Eileenburg (16)

Moving from a point to a line, Mi looked at the living person in front of her and asked, "Do you know what mimicry is?"

What is mimicry?

"Have you ever seen a chameleon?" Mi asked, seeing Ailian nod before continuing, "A chameleon can change its skin color according to the color of the illusion it is in. Its mimicry is even more advanced; it can become the same as its surroundings."

“I’m human now.” Ailian looked at Mi with amusement. “Although I don’t know how Senior Deer Grass turned into a deer, the essence of life is the same.”

"What is the essence of life?" Mi looked at Ailian. The long-lived species did indeed love peace. They believed that wherever there was air, it was shared by all living things. Even after being slaughtered, they simply avoided these brutal humans.

“Heartbeat, Mi, is the power that makes your heart beat faster,” Ailian grabbed Mi’s hand and placed it on her chest: “Thump, thump, thump, oh my, my heart is beating so fast.”

Mi looked at Eileen, whose expression had changed, and fell into a daze again. What was Eileen's condition? She wasn't Anna. In fact, what Mi had been doing all along was cheating. She had linked all of Eileen's pleasurable emotions together. So, was this the brain controlling the body? El said that pleasure was invented by the first gods to avoid the pain of childbirth. This didn't exist for long-lived beings, so why would she experience pleasure? Were emotions something that arose independently of the body?

Ailian planted kiss after kiss on Mi's shoulder, her mind filled with screams of "So delicious!" "So fragrant!" "So soft and sweet!" Mi was certain this was just an ordinary body made of water; the softness might be real, but everything else was fake. According to Ailian, the long-lived species were one-dimensional beings, like a fixed point. Only with the appearance of their destined one did they gain a heartbeat and direction. When they formed a connection with their destined one, the point became a line, life became vibrant in their eyes, and the world became a true three-dimensional world. But neither the outsiders nor Mi were products of this original spacetime. They had undergone some kind of spatial folding or movement to arrive here, intersecting with the long-lived species. This place could no longer be considered three-dimensional space, could it?

"Do you know about three dimensions?" Mi lifted Ailian's little head. This long-lived creature's knowledge was so strange. She knew a lot of things, but couldn't explain them clearly.

“I know, look at this space.” Ailian waved her hand. “Look, there’s a point here. Each point leads to a different point. Different points form different lines, create different surfaces, and finally combine to form different shapes. But, Mi, the longevity seed is one-dimensional. The other point we’re waiting for is unique in any space and time. Mi, no matter how many dimensions there are, they all start from one dimension. Space is just a folding of dimensions. One dimension is the foundation of the world. My point can only sprout when it meets your point.”

Why are you so sure?

“Mi, so many people have come into this world. We have long lives, not because we are ignorant. We can see and we can choose, but if our hearts don’t beat, they just don’t beat.” Ailian looked at Mi, took Mi’s hand, and spread out her fingers, saying, “No two hands are the same, and neither are our heartbeats.”

Looking at Ailian, Mi felt for the first time that the world had gone mad. She couldn't understand it at all. The long-lived race was a species even more insane than witches; it was a species of complete devotion. She asked, "How do you know there's only one destined one if you don't go out and explore?"

“I just know.” Ailian sat up straight and widened her eyes, but then she went limp and said pitifully, “It’s something that long-lived creatures are born knowing.”

"Aren't there any long-lived species willing to actively go out and find their destined one?"

Ailian blinked for a while before saying with a troubled expression, "No, we can't leave our birthplace too far before we have a heartbeat."

What would happen if you left?

“It will be uncomfortable, I will have trouble breathing,” Ailian said, clutching her chest. “Although the air is the same everywhere, the air in our birthplace is the most suitable for us. Can you smell the difference between the air in Ailian Castle and other places?”

Mi nodded. Although she no longer needed to breathe, Eileen Castle was filled with vibrant green life; it was practically a green energy field. People living here unconsciously smiled, everyone was in a good mood, and the plants were exceptionally lush.

"You're staying at the Flower Fate Inn for a while longer, aren't you going to feel uncomfortable?" Mi suddenly remembered that they had met at the Dogto Restaurant, and then this foodie girl had been following her.

"That's because I have a heartbeat now. With a heartbeat, I can go anywhere, but of course, I still love Eileen Castle the most."

"With a heartbeat, you can go anywhere. Couldn't you extract the longevity seed and set off to find your destined one?"

Ailian's eyes widened again, her mind racing once more: "What do we do? What do we do?" "How am I supposed to tell Mi that long-lived beings are actually lazy?" "No, I'm not lazy at all." "But why has no long-lived being ever done that?" "But we have no idea where to find our destined one!"

Ailian blinked and said, "If we take out the longevity seed, our lives will be like ordinary people's. But finding our destined one will take decades, hundreds, or even thousands of years. In the end, all the longevity seeds will become skeletons, even if we still have longevity seeds in our hands. No, the longevity seeds must be eaten quickly after they are taken out. I said we are the containers of the longevity seeds. If the longevity seeds leave the container, they will—" Ailian thought hard, "Longevity seeds have an expiration date after leaving the container, just like fruit on a tree must be eaten after being picked, otherwise the fruit will spoil."

"The longevity species is indeed a kind of life form similar to a plant," Mi nodded knowingly. "Are you waiting for your destined one to meet you?"

