Although the woman’s sunny smile was obscured by the mist, Tang Rui still felt deeply moved.
Because she had pleaded for such a scene countless times.
The woman in the scene stands at the classroom door, waving to the boy in front of the teacher and classmates, holding a heart-shaped bento box that one would only see in anime.
It turns out that even when busy with schoolwork, parents would still remember their child’s birthday.
Tang Rui couldn’t understand, with such a mother, why would he still say he was never loved?
She was already a bit tipsy and didn’t bother to question the secret of the wine glass:
"Continue."
The numbers came up 4, 4, another pair.
This made Wen Xishu realize the gravity of the situation. If it ended up being another pair, he would have to think of a way to change the game.
Tang Rui had never experienced such heartfelt confessions; it felt like she was exploring someone else’s life, so novel.
Wen Xishu’s memories made her envious:
"Have you ever felt that you were happy, even for a moment?"
She asked a similar question because she wanted to see more similar scenes.
Not at all.
Wen Xishu really wanted to say that, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. The wine glass of truth could only reveal the truth. At this moment, he said:
"There was once."
Tang Rui saw such a scene.
"Son, come here. You are about to leave us to attend middle school, which means you are growing up. From now on, I am setting your level to one. Do you remember the games we played together?" The face of a man, also obscured by mist.
He gently held the child in his arms, lightly brushing the boy’s face with his beard. Although the man’s face was shrouded in mist, Tang Rui felt...
The man’s eyes must have been very gentle. This was the father’s love she had never felt. In her lifetime, her father had always been a silent enabler.
"I remember," the boy said.
"Very good. You must keep leveling up, understand? All the problems in your new school are like monsters. You need to learn knowledge, level up, and defeat the monsters. In the future, more monsters will be waiting for you in society." The man gently patted the child’s back.
"You will become the backbone of our family."
The little boy asked:
"Are the teachers and classmates also monsters?"
"No, they are high-level NPCs. As long as Little Tree masters knowledge, they will help you. They will follow you, just like in the game, when you become strong enough, people will keep wanting to join your team."
"What about Dad and Mom? Are you high-level NPCs too?" the boy asked.
The man shook his head:
"To others, we are indeed powerful NPCs. But no matter if you become poor or rich in the future, whether you succeed or not..."
"From the moment you were born, we have been in your team, and that will never change."
Tang Rui actually shed tears, silently crying. In twenty years, if she had ever had such a conversation with her parents... perhaps her life would have been different.
"Continue."
Wen Xishu’s voice had already become a bit cold; those unpleasant memories surfaced, quietly changing his emotions.
Fortunately this time... the numbers finally turned to odd. 4, 5.
The numbers totaled nine.
Tang Rui readily picked up the wine glass and drank it all. She knew her secrets would also be revealed more.
"Ask."
"In your past, something very unfortunate happened. When the music from the music box played, what did that person with the greasy voice do to you?"
Wen Xishu’s first question, like an arrow shot straight into Tang Rui.
Tang Rui’s hand trembled.
Even though her first reaction should have been to question how Wen Xishu knew about this, when those memories surged up, her mind buzzed, and she became flustered.
Wen Xishu knew that this question might push the other into an extreme emotional state.
Indeed, that was the case.
[No, please don’t, I don’t want to answer, I don’t want to answer...]
He saw Tang Rui’s mental barrage. But the wine glass of truth compelled Tang Rui to speak the truth:
"I was abused by that person..."
The words were very brief. It was as if Wen Xishu didn’t want to use detailed language to tell the truth. But Tang Rui’s bizarre series of mixed emotions added greatly to the statement.
Those unbearable past memories surged forth.
"Do you think we make all this food for whom?"
"Do you think we work so hard to earn money for whom?"
"Do you think we lower ourselves to beg others to get you into a prestigious school for whom?"
"You’re not happy? What’s the point of being happy now? You have to work hard! Work hard! Have you seen the mocking faces of others? Have you?! I’m humiliated! Do you know how well the children your age have scored?"
"You have to work hard! Work hard! I have found the best teacher in Jiangcheng, who said that even if you are stupid, they can make you a top student!"
"Don’t cry, don’t cry! You’re tired? We’re also tired! Do you know how hard work is! We are so tired, isn’t it all for you!"
"We all do this for your sake!"
Each sentence was a scene, and when the girl said she was abused, all those voices overlapped, all those scenes piled up, filling every corner of Wen Xishu’s vision.
So much so that Wen Xishu’s ears were frequently filled with the echo "for whom," "for whom," "for whom."