Chapter 82082 Memoirs (V)
Living in this land again seemed a little different to me. I'd lived in Xiqi before, not in this village, of course, but it was pretty much the same. In those days, the differences between villages weren't that great.
But it’s different from that time. This time I settled down—yes, of course it’s settling down. Because I’m not sure where I’ll go next, I settled down here temporarily.
After settling down, life was much the same as before. It was just no longer like those initial wanderings, my heart drifting like duckweed, unsure where I would end up. It was also no longer like the tranquility of my mountain retreat, where I observed the world from a distance. Deep within my heart, something seemed to be quietly taking root. Like a seed, accidentally carried by the wind, it landed in this soil, took root in an unnoticed corner, sprouted, and then successfully lived out its life.
But I am a carp spirit, so I guess there is no such thing as a lifetime.
I've never heard of fairies having a lifespan, but that doesn't mean they won't die. Since they can't be immortal, they do have the potential to die.
“…”
Well, now is not the time to think about that.
Perhaps because it's relatively close to the Xiqi camp, the village we've settled in is relatively stable. Of course, when I say "close," I actually mean half a mountain away. Naturally, the villagers wouldn't venture over the mountain. There are many monsters and wild beasts in the mountains, and any one of them could easily become a ghost. Being a monster, I'm naturally not afraid. Besides, the mountain tigers have been very kind to me. Whenever I need to pick an herb, they always point me in the right direction. Over time, we became friends.
Compared to my previous life, when I only had Wu You as a friend, I now have many friends in this world, but they are not human. My only human friend eventually became a lotus root person.
friend……
I couldn’t help but wonder, are Nezha and I friends?
I suddenly fell into confusion.
Once that thought took hold, it clung to my mind like a vine, unable to be shaken off. Familiar with the myth, he had already been in my mind long before I even met him. Even if asked, I could confidently claim we were friends. But when the image in my mind was actually before me, I couldn't bring myself to utter it. It's like I can freely speak freely to a paper figure, but when the producer becomes real, I'm speechless.
What's between us?
We may be old friends, but we've only met a handful of times, and the time we've actually spent together probably isn't even a week. He's a benefactor, but he helped me transform, and I collected his body and sent him to Qianyuan Mountain. It's not like we owe each other anything.
We're on the same path. He's at the center of the Conferred Gods Tribulation, shouldering a mission and conquering the lands. I'm just a carp spirit, desperate to survive, living in seclusion in a corner. Our paths are different, and our paths are even more different.
We had never even spoken freely about our thoughts, shared secrets, or had a heart-to-heart moment like ordinary friends. Every time we met, there was a brief silence, a few brief conversations, and his hurried comings and goings, which he always explained as "passing by."
But if he was not a friend, why did he take time out from the turbulent war to pass by the old locust tree where I practiced medicine and bring me snacks such as jerky, malt sugar, and apricots?
My head hurts...
So, why should I worry about this? Is it really that important to be friends? In my previous life, when Wu You was my only friend, I didn't worry about whether or not I was friends with the other students I interacted with.
I shook my head, dismissing these frivolous thoughts, and began to pack. While the sun was still setting, I planned to go to the mountains to gather some more herbs. I'd been using too much for injuries lately; a three-day supply had already been used up in a day and a half.
After returning home, I put down my belongings, shouldered my medicine basket, and headed toward the forest under the scorching sun. The path was steep and rugged, but for a carp spirit like me, it felt like flat ground. The mountain king, patrolling somewhere unknown today, hadn't appeared, so I followed the route I remembered, heading toward valleys teeming with herbs. As I walked, my gaze kept darting toward the main camp.
It's actually quite amazing. I used to know absolutely nothing about herbs. I could recognize semi-finished products, but fresh ones were a bit of a challenge. Now I can accurately distinguish honeysuckle from heartbroken herb. It's truly a cause for celebration.
By the time the medicine basket was almost full, the moon was already at its zenith. I couldn't help but sigh, "Time flies by so quickly." It felt like I'd only been in the mountains for a short while, but in that short time, day had already turned to night. Perhaps time always flies so quickly in the mountains.
The clear light spreads everywhere, covering the mountains and forests in a hazy and quiet silver gauze.
I should have been going down the mountain at this time, but when I thought of a pond in the valley not far away, I stopped.
