Chapter 14 Differences (Revised)

  The total number of words has increased by several thousand, and the content has also been added with some things. In short, it will take at least 30 chapters or more to finish, as for updates, I'll try my best.

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  When I woke up in bed, it was already daylight.

  The moment I propped up my body, I felt myself in a warm quilt.

  How long have I been asleep? Where is this place? I patted my still somewhat dizzy head, hoping to clear my consciousness a bit.

  I took a glance around and noticed that the scenery outside the window looked somewhat familiar.

  (This is... Bai's home.) When I first found this place, I had been searching around here for a long time, so it left some impression on me.

  A faint whispering sound came from beside my ear, and I turned my head towards its source.

  At this time, Bai was already asleep on the edge of the bed, with a basin and towel beside him, probably to help me bring down the fever. I stretched out my left hand and saw that it had been bandaged, using the medical gauze I brought from Mu Ye.

  It doesn't seem like the white bandage is very talented, but why is my right hand also bandaged? This really has me stumped, my right hand isn't even injured.

  As I was admiring Bai's bandaging skills, I inadvertently caught sight of the faint dark circles under his eyes. I furrowed my brow slightly and gently flipped him onto the bed, thinking that he hadn't had a good night's sleep in quite some time now, so let him rest for a bit first.

  I quietly picked up some miscellaneous items by the bed, feeling that the movement of my left hand was completely unimpeded, and then took down the bandages on both hands.

  As expected, that wound only left a huge faint scar and had almost completely healed. What a formidable recovery ability.

  Then, led by my nose, I found a bowl of plain congee being simmered beside me.

  Oh my god, it's been ages since I had congee, to be exact, I haven't had hot steaming congee in three years. Before moving, all I could drink was instant milk tea, and after moving... I don't even know how to cook congee, I've never cooked food at all.

  Besides, cooking porridge is very difficult for children under three years old, especially when the stove is higher than themselves.

  I didn't think much and immediately ate half of it to fill my stomach, leaving the rest for Bai. I continued to heat it carefully, then walked into the living room.

  In the living room, the corpses of White's parents were frozen in a massive ice pillar, with White Mother's sorrowful and desperate expression and White Father's face full of disgust and terror so vividly visible.

  Under what circumstances did Bai see something?

  Even if I've read the book and know the general situation, many things can't be understood unless you're the person involved, or even if you are, you might not understand.

  White, under what kind of mood did you release your blood lineage?

  And in what mood did I leave this place again?

  What kind of mood brought me here again?

  And how did I leave Konoha?

  Is it really just for Shirakawa and Kuma?

  Is it because of what his sister had said before, the person he felt sorry for?

  I fell into deep thought.

  If you're still awake, wake up! You're not Bai, and neither is Bai you! Jiǔ Yuè shouted loudly at me. He thought I would be like last time, thinking of the name until I vomited blood.

  I know, September, I really know. Don't worry, I'm not that fragile, won't be that fragile again, and can't be that fragile anymore.

  Really? Jiǔ Yuè was extremely hesitant.

  Bai is not me, he's luckier than I am, he had a happy family life; I'm not Bai, he's more miserable than I am because he buried his own beautiful past with his own hands, and I never had either of these. I understand all this, and I calmly return to Jiu Yue.

  ...If you still remember, can't you forget those things? Upon hearing my response, Jiu knew that I still couldn't completely let go of what was in my heart.

  Forget? Someone once said that "forgetting" is the best gift given by God to humans, because people can use "forgetting" to get rid of all kinds of pain.

  I also want to forget, is it because I'm not human, so I don't have the right to "forget"?

  What do I want to forget? What should I forget?

  If I forget "the past", am I still "me"? If I forget "Naruto", can I still be "me"?

  If Ruò Cán is not "I", nor "Whirlpool Míng Rén", then what is Ruò Cán? Or, is it nothing at all?

  I know that Ruo Zan is not "Whirlpool Warrior", but, who has experienced everything of "Whirlpool Warrior" is Ruo Zan, then who else has the qualification to say that Ruo Zan is not "Whirlpool Warrior"?

  I know that Ruo Can is not "me", but apart from Ruo Can, there's no one else who has the right to call themselves "me" anymore.

  In September, do you know? A wound, if it has scabbed over, doesn't need to be touched, just let it heal on its own. However, when the wound is too big, it's actually necessary to remove the scab and let the pus drain out cleanly, only then will the wound truly recover. Otherwise, if the pus and blood are left there, not only won't the wound get better, but it may even worsen and spread throughout the body.

  Then there was a long silence, and when I thought that Kujaku almost believed I wouldn't answer his question, I slowly opened my mouth and said: ...Kujaku, the day I am no longer bound by the past... "If" will cease to exist. I spoke in ambiguous words full of double meanings as far as Kujaku's understanding went.

  Another silence, forget it, don't force Jiuyue anymore, that's not my intention, I didn't want to force him, and I never thought of forcing him, but things in life are often not as one wishes.

  I rarely take the initiative to speak to Jyuu, "Jyuu, lend me some chakra!" or "Let's change the subject quickly."

  Then I waited for the impact of the Nine-Tails' chakra and left the bottom layer of my mind.

  Before leaving, I whispered a sentence: Sorry. I knew Jiuyue would hear it.

  Jiǔ Yuè simply gazed at me silently, without saying much.

  But in Katsuragi's eyes, the meaning contained within was so profound.

  I understand what you're saying, but when have they ever given me a chance?... And when have I ever given myself a chance?

  I rested my left hand on the icicle, while my right hand was clenched over my chest. I closed my eyes and calmed my mind, no longer thinking about those things. Silently, I felt the chakra emerging within my body until my left palm started to ache, only then did I truly come back to myself.

  Thanks again to Jiǔ Yuè, without this Chakra, I wouldn't have the energy to do such physically demanding work.

  Finally, I, exhausted, buried Bai's parents under a tree near their home.

  I don't know what White's parents thought before they died, but I still chose to bury them together.

  I have always believed that if they hadn't loved each other from the start, they wouldn't have gotten married. Little Bai wouldn't be so happy... It's just that people's ignorance often leads to foolish actions, forever and always!

  Unconsciously, snowflakes started falling again, very light and gentle, but before you knew it, you'd find yourself completely frozen, just like recalling a painful memory.