Ten Years Later, the Demon Forest
In a forest surrounded by towering mountains, a wooden house stood out amidst the vast greenery.
In the courtyard, Ning Yechen lay on a rocking chair, wearing homemade sunglasses and holding a glass of freshly squeezed fairy juice. He exuded an air of lazy comfort. With the chair gently rocking, he basked in the sunlight, savoring the serene moment.
This is the life! Waking up naturally every day with no disturbances, no need for school or work, and no battles to fight. When hungry, he ate the fairy fruits, herbs, and elixirs he grew himself. In his spare time, he fished from the lake. It was a happy, worry-free existence.
Compared to the days filled with fighting and killing, he much preferred this peaceful life. The only downside was that he had been living alone here for over a century, and it was starting to feel a bit lonely. In a world without phones or entertainment, the repetitive routine had become tiresome over the years.
Despite having a few talking companions, they feared him too much for the interactions to be interesting. This solitude often led Ning Yechen to recall a beautiful dream from ten years ago. The memories of that night were deeply ingrained in his mind, making them difficult to forget. Was he simply lonely after being single for hundreds of years?
He couldn't help but speculate. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why he frequently reminisced about that night. At the time, he had only wanted to save the woman's life without disrupting his secluded existence, but now the memory persisted.
Yet, he didn't even know her name and doubted he would ever see her again. Shaking off these thoughts, he closed his eyes, reminding himself to focus on his secluded life.
Suddenly, Ning Yechen opened his eyes. Someone was approaching. No, it was two figures! How could someone find this place? Intrigued, he smiled and dispelled the barrier surrounding the wooden house, eager to see who the visitors were.
In the dense woods, a woman with an exquisite, graceful figure and a charming face walked slowly. She looked pale and tired. On her back was a little girl, around three or four years old, with a face as cute and beautiful as a doll. The girl had long, beautiful black hair and delicate features. She looked around curiously and asked in a soft voice:
"Mom, where are we going?"
"Aren't we looking for daddy, Ye Ye?" the woman replied with a gentle smile, although her eyes betrayed a trace of sadness and worry.
She never imagined that ten years later, she would be back in the human world with her child, searching for the man from that night. Strangely, despite wandering for a long time, she couldn't find the wooden house. Had he already left?
For a mortal, ten years is a long time. He might have moved away, possibly married. Thinking this, Luo Ruying's heart ached, and her sorrow showed on her face. What would she do if she couldn't find him?
"Really? Are we going to find daddy?" Luo Hongye asked excitedly.
"Yes, we're going to find daddy," Luo Ruying answered, smiling despite her uncertainty. She didn't know if she could find Ning Yechen.
After Luo Hongye expressed her joy, more questions arose in her little head. Tilting her head, she asked:
"Mom, didn't you say daddy died when Ye Ye was born?"
Luo Ruying was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond. After Luo Hongye became curious about her father, she had lied, saying he had died at her birth. Now, she had to think quickly.
"Ye Ye, actually... your father isn't dead," she finally said, coming up with an excuse.
Luo Hongye blinked her big eyes and innocently asked, "Does that mean daddy is still alive?"
"Yes, that's right," Luo Ruying nodded.
She thought she had handled it well until Luo Hongye continued:
"Then why hasn't daddy come to see Ye Ye and mom? Doesn't he want to be with us?"
As tears welled up in Luo Hongye's eyes, Luo Ruying quickly hugged her, patting her back.
"No, Ye Ye. How could your father not want you?" she comforted. "He was seriously injured and has been hiding here to recover. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."
Luo Hongye, believing her mother's words, immediately stopped crying and asked worriedly, "Is daddy okay?"
"Yes, he's fine," Luo Ruying reassured her with a smile.
At that moment, Luo Ruying suddenly stopped. Her expression grew serious as she sensed the presence of monsters. Their aura wasn't weak, either. She hadn't noticed any strong monsters ten years ago. Could she handle them now?
Holding Luo Hongye tightly, she prepared to draw her fairy sword, ready for an attack. But then, the monster auras suddenly vanished, as if they had fled. Just as she was puzzled by this, an exquisite wooden house appeared not far away.
Strange! She hadn't seen it before; it seemed to appear out of thin air. Though full of doubts, Luo Ruying couldn't help but smile. She had found it! This was the place!