Fantasy Clock～Dream Ruler～

7

When we left in the direction we came from, we could no longer find the girl. It really comes and goes without a trace.

I wondered if there was a secret passage nearby that we hadn't discovered, and tried to explain the girl's existence in a reasonable way. Xia Yinci, on the other hand, likes to think things in an unrealistic direction, and starts to speculate about the girl's identity with ghosts, ghosts and the like.

Can't stop her. I had no choice but to tease her with words like "Forgive this world. The current level of technology can't bear the thought of a genius like you", which was just a joke, and finally suspended her whimsy.

After a while we walked back to the trunk that had brought us down. When I was worrying about how to climb up, I was pleasantly surprised to find a rope of more than enough length, hanging just above the entrance of the cave, as if someone deliberately made it hang by our feet.

I clearly remember that I didn't have this rope just now, and thinking about it, it could only be the help of that girl. Although I don't know how she managed to disappear in front of us within a second, and how she tied a rope silently and threw it down the whole time.

"Could it really be a ghost?"

I muttered softly, and glanced at Xia Yinci behind me, only to see Xia Yinci, who was facing away from me, put something into a small transparent bottle, and then carefully hid it in my schoolbag.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh? I can't go back empty-handed, can I?"

Xia Yinci explained it as a matter of course, lightly carried her schoolbag on one shoulder, and gave me her iconic smile.

"Let's go, let's eat a big meal!"

"Before you say that...do you try to climb up?"

"Tch. I'm so sorry."

She pouted and gave me an unhappy look. It's unbelievable that my kind care for her should be rewarded like this.

I watched her go to the rope, and she eagerly grasped the rope, which seemed to be true, but this illusion was immediately shattered by her clumsy jumping from the spot. Of course it didn't work out. Then she seemed to be competing with herself, and tried a few more times, all of which ended in failure without exception. She fiddled with it without any progress for a long time, and finally turned around aggrieved.

"Isn't it good to ask me for help earlier... I'll support you below, come on."

It's not that I'm mean. But if I help her before she asks me for help, maybe I will get her rejection. Her personality is completely different from her appearance and stubbornness. So it's better to let her have enough of the cruelty of reality.

Finally gaining the upper hand, I walked behind Xia Yinci expressionlessly. Who knew that even so, she still encountered difficulties and couldn't climb up no matter what.

"I said, so who the hell is lacking in exercise..."

In fact, the distance from the ground is not very high. As long as you climb up a little bit along the rope, you will definitely be able to go up with both hands and feet. Although it seems a bit embarrassing, the most difficult thing is actually the first step.

"You'd better come down... This time I will go up first, and I will just pull you up."

I'm afraid there won't be any progress if the stalemate persists, and my hands are sore from her going back and forth like this. Although Xia Yinci was not reconciled, she also knew that it was impossible for her to make a breakthrough, so she obediently retreated to the side and watched me go up.

"You look so embarrassed."

"Stop rambling... as long as you can climb it, I'm not a professional climber."

Intermediate processes are not important. In short, I managed to return to the ground. The field of vision suddenly widened, as if it was the next day.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to look at Xia Yinci at the bottom of the cave. Suddenly, he had the idea of ​​throwing her below and scaring her once. But thinking that she would definitely retaliate against me after she came out, I finally dismissed the idea.

"Come on. Pull you up."

I knelt down and took her outstretched arm. Fortunately, Xia Yinci was so light, it was not difficult to pull her up.

"Thank you."

Xia Yinci narrowed her eyes and tilted her head towards me. Then she took my arm and headed back the way I came.

Really. I didn't expect that she would jump up and down again as soon as she came up, she was afraid that I would leave her behind just now.

After walking a short distance, Xia Yinci turned around without warning and did not let go. While staring into my eyes, she stepped backwards, and the thin hair falling on her shoulders moved in a unique rhythm with her movements.

"Hey, why don't we just sleep here overnight?"

"Forgive me. Who wants to sleep in such a place with such a strong sense of cult? Maybe once you fall asleep, you won't wake up again."

