The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Even though I emphasized once again that I was a tree and unable to feel the cold, Xing Lie said that he felt cold when he looked at me and insisted that I wear the clothes.

If Xing Lie is cold if I don’t wear the clothes…Then I’ll wear it.

I followed behind Xing Lie obediently, allowing him to put a furry coat on me.

“Oh my, your [formal] younger brother truly looks so handsome.”

I turned my head to see a pretty lady walk over to me and help me fix my sleeves.

“This coat complements the legs and makes them look super long. This dashing young man is sure to draw the eye when he walks on the street! Furthermore, this outfit is the newest item in our store. You [formal] really have good taste!”

Xing Lie flashed a mouthful of pearly whites, laying his palm on my head, “Really? I think so too!”

I didn’t know if he was complimenting me, or if he thought he had good tastes.

Nevertheless, no matter which it was, my face was a little flushed.

Xing Lie was really extremely handsome when he smiled, especially when he smiled and complimented me. Then he was even more handsome.

“Add a scarf,” Xing Lie wrapped one around my neck, “and it’s perfect!”

I was utterly bundled up, only exposing a pair of eyes.

The air conditioner was on in the mall. It was quite hot when I wore these clothes. But Xing Lie seemed to be very happy, so it was fine if I was a little hot.

“It’ll be New Year’s in a few more months.” Xing Lie walked with me in the shopping center with a paper bag in his hand. “Do you know what ‘New Year’s’ is?”

I shook my head. “Tell me.”

“New Year’s is us humans’ biggest holiday.” Xing Lie lifted a hand and placed it on my shoulder. He spoke very slowly, sounding lazy, “No, more like it’s the biggest holiday for us Chinese.”

I tilted my chin up to look at him. “‘Chinese’?”

This was a word that I didn’t really encounter in my daily life.

Xing Lie ruffled my hair, mirth in his voice, “Little tree spirit, why don’t you know anything?”

“I was normally by myself. And no one ever taught me.” I frowned, and began to refute, “It’s already not easy for me to be able to live like a normal human and not be considered Other.”

How did I not know anything? I clearly learned many things in the past week or so.

Perhaps there were some very simple problems1 that I didn’t understand, thereby making other people think I was a fool. I was already used to it.

Who was it for that I decided to become human instead of being the tree that I was?

Yet this person threw me in his house for a week. And now he complained that I didn’t understand anything.

It really made people angry.

“Yowh, you’re angry?” Xing Lie bent his waist to look at my face, seeming to smile even more happily, “Your temper is quite bad!”

Actually, I was angry. But I stubbornly insisted that I wasn’t.

Most likely because I’d been together with a human for a long time, I was also beginning to be a little human-like.

…Such as not being truthful.

”I treat you so well and you’re angry. Little white-eyed wolf2.”

“Who told you to leave me at home for a week and not come back?”

I can’t endure anymore. I want to hit him.

However, once I lifted my head, I happened to meet Xing Lie’s eyes which were full of mirth.

I was instantly not as angry anymore.

He looks so good when he smiles.　

""

“So that’s the reason?” Xing Lie stroked his chin, “But Older Brother has to work. Otherwise, how else will I get the money to buy clothes for you?”

“It’s not like I wanted the clothes.” I muttered, lowering my head. Halfway through my sentence, I suddenly realized something. “You’re not my older brother.”

“How am I not your older brother?” Xing Lie patted my head. “You’re called Xing Tong and I’m Xing Lie. It sounds like we’re brothers.”

That does seem to make a little bit of sense.

And if we’re brothers, then we can be considered as family.　

“Are we family?” I asked Xing Lie.

He paused, not answering me immediately.

I knew that I most likely had thought too much. How could a human and a tree be family?

“Oh, it’s fine if we’re not.”

“Have you always been alone (person)? What I mean is, a lone tree?”3

I shook my head. “I didn’t use to be.”

“Did you have a family?” Xing Lie asked, curious, “Any other trees that played with you?”

""

I sniffled and began to be angry again.

This person truly has a bad memory. Why does he keep forgetting what happened in the past?　

“There were no trees,” I remained standing where I was, hanging my head4. I was both angry and dejected, “There was only you.”

