You're my wife, don't doubt it!

"Oh..." Yu Luying whispered, "I'm shy..."

"It's okay, nobody's watching us, nobody can see us," Xiao Yao reassured the girl as he squatted down and reached out to untie her sneakers.

"No, no..." Yu Luying's face was buried in the darkness, so you couldn't see how red her face was: "I, I can do it myself..."

"Oh."

While continuing to look around, Yu Luying gracefully untied the laces of her Adidas sneakers and gently slipped them off.

Her delicate feet, encased in steaming stockings, were completely exposed to the night air.

……

……

……

A dazzling white light swept in all directions from afar, getting closer and closer.

Yu Luying swiftly pulled her foot back, slipping it into her Adidas sneakers. In her haste, she flattened the heel, while Xiao Yao reached out...

The beam of light was getting closer and closer. Yu Luying straightened her shirt and reached out to help Xiao Yao straighten his crooked belt.

"You can't even fasten a belt properly," Yu Luying scolded softly.

"Hey, you two over there, what are you doing?" the lackey in a security guard uniform shouted.

"Your mother," Xiao Yao thought bitterly.

"Never seen them dating before?" Xiao Yao retorted without any politeness.

"It's closing time here, hurry up and leave!" The security guard waved his hand vigorously, his face full of envy.

"So, if you don't use your mother's birth, it'll expire and become worthless, right?" Xiao Yao gritted his teeth inwardly.

Although he hated her to death, he was powerless to do anything about this kind of person because of Yu Luying.

Xiao Yao and Yu Luying tried several different places, but Yu Luying kept saying "there are people there," or they were chased away by security guards waving bright flashlights. After several attempts, they had no choice but to give up.

With the moon high in the sky, the two of them had no choice but to go back to their respective homes and find their mothers, just like the other young couples.

The two walked hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, on their way home.

As usual, Xiao Yao first took Yu Luying home, and then returned to his own home.

"When did someone build a grape trellis here?" Xiao Yao craned his neck, looking around.

"Gu, gu."

"What kind of bird is making such a creepy sound..." Xiao Yao muttered to himself.

“Big Rabbit…” Yu Luying said, “Don’t be upset. I promise you, I’ll call you right away when my mom goes on a business trip in a couple of days.”

“I’m not unhappy. What do I have to be unhappy about?” Xiao Yao told Yu Luying. “The important thing is the process of being with you. As for what we did, what we didn’t do, what we accomplished, and what we didn’t accomplish, those are secondary.”

“Big Rabbit…” Yu Luying stopped and gently hugged him.

"Wow~~~ Hahahahahaha, quack." A sharp and piercing laugh came from above the two of them—the laugh was not just unpleasant, it was downright terrifying.

"Who?" Xiao Yao and Yu Luying looked up and followed the direction from which the laughter came.

What they saw was a very large white dove.

No, look closely at the bird; it's less a dove and more accurately a pure white crow.

A crow with albinism?

There was even a cat crouching next to this white crow.

"Can crows or pigeons make that kind of sound?" Xiao Yao asked Yu Luying.

As if it was unconvinced by these words, the crow once again let out a "Caw~~~ Hahahahahaha, quack." sound.

Xiao Yao and Yu Luying held hands and, in unison, nervously took a step back.

A cloud of mist rose around the albino crow, then it transformed into human form and continued to perch on the withered branch—which, surprisingly, was not broken by footsteps.

The man was of medium build, dressed in loose, light white clothes and trousers, with a white hood and a blue and gold checkered cloak covering his face, giving him a mysterious appearance. His trousers were rolled up high, and he wore desert boots. He carried a crossbow on his back and an exquisitely decorated scimitar at his waist.

The man struck a pose for the reporters' photos and proclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Welcome everyone to witness me: the messenger of justice, Nuo—"

“It’s you again,” Xiao Yao said, taking a step forward. “Damn Earl Nottington.”

"You recognize me?" "You recognize him?" Earl Nottington and Yu Luying asked in unison.

“I…” Xiao Yao covered his forehead.

Yes, how could I—when and where did I come to know this—and how can a person turn into a white crow?

“Yu Luying, what are your plans?” Earl Nottington continued to perch on the branch, saying, “I’ve been observing you all day. Are you really prepared to trap him here forever for your own selfish gain? To be with him?”

