The General's Darling Is Delicate-Chapter 447: Ying Ce Arc (Part 2)

That was the sweetest, softest voice I heard before I turned seven.

No disgust, no fear, no curses...

Just pure concern for me.

I looked up and saw a little girl with two pigtails.

She wore a light blue dress and held a shiny little stick in her hand.

She handed me a candy, a round one that could be poked with a small white stick.

I didn’t know what I looked like then, just how frightening it must have been.

But the moment I looked up, the little girl was startled.

The candy in her hand fell to the ground and broke instantly.

That might have been the first time I was so afraid to see people, quickly lowering my head, fearful of hearing a disgusted voice again.

During an episode, I bled from seven apertures and knew how terrifying I looked.

She gave me a candy, though it seemed already broken.

But I couldn’t repay kindness with enmity.

Just as I reached out to pick up the broken candy, a sweet and sticky voice sounded again, "That one’s dirty, it’s broken, I’ll give you a new one!"

Only then did I realize the little girl hadn’t been scared off.

But I dared not look up and could only see her pair of shiny blue shoes, very beautiful, refracting rainbow colors under the sunlight.

Another candy was handed to me.

This time it had a yellow wrapper. She said, "I didn’t eat the last one, but it broke, so here’s a new one."

"Big brother, why don’t you take it? Are you hungry? I’ll ask my dad to buy you some bread!"

"No!"

Hearing this, I hurriedly stopped the little girl.

I was afraid others would see me and, like those children, be frightened to tears and loudly curse.

I’m also afraid if others don’t see me, it would make me seem even more eerie...

It was then I lifted my head and finally saw the little girl’s face clearly.

Chubby, round, white and soft like a little bun.

Her eyes flickered with a momentary panic, followed by compassion, "Does it hurt? Your eyes are bleeding."

She took a small square from her little satchel and pulled out a particularly white piece of paper.

She tried to wipe the bloody tears from my eyes.

Previously, others could pass through my body directly, so I kept a cold face, thinking she’d run off frightened once she discovered I wasn’t human.

Such warmth was a luxury for me, unworthy of my possession.

Yet those soft little hands truly touched my cheek.

I could feel the warmth of the little girl’s palm and the softness of the white paper.

While I was in shock, the little girl curiously asked, "Why can’t it be wiped off? My dad told me tears should be wiped dry."

She anxiously pulled out more white paper from the small square, wiping again and again.

At that moment, the bloody tears in my eyes surely flowed even more.

For seven years, I lived in that cramped and gloomy Cold Palace, enduring monthly torments, with no one ever asking if it hurt, or helping to wipe my tears.

That’s why I hated being touched by anyone.

When I grow up to need no one’s pity, such concern would only disgust me!

But only that little girl.

She’s so tiny, like a little kitten.

Afterward, it seemed the little girl’s parents appeared, asking her why she was talking to herself in the corner.

The little girl kept pointing at me, trying to tell her parents there’s a big brother here.

I stopped her.

Not wanting anyone to know of my existence.

Seeing my gesture, the little girl swallowed the words she wanted to say. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

She only said there were ants here, feeding sugar to the little ants.

The little girl was led away by her father, but she didn’t forget to turn around and wave at me.

Even though I dared not step into that place filled with laughter again, I followed her up there without knowing why.

That day was probably the happiest day of my life.

She took me around, playing everywhere. Other kids would be scared away crying, but she pouted her little mouth and murmured, "What’s there to cry about? Big brother is nice!"

Hearing that, I just smiled faintly behind her.

Then, I followed that little girl to the house where she lived.

At night, the little girl curiously asked me, "Why can’t Dad and Mom see you? Big brother, are you a ghost?"

When she asked, there was no hint of fear in her eyes.

Only pure curiosity.

I found it amusing and asked her, since she knew I was a ghost, why wasn’t she afraid?

The little girl was stunned for a moment, with a piece of candy stuffed in her mouth, cheeks puffed up, looking even more adorable.

She said, "If big brother is a ghost, he’s a good ghost, why should I be afraid? If he was a bad ghost, he would go to the film city and harm people. Big brother, don’t blame yourself, those little brats are crying because they’re timid, you didn’t do anything wrong."

Indeed, he never did anything wrong.

From the moment of birth, yet always a mistake.

During those days, I ate and walked with the little girl, accompanying her to the place called kindergarten.

She was the bravest person I ever met.

Clearly so small, yet filled with righteous spirit.

In kindergarten, there were boys much bigger than her, bullying another little girl who seemed to have no parents. She’d rather get beaten herself to protect the little girl.

With my help, the chubby boy fell to the ground.

The little girl rode on the chubby boy, giving him a good pounding.

Whenever the chubby boy tried to fight back, I’d secretly help her.

She mustn’t be hurt.

This was my only thought.

If I was destined to live here as a ghost, I actually found it better.

At least it made me happier and more joyful than in the Cold Palace.

Such days continued for an unknown period of time. Just when I thought it would go on like that, the little girl fell sick.

Because of me.

A ghost with a body of utmost yin and coldness, lingering by her side, made her condition worsen by the day.

I bid her farewell.

The little girl just held my hand and cried incessantly.

She said, "Big brother, come back when I recover, never forget me."

Never forget...

I always remembered her, never forgetting across lifetimes.

I left, wandering aimlessly outside.

Wishing to die but unable, longing to leave but stuck.

Only aimlessly drifting in this world.

Until one day, I was suddenly absorbed into a dark whirlpool.

There, I saw everything that happened before I was born...

There, I gained abilities even I couldn’t imagine...

There, I met a man so handsome he seemed like a Fairy descending.

He asked me, would I want the whole world to belong to me...