That night, Wu Chun waited for a long time.
Anxiously, Wu Chun searched every corner of the pine forest, but he still couldn’t find Xu Shi Yao’s figure.
Xu Shi Yao was nowhere to be found.
The moon was bright, and there was a slight cool breeze in the August night. Before leaving, Wu Chun had discussed with the village chief that the annual sacrifice didn’t need to be extravagant. It would be enough to hang a few red ropes from the trees. At that moment, the trees were already filled with red ropes, swaying in the wind.
The area around the trees was also cleared and became open and flat. Someone had even set up a table with a slate in front of the tree with some sweets on it.
In this mountain, there were traces of Xu Shi Yao’s presence everywhere, but his figure couldn’t be found anywhere.
Wu Chun had no idea what had happened in the less than a week since he left.
When the time came to leave, Wu Chun was still standing by the pine tree, unwilling to leave.
” Chun Chun.”
A warm call came from behind and Wu Chun turned around to see his grandfather standing behind him holding a flashlight.
“It’s so late, why haven’t you gone home yet?”
In almost an instant, Wu Chun threw himself into his grandfather’s arms as if deeply hurt and burst into tears.
“What’s wrong, child?” Grandfather’s hand stroked Wu Chun’s back soothingly, his voice soft.
“Grandpa, I can’t find him.”
As he spoke, Wu Chun released all the anxiety and emotions of the night.
Within this wave of emotions, there was a hint of resentment.
After making such an important decision, summoning the courage to face his own heart, and preparing to confess his feelings to Xu Shi Yao, Xu Shi Yao had disappeared without a trace.
The excitement and anticipation of the afternoon had turned into anxiety, fear, and a hint of sadness in the face of unanswered calls.
“Child, don’t cry. Maybe he has his own things to take care of? He is different from us. Let’s go back with Grandpa for now, and we can come back tomorrow. Maybe he will be back by then.”
Wu Chun cried heavily, and his body shook with his sobs.
Grandfather’s explanation seemed plausible, although Wu Chun never saw Xu Shi Yao as someone separate from himself, but they were indeed different.
“Let’s go back for now, child. It gets windy in the mountains at night,” Grandfather continued to persuade.
Wu Chun looked back at the tree behind him and finally nodded.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Coafg mjgfoei mbcrlvfgjalbc, Qe Jtec gfjilhfv atja tf xcfk wbgf jybea We Vtl Tjb’r qjra, yea lc gfjilas, la kjrc’a wemt.
For Xu Shi Yao’s life before his death, Wu Chun might be able to gather information from other people. However, when it came to what Xu Shi Yao had chosen to tell about his own death, Wu Chun could only know as much as Xu Shi Yao had revealed.
Now, upon reflection, Wu Chun realized that there were still many aspects of the current Xu Shi Yao that he had yet to discover.
Wu Chun still didn’t know what the other person’s world was like. He felt that between him and Xu Shi Yao, it was as if Heaven had accidentally made a mistake, forgetting to close the door between their two worlds and give them a chance to meet.
Xu Shi Yao had also always said that Wu Chun was the only human he could interact with in the mortal realm.
Wu Chun couldn’t help but wonder, if Heaven were to discover their oversight and completely close this door, then he and Xu Shi Yao would be completely isolated in two separate worlds, unable to meet each other.
At night, Wu Chun curled up, hugged his knees, and cried softly.
Wu Chun’s heart is filled with fear. There are too many uncertainties in this world, and unfortunately, there are some things he cannot change.
How insignificant people are.
Wu Chun removes the necklace from his neck and holds it in the palm of his hand. Just last night, while looking at this necklace, he spoke of his admiration for Xu Shi Yao, using it as a medium to express his feelings. And tonight, he is still holding the necklace, hoping that when the sun sets tomorrow, he will see the long-awaited figure in front of the pine tree.
“You must have had something urgent to do and couldn’t tell me in time,” Wu Chun comforts himself. “It’s okay, I can wait for you, but please don’t forget to come back.”
Just before sunrise, Wu Chun finally managed to take a short nap.
Not even an hour passed before Wu Chun was awakened by another nightmare.
Unusually, Wu Chun’s back was covered in sweat. He got up, splashed cold water on his face, ate a few bites of breakfast in a hurry, and then rushed to Shili Mountain.
Grandfather had mentioned that the logging activities on the mountain had decreased significantly. However, there were still some people who secretly cut down trees. But times had changed, and anyone caught logging now would inevitably receive a stern lecture from the villagers.
The harvest season is approaching, and most of the fields along the road are filled with working farmers. It’s inevitable to exchange a few words when you meet them, which delays the journey.
But as soon as Wu Chun arrives at Shili Mountain, his heart feels empty.
It’s quiet here.
Usually, Wu Chun enjoys the quiet atmosphere. He would climb up the pine tree, and even if no one spoke, he could talk to himself all day long.
Back then, Wu Chun knew that Xu Shi Yao was there.
But now…
Wu Chun gently touches the pine tree, his fingertips lightly stroking the trunk, and he can’t help but feel melancholy in his heart.
“Are you back?”
Of course, there was no answer.
