"I'm sorry, it seems I've been talking to myself too much. I've been ignored quite a bit lately, so I accidentally wasted your time."
...Huh... Huh.
Huh?
Her silver-grey, desperate and sorrowful, pitch-black pupils suddenly lit up slightly, as if she had once again gazed upon a warmth like sunlight. Her gently bitten crimson lower lip relaxed, parting in disbelief.
These words... this apology... the young man's true thoughts were now very clear.
It wasn't out of condescending pity, nor idle chatter, nor help that could dissipate like a bubble in the sun at any moment.
It was because he too had been ignored that he wanted to talk to someone else; it was precisely because he had needs, because he had flaws, because he had desires.
So... Jiang Cheng...—needs me?
...The underlying color of life is relative selfishness. Something overly perfect and flawless will, due to its smooth exterior, fail to provide even a single point of contact, like a perfect sphere that cannot be grasped or held firmly.
Perhaps ordinary people wouldn't mind gently holding the sphere to admire it, to experience its absolute perfection, absolute flawlessness, and absolute beauty.
But for someone in distress, if they truly placed their last lifeline, their only hope, on a perfect, flawless sphere...
They would undoubtedly plunge into the abyss because there would be no point of leverage whatsoever.
What if that sphere had a defect?
What if that sphere had a point of leverage?
What if that sphere had a place to be held?
Then, compared to a so-called lifeline, something sufficiently perfect and with sufficient leverage would, of course, be an even more eagerly desired object that one could not let go of.
(Please vote... I'll work hard QAQ)
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
16. Vil-V Suspects Aili Xiya's Feelings
Was he alone again?
The young man's voice was faint, carrying an inexplicable emotion that was hard to describe, and his dark eyes shimmered with an indescribable, unusual glint.
The exquisite, simple furniture was shrouded in the light veil of night, and the carpet, made of some unknown material, had been soaked and chilled by the continuous fine rain.
The girl, close at hand, slept on the other side of the tent. Though within reach, a strange sensation made it feel as if a world's distance separated them.
Throughout the entire day, the longest time spent with the girl was during sleep. Only then would no one else casually disturb them.
It seemed Vil-V was only continuing to chat because she was a good person and found it difficult to refuse.
Time to sleep, time to sleep.
He had no intention of staying up any longer.
Wasting other people's time, and his own time too.
The young man gently pushed off his shirt, pulled up the pure cotton quilt, and listened to the sound of the wind rustling the grass as he drifted to sleep—until a ringing sound suddenly echoed beside his ear.
Opening his eyes again, the phone screen, close at hand, had lit up, displaying a message from the girl.
Vil-V: So... sorry, I tapped the wrong thing just now.
Vil-V: Because of my incompetence, I made some mistakes modifying the phone. If I hurt your feelings, I am willing to accept some punishment.
Vil-V: Whenever, whatever time, if you feel bored and want to talk to someone, and are willing to chat with me, I'll be there.
Vil-V: I'll be there! Absolutely! I'll absolutely be available for this one thing!!
...[The girl's rapid change in attitude makes you a bit hard to understand. In just a few minutes, she completely denied everything she had said before.]
[She would rather take all the blame on her own incompetence and foolishness than admit that those words were indeed hers.]
[The girl is even willing to accept punishment, and the earnestness in her words is something you can fully feel.]
[This cautious feeling... it really is her.]
[It was strange for her to be so bold just now. In your impression, Vil-V's personality, even if she really wanted to leave, would probably first apologize humbly.]
[—Isn't this good?]
[Perhaps the girl really did tap the wrong thing just now, and what she is saying now is her true thought, or perhaps something happened in a short time.]
[Regardless, you have indeed gained another friend, a friend built on mutual help.]
[You actually don't dislike Aili Xiya. Being ignored itself isn't enough to make you so angry. Your only complaint is why you didn't properly gather information about what the girl liked and the path you were to take.]
[Why, after living together for so long, do you still not know that the girl is actually obsessed with scientists?]
[She loves chatting with various professional Scholars and researchers.]
[You voiced these complaints to Vil-V, with whom you began your daily chats.]
[Of course, to consider the girl's feelings, you also repeatedly stated that you don't dislike Scholars, and you don't genuinely dislike or feel angry towards anyone.]
[The only one you might be somewhat angry at is perhaps yourself.]
[You and Aili Xiya are childhood sweethearts, yet you don't know her hobbies, or even what the girl truly likes.]
