Bao Xiaotou held the woman like this, speaking one word at a time.
The woman merely gently placed her hand atop Bao Xiaotou's head, stroking his hair.
"Little Baozi, let the past be the past, all right?"
"Do you know why I'm here? I only wanted to see you one last time."
"You should forget me too. Back then, I could drink poisoned wine and kill myself so I wouldn't stand in the way of your path to immortality. I can do the same now."
"Do you know? Once you step onto this road, you and I are no longer people of the same world. You're already so grown up—why are you still acting like a child?"
"Be good. Forget me. You need to become strong, independent, self-reliant, understand?"
"Don't rely on anyone. Don't blame anyone. Don't resent anyone. You are yourself. You are Bao Xiaotou."
"Remember this: from now on, you are you. No one can change your beliefs, and no one can turn your thoughts around."
"Pull yourself together. Leave this place. Keep walking the path you are on. Don't look back, don't hesitate, and don't give up."
Once the woman had spoken every word, Bao Xiaotou discovered that her body before him was slowly turning into nothingness, bit by bit.
"No... don't. Lan'er, don't leave me. Don't leave me. I miss you."
Bao Xiaotou hurriedly tried to save her, tried to restore her body, but as it grew more insubstantial, the woman gradually began to fade away as well.
"I came here to see you not to add to your burden, but to make you more confident and stronger."
"Do you know? I stayed in the depths of your heart for tens of thousands of years. I endured tens of thousands of years of torment, all because