Volume 2: Winter’s End
At the same time, Shu Xun also noticed that this stimulant seemed to be selling well, as there weren’t many left on the counter. Considering the residents’ discordant daily routines in the micro-market, it occurred to Shu Xun that many people might be using this drug. While ordinary individuals use stimulants to stay alert and avoid falling asleep at night, one wonders if those with blue eyes take medication for the same reason.
The seven or eight-year-old Qing Meng skillfully found the stimulant, indicating that she had been taking this medicine for a long time and was not averse to it. This suggests that someone had guided her in taking the medication, and even guided Qing Meng to buy it alone. Shu Xun pointed to the medicine bottle in Qing Meng’s hand, expressing confusion. “Why do you take this medicine?”
Qing Meng held the medicine bottle in her hands, looking puzzled for a moment, then tilted her head and replied, “Because Mom and Dad said this way I won’t fall asleep.”
“Why can’t you fall asleep?” Shu Xun continued to inquire.
Qing Meng seemed to want to continue speaking, but in the end, she didn’t know what she remembered. She silently lowered her head for a long time before speaking in an almost inaudible voice, “Mom and Dad don’t allow me to say.”
Upon hearing this, Shu Xun already understood that Qing Meng’s parents must have noticed something unusual and deliberately instructed her not to disclose it. Otherwise, Qing Meng wouldn’t be so sensitive. “Let’s go. Where are you going?”
Qing Meng lifted her head, sensing that Shu Xun wasn’t angry about her secrecy. She smiled, squinting her eyes, and nodded vigorously. “I’m going home. Do you want to come too? The blue butterflies are here, and it’s much warmer at home.” Qing Meng’s voice sounded very cheerful, completely different from the initial expectation of rejection.
In this situation, Shu Xun had a significant role to play, along with the child’s natural inclination towards lively and simple things. The micro-market had been in a dire situation for half a year. If other surviving blue-eyed individuals gradually left, how long had Qing Meng been living here alone? In the expectant gaze of Qing Meng, Shu Xun nodded her little head. So, Qing Meng joyfully led the way, stepping towards the south of the city.
Exiting the supermarket, the outside was eerily quiet, with not a hint of wind. In the distant, gloomy horizon, there was already a faint blue glow spreading. The current color was still very light, almost imperceptible if not paying attention.
Due to the slow pace of taking care of Qing Meng, the group’s steps were also very slow. Shu Xun, for a change, wasn’t tucked away in the pocket but walked behind Qing Meng, leaving a unique trail of small footprints. In an unfortunate misstep, he stepped into the soft snow. While ankle-deep snow might be trivial for others, it was a disaster for Shu Xun.
Before Shu Xun could climb out on his own, Ye Qian stopped, bent down, reached out, and lifted the little dumpling from the small snow pit. Then, with a gentle shake, the dumpling swayed, and the snow clinging to it fell off. Shu Xun, suspended in the air, patted his clothes when the snowflakes were gone, then gestured with his short legs for Ye Qian to put him down. Ye Qian’s face remained expressionless, but the tiny person inside him was itching to pick up the dumpling and tuck it into his pocket.
About twenty minutes later, the group stood in front of an apartment building. The apartment’s floors weren’t considered high in this bustling micro-market, but they exuded a unique and elegant charm. The apartment’s elevator had long been unusable. Qing Meng led the group to the third floor and opened the door.
As they stepped inside, Qing Meng changed into slippers and happily called out to the room, “Mom and Dad, I’m back.”
The other three towering figures stood silently, and the little dumpling stood by their feet, quietly observing.
A few minutes later:
The three tall men changed into the pink slippers that Qing Meng had found, stiffly stepping into the room. Shu Xun did the same, and a pair of pink, furry slippers seemed to fit him perfectly. Don’t ask where the slippers came from; just look at the mini doll without shoes, and you’ll know.
After everyone changed into slippers, Qing Meng went into the bedroom. Soon, indistinct voices could be heard, and Shu Xun curiously tilted his little head to peek inside. However, he didn’t see anything, but evidently, Qing Meng’s parents couldn’t be alive.
