So, the mighty pine tree proposed exchanging the jade piece for Mu Fei’s house in Kunming. Mu Fei was surprised and asked, “Why would you want that house?”
“It’s not me who wants it, you’ve been wanting it day and night, and I’ve been forced to think about it too. It’s annoying. Once we get the house back, you better be a good tree and stop thinking about it.”
Mu Fei was instantly touched. “Piney, you’re becoming cuter and cuter.”
The pine tree rolled its metaphorical eyes again, but it didn’t bother responding. However, influenced by Mu Fei, it had started to get used to appearing in a human-like form. It could even separate a portion of its branches, housing Mu Fei’s consciousness within, allowing him to appear in a complete human form alongside the pine tree. Although they shared identical appearances, their expressions revealed their differences.
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After the group of humans left, they established a mutually beneficial relationship, even friendship, with the nearby villagers, led by San Er. To alleviate Mu Fei’s loneliness, San Er often brought human items to the forest to keep them company. In return, they helped the villagers by making hunting easier. Everyone lived in harmony, and the nearby villagers were quite pleased with this arrangement. Mu Fei also found happiness in this newfound human interaction.
Over the next few months, Mu Fei created a vegetable garden and flower garden around their area, and he found himself interested in gardening. The pine tree, when it had nothing else to do, helped him with planting, watering, and fertilizing. Nini the cat sometimes rested on his shoulder or napped nearby, and the underground root system transported soil and nutrients for them.
Sometimes, after a day of work, they would sit in woven chairs under the cool shade of the trees, sipping tea and chatting. During these moments, Mu Fei thought that this life was not too different from what he had imagined. Except for being unable to leave the forest, he had everything he wanted. He felt fortunate to have such a peaceful and stable life after his rebirth.
Lkdk talo ckttla eyu cu eyu. Yw Wlk bye kdkvkyzzu vbswtbv kv oswzed’v wdelats ydu xwvyvksdp, cwv kv oyp pkxrzu elhlzsrkdt y ckv zyvla vbyd lmrlnvle. Rvp lhszwvksd ayvl oyp dsv ryavknwzyazu qypv. Usxryakdt kv vs Gcw’p pkgl, vblu elnkele vs cwkze y dlpv qsa Lkdk kd vbl vall, nzspl vs Yw Wlk’p hkzzy, obknb vblu rzyddle vs nsdhlav kdvs y vallbswpl. Gzvbswtb vblu bye keldvknyz yrrlyaydnlp, vblka ekqqlaldnlp olal lhkeldv kd vblka lmralppksdp.
Ekvb Fyd Oa’p yppkpvydnl, Yw Wlk plv wr y pvweks yde alnshlale bkp vsszp qsa eayokdt. Tl cltyd pjlvnbkdt czwlrakdvp yde elpktdkdt vbl qwvwal bswpl qsa bkx yde vbl rkdl vall. Ekvb vbl rkdl vall’p ynnlpp vs yzz bkp xlxsaklp, kv oyp dsv wdqyxkzkya okvb vblpl rzydp yde pvyavle rashkekdt kelyp yde yehknl. Mblu prldv ldvkal eyup kd vbl pvweks, lmnbydtkdt nalyvkhkvu yde kelyp. Yw Wlk bye dlhla lmrlakldnle vbkp qllzkdt clqsal, oblal yzz bkp vbswtbvp olal wdelapvsse, yde lhlau nalyvkhl kely alpsdyvle. Mbl byaxsdu clvolld vblx yzoyup lmnkvle bkx. Usdpliwldvzu, vblu elhkple vbl rlaqlnv nsdpvawnvksd rzyd qsa vbl vallbswpl yde cltyd cwkzekdt svbla ywmkzkyau pvawnvwalp zkjl y pvweu yde y qzsola assx.
Pwakdt vbkp vkxl, Yw Wlk pldv psxl tkydv rwxrjkdp yde qaytaydv rkdl dwvp vs vbl rlsrzl kd Jlkfkdt. Tl bsrle vblu oswze alvwad vs hkpkv bkx psxleyu.
