Seeing Er Ming so excited that he was on the verge of shedding tears, Da Ming shook his head helplessly beside him.
A trace of amusement flashed through his blue-green eyes. He turned to Er Ming and teased:
"All right, little brother."
"Don't rush to claim your granddaughter just yet."
"First, why don't you explain who Xiaoling is?"
At those words, the lively atmosphere fell silent.
Yuanen Yehui also raised her head, looking at Er Ming through tear-filled eyes. Clearly, she wanted to hear the story of this grandmother countless generations removed.
The excitement on Er Ming's face gradually faded, replaced by reminiscence and guilt.
He took a deep breath and said slowly:
"Xiaoling... Her full name was Xiong Xiaoling."
"She was a girl I met when we returned to the Douluo Continent twenty thousand years ago."
"Back then, her village was struck by a meteorite. Her entire family died, and she was the only survivor."
"I saved her."
Er Ming's gaze softened, as though he had crossed time and space to return to that distant age.
"My name back then was Yuanen Tai Tan."
"I spent a very, very long time with that girl."
"She was gentle and kind."
"We... We fell in love."
At this point, Er Ming's voice grew subdued.
"But I left without saying goodbye."
"It was because we'd promised that fellow Tang San we would guard the Clear Sky Sect and protect his daughter, Tang Wutong."
"So... I could only leave."
"I never imagined she would... would give birth to my child."
"I... I wronged her."
After finishing, Er Ming lowered his head, unable to meet Da Ming's eyes.
Da Ming listened quietly, a complicated emotion flickering through his blue-green eyes.
After a moment, he spoke slowly:
"I'm not trying to blame you."
"It's just..."