Chapter 1081: NO．204：Even among those who can speak and argue, there are still differences

NO．204：Even among those who can speak and argue, there are still differences.

There once was a giant beast, called the Year.

Upon seeing how Yan State hunted its own kind, he sensed that the Yan people bore the spirit of a pre‑civilization, and decided to help Yan State, thereby opening a war to hunt other giant beasts.

After that battle in which corpses piled up to a million, blood flowed like driftwood, heaven and earth grew dark, and sun and moon lost their light, it suffered grievous wounds, and the Yan State's army was reduced to less than one in ten.

Many of the giant beasts either died or were crippled, and most of the survivors chose to leave that land.

Yet in the end, it again fell out with Yan State.

Its consciousness split into twelve shards, scattered everywhere, each fighting the others, while the main body was buried underground in the capital.

After an unknown span of days like this, those shards had all taken human form and gradually ceased their internal strife, instead addressing one another as brothers and sisters.

Some entered the court's service, others hid away in local places, each seeking the meaning of life in their own way.

Exactly, the meaning of life.

The estrangement of those years brought about the Year's ruin, but ruin was not the end.

When its consciousness awakened from the primordial chaos, it also sank into boundless gloom, reflecting on the past and remembering the shame of defeat.

That shame branded an unhealable wound upon it, and that wound would become the mold for the sword it forged—or, put another way—a die.

At the moment that sword was forged, it lifted it—

——not to swing toward the path of revenge, but toward itself.

For at that time, it sensed that many companion divine consciences were stirring in that gloom.

Though they were not as clear‑awake as it, they were still it.

They also wished to break free from that pool of turbid water.

It recalled how humans describe such a relation, and it understood clearly that those would be its younger brothers and sisters.

Thus it endured a heart‑rending pain and swung down its wrist, causing the primordial chaos to part, from darkness to light.

At that moment, every aspect of it was liberated and reborn.

Yet thereby it became bewildered, like a young child, confronting this unknown world.

From turbidity to clarity, they, according to the order in which each found its self, determined seniority; and at the moment each found its self and discovered meaning, they halted the endless internal squabble that was somewhere between children's rough‑housing and beasts' fighting.

Little by little, they took on the true appearance of brothers and sisters.

There was warmth, there was conflict, and also degrees of closeness and distance.

For a long time, the one ranked second, Wang, could not get along with many siblings, only able to share drinks and conversation with the two sisters, Ling and Shu.

Having taken human form, they also acquired likes and dislikes just like people, and consequently their social circles differentiated.

Even so, there exist individuals who can get along with anyone.

According to the relations among the Year's fragments, such a personality would normally correspond to the status of the eldest brother or sister.

But in fact, such an exception does exist.

They bypassed the sibling stage and went straight for the position of 'Mom'.

"The eldest brother has long been stationed at the frontier, and only recently was he given this idle post; while Elder Sister Ling spends all day hugging a wine bottle and sleeping, or simply loafs about and disappears."

"If it weren't for me worrying about this family front and back, it would have fallen apart long ago… Eldest brother, do you think I could really manage without me? Right? So you and Elder Sister Ling really ought to look after the home—not that I'm saying this—but those who run businesses often send special products home, the second brother is seriously thinking of giving the siblings a result with no lingering worries, and the second sister has, from the very start, taken up a federal legal code to study and research, saying that if anyone here encounters any legal problems they can consult her more often."

"As for the others, I won't go on—even the exceptionally mercurial Year is thinking about improving relations with others, and Xi is trying to smooth out her aloof, sharp temperament; you two don't really need any polishing, and I'm not saying this to criticize, I just wonder whether you two should pay more attention to this family."

"Yes, Mr. Lindon, at home the fourth is the second sister, the fifth is the third sister; your reaction is just like the doctor's initially. Our family has a balanced gender ratio—I am certainly a sister, ranked sixth in the household, which makes me a sister."

"Right, I had also wanted to call Nian and Xi over to greet you, but those two… never mind. Mr. Lindon, did you pick the fruit you wanted?"

The words came one after another, and an occasional reply sounded like deadly rhythm—bamboo tubes spilling beans.

Aomo and Zhong Yue, two youths each over 1.8 meters tall, faced together a girl who was roughly 1.6 meters in height; the contrast of their builds seemed to reverse in the endless chatter.

It seemed as if it was they who were unusually tiny.

The impression of lofty personhood formed by the resonance of their kind at first meeting began to crack here and there in these somewhat long‑winded words.