After all, I haven't touched water for a while. It's not a question of whether to take a bath or not, it's mainly because I'm a fish. Although I'm a carp spirit in human form, my true nature is still a fish. It's my instinct to want to swim in the water.
Besides, now that we're here...
Without much hesitation, I walked towards the pond. I'd been here many times before. Simply by pushing aside the layers of vines, I suddenly saw a small pond hidden in the valley. Its surface was like a mirror, reflecting the bright moon and sparse stars. Surrounded by lush vegetation and the chirping of night insects, it was a beauty beyond compare.
I stood by the pond, gazing at the clear, silvery waters shimmering in the moonlight. An instinctive desire suddenly surged over me. Sure enough, water is to fish what catnip is to cats.
Once the thought had begun, it was hard to suppress. I looked around. All was silent, with only the moonlight and the water for company. So, I set down my medicine basket, untied my outer robe, and stepped barefoot into the cool water.
It was a little awkward at first, but soon, my carp instincts kicked in. I dove under, letting the cool water envelop me, washing away the fatigue and chaos of the last few days. I stretched my body, my silvery tail jutting out against the moonlight. I couldn't tell if it was my own scales or the silver moonlight filtering through the water, casting flickering, fragmented specks of light on the lake floor.
Everything seems like a dream.
I don't know how long I swam until my chest felt slightly swollen. I floated to the surface, wiped the water from my face, and took a deep breath of the night breeze, which was filled with moisture and the fragrance of plants. I felt a sense of joy I hadn't felt in a long time.
I suddenly understood the saying from my past life: "If you're feeling down, go for a swim." Swimming can really lift your mood and soothe your annoyance.
The slapping of fish tails on the water creates a clear, crisp sound in the forest. Sometimes I can't help but follow the chirping of nearby insects to dictate the rhythm of my slapping.
It's quite interesting.
As I looked up at the bright moon in the sky, a familiar, crisp lotus fragrance drifted in with the wind without warning, reaching my nose.
My body stiffened and I turned my head sharply to look at the shore.
I saw a red figure appear on the largest rock by the pool, which was whitened by the moonlight.
Nezha sat there, one knee bent, his arm casually resting on it. His other leg drooped, his bare foot gently tapping the edge of the rock. He was still dressed in his simple red robe. The bright moonlight cast a soft silver hue over his figure. Even his golden eyes, always too clear, seemed to absorb the moonlight's gentleness, losing some of their usual indifference.
He just looked at me quietly, with no surprise or scrutiny in his eyes, only a calmness of understanding, as if my appearance in this pool of water at that moment was the most natural thing.
We were separated by the shimmering lake, one in the water, the other on the shore, staring at each other silently in the quiet moonlight. The night breeze blew, rippling the lake surface and blowing the loose hair on his forehead and my wet hair.
In the end, I was the first to speak.
"Third Young Master, are you free?"
This is too harsh.
But it's really hard for me to be seen in my current state. Besides, I don't know how long he's been sitting here. If I were to use the lotus scent to determine the time, it seems he'd just arrived. But why did he sit there so quietly? If it weren't for that unique lotus scent, would I never have noticed him?
But now that I've said it, I won't regret it.
Nezha was stunned, and a trace of astonishment flashed across his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight, and then he regained his composure. There was even an almost imperceptible smile that seemed to pass through his eyes, so fast that I thought it was an illusion caused by the moonlight.
"I'm not idle," he replied simply, looking at me calmly, not shying away from my appearance. A subtle smile lingered in his voice, "I'm just here on patrol."
Patrolling the mountains?
I looked at him suspiciously, then at this secluded valley. When did the Xiqi camp's patrol area expand to the pond in this deep mountain forest? This excuse was too perfunctory.
"Oh..." I drawled out my tone, "It's the mountain patrol... I thought he was just passing by again!"
Hearing this, the corners of his mouth seemed to curve upward ever so slightly, the curve so faint that it was almost invisible.
"I'm passing by while patrolling the mountain."
He said this without looking away, but instead looked at me calmly, "I heard some noise and came over to check it out. I thought someone was making a commotion... but it wasn't you."
"You...are good at finding a place."
Hearing this, I subconsciously sank my body deeper into the water, leaving only my shoulders and head exposed, and felt my cheeks getting a little hot.
"Well...it's indeed a good place."
Wait, why should I be shy?
I looked at his silhouette outlined by the moonlight, and felt the cold lake water around me. For some reason, I asked:
"Want to come down and...swim for a while?"
