Chapter 243
Volume 1: 231. Chu Yuanqing reveals the truth, please take good care of our daughter. (5K)
The coffee shop was completely silent.
At the bar, the owner, who was changing records on the record player, looked over in surprise. The waiter wiping the glasses paused involuntarily, and the surrounding customers also looked curiously at the two pretty girls at that table.
Although Charlotte and Chu Yuanqing both used appearance-correcting magic, it only reduced their superhuman beauty to ordinary prettyness. Combined with their superior skin, bone structure, and body proportions, they were still exceptionally pleasing to the eye. Saying such things naturally aroused the curiosity of onlookers.
Charlotte realized this as well. She gave the person looking at her a slightly apologetic smile, and gracefully adjusted her skirt like a lady before sitting back down in her original seat.
That smile was incredibly infectious. Without needing to explain anything, it transformed what had just been said into a lighthearted joke, drawing kind smiles from those around and making the afternoon sun feel even warmer.
One woman even raised her coffee in a toast, her eyes crinkling as if jokingly wishing her daughter good health.
The waiter came over with a towel and wiped the table clean of the spilled coffee. Finally, at the owner's instruction, he brought over a cup of the shop's newest drink.
Chu Yuanqing looked somewhat surprised, but quickly understood Charlotte's reaction.
This is similar to the intermittent memories of other Little Idol.
Charlotte simply regained more memories than she fully inherited all the memories from the previous Worldline. Ironically, the part about her daughter was at the very end of her life, occupying only a few days before she went to her death.
The Pure White Witch snapped her fingers, and silvery magic bloomed like a flower stamen. The surrounding breeze swirled and transformed into a silent, sound-absorbing wall, preventing their conversation from reaching the outside world.
Then, she looked at Charlotte, who appeared calm on the surface but was actually restless and beginning to doubt her life, her brows relaxed, a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she said softly:
"It seems you haven't remembered that part of your memory yet."
"It's okay, you'll remember eventually."
The Doomsday Diva held a saucer in one hand and a cup in the other, taking a sip of coffee. If it weren't for the slight trembling in her movements, her posture would have appeared quite elegant.
Charlotte was naturally questioning her life. In her mind, she was still a pure and innocent girl who had never been exposed to anything naive or awkward. But she was suddenly told that she was actually a happy wife and mother.
If it were someone else, they would probably be so shocked that they would feel like they have traveled to another parallel world.
Charlotte tried hard to search through her resurrected memories, but couldn't find a trace. She was somewhat bewildered. Could it be that after the end of the apocalypse, she and Xiaoqing had lived a newlywed life for a while and even had a daughter?
The girl puffed out her cheeks, somewhat unconvinced. She felt it was so unfair that she, with zero experience, was being pitted against Xiao Qing, who was full of experience in this area. No wonder Xiao Qing didn't want to go to the lingerie store earlier; she must have had too many exciting experiences before and thought that kind of erotic fun was too childish!
Charlotte's feelings were complicated; it was like your innocent wife suddenly becoming incredibly skilled, to the point that you had the illusion of being NTR'd by a blond guy.
Well, even though this blond guy is the self you've forgotten, it only makes the feeling more distorted!
Charlotte looked at Qing Bao with some resentment, as if accusing her of going too far with her fancy tricks, but her curiosity about her daughter quickly overwhelmed everything else.
The girl successfully ignored her turbulent feelings. She eagerly stood up, quickly sat down next to the other person, and pressed her thighs together, almost snuggling against them. Then, blinking her eyes, she asked excitedly:
"Xiao Qing, did we get married in the old days? Am I super gentle after I become a mother?"
Chu Yuanqing had no idea what strange things Charlotte was imagining. She felt a little disappointed after hearing this and explained softly:
"I'm sorry, we... don't have a chance to get married."
"When the Disaster God descended, it inflicted near-fatal damage on the planet. We all know it was a battle that offered no hope even after victory."
"Therefore, after defeating the final Disaster God, both the planet itself and its Planet Consciousness were on the verge of death."
"Our only remaining option is to Funeral Procession this Worldline, erase it from Akasha's records, and then use it to reverse time and restart to the point before the catastrophe occurred."
Charlotte, after hearing this, patted the other person's hair comfortingly. She already knew the answer in her heart. Funeral Procession the Worldline was not a simple matter. It involved time, space, causality, and even more complex concepts.
