Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 227

As for Luo Fan, he actually had a lot more to say, more words to encourage the girls, but unfortunately, there was a young lady who didn't know the truth there, so he had to give up. Otherwise, he might be mistaken for some kind of private armed group...

Furthermore, he doesn't necessarily have to say things only girls can understand. There are countless words that can express his happiness, joy, and best wishes for the new year, but...

Looking at this young lady, she clearly had a lot to say, but she was like a fish out of water, her thoughts disconnected, and she couldn't say anything.

This feeling has become increasingly apparent since last night, after observing the strange reactions she caused.

He looked at this simple girl, beautiful, strong, and devoted. Almost every good quality he could think of was embodied in her. She was a girl who deserved to be loved and loved.

These admirable qualities are relative to oneself. The more a person lacks something, the more they want to possess it, and the more they want to prove that they have it.

But he couldn't prove that such a perfect girl had been taken away. No, that's not how it should be said. She was so wonderful that the person who could move her heart and take such great actions to find her must have similar qualities, right?

Otherwise, how could she find such a vain vision so appealing?

Luo Fan was ultimately aware of the gap between himself and the other person. He did not make any demands, but chose to offer his heartfelt blessings, wishing that the lovers would eventually be together.

......

The bartender doesn't seem to be in very good shape...

Strange, he was just laughing so happily, inspiring everyone's enthusiasm, he should have been the happiest person, so why is he reacting like this?

She's just like him; she seems to have never laughed from the heart. She's always gloomy, like a dark, inky cloud, hiding something, and she seems to be glad about it. But in reality, she can't hide anything at all.

However, the bartender still kept a little secret.

his name.

Even now, Yingque still doesn't know his name. His aloofness is a form of self-respect and self-discipline.

He used this to demonstrate his good manners, to dispel their initial doubts in the best way, to offer her help, and to maintain this distance. He did it perfectly, but it also made him feel a little... regretful, didn't it?

Yes, he is very similar to him, but without a name, there would naturally be an insurmountable gap between them.

I look a lot like it, but I'm not...

That's the saddest thing.

And that's probably what the bartender wanted too—not having to leave his name, maintaining this distance, is the best way to respect each other.

Since he treated her with such high respect, she would naturally respect his choice in return.

She chose to attend the dinner with her most natural and beautiful smile, without saying a word, simply to leave behind the most wonderful memory.

......

9:46 p.m.

Yingque had already packed her luggage and, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, placed it by the bar door in advance.

Everyone was watching TV or playing games in the living room on the second floor, making quite a scene, so the bar itself was completely empty.

After greeting Pascal, Yingque secretly headed downstairs.

Leaving quietly like this is actually quite good...

maybe?

She stood by the door, looking at the suitcase beside her, her eyes somewhat cloudy.

"..."

She stopped in her tracks, she hesitated, she wasn't sure if she should just walk out like that.

Why...?

......

"Miss?"

"!"

She turned around suddenly, and there stood the familiar bartender, facing her at a table, with a gentle and serene smile that made her feel comfortable.

"Want to dance?"

"I won't......"

"It's okay, take your time."

......

He took her hand, but they didn't interlock their fingers; they just held it together. Even at this moment, he still chose to respect her wishes.

Perhaps she wouldn't want her hand to be held by the fingers of a man she doesn't know very well?

He simply wanted to see her off and ease his own worries; in doing so, it would be good for both of them.

Yingque's movements were not as clumsy as he had claimed; they were well in sync with Luo Fan's rhythm.

Actually, Luo Fan deliberately slowed down every movement so that she could keep up and adapt to him; in the Middle Ages, ballroom dancing was supposed to showcase one's skills and the refinement of a nobleman, and one should strive to do every movement to the best of one's ability.

Luo Fan chose to slow down, calm his breathing, and wait for each step the other took. At this moment, one arrogant soul chose to compromise, while the other chose to quicken his pace and catch up.

Gradually, her movements became more and more natural, and it seemed that she no longer needed Luo Fan to deliberately slow down, so that she could cooperate very well.

Thus, it is the most beautiful and gentle moment when two souls dance gracefully. You are not in a hurry, and I am not negligent. We step with the same pace and rhythm. We join hands and move forward together. We do not compromise with each other, nor do we make concessions.

You represent what I lack, the beauty I yearn for; I am a reflection of your perfect expectations.

No words are needed; the harmony of souls is the most perfect proof.

......

Yingque is a person who is easily moved by emotions, and even now is no exception.

She shed tears again because of this, but not out of sadness, which was something she should have been sad about.

