TIMO - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
“After all, this is a special situation, isn’t it?”
Shi Nan added this very considerately, alleviating the embarrassment that was gradually spreading from Fu Zhao’s chest.
She tightened her grip on the handlebars, tearing her gaze away from Shi Nan’s face in the rearview mirror, and focused on riding the bike, trying her best not to “accidentally” glance toward Shi Nan again.
Nanke Island at dusk was brilliant. The scenery of the seaside beach was enchanting, with crowds scattered throughout the streets and the lights of countless homes sketching out a beautiful, radiant evening view.
Fu Zhao had seen such a scene many times before.
But this time, it was a little different.
Perhaps it was because Shi Nan, now sitting behind her, had a protagonist’s aura, making the scenery she was so used to seem somewhat different.
The evening breeze rushing in from all directions seemed to carry a sweeter scent. It was hard to describe, but she guessed it must be Shi Nan’s perfume, or the fragrance of her hair.
The back seat, which was usually empty and light, now held a person. The weight was substantial, yet it brought a sense of security.
In order to let the roadside scenery linger longer in Shi Nan’s eyes, she rode much slower than her usual pace, and she surprisingly began to feel the unique charm of the landscape herself.
The rocks jutting out on the beach, the surging waves, the leisurely double-decker tour bus on the road with its various tourists lounging comfortably in their seats, the brightly lit lighthouse on the sea horizon, the cave-style photo spot…
Everything that came into view, including the wind and the setting sun, seemed more beautiful than when she saw it alone.
She could only attribute all of this to her deliberately slow speed.
Sometimes, when you slow down, everything seems to become more romantic.
And then there was Shi Nan behind her, who would occasionally sigh in admiration, shouting loudly over the wind to share everything she saw in a joyful, enthusiastic tone right by her ear.
She would happily greet people on the side of the road.
She would gasp in surprise at the large waves crashing onto the beach.
When she came across a particularly beautiful and special view, she would gently pat Fu Zhao’s shoulder, asking her to stop so she could take a few pictures.
This was different from the Shi Nan she had read about in the book, the Shi Nan from the original host’s monologue, and the “Miss Shi” who had wanted to jump into the sea a few days ago.
But she didn’t dwell on it for too long. After all… she felt that under this setting sun, even she herself had become a little different. Otherwise, why would she, knowing full well that Shi Nan was sitting behind her, still find her lips curling up unconsciously as she instinctively shared interesting stories about the island with Shi Nan?
Everything was different. Just for this evening.
That was all.
Fu Zhao rode the bike with Shi Nan, wandering through every corner of the island for several hours, until the sun had completely set and the city was ablaze with lights.
She parked the bike at an open-air cinema near the West Archipelago.
Because it was Saturday, the open-air cinema was a bit crowded. She and Shi Nan managed to find two seats in the last row.
Fu Zhao had originally thought that it would be impossible for her and Shi Nan to sit down and watch the same movie peacefully. But just like at the Flower Throwing Ceremony that day, in reality, there wasn't that much irreconcilable hatred between them. They could get along amicably, and they could also sit down and talk about other unimportant things, just like any old classmates with a good relationship.
For example, the movie playing now.
This was a classic film even in her original world. She hadn’t expected that a movie from her world would also exist in the world of Nanke Island. It was said to be a classic from long ago, back when humans hadn’t differentiated and there were only two genders, male and female.
Then again, perhaps the author of the original book was very fond of this movie.
Who knew? Many things on Nanke Island were similar to the world she came from.
The movie was brilliant. When they arrived, it was at the scene where the male and female protagonists meet. The open-air cinema was crowded, yet it wasn’t noisy. People were all leaning back in their chairs leisurely, completely engrossed.
This was despite the fact that the movie had been played on repeat at this open-air cinema countless times; it was practically a required screening every evening.
Fu Zhao figured the owner of this cinema must really love this movie.
“I think they were playing this movie the last time I passed by here.”
The voice, so close it was almost touching, drifted into her ear.
Fu Zhao snapped back to her senses, and what met her eyes was Shi Nan’s face, magnified countless times in her field of vision, looking breathtakingly beautiful in the night sea breeze.
She blinked and scooted her chair away a little to calm the breathing that had been disrupted by the startle. “The owner probably really likes it, that’s why they play it over and over.”
“Mhm~”
Shi Nan hummed in response, not minding Fu Zhao’s action that was akin to “disdaining” her. She was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking for a while before starting a conversation. “I like it a lot too, just like all those people who come here to watch it again and again.”
She kept her voice low, probably so as not to disturb the other moviegoers.
And since it was an open-air cinema, the wind scattered most of her words as soon as she spoke them. By the time they reached Fu Zhao’s ears, only the word “like” remained. She was taken aback, and assuming Shi Nan was talking about the movie, she thought for a moment, gathered her thoughts, and replied, “I don’t like it.”
