Chapter 181: Chapter 180: The Whole World Suddenly Collapses
A few young girls were chatting about skincare in the pavilion until nearly sunset, urged several times by the maids but still reluctant to stop, promising to gather again next time.
Now everyone had to hurry back to the city, for the gates would be closed after sunset.
Lin Wanwan was not in a hurry; Cao would leave tomorrow, and Qingyu had attended Cao’s class for free during regular time. Naturally, she wanted to give Cao a proper send-off, so she would stay at Ge Xian Temple with Sun tonight.
While the city cared about the gate’s timing, the mountain did not.
After parting with the young ladies, Lin Wanwan turned back to find Sun. She had only walked a few steps when she suddenly heard a sobbing sound.
The cold wind blew, making Lin Wanwan’s scalp tighten; how could anyone be crying in such a place? Moreover, everyone should be descending the mountain now — city people rushing to the city, villagers hurrying home — why would anyone remain?
The Great Tang had no streetlights, traveling at night was perilous, full of specters and spirits.
Stopping to listen for a while, the sobbing grew clearer.
Lin Wanwan, bold due to her skills, couldn’t contain her curiosity and followed the sobbing sound.
Before seeing anyone, she first smelled a strange fragrance, making Lin Wanwan frown slightly, hesitating whether to proceed.
At this moment, a snow-white figure appeared — a little albino girl with white hair squatted behind a rockery, hugging her knees and weeping.
Lin Wanwan was stunned, were albino people so common in the Great Tang? The Xiao Mansion had one, and there was another on the mountain?!
Apparently, Lin Wanwan’s footsteps startled the sobbing eight or nine-year-old girl.
The girl raised her head from her arms, revealing a snow-white, tear-streaked face, indescribably delicate and pitiful, skin white to transparency, eyes a light gray-blue, tears like jewels on her face, beauty that took one’s breath away.
Lin Wanwan was shocked; albino people in the Great Tang were so mysteriously beautiful, one could say the girl before her was a fallen angel from the Snow Country.
Lin Wanwan crouched down, instinctively lowering her voice, softly asking, "Little sister, why are you here alone? Why are you crying? Did you get separated from your family?"
The girl shook her head, her tear-filled eyes looking at Lin Wanwan blankly, saying nothing.
Lin Wanwan continued gently, "Where is your family? It’s getting dark, let me help you find them, okay?"
The girl before her was definitely not a child from an ordinary family, for she was dressed in elegant attire only worn by aristocrats — even rich merchants’ daughters couldn’t dress like this.
The girl still shook her head, suddenly speaking, "They don’t want me anymore."
Her sparkling gray-blue eyes softened Lin Wanwan’s heart with sympathy, "You’re so adorably beautiful, how could your family not want you? That can’t be true, tell me their names, and I’ll help you find them."
"No, no, no, they all don’t want me anymore, no one likes me, everyone fears me, I’m just a white monster."
"How could that be, you’re not strange at all, you’re a fallen angel from the Snow Country, truly beautiful."
"You’re lying."
"I’m not lying, you really are, very beautiful, I like you very much."
"...Do you truly like me?"
"Yes, adorable girls like you are rare, don’t be so sad. By the way, what’s your name?"
The girl paused before saying, "My name is Bao’er, the ’Bao’ of ’treasure.’
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanwan said, "Bao, see, your family named you ’Bao’ because they love you very much."
Bao’er withdrew her gaze, forlornly looking at the grass before her, shaking her head, "They truly don’t want me anymore, even my mother doesn’t, she has a new baby, doesn’t even let me see my brother, afraid I’ll scare him."
Lin Wanwan opened her mouth but said nothing. Favoring sons over daughters in the Great Tang was normal; she didn’t know how to console the girl before her.
The two grew quiet, remaining silent for a long time, until a voice suddenly echoed through the forest, "Miss, Miss, where are you?"
Bao’er tore a wild grass from the ground before her, a flash of disgust in her eyes, coldly saying, "That ugly old hag is looking for me."
Lin Wanwan stood up, soon seeing an exotic woman wearing a veil hat emerge from the mist.
Strangely, the woman’s attire seemed familiar, not from the modern era, but should be seen in the Great Tang.
"Ah, Miss, so you were hiding here, we must hurry back, the sun is setting, the gate will lock." The exotic woman urged upon seeing the girl.
Bao’er coldly maintained her jade-like face, remaining silent, slowly standing up.
"Let’s hurry, Miss, we really can’t delay." The exotic woman urged hastily but dared not touch the girl, clearly avoiding physical contact, causing Lin Wanwan to feel odd.
Bao’er looked up at Lin Wanwan, suddenly asking, "Sister, do you really like me?"
Lin Wanwan didn’t expect her to ask again so seriously, immediately smiling, "Of course."
Bao’er seemed reassured by this, nodded, remained silent for a while, then suddenly waved, "Then I’m leaving."
"Hmm, until we meet again," Lin Wanwan waved at them, watching the strange duo slowly walk out of sight.
Regaining her senses, Lin Wanwan was about to head towards the main hall when suddenly her head felt dizzy, the ground uneven beneath her feet, as if drunk.
She quickly rested against a nearby rock, recovering after a while, muttering, "What’s wrong with me, am I sick?"
The dizziness had come quickly and gone quickly.
Lin Wanwan regained her composure, stepping forward when suddenly the surrounding scenery began to shatter, the world seemingly collapsing.
Her expression turned distressed, everything went dark before her eyes, and upon reopening them, the Ancient Temple was replaced by modern reinforced concrete.
She stood amidst the traffic, looking around in confusion, cars everywhere.
"Beep beep beep!!" Cars blocked by Lin Wanwan honked loudly, twisting through her ears, extremely unreal.
A furious face suddenly emerged from the red car window, "Are you nuts? Blocking the road, crazy? Pick a good day to die, white-haired monster!"
"White-haired witch?" Lin Wanwan hurriedly pulled at her hair, white strands cascading down. She stared at the white hair in her hand, feeling unprecedented absurdity.