Rebirth in a Shura Field, but in an Abstract Version

064 Ants and Salt Grains

After seeing Su Xiaocheng off, Wang Zhe did not go for a walk alone with Song Zhiyi.

Then, the three roommates caught up with them.

Wei Jing immediately said with exasperation, "You had such a good opportunity! Su Xiaocheng chatted with you the whole way, why didn't you strike while the iron was hot? It's one thing not to continue with that petite and cute girl, but why didn't you leave with Song Zhiyi? You let both of them get away!"

In this guy's logic, as long as there's a girl around, he can't go back to the dorm even if it's raining knives!

Wang Zhe glanced at them, calmly took out his phone from his pocket, checked the time, and then said indifferently, "I have something important to do."

Wei Jing: "What important business is it? More important than picking up girls?"

"I need to do some day trading," Wang Zhe said seriously. "The stock market hasn't closed yet this afternoon, and Gree Electric's stock is fluctuating a bit. I need to go back to my dorm and do some trading to see if I can lower my cost basis."

"..."

Wei Jing stared at Wang Zhe with his mouth agape, as if he were looking at an alien.

He hesitated for a long time, then finally sighed to the heavens, "The 'operation' you're talking about, you mean stock trading? No, buddy, if I were you, there's no way I'd go back to my dorm to trade stocks right now! Don't you want to ever be in a relationship?"

Fang Gang patted Wang Zhe on the shoulder with a look of satisfaction, as if he had found a kindred spirit: "Hey, this idiot doesn't know anything. This is the kind of awareness we stock market investors should have! Women spend money, but stocks are real money-making opportunities! Come on, Lao Wang, let's go back and check on my Wasu Media!"

The group of four—three bachelors and one pseudo-bachelor—walked towards the dormitory building.

On the way back to the dormitory, Wang Zhe walked in front.

Although he said he was going back to do some trading, the stock market wasn't actually fluctuating much today, so there was no need to keep an eye on it all the time. What he was really thinking about was what happened at lunch.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.

Song Zhiyi's behavior today was too abnormal.

Back in high school, if any girl got a little too close to him, Song Zhiyi wouldn't openly lash out, but she would definitely say something sarcastic or give him a warning look.

But what about today?

She not only brought up the topic of science fiction, but also deliberately pushed Su Xiaocheng in front of him, even acting as a wingman, occasionally chiming in, as if to ensure that he and Su Xiaocheng had a lively conversation.

That look in his eyes didn't seem like jealousy, but rather like... watching a show? Or perhaps, playing some strange game?

What is this girl thinking?

Wang Zhe had initially thought that she and Jiang Di had become friends. But the problem was, even if it were for Jiang Di's sake, she couldn't possibly set him up with another girl.

He took out his phone and opened WeChat.

After a brief hesitation, Wang Zhe clicked on Song Zhiyi's WeChat profile picture and sent her a message.

Were you deliberately trying to set me up with Su Xiaocheng this afternoon?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Meanwhile, Song Zhiyi was also walking back to her dormitory, but alone.

She walked slowly, but did not take out her phone.

The girl is conceiving a plan.

Her phone vibrated when she received a WeChat message, but Song Zhiyi ignored it, remaining immersed in her own world. Even after entering the dormitory building and returning to her room, she didn't check her phone or participate in her roommates' gossip.

She simply sat down at her desk and pulled out the notebook hidden at the very back of her bag.

She laid the thick, yellowed hardcover notebook out on the table and turned to a new page.

Song Zhiyi usually uses a ballpoint pen to take notes. But at this moment, she took out an old-fashioned fountain pen and an ink bottle, and put the ink in the bottle to draw ink.

Then, the pen tip hovers an inch above the paper, and the ink slowly gathers at the tip.

The scene from noon was still replaying in her mind.

The sizzling pork belly on the grill, the rising white smoke, Wang Zhe's focused profile, Su Xiaocheng's delicate and adorable face...

These noisy and vibrant scenes were disassembled and reassembled in her mind, stripped of the hustle and bustle of reality, and transformed into bizarre and fantastical images.

She liked this feeling.

Abstracting real life, turning it into a code that only you can understand.

The pen tip falls.

The rustling sound was especially pleasant in the quiet afternoon.

After cooling,

Draw a star map on the baking tray.

Ants carrying grains of salt

Walking towards the crack in the moon.

The dried bacon sprouted in the wind.

It grew into a ladder.

A journey to a nameless constellation.

After writing the last character, she gently blew on the still-wet ink.

This poem still has no title, nor does it need one.

The girl looked at the words on the paper, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Only then did she finally pick up her phone and take a look.

Were you deliberately trying to set me up with Su Xiaocheng this afternoon?

Upon seeing this message from Wang Zhe, the girl's peach blossom eyes curved into crescent moons.

Sure enough, he sensed it.

She did not reply immediately.

Instead, he put down his phone and gently stroked the pages of his notebook with his fingers.

Why?

Did you want to push him away?

of course not.

Was she trying to test him?

Perhaps a little.

But the most crucial point is, since he said he wanted to have affairs everywhere, why should I try to possess him? Besides, he wasn't even willing; he rejected my love letters without even reading them.

If you want to stay by his side like you did when you were young, don't you have to cooperate with him?

This cooperation certainly caused the girl some heartache, but besides the pain, there were other feelings... or rather, it was precisely because of the pain that she experienced an indescribable joy.

Otherwise, how could the word "painful" exist?

I used to find it strange that Jiang Di enjoyed being whipped by Wang Zhe, but now I realize I'm no different. It's just that Jiang Di enjoys the external pain, while I prefer the internal...

Song Zhiyi put down her phone, capped her fountain pen, and gently blew on the still-dry verses on the paper.

"I'd rather be the one to find it for you," the girl murmured softly.

It's like throwing a ball of yarn to your beloved cat and watching it play happily, but you know that at least you still have the ball of yarn in your own hand.

Once the ink had dried, Song Zhiyi closed the notebook with a soft "snap".

She picked up her phone again, her slender fingers lightly tapping the screen.

There was no explanation, no cover-up.

Just two simple words, yet their honesty is chilling.

【yes.】

Less than ten seconds later, Wang Zhe immediately sent a new message: [I just wanted to ask you why.]

"You said you wanted to date someone after you got to college, didn't you? As an old friend, I'm helping you out, and you're not happy about it? Don't worry, I won't tell Jiang Di."

【…】

Wang Zhe seemed unsure what to say, and simply sent a string of ellipses.

Song Zhiyi put down her phone and turned to look out the window.

The afternoon sun in Shanghai and Hong Kong was just right, filtering through the leaves and casting dappled patterns on the windowsill.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.