Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 214

Perhaps she had figured something out, a warm smile returned to Yingque's youthful face. A gentle breeze carried her through the cold night, but it could not overcome the biting chill. Even so, she had no regrets.

The voice on the other end softened a bit: "Then, remember to come back, don't forget your friends for the sake of a pretty face!"

"Yes, I will, I will."

"Then... goodbye?"

Goodbye, call me if you miss me.

At this point, the phone went into busy mode...

......

Just like Xuanzang's journey to the west, although his deeds were great and he was praised by later generations, before the results were known, no one could be sure whether their actions were foolish. Having a strong belief alone may not be enough.

But all she had left was her faith. She resolutely gave up everything in Donghuang. After more than ten years of hard study and countless opportunities in life, she gave them all up after a night of reflection. She told her adoptive parents that she planned to go to Baiying to develop her career, and came here all alone.

Although they weren't close relatives, she still felt endless gratitude towards them, but ultimately, she wasn't a native of this place...

Neither she nor he is. Given this, is there still a chance for her to find him?

Perhaps, from the very beginning, this was a foolish act, merely an attempt to soothe the lingering thoughts in one's heart.

But she still didn't regret it; her mind was made up...

She felt sorry for her autocratic behavior...

But she could never let go; she could never do it. She tore off the other boy in the photo, tossed it into the air, waved her sleeves, and left gracefully.

......

The airport was deserted, and the lights were dim. A young girl had already left...

289 An Unexpected Encounter

The snowstorm showed no signs of abating, but a trail of footprints on the snow indicated that the cruel heavens had not stopped the girl's steps. In this freezing weather, she was all alone. She didn't know where to go. New York was so big, where should she even begin her search?

She had neither exchanged banknotes nor PayPal, so she couldn't even make a payment. In that light, she was just an incredibly foolish and infatuated young woman.

Even so, she was determined to find him, even though she didn't know if he existed in this world, or if he did, he might not be the one she remembered. But in a city as big as New York with over 800 million people, she was only looking for one.

However, still unsure of where to go, he could only take it one step at a time and continue along the Turington 148 block after leaving the international airport.

She didn't consciously try to remember how long she had walked, but intuitively, it must have been quite a while...

From New York International Airport to Torrington, it's at least several kilometers, but she walked and stopped along the way, enduring the wind and snow, wandering through deserted streets and alleys, searching for paths with less wind and snow, smelling the stench of money that didn't belong to her homeland, yet she remained steadfast.

He had gone through the same thing with me back then. Two strangers, meeting in a twist of fate, supporting each other, walking hand in hand, should have lived a cliché yet sweet story like a fairy tale.

However, human error is inevitable. Due to certain unavoidable factors, he had to leave temporarily, while she fell into a deep sleep in the darkness. When she woke up, she found herself in a world that was similar to, yet completely different in some ways.

She realized this fact, and although she was troubled, she could only accept it. She was picked up by a pair of peasant women and lived on with simple beliefs.

During this time, she met many wonderful people, some cheerful, energetic and kind, others introverted, not good with words but gentle. In Donghuang's words, they were like best friends. She was so grateful to have met such a group of people in a strange world.

Nevertheless, the lingering regret still haunted her, keeping her tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep...

There are many people in the world as foolish as her. Only love that is deep enough can support a person to do crazy things. The reason she did not choose to do so was simply because, in the judgment and weighing of love and value, she chose the more "valuable" option because the weight of love was not enough.

Every hardship in life requires a tiny spark to sustain us. Even if we eventually collapse from exhaustion in the mud, we still dream of fulfilling our long-cherished wishes. It may be a fleeting illusion, but it is clearly something that countless people find sweet in its embrace.

She herself, Yingque, was just that kind of person—a fool that others couldn't understand, a stubborn mule who wouldn't turn back until she hit a wall, but she didn't care at all.

I will pass on the legacy of this empty name to my descendants; words cannot express my feelings. I bow my head in gratitude.

As she passed the next dark alley, Yingque tucked her hands into her sleeves to minimize her exposure to the wind. Fortunately, her boots were of decent quality, preventing snowmelt from getting in, and the situation wasn't unbearable yet.

