Chapter 22 Running Away

Chapter 22: Running Away from Home

"You mean, the people here learn to read and write... for fun?"

"Of course. The main city wouldn't care about their needs. In such a remote place, the Education Department only periodically comes to take away children they deem talented for schooling. Everyone else is stuck with food, alcohol, and some boring street performances."

"It's not convenient like Ding Shu, where it auto-generates stuff based on what you like. Even that is just scraps, soulless literary waste."

A convenience feature for entertainment? Since when did that exist? He'd had so much time to kill in Ding Shu he'd even finished reading the entire Juvenile Protection Act.

"Oh, you have the youth mode on. You're not an adult yet either?"

Great. The handiwork of a certain guardian.

"That's troublesome. Although Xu Valley's rules aren't as strict as Ding Shu's, nowhere will put up a minor for the night."

"But someone who looks like you... crashing on the streets is way too dangerous. The church happens to have a spare room. In return, tell me about Ding Shu, okay?"

Xisha seemed to relax noticeably after discovering his age.

Just a one-year age gap. The distinction between being an adult and a minor in this world seemed even more exaggerated than he imagined.

"You definitely don't know how to bargain either. You'd probably get ripped off."

"Okay."

Xisha's spirits lifted. At least Chen Jiyan was now a peer. She had thought Ding Shu would send some cold, unapproachable military personnel.

"They really listen to you."

"Of course. I am the Prophet."

"Do you have a map of this place? I mean, Xu Valley."

Xisha spread her hands. No.

On the original map, no city names were marked, perhaps because they didn't meet Ding Shu's standards for what constitutes a city.

Xu Valley lived up to its name. Along the way, he saw alfalfa all over the hillsides.

The reason he recognized this plant was because a friend of mine had a gray guinea pig, and he had helped take care of it for a while.

He wondered what species that fluffy ball at home was. With him gone, had You Jinhui been taking good care of it?

Although the system wasn't connected, he could still receive emails.

The latest one was sent last night: the restaurant was a mess, no one was home, and the little thing was running wild.

Right below was a photo of a scale. It actually weighed 6.5 kilos.

Chen Jiyan typed a string of question marks. He remembered weighing it not long ago and it was only 5.5.

"We've got time before we open. I happen to have nothing to do, so let me show you around the church."

"You need to familiarize yourself with the layout so it'll be easier to escape later." That was the key point.

He followed silently behind Xisha, listening to her talk to herself.

"Y'know, just in case, I should probably give you a job too. How about library administrator?"

Very young, yet seemed to know a lot. Appeared to have her own ideas, but actually cared a great deal about others' opinions.

"Did you write all those poems?" Some were bound into volumes, some were even framed and hung on the walls for people to admire.

"Of course." She puffed out her chest, quite proud.

"What was Xu Valley called before?"

"It didn't have a name. 'Xu Valley' was my idea too. Not bad, right?" Finally, someone noticed her naming wisdom. Xisha unconsciously lifted her head and straightened her back. If she had a tail, it would be wagging like crazy.

Chen Jiyan nodded, also recording it in the system to report as a log.

"You must have read many books."

Otherwise you wouldn't have notes explaining almost every word. Some allusions he knew, others he had never heard of.

"Of course! I've read every book here."

"So, you don't have any new poems?"

The new administrator following behind her spoke up unexpectedly, startling her.

"Inspiration is very hard to come by. Do you think writing is easy? Of course, the dull and boring Ding Shu can't understand."

"Creation isn't easy. But picking up others' scraps and patching things together isn't that difficult either."

"What did you say?"

"Are you calling me shallow?!"

"Obviously."

After learning his identity, Xisha had clearly relaxed a lot, and her attitude had changed accordingly. However, the conversation didn't salvage her terrible temper. At her core, she was still an emotionally unstable, rebellious teenager, and her parents definitely hadn't taught her well—she was very rude.

Chen Jiyan disliked impolite children and didn't mince his words either.

"Why run away? Even if the people riot, wouldn't your subordinates protect you?"

"You think they wouldn't. Or rather, you despise being protected. Seemingly high and mighty, holding sovereignty, but in reality, you're just a symbol propped up, replaceable at any moment."

"Speechless? Seems you're aware of this yourself."

"Put away that aggressive posture. It only exposes your fragility more."

"And, you were the one who proactively sought help from Ding Shu. Actively cooperating with our work is what you should do. Don't adopt this condescending, commanding attitude as if bestowing a favor."

From beginning to end, Chen Jiyan spoke with her very calmly and composedly. His tone was almost completely flat, seeming to merely state facts frankly. Yet, his overly blunt words pierced deeply like thorns, stinging the teenage genius poet Xisha.

"Don't go too far! Xu Valley is my territory. If I'm unhappy, someone will deal with you at any time."

"Do you dare?"

"The windows are open, the doors aren't locked. Everyone can come and go freely. No one is trapping you, yet you don't dare leave the church even one step."

"If you're still a child, don't try to act tough. If you're timid, then obediently wait where you are to be rescued. Don't do things outside the plan." Lest complications arise.

"If no one taught you manners before, Ding Shu won't care either. But during the mission, mutual respect—I hope you can manage that."

To Xisha's ears, it sounded somewhat sharp. In reality, Chen Jiyan's words were entirely well-intentioned.

"I want to file a complaint, I want to report this!"

"You're welcome to. By the way, the regular complaint process is too slow. You can write directly to my supervisor." The Administrator had been quite idle lately; it would add a bit of fun to his otherwise uneventful life.

