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墨書 Inktalez
Su Hailu noticed his dissatisfaction, and she knew that the answer she wanted was not about those plants. She couldn't help but smile teasingly and said, "Girl, do you love him very much?"
"Um?" Su Hailu focused on him, somewhat surprised, but did not answer immediately.
Did she love him very much? No one had ever asked her this question. She was a wealthy young lady, and he was a farmer's son from a mountain village. If she didn't love him, would there be any intersection between them? He was the first boyfriend she brought home to meet her parents; could she not love him? She had put in a lot of effort and money to take him abroad; if she didn't love him, then why did she do it?
So others never asked her this question. In their eyes, Su Hailu loved him very much; it was a classic tale of a princess falling for a dark horse.
Thus, it was taken for granted that she loved him, and she had never questioned herself or thought about this matter.
Did she love him very much?
After thinking for a while, she nodded firmly. After a moment, she hesitated and shook her head.
"Not sure?" he asked.
She replied, "It's not that I'm unsure; it's that I'm very sure. I am in love with him, and besides romantic love, there are many other kinds of love that transcend romance. I am also very sure that he does not love me; there is almost no trace of romantic love."
Su Hailu stood against the wind as the distant sunset revealed only a faint glimmer above the horizon. The nearby scenery was already shrouded in mist, and it was very quiet around them; surprisingly, a few insects were chirping softly to each other.
"He is like this plant; it looks delicate but has small thorns that are not easily noticed and can resist bacteria. It comes from deep mountains and forests, once unnoticed by people. Once it leaves the mountains, it is frantically sought after by the world and deliberately cultivated. However, he finds it hard to leave his homeland; what he longs for all his life is still the tranquil mountains." The old man also stood against the wind, his tall figure becoming serene in the gradually enveloping darkness.
"Does he often talk about her?" Su Hailu asked sideways.
"No, I don't know if he has her. He never mentions anyone; he only talks to me about his hometown. In the mountains, there are many fruit trees and medicinal herbs. He tells me about the functions and uses of each herb, which is why he loves these plants. Actually, I rarely take care of these plants; he does all the caring. I mainly take care of the grapes. I know he will take good care of the plants without me worrying; he is very dedicated. He does not take any compensation from us. He says it is mutually beneficial; to be precise, he gains more from them than they gain from him."
He pointed at the plants beside him and said, "What they gain is merely growth; he only provides them with the most basic needs according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. What they give him in return is joy and a sense of self-transcendence at its highest level."
Su Hailu pressed her lips tightly together.
The night had already enveloped the entire land, and the surrounding scenery was no longer visible; everything around was dark. She could only see him and the small plants beside him. He could only see her and the small plants beside her.
"Go back, girl. Live well. You have your own soil, soil that you cannot leave."
Su Hailu responded with a soft "mm" and, guided by his light, walked along the ridge, waving at him in the darkness.
When she returned home and passed by his room, she saw him still in the same posture and expression as when she left, focused on reading.
After entering her own room and sitting for a while, she went into his room, standing behind him and watching him.
He seemed completely unaware of her presence until after a long time, perhaps the shadow of the light made him feel someone behind him. He slowly raised his head and turned to look at her.
He smiled lightly and asked, "Didn’t go out today? It’s rare for it to be this quiet. What have you been doing? Reading too?"
Su Hailu smiled sadly and replied, "Yes, I’ve been reading as well."
Then she asked him, "Have you eaten?"
He stretched lazily and said, "Not yet." His eyes glanced out the window. "Why is it dark? Wasn't it just a moment ago?" He then picked up the watch on the table and looked at it. "Hmm, it's past seven. You’re unusually serious today; so engrossed in your reading that you lost track of time."
He didn’t look at her but hurriedly tidied up the things on the table. He loved cleanliness; whenever he left his desk, he would always make sure it was neat and tidy.
What does it feel like? He rarely looked at her properly or attentively.
What does it feel like? He had never looked closely or seriously at any other girl either.
He was always immersed in his own world, which is probably why he only had her in his heart! Because she had placed herself in his world for so long that he no longer thought about accommodating anyone else. Moreover, his world was so small that once it contained one person, there was no space left for anyone else.
Su Hailu fell silent for a moment and asked, "What's wrong?"
She replied, "Nothing, let's go out to eat."
He answered, "Okay."
After they finished eating, she said, "Let's take a walk outside before heading back."
He said, "Sure."
It had been a long time since they had walked together outside. When they first arrived in the country, they would occasionally go for walks, but later on, he preferred to stay in, and she often entertained herself alone. She thought it was giving him freedom, but in reality, she hadn't considered that he found it hard to leave his homeland.
The sky was dark, filled only with stars and no moon.
They walked silently along the riverbank outside their community. Although it was already mid-spring and the days were somewhat hot under the sun, the nights by the river were cool with the chilly water and refreshing breeze. Wearing light clothing, she still felt a bit cold, so Su Hailu crossed her arms.
In the past, they had also gone for walks a few times when they had just arrived in the country. Everything was new and exciting then, especially being with someone she liked. She had once pursued him with such intensity that it felt like she couldn't breathe when he coldly rejected her. Now he was right beside her, walking together during what felt like a smooth and happy time in her love life. Back then, Su Hailu loved to laugh and talk; during their walks, she would chatter non-stop while he remained mostly quiet yet appeared content.
However, tonight Su Hailu remained silent, thinking he would notice her change in mood.
But he didn't. His mood could hardly be described as joyful; rather, he seemed completely absorbed in the dark natural surroundings, merging with them and forgetting her presence. Sometimes she deliberately slowed down to fall far behind him, but he remained oblivious. She passed him and walked ahead, thinking that he should have noticed her by now.
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