Lili was enjoying the sunset. His purple eyes were glued to the view.
He heard the questioning voice of the person behind him, but he didn't care. His focus remained on the sun and the sky. It was mesmerizing—the red sky looked like the blood of the sun itself, slowly being swallowed by the mountains as the light faded away.
Then—tap.
Someone tapped his shoulder.
He flinched slightly. The touch was soft. Long fingers brushed against his shoulder, clearly trying to get his attention.
Then he heard the voice again. It carried a questioning tone—but he didn't understand a single word.
How would he understand Chinese? He didn't even properly understand English. So how was a guy who got kicked into this world supposed to understand Chinese?
That was a big problem for most people—being thrown into another world without knowing the language, especially when you're completely alone.
But Lili didn't care at all.
Fuck language. Fuck communication.
That was what he thought as he continued staring at the sun.
The grip on his shoulder tightened slightly. He could feel it—the slender fingers, the long nails pressing gently against the fabric of his kimono.
After receiving no response from the person who was just sitting there, Xiao Wu decided to move closer.
As she approached, she caught a scent—a fragrance unlike any flower she had ever smelled before. It was intoxicating, addictive. Just breathing it in made her heart beat faster.
Xiao Wu slowly placed her hand on the person's shoulder.
The moment she touched them, she felt an unusual coldness. Frowning slightly, she shook the person gently and asked again,
"Hey… are you alright? What are you doing here? Your body is so cold."
But to her disappointment, she was still being ignored. The person's face didn't move even a little, not even enough to glance back. They continued staring at the sun as if she didn't exist.
This made Xiao Wu both irritated and dismayed.
She tightened her grip on the person's shoulder, just to make sure she truly was being ignored. She waited for any reaction.
Nothing.
Complete silence. Complete indifference—like she wasn't even there.
Xiao Wu pouted her pink lips.
"Hmph!"
She stomped her foot against the ground and placed her hands on her slim waist.
"Hmph! Fine then," Xiao Wu said while turning her head away. "I'll ignore you too."
Her eyes then wandered toward the river—her original goal.
Xiao Wu walked to the river's edge and bent down. What she saw made her eyes widen. The water was just as clear as the villagers said. She could see different kinds of rocks, colorful fish swimming freely, weeds swaying gently beneath the surface, and even bubbles rising clearly into view.
"Wow… it's really beautiful. It's so clear," Xiao Wu said, clapping her hands together.
She continued exploring the river with excitement, her curiosity fully awakened.
Meanwhile, Lili completely ignored her existence. He didn't care that she was there. His bored expression never changed as he continued staring at the setting sun.
For him, it was just himself, the red sky, and the crimson sun. His purple eyes reflected the red glow, unmoving, uninterested. He didn't glance back, didn't react to the noisy mumbling or footsteps of the woman moving around the river.
Twenty-nine minutes passed while Xiao Wu enjoyed her little adventure around the river.
"That was a good stress reliever," Xiao Wu said softly. Then she looked at the sun. "It seems I need to head back soon. Night is approaching… and I'm hungry too."
Her gaze wandered back to the person.
They were still there.
They hadn't moved even once—still sitting, still staring at the sky.
"Well… what should I do?" Xiao Wu asked herself, tilting her head and resting her finger on her chin. "Should I go back and leave her here?"
"I don't feel any danger from her. Just a normal person… but she gives me an eerie feeling. Still, she smells nice…"
"Well, I'll try one more time. Maybe she'll answer."
Xiao Wu decided to approach Lili again.
As she drew closer, the scent hit her once more—stronger this time. It made warmth bloom inside her chest, heat slowly spreading through her body.
This time, she didn't shake his shoulder. She didn't stay behind him either.
Xiao Wu stepped forward, intending to confront the person directly—to see their face.
To ask— face to face.