Bonfire and Nighttime Conversations: The Weapon That Was Healed
Dania squatted beside the barbecue grill, holding an empty bamboo skewer.
"Xiao Yu, that one's bubbling."
Zhou Yu used tongs to pick up an oyster, moved it to a spot where the fire was burning brightly, and scooped a spoonful of garlic sauce onto it. The sauce dripped into the charcoal fire, making two crackling sounds.
"Wait another half minute, or you'll get an upset stomach if it's not cooked."
Dania stared at the oysters on the wire mesh, a gurgling sound coming from her throat.
Zhou Yu placed the grilled oysters into a foil plate and pushed it in front of her.
"Blow."
Dania tossed aside the bamboo skewer, picked up the plate, blew on it twice, and then poured the oyster meat and garlic sauce into her mouth. She was so hot she held it in her mouth, afraid to swallow; her cheeks puffed out, and her lips were covered in oil.
Linnai peeked out from the side, and the empty plate almost poked Zhou Yu's hand.
"Zhou Yu, where's mine? I've been waiting in line for ages!"
Sigelica reached out and slapped her plate away.
"Queue."
Why is she always number one?
"Because she's the boss's wife."
Linnai took the plate back, turned around and shouted into the distance, "Chisaki, can you do something about this? How many calories did she exceed her limit tonight?"
Chisaki tapped a few times on the tablet, the lens reflecting the firelight.
"Her current calorie intake exceeds the recommended amount by 400%. Her heart rate is normal, and her digestive efficiency is very high. Biologically speaking, she could eat another ten oysters."
Dania nodded vigorously immediately.
Linnai placed the empty plate face down on her knees and accepted it.
"Whose side are you on anyway?"
"The data is here."
Zhou Yu ignored them, picked up a brush and brushed sauce onto a row of squid. The squid tentacles curled up on the wire mesh, he flipped them over, sprinkled chili powder and cumin, took out three grilled skewers, and walked towards the reef two meters away.
Chisa sat there, her long sword resting across her lap, her right hand still on the hilt.
Zhou Yu handed over the still-steaming squid.
Chisa didn't answer.
"I'm on duty."
"You need to eat even when you're on duty." Zhou Yu tapped her hand with the end of a bamboo skewer. "If you haven't eaten for three days, you'll be 0.3 seconds slower at drawing your knife. Don't try to tough it out when it comes to food."
Chisa looked down at the three strings of squid, paused for a few seconds, then released the knife handle and took them.
She ate slowly, but without delay. Three minutes later, all three bamboo skewers were empty.
She neatly arranged the blank slips next to the rocks, then placed her right hand back on the knife handle.
Linnai pulled out a wooden guitar from somewhere and randomly strummed a few off-key notes.
Aimis sat beside him, resting her chin on her hand and humming along. The melody, devoid of lyrics, was carried away by the sea breeze. On the third hum, she finally spoke.
"It's magic when snowflakes could cling, Like powdered stardust on your skin, glistening..."
Linnai paused for a moment, then muttered under her breath, "Don't look at me, I just got to the sheet music."
She pressed the chords again, this time much more steadily, and the sound of the waves joined in.
Dania stopped chewing, her mouth still stuffed with half an oyster. Sigelica gripped the can on her lap, while Chisaki's fingers hovered over the tablet screen.
"Soaring like the paper plane we dreamed, Coasting through the trails we paved..."
Zhou Yu stood behind the barbecue grill, the iron tongs hovering in mid-air.
"Carry the torch for me and spread your wings, I will cast a glow up from your sky, Your ever-guiding light."
Chisa sat on the reef, the sea breeze ruffling her white hair. The singing entered her ears, and her fingers tightened on the hilt of her knife.
"Names of greats that make history, Cave in time to fade away, memories..."
Even the most resounding names will be worn away by time.
"But I won't let it faze me, 'Cause I don't pine for what's to be of me."
Chisa looked down and saw an empty orange soda bottle at her feet. Foam still clung to the bottle's opening, illuminated by the firelight.
She never expected to be remembered by anyone.
Aimis's voice rose, and Linnai's guitar playing followed suit.
"It grows, and grows, and most of all, So alive and bursting with, Colors all blossoming."
Sigelica closed her eyes. The expired compressed biscuits at the Lahai-Roi Defense Line, the will that had to be revised every night, were all suppressed by this song.
She never imagined she would be able to sit on a beach in the South Sea and listen to music.
"The end's another new beginning ahead."
Dania swallowed the oyster in her mouth with force, coughed half a sound, and then quickly hugged the foil plate in front of her, muttering softly.
There's always another meal.
Zhou Yu reminded her through the barbecue grill, "Don't hug too tightly, the plate is hot."
Aimis looked up and gazed across the campfire at Chisa on the reef. Chisa also looked up.
"I wanna believe, It's what keeps my wish afloat, I hope you know."
The guitar music softened, Aimis took a breath, and finished singing the last verse.
"Fly 'til frost turns to spring, Carry the torch for me and spread your wings, I will cast a glow up from your sky, Your ever-guiding light."
The last chord fell, mingling with the sound of the waves.
No one applauded.
Dania had fallen asleep against the barbecue grill, with garlic still dangling from her lips.
Sigelica opened her eyes, tilted her head back and finished the last sip of her drink in the can, then squeezed the can flat with her fingers.
"It sounds nice."
Her voice was a little hoarse.
Linnai put down her guitar and took a tissue to wipe her eyes.
"I didn't cry."
Sigelica replied, "Nobody asked you."
"It's from the sea breeze."
"Okay, Haifeng's pretty busy tonight."
Chisaki didn't say anything, but flipped the tablet over and placed it face down on her lap. Before the screen went black, an audio file named "Paper Airplane" was successfully saved.
Zhou Yu threw the tongs into the bucket and turned to look at the reef.
Chisa was still sitting there. The knife had been moved from her lap at some point and was now lying flat beside her. Her right hand was resting on her knee, and her shoulders were relaxed.
Zhou Yu didn't go over; instead, she took a bottle of orange soda from the refrigerator, pried it open, and took a sip herself.
Add a team building activity to the schedule.
Sigelica tilted her head. "What team building?"
"Every Friday night, barbecue and karaoke on the South Sea beach."
Linnai immediately looked up. "Is it paid?"
"No."
"Then I won't..."
"Enough ingredients."
Linnai swallowed the rest of her sentence and hugged the guitar tightly.
"Okay, I'll keep the guitar."
The campfire crackled.
Zhou Yu carried the sleeping Dania on his back, slippers crunching on the sand, and walked step by step toward the hotel.
Chisa waited until that figure entered the hotel before lowering her head to look at the empty orange soda bottle at her feet.
She reached out and straightened the bottle, making sure it stood firmly on the sand.
Then, she gripped the knife handle again.
However, instead of placing the knife across her lap, she held it upright at her side with her hand behind her back.
The tip of the knife pierced the sand.
The blade flashed briefly in the campfire.