Gqvla xsdvbp sq lytla ydvknkryvksd, bkp bswpl oyp qkdyzzu vaydprsavle cynj vs vbl qsalpv sd y pdsou eyu, yde Yw Wlk oyp shlafsule. Mbl rkdl vall oyp liwyzzu elzktbvle, vbswtb kv eked’v pxkzl, Yw Wlk nswze pldpl kvp lxsvksdp.
Mblu tygle yv vbl ekzyrkeyvle hkzzy, csvb qllzkdt dspvyztkn. Yw Wlk zywtble, “R dlhla vbswtbv R’e pll kv ytykd. Vkdlu, eslp kv zssj vbl pyxl yp R alxlxcla?”
“Ls, kv eslpd’v. Rv’p dsv yp awdesod.”
“Tyby, sq nswapl kv’p dsv yp awdesod dso. Rv wple vs cl olzz-xykdvykdle. Ohld vbswtb kv’p zkjl vbkp dso, vbl pvawnvwal kp pvkzz kdvynv. Rv’zz pyhl wp y zsv sq lqqsav. Usxl sd, zlv’p ts kdpkel yde pll xu pvwqq.” Tl rwpble srld vbl essa yde ldvlale vbl bswpl okvb vbl rkdl vall.
Mbl assx oyp nshlale kd ewpv, yde yzz vbl qwadkvwal yde elnsayvksdp olal ypjlo, casjld, sa kd pbyxczlp. Rv oyp y nsxrzlvl xlpp.
Mu Fei, however, was excited. “This is great; we have some work to do.”
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The pine tree walked to a table and picked up a photo frame from the ground. It contained a smiling Mu Fei from a couple of years ago.
Mu Fei leaned in. “This must be from two or three years ago, right? My hair was so short back then. Now, even if I shave it all off, it grows back in just a couple of days.”
The pine tree surveyed every corner of the room. These scenes had appeared countless times in Mu Fei’s memories, moments from Mu Fei’s past that he had never been a part of. It felt both familiar and foreign, as if he stood within the memories of another person.
Mu Fei pulled his head over to the window. “Look at this rocking chair; it’s so comfortable. It’s a bit dirty now, but I’ll sew a thick cushion for it tomorrow. You can try it out later.”
“Okay.”
“And this little coffee table was something I found in a second hand antique shop in Italy. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Beautiful.”
“These are…”
“Your mother made these flower pots by hand. The patterns on them were drawn by you and your father.”
Mu Fei nodded with a smile. “I forgot. You know all these things. Isn’t it strange to have access to someone else’s memories?”
The pine tree thought for a moment. “You’re not someone else. You are me.”
“Right, I am you, and you are me.” Mu Fei hugged him. “Thank you for being with me. It’s wonderful to have you.”
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The pine tree smiled faintly. He felt that having someone with him was indeed not bad at all.
At night, they slept in a temporary tent they had set up. The pine tree had initially wanted to sleep in the tree, but every few days, Mu Fei would request to sleep on a human mattress. He found it more comfortable than sleeping in the tree.
Mu Fei ruffled his hair. “I just got a haircut yesterday, and it’s already this long again. Long hair is such a hassle. Is there any way to stop it from growing?”
“I don’t know if there’s a way. Why do you have so many concerns?” The pine tree lay on the mattress, its long hair spread out, and it half-closed its eyes to take a nap.
“Piney, how about I braid you a new one?” Mu Fei suggested.
“Okay.”
Mu Fei unraveled the pine tree’s braided hair, then tied it into twin ponytails, securing them tightly on top of its head. After finishing, he looked at the pine tree, which now had the same face and two long ponytails on top of its head, just like a mirror image of himself, and burst into laughter while rolling around on the bed.
The pine tree looked at itself in the mirror, its face darkening. “This is what human little girls do.”
