Geisteswissenschaftliche Fakultät

Kapitel 35

"Oh, what a humiliation! I thought it was a big sale at the mall and excitedly ran over to queue up, but who knew it was some kind of magician's show? So embarrassing! It was being broadcast live on TV!" The girl said, waving her hand exaggeratedly. A piece of potato fell off the spoon. She cried out in distress, picked up the potato, rinsed it, and threw it back into the pot.

"I'm sorry, sister, it's all because of me that you..." The boy lowered his head guiltily, a few blushes appearing on his pale face. His complexion, which had looked sickly due to its excessive whiteness, now looked healthier.

"Yu, how many times have I told you not to take all the blame? It wasn't your fault at all!" The girl squatted down and took the boy's hand. His hand was fair, with the same color as his youthful face, but it was covered with ugly scars. The same scars were also on the girl's hand, marks left by what had happened before.

“But sister…” The boy still seemed uneasy, with obvious guilt on his face.

“Isn’t it normal for your older sister to work and support the family? She’s older than you. When Yu grows up into a man, even if you put a knife to her neck, she won’t work so hard anymore, because Yu will definitely take care of her then, right?” the girl said with a smile, ruffling the boy’s short hair.

"Yes! Yu will definitely make sure my sister has a good life!" the boy said, revealing a bright smile. But then his expression darkened, and there was a hint of resentment in his eyes. "Where did Mom and Dad go? Why haven't they come back yet? They are so irresponsible!"

Hearing this, the girl paused for a moment, then forced a smile: "Yu, they're just busy with work, they'll be back soon... very soon, and then our family of four can be reunited."

"Hmph, I won't pay any attention to them then. They made my sister go through so much trouble!" the boy said petulantly, ignoring the fleeting tear in the girl's eyes.

****

"Qiaoqiao, are you trying to sneak away again?" The short-haired girl quickly grabbed the girl who was tiptoeing out of the activity area. "It's volleyball class today, everyone has to participate, you can't sneak away again."

"Please, I still have to work." The girl who was caught clasped her hands together and pleaded earnestly with her best friend, her eyes sparkling with tears. Even the devil would soften under such a gaze, let alone her best friend.

Sure enough, the short-haired girl sighed and reluctantly let go of her hand: "I don't care. Teacher He might come to check attendance today. If you get caught again, I can't protect you anymore."

"Okay, okay, I know you're the best person!" The girl from before was bowing and scraping, almost kissing her best friend on the cheek.

"Qiaoqiao!" the short-haired girl called out to her friend who was about to leave, "Work... good luck, but don't push yourself too hard!"

"Okay!" The girl waved her hand and ran like a deer, vaulting over the not-too-low fence and leaving.

"Poor Joe, she's all alone now." Watching her friend's departing figure, the short-haired girl sighed and sadly lowered her head.

Thank you, Fei, but I have to work hard. My parents are gone, and I still owe a lot of money for my brother's medical bills. So, I have to work my hardest! The long-haired girl ran in the sunlight toward her workplace!

"Miss, could I have a Set Meal A, please?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The waitress suddenly woke up. Oh no, she had fallen asleep while working. If the boss saw her, she would probably be fired. Thinking this, she hurriedly apologized to the neglected customer in front of her.

"I'm so sorry, I'm probably just too tired. If possible, please don't complain about me, okay?" The girl bowed deeply, feeling anxious and unsure how the other person would react.

"It's alright, I won't complain about you." The clear, melodious young male voice seemed to carry a hint of coldness, yet it subtly softened the tone, making it very pleasant to listen to.

"Thank you." The girl looked up and only then noticed the appearance of the customer in front of her.

He must be a young man in his early twenties. His short, slightly curled black hair was neat and tidy, and a pair of simple silver-rimmed glasses sat on his high nose. His black eyes were curved, and he looked like a very refined person. Customers like this usually wouldn't cause trouble for the waiters. The girl breathed a long sigh of relief, and the heart that had been hanging in suspense finally settled down.

"Could you please give me a Set Meal A, and for dessert, please bring me tiramisu?" the man said, closing the menu and handing it back to the girl.

"Oh, okay, one meal A, and tiramisu for dessert. Please wait a moment." The girl hurriedly replied and stepped aside.

"Oh, by the way, miss," the man suddenly called out, stopping the girl who was about to leave.

"Guest, is there anything else you need?"

Do you like flowers?

"I like it," the girl replied humbly, but her eyes darted warily at the young man before her. While Western restaurants are known for their impeccably dressed men, they're also breeding grounds for spoiled brats who revel in seducing naive young girls. Although this man didn't seem to be that type, his striking good looks meant he wouldn't need to resort to such frivolous actions; plenty of women would practically throw themselves at him.

“Sylvia.” The man uttered the word that left the four girls puzzled, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"What?" the girl repeated, confused, not understanding what the other person was talking about.

