Gao Xuan felt as if struck by lightning, only then realizing that he was no longer the image in his daughter's memories.

He looked down at these unfamiliar hands of his, suddenly let out a heart-wrenching howl, his forehead crashing heavily onto the ground, shoulders shaking violently.

Cao Zhengyang and Mo Xingjian stood silently by, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.

Zhou Qing also sighed, then slowly turned to look at the barrier behind him.

If he guessed correctly, at this moment Sikong Yan should also be watching this scene.

He could almost imagine the expression on that madman's face now.

Surely with a smile at the corner of his mouth, eyes full of amusement, appreciating this drama of farewell like a spectator.

But just then, Nannan suddenly let go of Zhou Qing's clothes and timidly stepped forward.

She tiptoed, using her little hand to gently wipe away the tears on Gao Xuan's face.

"Uncle, don't cry..." Nannan's childish voice carried heartbreak, "My daddy used to cry too, Nannan doesn't like to see daddy crying..."

These words were like a blunt knife, stabbing into Gao Xuan's heart once again.

Unable to hold back any longer, he pulled his daughter into his arms, crying uncontrollably.

The cries were heart-wrenching, as if wanting to unleash all the accumulated pain of these years.

Ever since his daughter was severely injured, he carried the dying Nannan and almost ran throughout the entire Lingyun Mansion.

From the most renowned Pill Masters to reclusive mountain witch doctors, from established sects to demonic cultivation dens, as long as there was a sliver of hope, he didn't hesitate to kneel and beg.

Back then, he almost washed his face with tears every day.

And each time, the weak Nannan would extend her little hand to wipe away his tears, comforting him with her weak voice: "Daddy, don't cry..."

Now his daughter was back, but unable to recognize his appearance.

This was crueler than death, like a nightmare from which one could never wake.

But this time, Nannan obediently didn't resist, just gently patted Gao Xuan's back, as daddy used to do when lulling her to sleep.

"Nannan..." Gao Xuan choked with sobs, "Daddy... Daddy is sorry for you..."

Nannan tilted her head, confusedly looking at this stranger uncle crying bitterly.

She didn't understand why this person was crying so sadly, yet inexplicably felt sad herself.

"Does Uncle know my daddy?" Nannan asked softly, "When will daddy come to pick me up?"

Gao Xuan shook all over, opened his mouth, yet couldn't produce any sound, only held Nannan tighter.

Zhou Qing stepped forward, squatted down to look Nannan in the eye: "Nannan, this uncle is a good friend of your daddy. Your daddy... went very far away and will take some time to come back."

"Will he bring back sugar-coated haws for Nannan when he returns? Oh, and a new rattle-drum."

Nannan's eyes suddenly lit up, "Daddy promised!"

Tears overwhelmed Gao Xuan once again.

He remembered, that was Nannan's last wish before dying—to eat a skewered sugar-coated haw.

He promised to buy it for her once she recovered, but never had the chance to fulfill that promise again.

"He will... definitely will..." Gao Xuan nodded desperately, "Daddy will buy the biggest and sweetest sugar-coated haw for Nannan..."

Saying this, he suddenly recalled something, hastily searched around his waist, only to find the storage bag beside him.

Seeing this, Cao Zhengyang quickly grabbed it and handed it to him.

And Cao Zhengyang rummaged inside, soon retrieving a rattle-drum. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The drum's surface was somewhat yellowed, but the body was still smooth, clearly frequently fondled by its owner.

"This is..." His voice was choked to the point of almost incompleteness, "This is daddy's... always carried it with him..."

The red drum surface of this rattle-drum was painted with two amusing little tigers, a faded red string still tied around the handle.

As Gao Xuan gently turned the handle, the crisp and pleasant "dong dong" sound of the drumsticks hitting the drum surface could still be heard.

Upon seeing the rattle-drum, Nannan's eyes immediately widened.

She reached out, but timidly stopped mid-air: "This... this one looks like the one Nannan used to have..."

"It's the same one." Gao Xuan hurriedly stuffed the rattle-drum into his daughter's hands.

The coarse fingertips accidentally brushed against Nannan's soft palm, causing him to tremble all over, "Daddy... Daddy has kept it well..."

Nannan took the rattle-drum, curiously flipping it over.

When she discovered the handle's bottom carved with the crooked words "Nannan," her little mouth opened wide in surprise: "It's really Nannan's!"

Gao Xuan was already choked beyond recognition.

That was many years ago, when he held his daughter's little hand, teaching her stroke by stroke to carve it.

Now the writing remains, yet everything has changed.

Zhou Qing similarly watched in silence.

Earlier in the library at Golden Sun Peak, he had specifically appraised this rattle-drum.

Only knowing it was something Nannan played with, yet unaware it carried such heavy longing.

"Dong dong dong—"

Nannan excitedly shook the rattle-drum, the familiar sound making her giggle.

But in the next moment, Nannan's body suddenly went limp, the rattle-drum slipping from her hand.

Gao Xuan reacted swiftly to catch his daughter, only to see she had already fallen asleep, a lingering smile still on her little face.

"Nannan? Nannan!" Gao Xuan called out frantically, urgently checking her.

"Master Uncle!" Zhou Qing hurriedly approached, saying: "Let me take her back."

Upon hearing, Gao Xuan immediately held Nannan tightly, shaking his head repeatedly.

Zhou Qing had no choice but to reveal everything seen in the great hall.

Cao Zhengyang and Mo Xingjian never expected, Sikong Yan's thousands of Black-robed Puppets were actually prepared to save Nannan.

Upon hearing, the color drained from Gao Xuan's face, tears dropping heavily onto Nannan's lapel.