Increíble

Capítulo 33

"Mmm." I obediently leaned closer to hear him say, "That's because I love you."

I retreated in a panic, my face turning bright red in an instant.

Section 83: The "Ghost Building" at the River Estuary (11)

He was very serious: "I'm telling you, illusions can fool the eyes but not the heart. As long as I tell myself that the girl sitting next to me is the girl I love, all illusions will fall away on their own."

"Then I..." I feel scared and panicked because I believe what I see with my eyes, and thus I am blinded by my own heart.

"Hmm!" He stroked his chin and nodded heavily. "If you silently recite in your heart, 'I love Di Mingyang,' then what you see is definitely not a blockhead."

This sounds unbelievable, but upon reflection, it makes a lot of sense. Yes! Illusions can deceive the eyes but not the heart. It's all the work of inner demons. It turns out that the most powerful thing is the human heart; as long as you have a will, no matter how difficult the obstacles, you can always overcome them.

I glanced sideways at Da Lin, who seemed to be asleep, his casual hat pulled up, dozing near the car window. He certainly couldn't understand what we were saying; at that moment, it was as if he and I were in two completely different worlds, neither able to get close to the other.

The night passed peacefully, and no more ghostly sightings were encountered. In the morning, we took the train to Kunming, then transferred to a flight to Hong Kong, and afterwards, to Europe. The forest seemed to have everything arranged meticulously, only instructing us which exit to take and which waiting room to go to. Mingyang was completely nonchalant, while I remained utterly bewildered the entire time.

There was no way around it; it was like a country girl visiting the city. It was my first time at Hong Kong Airport, and my immediate impression was: it's huge! Everything was gleaming, bright and magnificent. The waiting area was filled with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, a rich and fragrant atmosphere. The terminal building divided the airport into two parts, and Mingyang pulled me into the international departures area on the left. There were 80 boarding gates, and the duty-free shops were numerous and comprehensive.

While I was waiting to board the plane, with nothing else to do, a phrase kept playing on the loudspeaker, so I copied it for fun: "Sa Gou Hao Za Kou" (Gate 19).

Mingyang pulled his woolen hat over his face and fell asleep. Taking a nap while waiting for a flight is perfectly acceptable, but he insisted on using my leg as a pillow, which was really being domineering. I lifted his head, freed myself up, and gently placed his precious head on the seat like I was holding an antique vase.

"Where are you going?" Just as she was about to run, he hooked the strap of her shoulder bag.

"Toilet."

He closed his eyes and grinned mischievously: "Go ahead! The boss has approved it."

I walked past several duty-free shops looking for a restroom when I suddenly saw Big Forest making a phone call around the corner. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but some of his words still reached my ears. He was saying with certainty, "...Don't worry! I guarantee I'll bring them all back! There won't be any problems!"

This explanation is worrying! Is the person on the other end of the phone really just a lawyer?

I went to the restroom, washed my face, and then looked up at myself in the mirror.

An incredible scene unfolded again: an image appeared in the smooth mirror, just like in a black and white film from the 1960s.

A girl in a white shirt and skirt stood there, only the back of her head facing me. Opposite her stood a tall boy. The background was cluttered with various items, including basketballs, volleyballs, and other sports equipment—it was a storage room. There was no sound, like a silent play. The girl seemed to be crying, her shoulders shaking violently. She spoke to the boy, becoming increasingly agitated, and suddenly, she pulled a knife from somewhere and slashed her wrist. I saw blood spurt out, and the boy's pupils widened suddenly, but he remained standing. The girl collapsed to the ground in grief and anger, glancing back at me before she fell. That one glance struck me like a thunderbolt, leaving me frozen in place.

The face that turned back was Xiao Yuan's.

Oh no, that ghost is following me again. I groaned inwardly, but then I heard crying behind me.

Although her story was pitiful, my capacity to bear it was limited, and this bizarre way of recalling memories was hard for me to accept. As I steeled myself to rush out of the room, the sobbing behind me suddenly spoke: "I dated Ouyang for four years, and when we graduated, he suddenly dumped me. Instead, he went to great lengths to pursue an ugly girl with a pockmarked face, just because she was the daughter of the school's Party Secretary and could secure him a respectable job. When a man doesn't care about you, crying for him, making a scene for him, even hanging yourself for him, is useless. At that moment, you realize you were blind to have fallen for such a heartless man."

Just as I was feeling lost and helpless in this desolate and regretful state, "bang!"

The door opened, and a woman dressed in gold and silver, reeking of pungent perfume, walked in. She stood awkwardly in front of the mirror, fidgeting with her curls. For a moment, I was stunned and could only stare at her blankly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She pouted dismissively, tossed her hair, and prepared to leave.

Section 84: The "Ghost Building" at the River Estuary (12)

I snapped out of my daze, rushed in front of her, pulled open the door, and ran as fast as I could.

"Why are you running?" I bumped into Da Senlin as I went out. The effeminate curly-haired woman following behind me looked at the tall and upright Da Senlin with envy, making annoying tsk-tsk sounds.

