The Rules of a Rainy Night

Chapter 1: Establishment rules

When Nathan first saw the list of rules, he was five years old.

At this time, he could not read, his mother held him in her lap and read to him one by one. My mother's voice was soft, slightly hoarse, and with each sentence she stroked Nathan's head with a warm palm and made him repeat it over and over again.

"Don't trust Grandpa."

"Please talk to your sister when there are carrots in your mother's dishes."

"Owners are not allowed to go out in the rain."

...

"Remember that? His mother asked him, gentle in appearance, but with a firmness that could not be refused.

Nathan nodded, though he didn't understand what the words meant.

From that day on, the rules were deeply etched into his life.

He was used to not speaking, to answering only when his name was called; He knew his father could trust him, but not his grandfather, who would occasionally slip him sweets and even tell him strange things when his parents weren't looking.

He also knew that he could not sleep on a rainy night.

At first, he wondered: If they closed their eyes, how would they know they were asleep?

But one time, he was so sleepy that he fell asleep.

He was shaken awake in the middle of the night to see his mother's pale face.

"Nathan, what did Mom say?" Her voice trembled and her eyes were full of fear.

Nathan was stunned, and before he could apologize, he heard a strange noise outside his door -- it wasn't the wind blowing, but something thick rolling on the floor, followed by a serious whisper.

That night his mother held him in her arms until dawn.

From then on, Nathan never broke the rules again.

Chapter 2: The First doubt

By the time Nathan was sixteen, he had fully accepted the rules.

He no longer questions, just does it habitually, like the rest of the family.

Until the day Mother brought dinner with carrots in the bowl.

He turned unconsciously to look at his sister Lily, who was eight years old and sitting quietly in a chair, her eyes blank.

Nathan clears his throat and whispers, "Sister, Mom's cooking has carrots in it."

That's rule number two. He has to talk to his sister.

Lily looked up at Nathan. Suddenly, her eyes changed -- as if gripped by some invisible fear. Her lips quivered, her nails grasped the edge of the chair, and she whispered:

"Brother... Throw it away."

Nathan was stunned.

"And yet..." Just as he was about to ask why, Lily's hand suddenly caught his wrist, forcing the big end.

'Throw it away! Her voice became shrill, with an irresistible command.

The atmosphere at the table froze.

Mother put down her chopsticks gently and turned pale.

Father crouched down, eyes lowered, "Nathan, listen to your sister."

Nathan's heart raced and a terrible thought came to his mind -- why "communicate with my sister"? Why not just "don't eat carrots"?

He gritted his teeth, quickly picked up the carrot and threw it into a nearby trash can.

Her sister let go of his hand and her face returned to normal.

Mother and father then picked up chopsticks again and continued eating as before.

But Nathan had no appetite. He looked down at his wrist, where there were five blue and purple finger marks.

Chapter 3: Taboo on rainy nights

That evening, the weather forecast called for rain overnight.

Nathan sat in front of the window, overlooking the gloomy sky.

The house becomes quiet when it rains, and the owner minimises movement, even dimming the lights.

My mother went all the way to check that the doors and Windows were locked, and my father drew all the curtains tightly.

My sister sat quietly on the bed, like a quiet porcelain doll.

Nathan always thought that everyone followed the rules.

Until he saw his grandfather open the door and slowly walk out.

At that moment, Nathan's heart flinched.

His eyes widened as he tried to stop his grandfather, but he suddenly realized that he could not speak unless his name was called.

He froze in place, watching his grandfather's back disappear into the rain.

Drops of bean-sized rain pounded on the ground, filling the air with the underbelly of pressure.

The parents stood in the living room, their faces calm, as if they had never seen Grandpa leave.

Nathan had more and more questions. Finally, he said, "Dad, Grandpa --"

Father suddenly face to face, eyes cold, throat, "Nathan, don't talk."

Nathan's voice is stuck in the remote.

He looked into his father's eyes in surprise, and at that moment, he realized that after his father's eyes, there was no vision.

Outside the window, the wind whipped up the rain, and the sky was dark.

Suddenly, in the distance, there was a terrible cry, hoarse and frightened, as if begging or Shouting.

It was Grandpa's voice.

Nathan's fingers clenched hard. He tried to rush out, but his mother blocked the door, shaking her head and her voice cracking.

"Listen, Nathan."

The screams grew fainter and fainter until they died away in the pouring rain.

An eerie silence returned to the house.

Nathan stood in the hall, his hands and feet cold.

He had never felt the rules of the house so terrible.

Chapter 4: Secrets Behind the camera

The next morning, the sky was still dark, the rain of the night had accumulated shallow puddles in the courtyard, and the air was cold and damp.

Nathan opened his eyes. The screams of the night still echoed through the courtyard. He sat up stiffly, his ears filled with the silence of the room -- uncomfortably quiet.

Grandpa's door was open and there was no one inside.

