Uneasy daily life

"I"

Just as a syllable was uttered, Feng Bin and Hua Gu asked strangely, "Hey... are you Bai Ying or Bai Yinghua?"

Mai Sakurajima froze, squinting at the white figure.

Bai Ying blinked: "Guess?"

Mai Sakurajima decisively stomped on it, while Kazuha Toyohama kicked it to the other side.

Bai Ying nimbly stepped back, glanced at the expressions of the two men, then smiled and took a few steps back before turning and running away like the wind, disappearing into the crowd of onlookers in the blink of an eye.

The hustle and bustle subsided, and the slightly dazed pedestrians continued on their own paths.

"It really is... a white chrysanthemum?"

Mai Sakurajima raised a hand to rub her temples: "How did you recognize Kazuha?"

"I didn't recognize them either. When they were turning around, I couldn't tell who was the first one and who was the last one."

Feng Bin and Hua pouted and said, "Anyway, they're definitely trying to mess with someone. Just kicking them is the right thing to do!"

"What if we kick the wrong one?"

Kazuka Toyohama said matter-of-factly, "Consider it as the bastard paying off his debt!"

"That's a novel approach."

Mai Sakurajima smiled and shook her head: "Let's go, let's go see Yukinoshita's house."

Chapter Ninety: The White Soul Remains?!

"You encountered Bai Yinghua? You weren't scammed?"

Yukinoshita Haruno was somewhat surprised.

"Scammed? Uh... that guy didn't really scam us, did he?" Toyohama and Hana thought for a moment. "Anyway, when we were about to kick her, she just ran away. Yukinoshita was scammed, and you were scammed too?"

No, there isn't.

Yukinoshita replied with a smile, and with a lightning-fast reach, scooped Toyohama and Hana into her arms.

Feng Bin and Hua struggled for a while, but to no avail.

"It was indeed difficult to recognize her, and it didn't seem like she intended to lie to us?" Mai Sakurajima recalled the situation at the time. "The hater probably sensed something and lured her out to put on an impromptu performance in the street... She didn't intend to lie, so naturally no one was fooled."

"Tsk tsk tsk, so I should have hugged her pretending to be Yukino-chan and kneaded her up like a ball?"

Yukino Yukinoshita seemed thoughtful: "Whether we get scammed or not, we won't lose out. That seems like a good idea..."

“Those things are irrelevant. You guys take a look at the script and think about what can be changed.”

Yukino Yukinoshita moved aside alertly and placed a few sheets of paper on the table.

"Hmm... I feel like there's a bit of Princess Kaguya in it? But there have been many similar stories throughout history."

Mai Sakurajima picked up the manuscript and subconsciously offered her critique from an actress's perspective: "It lacks a bit of a twist. Although the sentences are beautiful and the handwriting is pretty at first glance, the overly literary and riddle-like word choice makes the whole story feel very vague. Even in an art film, it would be considered rather awkward and difficult to understand..."

Yukino Yukinoshita experienced what it felt like to be pointed at and talked about.

Yukino no Yukinoshita nodded earnestly in agreement, saying, "That's right, that's right. Yukino-chan is writing a bunch of things that I can't understand, but she still has a smile on her face. I wish I could take her to see a doctor right away."

Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated slightly: "Is it that hard to understand?"

Toyohama Kazuka leaned against Yukino's chest and peeked at the manuscript: "Do flowers need to be compared in color to highlight their beauty? Does gold need to be weighed on a scale to be valued? Does a mountain need to be ranked first to be remembered by the world? What nonsense!"

Stick figures are known for their straightforwardness.

Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly, "Indeed, after all, you have no self-awareness."

The brave always speak the truth, even when it's a riddle.

Mai Sakurajima, who was looking at the manuscript, suddenly asked as if she had a premonition, "Does Yukinoshita have a great eye for people?"

"Compared to Sakurajima-senpai's busy life, I'm mostly busy with schoolwork and tutoring, so I'm pretty free most of the time." Yukino Yukinoshita didn't want to be the one to light the fuse; it would be more likely to be Haku-kun or Haku-ei...

Bai Yinghua didn't mention this, probably because she hadn't investigated it thoroughly yet?

"Hmph! That's what unemployed people are like."

Feng Bin and Hua complained, then pulled out their phones and said, "Your writing is a mess to begin with. If you don't believe me, let that bastard critique it. He writes weird stories, but at least he's pretty capable, right?!"

Yukino's eyes lit up: "Quick, quick! Let me see how that jerk will answer! Just send over what Yukino-chan wrote!"

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated, but ultimately chose to let things take their course.

Feng Bin and Hua were about to make a phone call, but suddenly realized that everyone else was staring at their phones, so they opted for a more convenient chat app instead. She glanced at the contents of the paper, her fingers tapping nimbly as she clicked send.

[Toyohama Kazuka: Do flowers need to be compared in color to highlight their beauty? Does gold need to be weighed on a scale to be valued? Does a mountain need to be ranked number one to be remembered by the world?]

Yukinoshita Yukino: “?”

