Beng San, I have an unfinished date with her

But that's not what Long was speechless about. Instead, what he was thinking about was...why would he want to touch his forehead when he felt speechless?

It was obvious that Alicia had never done this action, and there was no related incident in her memory.

So why did I subconsciously choose to do this?

...

Just when Long was thinking, the room also opened, and the woman walked out with a face full of joy. She sat on the sofa and looked at a square thing. Only then did Long notice that there was a picture in the square thing.

Looking at the picture, it is a formally dressed human being sitting at a table talking about something. There is a picture within a picture beside her.

The woman could not see herself.

Long floated to the sofa where she was sitting and landed, looking at the square machine.

I had been focusing on Alicia and thinking about myself before, so I really didn't notice this.

Long paid attention to the layout of the room. It was a very simple brick and stone house with wooden boards and carpets. It didn't have too many decorations. It looked like a simple small home.

There was a photo, and Long's perceptual ability allowed him to "see" it clearly. It showed a man, a woman and a boy, who seemed to be the woman's husband and child.

【husband?child? ...what does that mean and how would I know?By the way, Alicia called her aunt at first, why did I keep calling her woman when I was thinking about it? 】

[I can’t possibly know?Alicia didn't say that either? 】

[There are more and more mysteries...]

The two-headed Long shook his head and looked at the picture of the square machine.

His memory told him that he recognized the words on the screen.

The woman in the picture was making a voice: "An animal madness occurred on the outskirts of Atla. According to the test results of the relevant medical institute, it was caused by a virus produced in animals in nature. The army is carrying out biological control in the relevant areas. , please don’t worry, please actively report relevant animal clues, and the government will dispatch relevant personnel to capture and deal with the crazy animals as soon as possible.”

At this time, Long heard the very sad voice of the woman beside him: "It's only been five or six years, why is there another crazy animal incident caused by this virus... The child's father..."

As she spoke, the woman's expression became depressed. She picked up a long object and pressed it, and the screen of the square machine changed.

Long saw it and understood that the long board was the controller.

Soon, the woman stopped at a picture... It seemed like a street interview?

Long really saw many, many people inside - just like Alicia said.

The various tall buildings shown in that picture are indeed completely different from this village. The world is very big - just like Alicia said.

...

This made Long couldn't help but feel a little like going to see it.

By the way, what did Alicia do?Haven't seen her for so long.

Some...think--her?

It was strange that it was difficult for Long to explain his feelings. After all, his memory bank really had no relevant answers.

Unable to control his mood, Long levitated and flew towards that room.

The door couldn't stop it at all, and he just passed through it as if it was nothing.

I saw that the room was full of water vapor. At the end of the room there was something like a small boiler. It was connected to a box, which was filled with hot water heated by it.

And where the hot water tank is connected is a large wooden barrel.

Alicia was sitting inside taking a bath with a face full of relaxation and joy.

"Ah! Long, why did you come in - and why did you change your appearance?"

Having said this, Alicia was not particularly panicked, but there was a slight blush on her face - but she had already blushed when she took a bath in the barrel, so it was not clear whether it was because Long came in. shy.

"Well...I felt like I missed Alicia outside, so I flew in."

"Eh?" Alicia was stunned, blinked, and her shy expression melted away, replaced by a tender smile.

She held out her palm so that Takashi could land in the center.

Then he put it on his knees above the water.

Long was a little confused: "Why do people need to take a bath?"

Alicia held up some water and poured it on the doll's human body. She rubbed it gently, as if she was really washing away the dust for a little doll. She said softly: "Because... this is an ordinary human being." In my daily life, unless I want to look dirty, smelly, or very ugly, I will wash my hands~"

Long watched the water flow through his body as if there was no contamination: "But... I don't seem to need it, and... my intuition tells me that you don't need it, Alicia?"

Alicia's hands paused, her face was startled, and she immediately returned to normal. She continued to pour water on Long, then rubbed his body, arms and head and said with some sigh: "Because, I am [human] ah."

"...I don't understand, but since Alicia you said people need to take a bath, then let's take a bath." Long shook his head slightly and allowed Alicia to do whatever he wanted.

"Hehe~" Alicia laughed happily.

Brand new branches: 283. The resurgence of love

"Wow -" the sound of watering kept ringing.

Alicia even took a bath ball and rubbed it on Takashi, the bright doll-like figure, while humming a song - just like a little girl.

Hmm... Although she looks like she is thirteen or fourteen now.

"Alicia."

"Huh~?"

"Just now outside, I saw what you said, Alicia, in the picture played by a square machine. It's a big world with many people."

"Square machine? Oh - you're talking about the TV!"

"Television? It turns out that machine is called a TV."

Alicia smiled and said: "Yes, that is a technological creation of mankind."

"How about it, meeting all kinds of humans on TV?"

Alicia said, lifting Long up, and followed the way Celia's mother used to help the children in the orphanage. She took a towel and wrapped it around Long, wiping away the non-existent water droplets on it.

"Hmm... how to... um, describe it? It's probably... a bit unreal, um, unreal." Takashi also made a sound at the right time, as if a real human being was being wiped with a towel.

