Chapter 83: The little butterfly is using the little bit of itself left to try its best to love you
“We went on a trip to see Jinxi Snow Mountain.” Yu Shi didn’t react to Feng Kuo’s joking words, “Is Seventh Master Feng also here for a trip?”
“Don’t call me Seventh Master Feng, just call me Brother Kuo,” Feng Kuo’s smile suddenly brightened. “You’re going to see the snow mountain? That’s great! Then you must be heading to Apu Village too?”
“Coincidentally, the three of us are also planning to go to Apu Village. Why don’t you join us? It’s always good to have company!”
Under Feng Kuo’s enthusiastic invitation, Yu Shi agreed to travel with them. It was rare to meet someone they knew while traveling, and in a place like this, it was safer and more convenient to travel together.
Before agreeing, he also asked for Feng Xuexiang’s opinion. Feng Xuexiang, a bit displeased, glanced at Feng Kuo but still agreed.
Feng Kuo’s two companions had just returned from renting a car—a man and a woman, both in their thirties. They looked like the kind of people who spent a lot of time outdoors, with sun-kissed skin and bright smiles.
They had rented a seven-seater car, and there was enough space for both Yu Shi and Feng Xuexiang to fit.
The man with a beard, who looked like a wandering artist, was named David. He was responsible for driving. The woman sitting in the passenger seat turned her head to look at Yu Shi and Feng Xuexiang, her eyes full of curiosity.
“My surname is Wang, you can just call me Da Wang. David and I are a couple, and we’ve been old friends with Feng Kuo for years!”
“Feng Kuo said you two are his brothers. Are you really his brothers? Which one of you is it? It’s been years, and this is the first time I’ve seen him with any family.”
Yu Shi observed the large bags and packages by Feng Kuo’s side, noting that they didn’t quite look like the gear of typical hikers.
When Da Wang spoke to him, Yu Shi was about to respond, but Feng Kuo took over the conversation.
“Is there any need to ask? Of course, it’s the one on the right! He’s my real brother, and we look exactly alike!”
Da Wang spat at him, “Are you blind? This brother is so beautiful, and you’re so rough—how could you two possibly look alike? He looks like the snow on the mountain, and you? At best, you’re the rock buried under the snow!”
This wasn’t far from the truth. Feng Kuo had a scruffy beard, his clothes looked like they’d been crumpled in the car for days, and he had the weathered look of a drifter. Give him a guitar, and he could easily pass as a street performer in a subway, complete with a voice that sounded like ten years of chain-smoking.
In contrast, Feng Xuexiang was fair and refined, his clothes spotless and neatly arranged, with a hat and scarf to match. Sitting in the car, he practically lit up the space around him, the very image of a pampered young master.
The only thing the two brothers had in common was their height and long legs.
Feng Kuo, feeling thoroughly humiliated in front of his brother, kicked the driver’s seat. “David! Control your wife; she’s attacking me!”
David, sitting in the driver’s seat, chuckled, “Da Wang is in charge of me, Da Wang controls me!”
Feng Kuo crossed his arms and sighed, “I really hate working with couples.”
As he spoke, his eyes shifted to Yu Shi and Feng Xuexiang. Yu Shi was holding a thermos, pouring hot water for Feng Xuexiang to drink.
“If you’re not feeling well, let me know right away,” Yu Shi said gently.
Feng Xuexiang held the cup, looking as delicate as a lotus flower. “Okay.”
Feng Kuo: “………”
His eyes hurt.
But as an older brother, he still showed some concern. “What’s wrong? Is Little Ninth feeling unwell?”
Feng Xuexiang turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “No, Ashi is just worried I might get altitude sickness.”
The altitude at Gedenta was already quite high, and the village they were heading to, Apu Village, was even higher.
Feng Kuo, accustomed to rough living and years of traveling everywhere, hadn’t considered this. He could only feel as if something was being forcibly stuffed into his mouth.
“I’m telling you, just admit it—you two are dating now, aren’t you?!”
Feng Xuexiang glanced at Yu Shi’s expression, then turned to stare at Feng Kuo, his tone polite but firm. “Can you please stop talking?”
Feng Kuo, irritated by his impolite look, felt rebellious. “Why do I feel that you dislike me a little bit, Little Ninth? Did you forget about me again? We met not too long ago and even bonded a little. Did you forget?”
“I remember. You gave me a puzzle,” Feng Xuexiang replied.
That cursed puzzle had an intricate and bizarre pattern, clearly meant to frustrate him.
Feng Kuo scratched his head. “I knew it. Even if you’re going to forget me, it shouldn’t happen until next year.”
Feng Xuexiang: “………”
He instinctively glanced at Yu Shi, noticing that he didn’t seem to react.
As they rode in the car, they chatted occasionally, though most of the time they just listened to Feng Kuo and Da Wang talking nonsense about everything under the sun. It made for a lively trip.