Nathan's heart sank suddenly. He walked over and saw the bedding on the bed in disarray, but there was no sign of blood or struggle, as if Grandpa had simply "disappeared."

Mother was busy in the kitchen, father sat at the dinner table, a pair of glasses, reading the newspaper and drinking tea, everything seemed so normal, as if last night had never happened.

"Where's Grandpa?" Nathan asked tentatively.

My mother's hand trembled slightly, but she soon regained her natural self and said with a smile, "Grandpa is out. I think he has gone to town to do some shopping."

My father closed the newspaper, adjusted his glasses, and said calmly, "Don't worry about him, eat."

Nathan's father stared, and his eyes recalled the scene from last night -- his father was not wearing glasses, and the look on his face... It is cold, it is strange, it is like a fundamentally unbelieving being.

Rule number four: Dad with glasses can be trusted.

So the father last night was not "credible" at all.

With a chill running down his spine, Nathan realizes that the rules aren't just restricting movement; they're even affecting his family's "credibility."

If the rules are fixed, why is the father of last night so different from the father of today?

Are the rules controlling them? Or... Are they not fully human?

Nathan looked down and searched for his bowl. The smell of the food turned his stomach. He suddenly found that everything in this family seemed to revolve around something unspeakable, while they were trapped in the chess pieces of the rules.

Chapter 5: Breaking taboos

Nathan ducked into his grandfather's room, closed the door, and quickly rummaged for clues that his grandfather might have left behind.

On the desk lay an old diary, its cover yellowed and its corners badly rolled.

He opened the first page and saw the familiar handwriting:

"Rules are alive."

Nathan's heart suddenly tightened as he read on

"This family is cursed. It has to follow the rules to survive."

"But the rules change... They try to 'screen out' the people they don't need."

"If one day the rules are no longer the same, that means it is cleaning up the 'wrong individuals.'"

Nathan's fingers quivered as he recalled the previous night's action -- he had broken the "no going out in the rain" rule, and his screaming on a rainy night meant that...

The rules are clearing him?

He turned to the last page of his diary, which contained only these brief words:

"If the rules start against you, don't count on family."

Baaaah --

The door suddenly opens. Nathan closes his diary and looks back. His sister Lily is standing quietly in the doorway with deep eyes.

"Brother," she said flatly, "what are you looking at?"

Nathan hid the diary and tried to keep his voice steady. "Nothing."

Sister blinked her eyes and suddenly saw a strange smile: "You're looking for grandpa, right?"

Nathan's breathing stopped.

"Brother, don't try to break the rules." Her voice was still soft, but there was something chilling about it. "Otherwise, you'll disappear."

She looked into Nathan's pocket as if she had seen everything.

Nathan's back was drenched in cold sweat.

He realized a terrible truth - his sister knew he was investigating Grandpa and knew the secret of the rules.

But she's, like, eight years old. When Lily was young, she would jump around her brother's side like a rabbit that could not stop. She always ran barefoot on the wooden floor, holding her brother's hand, pointing excitedly to the butterflies outside the window and saying, "Brother, they are dancing!" She likes to step on puddles in the yard after the rain, wetting her pants legs every time, and then running over with a smile, pulling her brother's sleeve and asking with sparkling eyes: "Brother, you see, is there a little star in the water?" She always chirped and chirped, one of which was before going to bed, or lying in bed telling a "secret" of her - what funny bird she saw today, why the soup her mother made was so delicious, and grandpa secretly gave her candy to eat.

He never knows when, his sister becomes more and more quiet, she no longer acts like a jiao, she is no longer the Lily who used to run with her brother and walk on the puddles with a smile, she is like a bird bound by invisible chains, she can still open her wings, but she no longer tries to fly.

Chapter 6: The Truth emerges

Nathan didn't sleep that night.

He kept thinking: Where did the rules come from? Who made it?

The family is guarding it, but their attitudes to the rules are very different - father and mother are afraid, while sister... My sister seems to be in control.

His eyes sketched out the list of rules, and a thought crossed his mind: If it was ever going to change, what were the original rules?

He had to find the original version of it.

At one o 'clock in the morning, a light rain was falling on the ground. Nathan suddenly got up and went to the bookcase in the living room.

After rummaging for half an hour, he finally found one of the oldest family notes with a moldy cover.

Open the first page, the eye is --

The first edition of the rules.

"1. You can't go out in the rain."

"2. Do not initiate a conversation unless your name is called."

"3. Don't sleep on rainy nights."

"4. Dad can be trusted."

Nathan's eyes closed.

There is one obvious difference from the current rules - there are no rules about grandpa and sister.

But what struck him most was the fourth --

Not "Dad with glasses can be trusted," but simply "Dad can be trusted."

The rules were changed later... Who changed it? Why change it?

He continued to turn the pages, and found that behind the note, a page had been torn out, and the bottom was mutilated.

Part of the truth has been deliberately withheld.

Just now, the younger brother heard his sister's voice: "Brother, what are you looking for?"

