Kiyomi Tsuki y su zorro

Capítulo 5

"That phrase seems to be my patent," Kiyohiko said, glancing at her sideways.

What are you planning to do?

"Let's just leave it for now and then find out more later."

"You...you're not really planning to take it, are you?"

"That depends on who gave it to you." Qingyan put the crystal ball into the jewelry cabinet.

Weekend nights are for going a little crazy, and Kiyohiko was the last to fall asleep, it was almost 1 a.m.

She fell asleep within minutes, but soon heard faint noises.

It is a soft, delicate sound, like the sound of striking a silver bell, a tuning fork, or something similar.

It is precisely because it is small that it is all the more sensitive.

Kiyohiko thought for a moment, then got up and went to the living room.

The living room is filled with soft, transparent light.

It came from the crystal ball.

Although Kiyohiko had always believed in mythology, he couldn't help but be surprised at this moment.

The light is beautiful, truly beautiful. It evokes a warm longing, a desire to hold it in one's hands.

Kiyohiko walked in quietly and glanced into the crystal ball.

Suddenly, I felt a sense of transparency, as if I were melting into the air. Then the light continued to brighten, filling the entire room, the entire night sky, and the entire universe.

When she could see her surroundings again, she was no longer at home.

It was a bright June day, with a clear blue sky and a refreshing breeze. You could feel the air flowing gently, and the pure white gardenias were in full bloom, their rich fragrance invigorating the senses.

Another strange thing was that Kiyohiko felt no different than usual, but she couldn't see her own body. She reached out to touch the blooming gardenia, and felt a cool, damp sensation on her fingertips, but the flower didn't move at all, not even a drop of dew.

She recalled that transparent, melting sensation from earlier, and wondered if she had turned into air.

She felt a fear she had never felt before.

But this fear was soon replaced by something else.

A girl in red slowly walked out from a distance.

He was short, had short hair, and slightly dark skin, with a noticeably prominent right shoulder blade.

"Alice!" Kiyohiko shouted.

But she didn't react at all. She must not be able to hear her own voice, Kiyohiko thought dejectedly.

But why is she here?

Wait, gardenias? A small bridge? Flowing water? A little dog?

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [12]: Kiyohiko suddenly turned around and ran, which was much easier than usual. The wind, the air and everything in nature became factors that helped her speed up.

Yes, past the gardenia bushes is a small bridge with a babbling brook flowing beneath it. After running across the bridge, a two-story reddish-brown brick building comes into view. Yes, that's the place, absolutely no mistake.

She traveled back to the past, to Huangshan nine years ago.

"But if I went back to the past, then I should see my past self," Kiyohiko thought, and ran back to the gardenia bushes, where he had met Alice.

Yes, Alice is standing under a lush gardenia tree, reaching out to pluck a pure white flower, in the exact same pose as before. Hey, now is now, and the feeling of time intertwining is really a bit confusing.

She was struggling to reach it, but the lower part should appear on its own and it would say something... Kiyohiko felt like he was reading his own biography.

Do you need help?

Alice and Kiyohiko were both taken aback. The former was not surprised, but Kiyohiko was surprised because the speaker was not himself, but another person, a man.

He was slightly tall and thin, with delicate features and a pair of clean glasses.

This person looks familiar; where have I seen them before?

Alice ran away, but Kiyohiko remained standing there watching the man until he too left.

As darkness fell, Kiyohiko passed by the kitchen and heard a few barks. Ah, those five adorable little puppies! He wondered how they were doing now. They were so cute back then; he and Alice had come up with their names together.

Oh, right, Alice should be coming to see the puppy, right?

Thinking of Kiyohiko patiently standing at the door. He'd been busy all day, but wasn't tired at all, nor did he feel hungry or thirsty. This was quite nice, like an elf.

Alice arrived as expected. She played with each puppy carefully and happily, sharing the food she brought with them. One black puppy was the most mischievous, not content with just that, and followed Alice around when she stood up.

There's a drain near the kitchen door! Just as Kiyohiko remembered this, the puppy barked and fell in. Alice was shocked and panicked, lying there trying her best to pull the puppy out, but to no avail.

Just then, someone walked by, and Alice said, "Can you help me?" Her voice was so mournful and helpless.

The man walked over; it was the same man who had been under the gardenia tree during the day.

Kiyohiko froze as if struck by lightning, completely remembering who this person was.

Yes, he is "I", the "I" in "When Gardenias Fragrance Falls Again", a person who does not exist at all, a person that Qingyan himself invented to express some kind of beautiful wish.

Is this reality or an illusion? Can history truly be changed? Can it really be altered with just a wish and a pen?

She stood there, stunned, unsure whether to feel surprise or joy.

Look up and see the sky full of stars, so dazzling and mesmerizing. Yes, the starlight is getting brighter and brighter, so soft and warm, giving people a kind of longing, a desire to hold it in their hands.

She felt herself become transparent again, merging with the air.

This time she wasn't too surprised. When the starlight disappeared, she found herself in an unfamiliar small town, surrounded by wet streets and sparse crowds. Several women were carrying vegetable baskets and talking loudly in a dialect she couldn't understand.

A dilapidated bus came to a stop at the station, panting heavily, and he got off.

Kiyohiko realized that this was Alice's home.

She knew he had gained nothing from his trip, and she also knew that he would get married soon after returning home and have a daughter, all of which she had arranged for him.

Did he write "When Gardenias Fragrance Falls Again" out of a beautiful wish, or was he projecting a more tragic life story onto Alice?