"Do you think it's unreal because you only watch the pictures on TV and can't interact with them?"

"Well... it should be what Alicia you are talking about... Looking at the people on the TV, I can't feel their reality - they are completely different from you, Alicia." Long said, raising his thick doll hand and placing it on the catkin of Alicia who was lifting him: "Communicating with Alicia, I can feel the real you."

"Oh~ I didn't expect Long to know me so well~" Alicia's tone became weird, and she lightly tapped Long's big head with a flick of her finger: "That's because I have always shown the truest version of myself. .”

"So Long can feel the real me, but..." Alicia put Long on her head and sat down firmly.

"But?" Due to his body structure, he could only see very high when sitting on Alicia's head.

"Wow—"

Alicia stood up from the barrel, took the towel on the side and wrapped it around herself. While wiping it, she said: "Because not all humans are as sincere as me..."

Long's voice came from above: "Will humans choose to disguise themselves?"

Alicia wiped her body, took away the bath towel, and started to put on her pajamas: "Yes, for humans, the world is very big and full of beauty - but at the same time, there are many dangers, especially from Danger between people."

"So many human beings have chosen to hide their hearts and build thick walls of their hearts."

"So, I chose to face them with my true self and dissolve the walls of their hearts."

"Takashi, do you have a wall of heart?"

After putting on her clothes, Alicia took Long off her head, suspended it in front of her and looked at her.

"Me?...I don't know, but I shouldn't be in front of you, Alicia."

"That's right~ not everyone will be like you and me." Alicia smiled and put Long on her shoulders: "So, Long, don't be deceived by people outside."

"cheat?"

"cheat...."

Long was lost in thought again. Alicia glanced sideways at it, and then sensed Long's "contemplative" mood sitting on her shoulder. She twitched the corners of her mouth and walked outside.

"Auntie, I've finished soaking. Go ahead while the water is still hot. Let me wash the dishes~"

"Hey~ just listen to Alicia."

The woman came over and touched Alicia's hair. It wasn't too wet, so it was fine.

She leaned forward slightly and tapped Alicia's forehead: "Go to bed early, Alicia. You have to be on the road tomorrow, right?"

"OK, all right."

Alicia skipped to the kitchen, turned on the faucet and washed the dishes.

Long was a little confused and jumped to the wooden platform aside: "Why did she touch your forehead with her lips just now? Was it a way of saying hello?"

"Haha~ This is just a way for my elders to express their love for me."

"Is it common among humans?"

"That's not true. People in different places have different customs and habits. For example-" After washing the dishes, Alicia turned off the faucet, wiped her hands, and hugged Long: "People in some places are Such."

She gave Long a hug, and then pressed her face against the left and right sides of its big head.

Afterwards, Alicia put Long down again: "There are still people in some places who are like this." Then she waved her hand: "HI! Long time no see~"

He was stunned, and imitated Alicia, raised his arm without a palm, and made the same voice as Alicia: "HI! Long time no see~"

"Uh... uh..." Alicia smiled awkwardly: "Actually, you don't have to completely imitate my happy voice. It's more like a long voice, how about it?"

"My... specialty? Uh... I can't do that."

"Can't do it?"

"Um..."

"That's it." Alicia rolled her eyes, continued to smile, and clapped her hands to attract Long's attention: "Let's continue to try other ways of greeting!"

"Like...this!"

"Uh...ah...I can't raise my arms that high."

"Hehe~ It's okay, it's okay, let's move on to the next one."

"Look, put it on your heart, bow slightly -"

"Yeah, that's great. Long did it very well!"

"Thank you, thank you..."

"Eh!? Takashi, you—"

"what?"

"Yeah, it's nothing, let's continue-"

Time passed slowly, and the fairy-like pink girl was doing greetings from various cultures around the world with the doll-like figure of light in the kitchen, and her laughter continued.

Alicia practiced all the greeting methods she had learned from traveling around the world, and Takashi learned them carefully.

It wasn't until the woman came out of the shower that Alicia just regained her playfulness.

She even almost caught Alicia happily looking at the empty wooden board.

Alicia couldn't help but feel lucky. Fortunately, her senses were strong, and she was able to sense her aunt's approach while she was immersed in playing.

Then, under the woman's gentle gaze, with Long sitting on his shoulders, he entered the room where she slept.

"Huh - it's so close." Alicia put Long on the bedside, patted her chest and took a deep breath.

"Is it because others can't see me?"

"Yeah - that's about it. Ordinary people's minds are very sensitive and fragile. Seeing me playing with Long like that, maybe they will feel scared."

"I see."

Alicia clapped her hands, lifted the quilt and sat on the bed and said, "But it's not too early. It's time to go to bed. Recharge your batteries. We'll start our journey tomorrow."

After saying that, he covered him with the quilt, put Long next to the pillow, and lifted up the quilt to cover it more than half.

Long didn't understand: "Is this?"

"Sleep, that's what ordinary humans do."

"sleep?"

"Well, just lie in bed, think about nothing, empty your mind, and you'll fall asleep soon."