Wu Chun let out a slow sigh. After hesitating for a moment, he did what he always did. He took off his shoes and climbed up the pine tree, sitting on the branches with his back to the trunk.
Everything was the same as when he left, except that he couldn’t be sure if Xu Shi Yao had returned to the pine tree.
Wu Chun took a slow breath. He couldn’t let himself feel depressed all day long. He needed to find something to occupy himself with.
However, it was not the right time to water the vegetables in the garden. After thinking for a while, Wu Chun started talking to himself.
“When I first arrived and saw the villagers busy with their work, I actually felt very contemptuous in my heart.”
Wu Chun remembered when he first arrived and was forced to kowtow to this mountain. Although he played some tricks during that time, his forehead didn’t actually touch the ground.
“After kowtowing, I fell on the ground on my way back. Was it your fault?”
After all, the place where Wu Chun fell was indeed level. Looking at himself in this state, perhaps this person wanted to give him a warning.
“I was forcibly brought here by my mother after my 18th birthday, just like you back then. I arrived here shortly after turning 18. Did you know that, Xu Shi Yao? Before I turned 18, I was a staunch atheist. I didn’t believe in the existence of ghosts or gods in this world until I met you.”
After meeting Xu Shi Yao, Wu Chun’s life took a sudden turn, like hitting the restart button.
“You were really excessive back then. Without saying a word, you made that pine cone follow me. I was really scared back then. Despite my seemingly relaxed demeanor, it was a challenge for me to overturn my beliefs and convictions that I had held for eighteen years. However, after meeting you, it was as if someone pushed the fast-forward button, and I willingly embraced the things I once rejected.”
The magic of Xu Shi Yao is that the moment he appeared in front of Wu Chun, the turmoil and uneasiness in Wu Chun’s heart instantly disappeared.
It was as if Xu Shi Yao’s presence became something completely normal for Wu Chun.
“How did my feelings for you change?” Wu Chun thought carefully. It was a gradual and imperceptible process. “When I first learned that you guarded this forest, I felt admiration. Later, when I learned more about you, it turned into concern, deep concern. I wanted to do something to help you. And then, I don’t know why, but every morning when I woke up, I wanted to be at your side as soon as possible, even if it meant just sitting here and doing nothing. Every night I lamented the fleeting time we spent together. Perhaps it was during this process that my feelings for you began to change.”
Wu Chun argued with his grandfather for a long time, and finally they came to an agreement. If the rain stopped in the afternoon, Wu Chun would be allowed to go out. If the rain continued, they would reconsider.
Throughout the morning, Wu Chun sat at the door and prayed for the rain to stop. However, it seemed as if the heavens were against him, and the rain only increased.
The trend of heavy rain continued until the afternoon.
“Wu Chun, how about going tomorrow? It’s too dangerous to go out in such heavy rain,” his grandfather said worriedly.
Wu Chun felt a sense of reluctance in his heart, but he didn’t want to worry his grandfather, so he nodded in agreement.
Wu Chun carried on as if nothing had happened, eating dinner and chatting with his grandfather about various things before finally lying down on his bed.
When the lights went out in his grandfather’s house and the sound of snoring could be heard, Wu Chun stealthily stepped out of the door.
The rain was still falling, but compared to the daytime, it had decreased considerably.
Wu Chun held a torch in his hand. Due to the rain, the road was difficult to walk on, and his feet often sank in. The mountain path was even more slippery.
Wu Chun leaned on a wooden stick and held the flashlight in his other hand. The hood of his raincoat covered his head, making it difficult to see. Every step was difficult.
“Xu Shi Yao, if you’re not here, then be prepared to explain it to me.”
Wu Chun grabbed a branch of a pine tree by the side of the road and used his strength, but the branch suddenly snapped, causing Wu Chun’s body to fall backwards.
It’s over.
Wu Chun closed his eyes in resignation, but the expected pain didn’t come. Instead, a cool sensation swept over his body, followed by a faint scent of familiar pine.
Wu Chun felt a surge of joy in his heart, quickly opened his eyes and saw a familiar face in front of him.
Almost at the same time, Wu Chun reached out and embraced the person, and tears immediately flowed from his eyes.
“Where have you been these past few days? Do you know how worried I have been?” Wu Chun clutched Xu Shi Yao’s neck tightly, his voice choked with tears.
The other person didn’t say anything, just allowed Wu Chun to hug him.
After crying in Xu Shi Yao’s arms for a while, Wu Chun finally let go.
The gloomy mood that had lasted for two consecutive days immediately brightened when he saw the other person. However, just as it brightened, Xu Shi Yao’s words struck Wu Chun’s heart like a bolt of lightning.
Xu Shi Yao looked at himself with a puzzled expression, his voice mixed with a hint of caution as he asked, “Who are you? How did you end up here?”
Wu Chun’s brain instantly froze, and at that moment, he couldn’t believe his ears.
“Don’t you recognize me?” Wu Chun asked, suppressing his emotions.
After a moment of confusion, the other person still asked in a puzzled manner, “Have I known you before?”
A Soybean:
What on the earth?
Ahhh no!! 😭😭 Where are your pieces of bark? Go look at them!!!
Not the amnesia trope … 😱😱
WTHHHHH HOW COULD THE AUTHOR DO THISSSSSS