Mechanical kite
Even before the anger of her relatives came, Meng Yan had just taken the kettle off the stove and was scalding with hot water. She used a homemade heat-insulating ring to secure the kettle, making it look like she was just grabbing it directly. Her relatives thought she was wiping the table with cold water, but they were scalded and had to scatter to avoid it.
"You're insane!"
A low scream came from the corner of the wall. Meng Yan didn't even bother to look and just splashed water on the room. After the scream, the room finally quieted down.
She led the crowd to a suitable position, then took paper and pen from her study, laid them out in front of the crowd, and began to write.
"Thank you all for your kindness. I have been doing very well these past few years. The things I brought back were specially obtained by my family after they heard that my mother was sick. They are involved in all walks of life, and they even told me about my mother's condition."
After she finished writing, she took out a few silver ingots from her pocket and placed them on the bedside table.
"This money is for my mother's medical treatment. All of you relatives are here today, so let's all be witnesses to each other. The extra money is to thank you all for your hard work. If you use the money for other purposes, I will know. When we meet again, it won't be as simple as just offering you a bowl of hot soup."
Meng Yan finished writing and passing the paper in one go, and the relatives dared not refute her because they were intimidated by her imposing manner.
Three years ago, he was a penniless loser who didn't even dare to lift his head. How could he suddenly return with a straight back, literate, and carrying money? The only thing they could think of was Meng Yan's new home.
And that's exactly what she wanted them to see.
After all, they love money, value their lives, and while they have some brains, they don't have many. If they don't resort to this method, they'll inevitably come up with some crooked ideas, whether it's threats or intimidation. At least their mother's illness will be somewhat better.
Meng Yan originally planned to stay at home until his mother recovered before returning to the valley, but at night he heard his mother calling him.
“Jian’er, you must be exhausted from coming back. I never thought I would see you again. You said you were doing well in your new home. Listen to me, go back. You’ve suffered too much here. They’re only listening to you today because they want your money. Tomorrow, when you’ve run out of money, they’ll be biting you.”
The mother put the silver ingot from the bedside back into Meng Yan's hand and combed her hair in the moonlight.
"Your new family should be a group of very good people. You should cherish them and not quarrel with them because of your mother. No matter what, your mother is still family here. Your relatives will not abandon your mother. But you need to learn to grow up and learn to separate from your mother. This place is not suitable for you to stay for long. Go back to where you belong."
The moonlight on this spring night carried a hint of chill, making Meng Yan feel cold inside.
She gestured slowly with her hands, hoping her mother would understand her thoughts: "I will have a big house, and we will live in it together."
Her mother nodded and smiled as she cupped her face in her hands, her thumb tracing the shape of her eyebrows and eyes—a gesture of longing for her after so long, and a farewell before her departure.
The deterrent works because it makes it impossible to determine the truth of things. If Meng Yan stays, not only will she be prone to making mistakes, but she will also be exploited and held hostage by her clansmen. Her mother is right; leaving now is the best choice for her.
So, under the cool moonlight, Meng Yan's skirt brushed against the still-unfurled green leaves, and with a creak, she left the courtyard that had once confined her.
.
The stars peeked out from behind the clouds, hanging silently on the horizon, keeping her company as she reminisced about the little path that had been deserted for several years.
The sound of wind rustling through the leaves came from my side from time to time, along with the chirping of insects and the startled flight of birds, until a barely perceptible sound of a branch breaking came from behind.
There's a little tail following me around.
Meng Yan quickened her pace, choosing only the most difficult sections to traverse. Having spent years in the valley searching for secluded, uninhabited spots for the testing agency, she had become quite adept at navigating such terrain, and now, even under the cover of night, she moved with ease.
Although she wasn't tired yet, she deliberately slowed down, walking and admiring the scenery, sometimes bending down to smell wildflowers, sometimes turning back to look for things she had left behind.
Having estimated that she had distanced herself from the person following her, and just as dawn broke, she turned into a teahouse.
