NOVEL WEB Chapter 417: Drunk in the Bamboo Forest
Li Yu sat blankly in front of the cyan steps, not wanting to think about anything.
He didn't need to think about anything, didn't need to do anything.
Just gazing at the empty expanse of sky and earth before him.
Looking at the murky sky.
Looking at the rain falling from the sky, hitting the bamboo leaves, seeping through them, dripping onto the moss in front of him, pattering on the stones beside the clearing.
At the edge of the clearing was a natural rock.
This rock had a rather peculiar shape; it looked like a person extending their arms, joining them as one, cupping something in their palms.
At this moment, the rock's outstretched palm was filled with dripping rainwater.
Dripping out bit by bit.
Li Yu just sat there in a daze, nothing to do.
His soul seemed to have left his body, soaring into the sky, flying freely.
Flying higher and higher.
He could see himself in the Bamboo Forest, could see the entire base, see the base surrounded densely by the Zombie Tide.
He could see many places submerged in water, could see the zombies in some other places.
...
Li Yu smiled knowingly.
Drip-drop~drip-drop~
Raindrops fell upon the wooden house.
Li Yu felt very peaceful.
After sitting idly for a while, Li Yu suddenly shivered.
The season was inherently cool, and sitting in this damp place made it even colder.
Li Yu stood up from the wooden stool and walked inside the house.
The room wasn't large, only about eight or nine square meters, with two small windows.
Yet, surprisingly, there were two stoves for heating inside.
There was also a small table, a reclining chair, and three small wooden stools.
Nothing else.
Except the walls were lined with wood.
Li Yu moved a stove in front of him and then placed some firewood on top of it.
Finally, he put some soft pine needles underneath the kindling.
Crackle, crackle~
Li Yu flicked his lighter a few times and finally lit the pine needles.
The weather was too damp, and he had almost failed to ignite them.
After the pine needles caught fire, they crackled as they burned, and there was some pine sap on them that quickly set the wood ablaze.
In an instant, the room's temperature rose, and the air became dry.
Li Yu didn't close the back door, just let it stay open; he also didn't feel like opening the windows on purpose, even though burning wood surely required ventilation.
It's just that Li Yu didn't want to get up now; he simply wanted to lie comfortably in the chair.
After lighting the stove, heat spread throughout the small room, and Li Yu felt the dampness of his body gradually dissipate, becoming warm.
He reached out, took out a bottle of liquor and a bag of peanuts from his bosom.
After thinking a bit, he took an enamel cup from the table.
The enamel cup was also printed with a five-pointed star.
Li Yu poured liquor into the enamel cup, then placed the cup on the edge of the stove.
The stove burned vigorously, crackling as it consumed the wood.
Li Yu listened to the sound of the firewood burning.
His position was very close to the door, allowing him to see the clearing outside with just a glance.
The Bamboo Forest behind the clearing.
The sound of firewood burning, the sound of raindrops falling.
The rain whispering, hitting the bamboo leaves, landing on the roof of the wooden house.
In the air, there was the pleasant scent of burning pine needles, dry and fresh.
Within this scent was mixed the greenness of bamboo, the moistness of the rain, all feeling both dry and damp.
Blending into everything, just right.
The body's temperature was just right, neither too cold nor too hot, with a natural drying warmth, and the air was very humid.
But within a few meters of Li Yu's vicinity, it was dry, as the fire's warmth made the air even drier.
Not too dry, not irritable.
Everything is just right.
Li Yu had experienced the greatest pain, so he knew how to enjoy life, realizing the beauty in the subtleties of living.
Seeing the small to understand the big.
Some people live their whole lives without appreciating the joy of hot tea in winter, bustling about day after day, numbing their senses with constant busyness.
They can only get a fleeting pleasure from stimulation, constantly seeking more thrilling short videos.
This ongoing nerve stimulation, this instant happiness, raises one's threshold for joy, making it harder and harder to achieve.
Over time, this becomes a disinterest in everything, as if there were no pleasure to be found in anything.
Whether it's games or eye-catching videos, the purpose is to quickly touch one's nerves and release dopamine.
Quick happiness.
But it's easy to tire, to feel empty inside, with no place for the heart to rest.
Confused and disordered, weary in spirit without even realizing it.
Happiness, should be very simple.
Li Yu picked up the enamel cup, the baijiu inside becoming more mellow and fragrant from the charcoal heating, the thick yet smooth aroma made him feel very comfortable.
Gulp.
Li Yu took a sip and immediately felt a warmth in his stomach.
Comfortable, content.
Truly comfortable, truly satisfying.
Li Yu then picked up a peanut.
The peanut was fried crispy, with a perfect layer of salt on the surface.
Crunch crunch.
Li Yu ate the peanuts, sipping the hot baijiu.
A breath of warm air, like white mist, was exhaled out.
Li Yu leaned back with both hands, murmuring to himself, "Life is really comfortable. Tsk tsk."
The enjoyment of life lies in the right environment.
In the right state of mind.
Taking another sip of wine, Li Yu pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.
He thought for a moment, didn't take out a lighter, but instead took a burning log from the fireplace and lit the cigarette with it.
Puff.
Li Yu took a drag, then slowly exhaled.
Truly satisfying.
He never drank too much, usually just enjoying a small drink by himself.
Once he had drunk enough, he would go to sleep.
Right now, Li Yu was sipping, bit by bit.
No need to think about anything.
The rain kept pattering down.
In the Bamboo Forest, the rain kept dripping.
Inside the room, the flames illuminated the entire room.
The little room, warmly lit.
The bamboo outside the wooden house, swaying with the wind and rain.
The fallen branches and leaves on the ground, accumulating water, as if storing energy.
That rock, with arms raised, was catching rainwater falling on bamboo leaves from the sky, then the rainwater rolls off and drops down again.
Cleverly falling into the encircled stone arms.
Drip-drop.
On the green moss-covered steps, thirstily absorbing the rain.
Inside the room, Li Yu listened to the pitter-patter of the burning wood, his mind devoid of thought.
No need to think about anything.
At this moment, time belonged to him alone.
This moment was his to squander, to lie back and let it slowly slip away.
Twilight deepens, a light rain falls.
Inside a wooden house in the Bamboo Forest.
Half a bottle of wine, a pile of fire.
A small wooden chair, green stone steps.
Drinking alone, drunkenly sprawled in the Bamboo Forest.