?Chapter 1679:


    “When do you n to head back?” Elliott asked softly.


    “I haven’t decided yet,” Christina replied.


    “You’ve only just reunited with your family. It’s good to stay close to them for a while,” he said.


    “Yeah,” Christina responded.


    She lifted her gaze toward the night sky, where the moon hung high, wrapped in a sea of shimmering stars. Christina was absorbed by the breathtaking spread of lights above, while Elliott studied her profile, his eyes filled with quiet tenderness. A faint smile appeared on her lips, and without realizing it, he mirrored it, his own mood lifting with hers.


    There was an unmistakable intimacy in sharing a night like this beneath the moon. Elliott followed her line of sight and looked up as well, silently appreciating the soft glow overhead.


    After a moment, he murmured, “The moon looks especially beautiful tonight.”


    Christina, unaware of the meaning beneath his words, didn’t turn toward him. “Yeah,” she replied simply. Her focus remained on the sky as she added, “The universe is incredible. Its scale always feels impossible to grasp.” Against the immensity of the cosmos, humanity felt insignificant — like a grain of dust beneath a lens. At times, when emotions grew overwhelming, contemting how small and fleeting life was could oddly bringfort. Once thoughts drifted to life and death, everything else seemed to lose its weight. People on Earth fought endlessly for status and possessions, yet viewed from the universe, it all felt almost absurd.


    Elliott looked at Christina, sadness flickering briefly in his eyes. He sighed inwardly and let a faint, resigned smile form on his lips. The moonlight tonight was stunning, but it still fell short of her presence — and she remainedpletely unaware of the feelings he never voiced.


    It was alreadyte.


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    Christina had intended to lull the little girl to sleep before chatting with Dn, but after a long stretch of time the girl showed no sign of drowsiness, and Christina eventually gave up. The bedtime stories that had worked the night before werepletely ineffective tonight. She reclined on the bed and let the girl hold tightly to her arm, then reached for her phone and sent Dn a message.


    “Are you asleep?”


    Dn responded almost instantly, as though he had been waiting for her text.


    “Not yet. And don’t forget, it’s daytime where I am.”


    Christinaughed softly, suddenly remembering the time difference with Apresh.


    “I must really be losing track of time if I forgot about that.”


    “Chrissie, I miss you. When are youing home?”


    “I still have a few things to take care of here, so I may need to stay a bit longer.”


    “If anything goes wrong, tell me right away. Don’t deal with it by yourself.”


    “I will. I bought an Elderroot at the auction. I’m nning to use half for Bethel’s health and save the rest for you.” She sent the message along with a photo of the Elderroot she had won.


    Dn looked at the image, a smile spreading across his face. He knew she was teasing and chose to y along.


    “Perfect! I still have some well-aged Elderroots myself. When I visit your family, I’ll bring them for your grandma.”


    Christinaughed at his response, warmth blooming in her chest.


    After a short pause in the conversation, she asked, “Has Vickie tried anything with you?”


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