Chapter 127 Library Ayumi: Although I don’t quite understand, I feel that you…
"I hope we can always remember that there are more things beyond those with price tags. Like right now," Shiho raised her head, motioning for Ayumi to look around, "this burning landscape, this wind that smells of earth, and...this moment where we can stand here and talk freely."
What kind of dialogue is this from an art film? Ms. Miyano, are you going to become a philosopher instead of a scientist?
This sense of vicissitudes of life, which comes from seeing through the world, is the Shirley who walked out of the darkness.
Autumn colors, soil, wind, freedom...these are things that the organization cannot give you.
Her gaze finally fell back on their clasped hands.
“These are things that no salary can buy.”
Freedom is priceless, and Shiho's smile is priceless.
But first, she needs a salary that will allow her to survive in London (shithead). This sentence, coupled with Shiho's cool voice, is incredibly powerful.
A gust of wind blew, picking up fallen leaves covered in snow, swirling them around their feet. The library was not far away. Its ancient stone walls symbolized the rigid rules of society.
"And the 80,000 pounds mentioned in the circle of friends always sounds like a fairy tale written for the middle class." Shiho sighed.
The artistic young woman from earlier switched to queen mode in a split second. One moment she was discussing poetry and distant horizons, the next she was bluntly exposing reality. As expected of you, a scientist with meticulous logic.
"Huh?"
Ayumi, who has become an adult at the age of 19: I just held your little hand, and I haven’t even started to feel touched, why is it over?
"I believed that when I was little," Shiho's voice softened. "I believed that as long as I was smart enough and worked hard enough, I could control my own life."
A classic segment about beauty, strength and tragedy - recalling the past.
Translation: "I was once as naive as you guys, but after being hammered by the organization and twisted by fate, I realized how deep the waters are."
The contrast between the Queen's critical mode and Shiho's gentle sharing mode is perfectly captured. This is called "empathy-building discourse strategy," which narrows the psychological distance through self-exposure.
"And then?"
Ayumi, the best supporting actor.
"Then I realized," Shiho looked out the window, "that we are like snowflakes. We appear to be drifting freely, but our trajectory is actually determined by the wind."
Shiho Miyano developed APTX4869 at the age of 18, and at the age of 19 (estimated), she transformed into a Sartre researcher and began to talk about the paradox of determinism and individual freedom.
Chinese translation: "We think we are making choices, but in fact we are just a leaf in the tide of the times, floating wherever the wind blows."
Ayumi reached out and held Shiho's hand.
A perpetual activist. A straight shooter. Regardless of your structuralism or postmodern nihilism, I'll offer you a little human warmth.
Translation: Your little hand and my little hand, when held together, we are the universe.
Shiho had been pontificating for a long time, but Ayumi brought her back to the real world with just one move. The end of the theory is companionship.
"That's too pessimistic."
Ayumi: Although I don’t quite understand what you say, I feel like you’re emo, so I’d like to give you some energy.
"Really?" Shiho shook her hand. "Do you know why investment banks pay new graduates such high salaries?"
Ayumi shook her head.
The shaking of the head is becoming more and more familiar.jpg
"Because they need the smartest brains, the most vigorous energy, and the least life experience." Shiho's voice was very soft. "High salaries are bait, shackles, and the price you pay to willingly sacrifice your youth."
Precise. Absolutely precise. This is alienated labor.
Translation: "What they buy is not your ability, but your life. They use a high salary to buy out your health, time and all possibilities for the next ten years."
The phrase "minimal life experience" is incredibly destructive. Because of this lack of experience, people tend to be less skeptical, more easily misled, and more likely to mistake blessings for gifts.
"Then what should we do?" Ayumi's voice sounded a little confused.
Finally, I got to the point. The ultimate question.
Shiho was silent for a moment. She, too, was exploring.
"I don't know," she said frankly, "but at least we can first understand the rules of this game."
To admit the unknown is to be truly awake.