She didn't follow him; she waited at the station until it was completely dark, when she saw him board the last train with a somber expression.

The story should end here, but Kiyohiko doesn't know how to get back, and getting back isn't that important now; she needs to think things through.

She walked slowly along the street, not knowing how long she had walked, until there was no one left on the street. Suddenly, a rapid bell rang behind her. She turned around and saw a tricycle rushing towards her at a crazy speed, passing by her.

No! The story isn't over yet. Yes, Alice, Alice was in a car accident! This wasn't something she made up; it was something Alice wrote in her last letter to herself.

With a reaction and speed she hadn't expected, Kiyohiko rushed out to chase after the tricycle. She could almost hear the uneasy friction between the wheels and the vehicle, and see the sparks flying off the ground.

"Iris! Stop! Iris! Stop!!!" she screamed desperately.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [13]: A loud noise came from afar.

Then countless tiny sparks rose up, growing larger and brighter.

Qingyan suddenly felt tired, very tired, so tired that he couldn't take a single step. His consciousness gradually blurred, and then, Alice... "Hey! You can't sleep this late on Sunday! Get up, you lazybones!" Ruier and Weiwei roughly pulled off the covers. "Hmm?" Qingyan opened his eyes groggily, glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was eleven o'clock. It was so late.

"I'm so sleepy!" she yawned loudly, and I felt like I had been dreaming all night.

"Who did you dream about? A handsome guy?" they both asked in unison.

“I dreamt about…” Kiyohiko sat up abruptly and rushed to the living room.

"She's got a problem."

"Where's the crystal ball?" Qingyan shouted from the living room, and Ruier and Weiwei followed him out.

The jewelry display case was neat and tidy, with no trace of the crystal ball.

"What crystal ball?"

"It was received last night, anonymously, from FedEx, that one," Kiyohiko said incoherently.

"You're really dreaming!" Rui'er picked up an inflatable hammer and hit her. "It's just a crystal ball, right? You're thinking like this. I can't afford the Golden Eagle one. I'll just buy you a fake one next time."

"So, I was dreaming? But which part was the dream?" Kiyohiko had a headache; he clearly hadn't slept well.

"Fang Qingyan, register!" someone called from outside the courtyard.

Vivi went out and brought it in for her: "Here you go."

Kiyohiko took the envelope. The handwriting on the envelope was very familiar, and the signature at the bottom clearly read: Alice.

She quickly tore open the letter, almost ripping the paper apart.

Dear Kiyohiko:

I'm so sorry I haven't written to you for so long; I'm sure you were worried. I'm completely recovered now. During my treatment, I encountered many dangerous situations, but I pulled through each one. And most importantly, my shoulder has also improved significantly because of the car accident; the doctors say it's a miracle. Even more interestingly, whenever I'm in danger or trouble, I always hear you calling my name loudly. It's real, very clear, definitely not a hallucination. I think you must have been praying for me. Thank you so much, thank you. Finally, I want to tell you that I have a boyfriend. I'll send you his picture next time, but I think you can picture him because he looks just like you described to me before… Qingyan gently closed the letter, a peaceful joy slowly welling up inside him. A ray of sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the envelope. The light was beautiful, truly beautiful, evoking a warm longing, a desire to hold it in one's hands.

Lend me a rib

Thursday, April 26, 2000, Sunny

When I was leaving get off work, Sister Wang called out to me, "Xiao Fang, want to go out and have some fun tonight?" I smiled and shook my head.

Miss Monica chimed in from the side, "She has a handsome guy waiting for her at home, why would she go out with us?"

"I don't know any handsome guys, but I do know two beautiful girls. If anyone wants them, I'd love to," I said.

The magnetic card swiped through the slot with a soft beep, and I saw the No. 52 bus approaching in the distance. I quickly jogged over.

It's become a habit, and only after I got in the car did I realize that I didn't need to be in such a hurry today.

Rui'er went to Luoyang. She would go there every year when the peonies were in full bloom, even though she didn't know anything about flowers.

Vivi's mother wasn't feeling well, so she went back home for a few days, leaving me all alone at home.

There's no need to pass the buck on washing dishes or fight over the phone line, but the freedom also seems a bit boring.

Several trains probably pulled into the station at the same time. The one I was on was quite far from the platform. When I jumped off, I was right in front of CHARMINGBAR. A waiter wearing a lantern-sleeved apron and a checkered headscarf lit up the lantern hanging in front of the door.

The two lanterns were completely retro in style, with black tops, slightly yellowed glass bodies, and a gently swaying orange flame, which was still very beautiful in the not-yet-dark sky.

Every time I see it, no matter how clear the night sky is, I feel like I'm in the midst of a storm. It's as if that color can stir up the most tender part of my heart, it's just that mysterious.

Many times, I don't know what I'm doing. For example, right now, I'm sitting at the bright and spacious bar of CHARMING BAR and have said "Jimbali" to the waiter, but I still don't know what I'm planning to do.

Maybe I want to hear some stories, or maybe I should just create some stories to salvage my dying creative inspiration.

I'm quite familiar with CHARMIN BAR; I've worked there twice, both times for Jiaxin's shows. He really likes this place; at least a third of his shows are filmed here. The first time was a live broadcast, so I didn't have much of a chance to experience it. The second time was a pre-recorded show, which was much more relaxed. I not only heard a lot of rumors, but I also took a nap in the innermost sofa seat, on the one with the channel number I think was 13.