâll forget all about me and fall in love with another âChu Jiaoâ.
Whoâs not me.
But you will not know that.
And you will never get to know that.
âSecond uncle, do you still remember the story of the âLittle Princeâ you told me about?â The ticking sound of the countdown echoed in her mind yet Chu Jiaoâs heart remained calm. She lied down using Chu Minshenâs arm as a pillow and asked in a low tone.
âEn, I remember.â
âDo you still remember what the little prince told the pilot? Before he set off for his journeyâ¦.â
Chu Jiao answered her own question.
âHe said ââYou need to understand. The destination is far so I canât bring this body with me for it is too heavy.ââ
ââBut, this is just like peeling off an old tree bark.ââ
Chu Minshen was already extremely familiar with this story. When he heard Chu Jiao speak the first half of the dialogue, he immediately followed with the second half of the dialogue. ââAnd thereâs nothing lamentable about an old tree bark.â
âThatâs rightâ¦â Chu Jiao murmured. âThereâs nothing to bemoan aboutâ¦â
She thought to herself, thereâs nothing to be miserable about. Everything was only a mission. She didnât fall in love with anybody and she was still the same lonely Chu Jiao.
[The countdown has ended, preparing to send host outâ¦.]
[3,2,1.]
âSecond uncle, thank you.â
Thank you for letting me know this feeling called warmth.
I will continue to carry this piece of warmth and treat it as if you were here by my side all along.
âAlso, I love you.â
Chu Jiao smiled as she shut her eyes. Before she sank into darkness, she laid a kiss on Chu Minshenâs lips like she was leaving behind something and also left these 4 words behind.
She wasnât able to catch Chu Minshenâs eyes that suddenly brightened when they heard these words and also didnât hear Chu Minshenâs confession to herân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âJiao Jiao, I also love you.â
In the dark, a deep and magnetic voice seemed to linger beside her ear just like the voice that lulled her to sleep when she was young, slowly narrating a fairy tale storyâ
âThis is just like a flower. If you fall in love with a flower that grew on top of a star in the sky. You will feel happy and sweet just looking at the night sky because itâs just like seeing all the stars bloom with flowersâ¦â
âYou knowâ¦.my flowerâ¦â¦needs me to take care of herâ¦â¦sheâs so weakâ¦â¦and so innocent. She only has four negligible thorns to protect herself and resist against outside enemiesâ¦â
âI canât bear to let her stay by herself thereâ¦..soâ¦..I will find herâ¦.and cherish herâ¦â
[End of the First World]