But somehow, she felt very content.

As the dance ended, she slowly retreated to her luggage, with Luo Fan following behind her, ready to see her off.

"Thank you, sir. Although my time here was short, it was one of the happiest times of my life..."

She nodded slightly, brushed her bangs aside, and tried her best to smile.

Although Luo Fan still felt some regret, he did not try to persuade her to stay: "Me too, Miss, but I know that your journey is not over yet. There is still someone you need to find, even if it may take you a lifetime. But I believe you will not give up."

"Yes, we won't give up until we find it."

"Better to have nothing than something bad, even if it means a hundred years of lonely wandering."

She turned around, dragged her suitcase, her steps no longer heavy, took a deep breath, her steps were a little disordered due to excitement, but she didn't feel uncomfortable.

"Sir, if I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely come back here again and have a New Year's Eve dinner with you like this."

"You are welcome anytime, even if it's not the New Year. If you want to come back, the gates of Valhalla will always be open for you."

In a few seconds, she had reached the door, and the man was right behind her, watching her and waiting for her to leave.

She should have left like that, but it seemed that an obsession was still tugging at every nerve in her body...

She was still longing for one last thing.

Having made up her mind, she suddenly turned around.

"Sir, although... I'm about to leave, I might come back in the future. I hope I can address you by your name, so..."

Her heart was pounding like a drum.

"Well, of course."

Whew... Hah...

"In Donghuang, my name is..."

......

......

In an instant, the wind, snow, and car horns seemed to disappear. She was on the verge of collapse, as if she were about to faint in the wind and snow.

Tears, as clear as pearls, streamed down her face. She stood there, motionless, yet felt as if every blood vessel in her body was trembling and about to burst.

In the midst of the dizzying spin, everything seemed to vanish into thin air, except for the man who was holding her, seemingly very agitated.

Judging from the shape of his lips, it seems he's asking, "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

But she seemed to be on the verge of succumbing, only subconsciously murmuring a sentence, eight words.

In an instant, the man was also struck dumb, frozen in place.

Yingque couldn't see much, but she could still feel a warm sensation on her face, and a slight itch.

It wasn't her own tears, because she could clearly feel the warm and itchy sensation gently hitting her face.

The man seemed to realize something as well, and held her tightly, refusing to let go.

Yingque could not see anything, but she could still see the man's excited state, which was completely different from his usual elegance and leisure.

Yes, he forgot many things—her face, her name, the past—but he never forgot those words. Thankfully...

Outside the bar, the snow continued to fall, people continued to move forward, the city's splendor never ceased, and the bustling traffic flowed across the illusory landscape. It seemed that even the snow was no longer chilly, but was enveloped by warm lights and deep affection.

The snow shovelers didn't stop their work, but passing vehicles would still splash up new snow, making them roll their eyes, but they had no choice but to continue.

The splashing snowflakes landed on the eight characters Yingque had drawn on the snow with a twig, and then the wind blew them away...

A banished immortal descends to the mortal realm; fullness and emptiness are natural occurrences.

......

......

......

I remember what you said to me

There are eminent immortals in Qionglin.

I wonder if I'll see you in my dream?

Let the world laugh at me, for I have indulged in foolish and delusional thoughts.

......

Like a compass

Your soul is a fixed foot, unmoving.

With the other foot moving, she also moved.

Although she always sat in the center

But the other went to the ends of the earth, so she turned to the side and listened to the vast expanse of the world.

As soon as the other one returned home, she greeted him.

You'll treat me like this.

My life is like that other leg, requiring me to turn sideways.

Your determination is key to my accurate predictions.

Only then could I end it at the beginning.

Farewell. My condolences. (John Donne)

PS: Well, the protagonist and Ying Que have finally officially met.

Actually, there's more to describe in terms of daily life, but considering word count and pacing, some scenes were cut and condensed into one chapter to avoid a sense of disjointedness.

How did everyone feel about this meeting? Was it satisfactory?

In addition, the rule-based ghost stories are also on the agenda and should be presented to you soon, with more words than expected.

Also, although the ship girls haven't appeared yet, I'll still say something.

I hope that you will continue to accompany the dolls, the ship girls, and Yingque in the future.

Just a few words

I'm in a really bad mood.

Having written this daily life section for so long, I've only just realized that it requires far more setup than I expected, and the characters that appear also need more screen time. It's impossible for them to just show up and start fighting without saying anything.

The encounter between Yingque and the protagonist was also a labor of love for me, but the positive feedback was not much, and the opinions were increasing.