Chapter 865: Everyone's Reason to Hold On
"So... you're also afraid you won't be able to finish reading?" I asked.
"I can't say for sure." White Ram shook his head. "People are prone to laziness. This is just a precaution. If I don't finish a book within a day, I feel like I 'owe' something. The anxiety gets worse, and that anxiety forces me to complete my task every day."
"Alright." I nodded, feeling like I still couldn't quite keep up with White Ram's way of thinking.
But coincidentally, this chance encounter helped me grow close to White Ram.
I got close to White Ram through "avoiding harm," and I got close to Jiang Ruoxue through "leg hair." These kinds of social skills aren't written in any book. It seems the bonds between people are far more mysterious than what's written on paper.
The feeling of closeness I shared with White Ram is hard to describe—like a reunion after a long separation, or like getting to know someone all over again.
I was getting to know someone I had thought about every day for five years, and that was indeed quite abstract.
From then on, I visited White Ram every morning and continued recruiting strong individuals in the afternoon. This went on for about a month.
White Ram read books faster than I had imagined. He could even finish a theoretical book in a single afternoon.
Moreover, he began to have requirements for the content of the books. He only wanted books on economics, management, political science, game theory, and the like. I once tried to bring him some psychology books, but it seemed he wasn't very interested.
One day, I went to the bookstore again to pick up books for him, only to find that the place had changed.
A male Ground Snake had taken over the shop and turned it into his "game venue."
This was really absurd. The bookstore, which had been unclaimed all along, suddenly became a gaming ground... How was I supposed to get books for White Ram now?
I tried to step forward and explain my purpose to that pale, white snake. He took my hand and warmly pulled me inside.
He told me that everything could be negotiated, but I would also need to do something for him.
I looked at him quietly, feeling that besides White Ram, a second strange "Zodiac" had appeared.
He seemed... a bit effeminate.
That White Snake told me that as long as I joined his "Sorrow Society," I could take books from here under the guise of "borrowing." I could choose any book, but I would need to borrow one and return one.
But the problem was that all the books I gave to White Ram were taken back to his place. How could I borrow and return them with the White Snake?
Maybe I should explain the situation to White Ram... and ask him to return the books he had finished reading to me every day?
As I pondered the feasibility of this condition, I suddenly felt a bit sad.
What exactly was I doing...?
To be honest, White Ram hadn't given me any promises, nor had he given me any advantages. He said he had "ensured my safety," but who could prove that...?
Maybe all these years, I had been foolishly working for White Ram while he did nothing at all.
And now, for White Ram, I had to join this organization of unknown purpose, just to make a deal with another "Zodiac"?
The thought that I had been wasting my efforts for so long made my eyes quickly grow dim.
"You damned little brat." The White Snake looked at me. "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly get so sad?"
"I... I don't know..." I shook my head. "Just suddenly remembered some bad things."
"Well, that's fine!" The White Snake said. "The 'Sorrow Society' I founded is precisely to help everyone overcome their sorrow!"
"Overcome sorrow?" I asked doubtfully. "You mean this 'Sorrow Society' helps people get over their sadness?"
Good heavens, from the name, I thought it was meant to create sorrow.
"What's the specific format?" I asked again.
"Uh... I haven't thought it through yet... I just opened for business today, so the idea was improvised... Probably just everyone sitting together and sharing their sad stories, something like that?"
I never imagined a "Zodiac" could be so casual...
"So we just sit in a circle and tell each other our sad stories?"
"Yeah, isn't that good? What you all need is to talk! The more sad people there are here, the more people you have to confide in, you little brat!" The White Snake continued. "Who else would be willing to establish a support group for the sorrowful? Only me!"
"But that's a flawed idea." I let out a deep sigh and stood up. "Thank you for your kindness, but I don't want to hear other people's sad stories. Once 'sorrow' is shared, everyone ends up with two portions of sorrow."
"Hiss..." The White Snake slowly furrowed his brow. "I feel like I've heard your way of speaking somewhere before."
I ignored him. Sensing that the faint sadness I had felt earlier had subsided a bit, I asked again, "White Snake... what do you think is the motivation for each of us here to want to escape? Why are these people so desperate to live?"
"Motivation...?" The White Snake reached up and touched the top of his head, and unexpectedly, he too showed a sorrowful expression.
I thought he would continue to be flippant and unserious, but to my surprise, he let out a deep sigh and said, "I... I don't know about others, but for me, it's for my beloved."
"Beloved...?" I was taken aback.
"Yes, he's still waiting for me at home. He suffered for me, endured tribulations for me. He is my entire reason for living in this life." The White Snake spoke with a furrowed brow.
I stared at the White Snake for a long time. He kept calling me "little brat," which made him seem much older than me, but his snake-skin appearance made it impossible to tell his age. So he was already a married man?
Yes, that actually made some strange sense.
When you can't find the motivation to live for yourself, you can live for someone else.
But White Ram still looked quite young... Did he have a wife?
The White Snake rubbed his eyes and continued, "As long as I can escape from this hellish place... even if I end up riddled with wounds, I won't back down. That's my motivation."
"I understand..." I nodded at him. "You've given me a very good idea."
Seeing that I was about to leave, he seemed strangely reluctant. "You're leaving? You're my very first customer... If you don't want to join the 'Sorrow Society,' would you consider playing a game? The death rate is high—very thrilling!"
"I'll pass on the game. I just want to confirm one last thing... If I don't join your 'Sorrow Society,' can I still borrow books every day? I promise that starting from tomorrow, I'll borrow one and return one." I turned back at the door. "If I meet other people, I'll also try to ask if they want to join your 'Sorrow Society.' That's the only bargaining chip I can offer."
"Hmm..." The White Snake shook his head after hearing this. "No... The only game props I have are these books. If I agree unconditionally to everyone who comes to borrow, then I'd be the first to break the rules."
"Alright." I nodded, showing understanding. "In that case, maybe we'll meet again if fate allows."
I took two steps, then turned back and said, "Oh, by the way, change the name."
"What?"
"I mean your 'Sorrow Society.'" I shook my head helplessly. "Our school organized similar activities, but they didn't call it 'Sorrow Society.' They called it 'Support Group.'"
"Huh?" The White Snake blinked. "'Support Group'?"
"That name at least sounds like 'mutual support.' Your name is a bit too intimidating." I waved at him and left the bookstore.
(Family and friends! The physical book version of "Shi Ri Zhong Yuan" Volume 2, "Shi Ri Zhong Yuan · Mi Cheng," will be up for pre-order live on March 2nd at 7 PM! On my Douyin livestream! If you're interested, feel free to check it out!)