adjacent street gl

"Sit down." There was a pile of manuscripts by the editor-in-chief's desk, all written by himself. He put on his glasses, found a copy and handed it to me.

"see this."

I sat across from him and reached out to take it.

"I decided on a fairy tale as the theme this time, and after communicating with the artist for a long time, I finally delivered the draft recently."

I flipped through the manuscript and froze.

I kind of wanted to see Ning Qing's paintings, but editor Zhou didn't give me this chance.

I had to talk about something else. I glanced at the manuscript and caught the four words written by the author on the title page.

Otherworldly nursery rhymes.

Me: "...fairy tale?"

"Yes." Editor-in-Chief Zhou leaned back, "A sad, beautiful, fairy tale from a different world. It can be based on our world, or it can be a completely new, fantasy world of the author. I want to read it in this The story of the world—full of fantasy, and because it is full of fantasy, it is more cruel after it is shattered."

He still wants to describe the pain, but he really doesn't give up, which is quite rare.

I looked down at the manuscript, and a line of small characters came into my eyes—"In September 2007, written by Yuan Ying."

I raised my head abruptly, "Is this Teacher Yuan Ying's?"

Editor Zhou nodded.

I said, no wonder.

If my wife's work is not published in my own magazine and does not cause a sensational response, what a waste.

Besides, it was written by Teacher Yuan Ying himself.

Although it is not the original, it is just a photocopy, but it is also very precious.

I have the patience to read this story.

In many cultures, the flame is a symbol of creation and purification, both sacred and mystical.

Yuan Ying described a young girl who lived in a village that worshiped flames and cured her seriously ill mother.

Yuan Ying's writing has a special charm, she makes readers believe that everything is good, she creates a world where flames are omnipotent - through the mouth of villagers, legends and nature, let readers substitute girls, as if there really is such a world, This village exists in general.

The girl and the villagers believe in the flame like a demon. They believe that the flame can get rid of the sickness in the human body, and believe that all the sins will be burned away by the flame.

She began to prepare for the ritual of exorcism for her mother.

At last the maiden was ready, and on a chosen day, after burning her mother with flames, she firmly believed that her mother's illness was eradicated.The girl heard her mother's groaning, and in a panic, she saw that her mother gradually became silent.

She had an epiphany, but when she went to look for her mother again, there was only one remains left.The girl rushed to the village with disheveled hair and a crazy expression.She told everyone about her despair, and the villagers tied her up because the priest said she had a disease and set her body on fire the same day her mother died.

After the flame ignited the knot, the girl broke free and rushed towards the lake behind the village, wrapped in flames all over her body.

Like the scorching sun smashing the ice mirror, she sank to the bottom of the lake with the ashes of her body.

Villagers still believe in and are obsessed with fire.

Occasionally, people who recalled the girl thought it was the bewitching of the devil in the end.

"She picked thatch from the back of the village and picked up dry and withered firewood, as if to build a place for the holy fire to last.

The moment the flame was burning, she suddenly thought that even pigs, cattle and sheep would scream when roasted in the fire. Is it because they are unclean?

She asked the priest, and the priest said, of course, how can humans and livestock be the same?

He later added that because the flame would make the choice.

He will choose the object to devour, and will purify all unclean things.

Like your mother...she got sick.

......"

Ning Qing closed the manuscript, there seemed to be a trace of sadness in his eyes.

"It's so sad, isn't it?"

She looked up at me, nodded subconsciously, and after a while, said: "It looks like a fairy tale, but it's not a fairy tale. It may be difficult to publish this article in other magazines. The subject matter is small and won't attract many people."

"I like it." I stirred the coffee, "Teacher Zhou likes it too, there will always be someone who likes it."

Ning Qing put the manuscript aside, as if thinking about something.

So I asked her, and she said: "I don't know what to say about the scene of crashing into the lake at the end... It's like moths to a flame, but it's even more sad. She seems to want to wash away her sins, to wash away what she has bestowed on herself. The fault of her body—she was not burned to death, she died in her own ideal, and this ideal was wrong from beginning to end."

Ning Qing sighed, "There is no way to get rid of the evil. Relying on external things will never be as useful as coming from the heart. If she is willing to look outside and get out of there, maybe there is still salvation."

"But she won't think about it, she doesn't know." I said, "Living in the village all her life, she has been taught this way all her life, she can't see other possibilities, it's not so much sustenance, it's better to say that she has already reached a dead end .”

"This is probably the saddest place."

Times and circumstances never gave her a chance to choose.

Being able to resist at the end was already a feat for her.

I sought the consent of Editor-in-Chief Zhou and brought the photocopy to Ning Qing.

We sat by the window without any worries, just like before.I fiddled with the spoon in the coffee cup, Ning Qing looked a little absent-minded.

I knew she was thinking about the novel.

Taking a sip of my coffee, my eyes fell on her.

After the weather got warmer, Wuyu became more popular.

I still come here from time to time, even if Ning Qing is not around, I still come here habitually.

Most of the waiters knew me and said with a smile that they would give me a discount.

I wanted to refuse at first, but they moved Ning Qing out, saying that the boss would be angry, so I accepted the offer.

Friendships are endless, like a snowball rolling bigger and bigger, so I can hide my liking in these friendships, they are mostly excuses, so I treat her endlessly.

I want to give her everything, I want to tell her everything.

I picked up the coffee and took a sip.

I even dared to borrow the manuscripts from the magazine, and I don't know what a bold guy like me will do next time.

[Even if you know that this matter is wrong, but there is still a glimmer of hope, slim and absurd, will you still try it? 】

[Even if it becomes embers in the water mirror in the end. 】

[Will you still do it? 】