Therefore, it requires a great many blessings.
Xie Qingxuan's [Titan's Authority], on a superficial level, is about controlling and erasing existence; on a deeper level, it's about weaving, alternating, and reversing cause and effect.
Tang Liuli's [Blood of Sighs] is a conceptual skill. On the surface, it can transform blood into a fluid substance like Liuli, capable of reacting with any substance touched by decay and aging. Its deeper ability is to allow the host to return to the most regrettable point in time after death.
Both of these abilities come at a cost.
First, once blood transforms into Liuli state, it can never be reversed back to its original state.
Secondly, it will disrupt the timeline to some extent. If the disruption reaches a certain point, it will be noticed by the Disaster God. Further disruption will lead to the inability to rewind, or even cause the timeline to collapse.
When paired with the [Wall of Sighs], a concept that provides absolute defense, it perfectly reflects Liuli's truest desires and her true self.
That is, the fear of being hurt, the fear of the death of loved ones, and the fear of inevitable tragedy.
Charlotte's [Funeral Procession] is very simple: it grants all things the concept of absolute death. This is the power to contend with the Disaster God, and it can even Funeral Procession timelines that have become disordered and branched out. However, due to the cost, it is not as buggy as it appears on the surface.
Therefore, it's easy to guess that with this information, the foundation for the second playthrough can be laid.
[Titan's Authority] + [Blood of Sighs] + [Funeral Procession].
These three basic frameworks, combined with the boundless blessings bestowed upon Xiao Qing and the authority of the thirteen Disaster God, have together forged the current era.
As for his own fate...
The price of activating [Funeral Procession] is balance; if you want to Funeral Procession a Worldline, death is merely the most basic cost.
Charlotte's smile was wistful. She quickly concealed her emotions, pinched the Pure White Witch's rounded thigh, and interrupted her thoughts, saying:
"So, our children are new lives born by replacing the process of gestation in the womb with authority?"
Chu Yuanqing nodded in agreement, revealing a maternal smile that seemed somewhat indulgent, and said softly:
"Our daughter was born naturally in the previous Worldline, through the blood and souls of you and me, accelerated by our authority, so that I would have something to look forward to. I brought her to the New Era and named her Wangshu."
"I have been raising her for 17 years now. Xiao Shu is healthy and sensible, and she has grown into a mature and beautiful girl."
Charlotte was momentarily dazed, then a joyful smile bloomed on her face. She hugged Chu Yuanqing's arm like a girlfriend playfully teasing him, and asked curiously:
"Wangshu, is that a name from the Great Xia? Did you choose it or did I? Have I given her a name from this region? What do you think of Fiona? Or Rosalie? She must have been tiny as a child, like a rose!"
Charlotte felt a surge of warmth and excitement in her heart. She gradually embraced her role as a mother, and as she hugged Chu Yuanqing, she began to feel that time was passing by. She radiated happiness, shone brightly, and was bathed in the glow of motherhood.
The girl's eyes were curved in a smile; she was like a naive child, unable to resist asking a series of questions:
"Is Xiao Shu doing well in school? Is she as pretty as me? Does she listen to you? Where is she now? Is she happy? Oh, right, do you have any photos? Let me see them!"
Chu Yuanqing seemed to have been looking forward to this scene for many years. No matter how boring or trivial it was, she answered all of Charlotte's questions with a smile and patience. As she spoke, she used silver magic to draw ink on the table, connecting the corridor of consciousness with a spell to materialize the images in her memory.
Meanwhile, the surrounding breeze, mixed with light and shadow, creates a private space that is out of sight.
From the outside, this little corner looks like two girls quietly drinking coffee.
Chu Yuanqing shared with his wife the treasures he had carefully nurtured for 17 years—her last remaining, uninterrupted, complete, and happy moments—which were presented one by one in the magic of materialized memories.
Charlotte watched intently, while her father, Chu Yuanqing, gently explained beside her:
"Look, this is what she looked like as a baby. She was so well-behaved back then, even though she would cry at night. She was so tiny, and I was always afraid she would get hurt. She was also very clingy, but when I took care of her, I felt like I was slowly coming back to life."
The baby in the cradle was so small, her limbs soft and fair, as if she would get sunburned if the sun shone on her for too long. Her eyes were dark and clear, innocent and naive, and she always smiled when she looked in the direction of the camera, pure and lovely.
