Chapter 598: Nightmare (2)
The children gathered together, running wild across the entire threshing ground.
At first, following the little girls' suggestion, they started playing jump rope.
"One-five-six, one-five-seven, the horse-orchid blooms twenty-one."
The little boy and another boy served as the poles holding the jump rope.
They stared intently at the rhythm of everyone jumping, and whenever someone broke the rules, they'd shout loudly, "Switch out!"
A whole crowd hopped and skipped across the threshing ground.
After finishing jump rope, the boys proposed playing cockfight.
Several boys and girls split into two teams.
They drew horizontal lines on the ground on both sides, and then, whether boy or girl, everyone lifted their right leg and hopped on their left leg.
One girl from the opposing team, named Jiang Rou, was especially formidable.
But on their side, a girl named Sun Xixi was also incredibly tough, and the two kids fought fiercely with no clear winner.
The little boy quietly crept to the side, lifted his right foot, and charged out like a rooster ready for battle.
With a big leap, he knocked the girl named Jiang Rou flat on the ground.
Jiang Rou refused to accept defeat, stood up, and immediately chased after the little boy.
The little boy quickly ducked behind the little girl named Sun Xixi.
Although Sun Xixi was shorter than Jiang Rou, her spirit was anything but weak.
She shielded the little boy like a protective mother hen.
The little boy flashed an infuriating grin.
The original dusk slowly faded, and the red sun in the sky turned into a Crimson Moon.
The clouds also transformed into stars.
Moonlight and starlight spilled across the ground.
The little girl named Zhou Lan walked over and spoke kindly to Chen Ye: "I'm sorry, I have to go now. Please take care of my little sister for me!"
"Ah... you're leaving already?"
Only then did the little boy realize how late it had become.
The little girl nodded, then turned and walked toward the edge of the threshing ground.
The other little girl named Zhou Xiaoxiao was hiding among the crowd, watching her older sister walk away.
"Kids, I'm sorry, but I need to head back too. My family is waiting for me!"
The little boy named Chu Che stepped forward: "Old Bao, can't you stay and play a little longer?"
Old Bao crouched down and patted the head of the little boy named Chu Che, his voice gentle: "Sorry, A-Che. Old Bao has to go. They... have been waiting for me too long. I need to go see them!"
"Old Bao..."
Old Bao ignored Chu Che's pleas to stay, waved his hand, turned around, and left the threshing ground.
"It's getting late, I need to go too!"
"The world is so big, I want to go out and see it too!"
That chatterbox also squeezed out of the crowd, waved to everyone, and said to the original little boy.
A look of reluctance appeared on the little boy's face: "No, don't go! Let's play marbles instead. Don't leave—if you all go, who will I play with?"
"You, always thinking about playing. It's getting late now, so you should head home soon too!"
After saying this, the chatterbox finally vanished into the darkness.
"I need to go home and do my homework. I haven't done today's assignment yet!"
Ding Dong waved and squeezed out of the crowd.
"Well, I have to go too. I haven't cooked dinner tonight, so I need to go back and make food!"
"Otherwise, I'll get scolded."
The little girl in simple clothes, remembered to be named Xu Lina.
She also squeezed out of the crowd.
Before leaving, this plainly dressed little girl glanced at the little boy with a hint of apology in her eyes.
It seemed like an apology, or maybe something else.
The little boy didn't understand.
And just like that, the little girl named Xu Lina also trotted away from the threshing ground.
"It's getting late. I need to go back to sleep. My family is waiting for me."
"And me, I have to go too!"
"I also..."
The once-lively threshing ground gradually fell silent.
Chen Hao, Wu Haifeng, Gong Yong, and the others...
After saying goodbye to everyone, they left one by one.
Even though the little boy wanted to keep them to play marbles, each of them politely declined and left.
They walked step by step toward the outside of the threshing ground.
Finally, they disappeared into the darkness.
In the end, only three people remained on the entire threshing ground.
The little boy who had stood by the haystack at the very beginning.
And the little boy named Chu Che, along with the little girl named Sun Xixi.
The little boy named Chu Che looked up at the sky, then surveyed the threshing ground.
He walked over like a little adult, patted the little boy on the shoulder.
Without saying a word.
Finally, he slowly walked out of the threshing ground and melted into the darkness.
"You... are leaving too?"
The little boy looked at the last one, the little girl named Sun Xixi.
The little girl's eyes were a bit flustered; she didn't know how to answer.
Finally, meeting the little boy's gaze, she walked over, her head bowed.
"I... I don't want to leave! I want to stay with you!"
"But... I can't stay! I know that if you're left all alone..."
"But... Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, and big sister... they've all come for me!"
"I haven't seen them in such a long, long time!"
"I miss them so much!"
The little girl's teardrops fell to the ground.
In the pitch-black night, they emitted a faint glow, like little diamonds.
The little boy lifted his head, sniffled, and said, "I know, I know that feeling. Go on."
"But remember, come find me to play tomorrow!"
"Don't forget to bring Chu Che, Wu Haifeng, Ding Dong, Chen Hao, and that guy who talks too much, all of them too!"
The little girl nodded seriously.
"Don't forget! Bring them back! Or I'll come find you!"
The little boy called out loudly.
The little girl slowly walked out of the threshing ground, looking back with every step.
The little boy's face beamed with a smile as he waved his small hands vigorously, acting very cheerful.
Outside the threshing ground, several figures seemed to be waiting there.
Their features were indistinct.
But they gave off a very kind feeling.
As the little girl stepped out of the threshing ground, she shouted, "Brother Yezi, remember, remember to think of me. We'll meet again tomorrow!"
The little boy also waved his arms vigorously and answered loudly, "Okay, I'll be here waiting for you tomorrow! See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow... see you tomorrow..."
Now, the entire threshing ground held only Chen Ye and this little boy.
The little boy murmured, "You've all gone home, you've all gone home... so where am I supposed to go?"
The whole threshing ground, aside from those haystacks, had only Chen Ye and the little boy himself.
The cheerful expression on the little boy's face gradually faded, and he looked around blankly.
Chen Ye also felt an unprecedented sense of loneliness.
As if he had been abandoned by the entire world.
"Kid, you don't have anywhere to go?"
Chen Ye couldn't help but ask.
The little boy looked up: "Whether I have anywhere to go, don't you know?"