The Little Hand Holding Tight

The heart-wrenching cries echoed for a long time in the Glimmering Lakeside Lodge, before gradually subsiding into intermittent sobs.

After releasing the emotions that had been suppressed in her heart, and the feeling of helplessness as she could only watch her memories slip away, Little Aemeath's emotions visibly calmed down a lot.

Her body, which had been stiff, finally softened in Lu Yan's warm embrace.

She buried her tear-reddened face in Lu Yan's neck, her nose twitching. Her large, watery eyes still seemed insecure, but the lifeless emptiness had been somewhat dispelled.

"Gurgle~"

In the quiet atmosphere, a clear gurgling sound came from Little Aemeath's belly.

Aemeath's body stiffened, and her originally pale face gradually flushed red.

She buried her head even deeper, looking somewhat awkward, like a little ostrich trying to hide itself.

Lu Yan felt the awkwardness of Little Aemeath in his arms and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

His large, warm hand was still gently patting Little Aemeath's back, offering her silent support.

"Alright." A cool voice came from not far behind.

The Rover had appeared behind them unnoticed, holding two steaming wooden plates.

He walked to the wooden table in front of the sofa, put down the plate with a soft thud.

The Rover turned to the two still embracing. "Come eat when you're tired of crying. I've brought out all my best food so you two drowned rats can have something nice to eat."

As Lu Yan smelled the rich aroma of meat wafting through the air, his body, composed of Frequency, seemed to develop a false sense of hunger.

He lowered his head, shook the little pink bundle in his arms, and whispered, "Did you hear that? That amazing Sister Rover made us something delicious."

"You need to be well-fed to have the energy to think about the future, right?"

Little Aemeath sniffed, then timidly raised her head, glanced at the steaming food on the table, then at the smiling Rover standing beside the table, and finally fixed her gaze on Lu Yan's face, nodding gently.

Lu Yan carefully lifted her from the carpet and carried her to the sofa to sit down.

Throughout this process, Little Aemeath's left hand remained tightly gripping the hem of Lu Yan's pajamas.

The force was so great that it created deep wrinkles in the pure cotton fabric.

Little Aemeath's fingertips were slightly white from the excessive force, as if if she let go, the only person in front of her who could bring her warmth and security would vanish like snowflakes on an ice field.

Lu Yan noticed her subtle, uneasy movement.

Instead of prying her hands off, he went along with her wishes and almost made her sit down right next to him.

The food prepared by the Rover was excellent.

Lu Yan first scooped a spoonful for himself, tested the temperature, and only after confirming it wasn't too hot did he bring the spoon to Little Aemeath's lips.

"Come on, ah~~" Lu Yan's voice was so gentle it could melt your heart, and he had already done that feeding motion countless times for someone.

After all, he had fed the little pink cat like this countless times back on Earth.

Little Aemeath opened her mouth slightly and swallowed the thick soup.

The warm liquid flowed down her esophagus into her stomach, instantly transforming into a warm current that spread throughout her body.

"Is it good?" Lu Yan asked with a smile.

Little Aemeath nodded vigorously, her big eyes sparkling.

She was actually starving; since arriving on the ice plains from Rinascita, she had basically only eaten compressed food.

She ate in small bites as Lu Yan fed her.

However, no matter how much she ate, her little hand, tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, never loosened its grip even for a moment.

The meal ended in an eerie yet warm atmosphere.

After eating and drinking her fill, and in the warm environment, Little Aemeath's long-tense nerves finally relaxed completely.

A wave of intense fatigue washed over her, and her eyelids began to droop uncontrollably, her head nodding slightly.

Even though she was so exhausted, she would wake up immediately if Lu Yan moved even slightly. Her hand, which was gripping the hem of his clothes, would tighten even more, and her eyes would be filled with fear and pleading, as if she was afraid he would leave.

Lu Yan looked at the pink little hand on his clothes and sighed helplessly.

He turned his head and cast a pleading look at the Rover was sitting leisurely drinking tea beside him.

Lu Yan gestured with his eyes to the hem of his shirt that was being tightly gripped, the meaning clear: What should we do now?

