Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1287 Is there a little growth?

Saint Charia combed her hair in front of the mirror while humming a brisk tune. Listening to the melody, it should be a folk song composed by the Moryas during their wandering journey. Although wandering is a difficult journey, this ancient nation has long been accustomed to all kinds of dangers on the road, and regards them as tests imposed by fate, and gradually evolved a set of life philosophies that gain insights from suffering. Their wandering stories and open-minded spirit have spawned many festivals with Moryas as the protagonists. For example, the day when the young man met the girl, the grand occasion of the Sedin Mountain Carnival is still in front of us, with colorful shredded paper falling from the sky and trumpets whistling through the haze spewed out by the factory chimneys...

Saint Shalia was not a Moruoyan, but she had traveled with the Moruoyan tribe for a period of time. Perhaps it was at that time that she learned some emotions from them that belonged to mortals. What was she thinking when she hummed the folk song? Following the example of her predecessors, was it more important to let go and face it than to regret?
I'm afraid I can't learn this spirit, and Ling Ge still has no idea how to let it go and how to face it. I don't know how Saint Xia Liya plans to take responsibility for me... No, why do I assume that she will take full responsibility? Obviously, I also have half the responsibility.

So, what does it mean to share the responsibility? This relationship seems a bit subtle.

The young man had mixed feelings.

"Lingge." Saint Xia Liya put down the comb and turned around to call his name. Her long green hair had been neatly braided with a hairband and was spreading down along the curve of her graceful back. However, there was still a naughty strand of hair that fell on her shoulder as the girl tilted her head slightly. "I've done it. Do you need me to help you with it? Whether it's combing your hair, washing your face or other things, I'm very good at it!"

After saying that, she deliberately stretched out her hands and opened her palms to the young man. Her ten slender, straight fingers with distinct joints fully demonstrated what a hardworking and dexterous pair of hands they were. They could not only help her sisters comb their hair and wash their faces, but also water the flowers and sweep the garden. She was even the only designated helper of the boss's wife in the kitchen, except for Mr. Rabbit - because only she could help, while others were just making things worse or simply stealing food.

The girl opened her eyes wide and sparkled, as if she was expecting something.

In Alice's words, it was a bit malicious and cute.

Ling Ge's heart was moved shamefully, but he quickly shook his head after realizing it, fearing that he would change his mind if it was too late: "No, no need, I can do these things myself."

Saint Xia Liya felt a little regretful, but she was relieved soon. Indeed, she was clever, but wasn't Lingge the same? Don't forget that after his adoptive father, Mr. Yang Ke, passed away, he worked alone to raise Metien, who was only six or seven years old at the time. During this process, he did what his father should do, such as running the church, maintaining neighborhood relations, dealing with official personnel, etc.; and he did not miss anything that his mother should do, such as running the housework, controlling family expenses, and occasionally caring about his sister's mental health and communicating and counseling in a timely manner.

In Alice's words, she's a bit like a male mother.

In a sense, Lingge is very similar to me.

Thinking of this, Saint Xia Liya couldn't help but feel happy and smiled with curved eyebrows. Ling Ge felt a chill on his back. He always felt that she was thinking about something very rude, but... that was Xiao Xia, the most considerate girl on the entire Yunjingkong Island, so maybe it was his illusion?
Saint Xia Liya stood up and gave the seat in front of the mirror to the young man, and said with a smile: "Then I will go down first, Ling Ge, you should also come down early to eat. Ah, that won't work. After all, you just did that kind of thing last night. You should be very tired now. Why don't you rest for a while and I will bring you breakfast?"

"No, no need."

Feeling this more enthusiastic care than usual, a drop of cold sweat suddenly appeared on Linger's forehead. From just now until now, he has always had a twisted feeling, as if something is wrong, but he can't figure it out. Now he finally found the reason, that is Saint Xia Liya's tone and expression. Doesn't it feel like the care a husband gives his wife after the wedding night? They are all just as gentle and considerate, although the roles are a little misplaced.

