Husband... Caelus...
Gazing at the gray-haired young man's expression, which seemed anything but fake and was filled with concern, Tingyun, who was being helped to her feet in her weakened state, had a look of bewilderment flash through her eyes.
She had never heard this name before. She tried to recall it, but still drew a complete blank.
Tingyun pursed her lips slightly, feeling an emptiness in her heart, accompanied by a sense of dread and unease.
It wasn't just that she had no memory of Caelus; she had forgotten so much.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Her own name, identity, and past were like a mirror shattered by a cannonball—fragmented, disintegrated, and then ground into dust by a stone roller.
Tingyun only retained memories of common knowledge, but she believed most of what Caelus was saying.
In a painting composed of a thousand vibrant colors, a single stroke of crimson might not be conspicuous. But if the entire canvas were washed into a pure white sheet...
Then that single line would become exceptionally prominent, clear, and eye-catching.
Just like Tingyun at this moment. In her state of amnesia, her heart empty and lost, the sense of familiarity and closeness coming from Caelus was incredibly clear, rendered in minute detail.
In a dangerous environment, this sole feeling of intimacy was, in turn, amplified.
Adding to that, Caelus, using his Mask of Folly, was performing the role of a 'husband desperate to save his wife and daughter in crisis' with absolute realism—the worry, the anxiety, the profound relief upon finding her—it was all flawlessly portrayed.
"I'm sorry, my lord husband... what has happened to this humble lady?"
Her hand was held in the gray-haired young man's warm palm, and Tingyun felt a sense of security. She lifted her innocent eyes to look directly at Caelus and asked in a gentle voice.
She bought it, she bought it!
"Don't call me 'my lord husband,' Tingyun. You used to call me 'Benefactor'."
Although 'my lord husband' sounded more intimate, anything that wasn't 'Benefactor' just didn't sound right!
It's like when you think of a snow leopard's call, the first thing that comes to mind is a chirp, so a fox's call must be 'Benefactor'.
"Benefactor..."
Tingyun tilted her head and thought for a moment before correcting herself, "Then this humble lady shall call my lord 'Benefactor'. It does feel more familiar and natural."
"Benefactor, where are we? This humble lady remembers nothing, not even you."
"You?"
His brow furrowed. Caelus tightened his grip on the foxy beauty's delicate, boneless hand. His Adam's apple bobbed, his expression anxious.
"You have amnesia?"
"Tingyun, do you really not remember me?"
With trembling hands, Caelus suddenly cupped the foxy beauty's supple and smooth face. His thumb brushed away a black smudge left by smoke on Tingyun's cheek, his voice filled with reluctance:
"Have you forgotten the happy times we spent together?"
Caelus suddenly opened his arms and gently pulled Tingyun, whose eyelashes were fluttering with guilt, into his embrace.
Tingyun could feel his arms pressing against hers, closing around her waist, and then with a gentle squeeze, they were pressed together.
She quietly stood on her tiptoes, instinctively wanting to create a little distance, but when his hand pressed her head against his chest, the solid feeling against her cheek made her want to linger.
"My lord husband..."
"Ahem, oh, oh! I just thought of a great idea to help you recover your memory."
A joyful light suddenly appeared on Caelus's face.
"Benefactor, you have a way to restore this humble lady's memory?"
Held tightly in his arms, Tingyun didn't struggle. The close proximity made her cheeks flush, and a belated shyness crept over her.
"We can give it a try. Tingyun, listen to me."
Caelus's tone became serious. "Now, close your eyes, clear your mind, listen carefully to my description, and let your instincts imagine the corresponding picture in your mind."
"I will carefully describe some memorable scenes that were deeply impressive for both of us. If you can perfectly imagine them, perhaps we can use that to stir your forgotten memories."
The slightly haggard-looking Foxian girl lifted her head, her two drooping fox ears perked up a bit. Tingyun thought for a moment, and the light in her eyes brightened.
"Benefactor is wise!"
This indeed sounded like a very reliable method worth trying.
Taking a deep breath, Tingyun's tense body relaxed and became soft, as pliable as cotton candy. She rested her chin on Caelus's shoulder and slowly closed her eyes.
"Benefactor, this humble lady is ready."
"Okay, I'll begin. First, imagine our current position."
With a burst of strength from his arms and a slight lean back, Caelus lifted Tingyun into his embrace. The sensation of her feet leaving the ground startled her for a moment.
But Tingyun quickly followed Caelus's instructions, clearing her thoughts. The faint headache and melancholy that had persisted since she woke up lessened slightly as she emptied her mind.
Tingyun focused on the feeling of being held tightly, and the image of the two of them appeared in her mind.
"I'm carrying you forward just like this. You seem a little flustered that your feet aren't touching the ground, but you quickly recover and wrap your arms tightly around my neck."
Tingyun imagined it just as Caelus described, with only the barest sliver of conscious thought remaining active.
Imagining this scene felt like a sweet memory of a couple's romantic moment under the moon.
For her Benefactor, this must surely be a very happy memory, right?
