21. Fu Hua Takes a Critical Hit

Lin Xinchán continued to pour out her grievances while simultaneously beginning to indulge in beautiful fantasies:

"So, rather than going to the front lines as a lowly soldier, I'd rather learn something here and then come out. I can't stay in the military region forever, can I? I can't stand that."

Fu Hua responded:

"But what can you do with what you learn inside outside?"

Lin Xinchán said guiltily:

"To fly private jets for people?"

The girl retorted upon hearing this:

"I don't know anything about this, but is it really a good fit?"

Lin Xinchán shook the milk tea, leaned on the table, stared at the swaying liquid and tapioca pearls, and sighed:

"It probably won't work, right? But even if I keep complaining, it's still better than staying here forever."

"After all, we're no different from the tapioca pearls in bubble tea; we just wobble and fall over with a mere shake in someone else's hand, completely out of our control."

"So even though my parents were heartbroken that I had to spend so much time in that kind of place, they still made this choice because they had no other option."

"At least this way I'll have some security in the future, so I won't end up homeless for no reason."

Fu Hua remained silent. The changes in the city had affected every aspect of every household, and it wasn't just her and Lin Xinchán who were troubled by it; many more people were also experiencing this.

This kind of topic had been discussed countless times in her junior high school class group chat.

From solutions to the future, from the present to the future, there are countless options, both good and bad.

The girl had secretly read all the chat history in the group before, and had remained silent ever since.

Although she had decided to study in Canghai City for the next three years, she had no plans for what to do afterward. Compared to the constructive words and dreams about the future of some of her classmates, she seemed too hesitant and stagnant.

Fu Hua knew her family's financial situation; the assets her father had invested in sending her to study in Canghai City were far too high compared to their previous ordinary income.

Even considering the high price the martial arts school's land sold for and a series of seemingly insignificant policy benefits, Fu Hua couldn't help but worry about the fact that the family of three were all unemployed.

In the midst of her worries, she also felt a pang of guilt for her aimless and confused state of mind.

Even though her father smiled and said that there was nothing wrong with taking things step by step, Fu Hua couldn't help but be affected by the restless and gloomy atmosphere around her, which made her feel a bit down lately.

And now, her only friend, whom she's even remotely familiar with, is going in a completely different direction, leaving her for a very long time...

She lowered her eyelashes, staring blankly for a long while, until the girl opposite her sensed something was wrong, then whispered:

"... Does that mean I won't be able to see Xin Chan for a long time?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xinchán was momentarily lost in thought as he gazed at her refined and otherworldly features. The sudden dimming of her eyes resembled the fading starlight, making the darkness of the night seem even more profound and evoking a sense of shared sorrow.

Seriously... why was she born so beautiful?

The usually quick-witted Lin Xinchán suddenly began to complain that her words hadn't been tactful enough, as if afraid that the person in front of her would be sad for a little longer. So she hurriedly grabbed Fu Hua's hand and immediately interrupted the other person's attention.

Su Qing'an's gaze suddenly turned deep and somber, but he continued to drink his tea silently without saying a word.

As Fu Hua froze, Lin Xinchán, sensing the warmth of the other's hand, also felt strangely uncomfortable. Ignoring her slightly flushed face, she said:

"It's okay, I can send Hua emails regularly."

"Besides, it's not like I've been sentenced to life imprisonment and can't get out. What's there to feel disappointed about?"

Without waiting for a reply, she sighed and continued:

"But then again, Hua, your personality is too wooden. We've known each other for so long, yet you're still hesitant to even reach out to me. How are you going to make friends in Canghai City like this?"

"If my master hadn't told me to come find you, would you have waited until I was almost inside before secretly sending me a message?"

"Then, when I don't reply, I feel disappointed. After that, I become withdrawn. And because I'm withdrawn, I can't make any friends. So, what should have been a rosy campus life is all ruined."

Fu Hua was completely unable to refute; she could only stare at the other person with increasingly "fierce" eyes to show that she was protesting.

Oh my god, she's so cute.