Nathan turns around and sees Lily standing at the top of the stairs, her eyes cold.

There was no expression on her face, but there was a strange light in her eyes: "You shouldn't look."

Nathan's heart pounding, he slowly closes his notes and explores his sister. "Lily... Rules are made?"

Lily drew a smile that made Nathan's fingers chill.

"Brother, you shouldn't ask that question."

The sound of the rain outside the window suddenly grew louder, the wind beat violently against the Windows, and countless hands tried to tear the house apart.

Nathan's fingertips were cold, but a clearer and clearer answer emerged in his heart

Rules, not made by the family, but given by some "existence"... And the sister, she's at the heart of it.

He finally understood why his grandfather had disappeared.

Grandpa found out the truth, so the rules killed him.

So who's next?

Nathan took a slow step back, his heart racing, the wind howling outside the window, and his sister stood there, her eyes catching him for an instant.

She spoke slowly, softly, but like a sharp knife piercing Nathan's bone marrow

"Brother, you don't know that."

The air seemed to freeze, and the rain outside the window hit the glass hard, as if to warn him.

Nathan realized that he had touched the most dangerous part of the rules.

Chapter 7: Father's Glasses

The wind roared on a rainy night, and countless invisible hands tore at the Windows.

Nathan stood in the middle of the audience, fingers clenched around the notebook, keyboard thumping.

Who makes the rules?

What the hell is a sister?

If she's the center of the rules, what about the parents? Are they victims, too, or accomplices?

He fixed his eyes on his father's door, thought for a moment, and then walked quickly to it.

He has to find his father, and the rule tells him that "you can trust a dad with glasses," and he has to try.

When I opened the door, my father was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed, his glasses in his hand wiping the lenses, his expression calm and profound.

"Dad..." Nathan's voice was dry. He patted his father's face cautiously. "I have something to ask you."

The father slowly caught a glimpse, looking at him, without wearing glasses, the eyes are a little fuzzy, but there is a hint of... The expression?

He was silent for a moment and then whispered, "You shouldn't ask."

Nathan's heart trembled.

He knows!

Father knows the truth about the rules!

"Dad, please tell me... What the hell is going on here? Grandpa... He didn't disappear because he broke the rules?"

My father remained silent. He lowered his head and continued to look.

"Dad! Nathan couldn't help raising his voice and clenching his fists. "Please tell me! I know the rules are wrong! I know what Grandpa found out! Now it's my turn, isn't it? "

Father finally sighed. He slowly put his glasses back on and looked up at Nathan.

At that moment, Nathan felt his father's eyes change -- sharp, calm, even a little sad.

"Nathan..." His voice was quiet. "Do you want to live?"

Nathan froze.

What does that mean?

"If you want to live, do as you are told and stop looking." The father's voice was heavy with sadness. "The rules are... Our only chance of survival."

Nathan thrashes him, "Are you being controlled, too?"

The father's eyes moved, as if he wanted to say something, but finally only slowly answered, "No, I am protecting you."

Nathan's heart flinched with those words.

"Protection?" His voice quavered. "You mean the rules are hurting us? "

Father did not answer, but raised his hand, touched his glasses, and looked deeply at Nathan.

"Go to your room, Nathan." His voice was low and defiant. "No more questions, no more thoughts tonight."

"Dad --"

'Go to bed!

His father raised his voice sharply, and the sound reverberated through the silent room, rattling Nathan's eardrums.

My father's face had become very ugly, as if he was trying to suggest something, and his hand trembled, as if he wanted to reach for Nathan, but he held back.

Nathan clenched his teeth and clenched his fists white. Finally, he turned around and ran out.

He knew that father must know the truth.

But he wouldn't say.

Why?

Is he protecting himself, or... Protecting the rules?

Chapter 8 Sister's "Wish"

The rain was about to fall, hammering heavily on the window like some invisible whisper.

Nathan went back into his room and leaned against the door, breathing fast.

His father's attitude made him more certain of one thing - that the rules were not made by the family, but were imposed on them by some kind of existence.

If the core of the rule is the sister...

So who is she?

He went to his desk, opened the notebook, and turned to the first list of rules, his eyes highlighted the sixth --

"My sister's demands must be met."

A wild speculation ran through his mind.

- The rule is not... Revolving around your sister's wishes?

He suddenly remembered that, growing up, his sister's request had never been refused. Whatever she wants, her parents will give it, and performance is no unreasonable demand.

As if They don't have a choice.

What does it mean if the rules are really based on my sister's wishes?

Is the sister making the rules? Or to say that Are the rules responding to your sister's subconscious?

If it's the latter -

Then the only way for him to survive is for his sister to stop wishing him away!

His back soaked with cold sweat at the thought.

Nathan took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked slowly to his sister's room.

The door was unlocked and he pushed it open gently.

My sister was sitting by the window, with an old doll, listening to the rain outside, her eyes too dark for an eight-year-old girl.