Several guests were already seated in the lobby downstairs. The waiter was serving them up and down the stairs with bowls and plates. Meng Yan went upstairs without hesitation.
The place is less crowded and has a wide view, but more importantly, it charges a seating fee. How can someone who just wants to track down others get cash to come up here for a meal?
Sure enough, after Meng Yan finished her meal, no suspicious people came upstairs. She stayed a little longer to rest, and then casually bought a few portable snacks from the waiter to take back to her junior brothers and sisters.
While organizing the things in his bag, Meng Yan deliberately placed the small mechanisms in the bag on the outermost layer in order to deal with any tricky situations that might arise later. However, before he could finish organizing the mechanisms, a young master sat down opposite him to share a table.
Seeing Meng Yan's confusion, he waved his hand and explained, "I see that you are about to leave, and there are no other empty tables around, so just consider this a place to reserve."
She was going to leave anyway, and she didn't care whether someone would inherit her table or not. She was quietly tidying up when a strange scream suddenly came from across the table.
Meng Yan looked up: "?"
"The girl's needles are so well hidden, look, she's bleeding." The person opposite her held up her bleeding hand, which had been pricked by the mechanical needles, clearly putting on a righteous front.
How can this be a case of the guilty party accusing the innocent first?
Since he was that kind of person, Meng Yan saw no need to argue with him. She smiled and nodded at him, then grabbed the mechanical needle from his hand and put it back in her bag.
The young master, feeling the pain, got up and walked towards the stairs, while Meng Yan slung his bag over his shoulder and walked towards the corner window.
Perhaps it was the slight chill of early spring, but the windows of the teahouse were tightly closed from the inside out. Meng Yan casually flicked them open, and looking down, he saw that there was no one there.
The timing is perfect.
She took a piece of wood from her person and held it outside the window. She pressed and turned a few mechanisms with her fingers, and the pile of wood began to change with a creaking sound. At the same time, she took out a yellow talisman, attached it to the wood, and then released it. In an instant, the small pile of wood expanded into a familiar mechanical kite.
With her hands on the windowsill, Meng Yan leaped out of the window, landing perfectly in the pilot's seat of the mechanical kite. The mechanism turned, and she and the wooden mechanical kite, which had not yet been painted, sped away into the distance.
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Having waited for a long time by the stairs in the empty space, Yue Lang wondered why the girl hadn't apologized to him yet. He pretended to look back casually, only to find that there was no one by the table.
Not only by the table, but throughout the entire floor, there was no trace of her. Only a window that was open but not properly secured emitted a piercing sound.
Yue Lang peered out the window. There were no footprints or signs of rolling on the ground. The branches of the trees opposite looked too weak to support a person, and there were no extra decorations on the walls. Could they have gone this way?
It certainly can't be that they disappeared on the spot...
"Oh dear, why is this window open? I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. I think the wind blew it open from the outside today. I just came upstairs and didn't see it open!"
Yue Lang nodded and prepared to turn and leave, but then he saw a pink and white petal lying on the inner edge of the windowsill. There was no dew on it, so it hadn't just been blown there by the wind.
As the dishes were served and he sat down, he reached for his chopsticks and suddenly noticed something stuck in the crack of the table. He tapped it lightly twice, and a pink and white petal floated down and landed on the ground.
Yue Lang: "..."
They really jumped out of the window!
"Waiter, did the lady who sat at this table just now... pay the bill?" Yue Lang reached for his purse, and as soon as he touched it, the waiter replied, "She did." As he carried the items downstairs, the waiter added to Yue Lang, "She also ordered a few extra dishes to take away!"
Why is that?
Yue Lang couldn't understand it, only that the food in his mouth tasted much bland than usual.
.
Meng Yan piloted the mechanical kite, circling through deep forests and valleys, rushing back to her sect. On the surface, she appeared confident, but in reality, she was quite panicked. Compared to pursuers or interceptors, she was actually more worried that the mechanical kite would fall apart in the air.
