Spring had arrived after the unstable winter. Pink camellias blossomed perfectly around a grave. A man in black robes lit up an incense for the loss. His wavy golden hair moved in sync with the gentle spring breeze. The scent of camellias will always remind him of the woman who truly had him in her heart. Nian Xiaoyuan continued lighting up joss papers, believing that she would reincarnate soon. He smiled lightly in a warm way.

  "Song Cha Hua, the camellias this year are terribly making me remember you." he lamented as if the person he was speaking of was there. "I guess, this is how you feel when I am not on your side. Quite lonely. I just... I can apologize to you a thousand times if you can forgive me. Do you know I actually agreed to get rid of you when Zhao Xue asked me to do that? You have suffered too much from Lin Xingjin yet I tried to do the same. Was I mean?"

  Still, no response.

  "You're heartless too." Nian Xiaoyuan closed his eyes. He reminisced about her words of confession.

  "I missed you."

  "Nian Xioayuan."

  "I like you."

  "Nian Xiaoyuan, was it wrong if you were to like me?"

  "It's impossible for Zhao Xue to resist you. I fell for you after half a year of being with you. It sounds ridiculous but I do love you. Sigh, what should I do? All you think about is Zhao Xue. You keep coming to me when Zhao Xue doesn't want to see you. Am I just a tool for you to vent on?"

  "Nian Xiaoyuan, if only I dare to tell you this. Will you reciprocate or throw me out?"

  "Hoh. It sounds like you don't want me to marry Zhao Xue."

  "If I could, I would have."

  "Nian Xiaoyuan, I missed you."

  "Idiot." his heart pained again upon remembering. "Do you have to leave? Why did you leave when I already like you too? How is that- sigh..."

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  "Nian Xiaoyuan." all of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice calling for him. Nian Xiaoyuan paused and looked behind. A girl suddenly rushed in his arms and he almost lost his balance. She comfortably rubbed her face on his chest while embracing him. "Nian Xiaoyuan, I missed you."

  His eyes widened a bit. He can't believe it but he can hold her again. Nian Xiaoyuan's eyes rimmed red. If this is a dream, he wouldn't want to wake up.

  "Song Cha Hua, you..."

  "Hush." she raised her head and smiled sweetly. "Mean Xiaoyuan is crying, ah. I don't remember kicking your knee or biting your hands. But, I'm sorry I bit your hands in the past. It has scars now. Yet, I still love them."

  Nian Xiaoyuan just smiled foolishly and embraced her. His shoulder shook a bit from suppressing his sadness and bliss. He tightly embraced her in fear that she would leave. If he loosens up, they will not meet again.

  "Nian Xiaoyuan, don't be sad." the young girl wiped his tears. She pressed their foreheads and closed her eyes. "Once I leave, everything will be alright. Keep on moving because I will wait on the other side. You don't have to worry since I am patient enough to wait for you. Nian Xiaoyuan, I really miss you but I can't stay for long."

  "Don't leave." he muttered, a beg that sounded pitiful. Nian Xiaoyuan cupped her face and felt her nonexistent breath. "Don't leave me. Even just as a ghost, I will be with you. Stay with me longer, en? It's difficult to wake up every day without you or sleep at night all alone. Cha Hua, do it for me, please?"

  The young girl lifted her eyes to see his sincere tears streaming down though his eyes were closed. She sighed in melancholy before wiping each one of them.

  "A goodbye kiss will do?" she gently asked. Nian Xiaoyuan can't nod or shake his head. He just felt the soft touch of her lips on his cheek on his own cold ones. She merely pressed their lips without any sign of moving. Soon, the warm and soft sensation disappeared. Nian Xiaoyuan just opened his eyes and she's gone.

  "This guy..." Hong Cha looked back at Nian Xiaoyuan, who remained kneeling in his place. She returned to him even if he couldn't see her before picking a camellia. Nian Xiaoyuan broke from his daze when a camellia flower fell on his hand. Hong Cha smiled and leaned down. "Nian Xiaoyuan, you always bully me and Song Cha Hua. Who knows, I can bully you this well too. Anyway, I hope you won't die early. See you, if ever we get to meet again."

  [Host, why do you have to lie to him?]

  "Well, it's an encouragement." she spoke and entered the system again. Hong Cha finds him pitiful. Nonetheless, she wants to let him live and not be depressed. That is why she gave him a little white lie. She made him believe that 'Song Cha Hua' was waiting for him in the afterlife. It's her fault he is suffering as of now. But since he did such a good deed for Lin Xingjin and Song Cha Hua in the past, she might consider making him happy for the last time.

  Back then, when he rushed back to the capital, Song Cha Hua was with his mother. The assassin was caught, and Song Cha Hua was saved, but she was poisoned. Lin Xingjin also suffered the same at the border. Nian Xiaoyuan lost his mother and couldn't afford another loss. He conquered lands everywhere in a rush which benefitted Zhou and filled its treasury to the brim. Still, he didn't stop fighting and making a lot of enemies so that he could find the best doctor to cure the two.

  Those scars on his chest were proof of how much life and death situations he encountered just to save Lin Xingjin and Song Cha Hua. In no time, he found a doctor from a different country. The doctor didn't have enough tools and medicines needed. Thus, in great haste, the prescription he provided had side effects.

  It slowly corroded a portion of Song Cha Hua and Lin Xingjin's memories. Nian Xiaoyuan didn't mind when they forgot his sacrifices. He was satisfied they were saved. Even more than that, he wanted to fulfill his promise to Song Cha Hua.

  That is why he returned to the capital and used an excuse as a vacation for a year. However, before he could attend the ceremony in a few months, he met Zhao Xue. She made him forget his promise and ended up forgetting Song Cha Hua. When Song Cha Hua died, he visited her grave in secret and offered a satchel of caramel candies.