The road to Apu Village was in truly poor condition. In the latter part of the journey, the path was often blocked by snow that had slid down from the mountains, and occasionally, there were rocks that had fallen onto the road.
Everyone got out of the car to shovel snow and move stones. Feng Kuo, holding a shovel, noticed Feng Xuexiang following Yu Shi around, also shoveling snow, and felt a bit uneasy.
Da Wang, also wielding a snow shovel, sighed and said, “I just feel like Little Ninth isn’t suited for this kind of work.”
Feng Kuo’s tone was slightly sour. “But isn’t he enjoying it?”
Exactly. Sticking close to Yu Shi, helping him with the work—who knows what he’s so happy about.
Back in the car, they were all drenched in sweat. Yu Shi took off his gloves and noticed that Feng Xuexiang was still wearing his scarf, his face flushed from the heat. Yu Shi reached over to help him take it off.
Feng Xuexiang lowered his head slightly to let him remove the scarf, then smiled at him. Imitating Yu Shi’s earlier actions, he poured hot water from the thermos for him.
“Ashi, you must be thirsty. Drink some water.”
Feng Xuexiang wasn’t naturally good at taking care of others, but with someone who was very skilled at it by his side, he had learned a thing or two.
Sometimes, Yu Shi felt that Feng Xuexiang was like a child, instinctively mimicking the person closest to him.
“Cough, cough! I’m thirsty too! Is there any considerate younger brother who will pour me a cup of water?” Feng Kuo, with his coat open, coughed loudly from the back seat.
Feng Xuexiang ignored him, urging Yu Shi to drink the water.
From the front seat, Da Wang laughed loudly, “You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment, hahaha!”
…
The car bumped along for a long time before finally arriving at Apu Village, by which time it was nearly dark.
David, who had been here before, drove the car to the only guesthouse in the village.
Hearing the sound of the car, someone came out of the house.
“Brother Kuo! David! Da Wang! You’re here!” A young man ran down to help them unload their things from the car.
As he opened the car door, he noticed Feng Xuexiang and let out a surprised sound. “Who’s this? How did you end up bringing two more people?”
Feng Kuo tossed the large bags beside him to the man. “He’s my brother, stop yapping and help carry the stuff.”
They all headed into the guesthouse, where a young woman with slightly reddish hair and a round face brought out steaming hot food.
She was the owner of the guesthouse, a local woman named Zhui Mu.
The man who had helped them with their bags was Chu Pei, who used to be a demon exorcist in the northern region. After a trip to Gedenta, he and Zhui Mu became a couple, and now he spent most of the year in Gedenta helping her run the guesthouse business.
The reason Feng Kuo and his group came here this time was because Chu Pei had invited them.
During dinner, Yu Shi only caught bits and pieces of the conversation. It seemed that someone from the village had gone into the snow mountain as a guide, got injured, was rescued, and returned in a daze, having been bewitched by some ghostly entity in the mountain.
Moreover, there had been three similar incidents, all happening after people ventured into the snow mountain.
This place was remote, with few demon exorcists willing to come. Chu Pei hadn’t managed to uncover much on his own, so he invited his friends to help.
“Brother Kuo, are your brother and his friend here to help too?” Chu Pei asked.
He thought to himself that neither of them looked like exorcists. The one who seemed more gentle might have some skills, but the good-looking one seemed like he would turn pale at the sight of a ghost.
“No, they’re just here to travel and see the snow mountain,” Feng Kuo replied.
Chu Pei nodded and smiled, advising Yu Shi and Feng Xuexiang, “Then you two should just enjoy yourselves nearby. For now, don’t venture into the snow mountain; it can be dangerous.”
Feng Kuo noticed Chu Pei’s thoughts and chuckled to himself. None of them together could match his “delicate and fragile” younger brother.
After dinner, Chu Pei arranged rooms for them to rest.
The road to Apu Village had been blocked by snow until recently, so there were no other guests in the guesthouse. With many empty rooms, Chu Pei naturally arranged two separate rooms for Feng Xuexiang and Yu Shi.
Feng Xuexiang placed the new suitcase Yu Shi had prepared for him in his room and then went out to find him.
Feng Kuo was sitting on the railing, smoking. When he saw Feng Xuexiang, he waved him over.
Feng Xuexiang paused for a moment before walking toward him.
“Sit,” Feng Kuo patted the railing beside him.
Feng Xuexiang didn’t move. “What’s the matter?”
With a cigarette between his lips, Feng Kuo mumbled, “Feng Houzhan is dead?”
Feng Xuexiang’s tone was indifferent. “Yes, he’s dead.”
Feng Kuo didn’t look at him but instead gazed at the distant snow mountain. After a moment of silence, he said, “That’s good.”
