Illusion profonde

Chapitre 18

"There are many ditches and ponds around here, so be careful."

"Thanks."

Hua Meizi was a little nervous.

She was disabled, vulnerable, and someone who stumbled and struggled through a dark world.

She was a woman, and the other person was a powerful man.

This was outside the village, and apart from her and him, there shouldn't be anyone else around...

If Hua Meizi is a normal person, then the person in front of you is an invisible person.

He might suddenly appear behind Hua Meizi and touch her neck. When Hua Meizi turns around abruptly, that unseen hand might suddenly touch her face from the front…

However, she was powerless to resist.

There are many illiterate people in the countryside, and she was truly afraid that this man, in a moment of impulse, would rape or kill her, and then throw her into a pond or bury her alive...

She suddenly regretted it, thinking, "I'll never go out alone again..."

"You don't seem to be from this village?" Hua Meizi asked somewhat warily.

She knew that at this point, she couldn't escape even if she wanted to.

"I am from Gushi."

Hua Meizi felt a little more at ease.

She is also from Gushi.

In fact, if someone wants to harm you, they won't let you go, even if you live in the same city, or if you are a neighbor, friend, or relative.

"Are you visiting relatives in this village?" Hua Meizi asked again.

"No, I often come here to collect herbs."

"Are you a doctor?"

"I am a researcher at the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine."

"I've always thought that collecting herbs is very romantic, dealing with flowers and plants every day." Hua Meizi said this with a hint of sadness.

"Yes, I really enjoy my job."

Do you live in this village?

“No, I set off from the old town this morning, walked here, collected the herbs, and then walked back.”

"That's quite far."

"It's not far."

After a while, Hua Meizi said, "You're busy, I have to go back."

"Let's stay a little longer!"

"No, my aunt will be worried if she can't find me in a while."

“I’m here every day. If you trust me, you can come and chat with me anytime.”

“Okay,” Hua Meizi said.

She thought to herself, "I will never come here alone again." After leaving the man, Hua Meizi walked quickly toward the village, afraid that he would catch up with her again.

Several times, she almost fell.

She felt that the man was watching her from behind. His eyes were on her back.

He is a man in the darkness.

Hua Meizi didn't know his origins or his appearance; he was like a figure from a dream in the night.

He is not safe.

Apart from the people Hua Meizi knew before she went blind, everyone else is unsafe.

He doesn't go into the village.

My aunt's two children are studying in other cities, leaving only my aunt and her husband at home.

My aunt's husband is the village secretary, a very small official, but he is in charge of the affairs of the whole village and is very busy.

Auntie often had to work in the fields, and Hua Meizi couldn't help much, nor could she always keep Auntie company and chat with her.

The countryside is quieter, and the days and nights seem longer.

The plum blossom is lonely.

Gradually, she forgot her past fear and wanted to approach the person in the darkness again.

On this day, she hesitated as she walked out of the village, towards the place where she had once met that person.

Once outside the village, the surroundings remained quiet, save for the chirping of wild insects and the sound of the wind rustling through the grass.

She suddenly realized that she didn't know that person's name.

As she walked, she regretted it and suddenly stopped, wanting to turn back.

The man suddenly spoke; he was standing right behind Hua Meizi.

"You've arrived?"

"Hey, hello. You're still gathering herbs here?"

"yes."

Hua Meizi heard him seemingly put down tools such as baskets and shovels.

Then, he moved a stone and placed it under Hua Meizi.

"Please sit down."

Hua Meizi then groped her way to sit down.

"What's your name?" Hua Meizi asked.

"Me? My name is Leo. What about you?"

"My name is Hua Meizi, that's the name on my ID card."

"There are very few people with the surname Hua."

"My grandfather's generation had eight brothers, and my father's generation had six brothers. Is that few?"

The man seemed to smile.

When...did you lose your sight?

The sun is fake (3)

"It's been a month."

What's the reason?

Hua Meizi was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head, and tears began to fall in a steady stream.

"I'm sorry..." he said softly.

Hua Meizi graduated from university and has only recently started working.

She registered a chat room online called "A Floating Leaf," with the theme: "Attracting you, attracting me, leading the way in love."

Not many people visit "A Floating Leaf," but those who do are all sentimental. Occasionally, someone will spout nonsense and be immediately kicked out by Plum Blossom.

She made the little house small, clean, and warm.

A-Dong often comes to Hua-Mei-Zi's little house.

Over time, the two of them fell in love.

Adong is from the south, from the richest province.

He was always very low-key and proud online, and Hua Meizi knew that many girls online had a crush on him.

Hua Meizi and A Dong had been in a passionate online relationship for six months.

Hua Meizi was a devoted girl; she adored A Dong's cool online persona, even though it was virtual. Whenever she saw his name come online in the chat room, her palms would get slightly damp.

Hua Meizi sent him a photo of herself, smiling brightly amidst an endless expanse of flowers.

However, he never sent Hua Meizi any photos.

Hua Meizi never knew what he really looked like.

I don't know when it started, but they began arguing online.

Sometimes, after they had finished arguing and both of them went offline, Hua Meizi, exhausted both physically and mentally, couldn't even remember why they had argued.

She tried to change the situation, but despite her efforts, she failed.

Once, they had a big argument, and in a fit of anger, Hua Meizi typed the following: "A Dong, I swear, I will never meet you online again."

She is a woman of her word.

She deleted her chat room that same day.

The little house where the two of them had spent countless nights talking together vanished, vanished forever, just like their love, leaving not a trace...

From that day on, the two lost contact.

Hua Meizi was tormented by unrequited love, becoming increasingly restless and emaciated...

Finally, she gave in and sent him an email.

She wrote "Come" 1,000 times in that email.

She suddenly became very worried about him.

Actually, she knew that he was in great health; he was the goalkeeper for the school's soccer team in college. But for some reason, Hua Meizi was always worried that he would suddenly die.

After that email was sent, she went to the Furuichi Station every day to wait.

It rained for days. Winter had just passed, and the rain was cold, drizzling and desolate.

Hua Meizi held up a black umbrella, carefully sheltering her heart. When she wanted to give this heart to him, it had to be warm; she didn't want him to warm it up again.

I wait for him to come every day, but he never comes.