Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Xuxu felt a surge of warmth spread through her body. She tightened her arms around him and laid her head on his back. Each beat of his heart was etched clearly into her mind.

  “There are so many snakes. I’m scared, mom.”


  “Daddy and Mommy are here, there’s no need to be afraid, Xuxu.”


  Memories from the past flooded into her head.

  There were mountains and rivers back at her old town, and every family had a little boat of their own. The boat was an indispensable part of their lives, as they used it for transport and fishing purposes.

  Xuxu was still young back then, and so she didn’t have a clear impression of her parents. But that one day her parents brought her to her relatives for a wedding dinner had been deeply etched in her mind.

  The need to row across the river was a bad omen. Just when the boat reached the shore, snakes slithered out of the bushes from all directions.

  She was so afraid she darted into her mother’s arms.

  Xuxu’s mother held her in her arms and assured her that there was nothing to be afraid of.

  Upon hearing her mother’s comforting words, Xuxu was no longer afraid.

  Indeed it was true that parents are the ones who would hold the world up for their children if the world should ever crumble.

  However, she did not have especially strong feelings when the world actually did.

  As she gradually grew older, she realized what she was missing.

  She realized that whenever she felt afraid, there would no longer be open arms for her to run into. If she got into trouble, there would be no one else to help her get out of it.

  Throughout these years she would constantly be reminded of her mother’s words. As she grew older, she yearned even more for her mother’s comfort.

  Her arms were still tightly wrapped around Yan Rusheng, so tight that it made him breathless.

  “Wen Xuxu, are you trying to kill me?” He craned his neck back, furrowing his brows. He was in an uncomfortable state and he wanted to shake her off.

  She was scared out of her wits and had started shivering. He felt that the situation was unbearable.

  She wasn’t even afraid of fights or robberies—why was she so afraid of a snake?

  This was the first time she’d let her guard down and showed him her flaws. Realizing this, Yan Rusheng’s heart went out to her.

  Yan Rusheng was annoyed that he was showing compassion for Wen Xuxu, but at the same time he felt slightly accomplished.

  As a woman who always put up a strong front, she finally needed his help.

  “Is the snake gone yet?” Wen Xuxu quivered in her speech, still clinging onto Yan Rusheng. Her legs couldn’t support her.

  She hadn’t seen a snake for many years, and she would get goosebumps every time she saw one on television.

  Yan Rusheng scanned his surroundings—the snake was gone. Initially he wanted to say “Yes”, but instead he said “No”.