Chapter 39: Unable to Abandon

The sumptuous dinner began.

The meat was tender and smooth, the vegetables crisp and delicious.

The hot soup was also extremely savory.

In this Magic World, people commonly use knives and forks, but Xu Xi was more accustomed to using chopsticks, so he whittled two for his own use.

Klisa originally used knives and forks too, but after seeing Xu Xi use chopsticks, for some reason, she became eager to learn how to use them.

And so.

A strange scene unfolded in Xu Xi's home.

While everyone else was using knives and forks to happily spend New Year's Eve, the little Demon Race girl was constantly struggling with the chopsticks, repeating the awkward situation of picking things up only for them to fall.

She blinked blankly.

"Difficult to use…"

Klisa couldn't understand why, after learning for over half a month, she still hadn't managed to master these two small wooden sticks.

They were clearly just ordinary wooden sticks, yet they were harder to learn than magic.

"Klisa, take your time."

Xu Xi comforted her, demonstrating in slow motion for Klisa. After another ten minutes like this, the girl finally managed to pick up the first piece of meat with the chopsticks.

As if she had completed some ultimate goal, she let out a sigh of relief.

Chopsticks, the enemy of a lifetime!

To avoid the dinner getting cold, the girl finally gave up fighting with the chopsticks, switched back to the familiar knife and fork, and began to taste the delicious food Xu Xi had prepared.

"Is it delicious?" Xu Xi asked.

"Mentor, it's delicious," Klisa's eyes widened slightly.

The clinking of knives and forks against the plates.

The sounds of teeth chewing food and the tongue moving.

Occurred simultaneously in this moment.

Undoubtedly, judging by this performance, the girl really liked the food Xu Xi made.

But after eating the first bite, she immediately stopped, turning to look at Xu Xi with those hollow eyes, as if waiting for something.

"Alright, I'll eat too."

Xu Xi smiled and also began to eat.

Under the illumination of the lights, the big and small figures cast long, slanted shadows. The incandescent light and the pitch-black shadows were so distinct, yet perfectly harmonious.

The New Year's Eve dinner with only the two of them was very quiet, far less lively than ordinary households in the city.

But Xu Xi felt this was enough.

Having delicious food and someone to accompany him, was that not enough?

"Whoosh—"

"Whoosh—"

Strong winds buffeted the window.

Outside was a world full of snow.

The beautiful courtyard where flowers once bloomed now had only increasingly deep snow, including that withered tree, its branches laden with heavy clumps of snow.

Xu Xi sat inside the house, a mouthful of hot soup entering his stomach, feeling inexplicably warm.

Not just because of the warm steam flowing inside the house.

But also because of the girl sitting beside him.

"It feels like a home…", looking at the falling snow outside the window, this thought emerged in Xu Xi's heart.

For this New Year's Eve dinner, Xu Xi had spent a lot of effort, wanting to give Klisa an unforgettable New Year, but for two people, four dishes and one soup was obviously a bit too much.

Even though the girl possessed the Demon Race Bloodline and had a slightly larger appetite than ordinary people.

After half an hour of battle.

There was still a lot of food left on the table.

Klisa stood up, taking the initiative to clear the dishes, wanting to wash them, but was stopped by Xu Xi.

"Wait, Klisa."

"Mentor…?"

Amidst the girl's blank expression, Xu Xi's finger brushed over his spatial ring, taking out the aquamarine necklace he had prepared early on, as well as a gold coin.

The aquamarine necklace was placed in the girl's left hand.

The gold coin was placed in the girl's right hand.

Her expression became even more bewildered.

Xu Xi explained: "In my hometown, whenever the New Year replaces the old, there is a tradition of giving gifts and blessings to children."

"So, I chose this necklace for you."

"I thought if it were Klisa, it would look very beautiful when worn, and the aquamarine pearl inside the necklace has a certain amplification effect on your Water Magic."

"As for this gold coin, it is your New Year lucky money, symbolizing the hope that you will be safe and sound."

Xu Xi said gently.

Waiting for Klisa to accept the gift.

But the young Demon Race girl neither accepted nor refused, just stood there blankly, using those eyes that were still hollow and devoid of light to gaze at Xu Xi's figure.

The room was very quiet, but Klisa's eyes were even quieter.

Like a fragile mirror, bright and delicate.

This mirror had shattered many times, time and time again, shattered so many times that even Klisa herself had forgotten exactly how many times.

And today.

This fragile mirror, these lifeless eyes.

Only reflected Xu Xi's figure.

Occupying the entire world before her.

For some reason, Klisa suddenly felt her throat was a bit dry, her lips parted and closed many times before she could barely say a complete sentence.

"Why… why… are you giving… me…"

"Do you need a reason?"

Xu Xi reached out his palm and gently rubbed the girl's hair. After two months of rest and recuperation, the hair that had once been as dry as straw had become soft and smooth.

"Bu… but…"

The girl's eyes were full of bewilderment.

But a lowly creature like me doesn't deserve a gift.

Clearly, I am something that should be discarded, useless, annoying trash.

Yet I can be illuminated by a warm "sun" and live under the light.

This is already happy enough, this is already blissful enough; as long as this life can be maintained, the Demon Race girl feels genuinely satisfied.

Yes.

How can a flawed failure like her dare to ask for more?

"There are no 'buts', Klisa."

Xu Xi's words interrupted the girl's bewilderment and helplessness.

Those words carried warmth, like a flickering candle flame, attracting the person struggling in the darkness, who unconsciously wanted to get closer.

He said it like this:

"A person's life doesn't actually need so much overthinking, and there aren't so many 'whys'."

"If you like it, do it; if you don't, don't."

"Klisa is usually very obedient and well-behaved, so I like Klisa and am willing to give Klisa a gift."

"Likewise, if Klisa likes the gift I gave, just accept it; unless, Klisa doesn't like it—"

Hearing this.

The girl hurriedly shook her head, her hands tightly gripping the necklace and the gold coin.

Using actions to express her liking for these two gifts.

"I like Mentor's… gift."

"Is that so? That's great."

Hearing the Demon Race girl's answer, a smile appeared on Xu Xi's face.

The fragile and slender Klisa looked very quiet and well-behaved, but her expressionless face and hollow, lifeless eyes still made people subconsciously worry about her.

However.

Compared to two months ago, it's already much better, isn't it?

Xu Xi's eyelids closed slightly, and in his mind appeared the miserable appearance of the girl when he first saw her two months ago.

The dirty alleyway flowing with sewage, the broken body covered in wounds, the tender face covered in bloodstains, the weak legs trembling in fear.

At that time, Klisa was holding a small knife and trying to rob Xu Xi.

But what Xu Xi saw and heard.

Was a clear cry for help.

"Save me…", that was a cry for help that even the Demon Race girl herself had not realized, hidden deep in her eyes, the longing hidden in every wound, the prayer hidden in every bit of pain.

Longing for someone to see her.

Praying for someone to take her away from despair.

Sending out a silent cry for help to everyone she met.

Xu Xi saw it, and listened to it all, so he saved the Klisa of that time.

Unable to abandon such a Demon Race girl crying out for help.