The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

After politely declining the other party's invitation, Soga made no attempt to use force. On the contrary, with the other party's help, the problem of a large crowd always surrounding him when he painted was resolved, and he felt much more relaxed, which was quite dramatic.

However, he hadn't expected that Qin Hesheng's paintings were still kept in Soga's possession. When he was Qin Hesheng, he had painted a few paintings for the goddess Futo and the others, but he hadn't thought much about it after sending them away. Who knew that those paintings would survive to this day and be properly preserved?

And judging by this, perhaps more than a thousand years from now, he will be able to see his own paintings in a museum...

This feeling, to put it simply, seems somewhat... subtle?

If I were to go to Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum now and find a stone tablet on a tree with the words "I, Qin Shi Huang, send money?" written on it, would those silly netizens in later generations think that Qin Shi Huang was actually a time traveler?

Someone had this idea in their mind, not without a touch of wickedness.

As usual, not long after he set up his stall, a little girl with short black hair and dressed like a boy appeared beside him without him even noticing.

After watching him draw for about ten minutes, the little girl couldn't contain herself and asked him a question.

"Hey, what are you planning to draw today?"

"Today? Today I'm planning to draw a cat eating fish."

Without intending to turn back or stop painting, Shi Bai casually replied.

"What, still not convinced?"

"Tch, it's just drawing, I can do that too."

The little girl pouted and let out a soft hum.

"Didn't you say you were going to draw a cat eating fish? Where's the cat?"

"The cat is eating fish."

Shi Bai looked completely matter-of-fact.

"...And what about the fish?"

"The fish was eaten by the cat."

"........."

For a moment, she was a little confused and stood there stunned for a long time.

"Alright, I find you more pleasing to the eye today, so I'll give you this picture of a cat eating fish."

After putting down his paintbrush and nodding in satisfaction at the painting in front of him, Shi Bai turned to the little girl beside him and began to speak.

"So, do you want this painting today?"

"This isn't a cat eating fish at all. There's no cat or fish in your drawing!!"

"Yes, didn't you see? I even drew a pigeon next to the cat."

Shi Bai pointed to the drawing paper in front of him, his face full of surprise.

"Didn't you see such a big pigeon?"

"Where are the pigeons? There's not even a cat in your painting!!"

"Because it's a pigeon, it's normal that the pigeon failed to fly away."

"........."

P.S.: I've been updating extra chapters these past few days. Don't you feel any remorse if you don't vote?! [Sound of shock]

Chapter Nineteen: Fujiwara no Mokou and Hieda no Rei

The midday sun shines through the dappled shadows of the trees, casting large and small patches of light on the ground.

Enjoying the warm June breeze while listening to the little girl's disgruntled grumbling beside him, Shi Bai leaned back against the tree trunk, watching the crowds of people coming and going or hurrying along the street, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

It seems that hundreds of years ago, when he was painting under the tree, someone was also standing next to him, pointing and commenting.

The two are connected one after the other, as if repeating the previous cycle.

Shi Bai felt that he had suddenly become artistic.

There are very few things he can remember, and even fewer scenes that he can actively recall. The current situation can probably be described as being triggered by the scene.

Shi Bai turned to look at the little girl beside him. Although the little girl's face was full of dissatisfaction at realizing that she had been tricked, she still carefully rolled up the landscape painting.

"What? I was planning to take this painting home and use it as firewood. Who do you think wants a painting like this?"

When she saw her gaze directed at her, the little girl's face immediately adopted a fierce expression.

Even if she hadn't realized it in time, she now understood that everything the other person had said was a joke, so naturally she wouldn't give them a friendly look.

And what's with all this talk about cats eating fish and pigeons? This guy in front of me is awful!!

“I can understand that children say one thing but mean another, but you won’t learn anything by just watching from the side.”

Shi Bai held up a finger in front of him, his face serious.

"Want to learn to draw? If you do, I can teach you, but could you please be a little more honest? This doesn't sound like you're asking for a favor."

"So who wants to learn to draw from you?!"

As if her secret had been exposed, the little girl's face immediately turned red, and her words carried a hint of embarrassment and anger.

"I don't know how many artists like you there are in my family..."

“But I’m better than all of them, and that’s enough.”

With a flick of his finger, someone slowly interrupted the other person.

"If you want to learn to draw from me, you only have one chance, okay? You can never reach my level by practicing secretly in private. Who told you that you can master it just by watching others draw? Your brain tells you you can, but your hands will clearly tell you you can't... So, think it over before you give your answer."

"...Please, please teach me to draw..."

After a long silence, the little girl turned her head, and it took her a while to finally utter a sentence, her voice barely audible.

"Sorry, the voice was too soft for me to hear."

Shi Bai yawned and spoke lazily.

I said...Please teach me to draw, sir.

Taking a deep breath and suppressing the urge to throw a punch, the little girl reluctantly opened her mouth.

"If you are willing to teach me, I am willing to offer you a gift..."

"Oh, I don't need the money."

"........."

"Hmm... how about this, as long as you tell me why you want to learn to draw, I'll teach you."

After thinking for a moment, Shi Bai spoke.

"How did you suddenly become interested in painting? Shouldn't you be continuing your swordsmanship studies? Don't look at me like that. I've been setting up a stall here for so many days now, and I've heard about the good-for-nothing Fujiwara no Mokou from the powerful Fujiwara family in Fujiwara-kyo."

Shi Bai shrugged, completely unconcerned.

"Actually, it's not a big deal to tell you... because I want to prove something to my father, and that's what you think too, right?"

After a moment of silence, Fujiwara no Mokou sat down against a tree, holding the painting he had given her before.

“I want my father to be proud of me and to focus his attention on my mother and me. He has shown a great interest in your paintings lately, so I think if I could paint like those, he would come to see my mother and me more often, right?”