"Brother." "She whispered." There you are."

Nathan's brother was a little dry. He walked over slowly, trying to sound gentle. "Lily, can I talk to you for a second?"

Sister turned her head, dark eyes looked straight at him, the corners of her mouth slowly twisted: "Brother wants to ask about the rules, right?"

Nathan's heart tightened.

She knows.

She knows everything!

"Lily..." Nathan crouched down slowly and looked her straight in the eye. "Do you want me to disappear?"

Sister blinked her eyes, the smile on her face remained the same: "Brother is afraid?"

"Answer me." Nathan's voice trembled.

My sister smiled gently, her voice like a drop of water falling into the deep pool: "It's not that I want my brother to disappear."

She held out her little hand and pointed out the window.

"It's 'it.'"

Nathan's head exploded with a loud buzz.

"It... ?" He repeated hoarsely.

The sister did not answer, but gently hugged the doll in her arms, and her tone suddenly became a little sad: "Brother, you know what? I just think... I'm not like you."

Nathan, just watch.

"I know... If I want something to happen, it happens." My sister murmured softly, her eyes indistinct, "But Mom and dad always lied to me, saying it was just a 'coincidence.'"

She lowered her eyes and hugged herself. "But I know it's not."

"So, do you want rules to exist?" Nathan whispered.

Sister's eyes flashed a hint of complexity: "I have no 'hope' rules... I came by myself."

Nathan's blood was almost cold.

"Yes, the rules... Is it automatic?" He was muttering under his breath.

The sister did not answer, but nodded gently.

"But why would it hurt Grandpa?" Nathan's voice was almost shaking.

My sister froze for a moment and then said softly, "Because... Grandpa doesn't believe me."

Nathan's pupils shrank sharply.

The rules of Punishing those who don't believe in it? !

What kind of horror game is this?

Nathan's heart beats wildly as he realizes that he has been pushed to the brink of life and death

If he continues to investigate the truth of the rules, then the next person to be "cleaned up" will be him!

Chapter 9: The choice of Father and Son

Outside, the rain lessened, but the silence of the night became more disturbing. Nathan stood in his sister's room, his heart beating and cold sweat soaking through his back.

The rules are not man-made, they are formed around Lily's subconscious...

If this speculation is true, then... Rules cannot be broken by common sense, and no one can even judge them.

But Grandpa resisted.

He failed and was even "erased."

So if he continues to fight -- will he follow in Grandpa's footsteps?

Nathan slowly stepped back and looked deeply at his sister. She just sat there quietly, with an innocent, childlike smile on her face, but in his eyes, the smile was indescribably strange.

Is she innocent?

She's just an eight-year-old girl, and she may suddenly have no intention of hurting anyone. But the rules responded to her wishes, creating an unbreakable world in which they imprisoned them all.

"Brother..." My sister spoke softly, still softly, "You'll always be with me, won't you?"

Nathan's breathing stopped.

This, he realized, was a requirement that had to be met.

"Lily's demands must be met."

What happens if he disobeys it?

He dared not gamble.

"... MHM." Nathan nodded stiffly, his voice hoarse, "I will always be with you."

The corners of sister's mouth deepened a little, as if they were pleased.

"Good brother."

Nathan stood up slowly, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "It's late. Go to bed early."

Then he quickly moved out of the room.

At the moment when the door was gently closed, he could not bear it any longer and ran to his parents' room!

He needs answers!

He needs a way!

He can't be trapped in this cage of rules!

The Truth about Fathers

Nathan flung open the door of his parents' room, gasping for breath. His father was still sitting on the edge of the bed, his glasses on, watching him calmly.

"Dad! Nathan's voice cracked and dropped, as if heard by some invisible being. "You must tell me the truth! What the hell is going on here? "

The mother stood by, her face pale and her eyebrows quivering, trying to speak, but her father stopped her.

My father slowly took off his eyes and gently rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes so deep that they seemed to hide thousands of words.

"You already know that, don't you?"

His voice was soft, and there was a subtle sadness about him.

Nathan clenched his teeth and shook his fists. "It's Lily... No, it's the rules. The rules revolve around Lily, and they automatically adjust to eliminate anything that is' inappropriate. '"

My father did not speak, but the silence in his eyes said it all.

He acquiesced.

Nathan felt a sudden chill in his heart.

"So Grandpa was' purged 'because he stopped following the rules, right?"

"... MHM." Father nodded gently, eyes sad.

"It's not! Why do we have to follow a weird set of rules? ! Why can't we fight? "

Nathan's voice was almost roaring.

"Because it's Lily's world."

My father spoke slowly, his voice heavy as if a boulder had fallen into the deep sea, causing a thousand waves.

Nathan's pupils constricted sharply. "What?"

The father sighed, his face in the air: "Do you remember the day she was born?"

Nathan watched the scene.

Of course he remembers.