Don't you think the roles of husband and wife are reversed?
From the moment I woke up until now, all the lines that were supposed to be spoken by me have been snatched away by you.

Is this how you take responsibility, Saint Shalia?
The young man had mixed feelings and didn't know how to evaluate it for a moment. Sometimes he felt that his life was actually a novel and all the plots were for dramatic development. But even a novel could not write such a ridiculous plot.

He didn't say anything, and Saint Shallia didn't urge him, but there was a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.

Just as the young man thought, what she understood as "responsibility" was actually being responsible to her "wife" as a "husband". This was a matter of course. After all, they had both done something like that, which was something only a couple could do, right? And when she said she wanted to be responsible, Ling Ge didn't object. Wasn't this a tacit agreement?

As for why the two roles were switched? This is because in the shepherdess's cognition, the "husband" is always the active one who provides shelter, while the "wife" is always the passive one who needs care. In the case of last night, Lingge was passive, and she was the active one; in the current situation, Lingge is in a bad mood and needs care, and she wants to comfort him and provide him with psychological shelter. Combining the two, the relationship between the characters is already very clear.

So, as a "husband", what can I do for my "wife" now?

Saint Shalia suddenly had an idea.

A great idea.

……

After the girl left, Ling Ge turned his head and looked at the mirror. As expected, he saw a confused and helpless face. Everything that happened from last night to now was too unexpected. Even this young man who was always calm and composed found it difficult to accept it immediately. In comparison, Saint Xia Liya accepted it very quickly. Perhaps it was because she had already prepared herself mentally?

But can this kind of thing be prepared in advance?
Somehow, the young man suddenly remembered a long-ago event. When he was a child, he had admired his adoptive father, Mr. Yang Ke, for his compassionate and loving heart, his ability to communicate with others at any time, and his unknown perseverance and determination. Living alone with two children in a foreign city, even though Ling Ge and Metien were very sensible at the time, could not change the pressure brought by reality. He must have had a hard time, but he said nothing, took on everything by himself, and always showed a gentle smile in front of the children.

Lingge admired him and longed to be a man like him, but out of a boy's self-esteem and self-reliance, he was unwilling to rely on Mr. Yangke's help to achieve it. For this reason, he read a lot of books and saw many kinds of sayings. Some people said that "a man's strength is inherited from his bones", but he and Mr. Yangke were not biological father and son, so he was afraid that he could not inherit his spirit; others said that "only through hardships can one grow into a strong soul", but that was pure nonsense. On the road of wandering, Lingge had seen too many people who could not bear the hardships and fell into despair. If blindly pursuing suffering could lead to growth, then there should be far more strong people in the world than weak people, but the reality is just the opposite.

There is also a saying that "a man will naturally become mature after he gets married and has children". Whether this saying is right or wrong, Ling Ge did not know at the time, and it is difficult to comment even now, but he suddenly remembered one thing, that is, he had never heard Mr. Yang Ke mention anything about his family - not the two adopted children, him and Metien, but his family before he came to Linville.

Although he is a clergyman, there is no rule of chastity and non-marriage in the commandments of the Holy Goddess Church. Mr. Yang Ke is very good at doing housework and taking care of children. I guess he must have been a very good husband in the past, and he had a gentle and considerate wife, well-behaved and sensible children, and a harmonious and happy family, right?
When the boy thought of this, he felt a little yearning and a little bitter. He wanted to confirm his guess, but he couldn't ask his adoptive father. After all, he never mentioned this. Maybe he was sad. The boy would not touch other people's scars just to satisfy his curiosity. Besides, he had a unique boy's self-confidence at that time. He always felt that he could do anything and was unwilling to rely on the help of others.