Such a long block, yet not a single hotel could be seen. Even if one was found, it was mostly closed due to snow blocking the entrance. It was decided to clean it up the next morning.

Unable to find a place to stay, she could only keep walking, without complaining about why the shops couldn't clear the snow that day; it was all her own choice.

Between heaven and earth, apart from the pitch-black sky, there was only a uniform pale white, making it difficult to look directly at one's face. Maintaining such a state, one wonders if one might develop snow blindness.

Of course, this was just a little joke she played on herself in her spare time. She knew perfectly well that without ultraviolet rays refracting through the snow and ice, the dim snowfield could not cause her to suffer from snow blindness.

Even the fish-belly-white streetlights cannot connect their light with the next light; they are so close yet so far from each other, so there are always some dark spots on the street, which naturally cannot induce snow blindness.

After continuing in this manner for an unknown period of time, a strange color finally appeared before their eyes, a color different from black and white...

Yingque squinted, finally able to see the source of the dim yellow light. It was a shop that was still open, or more precisely, a... bar. Warm, pale yellow light emanated from the door, like a little house standing in the snow in a fairy tale or movie, with a warm fireplace and blankets inside, and a kind old man.

This is naturally a gift for someone walking alone in the cold night, and Yingque would naturally walk towards that place subconsciously.

The shop owner seemed quite easygoing, as he didn't close even in this weather and at this time of day.

"VA-11 Hall-A Val...Hala?"

Yingque read out the strange name of the shop: a bar called Valhalla.

Although she had never really liked this kind of place, she decided to go in to avoid the wind and snow for the time being, given the terrible weather.

And this place doesn't seem as noisy and chaotic as I've imagined...

"Let's go and take a look first."

Accompanied by the sound of suitcase wheels clattering on the steps, Yingque walked towards the somewhat retro-style shop door.

"Dingling bell~"

The doorbell rang, and another guest arrived.

Looking around, the bar was quite empty, with no other patrons in sight. Directly opposite the entrance was a small artificial hill and pond, which complemented the bar's retro style without overshadowing it. Instead, they enhanced each other, giving the bar a unique character unlike any other.

The bar wasn't very big, and it was heated. Soft piano music was playing from somewhere, and the floor and tables were quite clean, suggesting the owner was a rather particular person.

Yingque's opinion of this place improved slightly.

"Welcome to Valhalla, what would you like to order?"

Before she even reached the bar and met the owner, she could hear a young man's clear, deep voice; he had known she was coming through the doorbell.

Following the sound, she walked around the artificial hill and the tables, dragging her luggage to the vicinity of the bar, where she was finally able to see the owner's face clearly.

A tall man in a white shirt and black vest, with a cool expression, was shaking a white pitcher. Perhaps this was the bartender they were talking about.

However, at the bar, a young girl in a black and red dress was watching the man swirling the teapot and glasses. She couldn't see his eyes clearly, but she guessed there was something else going on in them...

The girl seemed to notice Yingque's arrival, so she turned around and looked at her.

"I didn't expect anyone to come at this time..."

She said so.

Ignoring the surrounding equipment, all we need to know is what the surplus/deficit looks like.

290 咖啡

Yingque could sense the bartender's demeanor: gentle and refined, taciturn, and likely someone who preferred action to words.

The atmosphere of the bar, coupled with the bartender's unpretentious demeanor, made Yingque less wary than she had been at the beginning. Although the girl behind the bar was a little uncomfortable, she figured she couldn't be someone with ill intentions...

However, there was another point that surprised Yingque even more...

"Sir, are you... from Donghuang?"

"Yes, miss, and from what I see, you are also..."

The two paused for a moment, then smiled calmly.

The two sides stopped using English and began communicating in their native languages.

The bartender chuckled, “So, what would you like to drink? In such cold weather, I recommend a B52 Bomber to warm you up. But if you’re not a big drinker, please choose carefully.”

Yingque naturally returned the smile with a polite smile and waved his hand: "Um... I'm sorry, sir, I'm not a good drinker. If you'd like, please get me a cup of coffee instead."

"It's alright, miss, please wait a moment."

Then, the bartender turned to get the ingredients needed to make coffee. Perhaps it's precisely because it's a bar that these ingredients aren't always kept near the bar...