Even though I emphasized once again that I was a tree and unable to feel the cold, Xing Lie said that he felt cold when he looked at me and insisted that I wear the clothes.

If Xing Lie is cold if I don’t wear the clothes…Then I’ll wear it.

I followed behind Xing Lie obediently, allowing him to put a furry coat on me.

“Oh my, your [formal] younger brother truly looks so handsome.”

I turned my head to see a pretty lady walk over to me and help me fix my sleeves.

“This coat complements the legs and makes them look super long. This dashing young man is sure to draw the eye when he walks on the street! Furthermore, this outfit is the newest item in our store. You [formal] really have good taste!”

Xing Lie flashed a mouthful of pearly whites, laying his palm on my head, “Really? I think so too!”

I didn’t know if he was complimenting me, or if he thought he had good tastes.

Nevertheless, no matter which it was, my face was a little flushed.

Xing Lie was really extremely handsome when he smiled, especially when he smiled and complimented me. Then he was even more handsome.

“Add a scarf,” Xing Lie wrapped one around my neck, “and it’s perfect!”

I was utterly bundled up, only exposing a pair of eyes.

The air conditioner was on in the mall. It was quite hot when I wore these clothes. But Xing Lie seemed to be very happy, so it was fine if I was a little hot.

“It’ll be New Year’s in a few more months.” Xing Lie walked with me in the shopping center with a paper bag in his hand. “Do you know what ‘New Year’s’ is?”

I shook my head. “Tell me.”

“New Year’s is us humans’ biggest holiday.” Xing Lie lifted a hand and placed it on my shoulder. He spoke very slowly, sounding lazy, “No, more like it’s the biggest holiday for us Chinese.”

I tilted my chin up to look at him. “‘Chinese’?”

This was a word that I didn’t really encounter in my daily life.

Xing Lie ruffled my hair, mirth in his voice, “Little tree spirit, why don’t you know anything?”

“I was normally by myself. And no one ever taught me.” I frowned, and began to refute, “It’s already not easy for me to be able to live like a normal human and not be considered Other.”

How did I not know anything? I clearly learned many things in the past week or so.

Perhaps there were some very simple problems1 that I didn’t understand, thereby making other people think I was a fool. I was already used to it.

Who was it for that I decided to become human instead of being the tree that I was?

Yet this person threw me in his house for a week. And now he complained that I didn’t understand anything.

It really made people angry.

“Yowh, you’re angry?” Xing Lie bent his waist to look at my face, seeming to smile even more happily, “Your temper is quite bad!”

Actually, I was angry. But I stubbornly insisted that I wasn’t.

Most likely because I’d been together with a human for a long time, I was also beginning to be a little human-like.

…Such as not being truthful.

”I treat you so well and you’re angry. Little white-eyed wolf2.”

“Who told you to leave me at home for a week and not come back?”

I can’t endure anymore. I want to hit him.

However, once I lifted my head, I happened to meet Xing Lie’s eyes which were full of mirth.

I was instantly not as angry anymore.

He looks so good when he smiles.　

""

“So that’s the reason?” Xing Lie stroked his chin, “But Older Brother has to work. Otherwise, how else will I get the money to buy clothes for you?”

“It’s not like I wanted the clothes.” I muttered, lowering my head. Halfway through my sentence, I suddenly realized something. “You’re not my older brother.”

“How am I not your older brother?” Xing Lie patted my head. “You’re called Xing Tong and I’m Xing Lie. It sounds like we’re brothers.”

That does seem to make a little bit of sense.

And if we’re brothers, then we can be considered as family.　

“Are we family?” I asked Xing Lie.

He paused, not answering me immediately.

I knew that I most likely had thought too much. How could a human and a tree be family?

“Oh, it’s fine if we’re not.”

“Have you always been alone (person)? What I mean is, a lone tree?”3

I shook my head. “I didn’t use to be.”

“Did you have a family?” Xing Lie asked, curious, “Any other trees that played with you?”

""

I sniffled and began to be angry again.

This person truly has a bad memory. Why does he keep forgetting what happened in the past?　

“There were no trees,” I remained standing where I was, hanging my head4. I was both angry and dejected, “There was only you.”