“The Flower of Sylvia, haven’t you heard of it?” The man stared directly into the girl’s eyes. At that moment, for some reason, a chill suddenly rose in the girl’s heart, as if some unfortunate thing was about to happen, just like that day, the terrible day that became the day her parents fell into eternal sleep. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if the heavy snow that day had never left her life. Everything was still the same as it was then, cold, desperate, and filled with the smell of death.

"I'm sorry, I was being presumptuous."

The man's voice instantly pulled the girl back to reality. The warm restaurant was filled with the scent of lingerie and the melodious music, creating a cozy atmosphere.

"No...it's alright." The girl bowed again and left.

"Have you forgotten everything? Who exactly are you?"

Gazing thoughtfully at the young girl's retreating figure, Kou Lian uttered these words.

****

Before my eyes was a sky full of flying snowflakes, like goose feathers mixed with ice beads, swirling in the pure white world. The strong wind stung my face, and such a scene did not evoke any sense of poetry or picturesque beauty.

The girl struggled against the wind and made her way through the snow. She felt no warmth at all; the icy chill spread from the back of her neck and limbs to every part of her body. Her hands and feet were already frozen, making every step difficult and her breathing hard, but she couldn't stop walking; she had to keep going!

Carrying her younger brother on her back, she walked through the boundless kingdom of ice and snow. The cold wind and the scent of ice and snow assaulted her nose and lips. The wound no longer hurt; she didn't know how much blood she had lost—it should have dried long ago. Long past her physical limits, the girl continued to walk, carrying her brother on her back. Now, she had only one belief sustaining her: to survive, not for herself, but for her young brother.

The bleeding mother handed her younger brother to her, saying, "Qiao, you must hold on. I'm entrusting Yu's life to you."

Despite being fatally wounded and unable to move an inch, the mother, with her strong will before death, dragged her younger brother, who was trapped in the overturned carriage, out and handed him to her with trembling hands. Then she collapsed, falling into the pure white snow stained with red, together with her father!

The girl woke up with a start, the dim morning light filtering into the room. Why was she having that dream again? She hadn't dreamt of it in ages—the day of the accident. She didn't even think to wipe the cold sweat from her brow. She sat blankly on the edge of the bed, staring at the family portrait on the headboard.

It's been two years, Mom and Dad. It's been two years since you passed away. Yu still hasn't regained his memory. Perhaps it would be best for him to never remember that day! The girl looked at the happy faces of her family in the photo, and tears silently streamed down her face.

****

"Koulian, what are you planning to do?" Tiramisu squinted her eyes, comfortably sprawled out her limbs and lay back in the barrier. The spring sunshine was so comfortable; sunbathing was good for both body and mind.

"What do you think?" Kou Lian stared at the girl's tired figure on the street, his face calm and expressionless.

"Of course, we'll just go back to our original form and claim our credit." Tiramisu pushed up her sunglasses, turned over, and started showing off her back.

"So this guy called the lucky bird is such a heartless creature!" Koren waved his hand casually, and with a scream, the barrier Tiramisu, which had lost its protective function, crashed straight down to the ground from the air.

"It may be ruthless, but perhaps we have no other choice but to do it," he murmured to himself, a hint of sadness lingering in his silver-green eyes as he removed his glasses.

****

"What are you doing! I'm warning you, if you don't leave, I'm calling the police!" the girl shouted as she cautiously moved toward the door. She couldn't understand how this could happen; her family was desperately poor, yet a thief had broken in, and the thief seemed somewhat familiar.

"We don't have any money at all. If you leave now, I promise I won't call the police." The girl looked fearfully at her brother's room. Strangely, the lights in his room were off. Had he gone out? But it was good that he wasn't there. What if he got hurt again? The girl smiled with relief. Let her bear any bad things that happen to her. She couldn't let her brother get hurt again.

“I said, they mistook you for a robber, Kou Lian.”

A mocking voice came from the air. To the girl's surprise, a white bird with long tail feathers was flying freely inside the house, and the words seemed to have come from its mouth.

This is… The girl covered her mouth in astonishment as she watched the young man casually toss a sofa cushion over and knock down the animal that looked like a bird but defied common sense.

“You’re partly guilty of being a robber too.” Kou Lian held out a hand to shield the wailing pet from view, then turned to the girl and said, “I’m here to take you back to where you belong.”

Where I should be...? It was just a few simple words, but as the girl began to ponder their meaning, her head started throbbing violently, as if a needle were drilling into her skull. She clutched her head and crouched down in agony. Where I should be...? What place? Aren't I Joe? Isn't this where I should be?

"Do you remember the Sylvia Flower I told you about last time?" The man's voice rang out leisurely in the small room.

“Sylvia…” The girl mechanically repeated the four words, as if something flashed through her mind, too fast to catch.