"Hahahahahaha...that's exactly what I said." Xia Yinci smiled inexplicably, turned around with her hands behind her back, continued to walk forward, and whispered in a voice I couldn't hear clearly, "That's right...now is not the time yet."

"Huh? What did you say?"

I involuntarily quickened my pace and followed Xia Yinci to her right, her slender hair just covered her profile. Xia Yinci took a deep breath, and when she turned to look at me, her usual smile appeared on her face again.

"It's nothing. I'm just saying that there are some things that must be done at the right time. For example, researching the ruins of rumors without joking and leisurely, and sleeping in the same bed with you."

"It's not like you to talk so romantic all of a sudden. However, it's not appropriate to use sleeping together as an example? Didn't you often sleep in the same bed when you were young?"

"The meaning is different."

Xia Yinci occasionally stopped chatting with me, as if she had something on her mind. I also suddenly lost my mind about nonsense. I don't know what she is thinking at the moment, but I know why I fell silent all of a sudden.

may be. Probably because I accidentally mentioned "childhood".

It makes me feel puzzling. Obviously, it is easy to avoid these three words. I do this all the time.

Why did I suddenly bring it up today?

Sure enough, it was because of the illusory dream in the ruins—actually, I don’t know if it was a dream, but it really awakened something deep in my memory. Even I can't figure it out.

I can't remember what I saw there. Obviously not long ago. But I don't remember even a fragment.

Just like some dreams, once you wake up, you can't remember it no matter how you recall it.

8

afternoon.

Arrived home an hour earlier than usual school time. I thought it was okay to be idle, so I went into the kitchen once in a while to prepare today's dinner.

Although I am not as good as Su Huilin and my father when it comes to cooking, I am not completely ignorant.

When I was almost ready, seeing that it was still early, I went out to school.

These days, Su Huilin has been waiting very late after school every day. Although the dinner yesterday was said to be compensation for her, it was actually the restaurant she chose after seriously considering my financial ability, and she did not embarrass me.

so. I would really feel sorry for myself if I could write off the accounts for the past few days with just that dinner.

When I arrived at the school, it was already six or seven minutes after school, and the students coming and going were obviously not as crowded as the ones just after school. Su Huilin leaves more than ten minutes later than other students every time, so I don't have to worry about whether she has already returned home.

I staggered the people who came downstairs and went to the floor where the sophomore was. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder unexpectedly.

"Yo. It's really early."

The boy with a sunny smile is his classmate Chen Zekai. He laughed like a child playing a prank and took two steps back.

"Stop teasing me. I just want to stay in the classroom quietly."

"You're just showing off to me, right? Come pick up Su Erin?"

I nodded silently. Chen Zekai hesitated for a second, then raised half of his eyebrows in a proposing tone.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. Today is exclusively for the siblings."

"It's a dangerous sister-in-law declaration. As expected of you."

Chen Zekai teased me half-jokingly, put his elbow on my shoulder, and walked to the stairs happily.

"Then I won't bother you. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

The sophomore floor is just upstairs, and the air is not as quiet as the usual campus. I walked through the corner next to the drinking fountain with ease, and the dim yellow sunset cast soft and hazy light, and the dust floating in the air turned into light chips and danced.

For a moment, it felt like being in another world. Ordinary and accustomed scenes sometimes reveal such an unknown side.

Her classroom is getting closer. I moved my steps from side to side, and suddenly stopped in the same place involuntarily.

It's because of the faint singing voice. Soft yet full of strength.

It's like a rock singer who occasionally sings lyrical music, singing moving stories with a somewhat hoarse voice, which is so gentle that it is outrageous.

I looked at the front door of the classroom, and the girl's schoolbag came into view first accompanied by the singing. She locked the door, just as the song ended, and when she turned around, the raised corners of her mouth gradually softened. She didn't seem to expect that anyone would hear.

"Brother... when did you come?"

It is very rare for Su Huilin to speak without confidence like this. As a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, her lavender pupils began to flicker from side to side.

"It's a pity. I only heard the second half of the song. My mind was almost completely purified."

The cheeks were completely flushed. Su Huilin pursed her cherry-colored lips, and the movement of gently pinching the hem of the skirt seemed particularly aggrieved.