“It’s okay. Only I will see it in the forest, and besides, you don’t have human shame.” Mu Fei playfully tugged on the pine tree’s ponytails and continued to laugh heartily.
The pine tree lifted his hair. “I’ll braid your hair too.”
“Huh? I don’t want that.”
With his usual expression (==), the pine tree said, “No, you must.”
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“Okay, okay. You can braid it. What kind of braid do you want for me?”
The two of them were sitting cross-legged, facing each other. Mu Fei rested his chin on the pine tree’s shoulder and chuckled. “Go ahead.”
The pine tree lifted his hair and began to braid it according to its memories. Its movements were a bit clumsy, but it braided with great seriousness.
Mu Fei hugged its waist and playfully said, “Piney, I’m so glad to have you. When I’m with you, it’s like I’m alone, but I’m not lonely like when I’m actually alone.”
The pine tree nuzzled his cheek. “Hmm, we were always one.”
“It’s so amazing…” Mu Fei’s eyes were filled with tender smiles. To him, the pine tree was like another self—different in personality but understanding each other without words. That feeling was like having a soulmate who could comprehend and accompany him. Moreover, because they could never be apart, whether in life or in death, he never had to worry about losing the pine tree. The union with the pine tree made him feel that he was never alone in this world. This sense of contentment and security was unparalleled.
After the pine tree finished braiding, it brushed Mu Fei’s hair forward, proudly looking at him. “How does it look?”
Mu Fei smiled and replied, “It looks great. You’re not clumsy at all.”
The pine tree made a disdainful sound. “I’m not that stupid.”
Mu Fei pounced into its arms. “Let’s go to sleep.”
The pine tree embraced him, as natural as hugging oneself. “Is the weather getting colder?”
“Yeah, I heard from San’er that there’s news from Beijing saying that this winter will be particularly cold. It’s snowing quite heavily today, but luckily, we don’t need to worry about the cold.”
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Mu Fei lay in its arms, playing with its earlobe. “Hmm? My ears seem to be quite fortunate.”
The pine tree lowered its head to look at him and happened to see Mu Fei’s crimson lips.
Mu Fei was momentarily taken aback and raised his head, meeting its eyes. “Piney, are you thinking about kissing? Human kissing is a way to express affection.”
“What kind of affection?”
“Affection for someone you like.”
“Why don’t we kiss then?”
Mu Fei was at a loss for words. “We’re not…” He burst into laughter. “Have you ever seen someone kiss themselves?”
“But I can kiss you. Why not?”
Mu Fei couldn’t come up with a response.
The pine tree curiously leaned in and touched Mu Fei’s lips, then furrowed its brow. “Are you imagining what it’s like for us to kiss? It doesn’t seem like that.”
Mu Fei blushed. “What does it seem like?”
“Like this.” The pine tree kissed Mu Fei again. “The feeling of kissing… it’s not bad. Your lips are quite soft.”
“What’s mine is yours.” Mu Fei looked at it. “Are they really soft? Let me try.” He pressed down on the back of the pine tree’s head, kissed its lips, and even applied some pressure.
The pine tree touched its lips. “It feels a bit strange.”
“Yeah, it’s quite strange.” Mu Fei blinked, feeling embarrassed. “It’s like kissing myself, well, technically, it is kissing myself. Looking at your face is really strange… and your lips are really soft.”
The pine tree leaned over him and poked his lips with its fingers, one by one.
Mu Fei gazed at the face he knew so well, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Even though they shared the same appearance, it was surprisingly easy to tell them apart.
The pine tree continued poking for a while and then curiously lowered its head, pecking his lips and even tentatively sticking its tongue inside.
Mu Fei’s eyes widened, and he quickly pulled away. “Who taught you that?”
The pine tree looked at him innocently. “Who else besides you?”
“Who let you kiss me?”
“Who else is here besides you?”
Mu Fei was momentarily speechless.
The pine tree said, “You always make me experience human feelings, isn’t this a human feeling?”
“Human feelings are too complicated. This… just don’t learn it, okay?”