The forest is the forest after all; even with large sunglasses and a hat covering it, its extraordinary presence cannot be concealed.

I told him I was fine, that it was just the perfume from that woman. He shrugged: "Yeah, it really was strong."

"When will the plane take off?" I asked, pulling him towards the waiting room.

Not far away, we saw Mingyang squatting on the ground with his back to us.

I went over to him and asked, "What are you doing?"

It turned out he was teasing a child. A one-year-old was looking at Mingyang with a puzzled expression, much more interested in the custard bun in his hand than in his handsome face. Mingyang shouted to us, "Look how cute this little one is! Look at his face," he turned the child's face to face us, "Look, look, doesn't he look just like Shin-chan? He really does! How can there be such a cute little thing?"

As they were talking, the child became uncooperative and started crying loudly.

"Oh no!" Mingyang quickly picked up the child, but no matter how he tried to coax or soothe him, the baby wouldn't listen.

"Let me take him!" I took the child and held him in my arms. He seemed to feel the woman's heartbeat and warmth, and he obediently fell asleep on my shoulder.

"Amazing! Why won't he sleep when I try to get him to?" Mingyang asked, his eyes wide.

"Where is the child's mother?" I looked around. "Such a tiny baby must have a mother with her."

"Yes, a woman just asked me to watch the baby for her. She went to the restroom." Just then, the curly-haired woman I had seen earlier rushed over, snatched the child from my arms, and hurried away.

We were stunned: "No way! Such a cute child, the mother must be terrifying!"

Big Forest gave me a push: "Don't worry about it! Get ready to board."

Sure enough, crowds began to stream toward the Sagouhaozakou (gate number 19).

When the plane was flying at 30,000 feet, I pressed my face against the small window and looked out, my mouth agape in disbelief: "Wow! So beautiful!" Thick, cotton-candy-like clouds were right below me, clustered together, looking absolutely adorable.

Mingyang grinned mischievously the whole way: "This is incredible! The country girl has finally taken to the skies! The sky is so blue! The clouds are so white! The plane is so high!"

He mimicked my tone of voice, and I glared at him before continuing my musings. Although I'd been in a helicopter through a vast forest before, it was nothing like the feeling of this spacious cabin. Back then, I felt lonely and oppressed; even ghosts wouldn't leave me alone. Now, with hundreds of people watching the clouds unfold below me, I feel exceptionally relaxed.

Um... Xiao Yuan, did she come along?

I have no idea.

Suddenly, we noticed a faint, golden light emanating from the Great Forest's embrace, which vanished in an instant. We realized then that the string of purple clay prayer beads he carried had been protecting us all along.

Finally arriving at Zurich Kloten Airport, the Great Forest seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

I asked him if this was the capital of Switzerland. They told me no.

“The capital of Switzerland is Bern, which doesn’t have a civilian airport because it’s located on the Bernese Oberland plateau in the Alps, the roof of Europe, surrounded by high mountains. The geographical environment is not suitable for building an airport, and the vertical climate is unpredictable. This kind of surrounding environment is very unfavorable for aircraft take-off and landing, and accidents are likely to occur.” Mingyang spoke up actively, as if he were answering a question in a race against time.

I said to him, "You know so much!"

He replied with an air of arrogance, "That's true."

"A great intellectual!"

He even held up two fingers at me, making the dumbest gesture in the world: "Yay!"

I steadied myself against the forest, pretending to vomit.

Mingyang lunged forward, baring his teeth and brandishing his claws, like an eagle snatching a chick.

We argued, we quarreled, we acted irrationally and erratically, and the great forest seemed to completely ignore us. His indifference, his detachment, gradually distanced him from me.

"Little crow!" Mingyang exclaimed excitedly, "Where do you want to go?"

"What?"

“Would you like to visit the Olympic Museum in Lausanne? Or stroll through Geneva’s oldest square? Let me think of a way!” He rested his chin on his hand, as if deep in thought. “It’s only an hour and a half train ride from here to Chur, where you can take the Glacier Express and admire the Alpine glaciers along the way. You know what? Taking the train in Switzerland is an absolute treat! I’ll take you to Lake Geneva, you’ve definitely never seen Europe’s largest waterfall, and Luxembourg…”

"Mingyang!" the Great Forest interrupted him, "I have no objection to you wanting to take Ruoxi out to play, but you need to take care of business first!"

Mingyang shrugged at me, nonchalantly: "It's just signing some documents, right? You can have your lawyer come see me directly. I don't need to rush to Byrne now, do I?"

The Great Forest said very seriously, "You must go back to Bourne. There are people at home waiting for you!"

"At home?"

"Yes!" The Great Forest nodded heavily. "It's urgent."

Mingyang was bewildered. "Someone... is waiting for me?"

In fact, the awe-inspiring power of the great forest was something we hadn't anticipated...

Section 85: The Castle's Lost Dreams (1)

Castle Dream

Bern, the capital of Switzerland.

