Swish… Swish… Uchiha Yukino's fingers gently turned the pages, making a soft rustling sound.
Through her delicate, jade-like fingers, it was clear that this was not a complete book.
Instead, it was composed of individual sheets of paper neatly arranged together.
The edges of these papers seemed to have been meticulously trimmed, making them fit tightly together, as if they were one piece.
Her beautiful face, like a finely sculpted work of art, was focused solely on the papers before her, as if the entire world consisted only of this small space.
Her pupils were as black as ink, perfectly sized, like deep lakes, serene and mysterious.
However, her gaze was not empty; it was fixed intently on the words in the book.
For her, these words were like a key to open a wondrous world, leading her into a realm full of imagination and fantasy.
Although she had read these stories and descriptions of worlds countless times, each reading was like a brand-new adventure. It was the salvation she found, unable to leave her home.
The worlds depicted by those words, whether ancient mythical epics, romantic love legends, or thrilling adventure stories, attracted her like a magnet, immersing her, making her unable to extricate herself, deeply fascinated.
Due to the illness triggered by her Bloodline Limit, Uchiha Yukino felt suffocated, as if by a heavy mountain, making even going outside a luxury.
Even slight exertion would cause her condition to worsen like a bursting dam.
Not to mention becoming a Ninja, the family profession passed down through generations—this sudden turn of events, like a bolt from the blue, once dealt Uchiha Yukino a heavy blow to her spirit.
Furthermore, despite the efforts of countless doctors, her condition showed no progress. This was like endless darkness, constantly consuming Yukino's hope, filling her with fear.
She didn't know when her life would fade like a candle in the wind, and her father and sister would vanish like bubbles.
Under the shadow of death, Uchiha Yukino's spirit matured prematurely, like an early-ripening fruit.
And at a young age, she had already profoundly understood what pain was.
She began to become more and more reclusive.
She became more and more silent.
She became more and more indifferent to this world.
She seemed to be calmly awaiting death.
She had once believed this.
Until… that person arrived!
…Two years ago…
"Hey, are you sister Yukino? My name is Uchiha Tenxiu! I've been studying with Elder Leimen recently! From today on, we're acquaintances!…"
"Wow, your name is so pretty, and your eyes seem to have stars twinkling in them, so beautiful!…"
"I heard you can't go outside! Then I'll tell you some interesting things about the outside world!"
"From today on, we're good friends!"
The boy excitedly spoke his words.
Even though Uchiha Yukino ignored him, staring out the window without any reaction.
The boy still happily told stories.
He lay by her bed, softly telling stories.
However, she didn't really like the story of The Little Match Girl.
At the end of the story, Uchiha Yukino spoke for the first time.
…"Are you perhaps intentionally trying to mock me?" Uchiha Yukino's face was ashen, her calm eyes, like deep pools, stared directly at Uchiha Tenxiu. Her originally expressionless, soft, tender young face now showed anger for the first time, like a flower ravaged by a storm.
"What? How could I do that!" Uchiha Tenxiu was filled with astonishment, looking at Uchiha Yukino in disbelief, as if he had heard the strangest thing in the world.
"Then why tell that story? Do you think I will also die alone like that little match girl? Let me tell you, I absolutely will not! I will live on strongly, like a winter plum blossom defying the snow!" Uchiha Yukino's eyes were as cold as frost, like two sharp swords, piercing directly at the boy, filled with resistance to fate.
In Yukino's stubborn words, resistance to her own fate and bitter unwillingness appeared for the first time.
"How could that be? It's just a simple story! Besides, no matter how tragic this story is, our lives are still full of more tragedies. All we can do is find joy in suffering and live on strongly amidst the tragedy."
"Really, I absolutely had no intention of deceiving you!"
Uchiha Tenxiu's explanation, however, was like a stone sinking into the sea, failing to gain any acknowledgment from Uchiha Yukino, only endless indifference.
Uchiha Tenxiu understood that Uchiha Yukino's heart was full of misunderstanding towards him, so he stopped explaining.
From then on, he simply came to Uchiha Yukino's bedside day after day, telling stories to himself.
Every day, there would be a brand-new story, like a gently flowing stream, never repeating.
From The Little Match Girl to The Princess and the Pea, from Aladdin's Lamp to Snow White, from The Ugly Duckling to Little Red Riding Hood, every story was vividly told by him.
Initially, Yukino remained indifferent, only occasionally pausing her gaze for a moment at the exciting parts of the stories.
As days passed, those rich and colorful stories, like warm sunshine, gradually melted the ice in Yukino's heart.
Once, after Tenxiu finished telling the story of Cinderella, Yukino actually took the initiative to ask, "Can she really live a happy life?" Her eyes were full of pitiful expectation.
Uchiha Tenxiu's eyes lit up, and he said earnestly, "Of course, as long as you hold onto hope, life will always get better. Just like you, you will definitely overcome your illness; giving up means you've already lost."
Uchiha Yukino fell silent, a different kind of light in her eyes.
Thereafter, Yukino also slowly began to respond to Tenxiu, and their communication increased.
Uchiha Tenxiu would also share new things from outside with her, and Yukino would express her opinions on the stories.
With Uchiha Tenxiu's companionship, Uchiha Yukino gradually became more cheerful, no longer just waiting for death.
Instead, she began to look forward to the future.
She hoped that one day she could be like the protagonist in the stories, walk out of this door, and embrace her own beautiful life.
In this process,
As Uchiha Yukino continuously listened to these stories, she went from initial resistance and indifference to familiarity and acceptance.
And then, she began to become completely dependent.
She gradually accepted Uchiha Tenxiu's existence, even regarding him as the most important presence in her life.
When the surrounding ice was peeled away, what was revealed was naturally the soft, adorable, and incredibly gentle Yukino.
From that day on,
Uchiha Yukino also began to get busy, constantly copying all the stories she had heard from Uchiha Tenxiu, starting with The Little Match Girl.
Although she lost her qualification as a Ninja due to her Bloodline Limit illness, her innate Bloodline Limit illness also allowed some of Uchiha Yukino's talents to reach an astonishing level that ordinary people found incredible: an amazing memory.
With a natural photographic memory, and with these stories, Yukino seemed to have a connection to the outside world. She neatly bound the copied stories and placed them by her bed.
Each book carried memories of her time with Uchiha Tenxiu.
However,
As time passed,
Yukino's condition did not improve; instead, it showed signs of worsening. Upon learning this, Uchiha Tenxiu visited her even more frequently, and even provided a large amount of medical knowledge from an unknown source, hoping it would help Yukino's condition. He also expressed his desire to learn Medical Ninjutsu and medical arts, determined to cure Yukino's illness no matter what.
In the days that followed,
Uchiha Tenxiu increased his study of Medical Ninjutsu even more, constantly searching for a way to treat Yukino's illness.
And Yukino, while waiting, continuously organized theoretical knowledge of Ninja and medicine, relying on her powerful memory.
Although she herself could not become a Ninja and fight, she hoped her knowledge could help Tenxiu in the future.
Or other people in need.
Their emotions deepened.
This also made Uchiha Lingyue, who had always been displeased with Uchiha Tenxiu, increasingly angry. It was all that damned brat's fault; if it weren't for him, how could her sister Yukino be so exhausted given her poor health?
All of this was Uchiha Tenxiu's fault!
Because of this,
Uchiha Lingyue began a series of targeting actions against Uchiha Tenxiu, finding fault with him in various ways.