Translation: "It doesn't matter if you can't win, at least you should first figure out how you died." It has a bit of black humor.
"You know what?" Ayumi suddenly said, "Actually, that's how my parents got here."
Shiho looks at her, encouraging and listening, like a gentle sister.jpg.
"They also graduated from prestigious universities and joined large companies. They now live in the suburbs and commute two hours a day by train." Ayumi's voice was low. "They always say, 'This is life.'"
The classic narrative of middle-class families in capitalist countries: "This is life, this is how we all get by."
"Do you want this kind of life?"
What Shiho has always done is not to give answers, but to guide Ayumi to think and ask questions on her own. A top mentor.
"I..." Ayumi bit her lip, "I don't know. I just think, if not this way, what else can we do?"
This sentence represents the biggest dilemma faced by young people: they can see the cage but cannot find any other way out.
Shiho didn't answer immediately. She looked at the snow and remembered something.
"Do you know how snowflakes are formed?"
Xuehua: Oh, my appearance rate is a bit high today.
Ayumi shook her head. Another blind spot in knowledge.gif
"Water vapor condenses when it gets cold at high altitudes and grows around dust particles," Shiho said. "Every snowflake is different, but the principles of formation are the same."
"so?"
Ayumi: Sis, speak human language.
"So maybe we can't change this system." Shiho turned to look at Ayumi, "but at least we can choose our own shape."
From the pessimism of determinism, we shift to the optimism of limited freedom. Within established rules (the principle of cohesion), we pursue individual uniqueness (different shapes). This wave of philosophical sophistication reaches its fullest.
Translation: "I can't control the overall environment, but I still have the freedom to choose whether to play dirty or go to work, or what color socks to wear. Living a different life is the greatest resistance to this world."
Ayumi smiled. The cloudy sky turned sunny.
"That metaphor is a bit forced." Official complaints are the most lethal. Ayumi, you clever little bastard, dares to complain about your sister.
"Really?" Shiho also laughed. "Then put it another way. Instead of being a sophisticated London middle-class person, it's better to be a sober person."
The former is material and defined; the latter is spiritual and self-defined.
"A sober poor person?" Ayumi teased.
One sentence reveals the essence. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Ayumi said, "What should I do if I find myself poor after examining myself?"
"A sober person," Shiho said seriously, "wealth and poverty are relative, but sobriety is absolute."
Wealth is the social coordinate system, which changes at any time; clarity is the inner origin, which always returns to one.
Chinese translation: "How much money you have is all in the mouths of others, but whether your brain is your own, only you know."
At this moment, if Vermouth emerged from the snow on her Harley motorcycle, what would her first words be?
A. "A secret makes a woman woman. It's not a good habit for children to discuss such profound topics." (Classic Riddler's speech)
B. "Hmph, how boring. Instead of talking about snowflakes, why not get down to business? Like... a hot bourbon?" (The allure of action)
C. He took off his coat and put it on Shiho, then smiled at Ayumi and said, "Little sister, it's getting dark, you should go home." (The calmness of the queen)
D. "Shiho, I found a place where you can see snowy scenery all over the world without having to make Excel spreadsheets. Want to get in?" (A romantic invitation you can't refuse)
As they were talking, the two finally arrived at the library and sat down in their usual discussion area to study.
Although it is a discussion area, everyone is studying seriously. In the afternoon at the Fairhaven Library, the sound of turning pages is the only background sound here.
Miyano Shiho's pencil scratched across her notebook, leaving behind a string of smooth organic chemical equations. Her short brown hair was stained by the light from the window, casting a hazy glow.
"Shiho Shiho."
Ayumi lowered her voice, confusion written in her blue eyes.
"Why does the benzene ring have to be drawn as a hexagon? Since it's a 'ring', wouldn't a circle be more appropriate?"
Shiho stopped writing and raised her eyes.
"If chemists were to stick to literal meanings, 'straight-chain alkanes' would probably be drawn as real chains."