[You remember that you used to enjoy reading a lot, and she would often lean by your side, watching you read. Perhaps it was because you later gave up reading and in-depth study that Aili Xiya turned her attention to others.]
[At twenty, you and the girl continued your travels and the annual grand banquet. This birthday was no different from the previous two years.]
[Again, many irrelevant people attended, people you didn't know at all, all gathered around Aili Xiya, as if she were the only protagonist, leaving you to stand unnoticed in a corner.]
[The only comfort was that Vil-V also stood there, dressed in a black gauze gown, carrying a delicately wrapped gift box.]
[She attended this kind of birthday banquet every time, though she never truly participated, neither joining in the revelry nor seeking amusement.]
[It even made you wonder why the girl attended the birthday banquet at all?]
[It couldn't possibly be for Aili Xiya, could it?]
[It seems it's not impossible...]
Looking at the perfect girl at the center of the banquet, without a single flaw or defect, who wore a gentle, playful smile, even the most critical connoisseur could only give the highest praise to that exquisite physique.
The only things one could fault were everything apart from the girl herself: the pink dress, the white pantyhose... not even the makeup could be criticized in the slightest.
Simply because that faint lipstick was gently applied to the girl's lips, it was enough to silence any criticism.
Even her interactions with others were like a gentle breeze, like fresh flowers.
Lightly brushing past, bringing fragrance and coolness.
Just like the wind, no matter how much you reach out to touch or capture it, you can never hold onto a wisp of the refreshing breeze that should travel the world, bringing joy and pleasure to everyone, dispelling the scorching summer heat, and providing comfort from the bottom of one's heart.
The young man watched Aili Xiya, the undisputed protagonist of the banquet.
He remained silently.
Until a distinctly shy voice sounded beside his ear... "Jiang Cheng."
"—Your gift."
...The young man's birthday.
Unbeknownst to her, this had become Vil-V's most important day, requiring her to make enough time for it no matter what.
Only once a year, for one day, could she openly and without any pretense see the young man, the young man who was saving her.
Although Jiang Cheng did not belong to her, and although that young man had his truly accompanying girl.
But even as a spectator, watching that young man, watching the gentle young man who was even willing to help a seemingly useless person, was in itself enough to bring joy to her heart and mind, and to be anticipated for an entire year.
It should have been so.
Until this day.
—Vil-V questioned Aili Xiya for the first time.
In no aspect did the girl believe she could compare to the flawless, fairy-like beautiful Aili Xiya.
To prepare for the young man's birthday, Aili Xiya had been busy in the group chat, dedicating a lot of time to organizing the banquet and recruiting participants.
Yet at this moment, seeing only one person standing in the corner, unnoticed, with not a single genuine well-wisher, only the orange-yellow lights casting warm and brilliant colors upon the lonely young man.
Vil-V questioned Aili Xiya for the first time.
Not about her effort, but about...—her feelings.
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
There is an illustration here, viewable after updating the version.
17. Perhaps... I Can Help the Young Man With Something
Under normal circumstances, the girl had always avoided participating in this. They were a perfect match, and it wasn't her place, a useless person, to say anything.
Although she had become somewhat infatuated with spending time with the young man—the first time in her life she had met someone willing to waste a lot of time communicating with her, someone not scared away by her strange and unpleasant personality, or repulsed by her terrible demeanor.
Someone who could communicate with her like this, even willing to be a 'trash can' for her emotions, who would bear all her complaints and trivialities.
It was like being protected by a ship on the endless ocean, just as she had once feared, even falling into the warmth of that protection.
If this continued, she would probably be completely unable to leave this kind of life.
The girl had a clear understanding of herself.
She also harbored no inappropriate thoughts whatsoever.
[For normal people, a confession is a triumphal song, but for you, my dear friend, a confession is the opening drumroll of a circus. Once the gong strikes and the drum beats, everyone is amused by your performance.]
[For Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, playing the Joker required constant deliberation, careful thought, repeated practice, attention to detail, and subtle observation. But for you, merely opening your eyes is the peak performance they can't reach, unmatched in the world.]
These are online taunts and jests about simps and clowns. Just hearing these words, one can feel as if countless onlookers are loudly mocking.
It had become so popular that even the girl, who was almost completely confined to her own world and endlessly consumed by internal struggles, had heard of it.
Given a choice, Vil-V still didn't particularly like or hope that one day she might use the King and Queen cards as her ID.
But... it's strange.
So strange.
Why is it so strange?