NIP #594 - Flower Dew
#594 - Flower Dew
“Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh!” Hana-tsuyu suddenly burst out a string of meaningless syllables, cupping her cheeks with both hands, her fair face instantly flushed with a blush. Her bright eyes sparkled with excitement, looking like a young girl just experiencing her first love.
“Response complete!” Tang Yin couldn't help but chuckle, then turned to Qian Jin, who was next to him with a helpless expression. “Speaking of which, Senior Qian Jin, was that a Qian Jin-style retort just now!” He deliberately imitated the other's tone from earlier.
“Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh?” Hana-tsuyu tilted her head, making a questioning sound, her innocent and charming appearance making everyone present couldn't help but smile.
Qian Jin frowned, and said with a serious face: “Don't make fun of the elders of Baifeng Village!” His tone carried some annoyance, but more than that, it was helplessness.
“Sister, you're so weird!” Xiao Mie stood next to Hana-tsuyu, looking at her sister with her clear big eyes in confusion. The sunlight shone through the window onto her hair, reflecting a faint golden color.
Qin Ming leaned against the wall, observing this scene with interest: “Amazing, it's like they're performing a crosstalk.” His gaze shifted back and forth between Tang Yin and Hana-tsuyu, a faint smile on his lips.
“What a weirdo.” Zhao Gang shook his head, but there was no malice in his tone.
Chen Xiang stood behind the counter of the cafeteria, watching all of this gently: “Tang Yin is really an interesting person.” Her voice was soft, with a hint of appreciation.
“Sister Chen Xiang, how's this expression?” Zhao Gang suddenly put on a funny face.
“Very interesting, Zhao Gang.” Chen Xiang responded with a light laugh.
“I can't stand being around such uncultured people!” Qian Jin suddenly snorted coldly and turned to leave the cafeteria. His footsteps tapped out a string of angry rhythms on the floor. Zhao Gang hesitated for a moment, then followed him out. Tang Yin watched their backs, thinking to himself: Theoretically, there shouldn't be a second victim so soon, right?
Suddenly, an important detail flashed in Tang Yin's mind. During the last Yellow Springs Feast, the deaths of Tong Xiaoliang and Grandpa Wolf should not have been caused by contamination. Among the suspects at that time, are there any near the cafeteria now? Tang Yin stopped himself from thinking further. Whoever it is, if it's for the sake of pursuing the truth, then don't delve into it for now.
He decided to change his mood. At this moment, Hana-tsuyu was already exhausted from the previous series of “Ooooh, Aoooohs” and slumped in her chair. Tang Yin walked over and sat down next to her. The sunlight shone through the glass window onto the two of them, casting a long shadow on the floor.
“Brother Tang Yin!” Xiao Mie's voice was clear and melodious, like the chirping of birds in the morning.
“Ah, Xiao Mie, can I borrow your sister for a little while?” Tang Yin asked gently, with a hint of pleading in his eyes.
“Okay.” Xiao Mie nodded obediently, her long ponytail swaying gently with her movements.
Qin Ming walked over at the right time, with a kind smile on his face: “Do you have something to say? Um... shall I take you to play? Xiao Mie.” He held out his hand, making an inviting gesture. The atmosphere in the cafeteria gradually became relaxed, as if those heavy topics from earlier had been temporarily put aside.
“Okay!” Xiao Mie responded cheerfully, hopping and skipping out of the cafeteria with Qin Ming. Her footsteps gradually faded away, disappearing at the end of the corridor. The sunlight continued to shine through the window, leaving a mottled pattern of light and shadow on the floor. Only Tang Yin and Hana-tsuyu were left in the cafeteria, along with Grandpa Wolf, who seemed to be asleep in the corner.
“Bad person.” Hana-tsuyu said softly, her face red, her eyes darting around, not daring to look at Tang Yin. Her slender fingers twisted together uneasily, looking both nervous and uneasy.
“To be called that by a beauty, I actually feel quite happy.” Tang Yin deliberately put on a mischievous smile, watching Hana-tsuyu's reaction.
“Wuuu, wuuu, wuuu...” Hana-tsuyu made a small animal-like whimper, covering her burning cheeks with her hands. Her shy and adorable appearance made Tang Yin couldn't help but want to tease her more. He had never thought that casually teasing a cute opposite sex older than himself would be so interesting. This rare experience almost made him addicted, but he quickly restrained his playful thoughts.