“But it feels very nice.”
Mu Fei pushed him away, feeling embarrassed and not wanting to talk further.
The pine tree looked at him strangely. “Why are you feeling embarrassed?”
Mu Fei patted its head. “I don’t know how to explain it to you. Just don’t do that again. It’s too strange. Let’s go to sleep.”
The pine tree expressed its displeasure. “Your current mood is making me uncomfortable.”
“What mood?”
“I can’t describe it, but it’s uncomfortable.” The pine tree removed the headband and lay down, facing away.
Mu Fei watched the pine tree’s sulking posture and silently thought, “Why is it so upset?”
The pine tree ignored him.
Mu Fei wrapped his arms around its waist from behind. “Don’t be upset. What do you want to eat tomorrow?”
“Anything.”
“Turn around.”
“No.”
Mu Fei struggled to turn the pine tree around but didn’t succeed. He decided to climb over, pinching the pine tree’s cheek. “Look at you, your face was already gloomy to begin with.”
The pine tree maintained a serious expression. “You said kissing is a way to express liking someone. If I kiss you and you don’t like it, does that mean you don’t like me?”
Mu Fei chuckled, “Can’t you feel whether I like you or not?”
The pine tree lowered its eyelids. “I can feel it.”
“You are me, why would I not like you?” Mu Fei hugged it tightly. “We’re going to be together forever.”
The pine tree’s expression improved, and it hugged him back. “Then give me another kiss.”
Mu Fei raised his head with a sigh and gently held its chin, kissing its lips tenderly and lingeringly.
After the kiss, Mu Fei smiled. “Was that nice?”
The pine tree gave a faint smile. “It was not bad.”
Mu Fei stroked its hair. “Let’s start working tomorrow, building our treehouse.”
“Sure. I have a new idea for the design of the study. What do you think?”
“Let me see…”
The two of them lay in the warm bed, discussing their ideas for the house. Unbeknownst to them, a peaceful night passed by. They would always be together, experiencing many days and nights without loneliness.
So, the mighty pine tree proposed exchanging the jade piece for Mu Fei’s house in Kunming. Mu Fei was surprised and asked, “Why would you want that house?”
“It’s not me who wants it, you’ve been wanting it day and night, and I’ve been forced to think about it too. It’s annoying. Once we get the house back, you better be a good tree and stop thinking about it.”
Mu Fei was instantly touched. “Piney, you’re becoming cuter and cuter.”
The pine tree rolled its metaphorical eyes again, but it didn’t bother responding. However, influenced by Mu Fei, it had started to get used to appearing in a human-like form. It could even separate a portion of its branches, housing Mu Fei’s consciousness within, allowing him to appear in a complete human form alongside the pine tree. Although they shared identical appearances, their expressions revealed their differences.
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After the group of humans left, they established a mutually beneficial relationship, even friendship, with the nearby villagers, led by San Er. To alleviate Mu Fei’s loneliness, San Er often brought human items to the forest to keep them company. In return, they helped the villagers by making hunting easier. Everyone lived in harmony, and the nearby villagers were quite pleased with this arrangement. Mu Fei also found happiness in this newfound human interaction.
Over the next few months, Mu Fei created a vegetable garden and flower garden around their area, and he found himself interested in gardening. The pine tree, when it had nothing else to do, helped him with planting, watering, and fertilizing. Nini the cat sometimes rested on his shoulder or napped nearby, and the underground root system transported soil and nutrients for them.
Sometimes, after a day of work, they would sit in woven chairs under the cool shade of the trees, sipping tea and chatting. During these moments, Mu Fei thought that this life was not too different from what he had imagined. Except for being unable to leave the forest, he had everything he wanted. He felt fortunate to have such a peaceful and stable life after his rebirth.
