Staring at the broken halves of the comb in her hands, Xiao Wu remained silent for a long time. However, two clear streams of tears involuntarily slid down her cheeks.
The greatest sorrow a person could feel was a heart that had died. At this moment, Xiao Wu was so heartbroken that she couldn't even muster a single expression.
But soon, Xiao Wu seemed to recall something and hurriedly turned to Ye Wen with pleading eyes.
"Brother Wen, please… help me, help me…"
She wanted to elaborate, but her chaotic thoughts left her tongue-tied, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Ye Wen sighed softly and placed his hands over Xiao Wu's, gently taking the broken comb from her grasp.
He knew exactly what this comb meant—it was the last keepsake Xiao Wu's mother, Ah Rou, had left for her. After all, it was because of the manga that Ye Wen had first fallen into the world of Douluo.
"Leave it to me. Though I can't fully restore it, I can at least make it usable again," Ye Wen said gently.
Xiao Wu gazed blankly at Ye Wen. The combination of everything he had done for her up to this point, along with his words now, made her feel an unprecedented sense of security.
Gradually, memories of her mother's words surfaced in Xiao Wu's mind.
Her mother, Ah Rou, had once told her:
"Xiao Wu, you wouldn't understand love if I tried to explain it to you now. But one day in the future, you'll meet someone who makes you willing to give everything, someone you'll want to spend your life with. That's love.
This comb will be my gift to you. When you grow up and find the man who truly loves and cherishes you, and when you decide to spend the rest of your life with him, let him use this comb to style your hair."
At the time, Xiao Wu hadn't understood the connection between love and the comb. Naively, she asked:
"Why is that, Mom?"
She only remembered how happy her mother had been that day, gently combing her hair while replying:
"Because this way, my love will pass into the hands of the man you love. He will protect you forever, and you will live happily ever after."
Instantly, Xiao Wu's tears dried, and she wiped away the remaining droplets with a smile. "Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Brother Wen."
Thick, lustrous hair was something both men and women envied, but such long, dense hair often came with a new problem—static electricity.
Having neglected her hair for some time, Xiao Wu's once silky locks had become frizzy and charged with static, making them impossible to smooth out no matter how much she tried.
In the end, they settled on simply tying her hair into a high ponytail and headed out to enjoy some food.
However, as Ye Wen glanced at the large mass of hair tied at the back of Xiao Wu's head, he couldn't shake the feeling that it looked oddly reminiscent of Jiraiya from Naruto—it felt a bit off.
As for repairing Xiao Wu's comb, it wasn't too difficult. Its material wasn't jade or horn, just plain wood.
Ye Wen purchased the smallest soft nails and some fine string from a hardware store and got to work.
First, he carefully inserted the nails into the broken comb, then used the string to reconnect the two halves. To ensure stability, he added a bit of glue into the crack. Finally, after tightly securing the string, he hammered the ends under the nails. With that, the repair was complete.
Though the comb now looked slightly different, its essence remained unchanged. Xiao Wu joyfully took it back, examined it closely for a moment, and then shyly handed it back to Ye Wen.
After washing and combing her hair, Xiao Wu exuded a faint, delicate fragrance. Her previously unruly, frizzy hair had regained its smoothness.
Seemingly resolved to something significant, Xiao Wu turned her blushing face away and softly murmured:
"Brother Wen, comb my hair for me."
Instantly, Ye Wen felt a shiver run through his body. Internally, he groaned—hadn't he just become Tang San?
But would Ye Wen refuse?
He asked himself honestly: Did he truly have no feelings for Xiao Wu? The answer was no.
Whether it was Xiao Wu's appearance, Huo Yu'er's subtle matchmaking, or their recent interactions, an ambiguous thread had already formed between them.
"Mm."
Ye Wen responded softly, then gathered Xiao Wu's silken hair and began combing it carefully.
Xiao Wu naturally smelled wonderful, but the strands of hair he brushed released her fragrance in waves, intoxicating him and causing his gaze to wander.
When he finally returned the comb to Xiao Wu, Ye Wen felt dazed, as if he'd been enveloped in her scent.
But Xiao Wu wasn't finished yet. She softly added:
"Brother Wen, can you braid my hair too?"
At this, Ye Wen instantly snapped out of his haze, his face mirroring the expression of someone being forced to do something impossible.
Xiao Wu burst into laughter but continued to plead sweetly:
"Just help me, Brother! I really can't do the scorpion braid by myself."
Ye Wen hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly agreed.
Xiao Wu's signature scorpion braid was indeed not something one person could easily accomplish. While the braid itself wasn't complicated, uneven distribution of hair sections could easily result in a lopsided mess.
On regular days, Xiao Wu either relied on Huo Yu'er or other close friends to help her with it.
Though Ye Wen had watched the process many times, watching and doing were two entirely different things. His hands trembled awkwardly as he fumbled through the task.
Even when Ye Wen accidentally made the braid uneven, Xiao Wu didn't say a word. Instead, she quietly savored the gentle care he took to avoid hurting her, her eyes brimming with nostalgic emotion.
Her mother's love had truly been passed on.
Finally, after much effort, sweat beads formed on Ye Wen's forehead. Before he could wipe them away, Xiao Wu softly asked:
"Brother Wen, will you always be by my side?"
Still recovering from the hand cramps caused by his efforts, Ye Wen's mind was momentarily filled with question marks. But he quickly understood what Xiao Wu meant.
He also knew the heavy karmic burden Xiao Wu carried, so he feigned nonchalance, saying, "Of course! Or are you saying you don't want to be my second wife anymore?"
Xiao Wu, who had been somewhat poetic and sentimental, immediately broke down, her face flushing red as she playfully smacked Ye Wen's shoulder. Thanks to his shameless interruption, their earlier heaviness dissolved into playful banter.
Gradually, however, their horseplay grew more intense, leaving both of them slightly disheveled. The spacious room became thick with an ambiguous atmosphere.
Looking down at Xiao Wu pinning him beneath her, Ye Wen froze for a moment before suddenly raising his arms and pulling her into a tight embrace.
His voice was soft but earnest as he spoke:
"Xiao Wu, as long as you never betray me in the future, no matter who or what you are, I promise to protect you—even if it means opposing the entire world."
Though his voice was still youthful, the determination in it was undeniable.
Xiao Wu was momentarily stunned by his sudden declaration, then her eyes welled up with tears. She clung tightly to Ye Wen, as if wanting to merge herself with him.
"I won't, Brother. No matter what happens in the future, I'll always stand firmly by your side."
"Good. From now on, you're family, Xiao Wu," Ye Wen said seriously.
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