We spent some time on the road. I leaned out the window, unable to contain my excitement, and kept asking questions with my mouth agape.

Mingyang gave a detailed introduction with great interest, while the Great Forest leaned to one side as if taking a rest.

“Silly boy! That’s the Vensinzi Cathedral.” As I pointed in amazement at a building with a spire a hundred meters high that pierced the sky, Mingyang tapped my head and explained, “It’s one of the most remarkable Gothic buildings in Bern during the Middle Ages. The stained glass windows in the choir hall are masterpieces, and there are also exquisite stone carvings and the Moses Fountain. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to visit it in the future, and I’ll take you to see it all.”

"Wow," I said, putting my hands together in front of my nose and offering a very sincere compliment, "You know so much!"

Flattery never fails, and he seemed quite pleased, chuckling smugly, "Nonsense! I bet even when you get to Paris, you'll be asking endless questions about landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame: What's this? What's that?" He patted my head smugly, "Alright, you little country bumpkin, you'll see it all eventually. The world is much bigger than you imagine."

"Oh!" I had to nod respectfully. The world is much, much bigger than I imagined.

“Bourne is just a base for my family’s business dealings,” Mingyang said. “I’ll take you back to Zurich in a couple of days; the Di family also has a private residence there.”

I interrupted him: "Didn't we just come from Zurich?"

"Yes! You just sat in the car and drove around the airport area; you didn't do any sightseeing! Zurich is known as the 'City of Millionaires' in Europe; it's the largest city in Switzerland. I'll take you to see the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and the Great Church. Lake Zurich's water is as clear as a mirror; you'll definitely fall in love with it..."

Mingyang was enthusiastically expressing his hospitality as the host, while I secretly glanced at Da Senlin. Behind those huge sunglasses, I wondered what his true expression was…

The car stopped, and Da Senlin helped me pull out my luggage. I turned around and immediately froze: in front of me stood a magnificent white building, with a tall, dark blue-green sloping roof, mottled white walls, and a sense of historical vicissitude. The arched windows were in a European style. But this building must be at least two hundred years old, right? It felt so ancient.

“Come on in!” Mingyang nudged me. “This is our home in Bourne. Dad bought it from an old earl ten years ago. It was abandoned for a while, and legend has it that you could often hear bats chirping at night. But that’s just a rumor. This castle-like house is indeed an old treasure; it’s quite rare these days!”

He winked at the great forest again: "I want to see what miracle you've prepared for me! Is it some legendary figure like you, who has survived nine deaths and one life, waiting for me? But Di Luo," he opened his arms and embraced the great forest again, "I'm so happy you're back. I dreamt that you turned into a cat and returned to my side in the middle of the night, telling me you have nine lives. At that time, I vaguely felt that you were still alive, but I had already passed out in the Jinghong Forest when I had that dream, and then that memory was lost."

Big Forest and he walked towards the house, their arms linked. Big Forest said, “I know, it’s nothing for a man to talk about experiencing life and death. You’re a man now.”

Of course, how these two people experienced near-death and rebirth remains a mystery to this day; they won't tell anyone, and no one will know.

The entrance leads to a spacious foyer. After climbing a few steps, the space opens up into a large living room. The pure white pine furniture is pleasing to the eye, and sunlight streams in through the windows, illuminating the white and blue floral rug. Our gaze falls upon a fireplace crackling with firewood. It's a medieval-style fireplace, and beside it sits a partially paralyzed elderly man in a wheelchair.

Section 86: The Castle's Lost Dreams (2)

"dad!"

This was the second time in the past few days that I had heard Mingyang call out "Dad." He shakily leaned onto his wheelchair, tears streaming down his face.

Is this old man Mingyang's father?

I looked at the great forest with a puzzled expression. He calmly nodded at me.

Please forgive me for calling him an old man, although judging by his age he should be around fifty. But he had lost all his hair, his facial skin was loose and aged, his eye sockets were sunken, and his lonely, dim eyes made him look like a decrepit old man.

My mind went blank: Weren't Mingyang's parents deceased?

“Dad! You… and Mom…” The usually lively and active Mingyang was now quiet and obedient, sobbing as he lay on the old man’s lap.

“It’s a miracle. I was the only one who survived by clinging to a piece of floating board. When the sea rescue team found me, I couldn’t speak. The extensive fractures were causing me excruciating pain. But when I thought of you, son, I had the will to live. I couldn’t let you go… But your mother has left us forever.” The old man said, tears streaming down his face.

Is this the young father who visited Shebpo when I was two months old, bringing seven-year-old Mingyang to see me? Time is a cruel magician; what has changed can never be brought back. The big forest tugged at my sleeve, and I quietly slipped away with him. They, father and son, must have so much to say after their reunion.

The courtyard was beautiful, with lush, fragrant plants everywhere. But I wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. Suddenly, I felt like a hyacinth spinning in the wind, a string above my head, with no footing. Mingyang's father is still alive, so he still has a home. I am still alone. Father... ah... that title feels so distant to me now.