"So you cut your hair, practiced swordsmanship diligently, and spent all your time fighting in Fujiwara Kyoto?"

Shi Bai raised an eyebrow.

"When my brother and his friends win a fight, Father praises them, but why is it that when I win a fight, Father never even glances at me? The only time he does, he just gives me a look of disgust..."

Fujiwara no Mokou turned her head away.

“I’ve been trying to do better, but why am I always being ignored? I can’t even remember how long it’s been since my father last visited my mother and me. Rather than being forgotten, I’d rather let my father know that my mother and I exist in this way.”

"So why do you want to prove something to your father? Even if your father does care about you, so what? Is it necessary to become so rebellious?"

Rolling his eyes, Shi Bai couldn't help but mutter a complaint.

"The fact that you haven't been kicked out of the house by your father despite all this is already a miracle, considering the family's reputation. So, in a way, your father is actually quite nice..."

"What do you know? You don't know anything at all!!"

As if his words had touched a raw nerve, Fujiwara no Mokou suddenly became somewhat agitated.

"Do you know how many times a year he's visited my mother and me? My mother is the best person in the world to me. She always told me that my father was a great man, that he had many things to do and was too busy to visit us. I believed my mother's words, but as I grew up, I realized it was completely different. That man doesn't care about any of that at all!!"

"If that's the case, then why are you so desperately trying to get his attention?"

He casually handed her a glass of water, but Shi Bai's expression remained noncommittal.

"Calm down a bit, why are you getting so worked up?"

"...just for my mother."

Fujiwara no Mokou turned her head away, showing no intention of taking the glass of water.

“My mother has always fantasized that the man still loves her. Even though he only visits us a few times a year, she still looks happy... Even when my mother was bedridden and her health was poor, that man never came to visit her. It doesn't matter if she is scolded or reprimanded, as long as that man can come and visit my mother more often and make her a little happier. Rebellion? If rebellion can make my mother a little happier, none of this matters.”

“…I’ll paint another picture for you, and then you can give it to your mother. Your father should be interested in it.”

After a moment of silence, Shi Bai placed the glass of water on the small table he had set up, sat up straight, and picked up his paintbrush again.

While it's true that those involved are often blinded by their own perspectives while bystanders see things more clearly, making overly subjective judgments about certain matters can often lead to significant errors.

Shi Bai previously thought that Fujiwara no Mokou's current state was simply to attract her parents' attention, but what is the real reason? If Fujiwara no Mokou hadn't finally spoken up today, probably no one would have guessed the true meaning behind her actions.

Cutting her hair, fighting, abandoning everything from before, and making herself different from others... Fujiwara no Mokou did all this simply so that the man she called her father would look at her mother a few more times. That was her true motive.

If she was only standing on the first level before, then Fujiwara no Mokou had already stood on the fifth level or even higher.

...As for the so-called rebellion?

Shi Bai then realized just how weak and ineffective his previous guesses had been.

Fujiwara no Mokou was far more sensible than the other children, so sensible that it was almost heartbreaking... What could she do?

Her mother was already in poor health and needed her care, but her father didn't care at all. If things had gone according to plan, everything would have been uneventful; she would have soon had someone come to propose marriage, then gotten married, leaving her mother all alone.

She didn't want to rebel, but she tried her best to make herself rebellious.

As for Fujiwara no Mokou's mother, despite encountering a complete scumbag, she remained deeply devoted to him. What could Shiro say to her at this moment? He could only sigh and ask, "What is love in this world?" After all, emotions are the most complex and difficult thing to fathom.

It's best not to speculate too much about some things before knowing the real truth. After all, who knows what happened between Fujiwara no Fuhito and Fujiwara no Mokou's mother in the past?

After all, the fact that Fujiwara no Mokou could cause such trouble in Fujiwara-kyo without receiving any serious punishment already gave us a glimpse into what was going on.

You must understand that for so-called aristocratic families, face is of utmost importance. During his time as Qin Hesheng, he had a profound understanding of this.

No matter what, Fujiwara no Mokou was Fujiwara no Fuhito's daughter. Such a big incident had occurred because of her, making her a household name throughout Fujiwara Kyoto, yet Fujiwara no Fuhito allowed her to run rampant. He would never believe that there wasn't something fishy going on behind the scenes.

But putting it another way, Fujiwara no Hitoshi's "scumbag" label is still firmly in place. After all, his instant infatuation with Houraisan Kaguya, his declarations of wanting to marry her, and his declarations of love... is that what you call liking someone?!

That's called lusting after someone's body, you're despicable!

Shi Bai felt very noble because he didn't lust after the other person's body; he was attracted to her personality and hobbies.

In this day and age, how rare is it to find a girl who shares his interests and love games?

It's one in a million!

Playing a game alone is ultimately meaningless, but playing it with another person is a completely different story.

"Hmm...maybe we could try to find some time to talk to Fujiwara no Fuhito..."

Watching Fujiwara no Mokou's slightly bewildered figure disappear into the distance, Shi Bai looked thoughtful.

As the sun was setting, the brilliant golden sunlight bathed the earth in a golden hue. Just as he finished packing up and was about to head home, a young girl with waist-length black hair and a scroll in her hand walked up to him.

"Um... is there anything I can help you with?"

Looking up at the girl in front of him, Shi Bai asked her a question.

However, the other party did not answer his question. Instead, she stared at him with a slightly puzzled look for a moment before the girl realized how inappropriate her behavior was and couldn't help but show an apologetic smile.

"Excuse me, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before... May I ask if you are the artist Shi Bai?"

"Um...that's right."

Shi Bai nodded.

In fact, it wasn't just the other person who had this feeling; he also felt as if he had seen the other person somewhere before, but he couldn't quite remember where he had seen them.