Story Reader / Affection / Hanying: Solacetune / Story
Hanying: Solacetune VI
Yalin has recovered from her fever and is now resting in the newly constructed temporary ward.
I can see that you really know how to look after people, Boccioni...
Perhaps it's because of... the feeling of guilt...
I'm also wondering what it'd be like to stay here after the mission ends.
This ties in with the "heart" you're always talking about, doesn't it?
Boccioni rarely shows any doubt, but now his confident mask finally cracks.
Please trust your own judgment.
Hanying smiles with a sense of relief.
All these feelings... are part of the "heart."
Boccioni touches the casing of his processor.
Then my heart should be here, right?
By the way, why did you suddenly decide to...
With you and Dazhu here, I feel completely reassured.
Just as Commandant said... this is the beginning of your new life.
Hanying gazes out at the land before her.
But there are still many people out there who need to find a home.
I see.
So, when are you setting off?
...
You wake from your exhaustion and unconsciously call out Hanying's name.
It's probably already evening. You haven't fully shaken off your sleep yet, but you stand up nonetheless.
As you recall the day you first met Hanying, an inexplicable sense of emptiness fills your heart.
...Commandant.
The door opens, revealing that familiar figure. You meet eyes and share a warm smile.
Would you like some water first?
Hanying pours a glass of warm water and hands it to you. The moment you take a sip, you feel yourself waking up.
"That again"?
Words that once felt hard to say now flow effortlessly—maybe it's because you just woke up, or maybe it's simply a newfound habit.
She doesn't respond at first. After a long pause, she speaks again.
You're hungry, aren't you... How about...?
Hanying nods slightly, and the two of you walk into the kitchen.
You whip up a few simple home-cooked dishes and only then realize you're starving.
It's my first time cooking with you, Commandant.
She glances at you, noticing that you're too hungry to care about your manners.
Maybe she's lost in thought; maybe she's observing.
Or maybe trying to remember something.
Is this enough?
If you need more, I can make some extra...
Hanying responds with a gentle smile.
The night grows as gentle as her smile. After your "breakfast," you step outside and settle on the bench by the doorway, feeling restless.
Yet you wish you could prolong these moments indefinitely.
You finally muster up your courage to open your terminal with a determined resolve, relieved to find there's no data that needs processing.
"Ne'er cast a clout till May be out." Commandant, you need to take good care of yourself.
Hanying drapes a coat over you with one hand.
The sky clears and brightens as if washed clean by the storm.
Hanying gracefully turns and sits beside you, letting her hair flow like a waterfall, displaying a rare lazy expression.
Is the return ship arriving tomorrow afternoon?
Naturally, every story must come to an end.
But there's a hint of sincerity in this farewell.
I've gone through similar goodbyes many times before.
Whether it's Kowloong, Pulao, or...
I've always been the one others have to wait for, and that continues to be the case now.
Memories shimmer in Hanying's eyes.
After this, I'll become the one who waits.
In those emotionally rich eyes, there is no plea for you to stay—instead, they radiate encouragement alongside a tinge of regret.
This might sound presumptuous, but...
Can we truly become a family?
Her tone sounds like she's letting go of some burden.
Maybe that's the feeling.
It allows me to say these things...
Eh? Hmm...
You can call me whatever you like.
Since a family member is leaving on a long journey...
Hanying stands up and takes out a pipa from the room.
I'll send you off with a song.
Her silhouette stands like a lotus flower bathed in the chilly moonlight.
She also resembles a solo performer under a stage spotlight.
With a delicate pluck, she silences all the nighttime forest's clamor, and nature holds its breath.
Then, her fingertips send gentle waves across the strings.
Ripples of dreams begin to form.
...
A kite dances gracefully in the nearby low sky.
You chase after it with all your might, but it becomes increasingly elusive.
The kite slowly fades into the azure sky, transforming into a solitary sailboat gliding above.
The wind continues to blow, stirring the terraced fields at the mountain's base, where scattered figures tend to their crops.
Misty rain descends, melting into the creek and brushing the spring day with delicate shades of green.
Before you realize it, you have already boarded a light boat drifting along the stream.
The landscape unfolds like a familiar painting, and a butterfly gracefully lands on your fingertip.
Shrouded in delicate clouds, it soars toward its homeland.
...
The sound of the strings slowly fades.
A few cuckoos perch upon the eaves.
A bionic swallow places the final twig in its nest.
Hanying gently lifts the commandant already leaning in her arms and calmly places the human on the bed, adjusting the pillows and blankets.
She reminisces about the past, amazed at how skilled she still is at this task.
...Good night.
Hanying sits at the head of the bed and whispers softly.
After that, she slowly leans toward this new "family member" in the most tender way.