Faced with such a gaze, Lin Xinchán could only obediently shut her mouth. But then she looked at Su Qing'an, who had remained silent, and after scrutinizing his appearance for a while, she quietly leaned close to Fu Hua's ear and whispered with a soft laugh:

"However, it seems you already have someone by your side, so perhaps I should take back what I said and celebrate the official start of your youth ahead of time?"

She glanced at the little girl's face, which turned bright red visibly after hearing this, and couldn't help but laugh as she lowered her voice and continued:

"Is he as quiet as you, the kind of aloof yet warm-hearted, ascetic pretty boy? Hua's tastes are surprisingly easy to understand?"

Fu Hua instinctively reached out to cover her mouth, but she suppressed her embarrassment and anger, letting out an even softer sound:

"Xin Chan! Su Qing'an is still right here!"

She said guiltily:

"And... what other preferences do you have? Don't talk nonsense."

To prevent the other party from getting so angry that she put herself in a gag mode, Lin Xinchán decided to stop while she was ahead and planned to continue teasing her by sending her messages after she got home.

Okay, I understand.

Fu Hua breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced furtively at Su Qing'an, wondering if he had noticed what was happening.

Although the sound was very soft, at this distance, if Master Su wanted, he could clearly hear it.

Fortunately, Su Qing'an was gazing thoughtfully at the ginkgo tree outside the window, his eyes filled with the dazzling golden light under the clear sunlight, as if he hadn't noticed this place at all, lost in a daze.

Unbeknownst to anyone, when the girl looked away, the corners of the boy's lips unconsciously turned up slightly.

Hua, so cute.

The time for parting will eventually come. According to Lin Xinchán herself, she will be heading to another city the day after tomorrow to face a long and new life.

For Fu Hua, this was a farewell to her childhood playmates, who are now friends.

She might feel lost and lonely in the future, but at the moment of parting, she still smiled and waved goodbye earnestly.

For Lin Xinchán herself, this trip was undoubtedly filled with more confusion and loneliness. The unknown experiences and long separation seemed too overwhelming for a girl of her age, and the small constraints were enough to make her complain endlessly.

For example, after the little girl shook her milk tea with her ten fingers, which were adorned with beautiful nail polish, she indicated that these things would definitely be far away from her for a while. There was a hint of loneliness and reluctance on her face.

She immediately shook off these emotions, saying that she wanted Fu Hua to experience the joy of youth for her. Finally, she subtly locked her gaze on Su Qing'an next to Fu Hua, clearly indicating that this person knew everything from the beginning.

But unlike the complex emotions of the two people, which were confined to pale gray, Su Qing'an's mood was a dark, sunless place submerged in darkness.

The existence of Honkai will eventually wash away these seemingly troublesome things into especially precious memories.

Just as he couldn't save Fu Xiuran, he also couldn't change the future Lin Xinchán had planned.

This girl, who looks exactly like that student from the St. Freya Academy, was a rare friend of Fu Hua 55,000 years ago.

Recalling their occasional interactions and casual encounters at school, Su Qing'an couldn't help but marvel at the strangeness of time.

Did Fu Hua have already forgotten this memory at that time, or did she feel that the two were completely different beings, so there was no need to treat them specially?

He probably hasn't found the answer yet.

However... perhaps there really is reincarnation in this world, and the Lin Xinchán in front of us also possesses the qualities to resist the Honkai Energy environment.

Therefore, there may be another opportunity to talk about it in the future.

And that's really how the future will be...

Su Qing'an glanced at the girl who had been silent and seemed a little downcast, and thought to herself.

Then Hua won't be so sad, right?

After the two of them entered the market together and completed their daily killing spree, it was already five o'clock.

The autumn twilight seemed more magnificent than ever before, the light piercing through the thick, ocean-like clouds and falling onto the golden avenue paved with ginkgo leaves, making the atmosphere even more dreamlike.

Su Qing'an, carrying two bags of vegetables, gazed into the distance at the colorful sea of clouds. He initiated a conversation:

"It's already November."

