Jiang Can gradually beca serious, looking at her in surprise: "You can really figure it out?!"
Josh chuckled: "Of course."
Jiang Can also smiled, a hint of bitterness in his eyes: "But even if you figure it out, what difference does it make..."
He looked at Josh: "People always have plenty of advice for others’ hardships, but when it cos to their own, they’re at a loss for words."
Josh didn’t argue; indeed, many people are like that.
Jiang Can gazed at the distant sunset, his expression a bit forlorn: "When I was in the Ancient Castle copy, I saw Sisi’s mories. His father was always strict with him, beating and scolding him since he was little, making him learn this and that without giving him any respite—all so he could have stronger abilities to protect his people. At the ti, I even thought this was a replica made from my childhood experience, trying to resonate with to find my flaws..."
Josh’s eyes reflected understanding; no wonder she felt that Jiang Can seed odd when she saw him in the copy.
It was as if he was lost in mories, continuing: "In the Ancient Castle, I dread every night. In those dreams, I returned to the past, where my father would sternly admonish to work hard on my skills, that my shield wasn’t for my protection, but to protect the entire village."
"I inherited my father’s Turtle Spirit Body, you know. People with the Turtle Spirit Body have a trait—they take on responsibilities. Like on the battlefield, no matter the level of attack, we have to be at the front lines to take damage and protect the output."
"That’s how my father was; he bore responsibilities that weren’t his for the so-called greater good. My mother paid with her life for his foolishness."
"But do you know what caused true pain?"
Josh shook her head, quietly looking at him.
Jiang Can was enveloped in lancholy: "What hurt most was that I avenged my mother, yet my father didn’t understand . He never thought I was right, and because of it, he drove out of the village."
"He thought I was a monster, that I killed people in the village and didn’t deserve to stay."
"Even until the last mont, he didn’t think his so-called ’greater good’ killed my mother. Sotis I don’t know if he was selfless or selfish, but I don’t regret avenging my mother."
"He thought it was his failure to discipline , my lack of strength that led to my mother’s death, that my shield couldn’t accommodate a few more people. If it could, maybe my mother wouldn’t have died..."
"It was clearly his foolishness that killed my mother, yet he blad it all on . Just like in the Ancient Castle, the Prince’s father even caused his death and still felt he did nothing wrong. These foolish, stubborn fathers will never admit their mistakes."
"But as I ventured out and experienced more, I found out that perhaps my father was not entirely wrong. Maybe I was the one in the wrong? If I had worked harder to cultivate back then, and my shield could accommodate more people, perhaps my mother wouldn’t have died."
Josh looked at him quizzically: "How can you have such strange thoughts? Life and death are one’s destiny. From birth, our lifespan is predetermined, and ordinary people can rarely influence others’ destinies."
Jiang Can smiled bitterly: "Is that so..."
Josh knew he didn’t believe it.
She thought for a mont and said: "You actually want to hate your father, but then you suddenly understood everyone’s difficulties, so you were PUAed by him, taking all the bla onto yourself, isn’t it?"
"It’s not PUA, right? Family, after all, is family. How can it be so easily dismissed? Helping family is part of my responsibility, and my father wasn’t wrong either." Jiang Can rubbed her head: "Once you grow up, you’ll understand family."
Josh’s lips twitched slightly; she’s lived for thousands of years in the Cultivation World.
She patted Jiang Can’s shoulder: "If I held the sa thoughts as you, I might have jumped into the river a long ti ago."
Jiang Can looked at her, puzzled: "Why?"
Josh shrugged: "You must have heard, right? I grew up on the Garbage Star. During the copy, whenever I encountered soone who knew Susanna, without exception, they looked down on because I ca from the Garbage Star."
Jiang Can hadn’t noticed this.
He was generally careless and rarely paid attention to the grievances between players online.
But he had indeed heard before that Josh was from the Garbage Star.
Josh looked at the dusk closing in: "My parents didn’t like . They both thought I was a useless waste, unable to bring the Augustine family glory, so they abandoned , leaving to fend for myself on the Garbage Planet."
Jiang Can looked at her in astonishnt: "Abandoning a child is a serious cri!"
Josh chuckled: "Yeah, they knew that, so they claid I went missing, was kidnapped. When they later found , it was just to play the emotion card, to help my father’s election, to show the people of Granel City what a kind father he was. After returning ho, no one liked ; they said I was a disgrace to the Augustine family, tethered at ho, forbidding to go out and bring sha."
Jiang Can’s eyebrows gradually knit tightly: "That’s too much."
Josh: "I used to wonder if people from the Garbage Star truly weren’t likable, if I had truly beco the Augustine family’s stain. Look, if I, like you, were PUAed by my family, I might really have jumped into the river long ago."
Jiang Can looked at her with so distress. No wonder she appeared malnourished when she first arrived, nothing like a child from an Earl’s family, more like soone fished out of a refugee camp.
Josh looked at him: "I’m telling you this not to elicit pity, but to tell you that I’m not speaking without understanding; I’ve experienced family PUA too. The impact of one’s original family is really important, and breaking free from its PUA and negative influence sotis takes a lifeti to heal."
Jiang Can looked into her bright eyes and suddenly asked: "How did you heal?"
Josh smiled: "I found my own family."
"Found your own family?" Jiang Can was puzzled by her words.
Josh cheerfully patted him: "Silly, what is family? Those with the sa values, the sa goals, who can support and accompany each other are family! Who says family must be blood-related?"
Jiang Can looked at her in a daze.
Josh looked up at the gradually darkening sky: "We have such little ti in our lives. Who has ti to spend it on those who hate us and PUA us? Who do they think they are? What do they amount to?"
"Jiang Can, we have plenty to do, very busy, don’t waste ti dwelling on whether shit is sour or stinky. Look ahead, if you want family, go find new family. If you want friends, go find new friends!"
Jiang Can’s eyes grew brighter, the gloom slowly faded away: "You’re right!"
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