A person falling is a minor matter, but the research results that have been studied for so long being reduced to dust is a much bigger problem!
Fortunately, there wasn't a soul in sight on the road I chose, so even if something happened, no one would be hurt.
Once calmed down, Meng Yan focused his energy on controlling the mechanical kite, and while operating it, he also took note of areas that needed improvement later.
The journey wasn't far, and it wasn't long before they saw their own mountain peak aboard the mechanical kite.
Everyone in the valley was startled when they saw her, and then chased after the shadow of the mechanical kite. Meng Yan, who was driving leisurely, panicked when he looked down and saw a group of people running below.
"Stop! Stop! Don't get close! Takeoff and landing haven't been developed yet!"
No matter how large her hand movements were, thanks to the mechanical kite's shielding, only a blurry shadow reached the ground.
"Look, Sister Yan is using hand shadows to show us the little bird on the mechanical kite!"
"What I see here is a dog!"
"It's an apple! No, it's turned into a rabbit!"
In order to see Meng Yan's gestures as soon as possible, everyone who was keeping their distance moved closer and closer, making the scene so lively that it was unbearable to watch.
I should have kept quiet.
As everyone looked up, Meng Yan pasted another talisman onto the mechanical kite. The large wooden bird, which was already close to the ground, suddenly changed direction, soared into the sky, and took off.
After scanning the surroundings, Meng Yan chose a direction and sped off, praying in his heart as he traveled: "I'm sorry, Master, there are the fewest people around here right now, and it was not my intention to disturb you."
But if it's just a disturbance, that would be even better...
The moment the mechanical kite flew to the roof of the house of the crooked man, she quickly removed the original talisman and silently counted the number of times she jumped off her mount.
With a splash, she landed safely on the roof tiles, and a few seconds later, the large tree not far away fell to its knees with a thud.
Meng Yan, who had just stood up: "..."
As luck would have it, Li the Cripple wasn't resting inside the house or drinking tea under the tree; he was standing in the open space in front of the house, smiling and waving at her.
"Xiao Yan is back. Come, come down and sit down."
Meng Yan climbed down from the roof and landed in front of Guai Zi Li. The first thing he did was take a candied hawthorn out of his bag and hand it to him.
This wasn't the first time they'd done something like this; the two of them went through the process very skillfully, one hand handing over the other, the other bowing their head in contemplation, the other looking up at the sky in silence.
About two minutes later, I heard Li the Trapped sigh and the sound of the rock candy cracking beside me, and the matter was considered over.
"Alright, alright, go have fun. I see a huge crowd of people waiting for you down the mountain."
Although Li Yan, the cripple, showed no sign of pain, Meng Yan still comforted him with a few words: "I will definitely be more careful next time, definitely next time."
She said the same thing before.
She found her big bird behind the house. The mechanism was still working, and the huge creature that had caused such a mess quickly shrank into a small pile in her hand. Malfunctions were inevitable. As for what caused the damage, she would have to check it one by one when she got back.
When the children asked about the plot of the shadow play, Meng Yan seemed to suddenly understand Guai Zi Li. She couldn't help but sigh and took out some sweet and salty snacks and various fruits from her bag to distribute to everyone.
"Sister Yan Yan, when can you make more mechanical kites? I miss my senior brothers and sisters who are away from home."
A child's innocent voice resonated with everyone, and the crowd echoed, waiting for Meng Yan's answer.
This was what most people thought, and Meng Yan thought so too. She knew that Li the cripple on the mountain behind them was also thinking the same thing.
"It will take some time. You can use the mechanical sparrow to write letters to them first. This little guy may seem unreliable, but it was actually developed by us together. Getting it to them won't be a problem."
The children couldn't fully understand the meaning of the long string of gestures, but each of them understood a few, and by piecing them together, they could roughly understand what she was saying.
After a few casual inquiries about the happenings outside the valley, the children's curiosity dissipated along with the crowd, leaving only a few small shadows lingering not far away.
