Puits profond - Chapitre 2
"My name is Yuan Peilin, please take good care of me in the future..." The boy bowed very formally to the whole class.
Afterwards, the homeroom teacher assigned an empty seat to the transfer student. As he casually passed by Nan Ying, he seemed to sense something and stopped.
"Oh, what a coincidence."
Coincidences happen all the time. After his mother's death, Yuan Peilin came to this unfamiliar city in search of a new life. He was quite surprised to encounter the short-haired girl he had once saved, but that was all.
Although there were two seats between her and Nan Ying, the short-haired girl kept looking back. When Yuan Peilin smiled at her in a friendly manner, she glared at him fiercely, and his smile froze. Feeling bored, he figured she was still misunderstanding him, so he simply ignored her.
On the first day of school, no new lessons were taught immediately, and we leisurely made it to lunch break. Most students were cleaning up their lunch, although some ate quickly.
"Hey, Yuan!" Yuan Peilin saw a student with a buzz cut and a strong build walk over and extend his hand to him. "My name is Qi Guangjian, you can just call me Guangjian."
The transfer student also stood up politely, smiled and shook the other person's hand: "Then please call me Pei Lin."
Modified on: 2003-11-17 19:14:46
---janeadam
Reply [5]: "We'll be classmates from now on. I hope you can get used to the environment here as soon as possible."
"Okay, thank you." It seems the other person is easy to get along with.
"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me..." Qi Guangjian said with a smug expression, "Especially about the beauties in this school, there's nothing I don't know."
"There's nothing to be proud of about that..." The bespectacled boy sitting next to me, flipping through a book, retorted without looking up.
"What did you say! Qingyi!" Qi Guangjian roared angrily, as if he had been greatly insulted. "You know, girls make up 60% of Chengzhikong Academy, and the proportion of beauties is quite high. It takes a lot of time and effort to remember their detailed information!"
Tian Qingyi habitually pushed up her glasses again and said in a flat tone, "I know, I know. You really work harder than others, that's really amazing..."
"Hmm, good to know!"
They were quite an interesting pair. The new transfer student rested his chin on his hand, grinning foolishly as if watching a show.
"Huh? That's..." Tian Qing noticed the golden object on Yuan Peilin's wrist without realizing it, and quickly put down her book and came over. "Excuse me, Yuan, can I see what's on your wrist?"
“Ah, okay…” Because she didn’t want to take it off, An Peilin simply stretched out her hand. It was only natural that such an eye-catching item would attract attention.
Tian Qingyi examined the beautiful gold bracelet very carefully, occasionally flipping the wearer's wrist to match her gaze, like an obsessive archaeologist who had discovered an important artifact of a civilization. Even Qi Guangjian curiously craned his neck to look over.
"Wow, is it gold?" the strong young man exclaimed.
Tian Qingyi shook her head: "It doesn't seem like it. Even pure gold can't achieve this color, and the symbols on it seem to be some kind of ancient script..." Then she looked at Yuan Peilin with longing eyes.
"Ah... I don't know what this is either, I only know it's a family heirloom." Of course, Yuan Peilin wouldn't tell them that there were talking pigeons living inside, so he could only make up a reason to get by.
"Oh, I see..." Tian Qingyi released the other person's wrist with a disappointed expression.
...
Yuan Peilin left the classroom to familiarize himself with the campus. Qi Guangjian wanted to be his "tour guide," but he declined, preferring to take a quiet walk alone.
It was late summer, and the sun wasn't as scorching as it had been a while ago; it felt pleasantly warm on the skin. Everywhere on campus, smiling faces radiated youthful energy, making Yuan Peilin feel relaxed and happy.
I slowly walked onto a tree-lined path, with various billboards on both sides and many students taking turns registering students. Since the first-year students had just enrolled, the school's clubs were seizing the opportunity to recruit new members to strengthen their ranks.
The transfer student scanned the recruitment posters one by one, and immediately felt as if countless flies were buzzing in front of his eyes. Just as he was about to look away, a few words jumped clearly into his retina.