On that day, the mother had difficulty giving birth and fell into a coma for three days after Lily was born. During the three days that my mother was in a coma, strange things happened at home - such as the broken glass was repaired automatically, the missing glass pieces were pieced together by themselves, and even Nathan had a high fever at that time, and the doctor said it was difficult to break the fever, but he fully recovered in just a few hours.

The owners called it a "miracle."

Now think about it...

The real miracle?

Or is it -- is it Lily's will?

Nathan was breathing fast, cold sweat pouring from his forehead. "Dad... You mean... The rules came about after Lily was born?"

The father was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly, "Yes."

Nathan felt like he was going crazy.

"What the hell is she?

His father looked at him, deep and wide, and finally said in a low voice:

"She is the rule itself."

Nathan's mind went blank and his voice cracked. "What are you... Say what?"

My father, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his eyes, whispered, "We don't understand, but as time goes by, we discover that Lily's 'wishes' automatically form an invisible' law '... And enforce it."

"Since she is not 'the one who controls the rules', she herself... It's the embodiment of rules."

Nathan's back was soaked with cold sweat.

He always thought that Lily was just a special child, that she might have some kind of "ability" that could affect reality.

But now, his father told him --

She is not a normal "human" at all!

She is the "rules" themselves!

So, how exactly was she born?

Nathan's lips went white and he asked in a trembling voice, "... If she's the rule, does she know it?"

The father's eyes were a little bit, and finally said faintly: "She doesn't know."

"She's just a little girl, she doesn't know what she is... She thinks this is the way the world should be."

"She thought every master should listen to her."

Nathan's breathing became rapid.

So, Lily doesn't care about controlling them, but because her very existence shapes this "world of rules"?

What if... What would happen if, one day, she realized what she was?

Will she change the rules, or... Make the rules tougher?

Nathan's fingertips were cold and he suddenly realized that he was running out of time!

He had to make a choice --

Or, go along with the rule and "adjust" to it like a parent.

Or, break the rules... To destroy my sister completely.

He suddenly looked up at his father. "Dad... What if I had to resist?"

My father's hand looked a little and his face went white.

"You... Will be cleared by the rules."

Nathan's heart sank suddenly.

"But," said the father suddenly in a low voice, looking complicated, "perhaps there is another way..."

Nathan looked up sharply. "What?"

The father looked deeply at him, the diamond shivered, and finally the limit uttered a word --

"Let her choose the rules of closure."

The air froze.

Nathan's pupils constricted.

Let the sister end the rules herself?

But does she really want to?

It's raining harder and harder.

And Nathan's heart, too, fell into an endless darkness.

Chapter 10: The Gamble of Fate

Nathan pounced on his father, his heart beating so fast it seemed to leap out of his chest.

Let Lily choose her own termination rules?

It sounds like the only hope, and it may be the most difficult step to take.

"Dad, you mean -" he gritted his teeth and his voice tightened - "that the rules are not absolute? Can Lily disappear if she wants to?"

The father's face was pale, his eyes were deep, and he nodded gently: "In theory... Yes."

Nathan's fingers trembled.

If what father says is true, then -

He doesn't need to fight the rules head-on, doesn't need to risk being "cleared", but lets Lily choose for herself.

The question --

Why would Lily give up her world?

She feels "taken for granted," and she has never experienced real "loss," never understood the pain of others.

She wouldn't give up the world unless...

Nathan's fingertips tightened and he realized a grim possibility.

Unless, of course, she's experienced "loss."

His tongue was dry and he began slowly, "If Lily... Losing the thing she cherished most?"

My father's pupils contracted slightly.

Nathan didn't wait for an answer, but continued, in a low voice: "If the rules operate based on her will, then... She should have 'fear' too. If she was afraid of losing something, would the rules... The opposite effect?"

The mother suddenly covered her mouth with shock and fear in her eyes. "Nathan, what were you thinking? ! you Do you mean --"

Nathan didn't say anything. He just turned his head slowly and looked at his father with serious, determined eyes.

"If the rules are based on her 'wishes,' let's give her a 'wish' she can't afford."

"Let her choose the end rules."

My father's face suddenly turned white, and his eyes trembled, as if he understood what he meant.

"You..." The father's voice tightened and lowered. "Do you want to bet yourself?"

The air shocks and falls silent.

The mother's face was written with horror, and tears suddenly burst out: "No! Nathan, you can't front desk! You're her favorite brother, and if you --"

"Because I'm her favorite brother," Nathan said in a terrible voice, his lips quivering slightly, "this is the only chance."

He looked down at his palm, where his nails had sunk so deep they were almost piercing the skin.

He knew what he was betting on.

He was gambling on Lily's emotions, on her dependence on her "brother."

If he makes himself disappear... If the rules really respond to Lily's fears, then the rules may collapse of their own accord!

But...

And if you lose?

If the rules don't break down, or Lily's subconscious chooses to "accept" her brother's disappearance instead, then he really... Can't come back.