"Didn't you say you didn't come to school! You, why are you like this...?"

"What's wrong with me..."

I have never seen Su Huilin in this state. For the first time, I knew that she also had such a shy side. I was also a little overwhelmed by her unexpected reaction. For a moment, I only knew that I was stuck in place, and I couldn't help being messed up in the wind.

"Hmm... Brother, you... Ugh..."

Su Erin muttered and covered her blushing face, and ran her slender fingers through the golden hair on her forehead.

Even she will have very, very embarrassing things. When I finally came to my senses, I quickly apologized to her.

9

On the way to school. Su Huilin and I kept silent tacitly. I'm waiting for her to recover from this embarrassing moment. It was the first time in my life that she was so annoyed that she didn't even dare to talk to me.

"I thought it was just me..."

When approaching the school gate, Su Erin broke the silence with a pitifully small voice.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"I know... But, it's fine if it's normal. But when I sang this song, I was overheard by my brother."

"Ah? What do you mean? What's the special meaning of that song you sang?"

I can't help but get confused again. There is nothing special about the melody she hums, why can't I hear it?

Unexpectedly, Su Huilin frowned after seeing my reaction. She slightly parted her cherry lips, looking a little surprised.

"Bro, don't you know what song that is?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you."

For a moment, Su Huilin's expression showed mixed feelings, and she breathed a sigh of relief as if she had uncovered a deep misunderstanding.

Afterwards I found out that the melody she was humming was the theme song of a well-known animation. It was a song recommended to her by her friend. At first she didn't know what the friend's intention was and what was special about the song, until she found the name of this animation.

Um. That anime is called "My Sister Can't Be This Cute".

"Ah... nothing special. Don't ask me, bro."

I vaguely guessed that the reason for her embarrassment was actually related to the song itself, not because I heard the singing.

To be honest, I feel very lucky. If she's ashamed of being overheard singing, then my advice to her to go on stage yesterday is tantamount to forcing her to do something that she resents and even fears. Fortunately not.

"Then don't ask. Speaking of which, how did you think about yesterday's suggestion?"

Su Huilin hesitated for a while, then slowly raised her head. It seems that after a day of consideration there is already an answer.

"Today in rehearsal I sat in the auditorium and watched Yuba's performance. I knew that I might want to stand with them from the bottom of my heart, but at the same time I also found that those who stood on the stage were doing it for everyone. Performance."

She looked at me briefly, then looked away. I didn't interrupt. Listen quietly to her as she speaks her mind.

"What about me. I just tell the story to one person. It's like I only sing for one person in the whole world. If I want to take care of all people and sing for all people, I can't do it now. So, in the future Let’s wait until later.”

After finishing speaking, Su Erin's shoulders relaxed, as if she let down her tense breath.

"That's right. I understand your thoughts." I couldn't help but let out a long breath, and the corners of my mouth couldn't help curling up, "Well, go home. I've worked hard for you today, so let's try my handicraft tonight."

"Speak like I'm a five-star chef. I'm very strict about what I eat."

Su Huilin looked at the burning sky, habitually folded her hands behind her back. Her transparent and clear eyes reflected a rare unadorned pleasure. The soft light hit her long golden hair, which was not as warm as her usual.

That night. Passing by Su Erin's room, I heard her humming a tune I had never heard before. I've always walked away sensibly in the past, and I'm not going to make an exception this time. But as soon as I took a step, I remembered what she said at dusk.

I couldn't help but stop. Make an exception today. So I went quietly to her door and sat down against the wall. Under her gentle voice, the touching melody seems to express her gratitude from the bottom of her heart, and she seems to rejoice in the birth of someone in this world.

She was singing for me alone—I had the illusion for a moment. It's like she's sitting on the edge of my bed, saying a heartwarming goodnight story.

Everyone tried their best to sing for the whole world, but she only sang for one person.

No matter what other people think. At least I think she's great like this. Much better than standing on stage.

That's fine. Let's do that when she wants to sing to more people.

