Oh, right! Speaking of which, if this jade pendant had truly been left to her by her biological parents... no matter how Mo Xi looked at them, she couldn't see anything special about them. Besides, if her parents were actually powerful Cultivators, how could she have been kidnapped so easily back then?
Over the next while, the few of them shared a brief, awkward introduction. Mo Xi learned that her mother's name was Mo Qing and her father's name was Ye Guizhou.
However, Mo Xi found herself unable to call them "Mother" and "Father." Regardless of their sincerity now, her harrowing experiences across two lifetimes made it impossible not to harbor a deep-seated resentment.
The couple accepted her distance calmly; it was a pain they themselves had brought upon the child. Before bringing her back, they had learned a little about their daughter's life. It was truly difficult for them to imagine how she had managed to survive while caring for a younger sister at such a tender age.
Mother Ye reached out and gently caressed Mo Xi's face, her eyes turning red uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, child. You've suffered so much these past years."
Father Ye's expression was equally filled with sorrow. "In the days to come, we will surely make it up to you both twofold."
Mo Xi wasn't particularly moved; she simply nodded in silence. At this moment, they were like strangers who had just met, and the couple knew they still had a very long road ahead to earn their daughter's heart.
Noticing that they didn't ask about the jade pendant at all, Mo Xi chose not to bring it up. Naturally, she kept the existence of her Master a secret as well. Instead, she was more concerned about a different matter.
"My sister... is Sister Acheron my... biological sister?"
Since her own adopted sister was about to move in as well, Mo Xi had to understand the character of this nominal sibling. If Acheron intended to cause trouble, Mo Xi would never allow her sister to be bullied, even if it meant a complete falling out with her new parents.
At the mention of Acheron, the couple suddenly fell silent. Seeing their hesitation, Mo Xi didn't press them.
"If it's inconvenient to talk about..."
Fearing they might damage the fragile bond they had just built, the couple quickly spoke up.
"No, it's not that it's inconvenient," Father Ye said first.
"Then why?"
"It's because your sister's situation is... a bit complicated," Mother Ye added.
"Complicated?" Mo Xi's curiosity peaked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Father Ye glanced imperceptibly at the closed door before explaining helplessly. "Your sister is a girl your mother and I found in the villa's courtyard one day, a few years after you disappeared. But as for why she collapsed there—or even how she appeared in a locked courtyard—we know absolutely nothing."
"You know nothing? Does Acheron herself not know either?"
"No. At the time, your father did an exhaustive investigation but found nothing. Acheron herself seemed to have lost all her past memories. Seeing how pitiful she was, I persuaded your father to take her in."
Mo Xi looked stunned. It was bizarre for a girl to appear out of thin air in a private home. Could it have been the work of an Ability User? But what would be the purpose of dumping a girl at a random house? Besides, her parents were far too bold to keep a girl of unknown origin for all these years! (°Д°)
Is it too late for me to regret coming back?
As if reading his daughter's speechless expression, Father Ye continued. "Later, I worried there might be issues, so your mother and I reached a compromise: we would keep her for one month. After that, we would give her enough money to live for a year and let her go her own way."
Mo Xi thought this plan was perfectly reasonable; they were doing everything humanly possible for a stranger. "But what happened later? Why is she still here?"
Mother Ye's face was the picture of helplessness and pity. "That is where the 'complicated' part begins, and it's the reason I truly couldn't bear to send that child away."
After a moment of silence, Father Ye explained calmly. "At first, the child seemed no different from any other girl. She was intelligent and obedient. But a week later, we noticed Acheron becoming increasingly taciturn, making careless mistakes. We thought she was just in a bad mood or reluctant to leave.
"But as the month passed, we realized her 'emotional' issues were becoming severe. Out of concern, we didn't send her away."
"I don't understand," Mo Xi admitted, confused.
"To put it simply, Acheron's coldness isn't just on the surface. It's as if she was born lacking all emotions and desires. And regarding her memory... the issue isn't just being forgetful. It is total oblivion."
Father Ye sighed. "Acheron's memories are like shifting sand in an hourglass; they completely flip over at fixed intervals. And the cruelest part is that this 'oblivion' includes us. I couldn't let her leave on her own. Currently, she finally—thankfully—doesn't easily forget your mother and me. But child, she..."
Mo Xi understood the rest without him saying it. If it was as they said, the parents must hold a massive place in Acheron's heart for her to actually remember them.
"They aren't lying."
An abrupt voice suddenly echoed in Mo Xi's mind. She was startled; she hadn't expected her Master to wake up so suddenly. He was usually too weak to speak. Fortunately, her parents just thought she was reacting to the story about Acheron.
"Master, can you detect lies?" Mo Xi asked internally.
Old Meng didn't answer directly. Instead, he spoke with a deep, solemn earnestness. "Child, there is nothing wrong with being wary, but do not fail the family who truly loves you. Some things are destined to have no right or wrong. Give your parents a chance to prove themselves."
His words carried the weight of ages and an indescribable sorrow, sending a wave of desolation through Mo Xi's heart.
"Master? Did you remember something? Master!"
Despite her mental shouts, Old Meng gave no further response, slipping back into a deep sleep.
"Little Mo? Little Mo!"
Mo Xi snapped back to reality as Mother Ye, panicked by her daughter's sudden trance, pulled her into a tight hug.
"Child, are you all right? Why did you suddenly space out like that? You scared me to death!"
Mo Xi realized she had accidentally drifted off and quickly brushed it off. But as she felt her mother's trembling arms—arms that seemed terrified she would vanish at any moment—she remembered her Master's words.
Do not fail the family who truly loves you.
This time, Mo Xi didn't pull away. She reached out and gently returned the hug, her tone softening. "I'm sorry for worrying you."
Mother Ye's body trembled. Hearing those heartfelt words, she felt that a decade of grief and searching had finally been worth it. Father Ye watched them quietly, a small smile appearing on his face.
Creak.
A sound broke the tender atmosphere. All three gazes snapped toward the door.
Acheron stood there quietly. She looked at the hugging trio with a questioning gaze, then glanced back out at the hallway. Finally, she spoke in her signature icy tone.
"Sorry. It seems I've walked into the wrong room again."
The three: (°ー°〃)