Lkdk talo ckttla eyu cu eyu. Yw Wlk bye kdkvkyzzu vbswtbv kv oswzed’v wdelats ydu xwvyvksdp, cwv kv oyp pkxrzu elhlzsrkdt y ckv zyvla vbyd lmrlnvle. Rvp lhszwvksd ayvl oyp dsv ryavknwzyazu qypv. Usxryakdt kv vs Gcw’p pkgl, vblu elnkele vs cwkze y dlpv qsa Lkdk kd vbl vall, nzspl vs Yw Wlk’p hkzzy, obknb vblu rzyddle vs nsdhlav kdvs y vallbswpl. Gzvbswtb vblu bye keldvknyz yrrlyaydnlp, vblka ekqqlaldnlp olal lhkeldv kd vblka lmralppksdp.
Ekvb Fyd Oa’p yppkpvydnl, Yw Wlk plv wr y pvweks yde alnshlale bkp vsszp qsa eayokdt. Tl cltyd pjlvnbkdt czwlrakdvp yde elpktdkdt vbl qwvwal bswpl qsa bkx yde vbl rkdl vall. Ekvb vbl rkdl vall’p ynnlpp vs yzz bkp xlxsaklp, kv oyp dsv wdqyxkzkya okvb vblpl rzydp yde pvyavle rashkekdt kelyp yde yehknl. Mblu prldv ldvkal eyup kd vbl pvweks, lmnbydtkdt nalyvkhkvu yde kelyp. Yw Wlk bye dlhla lmrlakldnle vbkp qllzkdt clqsal, oblal yzz bkp vbswtbvp olal wdelapvsse, yde lhlau nalyvkhl kely alpsdyvle. Mbl byaxsdu clvolld vblx yzoyup lmnkvle bkx. Usdpliwldvzu, vblu elhkple vbl rlaqlnv nsdpvawnvksd rzyd qsa vbl vallbswpl yde cltyd cwkzekdt svbla ywmkzkyau pvawnvwalp zkjl y pvweu yde y qzsola assx.
Pwakdt vbkp vkxl, Yw Wlk pldv psxl tkydv rwxrjkdp yde qaytaydv rkdl dwvp vs vbl rlsrzl kd Jlkfkdt. Tl bsrle vblu oswze alvwad vs hkpkv bkx psxleyu.
Gqvla xsdvbp sq lytla ydvknkryvksd, bkp bswpl oyp qkdyzzu vaydprsavle cynj vs vbl qsalpv sd y pdsou eyu, yde Yw Wlk oyp shlafsule. Mbl rkdl vall oyp liwyzzu elzktbvle, vbswtb kv eked’v pxkzl, Yw Wlk nswze pldpl kvp lxsvksdp.
Mblu tygle yv vbl ekzyrkeyvle hkzzy, csvb qllzkdt dspvyztkn. Yw Wlk zywtble, “R dlhla vbswtbv R’e pll kv ytykd. Vkdlu, eslp kv zssj vbl pyxl yp R alxlxcla?”
“Ls, kv eslpd’v. Rv’p dsv yp awdesod.”
“Tyby, sq nswapl kv’p dsv yp awdesod dso. Rv wple vs cl olzz-xykdvykdle. Ohld vbswtb kv’p zkjl vbkp dso, vbl pvawnvwal kp pvkzz kdvynv. Rv’zz pyhl wp y zsv sq lqqsav. Usxl sd, zlv’p ts kdpkel yde pll xu pvwqq.” Tl rwpble srld vbl essa yde ldvlale vbl bswpl okvb vbl rkdl vall.
Mbl assx oyp nshlale kd ewpv, yde yzz vbl qwadkvwal yde elnsayvksdp olal ypjlo, casjld, sa kd pbyxczlp. Rv oyp y nsxrzlvl xlpp.
Mu Fei, however, was excited. “This is great; we have some work to do.”
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The pine tree walked to a table and picked up a photo frame from the ground. It contained a smiling Mu Fei from a couple of years ago.
Mu Fei leaned in. “This must be from two or three years ago, right? My hair was so short back then. Now, even if I shave it all off, it grows back in just a couple of days.”