In the surveillance video, it could be seen that Qing Meng had desperately wanted to return to the northern half of the city. Shu Xun had initially thought it was because Qing Meng’s parents were there, but now it seemed that the truth would never be as simple as you might guess. Qing Meng was sensitive, sensible, and independent, even able to live alone in this vast desolate micro-market for half a year. Shu Xun wouldn’t believe it if someone hadn’t guided and nurtured her.
Soon, Qing Meng exited the bedroom, carefully closed the door, walked back to the living room, and looked at everyone. Qing Meng suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes brightened. She hurriedly ran to the dining room, grabbed a few cups, poured drinks one by one, and placed them on the coffee table in front of the sofa. “I want to treat my guests to a drink,” Qing Meng sat on the other side of the sofa, earnestly staring at everyone.
Lie Yang laughed, “A thoughtful little host, thank you.” He picked up the drink and started drinking. Ye Qian, with an expressionless face, also picked up the drink. Nuan Dong, who had been silent since encountering survivors, suddenly smiled, and the atmosphere changed from winter to spring. Little Qing Meng was visibly stunned, then returned a naive and innocent smile.
Lie Yang almost choked on his drink, and after recovering, he exclaimed in surprise, “You can actually smile! And you smile so, so…”
Nuan Dong’s indifferent and distant gaze shifted over, and Lie Yang suddenly silenced. Unconcerned, Nuan Dong shrugged; in his eyes, he was the only normal one among this group.
It was noon, and the blue glow in the sky was becoming apparent. However, looking out through the window, one could sense the bone-chilling cold outside. A brazier was lit inside, and the branches of the Baiyan tree burned fervently, dispelling the faint coldness inside the room. Qing Meng enjoyed it, spending most of the morning circling the brazier.
After lunch, Qing Meng, feeling drowsy, yawned as if it was nap time. However, soon she shook her head, ran to the pile of items she brought back, picked out the two bottles of medicine, and rushed back to the coffee table. Skillfully pouring out a pill, she drank it with the water in the cup.
Shu Xun stood on the coffee table, quietly watching. In this world, at least in this micro-market, this type of medicine seemed to have high recognition, likely the type of stimulant with minimal side effects. Otherwise, Qing Meng’s family wouldn’t have chosen to give it to her. “Qing Meng, how long have you been taking this medicine?”
Qing Meng placed the medicine bottle in the living room drawer and responded to the inquiry, “I started taking it a year ago, but it’s been a long time since I last took it.”
Lie Yang was suddenly very puzzled. In the supermarket, Lie Yang checked the two bottles of medicine Qing Meng had taken, understanding their effects. He was afraid that Qing Meng might reject questions, but seeing her current attitude, it seemed she wasn’t averse to communication. So, he flashed his standard friendly smile and asked, “Then why did you suddenly take it today?”
However, Qing Meng fell silent again. Obviously, this question also touched upon Qing Meng’s secret, a secret that her parents had entrusted her never to reveal.
Shu Xun walked to Lie Yang’s feet, raised his short legs, and kicked his ankle. Clearly, Lie Yang’s inquiry had once again hit a sensitive nerve, causing Qing Meng to momentarily fall into a low and guarded state.
Lie Yang seemed a bit confused by the dumpling’s kick. The short legs didn’t cause any pain when they hit him; instead, it felt ticklish. However, Lie Yang understood that Shu Xun was reminding him. Sensing the slightly tense atmosphere, Lie Yang immediately clutched his ankle, hopping on one foot, and groaning in pain.
Shu Xun: “…” Is this person really of royal Zerg lineage? How did he survive until now with such exaggerated acting and a lengthy reflex arc?
Meanwhile, Qing Meng watched Lie Yang hopping in place, unable to suppress her laughter. Her clear and pleasant laughter echoed in the quiet apartment, adding a particularly vibrant energy. Seeing this, Lie Yang revealed his own white teeth, displaying a confident Lie Yang-style smile.
In the live broadcast:
“Facepalm, I didn’t see anything; my king can’t be this foolish.”
“Why does it feel like my king’s intelligence has plummeted since meeting these three people?”
“No, upstairs! It’s just because there’s a comparison. Even if it’s Ye Qian or Shu Xun, you can’t handle it.”
“But I think Lie Yang is quite warm, he even makes Qing Meng laugh, although the method looks a bit foolish.”
“Agree with the above. Although this scene is hard to look at, it has changed my view of the Emperor Butterfly.”
Back in the apartment, the atmosphere warmed up again. Qing Meng seemed to quickly forget about Lie Yang’s question. Instead, she was amused by Lie Yang’s antics, even becoming a bit closer to him. This was evident when she handed him a bag of her favorite snacks.
Lie Yang was utterly surprised, clearly not understanding how to communicate with a child. He was experiencing such treatment for the first time. Therefore, by the end of the afternoon, in the living room of the apartment, Lie Yang had become the person closest to Qing Meng, aside from Shu Xun.
While the three were playing a puzzle-like chess game, outside, a blue glow quietly descended, enveloping the micro-market on this evening. The bright and clean windows of the apartment instantly frosted over with a thin layer of ice. Shu Xun was studying a deck of cards slightly larger than himself, and Qing Meng had already discarded the cards, wearing small slippers as she ran to the window, looking at the crystal-clear world outside. Shu Xun followed suit, standing by the French window, gazing outside.
In an instant, through the reflection on the glass, Shu Xun seemed to see a different side of the micro-market in Qing Meng’s clear blue eyes.
Crystal clear, like a city of crystals, shrouded in the faint and almost invisible blue glow. The pure and flawless white snow resembled soft white clouds in the sky. The entire micro-market appeared as a dreamy city floating in the sky. Within this dreamy city, countless ice-blue, semi-transparent butterflies danced high and low, intertwining without dispersing. Each time they swept by, they left behind a sparkling brilliance and a shallow blue arc in the air, seeming to lazily sway with the wind, ready to roam the entire world.
Shu Xun lifted his head to look at Qing Meng’s clear blue eyes, where amazement and yearning were vividly revealed. Shu Xun furrowed his small brows slightly. He was sure he hadn’t seen any blue butterflies outside the window, but for a moment, he confirmed that he had seen blue butterflies in the reflection of Qing Meng’s eyes, now disappeared. And why did Qing Meng show a longing expression? Was it just because of that moment of beauty?
Author’s note:
Yesterday, Old Xuan found out about a very coincidental thing. A colleague wanted to introduce my brief ex-boyfriend to another colleague. My feelings are complicated (they didn’t know each other before). After work, my colleague asked me how that guy was, and I answered, “Very good.” Hahaha (what else could I say besides that?)
Honestly, that guy is really good, not like in reality. He perfectly satisfies Old Xuan’s preferences – he’s good-looking, has a nice voice, great hands, and tall stature, just like the perfect gentleman from a novel. This leaves Old Xuan feeling at a loss, with a blank mind. It would be great if I could be as expressive in real life as in the novel world, confident and colorful. Hahaha
Or, if I met him at the best time, it would be even better. Perhaps, even this timid snail of mine would try a bit harder. Hahaha
But maybe this is what they say when one door closes, another one opens. If it weren’t for communication barriers in real life, there probably wouldn’t be this world of endless fantasies for me.
Regret is perhaps like a piece of white jade accidentally lost in a calm pond. It’s regretful when lost, infinitely magnified upon confirmation of the loss, and then slowly sinks to the bottom of the pond. When mentioned again one day, even if the white jade is flawless, one dares not retrieve it, only allowing it to become a seemingly indifferent sigh.
Being a snail is probably like trying hard, but in the eyes of others, it’s only moving a few almost invisible millimeters, hahaha.
Has Old Xuan aged? There is no longer the affectionate feeling of you silently accommodating me in your family, and I, willing to travel the world with you, a heroic sentiment.
It’s not bad this way. Just as I hesitated whether to take a step forward, suddenly there was a wall in front of me. Reflecting on yesterday, I even said a sentence that made me want to slap myself. “You can try; that guy is really good.” I’m afraid I’m not a fool…
Little tree holes, give Old Xuan a hug of love, hahaha. Also, thank you because if it weren’t for yesterday’s insomnia, today might not even have three thousand words… laughter…
