Chapter 55 To All That We Already Have, and Today You Are For…
You wore light pink lipstick today to appear more dignified, which matches your fresh and youthful dress without making you look too mature and suppressing your youthful energy.
Bai'e rarely sees you so meticulously groomed. You're usually so carefree, always adventuring with him, often not caring about mud splattered on your face. But when you calm down, revealing half your profile in the sunlight—
He glanced at you several times, his gaze lingering particularly on the back of your neck, where the coat had been removed, revealing a smooth, soft, white skin that gleamed with a sheen as he lowered his head.
Then his gaze wandered around and landed on your lips. This made him unconsciously smile, staring at your smiling face, and he grinned foolishly, feeling bubbly with happiness.
My friend clicked his tongue, his face saying, "Can't you stop being so pathetic?" Without hesitation, he elbowed him in the stomach.
"What are you looking at?" my friend said. "It's not like you look like that."
Bai E was proud, his tone laced with smugness, "What? I'm proud of my girlfriend!"
His friend raised his fist as if to punch him, and the two dodged left and right, eventually hooking their arms around each other's shoulders, looking like best buddies.
"Bai'er, actually, there's a math problem I've been struggling with for a while now, could you explain it to me?"
You turn your head in confusion, and Bai E lets out a bewildered "Ah," your attention diverted, at least he's not staring at you anymore.
You frown, feeling a chill run down your spine.
You picked out this lip gloss yourself at the market last time. Since it was your first time trying makeup and you had no one to guide you, you and Xilian could only pester the village aunties and act cute, until they couldn't resist and kept agreeing with smiles on their faces.
So, amidst the older women's exclamations of "These two little ones have grown up," you and Xilian frowned, as if facing a formidable enemy, and slowly applied the creamy pink color to your lips.
Xi Lian reminded her, "Auntie just said that you need to purse your lips to even out the color! Like this—"
Her upper and lower lips touched each other and were put into her mouth. Then she suddenly opened her mouth wide and made a soft "pop" sound. The color of her lower lip was smeared onto her upper lip, making her look shiny.
You nodded and followed her lead. Another soft "pop" rang out in the air, but you didn't expect to smack your lips too hard, and some lip gloss got on the corner of your mouth.
Xi Lian couldn't help but laugh.
She reached out and gently rubbed off the protruding lip gloss with her soft fingertips, teasingly muttering, "All my friends have turned into little kittens."
After taking a closer look at your lip color, she added, "It suits you so well, it makes you look radiant!"
It's not pure pink; it has a hint of orange, reminiscent of the evening sunset.
The vast majority of cosmetics sold by Ailimishe are currently homemade, allowing customers to adjust them to their own preferences.
You are not as attentive as Xi Lian, and you don't always remember that you have lipstick on your lips. You usually swallow it unconsciously when you lick your lips, so you added more honey and ate it like candy.
At this moment, Xi Lian clearly remembered the scene of her first time applying lipstick, and asked curiously while resting her cheek on her hand:
"Trailblazer, what's the scent of this one? Does it feel weird when I put it on?"
She said worriedly, "We're going to eat cake later, so we have to be careful not to swallow it."
You smiled.
"Don't worry, eating a little won't hurt..."
However, before you could finish speaking, Bai Er, who had been joking around with his friends, heard the question and, without looking up, wrote down a string of obscure mathematical formulas on his scratch paper and replied:
"Oh, you mean this one? It's almost entirely honey flavored, so I guess they added a lot of honey to the ingredients. It should be fine to swallow it..."
He seemed unaware of the shocking statement he had just uttered, and lowered his head, naturally switching back to the teaching channel:
"Try converting this formula like this...?"
...
silence.
Silence.
Xi Lian slowly lowered her hand.
My friend looked utterly shocked, as if to say, "What did I just hear?"
You closed your eyes.
"White, oh no!!!"
Bai'e might really be a bit out of it today, feeling dizzy. Or maybe he's surrounded by trusted companions and hasn't quite caught up yet, only snapping out of his daze when you called him.
"...Ah, I'm here!...Partner, I..."
Her ears, hidden beneath her snow-white hair, turned red at a visible speed.
Xi Lian pretended not to understand, "Bai E, how do you know what flavor your partner's lipstick is? You didn't eat it like candy, did you? Oh dear, that would be terrible, be careful you don't get a stomachache."
My friend quickly thought of all the most painful things in his life, trying to suppress the smile on his face.
You deflated, feeling all the heat in your body rush to your face—this idiot! This—
You recall a conversation from a few days ago.