Although there are many people in the valley, and everyone has their own disabilities, the differences in their personalities are quite obvious. There are quite a few shy and taciturn children. After Meng Yan found them, he sat down and waited for Xiao Yingzi's question.
"Sister Yan... are we bothering you right now?"
A row of heads peeked out from the wall, neatly waiting for her answer.
"No, you can ask me anything you want to know. If it's inconvenient for you to come over, you can talk from behind the wall."
As they supported each other and walked towards Meng Yan, revealing their entire bodies, she immediately understood why they had been hiding. So she got up and walked towards them.
These children have been brought back for some time now. Unlike Meng Yan, their injuries are not as visible on the surface. Perhaps due to psychological factors, they rarely interact with others. Several similar children live together in this large family.
"Sister Yan, you don't need to come over, we can walk there."
"Yes, we can go very far!"
They must have been exhausted; beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads as they moved, but they didn't stop. They persevered, step by step, until they reached Meng Yan.
"Sister Yan, once the mechanical kite is fully developed, will people like us be able to travel to faraway places?"
Before this, it seemed like a scene that could only exist in dreams, but now it's different. They saw a glimmer of hope in Meng Yan and the mechanical kite.
"Yes, you can fly to many places in it, places that are written and drawn in books, places that are widely talked about by people, and you can personally set foot in any corner of this land."
Wood cannot transform into tools on its own, nor can it understand human emotions, but humans can.
Meng Yan made a promise to them, watching the joy overflowing in their eyes turn into tears, glistening and sparkling in the sunlight.
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The night breeze was cool. Meng Yan, who had been exhausted for two days, should have been getting a good night's sleep wrapped in a quilt, but he tossed and turned until the moonlight shone through the window.
No, there are too many things that need improvement in the mechanical kite. Anyway, I can't sleep, so I might as well not sleep at all.
Without hesitation, she broke off a branch, tied it up with her long hair, and spread out a sheet of paper by the moonlight to carefully count the shortcomings. She disassembled the kite inside and out, summarizing her experience.
She couldn't quite remember when the rooster next door crowed, but when the sky turned red, the dismantled kites had already been reassembled.
Satisfied with writing the last half-word, Meng Yan let go of the pen, buried his head in the paper, and fell asleep.
In her dream, a mechanical kite carried her from the south of the sky to the north of the sea, mechanical sparrows chirped incessantly in her ears, and other mechanical creations she had never seen before lined up and passed in front of her, each telling its purpose and introducing its principles and structure.
Meng Yan's notes filled half a book, but then she suddenly remembered something. When she flipped back through the notes, she only saw pages of blank paper rustling past.
"Xiao Yan."
Not only can the white paper talk, but it also has the same accent as its master, as if it's about to wake her up to study.
"Wake up."
What nonsense are you talking about? Aren't you awake right now, recording data from the machine?
"Meng Yan, can you hear me?"
Perhaps the many mechanisms had given rise to spirits, for Meng Yan had no time to communicate with them and only wanted to quickly memorize the creation in front of him so that he could replicate it in the future.
"Senior sister, your kite mechanism has fallen apart."
Meng Yan's head exploded and he immediately opened his eyes and sat up.
Li the cripple, Senior Sister Zhang the doctor, and several junior brothers and sisters who were studying medicine were standing by the bed, staring at him without moving.
"It's good that you're alright. Your trick was really amazing; you woke Xiao Yan up so easily."
"Something's happened," Meng Yan hurriedly replied in sign language, his expression serious, causing everyone to frown.
Li, the thug, comforted her, telling her not to worry, and that her master and fellow disciples would support her in any trouble.
After drinking some water to calm his nerves, Meng Yan finally told everyone the whole story of the "urgent matter": "I made a lot of notes in my dream, but I woke up before I could look at them, and now I can't remember any of them."
Before Li could utter any words of comfort, he swallowed them back, waved to everyone, and led them away, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
Meng Yan was momentarily stunned, then rolled over back onto the bed and fell asleep again.
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