“You don’t like it…”
Shi Nan froze, repeating her words. She raised a hand to smooth back her hair, which had been messed up by the sea breeze, and raised an eyebrow at Fu Zhao. “Is it because of the sad ending?”
“No.”
Fu Zhao shook her head gently, lowering her voice. “I don’t like it, but I can’t say I hate it either. I just can’t understand the idea of sacrificing yourself for someone else for the time being. Even if that person is your lover, no matter how epic it is, I can’t seem to empathize.”
“Besides, they’ve only known each other for a short time. How could they love each other so deeply?”
“Maybe I just don’t understand their kind of unforgettable love.”
Fu Zhao’s answer was serious, but it was also tinged with her own personal feelings. Just as she couldn’t understand the original host’s actions—she and Shi Nan weren’t even lovers, and her love had never been spoken or reciprocated.
But the original host still lost her life and fortune for Shi Nan.
Like a devoted supporting female character in an idol drama, a devoted cannon fodder in the novel.
She didn’t understand. Even if she was in the world of a novel, even if the Shi Nan before her were to one day encounter that unavoidable danger again, she would absolutely not sacrifice herself.
“Yes, you’re right…” Shi Nan listened quietly to Fu Zhao’s words. After a moment of silence, she turned her head to stare at the screen in front of them. Her voice trailed off lazily, but the emotion in her words was exceptionally serious. “Actually, I used to be unable to understand sacrificing one’s life for love. I even thought it was incredibly foolish. It would force the one left behind to bear the consequences and responsibility alone. It’s very likely the survivor would find it hard to accept that outcome and responsibility, and even harder to move on from that moment of life and death.”
Listening, Fu Zhao suddenly realized that she had never considered this matter from Shi Nan’s perspective before. She had only thought that the original host had sacrificed herself for nothing, but she had never considered that the outcome left Shi Nan with a guilt no less profound than the original host’s regret before death.
But she keenly caught another meaning in Shi Nan’s words and asked, “Used to be?”
Shi Nan paused, then smiled at Fu Zhao again, a curve forming on her lips. “You caught that again. ‘Used to be.’”
“Yeah… that was just my original thought.”
“Now, I quite like this movie.” She moved her lips and added, “Maybe it’s because I’ve seen it so many times, I’ve naturally started to understand it, to feel more, and so I’ve come to like it.”
After saying this, Shi Nan fell silent and said no more, just staring intently at the screen in front of her, the light in her eyes flickering.
Fu Zhao’s mouth opened and closed. She wanted to ask something more, but nothing came out. She could only release the doubt that filled her chest, press her lips together tightly, and fix her gaze steadily on the screen as well.
Can you really understand just by watching it more?
She had only seen it once or twice. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t seen it enough.
The movie ended. The male protagonist gave his chance of survival to the female protagonist, remaining forever in the dark sea.
It was an ending that had played out countless times in this open-air cinema, yet there were still people who, after watching, would cry and cling to their friends in sorrow, shedding genuine tears that were then drowned out by the noisy, bustling crowd.
Fu Zhao watched the final shot and sat quietly in her chair for a while. Shi Nan beside her also made no sound, her hair falling to the side and obscuring her expression.
It was already past ten at night. More than half of the people who had been sitting comfortably in their chairs chatting were gone. The neat rows of chairs in the open space began to look empty, much like the endings in those dramas where the crowd disperses immediately after the excitement.
“Shall we go?”
Fu Zhao gathered her things but didn’t hear Shi Nan getting up to follow. She stopped and looked at Shi Nan, who was still fixed in her chair, and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
“Fu Zhao…”
Shi Nan called out softly and turned her head to look over. Her hair was blown aside, the wind-swept strands swaying gently in front of her cheeks, giving her a lazy, casual air under the warm streetlights. The light in her eyes wavered; they were moist, and as her eyelashes lowered, it seemed as if tears were welling up.
“If one day, like in the movie, you had someone you loved very much and faced a situation like that…”
“Would you willingly die for her?”
Author's Notes
Regarding this question, it's actually something both Shi Nan and Fu Zhao have thought about many, many times. Please don't be quick to blame Shi Nan, because she was also a victim in that incident, and it was just as sudden for her.
Including her "rebirth" that you're seeing now, she doesn't know why she suddenly returned here. She has a lot to consider. Of course, she doesn't want Fu Zhao to die for her. But the first person she saw after coming here was the Fu Zhao who saved her from the sea. The Fu Zhao she's seen since is different from the one in her memory. Including their interactions these past few days, she's actually been moved without realizing it, so her emotions have naturally become an important factor influencing her every decision. Since she has a second chance, she hopes to make up for past regrets and get to know the Fu Zhao before her anew. And since everything is different, she feels she has a chance to change that future outcome. This is her current thinking. As for what people have said about not investigating the cause, it will be explained later why there's "no need to investigate." Please don't be anxious.
It's the same old saying: I've always believed that to see something completely, you must look at it from different perspectives. Any single perspective can be superficial.
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