“Speaking of which, what did you want to say?” Tang Yin put away his smile and asked seriously. The fog outside the window seemed to have become thicker, shrouding the distant scenery even more.
“...” Hana-tsuyu was silent for a moment, her slender body trembling slightly, “I feel very sorry.” Her voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the wind.
“Eh? What do you mean?” Tang Yin frowned.
“To welcome you to Hidden Mist Village during this most dangerous time.” Hana-tsuyu lowered her head, her long bangs covering her expression, but the self-blame in her voice was clearly audible.
“It can't be helped, right? Who could have expected it to be foggy?” Tang Yin tried to comfort her, but the words felt a bit pale as soon as they came out.
“No.” Hana-tsuyu suddenly raised her head, her eyes becoming unusually firm, “Everything stems from the original sin of us Baifeng Village people.” Her voice no longer trembled, but instead carried a heavy sense of responsibility.
“Original sin?” Tang Yin noticed the hidden meaning behind this word. The air in the cafeteria seemed to have frozen, and even time seemed to slow down.
“Yes, this village gained prosperity by killing the deity's family.” Hana-tsuyu's voice was very soft, but it struck Tang Yin's heart like a heavy hammer. He immediately thought of the long-circulated story of killing the wolf, it seems that there is another hidden story behind this.
“Can you tell me more about it?” Tang Yin asked, staring intently at Hana-tsuyu's face.
“Granny Rong will explain it when the time comes.” Hana-tsuyu shook her head gently, obviously unwilling to talk more about it.
“Granny Rong?”
“Yes, Granny Rong is the representative of Hidden Mist Village.” Hana-tsuyu's tone carried a hint of respect.
“Representative, not the landlord, right?” Tang Yin keenly grasped this detail.
“…Yes, all the land in Hidden Mist Village belongs to the village or the elders, but there still needs to be someone to be responsible for managing the land.” Hana-tsuyu explained, her voice gradually lowering. The sunlight shone through the window, casting mottled shadows on her pale face, as if silently telling the unknown secrets of this village. Tang Yin looked thoughtfully at the increasingly thick fog outside the window, the doubts in his heart not only did not resolve, but became more complicated.
“Granny Rong is a very serious person, and she is also the oldest.” Hana-tsuyu said softly, her slender fingers gently stroking the table, as if confirming something, “Moreover, she knows how to weigh things, that's how it is.” Her tone carried an unspeakable respect. The sunlight in the cafeteria gradually dimmed, and the fog outside the window began to quietly pour in, condensing into small water droplets on the glass.
“Is that so, so that's how it is.” Tang Yin deliberately repeated her words in an exaggerated tone, his eyes flashing with a mischievous smile. He noticed the slight change in Hana-tsuyu's expression, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised a smirk.
“…” This time, Hana-tsuyu didn't blush as usual, but instead glared at Tang Yin. Those usually gentle eyes were now shining with a faint light, making Tang Yin couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart. This unexpected reaction caught him a little off guard, and he secretly regretted whether he had gone too far with his jokes. It's better to sort out the important information first - Granny Rong is the representative of Hidden Mist Village and is responsible for explaining the rules of the feast. This information may help him survive the upcoming crisis.
“By the way, I heard that there is a culture of warmly welcoming guests here?” Tang Yin changed the topic, his eyes sweeping over the increasingly thick fog outside the window. The lights in the cafeteria appeared even more dim and yellow in the reflection of the fog, adding a bit of a weird atmosphere to the entire space.
Hana-tsuyu lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her face, her fingers unconsciously twirling the hem of her clothes: “…Yes, it is said that Baifeng Village used to have a Chimyō Shrine to pray for hunting safety, and it became increasingly prosperous because of the hunters who came to pray.” Her voice was soft, as if telling an ancient legend, each word carrying some kind of heavy meaning.
“For the villagers, every hunter from afar is a guest, and must be warmly welcomed.” Hana-tsuyu continued, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting together, as if hiding some unspeakable secret. Tang Long nodded thoughtfully. If visitors were initially attracted by faith, it is not difficult to understand that this special way of hospitality has been preserved to this day. But there seems to be a deeper secret hidden behind this, but these questions are obviously not something he can ask alone.
