200 Years Ago

  Back to the Past

  Walking along a narrow path, Mo Yan and Yu Sui were moving in profound silence. Though Mo Yan’s eyes were fixed straight ahead, they were filled with tears from everything Yu Sui had just shared with him. He stole a glance at Yu Sui’s hands the ones gripping his sword now rough and scarred. When Mo Yan looked forward again, a tear finally escaped and rolled down his cheek.

  Yu Sui, as usual, was drinking wine from a small clay pot. His eyes, too, were moist. He noticed that Mo Yan's body was not the same; he looked frail, and his pace had slowed significantly. Despite his best efforts to hide his emotions, Yu Sui turned his face away but continued to walk closely by Mo Yan’s side.

  Considerable time passed until they found themselves back in the same bustling market they had visited before.

  The market was as vibrant as ever filled with the same stalls, the same shops, and the same chaotic clamor. The moment they entered, it was as if Yu Sui’s inner child had awakened. He ran toward a shop selling wooden toys.

  Mo Yan followed him. Watching Yu Sui delight in the toys like a child brought a captivating smile to Mo Yan’s face; his eyes remained fixed on Yu Sui’s laughing countenance. Yu Sui picked up a small, exquisitely carved wooden rabbit. It was adorable. Suddenly, Yu Sui extended his hand toward Mo Yan.

  Mo Yan stared at the hand in stunned silence for a moment, then looked at Yu Sui, finally understanding the silent request. He pulled a few silver pieces from his robes and placed them in Yu Sui’s palm. With a triumphant grin, Yu Sui bought the rabbit.

  Without looking back, Yu Sui grabbed Mo Yan’s hand and pulled him along. They ran through the crowd together, smiling.

  Yu Sui laughed with the carefree abandon of a blooming flower.

  A little later, they emerged from a shop wearing brand-new, clean robes. This time, Mo Yan had chosen light blue-violet attire, while Yu Sui donned robes as dark as storm clouds. Both stood tall and imposing, distinct from the surrounding crowd.

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  Yu Sui looked into Mo Yan’s eyes and said in a very low, tender voice:

  "Mo Yan. You should rest."

  Mo Yan nodded with a smile and walked ahead, but before following, Yu Sui stopped at a nearby shop to purchase something.

  The sun began to set, casting long, lingering shadows. Birds returned to their nests. The sky was painted in shades of deep red, as if a master artist had painted his greatest masterpiece upon the clouds.

  They found a quiet inn some distance from the market, where the noise was minimal. In a room, Mo Yan and Yu Sui sat by a low wooden table. Mo Yan sat in deep meditation, trying to stabilize his remaining internal energy. His calm yet steadfast form enchanted Yu Sui, who watched him intently, as if finding solace simply by looking at him.

  Silence filled the room. Yet, the two souls close to each other were far from quiet.

  Mo Yan, still in deep meditation with an expressionless face, suddenly asked without opening his eyes:

  "Do you remember anything? Yu."

  Yu Sui was so startled by the sudden question that he nearly stumbled off his seat. The silence in the room vanished instantly. Yu Sui paused for a moment, looked at Mo Yan, and sank into thought. Then, slowly... something came to mind.

  Without a word, he raised his finger and traced a mantra in the air. A faint swirl of golden light shimmered, and from within it, a flute appeared, floating in the air. It glowed with a soft light, but the flute itself was a deep, striking crimson.

  Yu Sui reached out, grabbed it, and looked at Mo Yan with a smile. His gaze was like someone peering into a deep, vast ocean. He stood up and sat down right next to Mo Yan, their shoulders almost touching. Their eyes met in a way that felt like a flood hitting a centuries-old dry land, or a flower blooming on a lifeless tree.

  And then... he began to play.

  He closed his eyes and played a melody that was incredibly soft and sweet. It felt as if it wasn't the flute, but his very heart that was playing. The tune spread through every corner of the room tender, heart-touching, and unbelievably beautiful. Mo Yan was completely mesmerized, drowning in the music and in Yu Sui himself. His eyes were fixed on Yu Sui; in that moment, nothing else in the world existed.

  As the melodious music filled the room, the flute eventually went silent. The room was quiet again, but it was heavy with their presence.

  Mo Yan asked in a deep voice, his gaze now fixed on Yu Sui’s lips:

  "The name of this melody?"

  Yu Sui laughed softly at the question. He looked at Mo Yan, who was staring at him with an intensity that felt beyond this world. Smiling, Yu Sui began to write something on a paper on the table. Mo Yan watched closely as he wrote:

  "Sometimes, the most beautiful flower blooms upon a stone. ’Shi Zhong Sheng Hua’."

  As Mo Yan read those lines, his eyes filled with tears but they were tears of joy. Even his tearful eyes were smiling.