“That’s good.” His expression and tone were complex.
Beyond that, he didn’t ask how Feng Houzhan had died, whether Feng Xuexiang had anything to do with it, or anything else.
There were many questions that, even if he asked, Feng Xuexiang wouldn’t be able to answer.
…
Yu Shi walked out of the bathroom and saw Feng Xuexiang sitting on his bed, lost in thought, holding a small snowball in his hand.
The snowball he was holding slowly melted into water.
Yu Shi opened his suitcase, tidied up the room a bit, and when the snowball in Feng Xuexiang’s hand had completely melted, he walked over and handed him a hand warmer.
Feng Xuexiang placed his reddened hands on it, feeling the warm, prickling sensation, his eyes following Yu Shi’s movements.
He didn’t leave, and Yu Shi didn’t ask him to go. Feng Xuexiang noticed that Yu Shi had turned on the electric blankets on both sides of the bed, and he immediately obediently burrowed to one side.
During the night, Feng Xuexiang watched Yu Shi, who was so close to him, feeling both at ease and uneasy.
He had reverted to his old self. Feng Xuexiang could sense it; just a few days ago, Yu Shi was still emotionally stirred because of him, but now, after only a few days, he had set those feelings aside again.
…
Early in the morning, Yu Shi got up. He and Feng Xuexiang acted like the most ordinary tourists, taking a walk around the village after breakfast.
The altitude here was already quite high, and there was snow all around. They hadn’t walked far before they came across a pristine field of snow.
Feng Xuexiang bent down to grab a handful of snow.
The snow wasn’t soft; the surface was almost crystallized.
As they walked through the snow, Yu Shi asked, “Did you play in the snow when you were a child?”
Feng Xuexiang, holding onto his arm, smiled and said, “I don’t remember. Maybe I didn’t, or maybe I did. If I did, it must have been a very happy memory.”
Suddenly, Yu Shi’s expression turned serious. “Don’t smile!”
Feng Xuexiang was startled and didn’t dare to smile anymore.
Yu Shi: “You are unhappy now, so you shouldn’t forget this.”
Realizing that Yu Shi was joking with him, Feng Xuexiang couldn’t hold back his laughter and covered his face with his hands.
Yu Shi also laughed, “It’s okay if you don’t remember. As long as you’re happy now.”
“The snow will always be there. You can see it whenever you want.”
“Then, can you accompany me? Be with me next time too.”
Yu Shi was pondering how to respond when someone nearby suddenly greeted them, “Little Ninth, we’re heading up the mountain now. We won’t be back by noon, but we’ll return by evening, so don’t worry!”
It was Feng Kuo and his group, carrying backpacks and preparing to explore the snow mountain.
Feng Xuexiang’s hopeful expression almost faltered. Behind Yu Shi’s back, he shot an unhappy look at Feng Kuo.
Feng Kuo noticed the displeased expression and, feeling a bit down, began the trek up the mountain.
Da Wang cheerfully remarked, “Serves you right! Can’t you see what’s going on? The atmosphere was perfect for these two lovebirds, and you just had to interrupt them.”
Feng Kuo sighed, “My younger brother is not as cute as he was when he was a child. He used to love playing in the snow and would make snowballs to give to me.”
When they were younger, he and Dehuan were envious of Little Ninth because Little Ninth’s mother was so gentle with him.
Little Ninth’s mother was from the Xue family and could summon snowflakes with just a wave of her hand.
Feng Kuo remembered how Little Ninth would chase after the snowflakes his mother created, running around joyfully. When he got tired, he would collapse onto his mother’s lap and make snowballs from her hands.
He would carefully shape the snowballs and give them to the people he liked, one by one.
After his mother passed away, Little Ninth became a spirit demon and forgot these memories.
Dehuan had told him it didn’t matter if Little Ninth forgot because they would remember for him and tell him everything later.
Feng Kuo would recount the stories of how Little Ninth used to ask his mother to make it snow so he could play. Little Ninth would listen and smile, saying, “That sounds very happy.”
The next year, Little Ninth forgot again. When he heard them talking about snow, he showed the same curious expression and asked, “What’s it like?”
Dehuan, who adored him, went to the Xue family and brought Xue Ruoyao to create a small snowfall for Little Ninth, just like his mother used to.
Year after year, they kept telling him stories from the past, repeating the same tales countless times.
One year, Little Ninth looked at them carefully and suddenly said, “I’m starting to forget what you all look like.”
His power was growing stronger, and with it, his forgetfulness increased.
Not only did the past they recounted become unfamiliar to Little Ninth, but they themselves were also becoming strangers to him.
Feng Kuo stepped onto the snow and let out a breath.
He could see that Little Ninth was very fond of Yu Shi right now, but how long would he remember this fondness?
Little Ninth was like a mirror without its own reflection, only able to reflect others.
