Gods: Start with Goblins

Xiao Bai was stunned for a moment, then her face flushed. She grabbed the pillow and threw it at Luo Dan, with a hint of shame in her voice: "Shut up!"

Luo Dan smiled and dodged the pillow, turned around and left the room. Xiao Bai looked at his back and couldn't help but smile. She sighed softly, but felt unprecedented peace of mind.

Xiaobai sat on the bed, holding the bowl of steaming food in her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly. She lowered her eyes, staring at the curling steam rising from the bowl, but her thoughts had already drifted away. She didn't expect that Luodan would treat her so calmly after knowing everything. She thought that Luodan's attitude was nothing more than two: either he would try his best to explain to her and try to convince her with words; or he would force her to stay with him by using the power of the contract. But Luodan chose the third way - to accompany her silently and gently, as if nothing had happened.

Her mind kept echoing with her mother's past memories. Those painful and humiliating scenes were like sharp thorns that pierced deeply into her heart. Her mother's deep hatred for humans seemed to have quietly merged into her blood as her memories awakened. She once thought that she would be like her mother, full of hatred and vigilance towards humans. But... since she could remember, Luo Dan seemed to have never done anything to let her down. He was always so gentle and considerate, as if he could keenly perceive every fluctuation of her emotions.

"Maybe... I should really rethink all this." Xiaobai thought silently in her heart, and the chopsticks in her hand gently fiddled with the food in the bowl. She picked up a mouthful of rice, put it into her mouth, and chewed it slowly, as if every grain of rice carried some heavy meaning. Her eyes gradually moistened, and tears rolled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

Luo Dan stood aside, watching her quietly. His eyes were gentle and deep, as if he could see through her inner struggle and contradiction. He did not rush to speak, but just sighed softly, then walked to her side, gently placed his palm on her head, and rubbed her hair. His movements were gentle and natural, as if he had repeated this action thousands of times.

"Don't think too much, let's eat first." Luo Dan's voice was low and gentle, with a hint of comfort, "No matter what happens, I will be with you."

Xiao Bai's heart trembled when she heard his words. She raised her head and looked at Luo Dan with tearful eyes, her voice choking: "Luo Dan... why are you still so nice to me? You clearly know... I almost..."

She didn't finish her words, but Luo Dan understood what she meant. He smiled softly, with a hint of helplessness and pampering in his eyes: "Because I know that those emotions are not the real you. You are just affected by the memories of the past, aren't you?"

Xiaobai was stunned, the chopsticks in her hand trembling slightly. She lowered her head and spoke in a voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "But... those memories are too real. I feel my mother's pain and despair. I can't... I can't forgive you all of a sudden."

Luo Dan nodded, his tone calm and firm: "I understand. I never expected you to forgive me immediately. After all, those things were too heavy for you. But I hope you can understand that I never wanted to hurt you, nor did I ever want to use you. I was good to you not because of the contract, but because... you are very important to me."

Xiaobai's heart trembled suddenly, and tears finally fell from the corners of her eyes. She raised her hand and wiped the tears from her face in panic, with a tremor in her voice: "But...but mother...she has experienced so much pain, how can I...how can I let it go so easily?"

Luo Dan was silent for a while, then he sighed softly: "Xiao Bai's mother...she did go through a lot of misfortunes. But those things were not caused by me. I admit that there are indeed many people who have done things to hurt her, but not all humans are like that. I hope...you can try to look at all this from my perspective."

Xiaobai raised her head and looked at Luodan with complicated eyes. There were still tears in her eyes, but her eyes were no longer full of vigilance and hostility as before. She bit her lip lightly and said in a voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Maybe... you are right. I should try to understand you instead of being bound by the memories of the past."

Luo Dan heard her words, a trace of relief flashed in his eyes. He gently rubbed her hair, and said in a gentle but firm tone: "I am very happy that you think so. However, there is no need to make a decision in a hurry. I will wait for you until the day you are really willing to accept me."

