The night before his departure, Xiao Tian sat beneath his favorite willow tree in the garden courtyard.The evening breeze was gentle, carrying the scent of wildflowers and the soft chirping of crickets—but it only made his heart feel more unsettled.
This was the place where he had grown up…The place where he first came to understand what "home" meant.
Beside him, Bai Ling had been sitting silently for a long while.
"You're really going… aren't you?"
Her voice was soft, almost trembling.
Xiao Tian nodded.
"I… don't understand who I am,or where this power came from.But maybe… that place has the answers."
Bai Ling lowered her head, silent for a moment.
"Will you come back?"
That question…felt heavier than any goodbye.
Xiao Tian was quiet for a long time before he finally replied.
"If one day, I understand everything—and if I become strong enough to protect those who matter…I will come back."
Bai Ling turned her face away slightly—then held out a small cloth-wrapped bundle.
"I made your favorite snacks…Eat them before they get hard, alright?"
He accepted it silently,and whispered,
"Thank you… Bai Ling."
Moonlight cast long shadows over the grass.Two silhouettes sat side by side—close together…yet slowly drifting apart.