"You idiot, you've ruined my lipstick! I just applied it!"
"It's okay, partner, I'll get it off for you..."
"Hey! Bai'er, what are you licking...!"
You pretend not to see the birthday person's wet eyes, turn your head away, and grit your teeth.
"—You, you stay away from me...!"
*
It's time to make a wish.
What should I wish for?
I wish to be with everyone in the Elegant Secret Society forever.
No, no, that's so outdated. I've made the same wish every time I've grown up; it's so unoriginal.
May my partner always be happy and joyful?
Ah, his partner is looking over here, and giving him that look... It seems she knows what he's thinking, her eyes are full of "Don't worry about me, just focus on yourself."
What should I promise regarding something related to myself...?
He was already happy enough. He had a loving partner, a understanding companion, and parents by his side... It seemed that no one had ever taught him how to fulfill himself. His first half of life appeared to have been spent helping others and thinking of others.
Bai E thought about it and realized that he really didn't have any wishes he wanted to make for himself.
...Really, Bai'er?
A voice inside him asked, softly, with a seductive quality.
Is there really nothing you want to gain?
Or rather, everything you have right now... is unbelievably wonderful, isn't it? Do you really think this is something you could possibly have?
A strong sense of emptiness and unworthiness surged into Bai E's mind. He paused, somewhat wary, yet involuntarily began to ponder the question.
...Looking back now...it's really strange.
Where are your parents? When did they arrive at the Elegant Secret Pavilion? Why haven't any of the people around him mentioned them? Where did you first meet?
Bai E thought, this isn't right. He used to remember you so vividly. Even if he didn't remember the special day of our first meeting because he was too young, his parents should have mentioned it.
Why does he have no memory of where you came from?
He remembered your body that night, almost carried away by the wind, the twinkling starlight enveloping you like some kind of expectant call.
He recalled his vague sense of unease earlier and said, "I always feel like you, my partner, don't belong here."
He remembered your slightly lazy temperament. Before this, he had never thought about why you, who had not received any training, could keep up with his pace in battle and become his "partner".
The word "partner"... is practically the starting point of your relationship. Even in intimate moments of whispering sweet nothings, he likes to tease you with this formal term. With such frequent use of this term in daily life, how come he doesn't sense anything amiss?
...Where does that mysterious power within you come from?
The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed, and the more he frowned. Suddenly, Bai E opened his eyes.
Your questioning gaze met my eyes.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to make a wish?"
He took a deep breath and tried to slow his speech so as not to startle you with his tense voice:
"Partner...do you remember when you came to the Elegant Secret Pavilion? And where are your parents and your guardians?"
*
Buzz!
A sharp, needle-like pain suddenly jolted your brain.
You instinctively want to open your mouth and answer his question, but find yourself speechless.
Yes. From childhood to adulthood, and even in these past few days, it seems you only have memories of Bai E's parents, knowing they took good care of you... But what about your parents? Or at least, your relatives and elders? You couldn't possibly have suddenly appeared alone in the Sorrowful Secret Pavilion as a little kid, could you?
Most importantly... why doesn't anyone think this is abnormal?
Often, it is this seemingly normal daily routine that is truly abnormal.
You are bewildered, "I don't know..."
Xi Lian was also taken aback for a moment, "Yes, my partner, she..."
Some painful images that you have deliberately forgotten suddenly reappear in your mind.
At the end of the Rainbow Bridge, in an endless sea of flowers, in a fortress stained with blood.
We already have everything.
Do we already have everything...?
While you were still lost in thought, your pocket suddenly shone brightly, emitting a dazzling pinkish-blue light.
Bai Er stood up and tried to pull you up, but the cake was in the way and he couldn't reach you in time.
"partner!"
In the end, all you saw were his lip movements:
[Catch me!]
But they parted as soon as their fingertips touched.
...
"Seriously!"
It's as if someone is calling your name in your ear, with a hint of complaint, but not real blame, just lingering fear and worry.
"She's amazing... all three of you got infected at the same time. Hey, wake up! The world is waiting for you to save it!"
A light blue trash can—is talking.
The scene was quite eerie. You quickly looked around and found that everything around you was white. Cake, Xilian, and Bai'e were all gone, and the wheat aroma that always seemed to linger in the air had also disappeared.
"However... I never expected my mysterious power to be so strong. I'm a little proud... Oh no, no, this isn't the time to talk about that!"
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Author's Note: I'm changing the cover tomorrow! Hehe, the new character I'm working on is super cute, so please look forward to it!
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