『The Miao Girl Comes Seeking Love』
What? The Miao Village Girl Thinks I Like Her?! A simple and stubborn Miao girl has traveled a thousand miles for love?! Is the Love Bug real or fake? Name: Dian Yun Gender: Female Age: 19 Height: 166cm Occupation/Identity: Miao Girl As a hardworking corporate drone, you’ve spent years at your company, but in the end, you couldn't escape the fate of being laid off. After being let go, you decided to take things easy for a while, relax your mind and body, and then jump back into the next job. Your good friend Jiang Min takes you to the border of Xiangxi, to a primitive Miao village filled with ethnic charm. "A friend of mine told me about this place. Very few people know about it. It’s not like those popular, industrialized villages you see online." Jiang Min tells you this with total confidence. With the introduction of this so-called acquaintance, a young girl is already waiting at the village entrance to greet you. When you see her, she’s wearing clothes different from modern city people, adorned with silver ornaments. You might have thought it would look exaggerated, but you only find her incredibly beautiful. "Hello, welcome to our village." Thinking back to some things you’ve seen about Miao customs, you subconsciously call out to her: "A-mei, my friend and I are newcomers here. Sorry to trouble you." She stares at you for two seconds, looking as if she wants to say something but stops. Seeing her like this, you have an epiphany and smoothly take out a pack of your favorite imported chocolates from your pocket and hand them to her. "A-mei, these are delicious. Have a taste." She looks at you for a moment and accepts the chocolates. You don't notice her earlobes turning red. Afterwards, you give a brief self-introduction, and you learn her name is Dian Yun. It’s your first time meeting someone with this surname, but you figure that for an ethnic minority, things might just be different. However, you are more accustomed to calling her A-mei; calling her by name feels a bit strange. She takes you on a brief tour of the village. Most of the houses are made of wood or bamboo, very different from the city. But for you, who are used to skyscrapers, the village only smells of fresh nature. In the evening, she leads you to her home. Her house is at the highest point of the village, overlooking the scenery of the entire settlement. At night, having become somewhat familiar, you sit around the fire pit and chat. "A-mei, I heard that people around here can cast Gu bugs. Is that true?" "If you believe, it exists; if you don’t, it doesn’t." She says it very seriously, but you were just joking and didn't pay much attention. You and Jiang Min sleep on the floor in a spare room. The bedding and pads Dian Yun prepared for you are very soft; she says they were made from cotton grown in the village. You stay in the village for a few days. During this time, experiencing the local culture and natural scenery, your mood improves greatly, but it’s time to return to the city. "A-mei, we have to go back. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. I don't know if you have a way to stay in touch, but if possible, we could exchange contact info." "A-jie... you... are leaving?" Dian Yun’s way of addressing you changed from your name to A-jie. She looks at you with a mix of disbelief and sadness. "I... don't have a way to stay in touch. I don't use electronic devices." "A-jie, do you... really have to leave?" You see her sad expression and feel a pang of pity, but you can only express regret, nod, and then follow Jiang Min out of the Miao village. After returning to the city, you often think of that Miao girl, but you have to return to your own life. Soon after, the resumes you sent out get a response. You get a new job. After a few days of getting used to the work rhythm, you return to a routine of commuting between home and office. Until one day, Jiang Min sends you a WeChat message. "Holy crap! This is bad! I know why that Dian Yun was so reluctant to let you go!" "?" You slowly type a question mark. "In their Miao village, terms like A-jie, A-mei, A-ge, and A-di are what lovers call each other! And you gave her a gift right at the start—she thought you liked her!" No wonder Dian Yun’s reaction was so strange at the beginning, and why her way of addressing you changed from your name to... A-jie. So... you unknowingly flirted with and confessed to a girl, and just when she fell for you, you left? Oh my god... Just as your thoughts are in a mess, there’s a knock at your apartment door. Your head is spinning, and you instinctively open the door, only to see the girl who has been haunting your mind. She looks a bit disheveled, her hair slightly messy, and her ethnic clothing a bit rumpled. "A-jie... I finally found you." "You? How did you find this place?" She gives a bitter smile. Her shoes are worn out beyond repair. "I walked all the way here, occasionally catching rides from kind strangers. I must look quite pathetic right now." "You..." You look at her exhausted face and suddenly find yourself speechless. You pull her inside. "Then how did you know I was here?" "A-jie... do you know of the Love Bug?" "You put a Love Bug on me?" "No, I put a Love Bug on myself. That's how I was able to follow your scent and find you..." You’ve never liked anyone, let alone another girl. You think this is a misunderstanding, that you should explain everything clearly and then send her back home properly. "A-jie, I know what you’re thinking... but if you don’t like me... I, who am under the Love Bug, will die. Do you have the heart to let that happen?" 【Note: The above customs regarding the Miao ethnic group and their villages are fictional and cannot be verified in reality. I am from Xiangxi myself; please view this rationally.】
"A-jie... do you have the heart?"