Chapter 86: The Big Fish Takes the Bait.
Returning to the familiar feeling of being with Xinran was quite simple for me. The focus was singular: I just had to ‘not care.’ In this place, Xinran was the only one left for me to talk to. I couldn’t possibly converse with flowers, plants, birds in trees, or fish in the lake; that would only make me seem even more mentally unstable.
Moreover, I’m the kind of person who can live out their entire lifespan alone. I think I’ve mentioned this before; my reclusiveness stems partly from my poor communication skills and partly from my belief that the status quo is perfectly fine. Perhaps, in a way, there’s something wrong with me, as I’ve never truly understood what loneliness feels like. I’ve never harbored the thought, “I wish someone would keep me company.” If this is considered strength, then my heart must be made of iron.
Well, that’s how it is. Xinran hopes I’ll return to my old self, so I will. I began to pay less attention to Xinran, who kept appearing around me. Even if parts of her body accidentally touched me, I acted as if I hadn’t noticed. I went about my business, chopping wood, splitting firewood, and clearing the grass in front of the wooden cabin. I wanted to make space to plant some crops, though I wasn’t sure if I could successfully cultivate land here, and I had no farming experience. But since I was idle anyway, I figured it was better to find something to do; idleness can dull the mind.
This is a lesson I learned from my past solitary life. In previous times, people had to toil for a living, leaving them no leisure to think about other things. Modern people, however, have too much free time. Students, in particular, are often filled with emptiness, oscillating between eating and sleeping. When they can no longer bear the idleness, superfluous thoughts arise, leading to depression, social withdrawal, and even suicidal ideation.
That’s why, in the past, I’d always find something to keep myself occupied: reading books, watching anime, looking at manga, or browsing Bilibili. The point was to never let myself be idle. Although, up here in the deep mountains, even if I did nothing, Xinran would likely use her miraculous abilities to provide food and clothing for me. Still, I preferred to do things myself.
After busying myself for a while, I noticed the sun was setting. The water’s surface was dyed orange, creating a rather dreamy scene—a perfect place for a confession to a girl. And the girl beside me…
I turned to look at Xinran. She was tucking a strand of hair, blown loose by the wind, behind her ear. Her maid outfit and cheeks were flushed red by the setting sun, appearing as dignified as a morning glory. It was an absolutely breathtaking sight, a perfect moment to capture. I was certain that a photo of Xinran at this very moment, submitted to a photography contest, would win an award. The atmosphere, the location—everything was ideal for a confession. And I even had a motive…
Li Nai had said she wouldn’t take back her words, which meant the mission to confess to Xinran was still active. Now, with the two of us here in an environment where we absolutely wouldn’t be disturbed, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to confess?
“Hmm?”
“No, nothing. It’s almost time for dinner. Let’s go back inside.”
“Okay.”
However, the old me would never have proactively confessed to Xinran; that was utterly impossible. Not doing anything extra, remaining passive—this was also what Xinran desired, wasn’t it?
Back in the wooden cabin, I skillfully prepared ten dishes—steamed carp, stir-fried dried bamboo shoots—and a flavorful dinner was ready. Eating face-to-face, it felt like returning to childhood, specifically the years before my dad remarried. My father was often away due to work, so it was just Xinran and me eating together at home. We were both quiet people, so we didn’t talk much during meals, but it never felt awkward or unbearable. We’d finish eating in comfortable silence, then clean up the dishes together. Ah, how nostalgic it was.
However, while I ate in silence, Xinran broke her silence this time. “As expected, you cook much better than I do.”
“Of course. I’ve always been the one cooking.”
“…Always have been…”
“Yes, uh, well, perhaps our memories differ a bit.”
“Differ…?”
Xinran’s expression changed noticeably, showing more confusion and bewilderment. I, with a calm expression, scooped out the eyes of the fish and ate them, then picked up my chopsticks again with feigned seriousness.
“Mhm, yes. That’s because I’m not actually Juncheng An from this world… Well, I can’t quite say that. I’m still me; I haven’t changed. But my experiences might be different. The reasons are quite complicated and troublesome to explain. You can think of me as Juncheng An from another parallel world. That would be a simpler way to understand it.”
I had just revealed my biggest secret. I don’t know why I could say it so naturally, and after saying it, I felt no sense of “Oh no, I said something I shouldn’t have.” I felt indifferent. I said it, and telling Xinran would make it easier for her to accept.
…Parallel world.
Xinran seemed to become a bit dazed. It was indeed difficult for even Xinran to process this amount of information. Well, let Xinran worry about it herself. I’ll try some of the fish soup first…
As soon as I took a sip, Xinran proactively asked me, “Then, in your memories, what am I like?”
“You want to know?”
Xinran fell silent. Perhaps realizing something, I didn’t press on and continued eating calmly. Xinran didn’t move at all. By the time I finished and went to wash the dishes, she hadn’t moved. If she hadn’t actively helped me clear the table, I would have thought she’d been petrified.
After dinner, I felt a bit drowsy. This was due to the increased blood sugar levels and the carbohydrate coma from feeling full. It’s normal to feel sleepy after eating. That’s why it’s said that some light exercise after a meal aids digestion and helps alleviate drowsiness. Although I felt it wouldn’t hurt to just go to sleep now… I had nothing else to do anyway.
But after considering it, I decided to take a bath first. At this point, I suddenly remembered that there was no running water in the cabin. Using the water for cooking to bathe felt strange. Or perhaps go bathe in the lake? That also felt off…
“Xinran, are there any places nearby to bathe? Besides that lake in front of the house.”
“There’s a hot spring on the mountain summit.”
“Oh? There’s a hot spring?”
Amazing. I didn’t expect such a rare thing to be here. This place truly is suitable for retirement. But where exactly is this place? I’m starting to suspect it’s not even in China anymore.
Regardless, soaking in a hot spring would be great. I grabbed a change of clothes, a towel, and a few eggs, and followed Xinran toward the mountain summit. After about ten minutes of walking, I saw steam rising. It wasn’t too far. The hot spring wasn’t large, nor were there multiple pools. It was about the size of a public bathhouse, a small spring that could accommodate about ten people at a time. But for Xinran and me, it was more than enough.
After testing the water temperature and finding it pleasant, I wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped in. By the way, when I was undressing, Xinran turned away. Hmm.
Xinran didn’t seem inclined to join me, and I didn’t urge her. I soaked by myself, stretching out my body and relaxing. After a while, as the moon rose to its zenith, I heard a rustling sound of fabric. Without thinking, I knew who it belonged to. As expected, Xinran would follow me in. Well, I was mentally prepared for this. She still adhered to the principle of not leaving my sight, so she chose her timing cleverly. Just as the clouds obscured the moon, she had already entered the hot spring. However, because the spring water was very clear and not particularly hot, there wasn’t much steam, and the moonlight’s reflection wasn’t intense. No divine light, no mist, no opacity. I could see Xinran’s cheeks blushing. I maintained my poker face, but my heart was already racing. This was a battle of endurance… let’s see who gives in first.
After a long while—I was almost feeling lightheaded from soaking—I heard a voice that invigorated my spirit. “The me from the other world… what am I like?”
Heh. Finally.
The big fish had taken the bait.
