Xiu Yuan continued speeding up time, and Hu Tao's every movement flashed past before his eyes.
Soon, he saw Hu Tao come to the grave at midnight and stay there all night. Only when morning came did Zhongli bring a coat and drape it over her sleeping form.
Seeing this, Xiu Yuan immediately turned time back to the moment Hu Tao had just arrived at the grave, then let it flow naturally.
"Grandfather, I've come to see you. Today marks one year since you passed away."
Hu Tao arrived at Xiu Yuan's grave at midnight on the dot and spoke softly.
Xiu Yuan stood beside Hu Tao, watching her with a faint smile.
"So much has happened this year, and I've grown up a lot!"
"Not long after you passed away, Rex Lapis fell during the annual rite of descension..."
"I was the one who held the rite of parting! Lots of people even praised me!"
"Hehe, I didn't embarrass you, did I, Grandfather? I'm pretty amazing!"
Before Xiu Yuan's grave, Hu Tao recounted all the things, big and small, that had happened that year.
She spread her arms animatedly, gesturing as she described the scenes.
But as she laughed, tears began to fall.
"But... Grandfather..."
"I wish so much... that you could have seen it..."
"Seen how much I've grown... seen that I can stand on my own..."
Smiling tenderly, Xiu Yuan gathered her into his arms and answered softly, "I saw it, Little Tao..."
"You've grown up too, Little Tao. You can shoulder great responsibilities now. You're no longer a child. I'm proud of you."
Yet Hu Tao showed no reaction and simply went on talking.
Tears kept trickling down her cheeks.
Only where others could not see her, only before Xiu Yuan, would she reveal such a