"Awesome! Give me the contact details. I'm definitely going to write a long—" By now, Xisha had already drafted an eight-thousand-word complaint letter in her mind.

He actually didn't have the contact information; he usually communicated directly with his supervisor through the system.

"His name is You Jinhui. You might know him. Write an email, and you'll get a response within two business days."

"You Jinhui, right? You Jinhui?"

Xisha's hand, which was searching for the contact number, froze.

"Yes, the email address is on the top line of the first page. Haven't you already found it?"

"I'm sorry, I'm young and don't know any better. Please don't hold it against me."

She suddenly snapped out of her angry state and became docile. Who would have thought the Administrator's name would be so effective with outsiders as well?

"Could you help me get something from the bookshelf?"

"What should you say now?" Chen Jiyan calmly took down the old parchment scroll from the high shelf and handed it to her.

"Th-thank you."

"Good. Remember to say it next time too."

A child whose mind isn't fully mature yet, pretending to be deep, treating rudeness as a personality trait—her parents really ought to teach her better.

"You weren't kicked out of Mogang, were you?" Before leaving, Chen Jiyan asked the fatal question.

She was livid, absolutely livid!

"Ran away from home! I ran away from home!" How many times did she have to say it?!

Unlike her arrogant demeanor when ordering servants, she was exceptionally gentle and patient with the ordinary residents of the town, listening to their pleas and laments.

"This is also part of my daily routine. They trust me and come to me for help, so of course I can't let them down."

He knew some writers used suffering as a breeding ground for literature and art—their own or others'. Clearly, Xisha wasn't like that. While her writing contained wisdom, it lacked emotion.

"Although I'm not good at comforting people, I can help them calm down and meditate."

Let's call this her daily work. Chen Jiyan noticed that not many people came to this observation room, and they all told similar stories.

As if they had been screened.

The theme of her last work was breaking free from cages and shackles.

Unsurprisingly, the next theme would likely be the freedom of choice. On his first day here, Chen Jiyan had noticed this frequently appearing word among the scattered drafts on the floor.

"Next month, I'm getting married. It's to my childhood sweetheart. I should be happy, but can I really be a good wife and mother?"

"I wasn't selected by the Education Department. Maybe I should try my luck in Mogang. My family can't afford to keep me in school anymore..."

"This child came at the wrong time. It's the busiest season lately..."

Their worries seemed more down-to-earth, unlike in Ding Shu, where they were always chanting a bunch of incomprehensible names, discussing complex politics, or planning transfers and promotions.

"Thank you so much for listening to my trivial, everyday troubles."

"Having you here is our blessing. I feel much calmer now."

"I look forward to your next work."

Though she smiled, it wasn't sincere. She showed neither sympathy nor offered advice for the hardships just shared, as if she were merely playing the role of a statue.

They didn't seem to need her response either. After pouring out their hearts, they tidied up their expressions and left without a second thought.

"Like a merchant." Only, she used stories as currency and poems as commodities for sale.

"Sometimes, I really want to create a perfect world without pain."

Whoa there, that's a dangerous thought!

In any book or anime, saying that is a sure sign you're future villain material.

"Your hairstyle today..." A side braid—also quite dangerous.

"What about it?" Xisha turned her upper body, and only then did he see clearly that it was two braids gathered to one side.

"But that's too difficult. I couldn't possibly do it."

"Why are you still here? Do you also want to share a story to provide me with material?"

"I don't have any stories. My experiences here are even fewer than yours."

"How could that be? I've heard that people who've served for a year have enough rich experiences to write a book."

"For others, that might be true."

But he had been in this world for less than half a year. Even the past of this body only amounted to eight years of life.

"I don't believe it. My intuition has always been sharp. Chen Jiyan, you're definitely someone with stories."

"If you don't know how to share, can I ask?"

"What do you want to ask?"

"For example, your days in Sang Xia'en before joining Ding Shu?"

"Don't look at me like that. It's easy to figure out. If you were born in Ding Shu, you definitely wouldn't be the way you are now."

"Your understanding of Ding Shu is even less than mine, and I grew up in Mogang." Xisha concluded after observing him.

Chen Jiyan neither confirmed nor denied it.

"After all," he smiled imperceptibly, a mix of mockery and resignation, "I haven't been in this damn place for long."

Not even two months yet.

Converting time one-to-one, it should be summer now. Lychees should be in season. Feizixiao lychees had probably been off the market for a while, and it was time for Nuomici and Guiwei varieties.

In Ding Shu, he had deliberately avoided reminiscing, but now, away from it, he missed his original hometown intensely.

If he hadn't resigned, he'd probably be preparing mid-year reports and quarterly summaries, wondering how much the bonus would be. His lease was up for renewal in July, and he didn't know if they'd jack up the rent outrageously. If they did raise it, he'd have to move from a one-bedroom apartment to a studio. A smaller space was fine; he didn't cook much anyway.

But now, none of that mattered anymore.

Rather than believing the world ended the day he left, Chen Jiyan preferred to accept that he had simply traveled through time, and everyone else was still living normally. That day had been just an ordinary heavy rain.

"If you've been there even longer than in Mogang, and you've even obtained permanent residency, would you consider Ding Shu your home?"

"I'll always be from Mogang. It's not determined by how long you stay somewhere. Those old folks in Ding Shu wouldn't accept me just because I've been there a long time. But it doesn't matter; I don't need their approval anyway."

Yes, a sense of belonging wasn't determined by how long you stayed somewhere either.