As soon as he said it, he couldn't help but slap his mouth, "Nonsense, Third Young Master, don't take it seriously."
Sure enough, he was obviously stunned for a moment, and a rare look of surprise flashed in his golden eyes.
“No need.”
It was a no-brainer. I rubbed my nose awkwardly. It would be strange if he agreed.
Without looking at him anymore, I turned around and leaned my arms on the shore, my fish tail swaying gently in the pool.
"Speaking of which... I have a question for the Third Young Master."
"What?"
"I was afraid you'd be angry."
“…”
"Since you know I'll be angry, why bother asking?"
"Hey... because I'm really curious." I turned my head and looked at him again, "So, will the Third Young Master allow me to ask?"
Nezha raised an eyebrow, "Tell me what you think, and then I'll decide whether or not to be angry."
I:……
How can this be possible...
but……
"Since you've said that, let me ask." I paused, considering my words, and said, "So... the Third Young Master is now a lotus root. If he were to be submerged in water, would a lotus stem grow and flowers bloom?"
I hadn't actually thought about this question before. It just suddenly occurred to me, and I desperately wanted an answer.
In my past life, I once grew water lilies—I'm not sure if they were actually water lilies. I bought them online and they said they could be grown hydroponically without soil. But all I ended up with was a pot full of leaves. Nothing else. Even after I added mud to the bottom of the pot, it stayed the same.
So if it is Nezha, can it bloom flowers?
He stared at me, it seemed that my question was too outrageous for him.
After a while, he cleared his throat. His voice was clear, yet a little strange.
"...You want to know?"
I saw that he didn't seem to be angry, but his expression was a little unreadable, so I bravely nodded, my eyes full of curiosity.
He stared at me in silence for a moment, his golden pupils casting an unfathomable light in the moonlight. Suddenly, he stood up, his red robe a silent flame in the moonlight.
As I was surprised, he actually took a step forward and jumped lightly into the pool without even making much of a splash.
The icy water rippled wider at his intrusion. He stood waist-deep in the water, not far from me. His wet red clothes clung to his slender frame, the moonlight outlining his smooth shoulders. Droplets of water rolled down his inky hair and slid across his radiant face.
He raised his right hand and stretched it out in front of me, palm up, fingertips slightly gathered together.
"Watch carefully."
He whispered, his tone flat.
I held my breath, staring at his fingertips without blinking. I saw that jade-white fingertip actually sprouted a lotus stem at a speed visible to the naked eye! The lotus stem was slender yet straight, and it slowly extended from his fingertips with vibrant vitality.
Even more astonishing was the rapid formation of a plump bud at the tip of the lotus stem, coated in a pale pinkish-white. As I watched, the bud trembled gently, unfolding layer by layer, petal by petal. Finally, a flawless, complete lotus blossomed brilliantly at his fingertips. The fragrance, richer and purer than any I had ever smelled, instantly filled the entire pond, making even the air seem sweet and refreshing.
I was completely stunned, my mouth unconsciously opened slightly, and I even forgot to move my fish tail. I just stared blankly at the lotus that was so close to me and blooming at his fingertips.
He maintained this posture, his golden eyes staring at my shocked expression, and the corners of his mouth seemed to curl upwards almost imperceptibly.
"Now, do you understand?" he asked, his voice clearer than the pool water.
I snapped back to my senses, my heart belatedly pounding. I looked at the lotus, then at his face, rendered even more handsome by the moonlight and the water. I nodded subconsciously, then quickly shook my head.
"I, I know..." I stammered, feeling my cheeks burning intensely, luckily covered by the water. "...So, it really works."
He flicked his wrist slightly, and the emerald green lotus stem and the lotus on the top disappeared silently like a phantom, leaving only the increasingly rich lotus fragrance in the air, proving that the incredible scene just now was not a dream.
"Satisfied?" He raised an eyebrow.
"...Satisfied," I whispered, feeling like I'd asked a foolish question, yet also overjoyed at having witnessed this magical scene. I couldn't help but move closer to him and curiously asked, "So... can it produce lotus seeds?"
I really want to eat lotus seeds to improve my diet.
He obviously didn't expect me to ask this question. His golden eyes widened again in surprise. Then he looked at me helplessly, turned around and walked towards the shore, causing some ripples in the water.
"greedy."
He only left these two words, and his figure lightly glided out of the water and landed on the rock again. His red clothes evaporated in an instant.