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“Is that so.” Tang Yin suddenly showed a sly smile, his eyes slightly squinting, “Then, Hana-tsuyu, is it because I am a guest that you are so nice to me?” He deliberately softened his voice, looking directly into Hana-tsuyu's eyes, wanting to see what her reaction would be.
“Eh, no, it's not like that.” Hana-tsuyu waved her hands in a hurry, her fair cheeks instantly flushed with a blush, like cherry blossoms blown by the wind. Her flustered appearance made Tang Yin feel particularly cute, and he couldn't help but want to tease her more.
“Or is it because of the time I helped you heal when you were injured?” Tang Yin continued to ask, looking at her flustered appearance, he felt a sense of pleasure for no reason. The air in the cafeteria seemed to become lighter, and even the fog outside the window did not seem so depressing.
“…That, um. I am very grateful.” Hana-tsuyu's voice was as thin as a mosquito, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, her lowered head made it impossible to see her expression. The sunlight shone through the window onto her hair, shrouding her in a faint halo, setting off her whole person as even more ethereal.
“But…” She hesitated, her eyes flickering, as if struggling with something unspeakable. Tang Yin waited patiently, watching her entangled appearance, but a strange feeling rose in his heart.
“…Do, do I need a reason?” Hana-tsuyu finally mustered up the courage to raise her head and look directly into Tang Yin's eyes. Although her voice still trembled a little, her eyes were unusually firm, as if telling some emotion that could not be expressed in words. This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up circles of ripples in Tang Yin's heart. The cafeteria suddenly became quiet, and even the sound of the wind outside the window seemed to stop, leaving only the sound of the two people's breathing gently echoing in the air. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, making this moment seem particularly long and beautiful.
“Uh, no, no.” Tang Yin waved his hands in a hurry, trying to ease the sudden awkward atmosphere, “I just thought there was some special reason?” His voice unconsciously softened, with a hint of probing meaning. The sunlight in the cafeteria gradually became softer, adding a bit of ambiguous color to the atmosphere between the two.
“…If there is?” Hana-tsuyu's voice was so soft that it almost dissipated in the air, but it carried a hint of imperceptible expectation.
“Maybe I'll be very happy.” Tang Yin blurted out, and regretted it as soon as he finished speaking. This sentence was too straightforward.
“…” Hana-tsuyu lowered her head, her hair covering her expression, but the slightly red tips of her ears betrayed her mood. Her slender fingers were tightly intertwined, and her whole body exuded a heart-stirring shyness. This reaction was too cute, making Tang Yin at a loss for what to do.
He was the one who was teasing her, but now he was the one who became embarrassed. Tang Yin sighed inwardly, maybe he should treat Hana-tsuyu more sincerely. But, facing her sincere feelings, how should he handle himself? This question lingered in his mind, but he couldn't find an answer. Forget it, now is not the time to consider these things. As a person with heavy responsibilities, he must find a way for humans to survive. This thought instantly sobered him up.
“It's about time to leave.” Chen Xiang's voice sounded at the right time, breaking the subtle atmosphere between the two. She stood at the door of the cafeteria, her elegant figure was somewhat blurred by the fog outside the window.
Hearing Mrs. Chen Xiang's words, everyone stood up and silently walked out of the cafeteria. No one spoke, but everyone clearly understood that it was time to say goodbye to the peaceful daily life. Footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, like some kind of silent farewell.
Quite a few people had already gathered in the assembly hall. Old Gao sat in the corner, his expression solemn; Zhao Gang and Qian Jin were talking in low voices; Qin Yi leaned against the wall, his eyes vigilantly scanning his surroundings. At the other end of the room, Wang Lina and Xia Hui had also arrived.
“…Everyone.” Wang Lina greeted softly, her voice carrying a hint of fatigue.
“…” Xia Hui didn't say anything, just stood there with a look of loss. Although she seemed to have calmed down, her dull eyes showed that she still couldn't accept the reality in front of her.
At this moment, Wang Lina quietly walked to Tang Yin's side and lowered her voice, “The memory card is damaged and cannot be read.” This news weighed heavily on Tang Yin's heart—this meant that their important clues to the truth had been completely cut off. The atmosphere in the assembly hall became even more solemn, as if even the air had become viscous. The fog outside the window had become several times thicker at some point, shrouding the entire world in a hazy mist.