Chapter 497

"If I don't leave, what else can I do?" Tsugikuni Yoriichi looks at Lin Ye before him. Although he doesn't know Lin Ye, he can feel an inexplicable affinity from the other person, just like the sun he likes most, giving people warmth.

"This guy..." Lin Ye shakes his head helplessly.

He always feels this guy is a bit simple-minded; he always reminds Lin Ye of a certain type of person.

The kind of person who often helps others selflessly and still doesn't get anything good out of it.

"You gave the position of family head to Tsugikuni Michikatsu, but he doesn't thank you for it."

"It doesn't matter. I wasn't looking for his gratitude in the first place."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi still has that calm, unruffled appearance, and seeing him like this, Lin Ye smiles and pats his little head.

"True, a real eagle will never linger in its small nest. Work hard, let these people see: while they are still clutching that straw of salvation and refusing to let go, what you are holding onto is already a towering tree."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi does not understand what Lin Ye means. But at this moment, Lin Ye suddenly says to him:

"Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Come with me."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi is confused, but thinking he has nowhere to go, he nods silently.

"Is he... that unknown existence?" Tsugikuni Yoriichi has already guessed Lin Ye's identity.

Month 2: You follow Lin Ye to a village, and you live here with him.

Month 3: You discover that living in this world requires something called money, so you decide to go hunt some bears to sell. However, Lin Ye shakes his head. He takes you to the seaside and points a finger, and schools of fish jump directly out of the sea.

For the first time, you have an emotion called "shock." You widen your eyes and ask Lin Ye if he is the legendary "god," but he only smiles and says nothing.

Month 4: Lin Ye says he wants to teach you the meaning of life, so you start learning mathematics with Lin Ye. You discover that this "mathematics" is extremely terrifying, a hundred times harder than learning swordsmanship!

Month 5: When you proudly finish learning all the mathematics from first to sixth grade and go to find Lin Ye... you are kicked out by Lin Ye to sell fish...

Tsugikuni Yoriichi...

So, you taught me math just so I would know how to do accounts, right!

It must be that!

What kind of meaning of life is this!

Tsugikuni Yoriichi learns to complain for the first time.

Month 6: While selling fish, you meet a young girl named Uta (there are translations of poems/songs, but the manga I read says Uta, so I'll go with that).

You learn that the girl's parents have both passed away from illness, and she is very lonely, so she wants to keep a pet to accompany her. So you directly take a fish and send her home, and then... you use this fish to stew a pot of soup. The fish soup is very delicious, and Uta drinks three big bowls with tears in her eyes.

Month 7: You and Uta have become good friends. Because Uta has no relatives, she plays with you every day, sells fish with you, and goes home with you.

Month 8: When you find Lin Ye and ask him what the meaning of life is, he points to the girl Uta on the side and says to him:

"When one day you are not going home with her, but waking up with her, you will understand what the meaning of life is."

You are confused.

Year 2: You no longer ask Lin Ye what the meaning of life is. You, Uta, and Lin Ye live together. You find that Lin Ye is always there with a hammer, forging weapons. You are confused, but you don't disturb him.

Year 3: You play with Uta, Lin Ye is forging...

Year 4: Uta plays with you, Lin Ye is forging...

Year 10: You and Uta have grown up, however... Lin Ye hasn't aged at all! Uta asks Lin Ye enviously if he has any secret recipe for beauty, but Lin Ye smiles and says to you both:

"The day you get married, I will tell you this secret..."

"This... ten years have passed? What have I been doing these ten years?"

Tsugikuni Yoriichi doesn't know what happened at all. In these ten years, Lin Ye taught him nothing but math. If he hadn't been truly happy these ten years, he would have suspected whether Lin Ye was kidnapping children back then.

Year 11: Uta went to wash clothes for you and Lin Ye today. You watch her silently by the river. You suddenly discover that a beautiful flower has just bloomed by your feet. The flower is very pretty, and you suddenly have the urge to pick it.

You pick the flower, but you don't know what to do. At this moment, Lin Ye appears by your side. Looking at you picking the flower, he suddenly laughs.

"Has the pig in my house finally learned to root for the cabbage?"

You feel like you've been scolded, but thinking that you can't beat Lin Ye, you say nothing.

Looking at you like this, Lin Ye suddenly asks, "Do you still want to know the meaning of life?"

You nod.

Lin Ye looks at the flower in your hand and says:

"Life is inherently meaningless, but as long as you are alive, you can find many interesting things, just like you discovered the flower, and I discovered you."

"This is!!" Tsugikuni Yoriichi suddenly feels like he has grasped something! He feels that this passage from Lin Ye is particularly philosophical, which has a great impact on him, as he isn't very smart to begin with.

Looking at Tsugikuni Yoriichi, who seems to understand and yet not understand, Lin Ye points to the flower, then points to Uta on the side, and says to Tsugikuni Yoriichi:

"Silly boy, what are you still standing there for? Are you going to take this flower home or not!"

Tsugikuni Yoriichi suddenly realizes.

He gives the flower to Uta, Uta hugs Yoriichi, and at that moment, Tsugikuni Yoriichi finally understands what the meaning of life is!