"The demon flower Sylvia, which grows in the extremely cold northern land, blooms only for one person in her lifetime, and she can fulfill that person's last wish."

“Sylvia…” The girl slowly released her grip, and a blurry image suddenly appeared in her mind.

Amidst the swirling snow, there was a girl, a severely injured girl, carrying her younger brother on her back as she searched for rescue, but she collapsed in the snow and ice, falling right in front of herself.

The girl reached out her hand to him, her eyes filled with fervent hope and resentment.

The girl moved her lips and said something. It must have been a very important sentence, because she closed her eyes with such a resentful expression.

What exactly did that girl say?

What is it?

What is it?

What is it?

The girl frowned, lost in deep memories. White light emanated from her, enveloping her hunched figure, which now rippled strangely like a phantom—transparent, like melting ice crystals!

The girl said...

The girl said, "I can't just collapse like this, I have to... I still have to take care of Yu!"

The moment her memories returned, the girl was instantly surrounded by layers of white light.

That's right. In order to fulfill the girl's last wish, she bloomed and took on the responsibility of taking care of the poor girl's young brother for two years. So much time has passed that she has even forgotten that she is a flower!

The girl's figure gradually faded away. In the dark room, the clusters of light illuminated the surroundings with a soft, crystalline glow. Was it time to part? But what about Yu... what will happen to Yu? He had promised that girl named Qiao that he would take care of him. How could it end like this?

The sudden cry of "Sister!" brought the girl back to her senses. The figure of the boy who had suddenly appeared in the room attracted everyone's attention. No one knew when he had appeared.

"Sister, where are you going? Don't you want to go?" The boy tried to grab the girl's hand in fear, but found that he could only pass through her hands in vain. How could this be? Why can't he hold his sister's hand?

"Yu, I'm sorry, I can't take care of you anymore." The girl looked longingly at the boy's tender face, reaching out to stroke his hair, but ultimately only left her hand in mid-air.

“I…I lied to you,” the girl said sadly. “I’m not your sister. Your sister died in that accident two years ago. I just…I just…”

It's just a flower, how can you say something like that?

"Yu knows, although I didn't realize it at first, but you've been so good to me, how could I bear to leave you?" The boy looked up and said something that shocked the girl. The young boy sniffed hard, trying to stop the tears from rolling down his face.

"Is...is that so? Thank you, Yu." The girl smiled gently. "I thought I was the one taking care of you, but it turns out you were the one accommodating me?" Memories of the past two years flashed through the girl's mind, and tears streamed down her face.

"After your sister leaves, Yu, you must be strong, otherwise you will be letting down your real sister and parents who have passed away!" Feeling her consciousness fading away, the girl said her last words with difficulty. After seeing the boy nod vigorously, she smiled with relief and looked at Kou Lian, "Young sorcerer, I entrust myself to you."

After a dazzling flash of light, only a white seven-petaled flower emitting a faint blue glow remained in the dark room. Kou Lian bent down and carefully took the flower into his hand, then turned to look at the boy who was forcibly holding back his tears.

"What are you going to do next? You've admitted to the accident, so even you can't stay here anymore."

"Me?" The boy wiped away his tears, looked up, and smiled faintly. "Now that my sister is gone, it's time for me to go too..."

Kou Lian nodded slightly, watching the boy's figure grow fainter and fainter in the light of the seven-petaled flower, until it finally disappeared like a bubble.

“This family is all… idiots!” Tiramisu, standing to the side, was holding a thick stack of napkins, frantically blowing her nose, and tears were streaming down her little face like a burst faucet.

"Yes, it's really stupid!" Kou Lian stared blankly at the family photo on the table, and finally put the photo face down on the table.

The clumsy older sister who only thought of her younger brother on her deathbed, and the younger brother who was still worried about his sister even though she was already dead—humans are such clumsy creatures, yet they are also very strong!

****

"Hey, brat, didn't you promise to bring back the Flower of Sylvia for me? What happened..."

Kou Lian covered his ears with one hand and casually stuffed the bouquet of carnations in his arms into the hands of the incessantly nagging Kou Yi with the other, then hid far away in the study.

"Hmph, at least you have some conscience! Wait, these are carnations, they're for Mother, okay? You brat, are you mocking your sister for being old? Hey~ what about my experiment? Get out here!!!"

Ignoring the noise outside, Kolian nestled comfortably into his chair. A faint smile played on his lips as he examined the new arrangement on the table. On his desk sat a bell-shaped glass dome, within which quietly bloomed a white, seven-petaled flower radiating a soft glow.

The flower of Sylvia symbolizes... an unbreakable bond of family!

early summer courtyard

Every year around the turn of spring and summer, I get particularly sleepy. Just sitting quietly, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of summer, my eyelids droop without me even realizing it, and I drift off into a sweet slumber, oblivious to time and place…

"Wake up, wake up."