Uneasy daily life

The plane has landed in Kinabalu.

Under the snow, the mother dragged her suitcase out of the airport and hailed a taxi with great flair, heading towards Jinchi.

On the way, I chatted with the talkative driver. He was quite surprised that someone who was obviously from out of town would come to Shenshan City for tourism and know about such a small place that even young people in the city don't know about.

Usually, only during the Girls' Day celebrations in April do many tourists from other places come to visit.

Of course, it depends on what you're comparing it to. There are so many famous tourist attractions in Japan that it's hard to count them all before they even get a chance to be included.

As for the prominent families of Kamiyama City, the Chitanda family is one, but that's about it.

Well... if I had to put it that way, it means that our ancestors were once wealthy.

"I heard that the Chitanda family owns a large territory, and it seems that the land north of Jinde belongs to the Chitanda family."

The driver, who was over fifty, casually remarked, "These days, young people are all rushing to Tokyo. If they can't make it in Tokyo, they'll try to make it in places close to Tokyo. The farther away a place is, the fewer people there are. How can you develop if there are no people? If you have a lot of land but can't produce anything, you can't talk about economic development. I've heard of some big bosses who wanted to set up factories, but they went bankrupt and went out of business. So they switched to tourism, and they've done a pretty good job in that area..."

"Didn't the driver ever think about going to Tokyo when he was young?"

"I thought about it and I went there, but I was almost killed by someone jumping off a building not long after I arrived. Then I was so scared that I went back to the sacred mountain."

The driver laughed and said, "No matter how prosperous Tokyo is, it has nothing to do with me. My son, on the other hand, really longs for Tokyo and studies hard to get into a university there. I told him, 'I only have one request for you: if you can't make it there, come back. Don't risk your life. That place is packed with people, and it can really eat you alive.'"

"The driver seems to take it all in stride."

"Whether you can let go or not, you'll still live your whole life. The worst thing you can do is to be at odds with yourself."

The driver became serious: "Madam, seatbelt... Oh, it's fastened—from here on the road isn't as smooth as in the city, but of course there's no need to worry. I drive this road more than a dozen times a year, so I know it very well."

Looking out the car window through the snow, the mother could see several very conspicuous buses parked by the roadside.

The bus had a banner that read "Sobu High School Study Tour Bus," and there were a few people chatting. There was a sign standing by the roadside to welcome them.

Indeed, it was arranged as planned, and the transportation even arrived quite early, so the arrangements seemed to be quite reliable.

"Whew... We've finally arrived..."

"Although I was told I would have to transfer several times in the city, I didn't expect it to take this long..."

"It's almost noon, isn't it? Where should we go for lunch later?"

"Chitanda-san's travel guide has it. It says it's a hotel, so it was prepared in advance. The timing is quite accurate. It takes about an hour and a half by bus from here, and dinner is served at 2 pm."

"Give me a cookie to tide me over."

"I hope to see Mai Sakurajima, I want her autograph!"

"Judging from her Twitter account, Mai Sakurajima arrived a few days ago, but I don't know where she's filming..."

"It probably hasn't officially started filming yet, but the actors have arrived first. Mai Sakurajima is always very dedicated."

After getting off the tram, the students arrived at the bus stop under the guidance of Shizuka Hiratsuka and boarded the bus arranged by the Chitanda family.

Yukino Yukino naturally parted ways with Shiro, and followed Hiratsuka Shizuka onto another bus. She needed to sort out her thoughts—at least she had to get rid of the 'woof' that had been lingering in her mind all the way!

Bai Ying, carrying her large bag, had just found a window seat on the bus when she suddenly felt a shadow cast from the side.

Bai Ying turned her head and looked at the three people in the aisle who all seemed to want to sit next to her, her eyes a little confused: "This is a place of auspicious feng shui, only the virtuous should reside here. Do you want to have a duel?"

"no, I'm fine."

Hayato Hayama was the first to leave the fight and walk to his seat at the back.

"Hayato, I'm with you—!"

Yumiko Miura hesitated slightly, but still chased after Hayato Hayama. She would deal with whether she had been tricked or not after the battle.

The white figure looked at Yukino Yukinoshita, who had won without a fight, and gestured: "Please."

Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."