Toyohama Kazuka continued typing; the content appeared to be 'This is Yukinoshita...'

Bai Ying's reply arrived first, striking directly at the heart of the situation.

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: What's wrong with you?]

puff--!

Mai Sakurajima and Haruno Yukinoshita instinctively looked at Yukinoshita, whose body was stiff, head slightly lowered, and bangs casting a shadow on her face.

Feng Bin and Hua stared wide-eyed, quickly deleted the content in the input box, and then frantically pressed the keys.

[Toyohama Kazuka: You're the one who's in heat! This was written by Yukinoshita!]

That's the general idea, but it feels like there's something else going on?

Sakurajima Mai has a feeling that her younger sister's life is in danger today?

Yukinoshita Haruno said in a deliberately serious tone, "Wahana-chan, to correct you, it was written by Yukinoshita."

Yukino Yukinoshita trembled slightly, her hands clenched into fists. She raised her smiling face and said gently, "Toyohama, ask him what he thinks."

After a moment of realization, Feng Bin and Hana looked at the context... uh, did they accidentally say something weird?

The kind that can become a motivation.

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Oh? This is the script she prepared?]

[Toyohama Kazuka: Yes, yes, anyway, what do you think?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Once the hero finishes writing, I can freely offer my critiques.]

[Toyohama Kazuka: She's right next to me.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Flowers are not valued for their beauty, but for their sentiment; the baby's cry, the white-haired wretched, the dying bedridden, all are mournful sounds. Gold is not valued for its quantity, but for its worth in hardship; sick relatives and friends, a bleak future, natural disasters and man-made calamities, half a lifetime adrift; mountains are not valued for their height, but for their fame through poetry and prose; gazing upon Mount Tai, feeling the tide at Jieshi, yet not recognizing Mount Lu, or the vast peach blossom forest.]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Tell the brave warrior not to write incomprehensible parallel sentences next time.]

"?"

Feng Bin and Hua stared wide-eyed, unable to resist retorting, "You're the one who really doesn't understand!"

The surroundings were quite quiet. She looked up at the others and asked, "Did you all understand?"

"It was just Bai Jun's response to the lines in the play."

Yukino Yukinoshita casually reached for her phone, tapping the screen with her fingers, and said without looking up, "Whether a flower is pretty or not is unimportant. It's always used in the right place. There are flowers for every kind of life, from birth to old age, sickness, and death, not just the most beautiful ones. The weight of gold always seems precious in times of poverty, such as when family or friends are sick, when work is difficult, when there are unexpected events, or when you have ambitions but can't achieve them. The highest mountain doesn't necessarily have the highest reputation; it often becomes famous because of the praise of writers... Hmm..."

Yukino Yukinoshita pondered for a moment: "Du Fu's 'Looking at Mount Lu,' Cao Cao's 'Watching the Sea,' Su Shi's 'Written on the Wall at West Forest Temple,' and Bai Juyi's 'Peach Blossoms at Dalin Temple'... From the perspective of parallelism, the latter two refer to Mount Lu, which is repetitive, and surprisingly, Li Bai is not mentioned?"

Bai Jun is so stuck on writing that he just gives a perfunctory answer?

Or perhaps the opposite is Bai Yinghua?

“I guess we’re not familiar with him,” Mai Sakurajima said with interest. “I only learned that the most famous Tang Dynasty poet in China was Li Bai, not Bai Juyi, when I occasionally appeared on some arts and culture variety shows.”

Feng Bin and Hua asked in surprise, "Isn't it? Even if it's not Bai Juyi, it should be Du Fu, right?"

"No, that's not it." Yukinoshita Haruno said with a smile, "Wahana-chan's ideal is to become a highly educated idol, right? If you go on TV like this, you'll be labeled as an idiot."

"I was in the top five of the grade in the last exam, you... I'm not going to compete with you!"

Feng Bin and Hua muttered something under their breath, but looking around at the others... it seemed like they had the lowest academic ability?!

[Toyohama Kazuka: When performing lines like this, it's even more confusing, isn't it? It's not easy to understand at all, and it avoids the most important question.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Hmm? You understand? Who are you? Are you Bai Yinghua?!]

[Toyohama Kazuka: #!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Oh, it's a hero.]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: I don't have the habit of running away at the last minute, hiding in my heart, and throwing cold glances out the door. Professional actors are never afraid of unconventional roles, only of scripts that aren't compelling enough! Once you've finished writing the script, remember to give me your feedback, and I'll help you with a few minor revisions.]

[Toyohama Kazuka: Then I'll be waiting for your performance.]

Yukino Yukinoshita returned the phone and, holding the manuscript paper, asked, "You should be free on the day of the Toyohama and Sakurajima cultural festivals, right?"

“Yes, I was already planning to ask for leave to see my sister…” Feng Bin and Hua paused, then pointed to themselves, “You’re not going to make me go too, are you?”

"You're not interested?"

"I'd definitely be interested in performing with my sister!"

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at the other person: "Where's Sakurajima-senpai?"