The Rover put down his teacup, looked at Lu Yan's helpless expression, and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

She simply leaned back on the sofa, spread her hands, and made a standard helpless gesture.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I've never taken care of a child before."

She pointed at Lu Yan, then at Little Aemeath: "Besides, she's completely focused on you right now; your Frequency seems to have a natural calming effect on her."

"If I forcibly pull her over, she will definitely cry."

Lu Yan gave a bitter smile; he knew the Rover was telling the truth.

On this desolate icy plain, he unexpectedly became Little Aemeath's lifeline.

The Rover stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and offered a seemingly reasonable suggestion. "The blizzard should stop by tomorrow morning. Since she's so clingy, why not let her sleep with you tonight?"

"There's an empty bed on the second floor; the bedding is clean."

At this point, the Rover paused, his gaze falling on Little Aemeath's sleepy face, and his tone became businesslike:

"Once the snow stops tomorrow morning, I will personally escort her back to the Glimmering Forest of Rinascita. That's where the Lahai-Roi lives."

"I'm not going back!!" Little Aemeath, who was already half asleep, sprang up like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on the moment she heard the words "Glimmering Forest."

The drowsiness in her eyes was instantly replaced by terror, and tears welled up in her eyes again uncontrollably.

She clung tightly to Lu Yan's arm, her small body trembling like a leaf, her voice shrill with fear:

"I'm not going back! I don't want to go to Glimmering Forest! There's nothing left there, Mom and Dad are gone... The adults keep telling me to grieve... But their words of comfort feel meaningless..."

She cried out incoherently.

For her, Glimmering Forest was no longer a warm home, but an empty void filled with separations and the constant loss of memories. She would rather wander on the icy plains than return to that place and face that unforgettable loneliness.

"Alright, alright, we won't go back, we won't go back to Glimmering Forest."

Lu Yan felt as if his heart had been stabbed, the pain so intense that he could barely breathe.

Lu Yan pulled the emotionally distraught Little Aemeath into a tight embrace, gently rubbing the back of her head with his large hand and whispering comforting words in her ear.

He looked up and glared at the Rover, his eyes seeming to say, "You have no emotional intelligence."

The Rover was slightly taken aback by Lu Yan's glare.

She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to refute something, but looking at the little girl crying and trembling in Lu Yan, she ultimately swallowed her words.

The Rover's face showed some unease and guilt.

She turned her head away, pretending to look at the fire in the fireplace, and muttered in a barely audible voice, "I... I didn't know... I thought it was a child who had run away..."

Lu Yan ignored the Rover.

He picked up Little Aemeath and let her cling to him.

"Don't be afraid. No one can force you to go if you don't want to. Just get a good night's sleep here tonight. With us here, you have nothing to fear."

Lu Yan gently coaxed her, then picked her up and turned to walk towards the stairs leading to the second floor.

Little Aemeath buried her face in the crook of his neck, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, tears soaking his thin pajamas, but her sobs gradually subsided under his comforting words.

Upon reaching the second floor, the space was not large, but it was kept very clean.

A single bed stood by the window, where a blizzard was still raging outside, but the room was warm thanks to the heat from the fireplace downstairs.

Lu Yan carefully placed Little Aemeath on the bed. He was about to sit up and cover her with the blanket when he noticed that her hands were still tightly clutching the hem of his clothes.

"I won't leave, I'll stay here with you."

Lu Yan patted her head gently with heartache and lay down on the outside of the bed.

He pulled over the thick quilt and wrapped the two of them up tightly.

Little Aemeath immediately curled up in his arms like a small animal seeking a source of heat.

Her fluffy little head rested against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat. The fear and unease that had been lingering in her heart finally began to dissipate little by little.

Lu Yan reached out a hand and gently patted her back, humming a lullaby. "Sleep, sleep, my darling."

His gaze pierced through the dim room and landed on that incredibly young face, still streaked with tears.

This is my Aemeath, the girl from the future who came to my side by crossing dimensions.

Now, it's his turn to be her safe haven.

Under Lu Yan's extremely regular and gentle pats, Little Aemeath finally succumbed to exhaustion.

She still gripped Lu Yan's clothes tightly, but her breathing gradually became even.