Bab 30: Happiness
Lin Wei had revisited his life, confronted his past, many times before. But never like this—so visceral, so real, so overwhelming.
He thought he'd moved on. But as the forgotten, the unforgettable, the willfully ignored, and the stubbornly persistent memories resurfaced like holographic projections, the emotions etched into his soul, encoded in his very DNA, returned with them. He felt the pain, the joy, the sorrow, all over again.
The leaf that had unlocked the memory was gone, the connection severed. The fragments scattered back into the chaotic sea of information, lost once more.
But the demon he'd kept locked away, awakened by the memories, refused to be silenced. It roared, demanding his attention, his control, until he finally managed to soothe it back into slumber.
"Sorry to bore you with this. But you know I'm not a good person. Just consider it entertainment."
Lin Wei walked ahead, navigating the bizarre landscape, seemingly searching for something specific, occasionally picking up a fragment from the monochrome ocean. He would either marvel at a forgotten moment or frown, trying to place a piece of the puzzle.
The Herrscher followed, watching him like a child playing with a new toy. He talked to himself, exclaimed in surprise, then excitedly showed her a fragment, laughing as he recounted some embarrassing childhood story.
He spoke with such detachment, as if narrating someone else's life, not his own.
She didn't understand what he was doing.
She had seen his memories, but she'd been searching for specific information, skimming or ignoring the rest. These scenes, this childlike excitement, the earlier demonic rage… they were all new to her.
He was right. She didn't understand him. She'd been outsmarted…
No, it was unfair!
She still felt cheated.
"Rin, look at this! I found something interesting!"
Lin Wei called out, waving something in his hand.
The Herrscher rolled her eyes, ignoring him.
Does he think this is a treasure hunt?
I lost to this?
The injustice of it all stung.
Seeing her indifference, Lin Wei grinned, approaching her and presenting the object, his voice conspiratorial.
"Rin, look at this."
She couldn't ignore him now. She looked down and bristled. It was a small, orange dress.
Was he mocking her?
"Where did you steal that from? A little girl? Have you no decency? You pervert! You disgusting, shameless—"
She couldn't maintain her composure any longer. Old and new grievances merged, erupting in a torrent of insults.
Of course, a Herrscher from fifty thousand years ago had a rather limited vocabulary of curses.
Lin Wei took offense. She could call him a bad person, but not a pervert. That was slander!
"Calm down, calm down…"
He rushed to defend his remaining shred of dignity.
"It's mine. A rather… absurd story. I thought it would be amusing. I didn't expect you to accuse me of such things. How hurtful…"
Shut up!
The Herrscher glared at him. She shouldn't have engaged.
"Fine, I won't explain. See for yourself…"
Lin Wei unfolded the small orange dress, a child's garment meant for a four or five-year-old girl. He used it as a key, determined to clear his name.
The Herrscher glanced at it dismissively. So what?
Wait a minute… She looked again.
The memory unfolded in a bedroom. A small boy, standing on tiptoe, opened a wardrobe, rummaging through clothes. He pulled out a pile of colorful girls' clothes—red, yellow, brightly colored dresses with cute patterns.
He looked puzzled, wondering if he had a sister. He picked up the orange dress and ran to his mother's room.
"Tsk, I still don't know what happened. Either the nurse misspoke when leaving the delivery room, or my grandparents misheard her. But for a long time, my entire family thought my parents had a daughter…"
Lin Wei's expression was a mix of exasperation and amusement. He pulled up another scene.
A three or four-year-old boy, wearing a light blue dress, ran around a courtyard filled with neighbors, even bragging to a girl that his dress was prettier than hers.
Lin Wei covered his face with a groan.
So embarrassing.
Wait, there's more… The Herrscher was suddenly intrigued.
"That's how it was. My relatives showered us with girls' clothes, toys, even hair accessories… Half that wardrobe was filled with them."
He pointed at the open wardrobe in the memory.
He'd explained everything, provided the entertainment, thoroughly embarrassed himself. He grimaced at the dress and tossed it back into the memory.
The dress, and the memory, vanished, dissolving back into the information stream.