"I was originally planning to put together a show myself, but since Yukinoshita is willing to put in the effort, I'm happy to save myself the trouble." Sakurajima Mai smiled with narrowed eyes, and started talking about the script, "Yukinoshita's script is about romance? Or rather, love?"

"Poetic and picturesque, tender and poignant... You and Hana-chan went to an all-girls school, right?" Yukinoshita Haruno asked with a smile, "Does your school's cultural festival have many programs like this?"

Feng Bin and Hua tilted their heads and thought for a moment: "Yes, there is, and it's quite crazy."

"What do you mean?" Yukino Yukinoshita asked curiously, "Is Haku-kun really that crazy?"

"Everyone wanted to play the male lead, but in the end, everyone compromised, and both the female lead and the male lead wore men's clothing."

Toyohama and Hana said subtly, "How should I put it... I have a feeling that if the bastard were a girl, she would become the most popular one if she went to an all-girls school?"

"Given the personality of the hater, if it were a girl attending an all-girls school... he might dare to stage a teacher-student romance on the cultural festival program, making the atmosphere super weird."

Mai Sakurajima made a few casual guesses, then looked at the script and pondered, "If the theme of the script for 'The Snow' is this..."

This isn't an invitation to perform; it's a challenge! No, given that it's Yukinoshita, a direct challenge would be a direct confrontation. This is more like a question, isn't it? She's probably trying to find some kind of answer, wanting to understand what others are thinking, so she can find her own answer...

Have you read "Letter from an Unknown Woman"?

Mai Sakurajima suddenly asked.

“From a literary perspective, it’s a very beautiful novel.” Yukinoshita Haruno reached out and pinched Toyohama Kazuka’s cheek, smiling knowingly. “From the awkwardness, trepidation, recklessness and eager anticipation of unrequited love, to the touching devotion, longing and lingering, and finally the absurd, silent and unforgettable ending… the burning yet silent emotions burn like a curse until they turn into a handful of inconspicuous ashes.”

Feng Bin and Hua Pie Pie stopped their furtive attempts to break free: "Does this sound like a jerk writing a story?"

"To put it simply, it's about a woman who falls head over heels in love with a scumbag, sacrificing her family, dignity, life, and social relationships. She has no bottom line or restraint when it comes to her feelings, offering herself devoutly without fighting back, and ultimately suffering the consequences of her own actions. After reading it, you'll probably hate the male protagonist—this might be the author's intention, to depict how many tragedies a morally corrupt, desire-filled society can cause, because the author is a person from that society."

Yukino Yukinoshita gave Mai Sakurajima a deep look.

Toyohama Kazuka complained, "Yukinoshita's tone is like a teacher's, she keeps using words that are hard to understand..."

"To be more specific—in middle school, if a girl is still a virgin at sixteen, it's considered shameful and disgraceful. Every student will boast about their romantic affairs, and if those affairs involve foreigners, they'll be the envy of everyone and be seen as social butterflies." Yukino Yukinoshita added with a smile, "From a sociological perspective, economic and material development promotes the expression of desires, reduces the emphasis on morality, and leads to changes in social atmosphere..."

"Stop! Stop! Stop reading! My head is already spinning! Why do I have to attend classes outside of school?!"

Feng Bin and Hua have headaches.

Mai Sakurajima said with a smile, "Some parts of the novel can resonate with people—thinking of a name can evoke a strong desire to see that person, and if that person doesn't appear at a certain time as usual, you might toss and turn at night, wondering about it, feeling anxious to the point of exhaustion, and even experiencing a sense of sadness..."

Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but recall, she... probably didn't... well, she did.

"Huh? You guys have all read that novel?" Feng Bin and Hua widened their eyes in surprise. What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm the only one who's uncultured?!

“You can go back and look at it,” Yukino Yukinoshita asked. “Does Sakurajima-senpai have any insights into the script?”

"This..."

Mai Sakurajima pondered for a moment, then crossed her legs. After a long pause, she finally spoke, "The character design of the samurai named Sanwa Sakura in the script can embody the element of 'waiting'."

Yukino Yukinoshita frowned slightly: "Like that female protagonist who waits for a scumbag to remember her?"

"No, it's a more proactive way of waiting."

Mai Sakurajima tapped the manuscript paper, a rare hint of annoyance in her smile: "At times like these, I really envy Hater-kun's expressive abilities... Just think of it this way: The samurai believes marriage isn't love, life is. After his proposal was rejected, he didn't feel discouraged or sad. Distant dreams don't come overnight, and neither does love, so he chooses to wait, gradually bringing the princess into his life while waiting for her acceptance. He only fears one thing: that the princess disappears from his life, never to be heard from again..."

Marriage is unreliable, something that cannot be proven, something that binds two people together with responsibilities and consequences.

I cannot feel its sacredness, nor do I think it is great. I see its hidden thorns—my father and mother, their marriage stemming from a moment of impulse. With marriage, my mother's strength became even more acute, and my father's weakness became even more apparent. If life were to shift even slightly, everything would fall apart.