"When I first arrived here, all my blessings and authority were reduced to ashes, becoming the fuel that supports [pure white]."
"I don't exist in the history of this Worldline. When I first entered society, I didn't have an ID card and didn't know how to make a living in Peaceful Era. When I couldn't find a place to stay, I was always afraid that Xiao Shu would get sick. When I heard her cry, I would feel helpless and panicked about what to feed her."
As Chu Yuanqing spoke, her face was full of smiles. She didn't seem to feel tired at all; her eyes were full of nostalgia and happiness, and her tone was more lively than before.
Charlotte was stunned. She knew that the fool beside her didn't feel wronged at all, because Chu Yuanqing was just that kind of slow-witted, stupid, easily satisfied fool who could be happy with just a hug. But she still couldn't help feeling heartbroken for her.
If the Planet Consciousness truly revived the memories of the first timeline, then it would absolutely not acknowledge the past sacrifices and achievements of this Savior, nor would it acknowledge all of humanity's 17 years of protection under the [Pure White] protection.
Charlotte's sacrifice was voluntary. She didn't need people's gratitude or reciprocation, nor did she need applause or flowers. She simply didn't want the person she loved to suffer so much and live in such a chaotic world after bringing happiness to the whole world.
Even if history is revised and this neglect is a helpless but inevitable consequence, it is even more justifiable for her to feel wronged for Chu Yuanqing.
Charlotte did not interrupt Chu Yuanqing's speech, her face still bearing an expectant and happy smile. She wanted to respond to his expectations and also wanted to know about his experiences over the past 17 years.
Chu Yuanqing continued flipping through the memory album, recounting the origins of her story earnestly:
"The aunt next door praised Xiao Shu for being very smart; she could crawl and walk at only seven months old, and she could even talk and call me 'Dad.'"
This is a video of a little girl rolling around on the bed. When she notices someone coming, she blinks, tries to get up, holds onto the crib railing, walks towards the camera, and smiles happily, calling out "Dad" in her unclear speech.
Charlotte's eyes sparkled as she repeatedly praised how cute she was, causing Chu Yuanqing to pause for a while, staring at her for a long time before reluctantly moving on to the next paragraph.
"This is Xiao Shu's first day of elementary school."
In the picture, the little girl is carrying a red schoolbag. She still looks tiny, as delicate as a snow doll, but she is no longer as fragile as when she was a baby. She has grown from a sprout into a sapling, silently telling the story of the passage of time.
"When Xiao Shu was in second grade, she asked to sleep in her own room, but halfway through the night, she quietly hugged her pillow, cried, and said that the room was too dark. She squeezed next to me and said she would grow up tomorrow."
Chu Wangshu never imagined that her almost forgotten Black History would be dug up by her biological father in this way and shown to her biological mother frame by frame.
Charlotte watched the video of the Little Cotton-padded Jacket and couldn't help but laugh. She touched the video with her fingertips, her eyes filled with deep emotion, and said softly:
"How cute! Does she think that sleeping alone means she's grown up?"
Chu Yuanqing nodded in reply:
"That's how kids are; the younger they are, the more they want to grow up quickly."
"Later, when Xiao Shu was in third grade, she was able to sleep alone, but she would still avoid thunderstorms."
Chu Yuanqing pulled up the remaining clips, playing them year by year. They included scenes of taking her Little Cotton-padded Jacket out to play, eating at home with her, celebrating her birthday, Xiao Shu beaming with joy as she held up her award certificate, talking about receiving her prize money, and her daughter falling at the sports meet, scraping her skin and bleeding, yet still stubbornly trying to look brave with teary eyes...
These fragmented years, woven together by the thread of fatherly love, form a painting that stretches for 17 years.
Chu Yuanqing has forgotten many things, and even occasionally forgets who she is, but she remembers the 17 years she spent with her daughter so clearly, it's almost as if she's afraid of losing her, so she tries so hard to remember.
Looking at Chu Yuanqing like this, Charlotte suddenly recalled a short poem by Tagore: "If a bird's wings are bound with gold, it will never be able to soar in the sky again."
Perhaps, whether or not one can soar is not important.
Or perhaps, gold can also be a reason for birds to take flight again.
