Chapter 87: Reunion with the Witch

"Perhaps, as the number of World Ruins merging with Earth increases, I will be able to see Mo Li and Klisa again."

Xu Xi slowly stood up.

In the empty room, only the sunlight poured in freely, falling upon Xu Xi's opening and closing eyelids, slightly highlighting the depth of his past and his scattered hair.

He turned his head slightly, gazing at the rustling leaves outside the window.

In Xu Xi's eyes, the passage of time in reality was reflected.

When he obtained the beautiful life simulator and started his first simulation, the time was the sweltering summer.

After starting the second simulation, the summer was already drawing to a close.

And now, more than a month had passed again; the once muggy summer had been blown away by a cool breeze, leaving behind autumn, which represented incompleteness and withering.

"Time is truly wondrous."

"It makes one grow, yet it also makes one stagnate."

Outside the window, petals drifted down with the wind. Xu Xi watched this scene and suddenly chuckled.

Speaking of the cold autumn, besides loneliness and solitude, it also brings to mind stomach-warming food. Xu Xi prepared to have some shabu-shabu with beef and mutton today.

He stepped out of the bedroom, crossed the Courtyard filled with dragon blood grass, and pushed open the gate to leave.

On the street, fiery red maple leaves danced on both sides, and fallen leaves scattered, covering the ground. Many ordinary pedestrians could be seen chatting as they walked by.

There were couples cuddling and laughing, showing off their sweetness. There were families of three holding hands, with a warm atmosphere. There were friends chasing and playing, full of joy and happiness.

The sounds from the pedestrians added quite a bit of color to the lonely and desolate autumn, and also made the cold wind less noticeable.

Such a scene made Xu Xi recall those two small figures who would stand at the doorway in the cold winter, waiting for him to return home.

Unfortunately, they could no longer be seen in the real world.

"I should just think about what ingredients to buy; I can buy more today and eat to my heart's content," Xu Xi thought as he walked into the supermarket, quickly selected the items he needed, paid, and went straight home.

He had no entertainment projects he wanted to play, nor any extravagant hobbies.

To Xu Xi, wasting time doing those things was far inferior to eating a good meal or continuing to seclude himself to Cultivate.

The former could provide a good culinary experience, while the latter could genuinely improve his strength; in Xu Xi's eyes, both were far superior to anything else.

"Crunch—"

"Crunch—"

Every step of his shoes landed on the dry fallen leaves, emitting a crisp echo; that was the curtain call unique to autumn.

Xu Xi carried the shopping bag full of ingredients, moving forward at a slow pace.

But the next second, his footsteps stopped. He stopped very suddenly, and very surprisingly.

After a long time, while walking on the road home, Xu Xi once again saw that indifferent figure, standing quietly at the entrance of the Courtyard, obediently waiting for his return.

"I have returned, Mentor."

The witch's voice was still as calm as ever. Without any ups and downs, without any ripples, like a quiet stream flowing past his ear, silently taking everything away. It was very empty, yet very pleasant to hear.

This reunion was so sudden, without any warning or omen, but when it happened, it seemed like a matter of course, not needing any surprise at all.

What kind of attitude and what kind of words should he use to welcome the returned witch?

"Welcome home, Klisa."

After being stunned for a moment, Xu Xi's eyes softened. He reached out his palm towards the witch in the distance, palm facing up, making a simple inviting gesture.

Once, he had met the witch in the autumn of the simulated world. Now, he was reunited with the witch in the autumn of the real world. Everything seemed to be an echo of destiny.

"Mentor…"

The witch, as quiet as a doll, trembled slightly. One step, two steps, she took the initiative to walk towards Xu Xi.

Her mixed-colored eyes of black, gold, and red were colorful and beautiful, bursting with an impulse Xu Xi had never seen before.

"Klisa?" Xu Xi thought the witch would take his hand, but the turn of events far exceeded his expectations.

The witch's pace gradually accelerated, walking so fast it was like running, the thumping footsteps echoing, beating out every violent throb of her heart, until she finally crashed into Xu Xi's embrace without a word.

Heartbeats seemed to merge at this moment, and time was frozen into an eternal infinity.

Klisa hugged Xu Xi tightly. She hugged him very hard.

"Mentor, I have finally… seen you again."

"I have been, I have been, I have been… waiting for you… You didn't lie to me… We really have met…"

Autumn is a sad season, a painful moment of recalling the past, but at this very moment, the separation was reversed, and the witch welcomed the reunion she had waited for her whole life.

Wetness soaked through Xu Xi's jacket. That was the witch's tears.

She hugged Xu Xi, holding him extremely tightly, as if she wanted to merge herself into Xu Xi's body, never to separate again.

Xu Xi only needed to look down to clearly see Klisa's delicate face, which was now filled with tears; they were not tears of sadness, but tears of joy.

The tears were warm and bitter, flowing freely, expressing the emotions in the witch's heart in an alternative way.

"Sorry, Klisa, I kept you waiting for a long time."

That weight was moving, and Xu Xi comforted her in a soft voice.

He stretched out his hand, just like he had done countless times before, and gently covered the witch's silver-gray long hair, stroking it to give her a sense of security.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling applause rang out around them. It became louder and more intense.

It was only then that Xu Xi realized that many onlookers had gathered around to watch the excitement. They seemed to have misunderstood something; some had tears in their eyes, some were clapping loudly, offering all kinds of blessings.

"This…"

Xu Xi was speechless and could only take the witch and return to the Courtyard quickly.

Once back in the Courtyard, Klisa's emotions had stabilized. She expressed her apologies to Xu Xi, thinking she had caused unnecessary trouble.

"It's okay, Klisa."

"That is not important."

Xu Xi's voice was very soft, and his palm was coated with water as he wiped the tear stains off the witch's face.

Klisa did not move at all. Quiet and obedient, she sat still, watching Xu Xi's movements. Her vacant eyes could only see Xu Xi's face.

The witch herself was not actually clear why, after seeing Xu Xi, her body would shed tears involuntarily, even though she had made up her mind before meeting him not to cause trouble for Xu Xi.

Why was this, exactly… Was it because an item had returned to its owner's palm? Was it because a useless shadow had regained light? Or was it because she had found the person she loved?

The witch did not know, and she felt there was no need to think about it. The time of drifting alone had ended, the cold and lonely days were gone, and from now on, she only needed to obey Xu Xi's orders.

"Mentor…"

The silver-gray-haired witch suddenly spoke.

"What is it, Klisa? Is something the matter?" Xu Xi asked.

"Could you please, once again…"

Klisa opened her palm and took out the sea-blue necklace she had taken off many years ago, the bright blue light flickering in her palm, "put the necklace on for me…"