Chapter 18: The Ten-Day Limit

In fictional stories, the male and female leads always go through immense hardships before they can finally achieve a happy ending—and that’s to say nothing of the possibility of running into a "stepmother" type of author. After all those struggles, one might still end up with a life-and-death separation, one in heaven and one on earth, never to meet again... or perhaps a simple phrase like "Better to forget each other in the world than to struggle together in dwindling water" to end it all, leaving both to fade from each other's memories.

Yet my happiness came so quickly. Even though I had waited five years, I still felt this joy arrived too fast—so fast that I thought it was merely a beautiful dream, devoid of any sense of reality.

Waking up in the morning sunlight, seeing Gareth’s gentle, smiling face, and walking hand-in-hand with him—every single thing was happiness.

As dawn broke, I lay beside Gareth, watching him sleep. Without his glasses, he looked incredibly handsome, possessing a refined, scholarly air. It was strange; ten years ago when he picked me up, he looked like this; five years ago when he left, he looked like this; and even now, he looked exactly the same. I had gradually grown up, yet he seemed not to have aged at all.

After watching for a while, I got up as quietly as I could.

Rolling over, he caught my hand. "Where are you going?"

"It’s still early. Sleep a bit longer; I’m going to buy breakfast for you." I leaned down, playfully blowing air into his ear.

The breath was icy cold.

He opened his eyes to look at me and smiled, nodding before closing them again.

I wanted to buy the sticky rice chicken from Happiness Street. Although it was called "sticky rice chicken," it didn't actually contain chicken—a fact that had puzzled me for quite a while—but it was one of Gareth’s favorite snacks.

By the time I reached Happiness Street, it was broad daylight.

"Auntie Wang, give me two sticky rice chickens, please."

"Two sticky rice chickens, here you go..." Before she could finish, Auntie Wang looked up at me. Her eyes instantly filled with terror, and she didn't even notice the steaming snacks slipping from her hands and hitting the ground. "Au... Au... Aurora..."

"Look... that’s Aurora..."

"Aurora!"

"Ah... it's Aurora!"

"My God... it's Aurora!"

"Aurora is here!"

The voices in my ears grew louder and louder. I curled my lips helplessly; it seemed I should have worn a scarf and hat to hide my face before coming out.

The sticky rice chicken was on the ground and a bit dirty. Just as I was about to squat down to pick it up, my hand suddenly felt a wave of heat. I looked down and saw a pair of warm, slender hands holding mine.

I looked up into the face of a smiling man.

"Gareth, why are you up?" I rubbed my nose and smiled.

"It's cold. I brought you a scarf." He raised his hands and tied the scarf around my neck.

In truth, I couldn't feel the cold at all, but in that moment, I felt a surge of warmth.

"Two sticky rice chickens, please." Gareth turned and looked at Auntie Wang with a smile, making her old face turn bright red.

The charm of a handsome man is truly impressive. Gareth successfully bought the snacks; he had that kind of magic, able to pass his gentleness on to those around him.

Sitting on a park bench, Gareth handed me a peeled sticky rice chicken. I lowered my head and nibbled on it happily. Although I was still hungry, a certain part of my heart was filled to the brim.

The park gradually became lively with elderly people doing morning exercises and laughing children. The cool morning air was very refreshing. I swallowed hard, doing my best to control my hunger and avoid looking at the people around me.

"Rory, what gift do you want?"

"Eh?" I blinked and turned to look at Gareth.

"Today is Christmas Eve." Gareth smiled and pinched my cheek.

Christmas Eve? Then tomorrow... is Christmas Day?

The ten-day limit—today was the very last day. How could time pass so quickly?

The sticky rice chicken in my hand fell onto the withered yellow grass without a sound.

"What is it, Rory?" Gareth touched my forehead and asked softly.

I shook my head, leaned over to pick up the fallen snack, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.

"Wait here a moment." Gareth stood up and ran toward a nearby stall selling hot drinks.

Just as Gareth left, someone sat down beside me. That familiar aura meant I didn't even have to look back to know who it was. To be precise, it wasn't exactly a person.

"Did you find them?" He leaned close to my ear. His icy breath made me shiver involuntarily.

I bit my lip and remained silent.

"Today is already the tenth day," he chuckled lowly in my ear.

I turned my head to look at the masked man. "Can you... let me see your face?"

He was startled, then laughed softly. "Curiosity will kill you."

"Malachi... is waiting for you at 'Night Charm,' Sol." I looked at him and actually smiled.

He stood up abruptly, taking a swift step to leave, then suddenly stopped and looked back at me. "My spell ends today. From tomorrow on, do not crave the warmth of the sun anymore, or it will make you a truly dead person."

"Thank you for the advice," I curled my lips. "I’ll give you a piece of advice too: don't go to 'Night Charm'."

Because Alastor is waiting for you there. Because... it's a trap. These words, I did not say.

Malachi’s wait finally had an end. Malachi might finally see the person he had been waiting four hundred years for, but... would he be happy?

Sol had already left, not pausing for even a second. I knew he hadn't taken my words to heart.

"Rory." Gareth returned with the milk tea.

On this sunny winter day, the streets were filled with festive peace. Holiday music soared through every alley. I dragged Gareth to every candy shop on Happiness Street.

For the entire day, I clung to Gareth, terrified of wasting a single second.

The setting sun was swallowed bit by bit. I watched the disappearing light with something bordering on greed. When the sun rises tomorrow...

I will no longer be able to stand beneath it.

Sitting on the sofa, I watched Gareth busying himself in the kitchen.

"Rory, come help." Gareth looked back, a half-cut carrot in his hand. His thin lenses were fogged up and a bit blurry.

"Ah? Oh!" I jumped up and went to his side, standing on my tiptoes to take off his glasses and set them aside.

Gareth laughed and turned back to continue cutting the carrots.

I stood beside him with my hands behind my back, hesitating over whether to tell him everything.

"Gareth..."

"Mhm?"

I opened my mouth, then bit my lip hard.

"Hungry? It’s almost ready." Seeing that I didn't speak, Gareth turned and looked at me with a smile.

"Mhm." I nodded with a beaming smile.

In the darkness, I curled up beside Gareth.

Gareth was asleep, his breathing steady and warm.