Speaking of which, is Shen Mo actually late? It's a little surprising - after all, Shen Mo has always given people a serious impression. From this look, Shen Mo may be a little confused in these aspects... Wait, it seems like the situation Something's not quite right.
A closer look revealed that Shen Mo had uncharacteristically put on some light makeup, so that's what it meant when he said "it took longer than expected". But if he wanted to put on makeup, he should have prepared in advance, so as not to be late because of this kind of thing.
——Brother Jiang Yan, you have this expression all over your face now. Shen Xuan looked at Jiang Yan helplessly, complaining silently in his heart.
In retrospect, it seems that this person has always been slow in this regard. He is obviously able to put himself in other people's shoes, but he is too concerned about other people's opinions and emotions of him... No, it can't be said to be slow. It should be said that he doesn't care at all. Is it? It doesn’t look like it, maybe it’s just that I can’t find it.
Recalling his sister's panicked look an hour ago, Shen Xuan couldn't help but want to laugh out loud.
——
"...Xuan, do you think it would be better if I put on makeup?"
Looking at Shen Xuan's blank expression, Shen Mo explained awkwardly, "Think about it, Jiang Yan is not from Longmen, right? Shouldn't outsiders' impression of the Requiem Festival be a lively one? I'll go Inviting him, isn't this just like..." Before he could finish speaking, Shen Mo's ears began to turn red and his voice gradually disappeared.
Ah, I just noticed this. Shen Xuan looked at his sister who "suddenly realized" and felt that this person was hopeless. Would someone come to his sister for emotional counseling? Normally, shouldn't the opposite be true? Is it right to come here?
"Well..." Shen Xuan tilted his head and thought for a while, "It shouldn't be necessary. Look, Brother Jiang Yan -" He didn't seem to be aware of this at all. No, you can't say that. Although these two Everyone is too slow to realize it at all, but saying it so directly is still too much. Shen Mo took a second to consider the words and said:
"He doesn't seem like someone who would care about such a thing."
"No!" Shen Mo suddenly became excited. Shen Mo, who was still living lazily in home clothes, stood up from the sofa, pointed at Shen Xuan's forehead with his hands on his hips and said, "Even if you don't care, you can't treat him casually. ——This is the foundation of being a lady!”
Seeing Shen Xuan stunned on the spot, Shen Mo added righteously: "This is what mom said!"
"...Oh." Then there was no other way. Shen Xuan replied casually, which was regarded as an agreement.
But it always feels weird to say this kind of thing from my sister. Ever since Shen Xuan began to remember, his sister has always been in a state of barefacedness. Is it too late to start caring about this kind of thing at this time? ?Maybe it’s because I quit smoking and ate too much sweets recently, and the sweetness in my brain has increased a lot. Maybe my sister’s delayed puberty has finally arrived.
"But it's better not to put on makeup... I didn't mean anything else!" Shen Xuan quickly explained, finding an excuse for being worried about his sister's makeup skills. "Go talk to your parents, right..."
"Well...!" Shen Mo scratched his hair in confusion, and finally——
"Mom will understand!"
——
So after that, I realized that I had no cosmetics, so I finally borrowed the makeup box left by my mother and learned on the Internet a "light makeup that would not look out of place no matter what the occasion!" In the end, the two of them were late.
Sister, please raise your head. If you don’t dare to show your face, why are you wearing this makeup? Brother Jiang Yan, if you find out, just say a few words, otherwise the atmosphere will continue to be awkward!
Shen Xuan was worried at the side, and Jiang Yan suddenly spoke: "It feels like it's good to do this occasionally." Looking at the two sisters with doubts in their eyes, Jiang Yan explained, "Because - ah, I don't think I said it yet?" He said awkwardly He scratched the back of his neck and said, "I...my home is in a very far away place. I don't even know how to go back and who will be there after I go back. So it is really practical for me to celebrate a festival in memory of someone like this." It’s too far away.”
"So, I feel very happy to be able to experience this feeling."
"Yeah."
The atmosphere did not fall into silence because of this slightly sad topic - it should be because today is such a day. "You can tell more about yourself - Xiaoxuan and I are willing to listen."