Of course, in the end, nothing was hidden. Perhaps it was Metien who secretly informed him, or perhaps the boy's strange behavior had long been noticed by his adoptive father. One day, he suddenly found Linger and asked him the reason. The boy hesitated for a while, but finally told the truth, and asked his adoptive father in a nervous and expectant tone: "Should I grow up and get married earlier, so that I can become a mature and stable adult like you?"

Linger remembered clearly that Mr. Yang Ke was stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter. The boy had never seen him laugh so happily before, and was at a loss for a moment, not knowing what he had said wrong. After laughing, Mr. Yang Ke reached out his hand, gently rubbed his head, and said, "I didn't know you had been thinking about these questions. You should have asked me earlier. Although I can't point out a clear path for you, after all, everyone grows in different directions, but at least I can give you some suggestions."

Just like explaining the goddess' teachings in the canon to believers, he gently and patiently told his adopted son: "Growing up and growing up are two completely different concepts, Lingge, don't superficially equate them. If a person - especially a man, wants to become mature, the first thing he needs to do is to find something he wants to protect. Whether it is the inheritance of blood, the training of the world, or even starting a family and a career, they are only one way to achieve this goal, but not the only way. Just like me, although I haven't married and had children, I have lived a very fulfilling and satisfying life so far because I have found what I want to protect."

When the boy heard this, his eyes widened in disbelief: "So... you don't have a wife and children?"

"Of course I don't have a wife. I have vowed to dedicate my life's faith to the goddess, and I am afraid I cannot bear the weight of others. As for children, you and Metien are the ones, right? If I look mature and steady in the eyes of outsiders, half of it comes from the faith in my heart, and the other half comes from you, because you are all the things I want to protect, and you will help me become stronger."

"But Metien and I are just your adopted children..."

Mr. Yang Ke shook his head slowly: "There are many things in this world that are not connected by blood. Only emotions and wills are passed down from generation to generation. So, don't pay too much attention to worldly words, Lingge. You and I, me and Metien, and you and Metien are undoubtedly real family."

Seeing that the boy seemed to understand, he chuckled again and changed the subject: "Of course, starting a family and building a career is not a bad idea. After all, for most people in the world, family is what they want to protect first, and the love and affection that are born with family relationships are more solid than most emotions in the world. So, Lingge, if you have someone you like, you must not miss it. Although we can't be together now, the emotions that have stood the test of time are precious. Come, tell me quietly, I will never tell Medien, who do you like and why you are starting to think about getting married? Is it little Lisa from the bakery, or Perica from Aunt Fael's family next door? I remember that they both like to play with you. Of course, if you say 'I like them all', it will definitely not work..."

"No!" Seeing that the topic was getting off track, the boy quickly shook his head and denied: "Not even one!"

"Really?" Mr. Yang Ke looked a little sorry. Seeing the boy's shy and resistant look, his sorry mood turned into pity. He knew that his adopted son had been abandoned by his family since he was a child, wandering alone and helpless, so his need and dependence on "emotion" might be more indifferent than others. Perhaps only himself and Metien, as family members, could make him reveal a trace of his hidden sincerity. But that wouldn't work. How could a person living in this world be alone forever?

So, he stroked his adopted son's hair and whispered, "It doesn't matter if you don't like her. One day you will meet someone you like, laugh with her, be sad with her, and then develop a desire to protect her."

"Then you will understand the meaning of 'love' and 'growth', Lingge."

Although perhaps, I may not see that day.

……

His thoughts broke away from his memories, and the young man looked at himself in the mirror, suddenly feeling a little confused.

Unconsciously, I have come to this point. The so-called marriage, having children, and building a family and career, which I said childishly at that time, seem to be not far away. But why don't I have the slightest enlightenment in my heart, but instead I fall deeper and deeper?

After a while, he slowly lowered his head and closed his eyes, as if praying.

In the room, only the faint sound of whispering quietly echoed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yanke..."

"Have I grown up a little bit..."

Give me some meow