Blood Shadow's Favor.

The Burden of Memory

After sending off the painting, Sarah took a leisurely walk to the bookstore to return the umbrella. The salesgirl from yesterday was still not there, so Sarah left the umbrella at the front desk, asking them to pass it along.

The bookstore was conveniently located right by the bus stop.

On a weekday afternoon, the bus was nearly empty, save for Sarah and a mother-daughter pair. The mother was young, holding a little girl of about five or six years old, whose hair was styled in two pigtails. The girl was cuddling her mother and pleading.

"Mommy, can we not go to the hospital? I don't want a shot." The little girl pouted, trying to persuade her mother with a charm offensive.

"But you need to get better before you can go to kindergarten and play with the other kids."

"But I don't like shots." The girl's brow furrowed.

"Hmm… how about this: after you get your shot, Mommy will buy you ice cream as a reward. How about that?" The mother's tone was gentle, a compromise.

The girl's face brightened at the mention of ice cream. She grabbed her mother's arm and shook it slightly. "I want strawberry flavor!"

"Sure thing."

Listening to the mother and daughter's conversation, Sarah's gaze drifted, lost in memory...

"Mommy, are you ready yet? We need to leave, the amusement park is opening soon!" Little Sarah stood at the bottom of the stairs in a white tutu, hands on her hips, her voice high-pitched with anticipation.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." A young woman soon appeared, coming down the stairs.

"Darling, you look beautiful today." The man beside the little girl complimented the woman, and she smiled at the praise.

Little Sarah chimed in, "Mommy, you're more beautiful every day!"

"You too, Sarah." The woman bent down to tousle the girl's hair affectionately.

Sarah held her mother's hand with one hand and her father's with the other as they bounced out the door, steps full of joy.

On the car ride, little Sarah pressed her face against the window, her eyes sparkling with excitement for the amusement park. Just as she was planning the sequence of attractions, a loud bang startled her. Her head hit the seatback, and before she could react, she was tightly embraced, and the car began to spin uncontrollably.

When it finally stopped, Sarah's head was heavy and foggy. She managed to open her eyes to see her mother's face, marred by injuries and blood flowing from her forehead, dripping onto Sarah's tutu.

Sarah tried to raise her hand to stop the blood, but her body wouldn't move.

Next, she saw her father's head slumped on the seat, his face a bloody mess, unmoving with his eyes closed.

"Sarah, don't be afraid, everything will be alright. You need to grow up well and be happy. Mommy and Daddy will always love you…" The weak voice was barely audible.

Trying to comfort Sarah, her mother forced a faint smile, touching Sarah's face with a hand covered in glass shards.

Little Sarah wanted to respond but could only open her mouth in silence. As her vision blurred and her consciousness faded, she could only feel her mother holding her tightly.

When she woke up again, it was in a stark, white hospital room. Around her bed were her grandparents, doctors in white coats, and uniformed police officers, but her parents were nowhere to be found.

"Ding—Attention, passengers…"

It was the announcement for the psychological clinic's stop. Sarah pulled herself back to the present and got off the bus.

The receptionist at the clinic's front desk eyed her with admiration as she walked in.

The woman approaching had a small, delicate face, clear, bright eyes, curled eyelashes, full, luscious lips, and soft, black hair cascading casually behind her. Her pale skin had a hint of pink, and her slender waist made her even more striking as she neared.

"Hello, may I help you? Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist stuttered, staring at her with awe.

Sarah nodded politely. "I'm Sarah. I have an appointment with Dr. Cheng Xinian."

"Alright, turn right and go to the end of the hallway. It's the last room on the right."

The receptionist turned back to her work only after Sarah's skirt disappeared around the corner, feeling inadequate in comparison to the striking woman.

Three soft knocks echoed from inside the room. "Come in."

"Dr. Cheng."

Dr. Cheng Xinian, in his forties and well-preserved, looked up from his paperwork as he recognized the familiar voice.

"You're here. Please, take a seat." Dr. Cheng Xinian rose swiftly, guiding Sarah to the couch with a caring demeanor. "How have you been lately? Are you taking your medication regularly? Any discomfort?"

"Everything's the same. I've been taking the medication, and I'm doing well," Sarah answered.

In other words, there was no improvement. Dr. Cheng Xinian didn't press further. "Would you like to rest for a bit?"

"No, let's start right away," Sarah replied. She had been through this routine for years and was accustomed to it.

"You always say that," Dr. Cheng Xinian shook his head with a smile.

Sarah positioned herself on the couch, closed her eyes as instructed.

"You're now eight years old. You see your mother at home…"

As soft, soothing music played, Dr. Cheng Xinian's voice gradually faded, allowing Sarah's body to relax and her breathing to even out.

She woke up to find it was already four in the afternoon.

"Is everything alright?"

"Mm, very relaxing," Sarah smiled lightly.

"Have you been following my advice and trying to interact more with others?" Dr. Cheng Xinian asked, a question he always posed.

Sarah hesitated before nodding, thinking of the man at home.

"Oh? Really?" Dr. Cheng Xinian's eyes sparkled with surprise at the different response. "What's he like?"

"…He's very good-looking." Sarah didn't want to lie, but mentioning the man's dangerous nature would worry Dr. Cheng Xinian, so she chose to describe him this way.

Dr. Cheng Xinian was momentarily taken aback, then smiled again, not pressing further. "Ah, you young people and your preference for ‘beautiful people hanging out with beautiful people.'"

After seeing Sarah off, Dr. Cheng Xinian's smile faded, replaced by a worried expression. After the car accident, Sarah had suffered severe trauma, developing depression and an aversion to communication. She had shown no interest in anything and was reluctant to interact with anyone except her grandparents.

Dr. Cheng Xinian had been her therapist during that time, helping her slowly recover and return to school. Sarah, who had always been drawn to beautiful things, had formed a close bond with a pretty classmate.

Upon returning to school, Sarah clung to her friend obsessively, wanting to be with her at all times. When the friend played with other classmates, Sarah would get angry. While this behavior was sometimes dismissed as typical for close friends, it had once nearly resulted in harming a classmate.

That incident revealed Sarah's underlying issues, leading to her being labeled with terms like "freak," "crazy," "disgusting," and "likes girls," causing even her friend to distance herself.

Sarah's parents' death had left her insecure and desperate for affection. She needed to control everything she loved to feel secure. Although her depression had improved, she developed an intense possessiveness over those she cared about.

Dr. Cheng Xinian had hoped that Sarah would not lose her true self, regularly suggesting she try to engage more deeply with others and not let one negative experience dictate her view of everyone.

However, Sarah had always resisted these suggestions. Now, Dr. Cheng Xinian wondered if the new friend Sarah had made might become a turning point.