"Have you calmed down now?" Mo Fan asked softly after a moment of silence.
Tang Yue's trembling stopped. She looked at him, her tear-streaked face flushed with guilt. "I'm sorry… Mo Fan. Because of me, you…"
Her voice cracked as she trailed off, her anguish spilling over.
She shifted back, her fingers curling into a fist and her nail digging into her delicate skin, as if trying to hold together the pieces of her regret.
She blamed herself entirely.
Bringing the Black Totem Snake with her had been reckless—a naïve decision fueled by overconfidence.
She'd thought her presence alone would keep the creature from attacking. But in the end, she had been wrong.
Horribly so.
She had no idea what had happened in that strange, timeless azure world.
To her, it was as if the Black Totem Snake had suddenly become docile without reason.
But that didn't change the reality before her—Mo Fan had paid the price.
He was hurt because of her, and that too very gravely.
She didn't dare look at him now.
Mo Fan studied her, his expression unreadable. From his POV, everything was sorted now.
The Black Totem Snake was no longer a threat, and he came to know that Little Loach can now protect him in dire situations (hopefully).
That was all that mattered to him. He didn't feel anger or blame—not toward the snake, and certainly not toward Tang Yue.
But he knew her well enough to understand that any casual remark or attempt to downplay the situation would only make her feel worse.
A nonchalant "It's fine" wouldn't cut it this time. If anything, it might deepen her guilt.
For once, Mo Fan was in a dilemma, unsure of what to say. Words alone wouldn't reach her.
"Ms. Tang Yue," he began gently.
She flinched at the sound of her name, she slowly glanced at him, her eyes red and swollen from tears. There was fear in her gaze.
She braced herself, expecting the worst—expecting him to scold her, to tell her how reckless she had been, to resent her.
She wanted to be punished for her mistakes, for putting him in danger, for everything.
But Mo Fan's next move left her stunned.
He shifted slightly, wincing as he adjusted himself to sit upright. His muscles were sore.
Slowly, he raised his right hand.
Tang Yue's breath hitched, thinking for a moment he was going to slap her!
Thuff!
Instead, his hand rested gently on her head.
Tang Yue's eyes widened in shock.
His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, but the warmth of his palm against her head was unmistakable.
She froze, staring at him as if she couldn't believe what he was doing.
"I'll say this again," Mo Fan said, his voice low but steady as he stared straight into her eyes.
Tang Yue blinked, her lips parted slightly, but she said nothing.
"I don't blame you," he said firmly. "And I don't blame the Black Totem Snake either. Not for any of this."
His gaze was steady and sincere, without a trace of reproach. It was as if he was laying bare the truth for her to see—he didn't hold any resentment.
Tang Yue stared at him, her heart caught between disbelief and relief.
In that moment, Mo Fan seemed so much older, so much wiser than his years.
It wasn't the carefree, cocky Mo Fan she had come to know, but someone who carried a deeper strength within him.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
She had expected him to yell at her. No—she wanted him to yell at her.
She wanted him to lash out, to condemn her for her foolishness, to give her the punishment she thought she deserved.
But instead, he just… let it go.
"Tang Yue," Mo Fan said softly, his hand still resting on her head.
"We're still young, still reckless, and still figuring things out," the voice softened, carrying warmth and understanding.
"Life isn't a straight path; it's full of twists, turns, and lessons waiting for us at every corner. We have so many years ahead—years to grow, to make mistakes, to learn from them, and to become better than who we were yesterday."
A pause lingered in the air.
"I know you're carrying a lot of guilt right now, but you don't have to… Not everything that happens is within our control. You didn't mean for things to turn out this way—you were trying to do something kind, your intentions were good and your heart was in the right place. But sometimes… life doesn't go the way we want, no matter how pure our intentions are."
The words hung in the air like a gentle embrace, offering solace.
The Head Maid Feng Lian standing at the side who had erased her presence as to not disturb the young couple was completely stunned at the words coming out of the mouth of this young man!
"It's okay to feel hurt, to feel regret. But don't let it consume you. This is just one moment in the long journey of your life—a chapter, not the whole story. Give yourself the grace to grow, because tomorrow, you'll be wiser than you are today."
Tang Yue's breath hitched. She felt her chest tighten, and before she could stop herself, the tears began again, streaming silently down her face.
"I… I'm sorry…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Mo Fan gave her head a light pat and let his hand fall back to his side. "You've already apologized enough. Now it's time to move forward."
She nodded slowly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. His words washed over her like a gentle tide, easing the weight of her guilt.
For the first time in a long while, Tang Yue felt like she could breathe again.