Chapter 34: From Truth Revealed to an Eternal Promise
When she lifted her gaze and looked into my eyes, my heart constricted so violently I could barely bear it. Every beat seemed to echo the years of separation, the pain of longing, and the overwhelming relief of finally having her here—safe, in my arms, after so long.
Then, I slowly lowered my head, my lips brushing against hers in a gentle, trembling kiss.
When the kiss ended, she buried her face against my chest, trying to hide the heat blooming across her cheeks.
I slid my fingers through her hair, my voice barely a whisper.
"Xiao Xiao… do you love me?"
A faint, sweet sound escaped her lips.
"Yes…"
My eyes trembled as I met her gaze.
"Then you must know… I'm not from this timeline. I have to return to the timeline I came from. Are you ready to leave everything here and come with me?"
Xiao Xiao trembled in my arms, her eyes shimmering with shock and confusion. The weight of the truth pressed hard against my chest, but I could no longer delay it.
"Xiao Xiao… there's something you need to know…" My voice turned serious; my heart pounded like thunder. "I'm… not from this timeline."
She shuddered slightly in my embrace, her eyes widening with fear and disbelief, as though I had just shattered her familiar world in an instant.
"What are you saying?!" she cried, her voice trembling, struggling to grasp my words.
I tightened my hold on her and looked straight into her eyes.
"I… have to return to another timeline. There are duties I cannot ignore—vengeance I must fulfill. I couldn't tell you this before… because I was afraid of losing you before I even saw you again."
Tears began to gather in her eyes, yet she fought to hold back the fear.
"Are… are you saying you'll disappear? That I'll lose you?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
I exhaled deeply, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. My fingers lingered against her cheek as I fought to keep my voice steady despite the ache clawing inside me.
"You know how much I care about you… but this isn't an easy choice. If you're ready to face everything with me—every risk, every unknown—I need you to trust me… and to decide if you'll come with me."
Her eyes wavered for a heartbeat, as if trying to grasp the weight of my words. Then, in a voice soft yet firm, she answered:
"Ji Lin… no matter what, I promise… I won't lose you. I'll go with you."
I felt her heartbeat racing against mine—responsibility and dread mingling with love until they became one. I drew her closer, holding her as though the world itself might try to pry her away.
"I won't leave you… I promise. Whatever happens, we'll be together."
Silence followed, heavy and electric. The fears, the timelines, even time itself seemed to halt. All that remained was this bond—unseen yet unbreakable.
Xiao Xiao looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with fear and confusion, yet full of trust despite everything.
"Ji Lin… if this is my fate with you… I'll leave everything. Everything I know, everything I love… for you."
I clasped her hands more tightly, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on my heart like a blade.
"Xiao Xiao… you may never be able to return to this timeline again. Everything you know here might vanish, and everything will be different."
She gave a small, steady smile, her expression brimming with quiet resolve.
"I've chosen this… because I want to be with you, no matter the cost."
I felt the warmth of her heart flowing into me, and in a trembling yet heartfelt voice, I whispered:
"I promise… I'll cherish you more than myself, more than anything in this world or any other. I'll protect you… and I'll be with you until the end."
I stood before her, lifting her face gently so her eyes met mine.
"All that's left now… is for us to take this step together. Are you ready, Xiao Xiao?"
She nodded, a smile breaking through her tears, and pressed herself tightly against me—as if to proclaim her commitment to this moment, to life itself, and to the love that bound us, even if it meant leaving everything else behind.
I held her close, sitting there with her in my arms, the room charged with determination, fear, and tenderness. Everything beyond us was uncertain, everything fraught with risk—but in that instant, the only truth that mattered was this: together, nothing else existed.
After that, I took her to meet the other girls and brought her into the Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, where I introduced her to the rest of them.
Honestly, their initial reactions surprised me. Yet, after I spoke with them openly, their resistance softened, and in the end… they accepted her.
But as I looked at them—each face, each pair of eyes carrying its own hopes and struggles—I felt a heaviness in my chest.
I truly didn't want to be unfair to them.
I knew my harem could grow larger than this, but what right did I have to pursue such a path if I lacked the strength to support it? To share myself among them wasn't enough. What I needed was something greater—something to bind us beyond fleeting passion or shallow promises.
They were my women. To love them meant more than claiming them; it meant carrying them. Each of them had their own desires, their own hearts that longed to be understood. If I could not meet their physical and emotional needs—if I could not shoulder their burdens as much as my own—then I truly did not deserve them.
After thinking deeply about this matter, I clenched my fists with quiet resolve.
What I needed… was a bond that surpassed ordinary ties. A vow that would intertwine our souls, not just our hearts, and give them the assurance that no matter what battles lay ahead, I would stand by each of them equally.
And so, the answer became clear.