"Seems you were quite loved as a child."
The Herrscher's voice was a mix of sarcasm and sincerity.
After that comedic interlude, she felt obligated to say something.
Wait, was I played again?
She wasn't sure, but she didn't want to think about it. She was more interested in something else.
She'd seen his memories. His life wasn't supposed to be like this.
That deep-seated darkness, that malice… he was more like a Herrscher than she was!
He'd shown glimpses of it, hadn't he?
He should be like her…
Why wasn't he?
She was confused. Had he tricked her again?
But he'd said he empathized with her. And that sudden burst of killing intent hadn't been fake.
She wasn't sure. She would observe.
She followed him silently, no longer resisting, no longer pretending not to hear. She would study this man's soul.
"What's next?"
Lin Wei, treating this like an adventure, excitedly moved on to his next target.
The Herrscher followed, quiet.
She shouldn't be curious about a human's past.
But Lin Wei was different. She couldn't ignore him. This seemingly ordinary human had undeniably defeated her. She wouldn't miss this chance to understand him.
"Huh? A candle? What's this?"
Lin Wei noticed a flickering light in his peripheral vision. He turned and walked towards it.
It didn't matter where he went in this timeless, spaceless river of memories.
He waded through the monochrome fragments, his eyes fixed on the warm, inviting light. It danced like an excited child, drawing him in, his heart echoing its rhythm.
He reached the light and cautiously extended a hand.
He sensed that this was what he'd been searching for.
As he touched it, the single flame transformed into a birthday cake with eight candles.
In this world of memories, everything was made of information. A fragment could become a whole. It wasn't surprising. Lin Wei barely registered the change, his attention fixed on the scene that unfolded before him.
A living room, at night, lights off, but not dark. A large table in the center, laden with food, snacks, fruits, and a feast. In the middle, a birthday cake with eight flickering candles, casting a warm, orange glow.
A dozen relatives crowded around a small figure in the center—little Lin Wei, dressed in his best clothes, wearing a paper crown, surrounded by well-wishers.
But his face was sullen, a stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere. He looked…委屈 (wei qu - wronged/aggrieved).
He pouted at his uncle, who was taking pictures. As the flash went off, he rubbed his face, a triumphant grin spreading across his features. Then, as his uncle called for another picture, he resumed his pout.
"Xiao Wei, you should smile for your birthday photos."
His grandmother coaxed him gently, puzzled by his behavior.
"Hehe, that's why I'm doing this! Grandma, think about it. When I grow up, I'll show these pictures to people, and they'll ask, 'Why do you look like that?' Then I'll tell them the story, and their reactions will be priceless!"
"Aiya, Xiao Wei is so clever! He's different from other children. He'll be someone great someday!"
"..."
Lin Wei watched the scene silently, lost in thought.
He'd been so naive, believing in the goodness of family, the world, the future.
Too bad…
Those photos were gone.
He watched his younger self carefully scraping the frosting off his cake and offering it to others. He chuckled and picked up his own slice, identical to the one in the memory.
He scooped up a bit of frosting and tasted it.
Still so sweet…
He remembered hating the overly sweet frosting as a child, always eating only the dry cake underneath.
Such a waste…
He sighed, his heart aching, and turned to the Herrscher, a smile on his face.
"I've always been… different. I have strange ideas. I was an only child, so my parents always doted on me. And I was the youngest among my relatives, so everyone spoiled me. I was also a well-behaved child, mostly. So I was quite popular…"
"And… this is what I became."
He gestured at the scene behind him, no longer interested in watching it.
He sighed again. "Look, I'd almost forgotten. I was so happy back then."
His smile didn't reach his eyes. His voice was cold, filled with self-deprecating mockery, a hint of disdain for the world's hypocrisy.
The Herrscher remained silent, knowing this was just the beginning.
She knew how stories worked. This happiness wouldn't last.
"So, where are your parents?"
She scanned the faces in the memory, asking the crucial question.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
R_Arven
R_Arven Xiao is Little(you know what i mean), i just quite lazy for this
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone