Zongman: Unknowingly trapped in the hatchet

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There is such a bamboo forest path in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

There are no lanterns or street lights. When night falls, this place becomes dark and the world does not treat it kindly.

Only the silver moon in the sky occasionally showed mercy, seeping moonlight through the bamboo forest and falling down like a few strands.

But over the years, the bamboo has grown taller and denser.

Gradually, this path became deserted until it was forgotten and no one set foot here anymore.

……

A deserted path leading to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Trail.

Yui subconsciously clenched the phone in her hand. Now only the flashlight there could provide light.

She pursed her lips, her voice confused:

"Xiaoqing, even if Mahiru is here... why do you have to take this road?"

It’s not like Yui has never been to Arashiyama before, so she certainly knows which route to take to reach the Bamboo Forest Trail.

Those routes are the right way, and they are not scary at all even if you come late at night.

But before Su Qing went up the mountain, she just told her to follow him, so she just followed him foolishly.

Hearing the question from the person behind him, Su Qing's gentle voice floated over with apology:

"Sorry, I may have taken the wrong route at first, but I memorized the map, and you can get there by following this route, so don't worry."

What? I memorized a whole map at the beginning, but he still led me the wrong way.

Xiaoqing, it turns out you are even dumber than me.

"Um……"

Yui responded in a low voice, thinking to herself, I'm not afraid.

It was you who led me astray, so you should be afraid that I will settle the score with you later.

She comforted herself in this way, and the corners of her lips soon curled up.

The path winds and gets deeper and deeper.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the rustling sounds of their footsteps and the sound of the bamboo forest swaying in the whistling mountain wind.

The darkness seemed to be substantial, extending from under my feet to the distance like the sticky ink.

The fingertips of Yui's hand that were holding the machine turned white due to the force, but they became even darker in the darkness.

At the same time, Su Qing's pace seemed to be getting faster and faster. She was always following behind the other person, not walking side by side.

Now that his pace quickened, Yui even had trouble keeping up with him.

It seemed that if he was not careful and stopped for a moment, he would be left far behind by Su Qing.

The boy's back was blurry in the thin silver light, like layer upon layer of double images.

Yui narrowed her eyes, trying to see clearly, trying to speak.

He said, "Xiaoqing, wait for me! If you don't wait for girls in such a dark road, you will be hated~".

She really wanted to say that.

She knew that if she said that, Su Qing would definitely wait for her very slowly, and even step back to stand beside her.

Maybe I tell a little lie, like a scarf is not enough, my palms are still cold.

Besides, there isn't even a light on this shabby little road. Otherwise... could you just let me hold the hand to prevent me from getting lost?

Su Qing will agree.

Although not in the form of holding hands.

It's probably about letting yourself hold the other person's clothes or something else - a smarter way that you can't think of.

Since you can't think of it, you just need to speak up and don't have to worry about the rest.

"Big, how long will it take to get there?"

Yui's voice trembled slightly, but she just spoke like this.

"It will be very soon." Su Qing paused, and Yui almost bumped into the other person due to being caught off guard.

He turned around slowly, the moonlight sparingly outlining the clear lines of his profile, and his eyes fell on her face sincerely and attentively.

"Don't be afraid."

"If you're too scared, just give me your hand."

"After all, it was me who led you down the wrong path. I should be responsible for getting you out of here."

The moonlight became luxurious at this moment, and the smile on Su Qing's face was clearly visible.

His voice was so clear in the silent air.

Yui lowered his head, staring blankly at the palm of Su Qing's hand that he stretched out to him. It was obviously dark around him, but the palm of his hand was so white that it was almost transparent, as if all the light from all directions was gathered there.

The arm rose slowly and instinctively, but when it was suspended in the air, it seemed to hit a transparent wall of air and was stuck, unable to move even an inch further.

Yui suddenly withdrew her arm that was about to touch and shook her head at Su Qing.

"No need, I'm not a child, I'm not that afraid of the dark, don't look down on me."

"Besides, this is not your responsibility alone."

"I clearly knew the way, but I didn't tell you. I am also responsible."

After a pause, she looked at Su Qing again and smiled gently.

"We're almost there, aren't we? Let's go. I'm worried that if we're slow we'll miss Mahiru-chan."

Su Qing nodded, stopped insisting, and turned back again.

Maybe what Yui said worked, making Su Qing worry that he would really miss Mahiru if he was too late, so he quickened his pace.

Yui could only see the other person's back all of a sudden.

Blurred like a nineteenth-century impressionist painting.

Of course she was lying.

How can a girl be so strong?

She has been a crybaby since she was a child.

I would cry for several days if the cat I had been feeding suddenly disappeared, and later I simply didn't dare to touch the cat.

Yui is afraid of the dark, so naturally she is also afraid of ghosts.

In middle school, her classmates all told her excitedly that the courage test competition was fun, but she didn't go, so she didn't know how to respond.

So I could only nod mechanically and agree with them, saying, "Yes, yes, the test of courage competition is fun."

At that time she thought to herself, is it really that fun?

They deliberately walked on the dark path and wanted to be scared even though they knew someone was pretending to be a ghost. Are these people fools?

Later she found out that those girls found it fun to be with the people they liked at the test of courage competition.

So the girl, who was active and simple-minded at such a young age, couldn't help but think about it.

It would be nice if there was a boy who was so kind and gentle to her, who would hold her hand and take her through the Test of Courage Contest.

——She always heard others say that she also wanted to try the Test of Courage to see if it was as fun as others said!

Time passes.

The girl is tall and graceful, and can be considered a grown-up child.

At this moment, she seemed to have really met the boy she had occasionally fantasized about.

She didn't need to do anything, just speak softly and put her hand on it.

All will be well and secure.

……

But, that's not what I want.

Yui looked at Su Qing's back, and a strong sense of sadness and the evening breeze rushed into her nose, instantly soaking her eyes, but she only felt a burning sensation.

When did you become so clearly aware of your own ordinariness?

When I was a child, I always felt that I could do anything and I had to go to a famous university like Peking University, Tsinghua University, etc.

Only when I grew up did I realize that there are some things you can accomplish if you are ruthless, but for many other things, it will be useless even if you risk your life.

Xiaoqing, Xiaoxue, and Mahiru...

They are all so outstanding... so outstanding that if you are not careful, they will go very far.

A place that you can't see even if you stand on tiptoe.

Sometimes I would start thinking in a childish way, just like a kindergarten kid seeing ants moving on the roadside when he comes home from school, and observing and thinking about how long it takes them to move.

——How long will their relationship last?

One year, two years…until senior year?

The graduation bell rings.

Further study and work.

We are scattered all over the world.

Even if we are in the same city, even if we meet and have dinner together occasionally, the frequency will surely decrease over time, right?

Time is something more terrifying than ghosts.

It always happens unknowingly that a relationship that seemed indestructible gradually drifts apart, until it falls apart in the dead of night. It is horrifying, but as natural as the blooming and withering of flowers.

So...even if it would be considered childish and naive, she absolutely could not be abandoned in a place like this.

Yui bit her lower lip hard, but no blood came out. However, her eyes were like rubies washed by blood.

Her eyes suddenly lit up surprisingly brightly in the darkness.

So clear that it almost burns.

Xiaoqing, do you know?

In fact, I am not gentle at all. I am a very cunning, selfish and ordinary girl.

You underestimate girls too much.

Even though Mahiru and I are friends, we are also rivals in love.

What is a love rival?

A love rival is someone you try your best to defeat.

As long as you don't have this person, I will be the only girl closest to you - in the past, young girls would occasionally have such thoughts.

And now that the object of his love has given up on himself, how can I expect my rival to lend a helping hand?

but……

That's not right.

Once in a while, even just once.

I also want to catch up with you by myself, without any help or mercy from anyone else.

The shadows of the bamboos swayed, and the boy's outline flickered, like the only light in the darkness.

So, hurry up, faster.

——I want to come to you and stand beside you.

No matter in what capacity...

This desire burned in my chest like a raging fire, and the light ahead seemed to be getting brighter and brighter.

When Yui suddenly woke up from this almost stubborn thought, she and Su Qing had walked out of the suffocating path without knowing when.

My eyes suddenly opened up.

Bamboo Forest Road.

She was surrounded by a huge heart made of warm yellow lanterns. The warm glow dispelled all the coldness and darkness. It was as romantic as the scenes she saw on TV during the day.

As if it was carefully calculated, when she took the last step out of the deserted path, she fell exactly in the center of this warm circle of light.

"You were really amazing just now." Su Qing was also standing in this circle of light.

He turned around, his deep eyes reflecting the warm light of the lantern, and his voice was low and clear, "I'm sorry, we... lied to you."

us?

“Eh… what does that… mean?” Yui muttered blankly, uttering words that barely formed a sentence.

She looked up in confusion and noticed that Mahiru was standing not far away, as if she had been waiting for them for a long time.

"Sorry, Yui." Mahiru took a few steps forward, her beautiful face full of guilt, and she looked at her sincerely with her eyes.

"It's just... Qingjun and I didn't actually have a fight. This is what we discussed in advance. We wanted you to come here..."

The unfinished explanation was forcibly interrupted by the girl's question.

"fraud!"

Yui raised her misty eyes, and her burning ruby-like eyes seemed to be extinguished at this moment.

"Why did you do this? Why did you lie to me?"