If Lian He were here, seeing the reunion of Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong, she would surely shed tears.
The two were entangled for several lifetimes, yet failed to achieve a happy ending. They themselves might not have thought much of it, but others couldn't help but feel heartache for them.
Looking at Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong, Taohua Ying suddenly felt they were a pair of ill-fated lovers.
Though they were a young couple, they each bore heavy responsibilities, forcing them to put even their love aside for the greater good.
Perhaps it was this near-death separation that brought them some clarity, making them understand that parting might mean forever. Therefore, they should cherish the present and pour out their hearts to one another, letting the other know their true feelings.
Life is short, seize the day.
Hearing that Yan Shouyi also had something to say to her, Lin Zitong became anxious. She covered Yan Shouyi's mouth and said, "I'll speak first, my matter is more important!"
Yan Shouyi, who always indulged Lin Zitong, was unusually resolute this time.
He grasped Lin Zitong's wrist, forcibly moved her jade hand away, his eyes filled with apology:
"No, my matter is more important. I should speak first."
Both were stubbornly unwilling to yield, determined to speak their minds first.
Taohua Ying couldn't bear to watch any longer and reminded them:
"Perhaps Young Master should speak first, given the current situation..."
Qin Shi Huang and Huo Ban, the two celestial beings, were still battling above their heads. Although Taohua Ying loved seeing the Young Master and Miss in love, it was clearly not an opportune moment.
With no other choice, Lin Zitong pouted slightly and said, "Then you speak first! Speak quickly!"
She still believed her matter was more important, only conceding due to the present circumstances.
Yan Shouyi smiled, took a deep breath, then knelt before Lin Zitong, shifting his hands from holding her back to supporting her waist.
Lin Zitong was taken aback, as if realizing something. She quickly lowered her head to look at Yan Shouyi.
She saw an endless tenderness in Yan Shouyi's eyes. In this moment, he seemed to have transformed from a young man into a towering, resolute man.
Supporting Lin Zitong's slender waist, he carefully placed his ear against her abdomen, holding his breath, not daring to make a sound.
"He knows?"
"When did he know..."
"Why is he only reacting now?"
Lin Zitong's mind was filled with questions.
If the big傻子 knew she was pregnant, he would surely jump for joy and dote on her endlessly.
But since the big傻子 hadn't acted that way before, it meant he hadn't known before he was sealed.
The more Lin Zitong thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
How could he know he was going to be a father just by entering a coffin?
Did Huo Ban tell him?
However, Lin Zitong remained silent, choosing to savor this beautiful moment.
On the mercury river, silver waves churned, and the giant sarcophagus boat swayed precariously, yet it did not disturb the fated couple.
Yan Shouyi listened intently, then couldn't help but look up and smile, saying,
"I can feel it, the child is kicking me."
Lin Zitong let out a chuckle and playfully hit Yan Shouyi's head, saying,
"The child isn't even as big as a sunflower seed yet, how could it kick you?"
Lin Zitong's abdomen was flat, and her figure showed no sign of weight gain or change. This was why Yan Shouyi hadn't suspected anything earlier.
He paused and asked, "How many months along is the child?"
Lin Zitong touched her belly and replied, "After I discovered I was pregnant, I worried it wasn't the right time for the child to be born. So, I went to Penglai in the East Sea with the Sect Leader of Lu Jing. There, I sought help from extraordinary individuals to temporarily inhibit the child's development."
"Therefore, the child is only a little over a month old."
Yan Shouyi felt a pang of guilt upon hearing this.
He had made a tremendous decision to be with Lin Zitong, and now, after she became pregnant, she had to bear such pressure, forcibly suppressing the child's development.
What was even more regrettable was that he, a blockhead, had only just realized his wife was pregnant.
One could only imagine the immense pressure Lin Zitong had endured alone during this time.
He couldn't help but embrace Lin Zitong and say apologetically, "I'm sorry."
"It is I who should say sorry."
Lin Zitong crouched down, meeting Yan Shouyi's gaze, and said softly,
"Since childhood, I've always pursued you, and you've avoided me. I know you like me too, but you're afraid of bringing me trouble, so you'd rather choose solitude. But I know... you fear loneliness the most..."
Lin Zitong's voice was gentle, filled with endless love:
"On that night fourteen years ago, when I fell into the dry well, you, that big傻子, jumped in too. You gave me your clothes because you were afraid I'd be cold, and you kept talking to me and telling me stories because you were worried I'd be scared. Later, I fell into a daze and slept. When I woke up midway, I saw you secretly wiping away tears."
Yan Shouyi was startled, "You..."
"Yes, I saw it! I saw that you, who always appeared strong, were actually afraid of the dark and afraid of being alone as a child. But you never said anything, bottling up any difficulties and troubles."
Yan Shouyi suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
Fourteen years ago, he was only six years old. While children of other families were watching cartoons in their parents' arms, he, at six, was out hunting ghosts and killing zombies with his grandfather.
Yan Shouyi was not a reborn or transmigrated person; he was just a six-year-old child at the time. Naturally, he was also scared. More importantly, he missed his father and mother.
After coaxing Lin Zitong to sleep that night in the dry well, Yan Shouyi suddenly had no one to talk to. He felt an inexplicable fear, thinking of his parents, and couldn't help but shed tears.
However, no matter how sad and distressed he was, he didn't make a sound, stubbornly gritting his teeth, afraid of waking Lin Zitong beside him.
Little did he know that Lin Zitong had already woken up then.
Lin Zitong cupped Yan Shouyi's face in her hands, smiling, "You were scared too, yet you gave me strength and encouraged me to be brave. Perhaps that's when I started to like you."
"You fear loneliness because fate has taken away your loved ones one by one. You crave a complete family more than anyone. But I worried about causing you trouble, so I kept the child's matter a secret from you."
"It wasn't until just now, when you sealed yourself in the bronze coffin, that I suddenly realized... fate plays tricks on people, and life is unpredictable. If we miss this chance, perhaps we won't have another."
"I don't want you to come alone and leave alone."
"I want to have a child with you and give you a complete home."
As Lin Zitong spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.