Chapter 9: Don’t Let Go!

Here’s the English translation of the provided Chinese text:

The bride stared at me, pondered for a moment, and a curious expression appeared on her face.

“Speaking of which, why is my sister so fixated on you?”

I shrugged.

“I’d like to know that myself.”

“My sister has always been peculiar. Even as a child, she would constantly say strange things. Aside from me and her playmates, she’s never cared much for anyone else. For her to latch onto someone she just met like she did with you today—that’s a first for me.”

“Oh, then I’m truly honored,” I said, my face beaming with mock delight.

Seeing that I wasn’t taking it too seriously, the bride was about to say more when a loud shout came from behind.

“Found them! They’re here!!”

At the sound, the girl jumped like a startled rabbit, immediately grabbing the bride’s hand and running backward.

But in their haste to find a hiding spot earlier, they hadn’t realized this was a dead-end alley.

The girl pulled the bride behind her, standing protectively in front with the older boy, while the younger brother cowered behind them.

I gave the surprisingly timid younger brother—who was usually so arrogant—a disdainful glance before slowly moving to the side, pressing myself against the wall.

My eyes locked onto the gap beside the servants opposite us, striking a pose that screamed, If you dare hit me, I’m ready to bolt.

Everyone was clearly taken aback by my defiant aura, and for a long moment, no one spoke.

After what felt like forever, the girl finally stammered, “W-What are you doing?”

“Preparing to escape… I mean, no, to break through and get help for you all.”

“You just said it out loud, didn’t you? You accidentally let the truth slip, right?! You’re actually planning to run away, aren’t you?!”

The handsome older brother immediately seized on my slight slip, making me marvel at how sharp he was for his age.

Truly a rare talent—this kid’s future was boundless, like the saying goes, the waves of the Yangtze River push forward, each generation surpassing the last…

Ahem, no, I mean stronger.

The servants across from us clearly weren’t interested in this little drama.

One of them, apparently the leader, stepped forward and bowed slightly to the bride.

“My lady, you’re making things very difficult for us. Our young master is waiting. Please, come back with us quickly.”

The bride didn’t exactly want to stay, but the girl was gripping her so tightly she couldn’t move, and she couldn’t bear to force her sister’s hand and hurt her feelings.

She was caught in a dilemma.

I wanted to help, but as a mere child, I was powerless.

The servants, though eager to act, hesitated without their master’s permission.

After all, the bride would soon be their master’s wife, and offending her could mean trouble for them later.

So, for a moment, both sides stood frozen, locked in a stalemate.

Seeing no way forward, the lead servant sent someone to report back to their master.

As long as they blocked the exit, this group of women and children wasn’t going anywhere.

With the situation seemingly settled, I found a corner and sat down, waiting for the groom to arrive.

The girl still clung tightly to the bride’s slender hand, while the bride stood there sighing, clearly exasperated by her willful sister.

But then I noticed something—her eyes… they were filled with confusion.

Less than half an hour later, the groom arrived with a group of people.

I tilted my head slightly and caught sight of him through the crowd.

The groom was undeniably striking—handsome, refined, with a scholarly air and vibrant noble attire that screamed high status.

But for some reason… this groom gave me a bad feeling.

And no, it’s definitely not because he’s tall, rich, and handsome or anything like that!

The groom pushed through the crowd to the front, frowning at the scene with an exasperated expression.

“Zhen’er, what are you doing making a scene on our wedding day?! How is the Wei family supposed to hold its head high after this? Come back with me now and stop causing trouble!!”

His words made it clear why he rubbed me the wrong way.

Compared to the wife he was about to marry, he clearly cared more about his own reputation.

Hearing the groom’s words, the bride instinctively took a couple of steps forward but suddenly felt the force behind her pulling her back.

Turning around, she met the girl’s eyes—pleading, brimming with helpless tears—making it impossible for her to take another step.

The bride shook her head helplessly, crouched down, and gently stroked the girl’s hair.

“Sister, let go of me, okay?”

The girl shook her head like a rattle, wiping her tears with one hand while clutching the bride’s skirt tightly with the other.

“Sister has grown up now. I can’t keep causing trouble for Uncle and the others, so I have to get married and start my own life. Just like you won’t always be a child—you’ll grow up too, leave Uncle and the others, leave that home, and pursue the dreams you’ve always held in your heart. Sister knows you’re very smart, so you should understand, right? I can’t hold you in my arms forever. Even Uncle will one day have to spread his wings and let you fly in your own sky to achieve your dreams.”

The bride wiped the girl’s tears, smiling gently.

But the girl was sobbing uncontrollably, still stubbornly gripping her sister’s hand.

“I don’t want to let go of Sister…”

“I don’t want to let go of you either, but we all have to face this step. Don’t you have your own dreams? Those strange things you say, even if others can’t accept them, I know. The words you spoke about changing the world, and all the efforts you’ve made toward that ideal—they’re serious, aren’t they? Isn’t that an incredible dream? To hold such a dream in a world like this is truly rare. That boy you dragged into this, he’s the companion you’ve been searching for to achieve your dreams, isn’t he? Have you forgotten? You have things you must do, things only you can do.”

As she spoke, the bride’s gaze swept over me before returning to the girl.

“Sister, you can’t be someone who never leaves me. If you want to achieve your dreams, you have to work hard and be strong. Letting go of me can be the start of your journey to realizing your dreams.”

At some point, the bride’s face, like the girl’s, was covered in tears.

“So…”

The bride stood up and turned away, saying, “So… let go, okay?”

Under everyone’s gaze, the girl slowly lowered her head.

Her hands, which had been tightly gripping her sister, reluctantly, powerlessly began to loosen.

Watching those hands gradually lose their strength brought back memories of a moment in my past life when I, too, had let go like that.

But that was just a lie.

In the end, those words were nothing but excuses to convince oneself and deflect others.

So before I realized it, I had spoken up to warn her.

“If you let go here, you’ll never be able to hold on again.”

“Huh?”

Both the girl and the bride turned their puzzled gazes toward me, the one who had suddenly spoken.

Even I hadn’t expected to stop her, so now, under everyone’s stares, I felt a bit flustered.

But since I’d spoken, I had to follow through.

“‘Work hard,’ ‘be strong’—those words are easy to say. You talk as if you’re helping a child grow, but in reality, those words are just convenient excuses to escape responsibility, aren’t they?”

The way she spoke about being strong and letting go was exactly like my parents in my past life.

Unconsciously, my tone grew a bit heated.

“If you say you understand her dreams, then you should stay by her side and watch over her, watch her until the day her dreams come true. Isn’t it more valuable and meaningful to stay by her side until you can pat her head and say, ‘You did well,’ than any of your words?”

After addressing the bride, I turned to the tearful girl staring at me in surprise.

“I don’t know what your dreams are, but there’s one thing you should know: don’t expect your dreams to ease your pain. The satisfaction of achieving them won’t fill the emptiness of being alone. If you think your dreams are more important, that’s another matter. But if you truly don’t want to let go of something right now, then don’t let go!”