"I look at you with tender affection. The distance between us grows smaller and smaller, so close we can hear each other's breath and feel each other's heartbeat. You whisper softly..."
The scene in Tingyun's imagination was now bathed in a warm, romantic filter. His well-modulated, vivid words painted a picture of domestic bliss, of a perfectly harmonious couple.
Tingyun's mind grew more and more relaxed, surrendering her imagination entirely to instinct. A blissful curve slowly formed on her lips.
Like a little fox being cuddled, Tingyun gently nuzzled Caelus's neck and cheek, feeling the smooth touch of lips against skin, the tender intimacy of their closeness seeping into her heart.
"Your slender legs wrapped around my waist, and with a bit of force, the roundness and elasticity of your thighs were transmitted without reservation..."
"Our thin clothes could not block the scorching heat of our skin touching. My hands gently lifted her body, then set it down with gentle precision..."
Tingyun instinctively constructed the scene in her mind.
"And then—"
Caelus's voice became increasingly solemn and reverent, like a worshiper in prayer.
(GG will add it to the comments later)
Why are the ancient languages of Shenzhou and the Xianzhou so divine?
First, it was I, who committed the sin of pride, who forgot, and then forgot, and then forgot.
One of the main reasons is their ability to describe a volume of information far exceeding that of ordinary languages with more concise words, while also conveying the artistic conception more intuitively to those who understand classical text.
Just like now, with only 56 characters, Tingyun, as a native of the Xianzhou, had already pictured it in her mind: within a pink, silk-gauze bed curtain embroidered with golden lotuses, atop a carved agarwood couch, she and her husband were tumbling in the clouds and rain.
Her emptied mind didn't even have time to react as the lifelike image leaped into her consciousness.
Then, Caelus quickly felt the body of the Foxian girl in his arms grow hot, her skin trembling slightly. Even her fox ears began to twitch faintly before him, making him feel a little ticklish.
Hehe~ Cute fox ears, I really want to fluff them.
Unfortunately, Caelus's hands were still holding Tingyun, and he was quite reluctant to let go.
He had to choose between the cute fox ears and the girl's delicate body in his arms. What a dilemma.
But only children make choices. Adults want it all!
With that thought, Caelus stuck out his tongue and gave a light lick to the fox ear dangling before his eyes.
It should be known that a Foxian woman's body is far more sensitive than a normal person's. With her imagination already stimulated enough, a sudden attack on her most sensitive fox ears...
Tingyun couldn't help but let out a soft whimper, and a shudder ran down her slender spine, her shoulder blades trembling.
"Bene-Benefactor~!"
That shiver snapped Tingyun out of her hazy imaginary scene. The sleepy haze in her dazed eyes lessened, yet they still held a fatal allure.
Tingyun felt as if a mosquito had gotten into her brain, which was suddenly buzzing chaotically.
Embarrassment couldn't even begin to describe her current state.
Recalling memories, of course she had to project herself into the imagined scenes. It had started as a warm and romantic story, but it had suddenly turned into an action-romance movie!
You call this a 'deeply impressive' scene?
Well, from a certain perspective, it was indeed very profound, but wasn't this wrong?
No matter how you think about it, it's wrong, right?
Shouldn't he be describing the scene of their first meeting or when they pledged their love?
"So, did you remember any details? For example, afterwards you... mmmph."
"Be-Benefactor, please don't tease this humble lady anymore~!"
The Foxian girl's pretty face was covered in a peach-blossom blush. She reached out and firmly covered Caelus's mouth to stop him from saying more, chiding him coquettishly.
"How can you call it teasing?"
Caelus slowly lowered the weakened girl, whose body had gone soft from the imagined scene, and looked at Tingyun with a smile:
"How are you feeling now? A little more relaxed?"
"Eh?"
The Tingyun in Caelus's memory was always a sophisticated and shrewd fox, but right now, her expression was dazed and愣愣, creating an explosion of gap moe.
"This..."
Tingyun did indeed feel much better. At least her head no longer hurt, she no longer felt melancholic, and her thoughts were clear, not fuzzy.
"See, I told you it would work~" Caelus clapped his hands and spread them open.
"Benefactor~"
Tingyun didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
What kind of method was this?
Although it was effective, if he really was her husband, then it didn't matter.
"This humble lady still can't remember anything. Benefactor, what on earth is going on?"
Tingyun's expression returned to normal.
"I'll explain everything from the beginning. However, it seems some unromantic fellows have come to interrupt our family reunion."
Caelus's gaze went past Tingyun, looking up at the area behind her.
Surprised, Tingyun turned around, and her expression changed. "What are these?"
There were monsters wielding blades and cannons, their bodies covered in armor that had the texture of dark steel.
The current Tingyun had even forgotten the Voidrangers of the Antimatter Legion.
"The scars, the wounds, left behind by [Annihilation]."
Continuing his act, Caelus moved Tingyun behind him, shook out his hands, and clenched his fists.
Emblem [Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands], equipped.
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