Hearing this, Jiang Yan smiled and said, "Forget it then, they are all boring topics about work and training."
"But if you don't tell, no one will know, right?" Shen Mo responded, regaining his natural expression. "It's like Requiem Day - if you don't talk to the past and learn to say goodbye to the past, , the living cannot continue to walk properly."
"...Yes, it should be." Jiang Yan nodded slightly, and the unusual loneliness in his eyes dissipated a little. "Shen Mo... did your mother change her surname? In my impression, Dongguo seemed to have This tradition."
"Well, she changed her last name. Why do you ask this?"
"I have to think of what to call her."
The atmosphere changed in a completely unexpected direction, but Shen Xuan was surprised and felt more relieved. Maybe this is the normal pace and the dialogue that should be had on such days. She quietly held her hand The clothes of the two people in front of them are recalling bits and pieces that seem to have gone away long ago, but are still clear.
Because it's Requiem Night.
——
Jiang Yan stood alone outside the Longmen Public Cemetery, looking at the night sky today - the moonlight was full, and it was a suitable night.
Although he had promised Shen Mo to visit the parents of the two sisters, for a person like Jiang Shao who did not know the past of the Shen family, the most he could do was to bow to that grave and say, " Mr. Shen, Mrs. Shen, excuse me."
Instead of being immersed in the sentimentality of not being able to do anything, it would be more practical to leave space to that family and let them talk for a while. Fortunately, the cemetery in Longmen was built in the center of the city, closer to a park, and Jiang Shao was alone No one will fall into the previous homesickness because of the solemn atmosphere.
"Good evening, sir."
This sudden greeting interrupted Jiang Shao's free time alone - it was a very authentic Victorian accent. "Good evening." Jiang Shao looked back, looked up and down at the strange attire of the man in front of him, and asked tentatively, "Is it called...'Fang Clown'?"
"Haha, that's the right name." The visitor's laughter was not out of the ordinary. He nodded politely and showed the elegance of a gentleman. He wore a funeral-like black suit and tie, a clean cane and Leather shoes, white hair neatly combed on the back of his head, a slightly exaggerated top hat, but his face covered by a clown mask - this image is completely consistent with the image in the urban legend.
"Are you me?" The joking question made the gentleman in front of him - was he old? But his whole person was filled with the temperament of a mature man - laughed out loud. "Hehehehe - then you
What do you think, sir?" The clown took a sharp step, "With the mask on, anyone can be a clown, and no one can be a clown - this is a masquerade, if you put those precious mysteries on
On the surface, it seems too uncharacteristic of the style."
"You are talking about." I don't know why, but this polite and restrained laughter always makes Jiang Yan feel uncomfortable. "Your accent should be that of a foreigner? The Requiem Festival carnival is over there. You seem to be in the wrong place."
Really? That's really a pity. I thought that the place where the leading actor was was the venue for the dance. It seems that my experience caused my mistake."
"...starring?"
"That's right, the leading actor - you are the leading actor. So noble, so humble, so complex - I'm curious how a rare treasure like you can participate in the carnival without a mask? Oh, sorry, I'm rude.
Taking a closer look, you seem to be... wearing the best mask." The clown raised his hat and bowed in greeting.
"Are you really not going to attend this event?"
"If you are talking about carnival, I'm sorry, but Requiem Day is a festival to pay homage to the dead. I would like to express my gratitude."
"Really? Although I am a little regretful that I can't see your performance - but I believe that this carnival will not make me feel boring. I was surprised to meet you. Thank you, sir."
After that, the clown left alone and soon disappeared into the night. Looking at the departing figure, Jiang Yan's uneasy feeling became more and more obvious. Finally, unable to restrain himself, Jiang Yan stretched out his hand to touch his waist.
- He forgot to bring his weapon.
"Damn it..." Jiang Yan stood up and was about to run to the cemetery when he saw the Shen sisters coming out of the cemetery. "Jiang Yan? What's wrong?"
"No...it's nothing." Jiang Yan breathed a sigh of relief.