Xiaobai nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. She lowered her head and continued to eat the food in the bowl. Her movements were slow, as if she was chewing on some complex emotions with every bite. Tears slid down her cheeks, dripped into the bowl, and mixed with the food. But she didn't stop, still eating stubbornly, as if she could swallow the pain in her heart at the same time.

Luo Dan looked at her, and a bitter feeling welled up in his heart. He knew that Xiao Bai must be struggling and conflicted at the moment. He sighed softly, took out a clean handkerchief from his bosom, and handed it to Xiao Bai: "Wipe your tears, don't let your tears affect the taste of the food."

Xiaobai was stunned for a moment, then took the handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from her face. Her movements were very gentle, as if she was afraid of hurting herself. After wiping away her tears, she raised her head and looked at Luodan, her voice choking with a hint of sobs: "Luodan... thank you."

Luo Dan smiled, his tone relaxed and gentle: "What are you thanking me for? Do we really need to be so polite to each other?"

Xiaobai didn't say anything, just lowered her head and continued to eat the food in the bowl. Her movements were still slow, but her eyes were no longer full of pain and struggle like before. Luodan stood aside, watching her quietly, but his heart could not be completely calm. He knew that Xiaobai still had many unresolved knots in her heart, but he believed that as long as he continued to stay by her side, one day she would truly let go of the shadow of the past.

The sunlight from outside poured in through the half-open window, shining on the two people, as if coating them with a layer of warm halo. The room was quiet for a while, with only the slight sound of dishes and chopsticks colliding and the slight breathing of the two people. Luo Dan's eyes always stayed on Xiao Bai, with a hint of tenderness and determination in his eyes. He knew that the road ahead might still be full of ups and downs, but as long as Xiao Bai was willing, he would definitely accompany her to the end.

When Luo Dan said this, his eyes seemed to see someone through Xiao Bai. His eyes became a little dazed, as if he was lost in some distant memories. His fingers unconsciously stroked the corner of the table, and his voice was low and with a hint of emotion: "Wine Lady... She is actually a pitiful person. If she could have been treated well at the beginning, maybe she would not have gone astray later, and would not have walked on that road."

There was a hint of regret in his tone, as if he was mourning for an old friend he had never met. Xiaobai's heart trembled when she heard his words. She raised her head and looked at Luo Dan with complicated eyes, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "You...you know the wine lady?"

Luo Dan shook his head, his eyes still a little vague: "No, I don't know her. But I have heard of her story. She was once an innocent girl, but fate was too cruel to her, so she embarked on that road of no return."

Xiaobai was silent for a while, with a complex emotion in her heart. She bit her lip lightly, with a hint of hesitation in her voice: "If...if someone could have helped her at the beginning, perhaps her ending would have been different?" When Luodan heard her words, his gaze finally retracted from a distance and fell on Xiaobai's face. His eyes became serious and deep, as if waiting for her next words. Xiaobai suddenly saw Luodan's gaze cast over, and her heart tightened. She pursed her lips slightly, and after a moment she spoke again, with a hint of firmness in her voice: "Luodan, I don't want to be the second drunkard. I don't want to... be bound by the memories of the past, and I don't want to let hatred blind my heart."

When Luo Dan heard her words, his eyes suddenly lit up. The corners of his mouth slightly lifted up, revealing a relieved smile. He had thought of many possibilities, and of course he had thought of the possibility that Xiao Bai would stay with him. But when things really happened as he expected, it was undeniable that Luo Dan was happy. He nodded gently, his tone gentle but firm: "Xiao Bai, I'm glad that you think so. I will stay by your side and help you get out of the shadow of the past."

When Xiaobai heard his words, she felt a warm feeling in her heart. She lowered her head and said "hmm" softly, with a hint of shyness and relief in her voice.