"Wow, that must be heavy metal rock. How do you explain this here?" Ayumi said with a smile.
"Oh, the use of 'future imperfect' here emphasizes the continuity of the action, rather than the outcome." Shiho's voice was cold, and she tapped the cap of her silver fountain pen against the open Latin text. "The point isn't that Cicero 'will' arrive in Rome, but that he 'will always be on the road.' It's destiny."
Ayumi's eyes were clear as she nodded ignorantly: "Fate... so cool. Shiho Shiho, you know everything."
The corners of Shiho's lips curled up again.
Ayumi is the closest anchor to "daily life" in this borrowed life.
Being with Ayumi can help her temporarily forget her past involvement with the dark organization.
Here, she is Miyano Shiho.
Shiho is an excellent student with an introverted personality.
This is the stage she built for herself, a drama she performs alone.
Until the footsteps of an uninvited guest shattered the carefully maintained silence.
Tap, tap. The heels hit the wooden floor, carrying the urgency of a modern urban 996.
The courier, wearing a dark blue uniform and a matching baseball cap, walked straight towards their desk located deep inside the library.
He stopped at the table, his eyes passing over Ayumi's curiosity, then Shiho's wariness, before finally settling on Shiho's face.
"Ms. Miyano Shiho?"
Shiho narrowed her eyes. First, she was stunned. This name, her official identity at this school, was spoken by a complete stranger with a businesslike air?
Then, there was the alarm. Her mind flashed through several emergency plans in a millisecond - FBI? CIA? Or... organization?
Finally, there was absolute calm. My gaze silently glided over the courier's hands, his waist, and the "Cheetah Express" logo on his uniform. Everything was impeccably normal.
Except, I didn’t order the express delivery.
"I am."
She answered, her voice calm.
"Please sign for your express delivery package." The courier handed over a palm-sized black cardboard box and an electronic signature plate.
Shiho took it and scratched her name on the receipt board with her fingertips, writing "Shiho" in a single, smooth stroke, her handwriting filled with a coldness that seemed to keep people at a distance.
The courier turned and left.
"Wow, Shiho, is this a gift?" Ayumi came over curiously, her eyes twinkling, "What a beautiful box."
It was a square, flat box that was completely black.
There are no trademarks or patterns on the surface.
In the center of the lid, a small emblem is imprinted with silver hot stamping technology - a lily wrapped around a blooming rose.
This emblem...
Of course she recognized it.
This is not the crest of an ancient family, nor is it the logo of a luxury brand.
It was the woman's private joke, a signature that belonged only to the two of them and was full of bad taste.
Vermouth.
What a narcissistic, yet accurate self-portrait.
That woman always likes to use this dramatic and exaggerated way to announce her existence.
"Nothing." Shiho's voice was flat and cold.
But her fingertips were already working, calmly and efficiently, as if she were dismantling a complex time bomb that could explode at any moment.
It's a normal thing for me. But this is the suburbs of London.
She had to confirm.
Confirm the "script" of this prank and confirm what drama the woman wants to perform.
"What is it?"
Ayumi's curiosity was an unquenchable flame, and her voice was full of anticipation.
The lid is open.
The interior is lined with dark purple velvet, and in the center groove lies a key.
It is definitely not a product of modern industry.
The texture of brass has been repeatedly rubbed by the hands of time, and is coated with a layer of warm and deep patina.
"Oh my god." Ayumi's eyes lit up instantly. "So beautiful. Is this... a key to an ancient castle? Or a keepsake of a treasure map? Shiho, is this a gift from your friend? It's so cool."
Here they come, the ancestral imagination of the Young Detectives. Whenever they see a stone with a strange shape, they think it is a treasure map (Doge).
Kids, put away your precious, elementary-school worldview. This thing is way more fascinating than a treasure map.
