"Xiangbei's hidden secrets were exposed, and fear made her shiver. She stood up, wanting to avoid, wanting to escape, but only managed to push away the chair before collapsing softly. The soul from another world began to feel uneasy, unable to support this body that didn't belong to her. Chengmo reached out to catch her, flying into the bedroom. He didn't put her down, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her tightly. He held onto a body that seemed like it could lose its soul at any moment. He had just seen another image in her eyes, a her living in a place different from this world. That her was more vibrant, laughing brightly and happily. Who was that? Was it the real her? Chengmo tightened his embrace, regardless of who she was or where she came from; now, she was his, and he wouldn't let her go."
"Chengmo continued to hold her, sitting like that until the sunset faded, the full moon rose in the sky, and distant shimmering lights passed through the mountain gaps, pouring into the bay. The person in his arms gradually loosened the tightly clenched fist, relaxed her body, and her breathing became steady and shallow. She was truly asleep. Chengmo gently laid her down, covered her with a brocade quilt, and stood up from the bed, pushing open the door before directly diving into the water, leaving only his upper body exposed. He didn't know how he had just spent that time— from confusion and shock to anxiety. He had never been as afraid as tonight, afraid of losing her, afraid of being pushed away. He distinctly felt Xiangbei's unease and desire to escape from her soul. Despite telling himself and her that he wouldn't let go of her in this lifetime, why did he still want to explore and understand? The gently cool seawater surrounded him, gradually easing his anxiety and reaffirming his conviction. Suddenly, he stood upright in the water.
At the same time, Xiangbei had a dream. In the dream, she and her dad sat in the garden on a warm afternoon in early summer. The sunlight shone on the egg fried rice her mom and she brought to her dad, tasting just like the one she made. Her dad hung a jade pendant around her neck, saying, 'Xiaobei, this is the ancient jade your mom gave me when we got married. Passed down for generations, I can only give it to my one true love in my lifetime. Now, I'm giving it to you. I believe it will bless you to find a boy who will cherish and protect you.'"
"I don't want any other boy to protect me. I want to be with mom and dad forever. When I grow up, I'll protect mom and dad." Xiangbei remembered saying this to her parents frequently when she was a child.
"Little Beibei, my silly little girl, one day mom and dad will grow old and leave. When that day comes, you'll also cook a plate of egg fried rice for a boy, just enjoying a warm afternoon and a cup of clear tea, feeling happiness in simplicity. That person will replace mom and dad as the love of your life."
The figures of her parents became more distant, their voices fading away. Only their gaze lingered, and Xiangbei wondered where they were going. To work? Or on a trip? Why didn't they take her? In a daze, she followed them to the half-closed door, but they had disappeared into the dazzling starlight. Outside, the estuary presented a strange sapphire blue, with waves knocking on rocks and beaches, creating scattered gleams, pushing and surging like the Milky Way falling to the lake shore... This was the rare Blue Tears on the night of the full moon, the angel's tears said to have given their true hearts to earthly boys. A man emerged from the water, and as he stood up, he tossed his long hair behind, creating a perfect arc. It lifted the stars, surrounding him. Water droplets with starlight slid down his bare upper body, flowing along his well-defined abdominal muscles. Moonlight penetrated the silky white pants, outlining the slender and sturdy contours of his legs. It was him! The man she thought she had only seen in a dream, the one beneath the waterfall."
The man turned around, extending his hand towards Xiangbei, enticing her to step forward, then forward again. He walked barefoot into the sea-lake, letting the playful waves grab his outer garment, slipping down his shoulders... Moonlight flowed like a silky thread, shimmering all around. The people who met in this corner of the world from different realms embraced each other, and in the entwining gaze, they could clearly see each other's past lives and the love that spanned centuries.