Chu Yuanqing's smile was faint yet enduring, and she said softly:
"She's a very self-reliant child. She's been excellent since she was little, and she tries her best to share my burden. She's so kind that she can forgive my mistakes even if she doesn't know the reason."
"Actually, I've never been a good Dad. I was always clumsy when taking care of her as a baby, and the food I cooked at the beginning wasn't very good either. I was always late for sports meets and parent-teacher meetings, and I rarely had time to spend with her. When I took her out to play, we were always short of money."
"I will break my promises, I will make mistakes, I will be careless, and I will not be able to tell her that she has always had a mother and is not some child who is unwanted by her mother."
Chu Yuanqing looked at the pretty girl in the video who had let go of her hand, dragged her suitcase, and said she was going to live at school. Her fingertips touched her daughter's eyes at that moment, as if with expectation, or as if with certainty, and she said, word by word:
"Your mother is beautiful and gentle. No one will love you more than her. She will do a better job than me. She never breaks her promises and will never miss any important moment in your life."
"From now on, she will come to see you, to love you, and to make up for my shortcomings."
The girl's frosty blue eyelashes drooped, and her beautiful, captivating face was filled with sorrow. She felt guilty for her years of absence, remorseful for forgetting her daughter, and uneasy about the atmosphere of this conversation.
Charlotte had a vague sense of it from the very beginning.
Why hasn't Xiao Qing come to see me for 17 whole years?
Why is the suppression of [Pure White] increasingly weakening, even experiencing repeated periods of instability and collapse?
Why did Xiao Qing, who initially knew nothing about the inner workings of "Flash Dance," still choose to participate in this Talent Show, which was both difficult and shameful for her?
These problems must all have a common reason.
Can...
Charlotte didn't want to think about it, much less believe it. Her beloved had suffered so much, endured so many hardships and pains, his soul and body scarred, to finally arrive in the Peaceful Era he had created with his own hands, only to face what was called... death after raising their daughter to adulthood with such difficulty.
This is utterly absurd and unreasonable.
Charlotte agreed to the role of "Lighthouse" despite knowing the risks involved, because she had experienced the love and warmth of the world in that small town of Saint Wolfgang.
Sister Ellie in the orphanage was like a mother to her. The townspeople and adults who visited all liked her very much. She was the darling of the whole town, and the birthday gifts she received every year could fill her room. Even without blood relatives, she lived a very happy life.
Before Charlotte regained her memories, she thought the world was beautiful and gentle. She wanted to protect everyone's happiness and eradicate the calamities that would destroy countless families, even if it meant sacrificing herself.
All of this is because she felt it was worthwhile.
But Chu Yuanqing is different. She clearly received so little, there's no reason why she should suffer such an end.
Charlotte's eyes welled up with tears. She struggled to control her emotions, looking at Chu Yuanqing who was gazing at her, trying to force a smile like she always had, saying, "I will definitely be a good mother," "Our future will definitely be happy," "Let's go see our daughter together..."
But tears still fell like pearls from a broken string, shattering heavily in the coffee cup and creating ripples.
Chu Yuanqing carefully and gently wiped away her tears with her fingertips. Her face was blurred in the backlight, but the smile on her lips, like a piercing fog, reached straight to the heart along with those words:
"Charlotte, my time is running out. Please grant me my last wish: hand over the position of the [Lighthouse] to me, and then, as her mother, take care of our daughter, carrying my share of the responsibility, so that she can live a happy and fulfilling life."
Volume 1: 232. The Origin of the Pure White Witch, Marriage Magic, and the Contract Between Two People. (5K)
Chu Yuanqing's whisper, within the elementally sealed domain, was like a suffocating tide.
Charlotte forgot to breathe. She felt as if she had been suddenly pushed into the icy sea. The sunlight streaming through the window turned into shattered glass reflecting on the water's surface. They crashed down with a soft murmur, piercing her pupils and drawing blood.
And so, her jewel-like, beautiful eyes were flooded with a mist of sorrow as deep as blood, and teardrop after tear fell, seemingly without end.
Chu Yuanqing gently brushed it away with her hand, her heart aching. Her memory was so empty, so empty that it seemed she had never seen Charlotte like this before. The fragmented memories of the past twisted and turned in her heart, as if squeezing out past emotions, making her movements stiff. She could only awkwardly give the other person a hug.
What words can I say to comfort her?