I looked at his back and couldn't help laughing. The fish tail swayed happily underwater, breaking up the moonlight and lotus fragrance in the pond.
"Thank you, Third Young Master, for letting me witness this wonderful scene."
He chuckled, his voice stretched out, "You're welcome—"
As he was about to leave, I called him again.
"Hmm... Third Young Master..."
I swam a little closer to the rocks where he was, rested my chin on my folded arms, and floated lazily on the surface.
"Are we... considered friends?"
I wasn't really bothered by this question, but since everyone else is here, it seems a bit of a waste not to ask.
Nezha's figure, which was about to leave, paused slightly. He turned his head, and the moonlight cast a faint shadow on his profile. He did not answer immediately, but just looked at me quietly, and his reflection in the water swayed gently with the ripples.
The water was cool against my skin, yet my cheeks felt a little hot. I asked, finally. I buried half my face in the water, leaving only my eyes exposed, anxiously awaiting his response, my tail curling up unconsciously beneath the surface.
He was silent for a moment. Just when I thought he wouldn't answer, or would just brush it off with another "boring" comment, he spoke softly, his voice even softer than the moonlight:
"What do you think?"
He threw the question back. I froze for a moment, then lifted my head from the water, my wet hair plastered to my forehead. "I... I don't know," I answered honestly, my tail gently slapping the surface, sending up tiny splashes. "It just feels like... we're a little different from just ordinary friends. We don't talk much, we don't see each other often, but... but you often stop by the old locust tree and bring me food..."
He turned and sat down on the rock again, his bare feet dangling over the edge, inches from the water. He looked down at my reflection in the water, and at himself.
"What about ordinary friends?" he asked, with a hint of genuine confusion in his tone, as if this question had troubled him too.
I vaguely remembered that Nezha also had few human friends. But now that he's been reborn, he should have friends. Aren't Yang Jian and Lei Zhenzi his friends?
Then why did he ask this question?
I thought about it and said, "Maybe... we'll be together often? Sharing our worries, helping each other, sharing happiness and hardships?"
I tried to recall my definition of a friend in my past life, but unfortunately, I only had one friend, Wu You. We usually just went to the bathroom together and ate in the cafeteria together. It was just that these standards didn't quite apply to Nezha and me.
Speaking of which, are there really friends between men and women?
I've never had any male friends before, so it's a bit weird.
He listened, shook his head slightly, and the corners of his lips seemed to have a very faint arc, "It seems that this is not the case between you and me."
My heart sank slightly.
But he continued, "You saw me dying, sewed up my body, and sent me to my master, and I gave you the elixir to help you transform. Does this count as mutual help? As for when you're in trouble..." He paused, his tone steady but with a reassuring power, "If you're in trouble, I'll know."
"As for sharing the blessing..." He glanced at my half-human, half-fish form, then looked at the moonlit mountains and forests around me, "Does this count at this moment?"
I followed his gaze and saw the bright moon, the starry sky, the quiet valley, the silvery water in the pond, and the lotus fragrance lingering in the air. All of this was as beautiful as a dream.
"Okay." I nodded vigorously, my eyes aching. I quickly dove back into the water, spitting out a few bubbles to mask my emotions. When I looked up again, I forced a smile. "So... are we... extraordinary friends?"
"Whatever you think." He looked away, gazing at the sinking moon in the sky. His voice was as soft as a sigh, yet it reached my ears with uncanny clarity. "...After all, it's different from others."
Different from others.
These words, like a feather gently scratching the tip of my heart, brought a tingling warmth. I stopped asking questions, and I didn't need a more definitive answer.
That's enough.
I stretched out my body in the water again, my silvery fish tail drawing a graceful arc under the moon, stirring up the starlight and lotus fragrance in the pond.
"The moon is about to set," I said.
"Yeah." He responded.
"Shouldn't you go back?"
"Um."
"Well, my good friend, next time you pass by the old locust tree, can you bring me some lotus seeds?" I asked.
He paused slightly, without turning back, but there seemed to be a hint of a smile in his voice:
"...It depends on my mood."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure turned into the breeze and disappeared into the fading moonlight and the increasingly thick morning mist.
I was floating alone in the pool, watching the first hint of dawn appear in the eastern sky, and I couldn't help laughing, my laughter echoing in the empty valley.
Depends on my mood?
All right.
Then I guess he must be in a good mood when he passes by.
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