Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 281

406. Gazing at the peak, my heart finds peace.

Luo Fan never expected that this taxi ride would last for several hours...

"The road isn't finished yet, so there's nothing we can do about it."

Returning to this small county town felt like stepping into another world. Slightly lifting the curtain to look at the shops and pedestrians passing by like a film reel outside the car window, Luo Fan felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

It's been far too long since I've been back in this kind of environment...

Fortunately, the weather was relatively mild. After being cooped up in the car for so long, Luo Fan would probably be vomiting to death...

......

"Heave-ho, another transfer."

"Huh? We have to sit again?!"

The two had just gotten off the car and sat down by a tree by the roadside, leaning on their luggage. They thought they were not far from their destination, but Yingque's words still made Luo Fan tremble.

"Yeah, it's the last stretch of the road, but it's a mountain road, so it might be a bit... uh... look, the car's here!"

Yingque pointed to an approaching van and exclaimed in surprise.

Luo Fan recognized the brand, Wuling...

Take this car?

Even as the vehicle drew near, Luo Fan remained seated on his suitcase, motionless, appearing somewhat unsteady.

He felt like he had never sat in a car for so long in his entire life, and to be honest, it wasn't a very pleasant feeling. But Yingque looked no different than usual; she must have gotten used to it by now.

Yingque was about to get into the carriage when she turned around and found Luo Fan still sitting motionless in the same spot, as if he was about to pass away on the spot...

She stretched out her hand and asked doubtfully, "Let's go, the car is here."

"Uh, well..."

I feel so weak even when I raise my hand, it's really rare for me to sit until my whole body aches.

Luo Fan had no choice but to carry his luggage to the back seat again, but this time, instead of sitting inside the car, he chose to experience the unique features of the Wuling minivan and sat in the back seat where his belongings were stored.

"You're sitting here? Then I'll come up too, hey!"

Yingque had already taken her seat in front, but when she saw Luo Fan lying down with his luggage in the back, she climbed over from between the seats and lay down on the pile of luggage next to her.

Ah, lying down is much more comfortable than sitting. I can only say that Wuling is truly worthy of its name.

"Little Que'er, are you all seated properly?!"

"Hey, Uncle, sit down, let's go!"

The quiet of the van was broken by two shouts. Luo Fan turned to look at Ying Que beside him and the driver in front.

"do you know him?"

Yingque adjusted his position and lay down comfortably: "I know him. He's from the neighboring village. He often travels back and forth between Banlan and Rong'an to pick up goods. When I was admitted to university, I also took Uncle's car on the way to the city. I haven't seen him much since then. Today, he happened to be picking up goods to go back, so he gave us a ride."

"That's it..."

Such relationships between villages were beyond his knowledge.

It's good that they weren't taken away to be sold, after all, Yingque mentioned that this trip would involve going into the mountains...

"I suggest you don't fall asleep, otherwise you'll feel very uncomfortable later."

Yingque suddenly whispered.

"how?"

Luo Fan was puzzled. Why couldn't he sleep comfortably even after lying down?

"Well, going into the mountains, you know, the path might be quite steep..."

"...It's okay, I'll sleep for a while if I can. I'm tired."

It's impossible not to be tired from this trip. Of course, I won't let go of any time I can get to sleep. What's a mountain road?

"Ah, okay."

Ying Que didn't say anything more, took out her phone and lay down next to Luo Fan, browsing something, probably a text message function.

You should contact her family. It's quite normal for an elderly person to only use text messages...

The car wasn't going fast, and the closed windows effectively blocked out the outside noise. Before long, drowsiness swarmed in like ants returning to their nest, and my eyelids gradually became heavy.

Luo Fan tilted his head to the side, completely relaxing his body.

But, not long after, in a daze, he seemed to hear some kind of friction sound...

What is Yingque doing?

"Oh dear, it's a little crowded..."

She murmured something to herself, but Luo Fan didn't bother to open her eyes to look.

A few seconds later...

"Click"

A crisp sound, like a gentle breeze brushing past the ear.

Luo Fan, who uses his mobile phone intensively year-round, can certainly recognize this sound.

That's why, even though he was exhausted, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, as if he was deliberately playing along with her.

..."Pfft"

Yingque couldn't help but laugh.

Let her do what she wants...

With a smile, Luo Fan turned over to face the shaded side.

We'll have to wait a while.

......

......

P.S.: For a better reading experience, I recommend listening to "One Summer's Day" (the theme song from the movie "Spirited Away") by Joe Hisaishi below. (The non-VIP version, 4:50, is one I personally find more pleasant to listen to.)

"boom"

"Holy shit!"

The car suddenly jolted, throwing Luo Fan directly onto the suitcase next to him.

He quickly looked up and around. His stress response made him subconsciously look down at Yingque, but she was just lying blankly on the luggage, as if nothing had happened.

That's why I told you not to fall asleep.

Ying laughed softly.