The pine tree surveyed every corner of the room. These scenes had appeared countless times in Mu Fei’s memories, moments from Mu Fei’s past that he had never been a part of. It felt both familiar and foreign, as if he stood within the memories of another person.
Mu Fei pulled his head over to the window. “Look at this rocking chair; it’s so comfortable. It’s a bit dirty now, but I’ll sew a thick cushion for it tomorrow. You can try it out later.”
“Okay.”
“And this little coffee table was something I found in a second hand antique shop in Italy. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Beautiful.”
“These are…”
“Your mother made these flower pots by hand. The patterns on them were drawn by you and your father.”
Mu Fei nodded with a smile. “I forgot. You know all these things. Isn’t it strange to have access to someone else’s memories?”
The pine tree thought for a moment. “You’re not someone else. You are me.”
“Right, I am you, and you are me.” Mu Fei hugged him. “Thank you for being with me. It’s wonderful to have you.”
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The pine tree smiled faintly. He felt that having someone with him was indeed not bad at all.
At night, they slept in a temporary tent they had set up. The pine tree had initially wanted to sleep in the tree, but every few days, Mu Fei would request to sleep on a human mattress. He found it more comfortable than sleeping in the tree.
Mu Fei ruffled his hair. “I just got a haircut yesterday, and it’s already this long again. Long hair is such a hassle. Is there any way to stop it from growing?”
“I don’t know if there’s a way. Why do you have so many concerns?” The pine tree lay on the mattress, its long hair spread out, and it half-closed its eyes to take a nap.
“Piney, how about I braid you a new one?” Mu Fei suggested.
“Okay.”
Mu Fei unraveled the pine tree’s braided hair, then tied it into twin ponytails, securing them tightly on top of its head. After finishing, he looked at the pine tree, which now had the same face and two long ponytails on top of its head, just like a mirror image of himself, and burst into laughter while rolling around on the bed.
The pine tree looked at itself in the mirror, its face darkening. “This is what human little girls do.”
“It’s okay. Only I will see it in the forest, and besides, you don’t have human shame.” Mu Fei playfully tugged on the pine tree’s ponytails and continued to laugh heartily.
The pine tree lifted his hair. “I’ll braid your hair too.”
“Huh? I don’t want that.”
With his usual expression (==), the pine tree said, “No, you must.”
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“Okay, okay. You can braid it. What kind of braid do you want for me?”
The two of them were sitting cross-legged, facing each other. Mu Fei rested his chin on the pine tree’s shoulder and chuckled. “Go ahead.”
The pine tree lifted his hair and began to braid it according to its memories. Its movements were a bit clumsy, but it braided with great seriousness.
Mu Fei hugged its waist and playfully said, “Piney, I’m so glad to have you. When I’m with you, it’s like I’m alone, but I’m not lonely like when I’m actually alone.”
The pine tree nuzzled his cheek. “Hmm, we were always one.”
“It’s so amazing…” Mu Fei’s eyes were filled with tender smiles. To him, the pine tree was like another self—different in personality but understanding each other without words. That feeling was like having a soulmate who could comprehend and accompany him. Moreover, because they could never be apart, whether in life or in death, he never had to worry about losing the pine tree. The union with the pine tree made him feel that he was never alone in this world. This sense of contentment and security was unparalleled.
After the pine tree finished braiding, it brushed Mu Fei’s hair forward, proudly looking at him. “How does it look?”
Mu Fei smiled and replied, “It looks great. You’re not clumsy at all.”
The pine tree made a disdainful sound. “I’m not that stupid.”
Mu Fei pounced into its arms. “Let’s go to sleep.”
The pine tree embraced him, as natural as hugging oneself. “Is the weather getting colder?”
“Yeah, I heard from San’er that there’s news from Beijing saying that this winter will be particularly cold. It’s snowing quite heavily today, but luckily, we don’t need to worry about the cold.”
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Mu Fei lay in its arms, playing with its earlobe. “Hmm? My ears seem to be quite fortunate.”
