Ark, they don't revolve around you

The trees on both sides were lush and green. Although it was summer, the mountain was cool. He walked steadily and was familiar with every blade of grass and every tree.

Zhuang Ning was of course familiar with Huiqi Mountain. He had seen Xi paint it with ink. In the blink of an eye, the mountains rose up, and on the yellowed paper, every detail of the mountains was vivid.

Watching her paint is a pleasure. Even though Zhuang Ning has not received any education in ink painting, Xi's paintings are different. They are derived from human skills. Every stroke of ink and every technique is like a beating to the heart.

The painting was full of romantic scenes and mountains, with only a few human figures. He felt a throbbing sensation as he watched the vivid red and blue colors on the paper. It was this throbbing sensation that made Xi look at him straight in the eye. From then on, this very busy man would take one day a week to watch Xi paint. The two of them had limited conversations, but communication did not necessarily have to be through words.

The memories were interrupted because Zhuang Ning reached the top not long after walking. There was only an old house with old black tiles and washed white walls. A girl had lived here alone for a thousand years. The long time had not changed her. Perhaps for the giant beast with a long lifespan, change is a rare thing.

Zhuang Ning smiled slightly.

——He broke up with the girl one afternoon.

That was the first time Xi gave him a painting, which was a rare gift. Although the girl looked reluctant, she still framed the scroll.

When Zhuang Ning spread it out, he was attracted by the things in the painting: an isolated island and a man. It was simple yet full of spiritual meaning. But suddenly, he felt a sense of fear, as if he had been electrocuted, and was terrified of the world in the painting.

He seemed to be watched by an ancient being, a mad monster that cast a dark gaze at him through the scroll.

After that, he had this feeling every time he drew a stroke. Today, Zhuang Ning naturally understood that it was Sui's will and a sign that Sui was about to awaken. However, the doctor at that time had only great fear.

The monster was staring at him, its deep eyes seemed to be seeking something from him.

But Zhuang Ning couldn't respond, nor could he endure it. Plus, he was already annoyed by some people leaving, so he simply threw all the paintings into the incinerator one afternoon and lit the flames.

He originally didn't want Xi to know. Although Xi was speechless, she attached great importance to ancient paintings. Zhuang Ning still didn't want to let her be disappointed.

But how to hide a lie? Her eyes were full of frustration. That was the last exchange between the two. The girl tore up the painting fiercely to express her anger. From then on, she ignored Zhuang Ning and left the island to return to Gouwu.

Zhuang Ning wanted to explain, but he couldn't say it. Even though the painting was burned, the beast's cold gaze still remained in his memory, and he would be awakened by nightmares for countless days and nights.

Looking back now, Zhuang Ning understood the reason. Somehow, Sui's consciousness returned from the chaos, and the first thing he saw was Zhuang Ning through Xi's painting.

Is this a coincidence? Or is it some kind of destiny?

It doesn't matter which one, as long as it doesn't bother me.

He thought, his hand pressed against the old wooden door, the sound of rain dropping down, increasingly resembling the memory of a year ago.

At that time, Zhuang Ning was sitting in front of a bluestone slab, separated from the girl by a wall and a door. The lantern he carried with him was on, but it could only illuminate a corner.

Dark clouds covered the city, the sky and the earth were dark, and the breeze blew the rain under the eaves. Zhuang Ning thought that there was a girl painting at the table behind the door, and the picture must be peaceful and beautiful.

He said softly: "Xi, I'm here to see you."

"I know you still think it's wrong for me to burn the painting, but I'm very scared." His explanation seemed to be talking to himself, "There is something in your painting. I'm afraid it's the age you mentioned. You shouldn't continue painting."

"I've seen Nian before. Nian was in Yumen, and he should be having a good time. I occasionally see Ling in my dreams."

"I told them about the painting. They didn't tell me more, but I could guess what they were thinking."

"Xi, open the door, we haven't seen each other for a long time..."