At this moment, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang. I suddenly recovered from my trance, stood up in a panic, and quickly took out my phone to turn off the sound. But the singing in the room showed no sign of breaking off. I was relieved, luckily she didn't catch me eavesdropping. I wondered who almost got me discovered. It turned out to be Xia Yinci's news.

"Thanks for your hard work—! You're not too tired to fall asleep, are you? You need to exercise more! (*￣︶￣) Anyway, thank you for accompanying me today! Is the hot pot full? It's a pity that I didn't taste the tilapia, I must try it next time! It’s not my treat, you have to accompany me~”

strangeness. Who struggled against a rope for a long time today, and finally waited for someone to hug her up?

Having said that, Xia Yinci still invited guests for lunch. I originally planned to pay my share of the money, but Xia Yinci insisted on refusing, insisting that this was an agreed upon matter and I cannot go back on my word. In the end, I still had nothing to do with her, so I had to pay her back later.

Having said that, I don't want Xia Yinci to think that I will be at her mercy. So I deliberately replied in a reluctant tone, "I didn't fall asleep, and I didn't say I would accompany you next time. See you tomorrow." But after writing these, I fell into hesitation again.

I want to tell her that today is actually quite happy, but I feel that it is too direct. It's not embarrassing. After thinking about it, I added another sentence, "But I ate a lot today. I am very satisfied." Don't expect her to understand me either. So I pressed send with peace of mind.

It would have been nice if it had been a little more direct, a little more frank.

Afterwards, I found that I couldn't pay Xia Yinci back the money for the meal in the end. I also haven't waited for the day when Su Erin is willing to sing to more people. That was a fact that I understood a long, long time later for me, but actually not that long ago.

Later, I was often dragged to unexpected places by Xia Yinci. It was still like this later, it seemed that she always wanted something from me, but it turned out that I owed her a lot of things that I had no chance to repay. Even later, we did many things that we thought we would never have the chance to do.

Later, I still passed by Su Huilin's room frequently, and made exceptions several times. Occasionally, I will learn more about her unknown side, and then think that besides the shyness that day, she has so many cute reactions that I have not seen. Then I found out that she had also contributed a cover song on the website.

It was dusk. In the ward, only the sound of the drip bottle came to her ears clearly and cruelly, as if it was a reflection of her heartbeat.

My sight was erratic, wandering between my trembling palm and the sleeping girl on the hospital bed.

I took out the earphones that were tangled in my pocket and plugged in my phone, stuffing them in my ears to cut off the entanglement of the IV bottle. Playing the song whose title I never knew, the familiar melody depicted the past scene in front of my eyes, which made me smile wryly.

"Happy birthday to myself! This year I sang an old healing song that I have liked for a long time, and I invited Rin to sing with me for the birthday song! The little angel Rin'er is super cute!! Super happy today!! I like it very much!! I hope you all like it all!!"

The video is not released under the name of Su Huilin. It was submitted by her former friend.

That day. The first time I made an exception to eavesdrop on her singing. All I heard was this song. But I always feel that there is a subtle difference from what I heard that day, and there is something different. The vision became colorful again, and I was once again interested in things in this world.

Thumbs swipe the screen as if spontaneously, scrolling through the information about this submission.

The release time of this submission was that morning, which means that when I was standing at the door that night, what I heard was the version that Su Huilin sang along with the accompaniment again. Or maybe she hummed unconsciously while listening to her morning contribution.

Maybe it's her habit. But I didn't stop there when I found the answer, as if I was afraid that my world would turn gray again.

I want to continue to pursue it, but I can't start. I had to swipe my thumb to the right to bring up the comment page for the video.

"Happy birthday to the second cutest Yuba in the world ~ I wish you a better and better singing in the new year!!"

Su Erin's comment was set to the top, and it has not been revoked until now. Thanks to this I got her account number. I couldn't help but touch her profile picture, so I accidentally found another contribution published in her name on her homepage——

It's the same song.

"This time it's a solo~ I found out that someone was hiding outside the room and eavesdropping. But I didn't expose him. I didn't mean to let him go. When he sees this submission someday in the future, he should think of it for a while. Bar."

"You~ heh heh. Please apologize to me when the time comes!"