Yui Yuigahama had already gotten on another bus. If she were to get off and go over there now, it would really seem like she was seriously ill.

She sat down, pressing down on her skirt, and went straight to the point: "What did you say to your sister?"

Bai Ying said seriously, "How to play a dog well."

"?"

Then, Yukino Yukinoshita listened to Hakukage talk about how to be a dog the whole way.

She suspected that Bai Ying was deceiving her and had evidence of subjective conjecture.

"Huh? Which way does this road lead... Damn useless navigation! I'll definitely give you a bad review later!"

"Young man, do you know Jinchu? Huh? No? This is Kamiyama City, right...?"

"They keep coming and going... I haven't seen any road signs at all..."

"Damn it! There's not enough time! They said they'd get there at least one step faster than Yukino and Haruno..."

Although some investigation and preparation had been carried out beforehand, the hasty preparations were clearly insufficient to handle the actual troubles.

The hero is lost.

The father was very anxious.

Speed ​​is of the essence in war! If we delay any longer, how will we ever be able to behead Hachiman!

"Ah sneeze——!"

"Xiao Qi, have you caught a cold?"

"Hmm...no, it's probably a good sign?"

Hachiman Hikigaya is very relaxed.

This is awesome! I thought the minister would cause some trouble on the way, like saying the journey was long and incredibly boring, and then we should play an exciting game...

The result was a smooth journey and a safe landing.

A good omen.

Chapter 87 Guess who this is?

The weather was great, and the food the hotel had prepared in advance was also very good.

Although the flavors weren't particularly strong, the meal was plentiful and fresh, featuring fish, free-range chicken from the countryside, and a variety of seasonal vegetables. There was plenty of meat, making it a very satisfying meal. The chicken soup, in particular, was exceptional; it was indeed made with freshly killed country hens, resulting in a fragrant and rich broth.

After eating and drinking her fill, Bai Ying put her large backpack away in her room.

This contains a carefully prepared secret weapon, but unfortunately it's not the right time to use it yet. After all, I'm too busy to deal with it all, and I have to wait for my helpers to arrive.

Now it's free time. Except for not taking a car into the city, you can wander around outside.

Of course, when explaining these things, Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't help but repeat the instructions: everyone must gather at the hotel for roll call at 7 p.m., and anyone who is late or doesn't show up will have to submit not only a report after the school trip, but also a self-criticism.

"Hehehehe~"

Under the snow—hmm? Where is everyone?

Yuihama—wait, she's gone too?

Hachiman... oh dear?

9527—not there either?

The white figure circled the hotel a few times, asking about other people's rooms, but no one was there when she knocked on the doors.

Hachiman Hikigaya and Houtarou Oreki, who were supposed to share a room with him, only had Hachiman Hikigaya's bag on the bed, while Houtarou Oreki didn't even have a bag.

Where are they? Where have they all gone?

"Eru, where did the others go?"

Bai Ying's eyes lit up, and she finally intercepted Chitanda Eru in the corridor.

"The others? Oreki said she wanted to go home and visit. Hikigaya said she was going to explore town. Yukinoshita and her sister seem to have left together. Yui and Anshinin went out to buy souvenirs..."

Bai Ying understood immediately. Ha! A bunch of reckless cowards!

Chitanda Eru counted on her fingers, then remembered the important matter and asked, "Uncle Bai, do you want to go see your uncle?"

Where is Brother Guan Gu?

“I don’t know either. My dad said he’s been busy with some things lately, riding his bicycle around everywhere. Today he went to the mountain to the north.”

"Well, since I have nothing else to do, I'll go look for it."

"Okay! I'm going back to work now! See you later, Uncle Bai!"

Chitanda Eru ran off with great enthusiasm. This time, she wasn't just on a school trip as a student; she was also fulfilling her duties as the daughter of the Chitanda family by hosting the students who had come to visit.

Although she is very motivated and has a lot of ideas, most of her ten ideas are usually rejected by others, leaving only half. She has to piece together some appropriate action plans. Now she is going to take some interested classmates to visit the Senri Shrine.

Bai Ying pondered, feeling himself being ostracized.

This is isolation, this is bullying!

After all, they are young ladies and gentlemen born in the city. Do they think this is a city where you can't find anyone even if you look around 200 meters away?