After Xiaobai finished her meal, Luo Dan took her to say goodbye to the Peach Blossom Demon. They walked out of the room and passed through the blooming peach forest. The true form of the Peach Blossom Demon did not appear. Only a gentle breeze blew by, rolling up a few pink petals, as if saying goodbye to them. Luo Dan stood under the peach tree, looking up at the huge peach tree, and said in a gentle and respectful voice: "Peach Blossom Demon, thank you for your care these days. We are leaving now, and I hope we will have a chance to see each other again in the future."

The peach tree swayed gently, as if responding to his words. A few petals drifted down with the wind and landed on Xiaobai's shoulders. She reached out and gently brushed away the petals, with a hint of reluctance in her eyes: "Peach Blossom Fairy, thank you... I will remember this place."

When he brought Xiaobai back to the inn, Xiaobai was obviously in a much better mood than yesterday. Her steps were much lighter and her face was more smiling. Luodan walked beside her, looking at her gently, and he couldn't help feeling relieved. He knew that Xiaobai was gradually walking out of the shadow of the past, and this was exactly what he wanted to see.

After returning to the inn, Luo Dan prepared to go back to his room to rest. He walked to the door and was about to push it open when Xiao Bai suddenly spoke with a hint of hesitation in his voice: "Luo Dan...wait a moment."

Luo Dan stopped and looked back at Xiao Bai, with a hint of confusion in his eyes: "What's wrong?"

Xiaobai bit his lip, his eyes were a little evasive, and his voice was so low that it was almost inaudible: "Can you...can you stay with me for a while? I...I still have something to say to you."

Luo Dan was stunned for a moment, then smiled, his tone relaxed and gentle: "Of course. What do you want to say?"

Xiao Bai couldn't help but feel relieved when he agreed. She pushed open her door and motioned Luo Dan to come in. Luo Dan followed her into the room and closed the door. The room was simply decorated and warm, and the moonlight from the window poured in, casting a soft glow on the room.

Xiaobai walked to the window, with his back to Luodan, and said with a hint of hesitation in his voice: "Luodan, I...I have always wanted to ask you a question."

Luo Dan walked up to her and looked at her gently: "What's the problem?"

Xiaobai took a deep breath, as if she was gathering up her courage. She turned around, looked directly at Luo Dan, and said with a hint of determination in her voice: "Why...why are you so nice to me? We haven't known each other for long, but you are willing to do so much for me. Why...why are you doing this?"

Luo Dan was stunned when he heard her words. He was silent for a while, then he sighed softly, with a complicated look in his eyes: "Xiao Bai, this question... I have actually asked myself many times. Maybe it's because... I see something familiar in you. You remind me of my former self, the lonely and helpless self. I don't want you to experience the pain I have experienced, so... I want to protect you."

Xiao Bai's heart trembled when she heard his words. A trace of emotion flashed in her eyes, and her voice was choked with sobs: "Luo Dan... Thank you. Really... Thank you."

Luo Dan smiled, stretched out his hand and gently rubbed her hair, his tone gentle but firm: "You're welcome. As long as you are willing, I will always be by your side until you truly walk out of the shadow of the past."

Xiaobai nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. She gently leaned on Luodan's shoulder and said in a voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Luodan... it's great to have you."

Luo Dan patted her back gently, his eyes gentle and firm. He knew that the road ahead might still be full of ups and downs, but as long as Xiao Bai was willing, he would definitely accompany her to the end.

Luodan was also very happy that Xiaobai realized the importance of communication, and immediately nodded and agreed.

Xiaobai returned to the room and gently closed the door. The room suddenly fell into silence. She walked to the window and opened it. The night breeze blew across her cheeks with a hint of coolness, blowing her hair. She looked up at the night sky, which was dotted with stars, as if countless pairs of eyes were watching her. Those stars twinkled with a faint but firm light, as if silently telling some distant secret.

Her eyes stayed on the night sky, but her thoughts drifted back to last night. Ever since she ate the spiritual fruit in the secret realm, some fragmented memories began to emerge in her mind. (End of this chapter)