After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

"Ranran... My Ranran..."

The warm embrace tightly enveloped Xie Xingran. Xie Xingran seemed to smell a faint scent of disinfectant, a unique fragrance emanating from Xie Ciwen. It was so familiar that it made him feel at ease, yet the way he was holding his master made him inexplicably uneasy.

Xie Xingran nestled obediently in Xie Ciwen's arms, her cheek pressed against his slightly cool clothes, listening to him call her name again and again.

His voice was low and hoarse, filled with an intense, overwhelming grief, and a trace of longing he had never felt before, as if he were holding onto a lost treasure that he had regained, afraid that if he let go even slightly, he would lose it again.

Xie Xingran had never seen Xie Ciwen like this before.

In his more than twenty years of life memories, his second brother, Xie Ciwen, was always cold and aloof.

His eyes were always indifferent, as if nothing in the world could catch his eye, and his face rarely showed any extra expression, as cold and aloof as a jade statue without warmth.

Xie Ciwen treated him with utter indifference, speaking in a flat and emotionless tone, and his eyes never showed the same gentleness he displayed towards others.

Many times, Xie Xingran couldn't help but secretly wonder if his second brother actually disliked him.

Although the Xie family was very strict with him, everyone treated him kindly, like a precious treasure, and spoiled him, whether it was the dignified old master Xie, the gentle old lady Xie, his busy but still loving eldest brother and sister-in-law, his lively and playful third brother who always protected him, or Xie Weiyao.

Xie Ciwen was the only exception.

He was like a cool hue in the warmth of the Xie family, always maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far. That sense of estrangement made Xie Xingran afraid to get close to him easily since childhood.

Xie Xingran was in poor health when she was a child, like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, and would get sick if not carefully cared for.

But she has a sweet tooth and can't resist the temptation of all kinds of snacks. She often secretly eats too much cold or sweet food, which upsets her stomach.

In my memory, every time he was sick and bedridden, it was always Xie Ciwen who stayed by his bedside and treated him.

My second brother is a highly skilled doctor. He can accurately diagnose my illness simply by taking my pulse and examining me. He then writes a prescription, personally prepares the medicine, and serves it to me.

Of course, only Xie Ciwen would keep a close eye on him until he drank the bowl of bitter medicine in one gulp.

When facing her grandparents and older brother, Xie Xingran would take advantage of their affection, act cute and charming, and complain about how bitter the medicine was with a wrinkled little face, always managing to get a sweet candy to relieve the bitterness on her tongue.

But when facing Xie Ciwen, he never dared to have the slightest thought of acting coquettishly.

Xie Ciwen always sat on the chair by the bed, his hands folded on his knees, his eyes, behind his gold-rimmed glasses, remained as indifferent as ever, without the slightest ripple.

Under that gaze, Xie Xingran could only obediently pick up the medicine bowl, pinch her nose, and drink the bitter medicine in one gulp. Then she obediently accepted the warm water handed to her by Xie Ciwen, rinsed her mouth, and obediently lay down to rest, not daring to utter a single unnecessary complaint.

Xie Ciwen was also the one who controlled Xie Xingran the most among all the members of the Xie family.

From the time he was an infant, the exact amount of milk powder he drank each time and the water temperature for preparing the milk had to be precise down to the degrees Celsius. As he grew into adulthood, the amount of protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates he needed to consume each day were all meticulously planned by Xie Ciwen and strictly followed without any deviation.

Even his favorite candies and snacks weren't something he could eat whenever he wanted; he had to get Xie Ciwen's permission and they had to be supplied in limited quantities.

Xie Ciwen is a top orthopedic surgeon in China. He always wears a clean white coat, which makes his figure look even more upright and slender.

He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, and his eyes behind the lenses were cool and calm. His hair was always neatly combed, so clean that not a single strand was messy.

His face always wore that indifferent and aloof expression, as if nothing could move him in the slightest, and even if the sky were to fall, he could remain calm and composed.

But at this moment, his usually aloof and reserved second brother was holding him, calling his name over and over again, the grief and longing in his voice overwhelming him like a tidal wave.

Xie Xingran could clearly feel the arms holding him trembling slightly, and warm liquid dripped through his shirt onto his shoulder, making his heart clench.

He reached out, hesitated for a moment, then gently wrapped his arms around Xie Ciwen's neck and whispered, "Second Brother, what's wrong?"

"Second Brother..."

The soft, sweet voice fell into her ear like a fine needle, gently piercing Xie Ciwen's forced calm.

He tightened his grip on Xie Xingran's arms suddenly, with such force that it almost seemed to embed her into his bones.

Le De Xie Xingran frowned slightly, but because of the unprecedented tenderness and trembling in his embrace, she obediently did not struggle, and only subconsciously shrank closer to him.

Xie Ciwen slowly exhaled, his breath carrying a suppressed sob. His warm breath brushed against Xie Xingran's soft hair, accompanied by a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

He stiffly raised his body, his movements as slow as a rusty machine. A few strands of his dark hair fell across his forehead, partially obscuring his eyebrows and eyes, but unable to hide his slightly reddened eyes.

Her eyes seemed to be filled with undried moisture, making it difficult to see the focus, yet when they fell on Xie Xingran's face, they carried a burning, unwavering intensity.

He raised his hand, his fingertips were so cold as if they had just been pulled out of ice water, trembling slightly, almost too afraid to touch, and after a long while he gently covered Xie Xingran's cheek.

The touch was soft and warm, with a childlike delicacy that made his heart flutter.

His fingertips traced the child's smooth forehead, delicate nose, and soft cheeks; every touch was incredibly clear, yet he still felt dazed, as if everything before him was just a fleeting dream.

The child in front of him had curved eyebrows and eyes, and his features were eight parts similar to Ranran from his previous life. He was just as well-behaved and cute as Ranran, yet he was lying in his arms with real and vivid life.

It wasn't a cold corpse from a previous life.

The regrets and remorse of his past life surged like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming him. He couldn't help but tighten his fingertips, but afraid of hurting the person in his arms, he could only caress them with the lightest touch.

Xie Xingran tilted her head slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings.

He didn't understand why his second brother was so distraught. His usually indifferent eyes were now filled with grief and longing that he couldn't comprehend, as well as a trace of bewilderment that he couldn't explain.

But he wasn't afraid; the warmth of his second brother's embrace and the slightly cool touch of his fingertips made him feel at ease.

He subconsciously pressed his cheek tightly against Xie Ciwen's hand, the warm skin against the cold fingertips, as if trying to dispel the chill.

The chubby little hand also rose up and carefully placed on Xie Ciwen's hand, gently grasping his slightly cool fingers.

He stared at Xie Ciwen with clear, innocent eyes, like a fawn, his gaze filled with pure confusion. His voice was soft and gentle, as if it could melt water: "Second Brother, why are you crying?"

Xie Ciwen snapped back to reality, his gaze falling on the child's clear, unblemished eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed, and the grief and fear that had been building up in his heart could no longer be suppressed.

He spoke slowly, his voice trembling uncontrollably, thick with nasal tone, each word seeming to be squeezed from his throat, filled with heart-wrenching pain: "Ranran..."

He paused, as if using all his strength, before finally asking the question. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring his vision, yet he remained fixed on the child in his arms, afraid to miss a single expression.

"When you fell down the stairs, did it hurt?"