To be honest, this feeling… is rather familiar!

For Aomo, who from childhood has encountered many beings that look young but whose age is unspeakable, talking with Shu seemed able to take him back to the days of early childhood.

Many of the grandmothers at the nursery are of this type—some truly have the kindly, benevolent look of old age, while others display a youthful version of that kindly appearance, the latter giving off a hint of the 'Heavenly Mountain Old Immortal' vibe found in Eastern Yan works.

What this group has in common is that their maturity is excessive, to the point of showing a thinking and speaking style that is somewhat old‑fashioned and stiff.

At first I didn't think much of it, but now I notice a different feeling, and at one point I even recalled my roommate saying that I tend to nag.

Perhaps I should take this as a warning, I thought.

"Thanks for the pointers, I've gained a lot, but for now please let me say a few words on behalf of Ling."

"Oh?"

This remark caused Shu to glance unexpectedly at Aomo, then quickly scan the few girls beside him.

Those blue eyes that can see the fruit of what is seen and encountered cannot truly be regarded as an eye that perceives all things, nor can they see the shadow that exists in one person's dream.

She, destined to return empty‑handed, merely turned her gaze again toward the youth who did not show the elder brother's difficulty, his attitude steady and calm.

"Please speak."

"People's ways of showing care for family differ; although we ought to judge others by their deeds, not their hearts, it does not follow that never having shown anything means never having felt it……"

Saying this, the black‑haired youth with a white strand at his forehead glanced over at the embarrassed Zhong Yue beside him, but did not look at Ling, whose expression was subtle.

"Whether it's Ling or Brother Zhong Yue, they are still just looking for a way that suits them."

"Oh, Mr. Lindon, did this remark come from deep‑hearted reflection?"

The girl whose hair was like a variegated oil‑paint palette, hearing this contrary remark, felt no anger at all; instead, a smile appeared on her face.

She looked smilingly at the youth who showed a helpless grin, and listened as he said:

"Rather than saying it comes from the heart, it's better to say it's empathy."

"It looks like Mr. Lindon also has a family that wears people out."

Although I'd like to deny it, the fact is as such," Aomo sighed lightly, "Although the complexity is far less than that of the two families, when it comes to expressing love for relatives, everyone indeed has their own difficulties."

Even if that seems unreasonable to outsiders, even if in their view, speaking one's mind frankly and directly expressing care and affection are things that can be done as long as one wants to.

But in this world there will still be many earnest people who are so clumsy that they forever bear indifferent criticism.

As for Ling, she actually often brings up your affairs to me in the form of complaints.

This concluding addition inevitably leaves Zhong Yue helpless, and also makes Shu smile until her eyes crinkle.

The latter seems not surprised by this, and even does not rush to judge, letting Aomo say: "But complaining itself is proof that she has taken all of you into consideration; you know, the reason worry exists is because the person concerned has a non‑negligible concern for it, right?"

Having said that, he gazed into the other's blue eyes, while his own light brown eyes were as harmless as a domesticated animal, yet like a sharp blade pointing straight at the core.

This made Shu involuntarily think of her second older sister who remained in Great Flame.

"Perhaps I need to boast a bit here," he also said, "Actually I have some unique insights about observation, and I also pay attention to how the people around me change over time; as for Ling, she has indeed undergone many changes recently."

To be frank, in my view this is actually not a good phenomenon.

Why? Compared to Zhong Yue's shock and worry, Shu instead felt somewhat intrigued.

And although their reactions were completely different, it did not hinder the youth's calm narration: "Because she is by nature a free‑and‑easy person; even though she once got entangled in many worldly joys and sorrows during her frontier service, she ultimately should be the sort who finds pleasure in turbid wine, then sobers, picks up the jug and goes, with a weathered nature that enters her lyrics and music, and should not be entangled in the loves and sorrows of children."

Even if some think a poet must not only pour emotion into landscapes but also be troubled by sorrow, hatred, and heroic fervor, but perhaps because I am not an East Flame person, my understanding of free‑and‑ease is biased; I only feel that her kind of sorrow is far from her former carefree ease.

Beside them, the person involved widened their eyes; under a gaze as if suddenly sobered, the youth who usually remained silent on this matter but now astonished everyone finally spoke out the 'sharp blade' that had been laid out all along.

Many times, excessively pursuing the family's own perfect form ends up sacrificing the individuality of its members, Miss Shu.