The wind was getting stronger and stronger, and although it was summer, the mountains were gradually getting colder.

Zhuang Ning talked for a long time, describing Xi's paintings like a treasure trove. They were all wonderful memories, but he seemed to be talking to the air.

Still no response.

This is the answer, she won't open the door. The girl is a very cold person, especially when she is disappointed with someone.

Zhuang Ning should have felt uncomfortable, but incredibly, he felt better.

He remembered what Nian said. Nian said people would always forget things gradually. She was right. Their relationship was not that good. It was ridiculous to be wishful thinking. Zhuang Ning had never expected forgiveness.

He just came to apologize, and after that he would return to Rhodes Island. He would probably stay indoors with Xi.

Zhuang Ning groped in his backpack and took out an ink stick. This was the gift he prepared for Xi as an apology. He had originally planned to give it to her personally, but since he couldn't see her, he simply left it at the door.

Xi's Mo will surely be very good, but this is the limit of what he can do. Whether she accepts it or not, he can at least say to himself that he has tried his best.

After doing all this, Zhuang Ning's mood suddenly became clear and he chuckled slightly. What's the saying? If you don't hold out hope, you won't be disappointed.

He raised his arms to embrace the wind and rain.

That night, Zhuang Ning fell asleep under the eaves in a daze. When he woke up, the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared, but he was not in good health.

After being caught in the rain all night, there was no way he would recover. Zhuang Ning realized a problem: he was a very fragile mortal. He didn't know whether he would die if he was killed, but being sick was really fatal.

He has a fever, and although he has medicine with him, his condition is still not good.

This was beyond my expectation. After all, there was no weather forecast in this place. The heavy rain blocked the road. I was trapped on the mountain for a night. When I woke up, my consciousness was even more blurred. My fingertips were cold and my whole body was wet, like a drowned dog.

But in the end, Zhuang Ning didn't say anything to Xi and left quietly, as if he had never been there.

As he walked, he felt as if he was going to die. Fortunately, he felt even more uncomfortable and managed to reach the town at the foot of the mountain in time. Otherwise, even if he did not die, he would have been left with problems.

That would be such a pity, dying quietly and possibly being discovered by a passerby the next day. How many people would know about your death?

I really can't accept this.

By then, how many people will be truly sad?

Zhuang Ning exhaled. Fortunately, he was fine. He still had to move forward and go home. How could he be willing to die? !

He had basically broken up with Xi, and he had no intention of having anything to do with her, but the situation was stronger than him, and he had to do some drama.

Xi, you can't forgive me this time, I have to use you...

The rain continued to fall. A year later, Zhuang Ning spoke again, saying the same words: "Here I am again, Xi."

There was really no response, so Zhuang Ning got straight to the point: "Nian disappeared."

There was a sound behind the door, and Zhuang Ning thought to himself that it was just as expected. Nian and Xi seemed to have a bad relationship and incompatible personalities, but they were sisters after all.

"Your second brother has gone mad and is hunting your brothers and sisters."

After a long while, there was finally a soft but sharp voice: "I don't have a sister."

Zhuang Ning was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Xi was really the youngest sister, the only one younger than her was her younger brother.

But the key point of this statement is that your second brother is crazy... Zhuang Ning held his forehead: "Well, he has already taken action against your brothers and sisters."

"What does that have to do with you?" The girl's silence was broken. She stopped pretending and said coldly, "You and I have nothing to do with each other. Do you still want to save me from my second brother?"

She seemed very calm, as if she had expected this day.

"You are a magnanimous person. This is not the time to be willful."

"I don't need you to save me. I don't like people who burn my paintings."

"I burned the painting because I was not in the right state at that time... Never mind, you don't believe it." Zhuang Ning paused, "But I really wanted to save you."

There is no truer sincerity than this.

The door still did not move. From inside came a whisper as thin as the wind of a mosquito: "This is the safest place. I am not afraid of my second brother."