Yingque wanted to sit down, but the aura emanating from the girl in the black and red dress made her uneasy. Even after the bartender had left, she remained standing there without reacting.

Is it really appropriate to just sit down like that...?

Yingque muttered to himself.

Perhaps sensing the other person's discomfort, the girl shrugged indifferently, picked up her wine glass, and walked towards a nearby table.

"Remember to bring my Normandy Sparkling Wine No. 1!"

She called out to the room behind the bar, gave the slightly uneasy blonde girl a look, and then smiled as she lay down on a sofa at a bar table.

It's not hard to understand, but is this to reassure her and give her space to sit down?

After the girl left, Yingque thought for a moment and then chose to sit on a bar stool.

The other person seemed easier to talk to than she had imagined, but since she was in a foreign country, she should still be as cautious as possible...

However, since we can only stay in this bar now, and the bartender happens to be from Donghuang, should we try asking him?

Although the possibility is very low, if he is in New York, perhaps the bartender, who is also from Donghuang, has information about him.

After all, based on her experience watching movies and reading novels, bartenders and similar characters seem to be inextricably linked to the concept of being well-informed.

......

"Forget it, there's no need to trouble them. I'm just staying here temporarily, there's no need to have too much connection with them."

Yingque ultimately yielded to his introverted nature. Although they were born on the same land, the other party was still a stranger, so it was best not to ask these questions casually.

We were complete strangers, so why did we meet over a cup of wine?

Not long after, the bartender brought out a steaming cup of coffee and handed it to Yingque.

Although he was momentarily stunned by the disappearance of the girl in the black and red dress when he returned to the bar, he felt it didn't matter after seeing a pair of small feet swinging beside the sofa, and continued to focus on serving his customers.

For Yingque, it wasn't a delicacy, but for the two Donghuang people in a foreign land, it was undoubtedly a source of warmth.

"Thank you."

Yingque took the coffee, placed the tip of his nose on the cup, and felt the temperature.

It's just right; you might not even burn your tongue if you drink it directly, and it will definitely dispel the cold from your internal organs.

She took a sip, and the refreshing taste was delightful. Although it wasn't as good as the ginger soup her foster mother made at home, the warmth from a fellow villager filled her with gratitude.

However, the taste is very familiar... slightly sweet, with milk, sugar cubes, honey, and...

A strange sense of tension welled up inside me.

“Uh, sir!” Yingque called out.

"what happened?"

"Excuse me, is there Irish cream liqueur in this coffee?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised: "Hmm, it's really good, miss, indeed."

At this moment, Yingque was holding his forehead with one hand, feeling conflicted.

How could this bartender have come up with this recipe? Although it might have been widely known in this era, she tried to recreate the flavor he had given her by adjusting the proportions as instructed, but she could never achieve the taste he had given her before.

But how could he possibly make it taste exactly the same as it did back then?

She wasn't a rich heiress and knew nothing about the brands of fancy drinks, but the term "Irish cream liqueur" was something he had personally told her...

She really liked the taste; it was sweet but not cloying, warm and comforting, and one cup was enough.

However, everyone has their own unique understanding of the proportions of ingredients when preparing drinks, and perhaps this is also the bartender's understanding? After all, even versatile cocktails have many similarities, let alone coffee, which is difficult to innovate.

She didn't react to the bartender's praise; she was reminiscing about her dusty past through the familiar taste.

Memories flooding her mind, old photographs, a hazy past—like her name, it has its ups and downs, its fullness and emptiness. But the fullness is not without its flaws; yet, what is lacking is what she yearns for most...

Is the name Yingque a hint to her?

In that photograph, the boy's smile is frozen at that moment when he was still young, already covered in dust, like a thin veil covering a girl's face. It is known that it can be admired from afar but not touched, but deep in his heart, there is a hidden yearning for what lies behind that veil.

"Miss, are you... alright?"

The bartender's voice rang out, and Yingque realized that the other person was also looking at the photo in her hand, examining it carefully.

"Ah, it's alright. Sorry, I was thinking about something else just now..."

Yingque felt embarrassed because of her momentary lapse in concentration.

I always find myself spacing out whenever I see this photo... It's been years, and that's why I came to White Eagle.