Luo Fan looked up and realized they had entered the mountains. The ground was littered with protruding rocks and clods of mud; the bumpy ride earlier must have been caused by running over a relatively large rock...

The car window was opened at some point, and when I looked up, I could feel the refreshing mountain breeze blowing into my collar. Unlike the smoky atmosphere of the city, there was no smell of sand, fumes, exhaust fumes, or secondhand smoke here, only the fresh oxygen left by the plants after photosynthesis.

Luo Fan paused for a moment, as if the annoyance of being startled awake from his sleep had vanished in an instant. He "eagerly" got up and put his head close to the car window.

Even the rhythm of breathing slowed down due to the movement. Looking up, I had never seen such tall trees and sky.

He knew he was in the mountains, roaming in a realm he had rarely visited before.

Looking down, you can see a row of protective railings made of low stone pillars. As far as the eye can see, you can see a stream nestled in the mountain pass. If you look closely, you can also find a dark gray spot amidst the emerald green.

It was an old man, squatting by the river washing vegetables.

A moment later, Luo Fan felt his body being squeezed.

The girl also came over, but her behavior was even more unremarkable than his.

But she always manages to maintain that smile, and that smile always touches her own heart...

"Like it?"

"Um......"

He didn't know how to describe the scenery, but compared to the steel and concrete he had seen in the past, the current scenery was absolutely rare.

This is a natural spine, different from man-made objects. Perhaps it is because he has seen too little of it that he reacts in this way.

Now, he can somewhat understand what it means to "those who soar to the heavens find peace in the sight of peaks; those who manage affairs forget to return when they glimpse the valleys."

This scene naturally makes material desires pale in comparison, and makes visitors linger, reluctant to leave...

407 Mother

Those who aspire to great things should be skilled in planning and strategizing; those who harbor ambitions of becoming heroes should be meticulous and thorough in their thinking. However, if one is confined to a tent and ponders for too long, one should also wander through the mountains and fields to cultivate one's character and release one's pent-up emotions.

Perhaps this holiday will be better than I imagined...

......

After an unknown amount of time, Luo Fan seemed to have lost all sense of time. Lying among his luggage, from a certain moment on, his eyes never seemed to leave the car window.

When the van finally stopped, the driver shouted at them in his loud voice, "We're here!" Only then did Luo Fan reluctantly climb out of the van.

I was already tired of traveling by car, but now I seem to wish I could sit a little longer and quietly enjoy the scenery. Because if I leave here, I don't know how many more chances I'll have to see this again...

Although the scenery didn't disappear after getting off the bus, it lacked that continuous, flowing movement, and something seemed to be missing...

The two carried their luggage but did not set off immediately. Luo Fan stood there for a while. If the toy's spring had broken, Luo Fan would have ended up like this.

Yingque wasn't in a hurry, and just stood by his side.

This place is sparsely populated and rarely sees vehicles. You might sit on a small stool by the roadside and see no more than ten cars in a day.

He lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Ying Que glanced sideways at the somewhat dazed man, but didn't deliberately disturb him. She knew very well that he needed some time.

......

After a while, he dragged his suitcase and twisted his slightly sore neck a few times.

"Que'er, let's go."

"Ah."

They walked onto a small road to the left of the main road, but although it was called the main road, it was muddy and could only allow one vehicle to pass at a time.

The left side of the path was planted with sugarcane, but it was not yet harvest season, and all they could see were long stalks.

The sound of flowing water often brushes past your ears. If you carefully feel the moisture in the air and lower your head slightly, a small waterfall will come into view.

This narrow path is quite amazing; you can see sugarcane fields and a small river right next to each other, separated by a path with only a few meters between them.

The forests here are equally lush. Looking up, the mountains are covered in verdant greenery, with no signs of logging or damage.

"Que'er, you lived in a place like this when you were little..."

"Yes, it's great, isn't it?"

"indeed."

It's really quite good; at least Luo Fan doesn't find anything annoying about it, except for the rather long journey...

Having spent years wandering in foreign lands, my heart, pounding wildly amidst numbers, money, and bullets, seems to have found a long-lost peace here.

No need to worry about someone suddenly shooting you somewhere, no need to always wear a smiling, sales-ready face, no need to... smell the stench of money and the nauseating stench of blood...

Luo Fan suddenly began to feel a little envious of Ying Que, envious that she could live in such a place when she was a child.

He lowered his head, looking at the girl beside him, his eyes darting around.

The girl seemed oblivious, her long white dress swaying gently in the breeze, her pure white eyes taking in the beautiful scenery that matched her presence, unlike herself, who remained a stranger.

Nature meant no harm to anyone, but Luo Fan always felt something that made him uncomfortable... He didn't know how to describe this feeling.

Perhaps he never truly belonged here...

The earthy fragrance after the rain could not ultimately mask the fishy smell.

Crossing a river is a "small bridge" made of stones. If you're not careful, you might step directly into the water. However, the river isn't very deep. On both sides, the deepest part only reaches Yingque's chest.

so......

"Do I have to drag the whole suitcase across the water?"