"I cannot believe I used to look like that," Yingxing muttered, inspecting the handmade plush replica of his younger self. "Those days feel like a lifetime ago."

You had put a lot of work into making the plushie, and the way Yingxing held the toy showed how much your kind gesture touched him. A bittersweet smile formed on his lips as memories of his younger days flooded back.

Despite his appreciation, the craftsman could not shake off the nostalgia. He felt a sense of loss, realising how much he had changed over the years. Time had taken its toll, and he no longer considered himself the attractive man he once was—at least not in his own eyes.

"I'm just an old man now," Yingxing declared, frowning at the plush replica in his arms. The plushie, with its navy blue hair and red tips, seemed to contrast sharply with his own now-white hair. If he only knew how beautiful he was.