"Your friend is so cool." - Chinese translation: "Is your friend the kind of fashion queen who brings her own hair dryer and eight cameras with her whenever she goes out?"
In Ayumi's eyes: the ancient castle, the hidden treasure, and the princess's adventure.
In Shiho's eyes: danger, speed, and organization warning.
Shiho stared at the key, silence was her only language.
Silence is Cambridge tonight (No), and it is the effect of APTX-4869 (Yes).
The Huiyuan brand radar activated: Beep. Beep. Beep. Tissue concentration detected at 200%.
At this moment, her brain was assessing the crisis and generating countermeasures 800,000 times per second. Her CPU was about to burn out.
friend?
Querying the relationship between two people: Error 404, Relationship Not Found.
If Vermouth heard the word "friend", she would probably laugh out loud: "A secret makes a woman woman, but a 'friend' makes me laugh, little girl."
Vermouth was certainly not her "friend." Using this word to describe them was laughably warm and absurdly pure.
Chinese translation: Saying that we are friends is as outrageous as saying that Gin is a model student.
After all, the nickname Vermouth gave her was Sherry, not "my little cutie Shiho-chan".
Vermouth is a walking mystery, a beautiful disaster, and an uninvited intruder in the daily life that she has built with all her heart.
Their relationship is one of testing, compromise, threat, and more importantly... an irresistible attraction.
"Beautiful disaster" is accurate. The beautiful woman who brings disaster to the theater every year is a regular, but this time the disaster is directly poured on the protagonist's home.
To translate this feeling of pulling: "You take a step forward, I take a step back. You take another step forward, I... I'll think about it again."
"Uncontrollable attraction", Chinese translation: Although she wanted to stab me, she was really hot, and my reason and my DNA were fighting.
This is a classic case of "traumatic attachment" mixed with a variant of "Stockholm syndrome." Under high-pressure circumstances, the source of danger itself can become a fatal center of attraction. Okay, I can't go on, anyway, it's just a lot of fun.
And this key.
There is no doubt that it is a new chess piece dropped by the opponent.
The young lady's performance art: leaving behind an inexplicable token, making you toss and turn for me, and imagine the plot of 800 episodes. Bei-style PUA, so terrifying.
"Shiho Shiho?"
Ayumi's voice pulled her out of the deep sea of thoughts. Her pure eyes reflected her reflection, as well as a little bit of worry.
Ayumi, the eternal light, the little angel who pulled Ai-chan back from the brink of danger.
Shiho snapped back to reality. She raised her head, meeting Ayumi's gaze. Her brain's processors began to churn, sifting through every possible word combination in the database.
Ayumi can't be involved. Vermouth is too dangerous. It's fine if Shinichi comes to her on his own; he's a detective after all.
Goal: To construct the most innocuous, boring explanation that will completely end the topic of treasure hunting for curious kids.
Conclusion: A perfect lie must be based on the most absurd truth.
Here it comes, an essential skill for professionals: talking nonsense with a straight face.
"The most harmless and the most boring" is probably the golden rule of crisis public relations. Shiho has the talent to be a public relations director.
She held the key, and under Ayumi's expectant gaze, she said in a serious tone, as if introducing the latest Nobel Prize research results:
“It’s a refrigerator magnet.”
?????
The contrast is incredible. He pronounced the words "fridge magnet" in the same tone as someone introducing a Nobel Prize. What a comedian!
One second.
Two seconds.
It seemed like someone had pressed the pause button on time.
The background music at this moment should be that classic black question mark face .gif.
Three question marks slowly floated over Ayumi's head.
Ayumi blinked.
Blinked again.
Her romantic little head, full of castles and secret treasures, was obviously struggling to process these two completely incompatible words.
"...Ice, refrigerator...stick?"
Ayumi.exe has stopped responding.
The child's worldview is collapsing and reshaping. One second it was a keepsake of Mahou Soju, the next it became a small gift for buying groceries.
Ayumi's little head is experiencing a storm of question marks.
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