Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 832: Growth

The tourist service center was quiet.

Gray beams of light streamed through the windows, and the dust in the room floated and rolled slowly in the air.

Qing Chen remained seated, with the small and weak girl asleep sweetly on his lap.

The young man silently glanced at the little girl, and then at the gradually brightening sky outside.

Most humans spend their entire lives seeking security—enough money, stable relationships, a safe haven. These are sources of security.

However, for people like Qing Chen and Jinguji Maki, they were the least useful.

Qing Chen had sat for six hours and then mercilessly patted the little girl on the head: “Wake up, time to work.”

“It’s not dawn yet…” Jinguji Maki groggily got up.

“Fold the tent,” Qing Chen said calmly.

“I haven’t had enough sleep…” the little girl said softly.

Before she could react, Qing Chen had already walked toward the outside of the tourist service center.

The little girl reluctantly got up and followed, trying to run up and grab Qing Chen’s sleeve.

But Qing Chen anticipated and dodged, not allowing her to catch him.

Jinguji Maki was stunned for a moment, standing still.

Qing Chen pushed open the door of the tourist service center, letting the wind and snow outside pour in: “Fold the tent.”

“I’ll fold! I’ll fold right now!” Jinguji Maki said frantically.

Qing Chen stood in the doorway, amidst the wind, snow, and light, and looked back calmly at the little girl: “Why aren’t you crying? Aren’t you feeling aggrieved?”

Jinguji Maki silently pressed her lips together, took a long time before saying: “I’m sorry…”

After speaking, she returned to the tourist service center, crouched down, and began dismantling the tent poles, folding both tents neatly back into place.

Only then did Jinguji Maki speak again, cautiously saying: “I won’t complain anymore.”

She was indeed a sensible little girl.

Although she didn’t know why Qing Chen was so cold to her, she knew he had sat all night silently to avoid waking her.

And she knew if Qing Chen wasn’t there to save her, he wouldn’t have needed to hide in the mountains.

The little girl had heard from the villagers in Shirakawa Village that the Mysterious Business Department was very powerful, and now this brother had gotten into trouble for her.

Qing Chen said: “You have a hard fate. Hard fate means you have a harder destiny, you must endure more suffering than others, only then can you find your true destiny.”

“I understand,” the little girl cautiously came beside Qing Chen, and once again reached out to grab the young man’s sleeve. This time, Qing Chen did not dodge.

Only those who have suffered can understand others’ suffering.

So when the small and thin Jinguji Maki set that onsen hotel ablaze.

Only Qing Chen could understand how much yearning for life was contained in that desperate flame.

He too had repeatedly cut ties with his past.

Repeatedly, in the long passage of time, he had let go of himself, determined not to sink into darkness anymore, to escape the darkness and move toward the light.

Thus, when the little girl stood in the firelight, Qing Chen saw his own past self.

The brilliant flames burned the past into ashes.

All of yesterday, like yesterday’s death.

All of today, like today’s birth.

But Qing Chen had walked this path, and it made him realize that the past suffering couldn’t be in vain.

The little girl didn’t need someone to protect her, but someone to show her the way.

But just as the two were walking out.

Outside the door, two elderly people in thick work clothes were walking from the distant ski resort staff dormitory.

The Island Country had severe aging issues, so at the onsen hotels or other service industries, one could often see very old men or women.

For example, in the Island Country’s taxi industry, more than half the drivers were elderly beyond retirement age.

Jinguji Maki nervously grabbed Qing Chen’s sleeve.

And the two old men, upon seeing Qing Chen and the little girl from a distance, first stared blankly, then astonishingly turned around to walk back to the dormitory, pretending not to see them both.

At this moment, the entire Shirakawa Village should know, the Mysterious Business Department was chasing a young man and a little girl.

The two old men were clearly trying to help cover for them.

Qing Chen pondered for a moment and said softly: “Let’s go, up the mountain.”

A tall and a small figure slowly climbed the mountain. After another heavy snow last night, the snow had already reached the little girl’s waist.

She could only follow behind Qing Chen, treading the path Qing Chen had made in the snow.

Compared to days like these, the hardship of looking after the onsen hotel seemed insignificant.

Suddenly, Jinguji Maki saw Qing Chen’s scarred hands again.

She knew that barring any accident, Qing Chen would be training again today on that ridge, over and over, until he was completely exhausted.

But she didn’t know why Qing Chen was doing this.

“Brother, did you come to Shirakawa Village alone?” Jinguji Maki asked curiously.

“Mm,” Qing Chen nodded.

“Is there someone back home waiting for you?” the little girl asked.

Qing Chen thought for a moment amidst the wind and snow: “There should be.”

…

…

In front of the Bai Zhou mansion.

A Maybach S-Class slowly approached, and once the vehicle came to a stop, the small Li Tongyun opened the car door and jumped out with her little backpack.

Now Bai Zhou was gradually becoming mighty, and Li Tongyun was diligently picked up and dropped off by Luo Wanya’s security personnel every day for school.

When she arrived at school, she always appeared like a little princess, resembling a tycoon’s daughter.

Li Tongyun took a look back at the car and said to the security personnel: “Wash the car, please. Don’t let outsiders think Bai Zhou is chaotic. Before Brother Qing Chen returns, everything here must be orderly.”