Chen Shanyi's heart was still pounding wildly, as if all the air had turned solid, and time had stopped moving in that instant. She looked at Siska before her, feeling that the words he spoke were like an invisible thread, tightly connecting her to a distant past.
"You mentioned reincarnation..." Her voice was almost inaudible. "Are you referring to our past?"
Siska nodded gently, his gaze silent and profound, as if there were endless stories within it. He picked up the coffee cup on the table and slowly took a sip, as if weighing his next words. "Shanyi, what we call reincarnation is not merely the cycle between life and death. Sometimes, souls reunite because of unfinished destinies, returning to the original path to fulfill a bond that was left incomplete." He paused for a moment, seemingly searching for the right words. "And you, my love, are my destiny."
Chen Shanyi felt a strange tremor. She didn't completely understand what he meant by reincarnation, but deep within her, there was a strong intuition telling her that this wasn't just a random occurrence. She looked down at her slightly trembling hands, and suddenly, everything seemed exceptionally clear—her connection with Siska wasn't accidental, nor was it a dream; it was a fate destined to happen.
"Who exactly are you?" She finally couldn't hold back her question, her voice tinged with an undeniable tension. "Why do I feel that you are so important to me, as if we have known each other before, but I can't remember anything?"
Siska didn't answer immediately. He just stared into her eyes, as if waiting for her to make her own discovery. After a while, he slowly spoke. "You're right, we have known each other before. In fact, we can say that our souls have known and accompanied each other for hundreds of years."
Chen Shanyi's heart beat even more rapidly. She felt as though a huge stone was pressing down on her head, making it hard to breathe. Her eyes widened as she tried to refute his words, but she found herself unable to speak. It seemed that in his gaze, she saw the version of herself that she no longer remembered, a version buried deep within her memories—someone she could not recognize.
"You..." Her voice trembled. "Who are you really?"
Siska's expression softened. He put down the coffee cup and gently took her hand. "I am an immortal being," his voice was low and husky, "For centuries, I have been searching for you, searching for the unfinished vow between us. Don't you remember? We once swore that no matter how many lifetimes passed, we would meet again and rewrite our destiny."
Chen Shanyi was stunned. It felt as though a storm had erupted in her mind, emotions, thoughts, and confusion all tangled together, beyond words. Her world felt fragmented, the past and present intertwining, impossible to distinguish. She looked at Siska, her gaze growing increasingly dazed. "Impossible... This can't be..."
"You once promised me, no matter what happens, you would always be by my side." Siska's voice was gentle but firm. "Shanyi, I know this is hard for you to accept, and you might not believe it. But you must know, this bond has never been broken. You've just temporarily forgotten it."
Chen Shanyi's gaze became blurred. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the intense emotions stirring within her. "But why don't I remember you? Why, if we truly made such a vow, have I never felt these memories? Why can't I perceive our past?"
Siska paused for a moment, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes. "Your memories were deliberately erased. At that time, my power was not strong enough, and our destiny couldn't begin again. We both made sacrifices for each other, and you—you're my only one. You were willing to live for me, to bear everything for me, and this sacrifice forced me to make you lose part of your memories and start over."
"Lost memories?" Chen Shanyi's voice trembled with disbelief. "So everything was arranged by you?"
Siska gently shook his head. "It wasn't entirely my arrangement. It was more due to the arrangement of fate. We cannot escape the cycle of destiny. Even though you lost your memories, you were never truly far from me. I know this relationship is too complicated for you, but you must believe that our connection was always destined."
Chen Shanyi's heart was gripped by an invisible hand, beating violently. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, but the doubts, fears, and confusion overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
"If everything is true, then why did I lose these memories?" Her voice trembled. "If we are truly destined, why were we separated? Why..."
Her words were left unfinished when Siska suddenly reached out and pulled her into his embrace. At that moment, Chen Shanyi's body froze, yet she felt a warm force rush into her heart. Siska's embrace felt like a haven from the storm, gentle and firm, offering silent comfort.
"Shanyi," he whispered, "our story isn't over. You will know everything, all the answers are waiting for you. No matter what the past was like, the future will belong to us."
Chen Shanyi's heartbeat gradually steadied. Though the doubts still lingered within her, she knew that she could no longer avoid this entangled fate. No matter what, this was a reality she could not choose to escape.
She lifted her head, gazing into Siska's deep eyes, and slowly spoke, "I'm willing to believe you, Siska. No matter what, I will walk with you."
A glimmer of satisfaction flashed in Siska's eyes. He gently cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "You will never be alone, my love."