"About a decade ago, there was a great war in this world."

"In this big war. The five great powers were all swept up, and they all almost drained their blood in the battle with each other. As for the more small states, they are either vassals of one great power and are attacked by other great powers, or they become independent but become the battlefield of wars between several great powers, and are reduced to scorched earth. ”

"Even small countries that have suffered so much are lucky to have kept their name. As for some small countries, they have become the dust that has been ruthlessly crushed between the great powers. The small country I used to come from was such a speck of dust. ”

Tsujizo raised her chin slightly, the side of her face was flushed by the setting sun, the skin on her face seemed to have a transparent texture, an empty feeling, but it gave people a feeling of being shrouded in fog, making it impossible to tell her mood at this time.

Her eyes seemed to be looking at the clouds in the sky, and she seemed to have nothing to look at, just looking lonely.

"So you're not from the Fire Nation."

After being silent for a long time, Su Zeying said.

"Of course not, how could I be so lucky to be born in this stable and prosperous country when the subjects of the world's largest country live in Anyuan, and live happily away from the war even when the war is at its most intense?"

The faint mockery on Tsuji's face seemed to have become a little thicker.

"In fact, there are many people in this country who come from many small countries that have been destroyed by the war - their hometowns have been easily destroyed by the ninjas' fighting, and many of their relatives have died in the aftermath of the fighting. But when they arrived, the country was like a dream Eden, giving them endless hope......"

"It's like this Tsujino Castle, after it was rebuilt twenty years ago, it was clear that there were only a few thousand people at the beginning. But by a decade ago it had swelled to tens of thousands. People from all over the ninja world with various accents have come here after a long trek and have made this place their second home. Obviously, they come from different countries and have different customs, but when they meet, they all tacitly hide it, and in the end, they all become part of the city. ”

"Why did the city's founding day become such a fiery celebration? Because it means that this city that has brought light and happiness to many people has been established on this land, and everyone has pinned their hopes for the future here......"

"It's ironic that he was one of the main culprits who destroyed his original happiness, but in the end he became a place to create his new happiness. I really envy those who are born in this peaceful country, who can enjoy all that this country has to offer them without going through any upheaval, or life or death......"

Tsuji said lightly, suddenly smiled and sighed:

"I'm sorry - I made you laugh when I suddenly complained."

Su Zeying didn't speak, just was silent.

Tsuji didn't care about him, and continued:

"Eh, where are you...... Forget it, whatever, it's not important anyway - let's get straight to the point, why do I like little girls? That's because ......"

Tsujizo's eyes blinked slightly, his eyelashes trembled, but his eyes became even more lonely:

“…… Only when you lose will you know the preciousness of existence! ”

"Actually, I used to have a younger sister. Like me, from a small country that has now lost its name from the world. But her luck wasn't as good as mine—or rather, her desire to survive wasn't as strong as mine. On the way to escape, she took a step ahead of me and died in my arms. ”

"That sister used to make me angry at home, and I used to think she was very squeamish and weak. But after my parents died, it was she who pulled me out and escaped the war, and it was she who encouraged me and took care of me along the way. As for me, I am just a waste who has become extremely desperate after losing a loved one, and is frightened by the world. ”

Tsujizo smiled bitterly, immersed in his own memories, and the girl who called her "sister" seemed to appear in front of her again.

"I'm a terrible person, I'm not as strong as her, she's not as sane as she is. Because of her existence, I always feel ashamed of myself, so I always cry, 'Let me die' - but when I see that sister hugging me every time because of this, I feel like I have found a support, and I secretly feel a little happy......"

"Looking back now, I think—maybe I've always felt that my sister was a child, just a waste who didn't grow up and needed someone to rely on; And my sister, she's already an adult who is completely upright! In order to avoid the reality of the country's ruin and the collapse of the family, in order to shirk the responsibility of being the eldest sister, I used self-pity as a disguise, and it seemed that I was immersed in grief, but in fact, it was just because I was afraid that once I was liberated from grief, I would have to face those thorny practical problems, and I would have to assume my sister's current role, and I would have to work hard every day to find life......"

"I—what a weakling."

"Because you can't take responsibility, you just run away from it."

"In the end, my sister gave me the rice balls that I had worked so hard to get, but she died in my arms from excessive hunger and typhoid fever."

"Originally...... People like me shouldn't have survived. ”

Tsuji held his forehead, looking at the red clouds that were about to roll away in the sky, squinting his eyes. For some reason, the eyelashes suddenly became a little shiny.

"So now, every time I see those cute little girls, it's like seeing my sister back then."

"Pretty, stubborn, strong, gentle...... Younger sister. For me, maybe it's an angel. No, not the angels, but the reason that sustains me to live. It's just a sustenance, but the moment I saw Hotaru, I thought I saw her again......"

"It's not because of their appearance, but because of the same immature but firm eyes, but the stubborn temperament they all have."

The cold wind of dusk came from all sides of the street, whirring and whistling. Su Zeying hugged her elbows, her face calm.

He didn't expect that there would be such a story behind this woman.

"And then?"

He asked suddenly.

"Later?"

Tsuji looked back at him.

"Later...... How did you survive? ”

"Later...... I was adopted by the owner of the previous generation of Kono Kaiju. He was a good old man, raised me, taught me a lot of knowledge, and made me the heir to his shop. I passed away about a year ago, and I've been working in the shop ever since. ”

"Can't tell the story?"

"I can't."

"What a cold refusal...... Then it's time for me to take my leave. ”

Su Zeying smiled slightly and waved his hand.

"After accompanying me for a day and introducing so much, I also roughly understand a lot of the situation in this city, and I will pay you tomorrow."

He turned, looking incredibly idle, walking towards the street on the other side.

Tsuji didn't look at him, but stood in place with his chest crossed, his eyelids slightly lowered, and his gaze was slightly silent.

Those memories of the past are churning in my mind again, and once the long-lasting past is spoken, it will be like pressing hundreds of yellow paper books in my heart, making people feel extremely heavy, and it is difficult to rise or fall, so I can only hesitate in place.

"That's right."

Su Zeying, who walked more than a dozen steps away, suddenly stood still, did not turn around, stood at the intersection, and suddenly said to her.

Tsujizo turned his head.

"I'm not qualified to comment on such a thing—but, I suppose, when that girl handed you the last rice ball, she must have thought not of letting you live with guilt, not of such a boring thing—when she came back to you with a smile on her face, even if she was hungry, she must have wanted you to straighten your back and walk strong."

"Even if it is extremely painful, even if it is traumatic, even if it hates itself, you have to live, take her share, and live with a hopeful smile. I think that's what she thought at the time. ”

"Okay, I'm done with the gossip I just came up with, goodbye."

Su Zeying didn't turn around, waved her hand without hesitation, and walked into the flow of people casually, leaving only a clear back.

Tsujizo's expression didn't change at all.

What he said just now didn't seem to touch her at all.

It's just that when she turned around and walked in the opposite direction, a tired and lonely smile appeared on her face:

"This damn boy...... Is there a time when you can talk like this......"