Ill be back after returning home for Lunar New Year. Are you still going to stay with him and Zhuang Yus voice gradually lowered, and I could not hear her anymore. The two chatted in a lowered voice with occasional giggles from Tan Jiao.
Arent you going home for Lunar New Year? Zhuang Yu asked Tan Jiao.
Tan Jiao shook her head with a smile and did not say anything. I understood what was on her mind. She was not even sure if she would experience or remember the period around Lunar New Year.
After Zhuang Yu left, we walked back toward the inn together. I could sense that she was somewhat sad because of her friend, but I had no idea how to comfort her. We would pass by several villagers, and most of them would eye us.
Where do you think that crossover will occur?
I shrugged.
Will it be at the bottom of the lake?
Maybe. I nodded.
Could it be related to Wu Miaos case? she asked after a brief pause.
I did not answer her.
After the point of crossover maybe the two of us will return to our normal lives, and this chaos will finally come to an end.
Yeah. I let out a gentle smile.
Will you forget about me after that? she asked with her head lowered.
Her tone was calm, and her voice was soft; it was unlike her usual free-spirited carefree attitude. Yet, I recall that this was already her second time asking me this.
I told you, I wont forget you.
How would you know?
I know.
You wont forget me no matter what? she asked once more.
After a brief pause, I said, No matter what.
I did not look up or look at her eyes. However, I heard some movement from behind me. It turned out she had reached out to a branch to grab some snow. She did not seem to be doing it for a specific reason but merely playing with it in her hand before throwing it away.
It was evening and the sun with its mellow rays covered the white snow. I looked quietly from the side as she played with the snow, and it seemed her mood was better now.
I looked at her fair, elegant fingers that had some snow on them. Does it still hurt? The spot you got scalded.
That was nothing. She responded with the brightest smile. It felt fine a long time ago. Hey, why dont we make a snowman? Never know when well get a chance again.
Feeling somewhat relaxed and not wanting to spoil the mood, I thought, Sure. I lit up a cigarette and saw that her hands were red from the cold. Stand aside. Ill make a snowman.
What? No. Pursing her lips, she squatted down and started using her hands to pack the snow. I let out a chuckle when I saw her insistence, and she looked back at me with the most innocent look.
And so the two of us began to work on the snowman together. Even though our hands were cold, we did not care.
Ah Yu? A familiar voice came from behind us, which shocked us both.
And on this snowy day, Chen Ruying stood behind us in a white down jacket, a red scarf, and even a mask. Her eyes, which were filled with shock, excitement, and even a hint of affection, looked at me. Soon after that, she turned her gaze toward Tan Jiao and looked puzzled.
I held onto Tan Jiaos hand and slowly got up.
At this moment, I understood that Cheng Ruying had forgotten about what had happened to the ship and did not recognize Tan Jiao.
It seemed that they still had no memory of what had happened on the ship in this timeline.