Chapter 399: May Time Stay at This Moment

The character for 'sweet' (甜) has a left-right structure.

On the left is 'tongue' (舌).

On the right is 'sweetness' (甘).

In a concise way, it indicates that sweetness is a sensation perceived by the tongue.

However…

Xu Moli had never imagined…

That the sweetness entering from the tongue could also reach deep into the heart, soaking through the internal organs and making one so addicted they cannot pull themselves away.

With every taste…

Long-buried memories flash back like a movie, appearing in her mind.

With the first bite, Xu Moli saw a small, thin figure.

Like a hero, he braved the scorching sun, crossed through thorns, and bravely rescued a helpless baby girl.

With the second bite, Xu Moli saw the figure of a young boy.

He worked hard and diligently, busy every day, all to make the girl's living environment a little better.

With the third bite, Xu Moli saw the figure of a young man.

He had grown haggard, regretting his powerlessness and hating his inability to let the girl escape her inevitable fate of death.

The past dissipated.

Reality returned.

Xu Moli gazed at that important figure she would never forget, feeling her eyes grow a bit sore.

“Thank you for liking it, Mo Li.”

“With your evaluation, I feel much more at ease.”

Xu Xi reached out and gently stroked the girl's head.

His voice was gentle.

It blended into the tranquility of the summer night, making one feel deeply at peace.

…

Overall, this batch of Maltose was a very smooth and great success.

Looking at his younger sister's joyful appearance…

Xu Xi felt that after returning to the real world, he could replicate this Maltose-making process.

“But…”

“We definitely can't finish this much Maltose all at once.”

Gazing at the large amount of syrup in the iron pot…

Xu Xi thought for a moment, found containers of suitable size, poured the syrup in one by one, and after they naturally cooled and set, he sealed them all up.

He planned to keep them as snacks for his sister later.

“Well, let's leave it like this for now.”

“Whenever it's not enough, I'll brew another pot.”

…

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, another month had gone by.

Life remained unchanged.

Still calm, still ordinary.

Xu Xi sat at the doorstep with Mo Li, quietly observing the changing seasons and the busy hustle and bustle of the people.

It was now late summer.

The sun in the sky was no longer so scorching; it was warm and bright, hanging in the tile-blue sky, illuminating the road ahead for every traveler.

“Brother, what do you think… will be at the end of that road?”

The sky suddenly darkened.

A cool, shadowy wind blew.

Xu Moli narrowed her eyes halfway and asked Xu Xi in a curious tone.

“I'm not sure either.”

“Perhaps it's just a simple road, or perhaps it's a little-known truth.”

Xu Xi shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

Precisely because of this…

He wanted to ascend and see, to witness the ultimate truth behind everything and every simulation along this journey.

…

Summer ended.

A heavy rain came, washing away the dust of the world and taking away all the heat, leaving behind only a cool autumn.

The wind caressed the outline of the sun…

Making it soft and blurred.

Thus, the golden sun diffused, shining on the bountiful scenes in the fields and lighting up the joyful faces of the farmers.

Everything became silent and profound.

Fallen leaves covered the roads.

Xu Xi and Xu Moli left their home and walked along a secluded path in the mountain forest, overlooking the harvest below and the patches of golden joy from a high vantage point.

“It's so similar…”

Xu Xi's gaze moved, looking all around.

He found that the mountain forest in autumn was quite similar to the Heavenly Sword Sect in the first simulation.

At that time…

Xu Moli's body was terminally ill.

Her face was pale, her legs were weak, and even walking was a problem.

She could only barely manage to walk half a circuit with Xu Xi supporting her the entire way.

“What are you thinking about, Brother?”

The girl noticed Xu Xi's distraction and asked curiously.

“I was thinking of the time when you were sick, Mo Li,”

Xu Xi replied.

The girl grew thoughtful, then giggling, she made a suggestion: she wanted to be supported by Xu Xi while walking for a bit, just like before.

Xu Xi agreed to the girl's whim.

He reached out his hands…

And supported her body.

Together, the two strolled along the mountain path covered in autumn leaves.

“Such a familiar experience…”

“Although it was a long time ago, thinking about it now, it feels as if it were just yesterday.” The young girl's expression changed, reflecting a moment of daze in the autumn day.

She remembered clearly.

What state she was in back then.

Her steps were slow, her body staggered, and every step she took was painful.

But now…

It would never be like that again.

She was no longer a burden to her brother.

Having become a Supreme girl, she had the confidence to clear away all obstacles for Xu Xi and accomplish everything he wanted to do.

And then…

Even more greedily, she would enjoy that warmth and care in peace.

“Brother, can you carry me on your back?”

“I'm a bit sleepy~~”

The girl told a little lie with practiced ease.

Xu Xi chuckled: “Alright.”

Just like when they were children, Xu Xi picked the girl up on his back, letting her lean against him to rest.

One step, two steps.

His walking pace became slow and gentle.

He slowed down to avoid disturbing his sister resting on his back.

“I knew it, Brother is the best to me.” Feeling that sense of security and steadiness, Xu Moli's eyes curved into a smile, and she felt very cheerful.

It's so good…

The current life, the life alone with her brother, is so good…

She didn't want to leave, didn't want to go back.

She only wanted to stay at this moment forever.

Perhaps the peaceful environment had a sleep-inducing effect.

Leaning on Xu Xi's back, Xu Moli's eyes gradually closed, feeling a surge of sleepiness.

Slowly…

She drifted into dreamland.

No coughing up blood, no fainting, just the most normal sleep.

In a half-awake, half-dazed state, the girl vaguely sensed that someone's clothes had been draped over her back.

Warm and familiar.

…

“She's sleeping quite soundly.”

On the way home, Xu Xi glanced at his sister's sleeping face, finding her look dazed and without a hint of the cold Female Sword Immortal's aura.

However, this was the Xu Moli that Xu Xi knew best.

“She'll probably sleep for a long time.”

“After getting home, I'll cook first so Mo Li can have a hot meal.”

The autumn sun was cozy and gentle.

Golden and spilling over them, it was full of warmth.

The "hero" carried the sleeping girl back to their little home, and with practiced movements, prepared tonight's meal for her, along with some slightly cool sugar water to relieve fatigue.

When the girl woke up…

This was the scene she saw.

Her important brother sat by the dining table, beckoning to her; on the table was a steaming, sumptuous feast with both meat and vegetables.

Her brother said: “Are you awake, Mo Li? Come and eat together.”

It was like an unreal dream.

Blurry and beautiful.

Xu Moli stared blankly for a long, long time.

“Mm, Brother!” she wiped away her tears and responded with a smile.

(Taking a break. I'm not in a great state today, so I'm giving myself a day off to recover. Including the remaining plot and character side stories, the book should be finished by the beginning of next month.)