The pine tree lowered its head to look at him and happened to see Mu Fei’s crimson lips.
Mu Fei was momentarily taken aback and raised his head, meeting its eyes. “Piney, are you thinking about kissing? Human kissing is a way to express affection.”
“What kind of affection?”
“Affection for someone you like.”
“Why don’t we kiss then?”
Mu Fei was at a loss for words. “We’re not…” He burst into laughter. “Have you ever seen someone kiss themselves?”
“But I can kiss you. Why not?”
Mu Fei couldn’t come up with a response.
The pine tree curiously leaned in and touched Mu Fei’s lips, then furrowed its brow. “Are you imagining what it’s like for us to kiss? It doesn’t seem like that.”
Mu Fei blushed. “What does it seem like?”
“Like this.” The pine tree kissed Mu Fei again. “The feeling of kissing… it’s not bad. Your lips are quite soft.”
“What’s mine is yours.” Mu Fei looked at it. “Are they really soft? Let me try.” He pressed down on the back of the pine tree’s head, kissed its lips, and even applied some pressure.
The pine tree touched its lips. “It feels a bit strange.”
“Yeah, it’s quite strange.” Mu Fei blinked, feeling embarrassed. “It’s like kissing myself, well, technically, it is kissing myself. Looking at your face is really strange… and your lips are really soft.”
The pine tree leaned over him and poked his lips with its fingers, one by one.
Mu Fei gazed at the face he knew so well, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Even though they shared the same appearance, it was surprisingly easy to tell them apart.
The pine tree continued poking for a while and then curiously lowered its head, pecking his lips and even tentatively sticking its tongue inside.
Mu Fei’s eyes widened, and he quickly pulled away. “Who taught you that?”
The pine tree looked at him innocently. “Who else besides you?”
“Who let you kiss me?”
“Who else is here besides you?”
Mu Fei was momentarily speechless.
The pine tree said, “You always make me experience human feelings, isn’t this a human feeling?”
“Human feelings are too complicated. This… just don’t learn it, okay?”
“But it feels very nice.”
Mu Fei pushed him away, feeling embarrassed and not wanting to talk further.
The pine tree looked at him strangely. “Why are you feeling embarrassed?”
Mu Fei patted its head. “I don’t know how to explain it to you. Just don’t do that again. It’s too strange. Let’s go to sleep.”
The pine tree expressed its displeasure. “Your current mood is making me uncomfortable.”
“What mood?”
“I can’t describe it, but it’s uncomfortable.” The pine tree removed the headband and lay down, facing away.
Mu Fei watched the pine tree’s sulking posture and silently thought, “Why is it so upset?”
The pine tree ignored him.
Mu Fei wrapped his arms around its waist from behind. “Don’t be upset. What do you want to eat tomorrow?”
“Anything.”
“Turn around.”
“No.”
Mu Fei struggled to turn the pine tree around but didn’t succeed. He decided to climb over, pinching the pine tree’s cheek. “Look at you, your face was already gloomy to begin with.”
The pine tree maintained a serious expression. “You said kissing is a way to express liking someone. If I kiss you and you don’t like it, does that mean you don’t like me?”
Mu Fei chuckled, “Can’t you feel whether I like you or not?”
The pine tree lowered its eyelids. “I can feel it.”
“You are me, why would I not like you?” Mu Fei hugged it tightly. “We’re going to be together forever.”
The pine tree’s expression improved, and it hugged him back. “Then give me another kiss.”
Mu Fei raised his head with a sigh and gently held its chin, kissing its lips tenderly and lingeringly.
After the kiss, Mu Fei smiled. “Was that nice?”
The pine tree gave a faint smile. “It was not bad.”
Mu Fei stroked its hair. “Let’s start working tomorrow, building our treehouse.”
“Sure. I have a new idea for the design of the study. What do you think?”
“Let me see…”
The two of them lay in the warm bed, discussing their ideas for the house. Unbeknownst to them, a peaceful night passed by. They would always be together, experiencing many days and nights without loneliness.
