At his words, Zhu Jin frowned, and the flush of drunkenness vanished from his face in an instant. After all, he knew that Zhu Kun was imprisoned beneath the Inner Academy.
Zhu Jin thought, Could it be some kind of bloodline resonance? But Zhu Kun was sealed by Tou She Ancient God. Forget him—even the Emperor Pill can't get out. Nihility Devouring Flame and Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame were released only because Tou She Ancient God deliberately let them go.
Or is Zi Yan simply missing her parents? What one thinks of by day appears in one's dreams at night?
Watching Zi Yan's lonely figure before him, her solitary back and slowly lowered lashes, Zhu Jin felt a trace of pity in his heart.
"Do you miss them?" Zhu Jin asked.
At his words, Zi Yan's shoulders trembled lightly. She hugged her knees as she crouched there, remaining silent for so long that Zhu Jin thought she did not want to answer.
"...I do." Zi Yan's voice was like a tightly drawn string. "But I don't know why they abandoned me. I don't know their names, I don't know whether they're already dead, and I don't even know what I am. I'm afraid... that they never wanted me."
As she spoke, Zi Yan's eyes gradually reddened. With a splash, she suddenly plunged her head into the water, then slowly floated back up, stubbornly using the hot water to hide her tears. She used terribly unconvincing acting to pretend that the water on her face was not tears, and that her reddened eyes were merely from choking on water.
Zhu Jin slowly reached out and gently stroked Zi Yan's silky hair, which remained smooth even when wet. Resting his hand atop her head, he said softly, "I can promise you that