As he spoke, he reached out to open the book in his hand. Paige looked at him, her breath catching, and she placed her hand over his warm one.
“…” Enrico turned his gaze to her.
Paige curved her lips into a smile, feigning lightness as she said, “Enrico, your mother and the entire Davis family have searched for so long for the Forgetting Life Fruit and Withered Snow, but they’ve never found them. Some even say these things don’t exist. So even if we get the cursed book, it doesn’t mean we’ll find them within a month.”
They had to prepare themselves for this outcome.
“What are you trying to say?” Enrico asked, staring at her with a deep voice.
“I’m just saying, just in case… if we can’t find them, we should come to terms with it. We should make the most of every day…”
Paige was trying to use a light-hearted tone to persuade him, that even if he had to die from the torment of the AS schizophrenia gene, he shouldn’t drown in despair. But halfway through her words, she looked into his slightly gray eyes, eyes that were unique to the Davis family, and she couldn’t continue.
She turned her head away, blinking rapidly.
She truly couldn’t understand why it had to be him, why he had to suffer from this disease, and why the treatment she offered him only turned out to be a faster death sentence…
She wanted him to accept it, but she herself couldn’t.
Enrico sat there, looking at the top of her head, his gaze growing deeper. After a while, he pulled her back to him, pressing her head beneath his chin, and said, “Alright, I understand what you mean. I’ll accept it, as long as you promise me one last wish.”
Why was he already talking about last wishes?
Paige felt even worse. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face closer to him.
“If I really only have one month left, and we can’t find either of the life-saving items, just promise me one thing…”
Enrico hugged her, pausing for two seconds, his voice deep and filled with affection, “For the rest of your life, don’t find another man.”
“…”
Paige felt like strangling him right then and there.
The mood was completely ruined.
Paige struggled to free her head, then snatched the book from his hands and flipped it open with determination.
In this day and age, with the internet so advanced, even if the Forgetting Life Fruit and Withered Snow were rare, it wouldn’t be impossible to find them.
With that thought, Paige opened the cursed book. It was a handwritten manuscript, and the bold, sweeping calligraphy was truly worthy of the Medicine Curse Sect’s legacy.
She followed the index, scanning each line until she finally found the reference to the Forgetting Life Fruit. She quickly turned to that page.
On the yellowed paper was a carefully detailed illustration of a fruit, drawn with exquisite precision. The entire page depicted the fruit’s growth process.
Paige stared at it, eyes wide with shock.
This…
How could it be…
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Flipping hurriedly to the next page, she found an illustration of the Withered Snow.
As expected, the entire page showed the growth process of the Withered Snow.
Below the image were words explaining that Withered Snow is a type of flower, with branches that are withered in color and a white core, hence the name Withered Snow.
“So Withered Snow is a flower,” Enrico remarked after a glance. The appearance of the fruit and the flower certainly didn’t resemble any common plants, no wonder his mother had never found them.
The person beside him remained silent.
Paige sat there, staring down, her eyes wide with disbelief. She was silent, as if she couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing.
“What’s wrong?” Enrico asked, looking at her.
Paige turned her gaze to him, her eyes red and gradually moistening. But in the next moment, she began to laugh, and as she did, a tear slid down her pale cheek.
“What’s wrong with you?” Enrico frowned.
Was she laughing or crying? He wasn’t even dead yet, and a book had already driven her crazy.
Paige struggled to control her emotions. Raising the book, she pointed at the black-and-white illustration, “Wind Island… there’s a tree there that blooms year-round. No matter how harsh the conditions, its flowers are always beautiful. But its fruit… it’s so bitter, hard to swallow…”
Maybe because she was so emotional, Paige found it difficult to speak, almost choking on her words.
Enrico understood. “You’re saying the Forgetting Life Fruit and Withered Snow are on Wind Island?”
Paige nodded vigorously, her hands trembling as she held the book. “They’re on Wind Island. They’ve always been on Wind Island. We were originally going to Wind Island…”
But instead, she chose to come to D Country and didn’t go to Wind Island.
“…” Enrico couldn’t help but marvel at the twists of fate. He smiled faintly. “So, does that mean your man won’t go bald after all?”
Paige laughed through her tears, which wouldn’t stop flowing. She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. “Enrico, you’re saved! You’re saved!”
All their worries were unnecessary at this moment.
Enrico smiled, pulling her into his embrace, the affection in his eyes deepening. “Yes, I’m saved.”
As long as he could live by her side, he was redeemed.
Knowing they no longer had to desperately search for the Forgetting Life Fruit and Withered Snow, Paige was filled with energy. She pulled away from his embrace, wiped her tears, and said, “Alright, let’s get some sleep. We’ll need our rest for tomorrow.”
She was already impatient to head to Wind Island.
With that, she picked up her snow jacket. “Wear this while you sleep, or you’ll catch a cold.”
“No need. I’ll use it to cover you,” Enrico replied.
“Enrico…”
“Sleep.”
Enrico leaned against the stone wall and pulled her head onto his lap, covering her with the large snow jacket.
Paige struggled but couldn’t win. She curled up on his lap, and whether it was the rising fire’s warmth or her total relaxation, sleep soon overcame her.
She laid on his lap and quickly drifted off.
Enrico sat there, his handsome face showing no signs of sleep. He placed one hand on her, reassuring himself that she was still by his side.
He stared at the fire, occasionally picking up nearby twigs and tossing them into the flames to keep the fire burning.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when the person on his lap suddenly stirred. Enrico looked down and saw Paige’s face illuminated by the warm firelight. Her lips moved as if she were speaking, though it was unclear.
Was she dreaming?
Enrico bent down to listen. After a while, he heard her murmur softly-
“Enrico…”
She smiled in her sleep, though there were still traces of tears at the corner of her eyes.
“…”
Enrico looked down at her closely, a deep smile curling his lips. He gently stroked her soft face and whispered, “Paige?”
Hearing that, Paige’s smile deepened, even though she was still asleep.
Enrico looked at her, feeling as though he would give her his heart to hold if she asked. His voice was hoarse as he whispered, “Even in your sleep, you’re so captivating. No wonder I love you so much.”