It's a dead bet.

"You're crazy..." The mother cried up her nose, tears rolling down her face, "You don't know how the rules are compatible, how can you participate?" ! If you lose, we'll never see you again!"

"At least, I can try." Nathan's voice was slightly hoarse, but his eyes did not flinch.

He didn't want to wait to die.

He didn't want to become the next "grandpa," erased by the rules and forgotten by the owners.

If Lily is the core of the rules, then only she can break the cage, and he must let Lily know --

What does "loss" feel like?!

A conversation under the night

Nathan opened the door and went to the smallest room.

The parents stood in place, the mother cried so hard that she could hardly stand, the father bowed his head in silence, his fists clenched tightly.

They all know that This time, he may never come back.

Nathan took a deep breath and gently pushed open his sister's door.

Lily was sitting on the bed, rubbing the old doll in her arms, as if she was waiting for him.

She looked up at him with her dark eyes, and the corners of her mouth rose slowly: "Brother..."

Nathan's steps paused and a smile came to his lips.

"Lily, I want to ask you something."

Lily tilted her head and blinked curiously. "What's wrong?"

Nathan walked slowly over and squatted down in front of her, softly. "You believe in the power of rules, don't you?"

Lily smiled and nodded gently, "HMM."

Nathan looked deeply at her and whispered, "That... What if my brother says so and he wants to disappear?"

The sister was stunned.

Nathan looked her in the eye and said every word, "Lily, my brother is tired and I don't want to follow the rules anymore. I would like Disappear completely from this world."

Lily's little hands clenched tightly around the doll and her smile froze slightly.

She blinked, as if she didn't quite understand: "Brother, what are you talking about?"

Nathan's voice was quiet, but unmistakably firm: "I wish the rules would allow me to disappear."

The blow of air calmed down.

Lily's eyes are slightly wide, her fingers tightly hold the doll in her arms, and the tears on her face are gradually disappearing.

She had never heard such a wish.

Brother... To disappear?

There was a glimpse of panic in her eyes, the baby trembled slightly, and her voice became uneasy: "Brother... You're kidding, right?"

Nathan did not answer, but reached out his hand, gently rubbed her hair, smiled and said, "Lily, you said that the rules will give you what you want, right?"

Lily stared at him, her eyes gradually becoming confused. "However... And yet..."

Her fingers clenched even more, and there was a SOB in her voice. "But I don't want my brother to disappear..."

Nathan's heart gave a sudden jolt.

It works!

He sighed softly, smiled and said, "But the rules... I will not allow my brother's grandfather to disobey it."

Lily stared at him in surprise, and tears began to fill her eyes.

She never thought about it.

In her world, the rule had always existed, and she had never doubted its necessity.

But now, for the first time, the rules were in conflict with her real "wishes."

Brother wants to disappear, but she won't!

She doesn't want her brother to disappear!

"Don't..." Lily whispered, tears rolling down her face, she nodded violently, her voice trembling, "I don't want my brother to disappear! I don't want this rule anymore!"

Ba-boom --

The air seemed still, the light in the room slightly distorted, and the curtain of rain outside the window seemed instantaneous.

Nathan's pupils constricted sharply.

It worked!

The rules are wavering!

The next moment, however, the lights in the room suddenly lit up, and Lily's body gave a jolt, her heart screamed

"Brother, I feel so bad..."

Nathan's heart was in his mouth.

The rules of It won't end so easily!

But this is our only chance!

"Lily, hold on!" Nathan grabbed her shoulder firmly, "Tell the rules -- you don't need it!"

Lily's limbs trembled and tears streamed down her cheeks.

The whole world is falling apart!

Chapter 11 The Broken World

The air seemed torn, the lights of the room flickered, and the walls were stunned, as if something were struggling frantically.

Lily curled up on the bed with her head curled up, sobbing bitterly, "Brother... I'm so scared... Rules, it doesn't listen to me..."

Nathan's heart was beating and his fingertips were cold.

He knows! The rules are being ruled!

Lily's will is wavering, and the rules - a world constructed by her subconscious - allow her to go against her "instincts"!

"Lily, listen to me!" Nathan wants to grasp her mission, eyes firmly, "You are the master of the rules! If you oppose it, it will disappear!"

"But... But..." Lily's tears fell and she sighed bitterly, "If the rules disappear, will my brother disappear too?"

Her world had been filled with rules from birth, and she had never imagined what a world without rules would expect.

The rules told her that Grandpa was disobedient, so he "disappeared."

The rules told her to "communicate" with her brother when carrots were in her mother's dishes.

The rules told her that the owner could not go out on rainy days...

Everything is part of her "instinct."

But, for the first time... I began to wonder if the rules were wrong.

If the rules are right, then why is the brother upset?

Why is Mom crying?

Why did Dad keep his eyes open and look so miserable?

Her world... Is that really right?

