Yin Xiu blinked his dry eyes, watching the monster's figure slowly approach with a flower in its mouth. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if the monster's figure had transformed into a dark-skinned man.
He had never seen the monster's true form, only groped around in the dark. But this enormous, twisted monster was extremely similar to the little pet he held in his hands, as if he saw the monster transform into a human to fulfill its promise to him.
"Boyfriend? Are you alright?" Seeing Yin Xiu staring at him with a dazed look, Li Mo approached him, somewhat puzzled.
Yin Xiu tilted his head and didn't respond, his gaze fixed on Li Mo's face as he scrutinized him closely.
Noticing that something was wrong with him, Li Mo quickly put down the bouquet, untied the restraints on his hands and feet, and reached out to feel for the leather buckle of the anti-bite device on the back of his head.
As soon as he bent down, Yin Xiu's hand instantly reached out and cupped Li Mo's face.
The cold fingers landed on his cheek, and Li Mo froze instantly, his mind going blank for a moment.
My boyfriend touched my face on his own initiative?
Before he could even feel happy, the pale person stared at him and murmured, "You've finally... become human and come to find me?"
Li Mo's gaze faltered, and he scrutinized Yin Xiu's face closely. The listlessness and pallor on his face seemed familiar.
The last time I saw Yin Xiu like this was when he was a teenager.
The Yin Xiu of today is just like the Yin Xiu who was looking forward to seeing him again after their separation. The anticipation and sense of security of seeing him again made Li Mo feel as if he had returned to the door six years ago in an instant.
Li Mo's gaze faltered. He had followed Yin Xiu in this form for several dungeons, yet now he felt completely at a loss, as if it were the first time they were meeting.
"I've come to find you in human form. Do you like it this way?"
He stared intently at Yin Xiu, afraid that even the slightest hint of disgust might appear on his face, but Yin Xiu tilted his head back, nuzzled his nose against Yin Xiu's, and said gently, "I'll love you no matter what you become, as long as you're here."
Li Mo's handsome face, which was just a second ago, suddenly exploded the next second. His delicate features flew off and twisted, becoming unrecognizable. But Yin Xiu still nonchalantly touched his chin with his fingers, as if repeatedly confirming.
This must be the monster.
After her initial joy subsided, Li Mo quickly closed her face, transforming into a refined human form. With a handsome yet slightly sinister smile, she asked expectantly, "Do you want to know my name?"
Yin Xiu nodded vaguely, "I remember... you were going to give yourself a name... a human name... what's your name now?"
"My name now is Li Mo."
He gently nuzzled Yin Xiu's cheek, his brows and eyes losing their sinister look and radiating tenderness. "When I was reading human books, I came across a novel where the protagonist was a created humanoid monster who walked alone in the world and found the meaning of his existence in the long flow of time."
"The book is called 'The Silence Before Dawn.' It tells the story of enduring the silence and getting through the darkness before dawn, after which you will see the light of day. I hope I can be like the protagonist."
"Find the meaning of your own existence, and you will also find yourself."
His gaze was deep, and when he radiated warmth towards Yin Xiu, he didn't seem like a monster at all.
Yin Xiu smiled slightly, "But you often… scream in the dark… for example, when there are words you can't understand."
Li Mo pulled him into her arms and murmured, "The past doesn't matter. Just tell me whether it sounds nice or not."
Yin Xiu pressed his face against the cold chest, closed his eyes in relief, and whispered, "It sounds good...it sounds good...I've memorized it."
After finally receiving a response, Li Mo patted his hair contentedly and rested his chin on the top of his head. "Then don't forget me again."
"Okay," Yin Xiu replied casually.
During the three years he spent in the small town, his memory gradually faded. Starting with his most recent memories, the first thing he forgot was the little black cat that had always been by his side.
Having lost the connection of his memories, he could no longer see the little black ball, nor could he sense its presence. Before he knew it, the little black ball had truly disappeared from his side.
The monster he had spent time with in the darkness had completely disappeared from his memory, and Yin Xiu never thought of it again.
Having lost his motivation and hope, his memories gradually blurred, and unable to find his sister, his life trajectory was likely to be one of gradually losing everything in the small town, turning him into a muddled and aimless person.
But on that rainy night, a dark-skinned man knocked on the door, pulled her into a dungeon, and reconnected her with this life trajectory.
Li Mo's arrival pulled Yin Xiu back from the abyss of depravity, and he also fulfilled his promise.
Although the process was winding and arduous, they eventually came together.
Yin Xiu tightly embraced the cold, lifeless body before him, slowly closing his eyes. Fragments of past memories flashed through his mind, yet they were somewhat jumbled, leaving him momentarily disoriented and unable to discern which dimension he was in.
How old is he? When did he enter the instance? When did he part ways with the monsters? And what time is it now?
His hazy, distorted mind made him feel as if he had been taken from an orphanage to a mental hospital and then taken away by Li Mo, even though he didn't recognize this monster back then.
As if remembering something, Yin Xiu abruptly released Li Mo, struggling to remain conscious as he asked, "Have I found my sister?"
Li Mo shook his head. "Not yet."
"Then... I need to go find my sister... Am I in a dungeon right now?" Yin Xiu covered his head, already somewhat confused.
His dazed reaction was like that of a teenage Yin Xiu who had entered a copy of Yin Xiu in his twenties, and the restoration of his memories overwrote everything he already had.
Noticing his confusion, Li Mo took his hand and said, "It's okay, I'll take you to find your sister."
He hurriedly bent down, picked up the bouquet from the ground, and stuffed it into Yin Xiu's arms. "This is for you. It's a gift that Ya Ya and I prepared."
Yin Xiu held a large bouquet of flowers, sniffed them for a while, and then looked up to ask, "Who is Ya Ya?"
Li Mo took his hand and smiled, "Your other sister."
"My other...?" Before Yin Xiu could ask any more questions, his mind suddenly went blank, and his legs went weak, causing him to collapse to the ground and lose consciousness.
"Boyfriend?" Li Mo nervously squatted down and picked him up, carefully checking his breathing. It seemed normal, but for some reason, he suddenly fainted.
Her boyfriend suddenly became so fragile, both physically and mentally.
But it's a good thing that my boyfriend remembered him!
She has to be extra caring towards her boyfriend than usual.
Li Mo stood up, and following the example from the books he had read before, picked up Yin Xiu and turned to leave, intending to find a more comfortable room to settle in.
As soon as I turned around, my eyes met those of a head that popped out from the doorway.
Ya Ya squatted there silently, staring at the two of them with a sharp gaze.