Ji Yanzhi's heart felt as though a hand had clenched around it, and tears fell from his eyes without warning.
He abruptly turned his head away, desperately trying to hold himself together, but his body still began trembling uncontrollably.
Ji Ting stumbled up another two steps. Ji Yanzhi had turned away, but he had forgotten to release his grip on Ji Ting's collar, leaving Ji Ting awkwardly bent at the waist.
After an indeterminate stretch of time, the large hand at his neck finally loosened.
"Those things you just said-did you lie to me?" Ji Yanzhi's voice was hoarse, with a faint nasal edge beneath his tone.
Ji Ting fell silent for a moment. "There is one thing I lied to you about."
Ji Yanzhi was so furious that his vision went black. He whipped around. "You..."
"You can't see the otic capsule in an ordinary mirror. It's at the base of your skull, so the only way to see it is through dissection." He pointed to indicate its location, then added, "But I didn't lie about what it's made of. Not a single word."
Ji Yanzhi's thin lips trembled slightly, but his tone remained cold and hard. "Ji Ting, I don't need your cheap pity."
"This isn't pity." Ji Ting looked into his eyes, his gaze calm and clear. "It's the most precious secret of every child in this world who has lost their mother."
At those words, the shame and anger hidden in Ji Yanzhi's heart crumbled instantly. Only then did he belatedly feel the sincerity of this gift.
It wasn't a chance to mock him, nor did it have anything to do with pity. Ji Ting was simply comforting him in his own way.
At that thought, Ji Yanzhi awkwardly turned his face aside. "Go pick it