"The Paranormal Research Association?" Yuan Peilin stopped in surprise, not expecting that even such a club would be formed.
---janeadam
Reply [6]: "This student..."
"Hmm?" Yuan Peilin looked up and saw a thin male classmate with long hair looking at him with a half-smile, holding a roster in his hand. He must be a member of the Paranormal Research Association.
Are you a freshman?
"Ah... to be precise, he's a transfer student in his second year."
"Oh." The long-haired boy seemed a little surprised, but quickly pointed to the recruitment ad, "Want to join and take a look...?"
"Join this?"
“Yes.” The long-haired boy stared intently at Yuan Peilin, as if trying to see through him. “I sense a very special power within you…”
"Hmm? You sensed it?" A hint of surprise flashed across Yuan Peilin's face, but he quickly regained his composure. "I'm sorry, I don't want to join any clubs. Goodbye..." He immediately turned and walked away.
The transfer student began to feel confused, unsure what was wrong. Could that person also be a psychic? But even so, it shouldn't be so easily exposed. He unconsciously looked back again, only to find the long-haired man had stopped another student, and then a familiar-sounding voice came from behind him…
"Excuse me, young man, please wait a moment. I've detected a special power within you..."
...The transfer student suddenly felt like a complete fool...
The first day of school life ended peacefully and smoothly. Yuan Peilin finally breathed a sigh of relief, walked out of the school gate alone, and with a flick of her right wrist, a beautiful pure white dove landed on her shoulder.
Good morning, keep Lin company.
"Silly bird, it's almost evening."
"Really? I slept for so long."
Yuan Peilin looked up at the azure sky: "Crow, it's so nice to be able to sleep so peacefully..."
"Huh? What?"
"It's so nice to live an ordinary life..." The transfer student seemed to be repeating something.
The crow was silent for a moment, then casually preened its feathers and uttered a mumbled question: "...How long can it last...?"
---janeadam
Reply [7]: Episode 3's message
Yuan Peilin lay casually on the bed, staring listlessly at the ever-changing images on the television, as listless as a dog nearing old age. The pure white pigeon lying beside the pillow was in even worse shape, its head almost entirely tucked into its feathers, turning into a pure white ball, drifting into avian dreams.
He had been in the city for several days, and this was his first weekend. Thanks to his mother's inheritance and the monthly allowance sent to his account by his father, whose whereabouts were unknown, this transfer student did not have to worry about making a living for the time being. Since he was not particularly fond of studying, he naturally ended up idling around.
The apartment she rented was only three bus stops away from Chengzhikong Academy, a one-bedroom apartment. Since it was in the suburbs, the rent wasn't expensive, and she felt at ease living there. Hara Peilin wasn't really a person who enjoyed luxury, and besides the essential household items, the apartment only contained a bed, a TV, a desk, a refrigerator, and a sofa, making it seem empty and clean.
Just as the young tenant was drifting off to sleep, a piercing ringtone suddenly rang, successfully pulling him back to reality. Yuan Peilin reluctantly got out of bed and picked up the phone.
"Is this the Lin family's residence?" A gentle girl's voice came from the other end of the phone line.
"Yes, that's me..." Just as he was wondering why a woman would call him, the other person's voice suddenly turned from flowing water into a hard block of ice.
"I'll be waiting for you at the school gate, please don't miss it!"
Yuan Peilin was stunned. Hearing such almost commanding words would make anyone feel uncomfortable. Before he could even ask who the other person was, he heard the phone hang up. The unlucky boy inexplicably touched his neck. The girl's voice sounded familiar, and she clearly knew he was a transfer student and unfamiliar with the city, which was why she arranged to meet him at the school gate. Thinking of this, a face flashed through his mind. He smiled wryly and decided to go out.
Since he was going to school, Yuan Peilin changed into a student uniform. He turned around and looked at the pure white dove staring at him from the bed. This guy had already been woken up by the phone call.
"Crow, what will you do?"
