Under the star-studded sky, everything is in silence.

The night breeze blew gently, bringing the fragrance of flowers from somewhere unknown and the faint roar of demons. Gradually, all of this dissipated in the wind.

Only the sound of folding paper remains.

It is particularly clear in the empty courtyard.

It is like a lighthouse on a dark sea, so eye-catching that it is hard not to notice it.

“Crunch—”

Xu Xi opened the door and walked in the dim courtyard. He easily found the source of the sound. It was a familiar figure in a red and white robe.

She at this time.

He was busy and frantic, trying hard to fold a piece of old paper with his unresponsive fingers.

Maybe he recognized the paper.

From the original book of "Yang Yuan Gong".

After the development of the Fool's Skill, the Yang Yuan Skill became an unnecessary waste product. No matter how much trouble Xu Xi put in, he would not feel sorry for it.

He just wondered what the girl was doing.

“Ahem—”

Xu Xi was standing behind the girl.

In that small space where the moonlight can only illuminate a small area.

He coughed a few times, trying to get the girl's attention.

"Damn it, why can't I succeed...", the girl muttered to herself, not hearing Xu Xi's voice at all. She had a sad face and was lying on the stone table folding paper.

So, Xu Xi turned up the volume.

“Ahem!”

「!!!」

This time, 17-year-old Wu Yingxue finally heard it.

She turned around quickly as if frightened, and picked up the dragon-patterned spear beside her.

But after seeing Xu Xi.

His expression became stiff again.

"Sir? How could you..."

Wu Yingxue's voice stopped abruptly. She originally wanted to ask Xu Xi why he was here, but suddenly she realized that she was the one who disturbed Xu Xi's rest.

Then, an apologetic look appeared on her face.

"I'm sorry, sir..."

"It's okay."

Xu Xi waved his hand, interrupting the girl's apology.

The tranquility of the night is like a deep pool of stagnant water, swallowing up all light and making everything dim and difficult to discern.

But even so.

Xu Xi still saw it.

The girl held the paper tightly in her hand and folded it crookedly.

"Yingxue, where are you?"

Facing Xu Xi's question, Wu Yingxue looked slightly embarrassed.

The little pretty face changed many expressions in succession, some hesitant, some indecisive.

Finally, I said in an embarrassed tone: "I'm picking flowers."

"Folding flowers? Is that what you woke up for?"

"Ah, no, actually I...didn't sleep."

Xu Xi is a congenital warrior, and Wu Yingxue is a blood transfusion of the fifth level of physical training.

Logically, Xu Xi, who was in stronger physical condition, would wake up earlier than the girl, but he saw the girl first.

The answer is simple.

After saying goodbye during the day.

Wu Yingxue didn't sleep at all.

"I wanted to sleep, but after I lay down on the bed, I couldn't fall asleep," like a child caught by his parents.

In the gloomy night, the girl explained with a smile.

The moonlight tonight was dim and not very bright, forming a faint layer of hazy light that attached to the girl's bewildered fingers.

"It's okay. I can't sleep."

Xu Xi comforted the girl gently, which made her feel relieved.

Immediately following.

His eyes were focused on the "flower".

No, it should be called "tattered paper".

Although the girl repeatedly emphasized that she wanted to fold flowers, the product created by her ten fingers looked more like a ball of waste paper.

"?"

Facing the puzzled look from Xu Xi.

Wu Yingxue opened her eyes wide and said, "Because it's too dark, I can't see clearly. I didn't dare to turn on the light because I was afraid of disturbing my husband's sleep!"

As if to prove something.

The girl quickly found an oil lamp from the room. The oil inside came from the demon and was very durable.

"laugh--"

The flames rose, and the faint light opened up a small space in the night.

Although not bright enough.

Although very faint.

But it is enough to let people see the palm lines and small marks on both hands clearly.

"Watch me," Wu Yingxue took a deep breath, spread the paper flat on the stone table, and slowly pinched the edges of the paper with both hands.

One step at a time, carefully.

Shape the paper into——

waste paper.

The starlight fell like broken silver, mixing with the faint moonlight, reflecting the silent scene and the inexplicable embarrassment that arose.

"I, actually..."

The girl wanted to speak but stopped herself, and yet was still willing to speak.

It seems like he wants to refute something.

"Let me do it," Xu Xi said helplessly. He picked up the crumpled paper ball and spread it out flat again.

Use your fingers to precisely control the paper, either folding it in half or folding it diagonally.

The speed was so fast that the girl's eyes widened.

It's like something out of nothing.

The waste paper ball suddenly turned into a paper flower, a strange paper flower with a white-brown surface that would never wither.

"That's amazing..."

"No, no, sir, do you know how to do this?"

The girl sighed at first, then looked at Xu Xi with a blank look.

She couldn't connect the Xu Xi in front of her with his past image of a man with superb martial arts skills who could kill demons like butchering dogs.

“I learned some of it when I was young.”

Seeing the disbelief on the girl's face, Xu Xi explained with a chuckle.

"Amazing, amazing..."

Wu Yingxue muttered.

Holding the inexpensive paper flower, I looked at the bright moon in the night sky over and over again, repeatedly looking at the folds of the petals.

The eyes are nostalgic.

Can't put it down.

Xu Xi looked at the girl like this and couldn't help but ask, "Yingxue, why did you suddenly think of folding paper flowers in the middle of the night?"

"actually……"

The girl hesitated for a moment, then finally told the reason.

The reason why she couldn't sleep was that she thought of her deceased parents. When she was a child, Princess Dingyuan taught the girl how to fold paper flowers.

"At that time, I had no interest in origami flowers..."

"I only want to save the country and the people and become a hero..."

Wu Yingxue looked a little lonely.

With a gentle rub of the fingertips, the paper flower began to spin in the hand.

Xu Xi rarely saw such an expression on a girl. In the past, Wu Yingxue always showed a strong look.

only.

No matter how strong a person is, there will be moments of weakness.

"Sir, you said..."

"Where do the dead go in this world?"

Wu Yingxue stared at the paper flowers and asked this question.

Xu Xi looked at the girl and the night sky above her. His eyes looked deep in the night. He replied in a gentle tone:

"In my hometown, there is a saying that after a person dies, they will turn into stars hanging in the sky, and continue to watch over their relatives on earth. Whenever the starry sky is bright, it proves that they are here."

"Is that so... That's a pretty good idea."

The girl smiled.

She knew it was fake, but she liked it.

"Sir, please teach me how to make origami flowers. I want to learn it."