In my past life, I was a country bumpkin who would slack off, tease dogs, fry cow dung, climb trees, and get chased by chickens. In this life, I travel all over Japan with a theater troupe. My cycling skills are MAX, and my outdoor adaptability is MAX—this is my home turf!

The white figure strolled away from the hotel, looking around as she went.

Well... it's not exactly the countryside. It's more like the countryside you see when you go back after more than ten years away. There are wide roads for motor vehicles, scattered cement buildings, and various wooden houses interspersed among them.

But it still has that special sense of spaciousness that comes with the countryside, so finding someone is still quite easy.

Sure enough, after walking less than 300 meters, I saw Yukinoshita's mother walking out of a hotel, wearing a kimono that surprisingly suited the place.

"Oh, hello Auntie." Bai Ying waved her hand in greeting. "Have you eaten yet?"

"...Just ate."

Yukinoshita's mother managed to remain calm as she answered, genuinely surprised to bump into the white figure without warning: "Let's take a walk together. I have some questions for you."

"Okay, let's head north then. I was just about to go there anyway. There's nothing fun there; they've probably all gone somewhere else."

Bai Ying nodded readily in agreement.

The two walked on a street with almost no people. Yukinoshita's mother sorted out her disordered thoughts and was about to speak.

"Did Auntie arrive early?" Bai Ying asked with a smile. "Yukinoshita Haruno did meet with me and knows that I'm temporarily staying at Yukinoshita Yukino's house."

Yukinoshita's mother confirmed her guess and asked with interest, "Why can't I just be here for tourism?"

“I hope Auntie is just here for tourism,” Bai Ying observed for a moment and said. “If she’s just here for her daughter, she might be lying to herself. It would be a waste of the scenery here—what does Auntie think of the view?”

It was still his keen observation and judgment; he probably gave the other person an answer the moment he was caught off guard.

Yukinoshita's mother smiled gently and said, "It's alright, I guess. It has running water, electricity, and gas, so it's not that inconvenient, but it's not that bustling either... If I had to pinpoint the biggest feeling, it would be that it's quite deserted here."

“This is the countryside. You can look up and see over the rooftops, taking in the undulating curves of the mountains. There are no horns blaring or people talking, and you can see very far into the distance,” Bai Ying said with a smile. “I prefer to describe it as vast rather than desolate.”

Yukinoshita's mother said noncommittally, "It sounds like you really enjoy this living environment."

“Life here isn’t as convenient as in the city. The facilities here, such as medical care, are not as complete as in the city. There are not many opportunities and possibilities here, and the future here isn’t very bright.” Bai Ying sighed. “This place represents the past, while the city represents the future. If you really want to live here, farming is not easy. There’s no air conditioning in the hot weather and no heating in the winter. Rural life isn’t as wonderful as you imagine.”

"But this has little to do with tourists. Tourism is about spending money to escape life and experience beautiful and new scenery."

"If you spend money and are still unhappy, isn't that just asking for trouble?"

Bai Ying pointed and laughed, "Auntie, look—it's a wild goose."

Yukinoshita's mother looked up, shook her head and smiled, "It's not a wild goose, it should be a egret."

Looking up, I did feel a sense of sudden enlightenment.

In the city, no matter how you look up, the skyscrapers will always be at the end of your line of sight. People are like being put in a lead-gray can, never seeing the boundary between the sky and the earth.

A flock of birds flew across the sky, white clouds drifted lazily, and the sunlight was clear. From the undulating mountains, one could see the blurry outlines of mountains further away. To be honest, this place is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and people in it feel like they are in a can, yet they still feel that the world is so vast.

"Auntie, don't look over here, keep enjoying the scenery."

Bai Ying held her phone, looking like she was about to take a picture.

Yukinoshita's mother's mood improved slightly, and she asked with a smile, "What are you planning to do?"

"I'll take a picture of Auntie and send it to Yukinoshita later," Shiro said with a bright smile.

"Ahem..." Yukinoshita's mother coughed lightly twice. "Should I pretend I didn't notice that you took the picture secretly?"

"I feel good."

Bai Ying gave a thumbs-up, stepped back a certain distance, and took a picture of her mother watching the scenery under the snow.