Chapter 62: Name and Surname

  When Baihe and Junmaru returned to the place we had agreed on at first, the sky was already bright, with half of it wearing a light blue coat.

  They found that, apart from a familiar figure with moon-colored long hair sitting on a large stone, there was also a thin and small figure standing beside him, wearing the cloak of an adult.

  As Bai He and Jun Maluo approached, they unexpectedly discovered that the small figure had noticed their arrival even before the adults did. Immediately afterwards, he hid behind the adult's back, displaying a very strong sense of hostility and vigilance.

  The grown-up seemed to sense it, stretching out his left hand to gently stroke the top of that slender figure's head, as if comforting their emotions, while turning around to reveal a very faint but sincere smile.

  That was a genuine smile that Bai hadn't seen in a long time, after the grown-up had swapped his own eyes for himself, he hadn't looked at the grown-up's heartfelt smile again, not only the smile, all expressions seemed to be shrouded in a thick veil, making them seem unreal, only this smile was true joy.

  That was a sincere smile that Junmaru had never seen before. In Junmaru's memory, the adults' expressions were either tinged with an indelible faint sadness or like a fake mirage, except for this one smile, which was genuine joy.

  "White, you're back! Everything's been taken care of here, we're getting ready to head to Konoha." I never knew I had such a joyful expression until today, it seems my mood really does affect how I look.

  The little devil is just a little devil, without any ability to control his expression! Just a slight mockery with no malice.

  Hehe, I think this expression should be able to recover before returning to Konoha! After all, I'm really too happy today. Ah, you're awake, Ku! I immediately replied in my heart.

  "Hmm!" With a snort, Jiu seemed to sink down again. However, I knew he didn't know how to continue the conversation, so he ran away.

  Who ran away! Stinky little boy! Jiu suddenly blurted out a sentence, scaring me.

  It's really not possible to speak ill of others behind their backs. I'm talking about a strategic retreat, a strategic retreat! Not running away with my tail between my legs. I'll change my tune right now.

  This time it seems to have really sunk, although Yuu was able to wake up ahead of schedule after obtaining the power of this child, but according to Yuu's words, in recent years, if nothing unexpected happens, he will probably still sleep frequently, however, no longer in that state of long sleep without waking.

  I couldn't help but smile again.

  Anyway, you're awake now, great!

  When Kimaru finished speaking, he suddenly burst out laughing to himself. Kimaru was puzzled and his face was full of doubts.

  White then knew that the adults might have found something they had lost for a long time, which was in the year before they first met the adults, often discovered that the adults had some movements, and were usually when the adults were alone, then it was as if suddenly thought of what things, wrinkled his brow, sighed deeply, or lightly laughed out... ...all very sincere expressions.

  I finally came back to myself, it seems I had neglected them for a bit too long.

  "Sorry, Ah! Bai, Jun, and you." I said the last name as I turned to the small figure beside me.

  Hakuren and Kunmaru looked at the same time towards the thin figure beside me.

  The thin figure beside me also looked at me at the same time.

  "I know you wouldn't want to be called by your old name, and I won't call you that anymore. You've been reborn now. With Kyuu's power, you have a new, complete self, don't you? So give yourself a new name! A new life deserves a new name, doesn't it?"

  "The child opened his mouth several times, but couldn't say anything."

  Finally, the child seemed to have made up his mind, took a deep breath and said: "...... You help me get it!" The voice was not loud, but it could be felt that he was serious.

  Let me decide... is that right? I looked at the child's amethyst and amber eyes, only to find a strong determination.

  "All I've done is take you out of that prison, and to be honest, I don't think I've done you a great favor. We're even, if anything, I still owe you one. Because of you, Jiu woke up, although he says he's already repaid me for saving his life and restoring his dignity."

  I lifted up the child's left wrist, which was originally pierced by an iron chain, and there were no scars at all. The skin was smooth like that of a newborn baby, except for a pale golden teardrop-shaped crystal growing on the inside of the wrist.

  Since I woke up, my last memory was stuck on the fact that Jiu asked me to take this child and leave the cave. The memories between then and now are fragmented, and Jiu said it's because his presence in my body caused a huge impact, resulting in memory loss. When I regained consciousness, the child's body had indeed been rescued, and he also said that he had passed the first checkpoint using my blood, allowing all personalities to be reintegrated...

