"Zizhen, you're finally back, you're finally back..."
The plush rabbit leaped into his arms, placing its two forepaws against his chest. It looked up, its ruby-like eyes brimming with tears. "Doggie lied to me, Doggie lied to me. You were clearly dead."
Her voice was crisp, like that of a little girl.
She had only recently learned of Zhang Zizhen's "death," and had also been told that he was about to be resurrected. Otherwise, the Zoo would have become Songhai's urban horror legend.
Zhang Zizhen withdrew his gaze from his pursuing wife, lowered his head to look at the artifact spirit, gently stroked its head, and said softly, "I'm back. Amin, how many years have I been dead?"
The artifact spirit called Amin looked at Zhang Yuanqing. "I never counted the days, but your child is already this grown."
Zhang Zizhen followed her gaze. Father and son met each other's eyes from more than ten meters apart.
Zhang Zizhen stared fixedly at him for over ten seconds, his eyes filled with both relief and fatherly love.
Zhang Yuanqing was examining him as well. Gradually, the face overlapped with the one he had often sketched in his mind. It was familiar, yet at this very moment, it also felt incomparably strange.
The years of the past surged endlessly in his chest. He remembered his father's warm palm, his broad embrace, and that gentle smile that never vanished no matter how naughty he was.
He remembered the coughing that often came from the night.
He wanted to say something festive, something playful, to make this reunion between father and son more relaxed. But when the words reached his lips, all that came out was a dry:
"Dad..."
Zhang Zizhen nodded with a gentle smile. "This isn't your true body, is it?"
His