"No, we have to go find them too. As soon as the destined one comes into this world, our hearts will begin to feel it. I had a dream three years ago, and then I started searching. Mi, I've been looking for you."

"Find your destined one and live happily ever after?" Mr. Mi felt like he had seen this story somewhere before, where a princess is locked in a castle, waiting for someone to wake her up.

“It would be wonderful to live with one’s destined one, but in reality, very few long-lived beings can live with their destined one,” Ai Lian sighed. “Since they are destined, they must have their own destiny. Long-lived beings can change the lifespan of their destined one, but they cannot change their destiny.”

"Isn't the destined person a lover?"

"I am Mi, I am Mi." Ailian hugged Mi and acted coquettishly.

Mi thought to herself, "Do you even know you're holding a lump of water right now?" She couldn't help but ask, "What exactly do you like about me?"

“You are my destined one!” Ailian answered matter-of-factly. Long-lived beings are bound to fall in love with their destined one, even if they are abandoned or used.

"How can you be so sure it's me?" Mi didn't know how to answer; she was now afraid of hurting Ailian's sincere and passionate feelings. She changed the subject, staring out the dark window where the mimosa trees rustled in the blue moonlight: "Longevity seeds are such precious things; you shouldn't take them out so easily. Life is also very precious; you must walk carefully, don't climb walls, and don't—"

"Mi, I won't do that again," Ailian lifted her head from Mi's arms and brought a white lotus seed to Mi's lips: "Would you like to eat it now?"

"I won't eat it. Keep the longevity seeds safe and don't take them out casually." Mi turned her head away from the longevity seeds in Ailian's hand, which emitted an enticing aroma.

“Rice, I’m giving it to you. You’ll need it someday.” Ailian’s voice was low and sorrowful.

“Birth, aging, sickness, and death are things that every human being must experience,” Mi said, stroking Ailian’s head. “These problems cannot be solved by a longevity seed.”

“Yes, Mi, the Longevity Seed will save you from endless grief,” Ailian said eagerly. “You will need the Longevity Seed.”

"Where am I supposed to put it? You keep it safe yourself." Mi didn't know why Ailian was suddenly so down, so she patted her and looked at her amusedly: "I'd like to know where you got this longevity seed from?" Mi remembered seeing a bright white light on Ailian for two days. Was that the longevity seed glowing? What exactly is the longevity seed? Is it part of Ailian's body? Then isn't it human flesh?

With a flick of her finger, Ailian's seed vanished from her palm. Ailian whispered something in Mi's ear, and after a long while, asked, "Did you remember?"

"I've got it." Mi didn't know why Ailian was telling her something so important.

“Tell me once and I’ll listen,” Ailian insisted.

"Okay." Mi repeated the words Ailian had just whispered in her ear.

“Yes, that way, no matter where you are, as long as you do this, I can deliver the longevity seed to you.” The kitten said earnestly with a solemn little face: “No matter where, no matter which territory, no matter which time and space.”

“Ailian?” Mi was stunned.

“It’s alright, Mi. If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t. And if you do want to talk about it, don’t tell anyone else.” Ailian raised her hand and covered Mi’s mouth. Her voice was low. “We long-lived people are born with the ability to distinguish between people. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, and I won’t give those people a chance to hurt you.”

"What have I done to deserve this?" Mi hugged Xiao Ailian and sighed. Indeed, one should never be careless in any world.

Ailian bent over and struggled out of Mi's arms. She stretched out her long arm and pulled Mi into her arms, sighing, "This is more comfortable. Mi, you're too small."

Mi nestled in Ailian's arms, her teeth itching. She opened her mouth and bit Ailian twice. Ailian immediately changed her tone, "Mi, I want more."

"You're kidding me! Go to sleep! If you dare to sleep in tomorrow, I'll kick you off the bed." Ailian wriggled and whined, "Come on, come on."

“No!” Mi said seriously. “Ailian, you must exercise restraint in everything you do.”

"You really want something like this?" Ailian asked with a doubtful look, her big eyes conveying the message, "Don't lie to me."

"Yes!" Mi said firmly.

"Fine," Ailian said, though she was unconvinced, "I'll come again tomorrow."

Mi felt that all her patience had been exhausted by Ailian. She looked at Ailian and asked through gritted teeth, "How?"

"Should I knock?" Ailian sensed danger and quickly asked tentatively, "Will you open the door for me?"

"Don't open it!"

"If you don't open it, I'll cry, I'll cry right now, boohoo—" Ailian's tears came without warning. Mi immediately regretted provoking this little cat who was good at performing.

Ailian's tears dripped onto Mi's body, and Mi reluctantly agreed, "Come, come, I'll leave the door open for you. Just come in without knocking."

"Okay!" Ailian immediately brightened up. Mi was furious and thought to herself, "I shouldn't have been so soft-hearted."

In the pitch-black night, Ailian smiled as she looked at Mi, whom she held tightly in her arms. Ailian held Mi close, stroking her back gently and slowly. "Sleep, Mi! Don't try to leave me. We are children living in each other's hearts, we are the light of each other's life." From then on, Ailian lived a happy life, coming at night and going at dawn, while Mi continued to be torn apart, half Ailian, half Mi, half wanting to stay, half wanting to leave.