Yu Luying's face flushed red: "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!"

“Wow~~~ Hahahaha, quack.” Earl Nottington laughed, “I understand how you feel, so I can give you some more time.” Then he said to Xiao Yao, “When you’re ready, come back to this tree, and I’ll take you to find her—be careful not to get held up by this wicked woman for too long, okay?”

"Looking for him? Who are you looking for?" Xiao Yao asked, puzzled.

"Wow~~~ Hahahaha, quack." Earl Nottington transformed back into a white raven, flapped his wings, and flew away.

The cat leaped down from under the dead branch and pounced on Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao was stunned. Before he could dodge, the large civet cat had already hooked its two paws around his collar and was hanging directly on Xiao Yao's body.

"A dog? What are you doing here?" Xiao Yao picked it up with both hands and held it up to his eyes: "Was it you at noon too?"

"Meow~"

Title Explanation: White Raven Vineyard is Geralt's ideal retreat in The Witcher 3, where he can only have one lover and cannot be with two people at the same time. In addition, there is also the story of the fallen grape trellis that can be used to illustrate this.

Chapter 381 If life were just like the first time we met

2023-11-16

Thursday, September 30, 2004, the last day before the October holiday.

As with every long holiday before, the air is always filled with restlessness and unease the day before the holiday.

Not to mention the students, even some teachers seem a bit reluctant to teach.

Xiao Yao and Yu Luying discussed the "paranormal event" they encountered yesterday several times. When it came to "whether I should go find that strange bird again," Yu Luying initially leaned towards opposing it, after all... Confucius said, "Don't talk about strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits," and that thing didn't look like a good "bird." Later, she changed her mind and said that it was up to Xiao Yao to decide, and that he should take her with him when he went.

School will end early this afternoon, around 2 o'clock. Yu Luying invited Xiao Yao to go shopping and see a movie with her, but Xiao Yao only gave an ambiguous answer, saying "we'll see."

Later, Yu Luying tempted him by saying that she could accompany him to Canhua Internet Cafe to play "Bloodline II" after school.

This is a very attractive offer, comparable to "My mom isn't home, you can come to my house."

As a result, Xiao Yao still sneaked away after school, only sending Yu Luying a text message, making an excuse that he had something to do at home.

Although he couldn't see the girl's expression and tone through the phone screen, Xiao Yao could still feel her sadness and disappointment.

He was deeply worried and felt guilty about it, but he still slipped away.

Just like every time he was unhappy before, Xiao Yao chose to take the Huangjiang ferry, which cost five cents a coin, alone.

As long as you don't get off the boat, you can keep going back and forth, from Puxi to Pudong and then from Pudong to Puxi, like a plastic bag flying in a whirlwind.

The boy, with a small earphone inserted in his ear, leaned casually against the mast of the ferry.

He was listening to a song.

My dad and mom love me very much.

My exam results were also good;

I have never been short of change.

But why am I just not happy?

I will graduate from a good university.

I have a good job;

Living a wealthy, ideal life

But why am I just not happy?

"That's just how it is," Xiao Yao commented to himself.

The boat had reached the middle of the river, and Xiao Yao held onto the railing, gazing at both banks of the Yellow River.

Both banks of the river are lined with skyscrapers, like two interconnected steel forests teeming with desire.

In Xiao Yao's imagination—and indeed it was—there were countless pedestrians among these skyscrapers, like ants, densely packed, busy, and flowing endlessly, small, pitiful, and humble.

Fame and fortune? Just thinking about them makes me feel utterly bored.

Then think about yourself on this small boat in the middle of the river, and aren't you the same?

What is the meaning of human existence?

Xiao Yao was overwhelmed with sorrow, feeling as if he had never seen anyone before him or anyone after him, contemplating the vastness of heaven and earth, and weeping bitterly.

"Woo~~~~~Woo~~~~~Woo~~~~~~~" The ferry's whistle sounded.

Whenever Xiao Yao heard this sound, it would evoke the excitement and anticipation of setting sail to explore a new continent, and he would also think of welcoming relatives and friends back from afar or the feelings of a wanderer finally returning home. These two seemingly contradictory emotions coexisted in the young man's heart, always captivating him.