The pigeon gave a strange yawn: "Of course I'll go too. I'm a guardian beast. It's too much of a disgrace for me to stay at home and sleep all day..." It shook its body and then transformed into a golden ball of light, rushing into Yuan Peilin's right wrist.
“You don’t look like a guardian beast at all…” Yuan Peilin muttered sarcastically as he stepped out of the room.
Stepping off the bus, I strolled slowly along, flanked by tall camphor trees that filled the road with a calming, soothing fragrance. A gentle breeze rustled the dense leaves, creating a sound that was both scattered and rhythmic, easily drawing one into its tranquil atmosphere.
Soon, Hara Pei-lin saw the gates of Cheng Zhi Kong Academy. It was deserted, with only a single girl standing silently there. She had pretty short hair, and a beige sundress over a dark blouse, as if suppressing a vibrant energy. The girl noticed the nonchalant transfer student and gave him a polite nod.
"There are some things I want to clarify. Come with me..."
---janeadam
Reply [8]: "Qingzhiguo's Reminiscence" is a very stylish cafe, a popular spot for couples. Especially on weekends, the place is filled with intimate lovers whispering sweet nothings. Of course, except for one young couple...
Yuan Peilin took a sip of juice, glanced at the short-haired girl who was staring at him silently, and felt that the atmosphere was strange.
"How did Nan find my phone number?" Silence always needs to be broken, and the unlucky boy had no choice but to take on this challenging role.
Nan Ying's expression softened slightly: "I'm the organization committee member, so it's easy for me to find out the information about the class members."
"Oh, then..."
"What exactly happened on the beach that time!?" The girl interrupted him sharply, cutting to the chase with a piercing tone.
"Didn't I already say that?" Yuan Peilin remained completely unfazed by the other party's imposing manner, replying calmly, "Are you sleepwalking..."
"Who would believe such nonsense!" Nan Ying stood up excitedly, her voice almost reaching its peak, attracting the attention of those around her.
"Would you like anything else?" A waiter appeared at the right time, easing the tense atmosphere slightly.
"Two glasses of lemonade, please." Yuan Peilin nodded to the waiter.
"I'm sorry..." The short-haired girl finally calmed down, "After Luo's gradual decline, I often have nightmares..."
"Nightmare?" Yuan Peilin frowned.
Nan Ying nodded, but her voice trembled noticeably: "Whenever I close my eyes, terrifying monsters always seem to lunge at me again and again..."
Yuan Peilin remained silent for a moment, only gently tapping the dining table with his hand. Indeed, if an ordinary person were to see a beastman's beast form in an abnormal, dazed state, they might very well develop a severe phobia.
The lemon juice has been served...
"It's a pig..."
"Huh?" The short-haired girl looked up, puzzled by the strange words suddenly uttered by the transfer student in front of her.
Yuan Peilin smiled and explained, "Why don't you just imagine that monster as a pig, or even a big, filthy, and smelly pig covered in mud..."
"Ugh... I hate it! Wouldn't that be even worse?" In the eyes of a girl who loves pretty things, a big, dirty, smelly pig covered in mud seems more dangerous than a terrifying monster. But the short-haired girl finally smiled, a very cute smile.
"Nan, actually..."
"Um?"
Yuan Peilin turned his gaze to the glass window, looking at the bustling crowds and the vehicles constantly coming and going.
"Forgetting many things is better than remembering them. Even if something has already happened, you can treat it as if it never happened. That way... wouldn't people save a lot of trouble? Besides..." Seeing Nan Ying listening intently, looking forward to what she would say next, she couldn't help but continue, "Nothing has happened to you. A silly girl like you who creates trouble for herself is truly rare in this world..."
The previously tense atmosphere completely collapsed. Nan Ying quickly lowered her head and covered her face with her hands, but a muffled laugh still escaped her lips. Seeing her adorable reaction, Yuan Peilin breathed a sigh of relief; his words had worked after all.
"Thank you..." Nan Ying quickly regained her composure and thanked him sincerely.
"It's nothing."