There’s something else I don’t know how to tell Xixi.
Maybe this is one of those “grown-up” worries too.
I still have a photo of Xixi when she was nine. Comparing it to now, hmm… fine, I admit it—other than having grown a little taller, there’s hardly any difference.
Not like the other girls in her class.
But she still likes to run into my room for no reason.
Sometimes, she even sneaks into my bed, staring at me with those innocent big eyes. No matter how many times I try, I can’t chase her away. In the morning, if I don’t comb her hair, she gets all upset.
That led to a cold war between us for a few days.
Of course, she still drank Orange Soda as usual.
She just wouldn’t talk to me.
Until I finally caved in, compromised, and only then did she hug my arm, looking all pleased with herself. That’s when I realized she’d done it on purpose. She dragged me off to take a Photo Sticker, saying it was all the rage and that a lot of her classmates had already done it.
She made a cheesy Scissors Gesture, telling me to do it too. I felt too embarrassed, so I just smiled and took a series of big-head photos with little Yao Xi. She said she wanted to laminate the photos, and it just so happened I needed to buy a Mobile Phone Case too.
Just like that, another year passed. Occasionally, when I saw little Yao Xi puffing her cheeks in the mirror, I’d suddenly realize we were both growing up bit by bit. And I was about to enter high school. The Principal found me again, hoping I could attend the best high school. They could arrange it—the school was right in Magic City.
Of course, I refused.
And then, on that day—11.09—a day I’ll never forget.
I waited there alone for a long, long time.
I was waiting for her.
The sound of a key turning in the door came.
I kept my face cold, saying nothing.
But her face was full of shock: “Who are you! Where’s my brother! How did you get into my house! My brother will be back any minute! Watch out or my brother will beat you up!”
At that moment, I finally understood.
It seemed everything before my eyes no longer mattered.
Doesn’t matter… does it.
“Xixi, where did you go.”
Hearing my voice, little Yao Xi looked like she’d seen a ghost: “Your voice… why is your voice exactly like my brother’s… Did you eat my brother!? Who are you!”
“I’m asking you—where did you go.”
“Do you even know what day it is today?”
Little Yao Xi didn’t answer, but her feet started quietly moving backwards. I felt a bit relieved—when faced with danger, the first thing she does is run away, find her brother if she can, and if not, find a police Uncle. Looks like she still remembers what I taught her.
But that isn’t really something to feel relieved about.
“I am Lin Mo.”
At my words, she stopped: “Lin Mo… brother? Stop lying! My brother isn’t as tall as you! No—my brother is way taller than you!”
“I’ll ask you one thing. After that, I’ll leave.”
“Gladly! My brother will be back any second! He’ll beat you up so bad your head will swell!”
“I’m asking—do you remember what day it is today?”
“None of your business! Who do you think you are!”
“I went to see Uncle today…”
Yao Xi made a face: “Liar!”
“I’m leaving.”
“Good! No need to see you out!”
“By the way, since it’s come to this, there’s something I want to tell you. It’s been on my mind for a long time, something I wanted to say but never could.”
“Could you please stop calling me brother… it’s really gross.”
After that day, I never appeared again.
That sword…
Following this pink Causal Line, Su Wanwan saw very, very far away…
There were hardly any pedestrians on the street. After all, at this hour, most people were already fast asleep.
Su Wanwan looked the young girl she’d once considered a “rival” up and down, thinking to herself that this girl’s looks were indeed impressive—worthy to be called her foe. Yet she couldn’t help but nod, an inexplicable “motherly” feeling surfacing, making her feel like she was tasting a chocolate flavored like poop.
Where could she be going this late?
Through her eyes, Su Wanwan suddenly understood.
So that’s how it is…
“Daddy, Xixi came to see you…”
“This year, Xixi came alone again…”
“But Daddy, don’t be disappointed, I know—Brother Lin Mo comes every year too…”
“Brother… he misunderstood me…”
“But Xixi keeps thinking—if that thing hadn’t happened, would Brother Lin Mo have never left me? No, he still would have…”
“Daddy, I saw your Diary. You said, if one day brother left, you’d ask your old friends to give me the diary…”
“Only then did I realize just how over-the-line a girl I was. Turns out, brother had long ago had enough of me…”
In the wind, Yao Xi’s voice was sweet and gentle, beautiful and melodious, but there was a trace of chill within it.
“Let’s not talk about unhappy things, Daddy. Actually, I have a secret—I never told anyone, not even brother knows…”
“Xixi can see the future, Daddy! Aren’t I amazing?”
“So close, just a little closer and I could have lived with brother again… But, forget it, let’s not talk about sad things. Besides, that would just make brother sad…”
“But, it ends here…”
“I promised to work hard and get into brother’s school, but I can’t leave, because Daddy is still here…”
“They’re here again… Sorry Daddy, Xixi has to become that scary thing again… Why do they always come to disturb you…”
Thick, blood-red mist suddenly enveloped the little loli’s petite body without warning. When Su Wanwan managed to see clearly, the once sweet and adorable Yao Xi nearly scared her half to death.
They say girls are made of water, but this little one—she must be made of blood?
She’s bleeding all over!
“Xixi thought for a long time, but finally decided to do this…”
“Even if I can’t help Brother Lin Mo much, as long as Xixi’s here, this city will always be brother’s home…”
“Even if all the other cities have fallen, this city… holds memories of me and brother…”
In a blink, Su Wanwan seemed to see a terrifying illusion. Faintly, she saw things that made her scalp tingle—chains as thick as giant trucks, one after another, that was…
Classmate Yao Xi, without hesitation, transformed herself into wave after wave of surging Blood Sea, and walked inside…
Before leaving, she looked deeply in some unknown direction: “Brother Lin Mo…”
“Goodbye…”
Su Wanwan realized something was wrong. This was the candidate Dao Companion she’d schemed for her disciple to help “restore order”—she couldn’t let her disappear like this.
Although Su Wanwan still held some resentment toward the girl at this moment, what she was doing now was, without a doubt, a sacrifice for Lin Mo. In a way, if Su Wanwan were just Lin Mo’s teacher, just an ordinary woman, she owed her a favor.
In her urgency, Su Wanwan cried out: “Stop! You, student, are really something!”
Yao Xi inexplicably looked back, touched her head, her little hands smeared with blood, confused: “Just my imagination…”
“If you keep going, I’ll go back and badmouth you to Lin Mo!”
Yao Xi used both hands to touch her head, coming away with big handfuls of blood, her mouth twitching unnaturally: “What kind of teacher are you… Wait…”
“I can cut all Causal Lines. All your misfortune with Lin Mo began the day your father left, right?”
“Do you want to bring him back?”
“If you do, don’t move.”
“…!!! I won’t move… I won’t move…”
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