pertwk Page 621
Page 621
"Ok."
He couldn't think of any way he needed this honest girl's help. He couldn't very well ask her to solo a high-level bounty creation and get back a high-level bounty material, could he?
What's the difference between this and randomly picking someone off the street and asking them to wipe out the antimatter legion?
"I... need to go buy some things."
"Then I'll go with you!"
Xing didn't have a specific destination, since the treasure chests spawn randomly, and she could encounter them anywhere. Going with the old man might even trigger a quest.
"……it is good."
Old Rod smiled and nodded, but the smile on his face quickly became subtle.
This was the first time he had ever seen such a vibrant girl!
The journey was nothing short of bizarre and wonderful.
Xing would suddenly pounce on the roadside trash can and rummage through it with great interest.
They would stop without warning and start talking seriously to a street lamp, a self-service Fenda machine, or even a silent old tree.
"Girl, you can't take that thing apart."
Old Rod occasionally had to stop her from exploring public facilities.
Within the star's mouth, they are searching for crystals.
Gradually, Old Rod also began to grasp the basics.
In the eyes of the stars, something seems to glow; that glowing thing might be a treasure chest containing a precious gem called crystal.
This convinced Old Rod that the girl must have some mental problems!
However, being by her side gave old Rod a long-lost sense of comfort.
The stagnation of old age seemed to be stirred by this vigorous vitality. The blood flowing slowly in my veins no longer seemed to be the mud of old age, but rather had a surge of warm blood.
He began to feel a little curious.
What is the world like through this child's eyes?
Why could she talk to a tree for so long?
"child."
Old Rod, watching Xing enthusiastically rummaging through the trash can, finally couldn't help but speak up:
Why do you like trash cans so much? Don't you think they're... dirty?
Just then, Bai Lian happened to walk closer. She was thinking of a way to strike up a conversation with Xing, but when she heard the question, her raised hand froze in mid-air.
She also wanted to hear Xing's answer.
"dirty?"
Xing suddenly looked up, his gaze intense, his words righteous and stern.
"It's not the trash can that's dirty, it's the prejudices and ideas created by humankind!"
"Grandpa, come here~ Let me show you the charm of a trash can!"
Since someone is finally interested in trash cans, she has to give them a good recommendation.
Without a word, Xing pulled Old Rod to a row of trash cans, carefully selected one, and solemnly pointed to it:
"For beginners, start by observing this clean one."
Xingjiao is very serious about teaching.
Bai Lian and Qi Bao could both see that she genuinely wanted to teach Old Rod how to appreciate the trash can.
What did you see?
Xing pointed to the trash can and asked.
Old Rod examined it carefully.
It was an ordinary tin bucket, unremarkable, and even seemed somewhat lonely because it was so common.
It was completely empty inside; even the trash seemed to be ignored.
He hesitated for a moment before answering cautiously:
“I see some rust...it must have been in service for a long time.”
"Yes, that's right, so it's an old man."
Xing nodded, guiding him patiently like a teacher, her eyes full of encouragement.
"and then."
"And it's very clean? There's no trash inside, is that an advantage?"
Old Rod tried to follow the line of thought from Xing.
"No no no!"
Xing shook her finger, her eyes sparkling with unique wisdom.
"A trash can without trash is like a person without money!"
"Uh……"
Old Rod pondered those words, then suddenly froze.
"So...it's an old and poor garbage can?"
Before he could finish speaking, a strange sense of resonance struck him.
This unremarkable, neglected trash can is just like myself, who is mediocre and has accomplished nothing even at an advanced age.
As if guided by some strange force, he reached out and his fingertips touched the cold metal sheet.
The texture is not rough; on the contrary, it has an unexpected smoothness.
He then noticed that, despite the rust of time, its exterior was quite clean, like a down-on-his-luck gentleman who, though dressed in old clothes, still maintained his dignity.
This worthless object now reveals a strange beauty.
It seemed to be whispering in silence: there is no such thing as inherently trash in the world, and every moment of existence deserves dignity.
Perhaps it also harbors a humble yet grand dream: to make this city free of garbage?
A dream that is almost impossible to achieve.
"I see……"
Old Rod muttered to himself, a strange light flickering in his cloudy eyes.
"It also has value... and something it wants to accomplish?"
He felt a heavy sense of dignity that belonged to the trash can.
Where does this dignity come from?
He was confused, yet inexplicably understood.
Life is full of troubles, but happiness occasionally graces us.
Fate is never fair.
But hope is priceless.
At that moment, he seemed to understand the trash can, and also the girl in front of him who was rummaging through it.
He stroked the inside of the bucket, the sensation under his fingertips subtly changing.
The rust seemed to recede as if by perception, and the cold, rough iron sheet became warm, smooth, and delicate.
"You've become younger too..."
Old Rod whispered to the trash can, as if he were talking to an old friend.
"Is it because of the inner conviction? Even if the ideal seems unattainable... you will never give up, right?"
The trash can remained silent.
The answer is already evident in its steadfast stance—it will never fall before its dream comes true.
Old Rod slowly straightened up, took off his equally weathered hat, and bowed slightly to the trash can, as if to a respected fellow traveler.
Congratulations on embarking on this path!
Xing nodded in satisfaction.
Old Rod took two steps back and looked around the street he had walked countless times.
The world seemed to have been cleansed of a layer of dust and became different.
Ordinary objects by the roadside now seemed to be faintly glowing, as if they were whispering in a language incomprehensible to humans.
It may take some time to truly integrate into this silent dialogue, but the door has already been opened.
"Thank you."
Old Rod whispered to the trash can, a warm feeling from his heart dispelling the gloom.
He not only strengthened his beliefs, but also unexpectedly gained a like-minded, silent friend.
He turned his head and looked at the gray-haired girl beside him, a sincere and relieved smile blooming on his aged face:
"Thank you too."
……
I don't understand it, but I'm deeply moved.
After observing the old man and Xing's actions and conversations throughout, Qi Bao felt an indescribable sense of bewilderment wash over her.
what happened?
why?
She was just looking at a trash can, so why did she feel that the old man's whole spirit had changed?
And what the old man just said: dignity, ideals, perseverance...
If it were a sixteen-year-old Kiana, she would probably just find it incomprehensible.
But now, Qi Bao has experienced the ways of the world.
She subconsciously pondered the old man's whispers, vaguely touching upon fragments of existence and meaning.
This only shocked her more, and even horrified her!
Could it be that trash cans contain such profound philosophical principles?
That dusty-faced girl rummaging through the trash, who looks like a twin of Qiong… could she be the seemingly foolish but actually wise sweeping monk?!
Bai Lian's expressions were incredibly varied, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily.
Do not!
Qi Bao! Wake up!
That guy isn't 'wise in appearance but foolish in appearance' at all; he's clearly 'foolish in appearance but wise in appearance'!
Don't let her fool you!
Bai Lian thought to herself, then suddenly her eyes lit up and she activated the auto-battle feature.
Qi Bao was deep in thought about the philosophy of the trash can when she couldn't help but take a step forward, reach out, and gently stroke the tin can that Old Rod had just given a soul to, but which still looked unremarkable.
"!!!"
When Xing saw Qi Bao, his eyes lit up immediately, even more so than when he found a treasure chest!
Her long, flowing hair was as smooth and soft as goose feathers, her eyes were bright blue, her skin was as smooth as ice and jade, her legs were straight and long, and her waist was exaggeratedly curvy.
She's an incredibly beautiful girl!
Here comes the point!
She's touching the trash can!
It was as if dazzling fireworks exploded in Xing's mind; she felt the gears of fate begin to turn.