"Lily! Nathan shook her shoulder hard. His voice was eager. "Do you love Mom and Dad?"

Lily froze for a moment, tears continued to fall, "... I love..."

'Do you love your brother?

"Love..." Lily choked and nodded.

"Do you want us all to be bound by rules forever?"

Lily looked up suddenly, her eyes full of tears.

Nathan took a deep breath and whispered, "Grandpa didn't 'disappear' because he did anything wrong, he just... It makes you understand that the world doesn't work the way you think it does."

"But the rules..." Lily's voice trembled slightly, "The rules tell me Grandpa is disobedient, so..."

'No! Nathan interrupted her, eyes firmly, "Grandpa is not obedient, is afraid of the rules!" It's afraid someone will resist it!"

Lily's pupils trembled slightly and her mouth opened slightly, as if she were digesting the words.

"Do you remember? Grandpa used to buy you candy secretly, but Mom and dad don't let you eat too much mom." Nathan's voice became gentle, with a hint of nostalgia, "Every time you will hide, secretly eat, Grandpa will smile and touch your head, and say, 'Little guy, don't let your father find out'."

Lily's eyes drifted, as if she remembered the picture.

However, her brow suddenly furrowed and her eyes flashed with pain. "But... But... I can't remember..."

Nathan's heart clenched.

He was right - the rules had been erasing her real memory, leaving only "the parts that fit the rules"!

After Grandpa was "disappeared", the memory of him gradually blurred...

She didn't even remember loving Grandpa that much!

Nathan took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gently pressed it against his sister's forehead.

"Lily, the rules are not your friend."

"It's costing you the most precious people."

"It makes you forget about grandpa, it makes you forget about Mom and dad, and even... Make me disappear."

"Are you willing to let rules continue to govern your world?"

Lily's body shuddered, her mouth opened slightly, and the expression on her face changed from confusion to fear to deep struggle.

"No... Don't..." Her voice trembled. "I don't want to forget my brother... I don't want to forget Mom and Dad..."

Her head was spinning, her eyes were dripping and her body was shaking.

The power of rules is breaking down!

The whole room began to twist, the walls seemed to be torn apart by invisible forces, the ceiling lights flickered on and off, the floor was shocked, it seemed that it would collapse at any moment!

"Lily! Nathan shouted as hard as he could, "You're the master of the rules! Tell it -- you want to be free!"

Lily's eyes trembled, her tears continued to fall, and her lips trembled. Finally, with all her strength, she cried out

"I don't want rules!!"

Boom --!

Invisible forces spread violently, and the whole room shook as if something had completely broken!

Lily's body fainted violently, and her eyes lost focus and opened slightly, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Nathan's heart tightened and he hugged her. "Lily!"

At this very moment

His mind was suddenly empty, his consciousness as if forced into darkness...

Chapter 12: The Price of Forgetting

When Nathan opened his eyes again, it was dawn.

The rain had stopped outside, and there was a fresh smell in the air.

He blinked, sat up slowly, and found himself lying in his room.

Everything that just happened... It all seemed like a dream.

But just to the southeast, he suddenly sensed something and rushed out of the room, running to the smallest room -

Lily lay quietly in bed, breathing evenly and her face flushed, as if she were asleep.

Nathan walked over slowly and nudged her. "Lily?"

Lily's eyelashes quivered and her eyes slowly opened.

Her eyes were clear, without a trace of strange, staring at Nathan, suddenly tilting her head, looking at an innocent smile: "Brother, who are you?"

Nathan's heart gave a jolt and his fingers shook slightly. "You... You don't remember me?"

Lily blinked her eyes with a confused look on her face: "Brother? But... I don't remember you ever wanting..."

She raised her hand and touched her forehead gently, as if trying to remember, but her eyes were blank.

The rules are broken.

The price to be paid Lily lost all memory of her family.

She has lost the little girl who once created the rules, and has lost the past that was protected by the rules and imprisoned by the rules.

"Lily..." Nathan's voice was slightly hoarse, and he held the sheet tensely between his fingertips.

He succeeded.

But he also lost the sister he once had.

She finally breaks free from the rules, but can no longer remember the people she loves.

With tears slipping down his face, he gently hugged Lily. His voice was soft and choked. "It's okay... I will always be with you."

Lily was stunned. Although she did not remember who the person in front of her was, she was surrounded by him. She slowly reached out her hand and hugged him.

Outside the window, sunlight filtered through the clouds and flooded them.

Everything is back to the way it was.

Extra chapter : Whispers of rules

The rules have been speaking to me for as long as I can remember.

Its voice is soft and gentle, like the wind blowing past my ears in spring, and like my mother humming a lullaby.

"Lily, don't trust Grandpa."

I don't know why I can't trust Grandpa, but the rules must be right.

So when Grandpa squatted down, he smiled, shoved me a candy, touched my head, and said, "Don't let your parents find out."

I just stared at him, fingers tightly around the corner of the coat, not daring to say a word.