The girl plucked a fallen ginkgo leaf in the wind, held it up to the light, and looked at its clear veins. She murmured helplessly:

"It's already mid-November, Su Qing'an. Don't you think it's a bit late to be saying this now?"

But then, as if remembering something, she looked at the empty sky and said seriously:

"Oh right, I read in a book before that migratory birds used to arrive this month, but it seems like we don't see them much anymore."

"If migratory birds were to actually fly across the sky, it would look beautiful against the backdrop of this scene."

Even during this particular period of estrangement, Fu Hua still chose to respond seriously to the boy's words, clearly showing that her personality is very easy to manipulate.

When she talked about migratory birds, her eyes seemed to sparkle, showing that she really loves small animals.

Yes.

At this time, Fu Hua was just an ordinary young girl.

Like other girls her age, she loves animals and fairy tales. She hopes to have good friends but is also afraid of being alone. She will try her best to do something but also thinks about being lazy sometimes. At the same time, she also has the confusion and troubles of adolescence.

The girl wandered aimlessly at a turning point in her life; assuming things hadn't Honkai, her future was full of infinite possibilities.

Now, she's like a silly deer wandering around in circles in the forest, cute but with a hint of stubbornness.

But no matter what form Fu Hua, he will love her with the same feelings; the boy's heart remains as pure as a clear blue sky.

Su Qing'an looked up at the distant horizon and said:

"I've seen sunsets with migratory birds flying by, but they weren't what Hua imagined; they weren't as beautiful."

Before the girl could choose to refute or respond, the boy continued to speak.

"Because it's being watched by one person."

"I don't know why, but I always feel that when I'm looking at scenery alone, the more beautiful the scenery, the easier it is to feel lonely."

As the boy spoke, his tone was like that of someone reciting a lullaby. His soft murmur tickled the girl's ear, and his gaze, which had been drifting into the distance, turned to her intently. He whispered:

"So it's so good to have Hua by my side. The sunset we see together is beautiful enough; we don't need migratory birds to add to it."

Those clear, black and white eyes involuntarily reminded Fu Hua of the quietude of an ancient village after the autumn harvest, a return to tranquility untouched by crowds—so desolate and lonely.

But when it looks at itself, it is like snow melting in spring, showing an incredible warmth and gentleness.

Fu Hua was stunned. Her heart began to pound like a drumbeat in her ears, and the sound of her blood flowing was crystal clear at that moment.

The boy's face, made even more handsome by the radiance of the setting sun, the words he uttered, and his incredibly gentle gaze all made the girl's exquisite face appear even more radiant and beautiful in the magnificent twilight.

It looks adorably rosy.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, and my mind was in a daze.

Girls these days only have one thought in their minds.

That damn straight ball.

Master Su is committing a foul!

He was usually such a reserved and introverted person, even his speech was brief and subdued, yet strangely at this inexplicable moment, he revealed a heartfelt and honest confession that made people blush.

The drastic difference between these two factors has resulted in the terrifying destructive power we see today.

How am I supposed to respond to this?!

Su Qing'an is a bad person!

The lingering jealousy had long since vanished. The girl's eyes were hazy and misty, as if she were drunk. As Su Qing'an took a few steps forward, she subconsciously and carefully took the same number of steps back.

From an outsider's perspective, it's incredibly interesting.

"What are you hiding from?" The other person's questioning voice reached her ears, and then that face was close to hers. The girl subconsciously closed her eyes, her moist lips trembling slightly, then pressing tightly together as if she had thought of something.

Then, the sensation of a hand brushing across her head made her instinctively open her eyes.

Su Qing'an glanced at the leaf in her hand and said:

"I got it for you."

The girl looked at the ginkgo leaf in the boy's hand, and took a deep breath, whether out of disappointment or relief, to calm her racing heart.

She gently rubbed the soft ground made of ginkgo leaves with her little leather shoes, and said in a barely audible, soft voice:

"Master Su is an idiot."

In the late autumn, as winter was approaching, even the cool breeze could not calm the girl's flushed, adorable face.

At least for now, everything is still relatively gentle.