  In short, I feel that there is something wrong with this memory. Unfortunately, both Jiu and the child's testimonies are the same, and since Jiu won't harm me, I'll just let it go.

  It will allow him to decide on a new name for himself and represent his own rebirth.

  I'll take him to a village, find a family to adopt him, I have ways to conceal that strange hair color and eye color, or he can live alone, I'll give him enough money for an ordinary person to live for several years.

  But... giving names is an act that only superiors can perform, or masters to their servants, owners to their possessions.

  Let me give you a name, it means following me, following me back to Konoha, following me in doing anything, good or bad...

  Is our relationship deep enough for this? Deep enough to sell out the second half of your life like this?

  Follow me? Bai He and Jun Maluo are people I have a certain degree of understanding, so I let them follow me. They also have enough ability, potential, and perseverance to follow me.

  However, this kid, I know he has great potential, and may not be inferior to Kimura, but I'm not familiar with him. Even if we have similar backgrounds, that can't influence my judgment.

  I accept a person, it is forever acceptance, so before accepting anyone, I am extremely cautious, cautious and more cautious, because my heart will only open the door to one person once.

  This kid is very similar to me, not in appearance or age, but in that mindset, that feeling is very close, and because of this, I am even more hesitant.

  The person one trusts and doubts most is often oneself.

  Blindly sticking to one's own choices, or unreasonably denying oneself... This is human nature.

  Forget it, I've said before that one shouldn't evaluate a person based on external factors. So why did you say that about Junmaru? What's wrong with yourself?

  With a "slap", I slapped myself eighteen times on the face, and the stinging pain on my cheeks made me sober up a bit.

  This is the punishment I deserve.

  Ignoring their three astonished expressions, I said to the child: "This is your decision, shall I name you instead? This is already my third repayment to you. Don't you care about those villagers who imprisoned you? Don't you want to kill them? Take revenge on them? Or take you away from this forest and settle you down?"

  Is what you've chosen my fate? You should know, I don't care about those customs after being named.

  "After the naming, you and I are just two strangers with no relation. You'll be left alone in this desolate forest, struggling to survive on your own. For a six-year-old child, it's no different from seeking death!"

  "I want to name it, I'm begging you, only you have the qualification."

  "Is that so?" I respect your decision, after all this is what you asked of me, but don't think that I will go soft; I will take you away, otherwise the name I gave my life for will appear on your tombstone.

  I won't be soft-hearted, I really won't be soft-hearted.

  "Sixteenth Night... This is your name. Because of that, I found you on the sixteenth night." Sixteenth Night, I will remember the circumstances under which I found you.

  "Sixteen... nights... huh? Sixteen nights, sixteen nights." The child muttered to himself, seemingly not disliking the sound of it.

  "Since this is your request and my last repayment to you, afterwards we will no longer owe each other. So I have no obligation to take you away, we'll leave soon. As for whether the child lives or dies, it has nothing to do with me."

  "Wait." The child suddenly looked up at me, "It's not enough! Naming has to be complete, I don't have a surname yet, and I want to use your surname!"

  What's my surname? I slightly furrowed my brow, is this also implied in the request?

  "No way!" I rejected categorically, my surname, except for two people, no one else has the qualification to own.

  "Well, at least I want to know who you are. What's your surname? Then I won't use your surname." The kid felt my determination and changed the condition.

  I looked at that expression full of longing, one, and two faces that didn't speak but were filled with curious eyes...

  White, Jun, I didn't expect you two to be like this either. I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Never mind, it's not as if it's something that can't be seen by others anyway.

  What's my surname? To be honest, there is only one, which is the surname recognized by my elder brother and sister, not that surname like a shackle or the surname full of vanity.

  Our surname was never something to be ashamed of, right! Elder brother and sister, because this is "your" surname.

  "……the 'original'." I never knew my voice could be so hoarse and low.

  Is it still there? Yu suddenly muttered a sentence.

  "Yuán", is "yuán", has nothing to do with "ruò cán". From the start, those surnamed "yuán" only had "cán", no "ruò yuán"... He shouldn't have it either.

  When can you let go. He doesn't know what to say, he doesn't know what I'm hiding in my heart, he just knows I need to let go, even though he doesn't know what I want to let go of.

  I don't know, if I knew, maybe I could let go, maybe? My voice is filled with a hollow feeling.

  Alas...... Jiukong left a long sigh, disappearing in my heart.