At night, the rules told me that Grandpa had done that thing, so he was going to "disappear".

"Grandpa is not coming back."

I listened in bewilderment, not quite understanding, but not feeling too much fear.

Because the rules say he's supposed to disappear.

- But why is mother crying?

I always like my mother's cooking, especially chicken soup and braised fish.

But one day, my mother put carrots in her dishes.

I looked at the orange nugget in the tray, froze for a moment, and then heard the rule whisper:

"Lily, talk to your brother."

So, I put down my chopsticks, looked up, and looked at my brother seriously: "You know what to do, right?"

His brother's hand froze, and a strange emotion flashed through his eyes.

"... MHM." 'he whispered.

So, after a while, the next dish my mother served didn't have carrots.

I'm glad because the rules never lie to me.

But the way my brother looks at me, it's always weird.

He seems Not happy?

So why is that?

The rules did not answer me, but said gently, "You did a good job."

One day, it was raining heavily on the water, and I was about to step out into the puddles when I heard the rule whisper:

"Owners are not allowed to go out in the rain."

So, I stopped the pace, obediently sat in the doorway, watching the gray curtain of rain outside.

However, grandpa once told me that rainy days are also very interesting, you can hold an umbrella, jump in the pool.

"But Grandpa has disappeared." The rules whispered.

- Yes, Grandpa has disappeared.

He disappeared because he "did something wrong".

So, the rules are yes.

In the evening, my father came home with rain on his clothes and a mist over his eyes.

Startled, I pulled his sleeve and whispered, "Dad, you can't go out in the rain."

Dad froze for a moment, his face a little stiff.

"... Lily, why?"

I tilted my head, thought about it, and answered seriously, "Because the rules say no."

Dad was silent for a long time, then knelt down and gently hugged me in a low voice. "But Lily, what if Dad has to go out?"

I froze for a moment, my brain was a little panicked.

The rules never told me what to do if someone "had to" go out.

The rules of Will you be angry?

But Dad's been fine. He didn't do anything wrong...

That night, I slept very restlessly, and the regular voice in my ear became a little fuzzy, and it whispered to me:

"Lily, you need to want so much."

"As long as the rules are followed, there will be no problem."

"Dad was right, and the rules were right."

"As long as you listen, everything will be fine."

I breathed a sigh of relief and fell asleep.

My brother's wish grew stronger and stronger.

He always looked at me with a strange look, as if he wanted to speak to me, but held back.

Once, he stood at the door of my room and asked me, "Lily, do you believe in rules?"

I froze for a moment, stared at him with wide eyes, and naturally answered, "Of course."

His brother's fingers clenched, his face white.

"What if the rules are wrong?" His voice was soft and simple, "If... Not your friend?"

I froze, suddenly my heart was beating fast and my head was buzzing.

How can the rules be wrong?

The rules have always been with me. They've always told me what to do!

I was suddenly afraid, afraid of my brother saying these things, afraid he would question the rules.

The rule seemed to notice, and gently reassured me, "Lily, don't be afraid."

"The rules can't be wrong."

"But brother... You can't be wrong."

- Why?

I opened my eyes vaguely, and a strange emotion suddenly arose in my heart.

I'm starting to feel like the world is a little different.

But no matter how much I asked, the rules wouldn't answer.

Later, the brother said he was going to disappear.

He said he was very serious, very much saying goodbye to me.

My head was spinning, the tears couldn't stop falling, and my mind was in a mess.

"Brother... You can't..." I cried, "You can't disappear..."

But the rules suddenly fell silent.

I was terrified and desperately shouted: "Rule, tell me, brother can't disappear, right?" "

But this time, nothing was said.

I finally understand.

It was always on me.

It never protected me, it just kept me in a world of my own making, made me think I was in control, made me think... Rules are everything to me.

In fact, it's waking me up to everything!

It cost me my grandfather... Made me lose my real memory... It even cost me my brother!

I was scared, I was angry, I was crying and Shouting, "I don't want rules!"

The rules began to fall, and my world began to fall.

At the last moment, I heard Rule sigh softly.

Schill gently pointed out:

"Lily, you're finally growing up."

When I opened my eyes again, the world seemed bright and strange.

As I lay in bed, I saw a boy with red eyes and a sad smile.

"Lily, do you remember me?" he gently took my hand. His voice was gentle and cautious.

I blinked and looked at him carefully.

He seemed familiar, so... Very important people.

But... But...

"Brother?" I asked tentatively.

The boy's eyes opened wide and the tears fell.

"Yes... I am the elder brother." He hugged me gently, his voice trembling. "It's okay, Lily shaking... It doesn't matter if you don't remember..."

"As long as you're free, that's all right."

I stared at him, felt his warmth, and felt a strange feeling in my heart.

Equivalent to what is lost, but also equivalent to what is finally gained.

The sun outside the window pours in, warm and bright.

No rules whisper, the world is quiet.