Ruan Rou's death did not cause much of a stir. It was merely an ordinary traffic accident.
A few sighs and a few curses aimed at the unscrupulous driver were the extent of the ripples it caused.
But compared with everyone else who had heard the news, Xiao Xiao naturally felt it more deeply.
He should have had the chance to save that girl.
That thought kept circling through his mind, leaving him tossing and turning at night, a faint weariness and gloom gathering between his brows.
He had discovered the monster possessing the girl. He had even fought it.
But that only made his current frustration and unwillingness to accept things worse.
The threads of guilt clung to him like maggots gnawing at his bones. Rationally, Xiao Xiao knew that even if he had encountered some fortuitous opportunities, even if his body had undergone some changes, he had not become Superman. He was still an ordinary person. Other than accepting this outcome, he had no choice. He had to admit that he was helpless and powerless.
But emotionally, the negative feelings still inevitably left his limbs cold and gave him a suffocating feeling in his heart.
It was an impossible-to-release feeling that pressed down on him unbearably.
He knew he had backed himself into a dead end.
Even knowing that, he could not break free from this state for the time being.
This had been a living, breathing human life!
"Third Brother, what's wrong with you these past few days? Did something happen?" Zhao Luzheng asked, his face full of concern.
"Yeah, Third Brother, you've practically become a gloomy shut-in these past few days. Come on, tell your big brother about it. I'll talk you through it." Zhuge Yun slung an arm around Xiao Xiao's shoulders, quite like an elder trying to have a heart-to-heart talk. Unfortunately, his overly exaggerated expression only made him seem unreliable.
"Did some idiot bully you, Third Brother? Who's got that much nerve? Does he not want to live anymore?" Eldest Brother bumped his fists together, looking ready for a fight. His tall, sturdy build was rather intimidating.
Xiao Xiao was both amused and touched.
"I'm fine."
"I just haven't been able to figure some things out lately."
"Hm? Have you figured them out now?"
"I have."
Xiao Xiao smiled, the gloom between his brows dispersing and leaving behind only clear brightness.
He had never been someone who was harsh on himself. These past few days of torment were enough.
He had never liked sighing over spring and autumn or blaming heaven and earth.
Things had already come to this. Thinking about it any more would not help.
He had always believed in one saying: when successful, benefit the world; when poor, cultivate oneself.
All he could do was fulfill his duty and leave the rest to fate.
In November, there was one place in Yanjing that one absolutely had to visit: Xiangshan Park in the Western Suburbs.
At that time of year, the red maples covered Fragrant Hills as far as the eye could see, brilliant as the morning glow and blazing like fire, dyeing half the sky red.
Walking along the mountain path and looking out, every layer of forest was painted with color, and the frost-covered leaves were redder than the flowers of February.
It was the weekend, and it was maple-viewing season once again. Even though dawn had barely broken and the chill had not yet faded from the air, Xiangshan Park was already packed with visitors, shoulder to shoulder.
Though such a scene took away some of the maple forest's tranquil charm, it had its own lively and festive appeal.
Xiao Xiao was a Yanjing native. Ever since his parents had first brought him to Fragrant Hills, he had fallen in love with the red maples here.
Every year afterward, he would come to Fragrant Hills to admire the maples.
When Zhang Bo, Zhuge Yun, and Zhao Luzheng—none of them Yanjing natives—heard that he was coming to Fragrant Hills this time, they eagerly joined him.
They had long admired Xiangshan's red maples as well.
At that moment, the maple forest was like a sea. Standing within it, they felt dazzled and entranced; their eyes and hearts were filled with brilliant red.
Even though he had come many times, Xiao Xiao still found the view before him pleasing to the eye. His steps unconsciously slowed as he admired it carefully.
Maple leaves had outlines distinct from those of ordinary leaves, exquisitely delicate.
They always made it easy for people to think of the word "beautiful."
Unlike beautiful flowers, beautiful maple leaves possessed a uniquely pure and elegant beauty. Even with such vivid red coloring, they held not a trace of worldly vulgarity. Instead, they revealed a few hints of the sharp, rugged beauty of a cold mountain landscape.
Hm? Xiao Xiao's relaxed brows suddenly twitched.
What was that?
The Maple Tree before him had grown exceptionally well. Layer upon layer of maple leaves covered its crisscrossing branches, a mixture of deep and pale reds.
But what the hell was that tail-like thing, hanging in front of him in a color belonging to the same spectrum as the maple leaves?
Xiao Xiao almost reached out and grabbed it on instinct.
Xiao Xiao raised his head and narrowed his eyes slightly, spotting a cyan beak.
A spot of green amid a sea of red—it could not have been more eye-catching.
Xiao Xiao studied the branches and leaves for a while before finally seeing the full form of the unknown creature.
Uh, was it some kind of... pheasant?
Its entire body was as red as a crimson maple, with only its beak being cyan. A tail clearly several times longer than its body hung down lazily, swaying lightly with an air of indifference.
It was a very beautiful creature.
Xiao Xiao stared blankly at the bird perched on the branch.
The other party seemed to sense something. In an instant, before Xiao Xiao could react, he found himself staring into a pair of round, beady black eyes.
Strange. It's rare for a monster's eyes not to be red. Xiao Xiao thought blankly, locking gazes with those beady black eyes as the air froze for a moment.
Clearly, this was another monster.
The aura of monsters had grown increasingly familiar to Xiao Xiao.
And he was already nearly numb to encountering all kinds of monsters in his daily life.
Still, even though they were both birds, this one was much easier on the eyes than Qin Yuan. Moreover, Xiao Xiao sniffed lightly and found no unpleasant odor. Perhaps because it was in a maple forest, he felt that this monster also carried the clean, crisp, pleasant fragrance of maple leaves.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?" Zhang Bo, who had been walking with his head down, happened to look back and noticed that something was off with Third Brother. He followed Third Brother's raised gaze upward, but naturally saw nothing except maple leaves. He could not help wondering: Aren't they just maple leaves?
Zhuge Yun walked several steps straight to Xiao Xiao's side. He practically strained his neck out of its socket, yet still could not tell what Xiao Xiao had been staring at so intently.
"Isn't there nothing there?"
"Third Brother, confess and receive leniency; resist and face severity. What were you looking at just now?" Zhuge Yun asked while continuing to look around, still unwilling to give up.
"Third Brother, are you tired?" Zhao Luzheng was not surprised by Xiao Xiao staring blankly. Wasn't he merely staring at a tree? It was no big deal at all.
"Ah, I'm fine." Xiao Xiao withdrew his gaze, which had been fixed on the unknown creature. His eyes swept lightly over that long, brilliantly red tail before turning toward Zhang Bo and the others.
"I just thought this Maple Tree was especially beautiful."
"Really?"
"I think they all look about the same."
"Is this one really especially beautiful?"
Xiao Xiao smiled without answering. There was no need to argue; it had only been an excuse.
Before you continue