If you are not afraid, you should not respond to me and should continue to pretend to be dead like before...Zhuang Ning could see that she was strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

But he also knew that Yi Xi's personality could not be convinced by words alone. With the previous experience as a lesson, Zhuang Ning was fully prepared this time and took out a folding tent from his backpack.

"Xi." He said softly, "Your home is not safe."

There was no response, but a faint cold snort came from behind the door.

Inside the tent, Zhuang Ning took a bite of the bread. Xi's behavior was as expected. This girl was always so persistent and stubborn.

There was a thunderstorm outside, so he took out his terminal again. There was no signal, and this world had become an isolated island.

It was really cold, not like summer at all, but he didn't mind. He even liked this rainy season and the endless heavy rain.

Sitting in front of the desk in the evening, I don't know how many times I looked back.

A thin wall could not hinder her perception. She did not feel annoyed. When she felt annoyed, her pen became messy and she could not write anything good, so she simply put down her pen.

The ceremony is about to begin.

Are you scared? A little, but not that strong. I had a premonition.

But now she felt very uncomfortable. She couldn't bear it, and when she opened the door for the first time, Zhuang Ning was chewing bread, and their eyes met.

"roll."

"roll?"

"I don't need you!" She decided to express her dissatisfaction in one breath, so that this self-righteous guy could face the reality and know that she was fine with anything, but she didn't need Rhodes Island.

But before she could open her mouth, she heard a dragon's roar. Xi looked back in surprise. The dragon in her painting actually crawled out, its eyes burning like lava.

"How can this be……"

Before she could react, the dragon rushed towards her - actually, it was not a dragon, Xi only drew half of it before stopping.

Even so, he was still swift and powerful. Although Xi was an expert in writing, his body was very weak, especially since he had not been in combat for many years, so he was unable to react in panic.

A dark shadow pounced on him. The man's left arm was tightly bitten by the dragon. His face was distorted, but he still said stubbornly: "I told you, your second brother wants to kill you, I am here to save you."

"Xi, listen to me and don't be so stubborn." He seemed to be in real pain, but he still forced a smile and stretched out his hand to Xi, "You will be fine, because I am here."

PS: I’m stuck in a writer’s block. I haven’t written much after writing for a long time, so today I only have four thousand words.

Adjust my state and try to recover 8,000 words tomorrow.

Chapter 8 He Didn't Tell Me About This (k)

"You will be fine because I am here." He stretched out his hand, which trembled slightly in the air, seemingly reluctantly.

Xi didn't know where Zhuang Ning's confidence came from. In her eyes, the doctor was just a mortal. She rarely got angry for mortals, and once she was angry, she shouldn't stop.

But as he rushed over, the energy seemed to weaken, and he was just in a trance.

"evening?"

After being called, Xi finally reacted and pulled out the scarlet sword. What came out was not the sword light, but the rich ink color. She didn't seem to be dancing with the sword, but painting with fine brushwork.

The ferocious dragon let out a whimpering howl when touched by the sword, as if begging for mercy, but Xi did not stop. He slashed it horizontally for the second time, and ink flowed everywhere. The edge of the sword buried itself into the dragon's body, and the evil beast that came out of the painting turned into a pool of ink.

"I almost thought I was going to be eaten by the Mo Liang." Zhuang Ning sat down and sighed, but a pair of scarlet eyes scanned him from top to bottom.

"You are so weak, yet you still want to save people?" Xi said indifferently, without any trace of the look on her face as she was frightened by the things in her painting. The scarlet sword in her hand disappeared, and what she held was apparently a pen.

I'm not weak, I just don't have the space to perform...Zhuang Ning observed carefully and found that Xi's attitude had improved a lot after he fought back.

Sometimes, weakness is also a good disguise.

Xi grabbed Zhuang Ning's bitten right arm and lifted his sleeve, revealing a bloody mess. The dragon's teeth could even kill a bull. She couldn't bear it and cursed in a low voice, "Idiot."