Das Leben der Landbevölkerung in der Stadt während der Song-Dynastie

Kapitel 11

"We are the ancestors of humankind!"

"No, they are the new progenitors of humankind!"

"Let us use our pure souls to touch the hearts of people around the world."

"With new laws, everyone has hope!"

"May there be no more suffering, and may those who love each other be reunited."

"There will be no more separation, and all the strange and distorted human nature will become kind."

"Yes, it liberates those who feel guilty and makes those who do evil and do not repent disappear."

"Let the world become an Eden, living in harmony with nature, and free from conflict between people."

"Let the world be filled with love, let war and terror disappear, and let humanity be saved!"

"Yes, we want to bring a new order to the world!"

...

But before they could finish speaking, they were engulfed in flames again, amidst a relentless cycle of wind, thunder, lightning, screams, and darkness. As if in an instant, Yu Fu and Wu Huan reappeared in the world, while the flames soared into the sky, whistling as they vanished into the depths. Leaving bewildered Yu Fu and Wu Huan standing alone on the empty street.

"What's going on?"

"Perhaps it's alluding to something?"

The two walked on wearily and disappointedly. Such an experience was truly strange, but they couldn't understand the purpose of making them see all of this.

Yu Fu looked up; the sky was still a dark green, and neither he nor Wu Huan knew what time it was. Neither of them wore watches nor carried cell phones. Even if they had these things, they didn't know whether they should trust them.

"I understand!" Wu Huan suddenly shouted. Yu Fu hurriedly asked, "What is it?"

"The Garden of Eden shows us that we can build our own new world! Everything is creative! Yay!!"

"yes!"

Although Yu Fu said this, there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

Men are rational beings, while women are emotional beings. This is true now, and it will be true in the next moment, and it will always be true. Men and women fall in love because of their differences, the world develops because of its imperfections, and this is the truth forever.

As night was about to fall, two new humans walked among the city's grid-like structures, unnoticed by anyone.

<Nine> Our City

Heading east from here, the city fell silent in the dim twilight, like a colossal monster silently watching its prey. A murderous aura permeated the still air, threatening to devour anyone who stepped into its territory, skin and bones.

“You know what? I’ve discovered a truth,” Yu Fu said, turning to Wu Huan with a childlike expression. Wu Huan calmly asked, “What is it?”

"Individuals make up humanity, humanity makes up society, and society suppresses the individual."

"Yes, that's how society works."

"But why is it like this?"

Yu Fu suddenly stopped, staring blankly at the last rays of the setting sun on the horizon.

They stood atop a higher slope, far from the place filled with universities. The road was new and flat, but the melted snow made it somewhat slippery. Below, an elderly man was struggling uphill, pushing three carts loaded with a desk. His heavy steps were unsteady, and his expression was pained. Beside him, students occasionally passed by on the sidewalk, some laughing, some indifferent, some with disdain. Across the road, another elderly man, seemingly drunk, sat dozing on the snow-covered embankment. His face was pale from the cold, yet bloodshot. Pedestrians, young and old, walked by in twos and threes. A gust of wind swept through, whipping up fine snowflakes that raged from one end of the road to the other. As if drunk, the old man fell backward, lying in the snow, the snowflakes gently falling and covering him. Everyone covered their faces as they walked, their eyes fixed on their feet. Oh, the biting cold wind!

Yu Fu was still gazing at the horizon; the sun had already set, and darkness was about to reign over the earth once more.

“I think God may exist. He showed us the Garden of Eden, which must have been a revelation. This city is where we are reborn.”

Wu Huan remained silent, listening quietly as Yu Fu spoke calmly.

"I have decided to stop using empty words to express my feelings and stop talking about ideals. What the new world needs is action, the act of transforming numb souls."

Yu Fu grasped Wu Huan's hand again, and large tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Just now, I reflected on my life. There have been sunshine and joy, but just when I thought happiness was everywhere, misfortune struck, followed by relentless setbacks. Because of these setbacks, I became withdrawn, ceasing all contact with society, real contact. Everything I experienced was through newspapers, television, and even my imagination. I lived in my own mental sanctuary, a place filled with pain and self-blame. I thought I was right, that this was the whole picture of society. But just now, in that instant, I suddenly understood: darkness is always adjacent to light; without light, darkness loses its meaning. It's as if the other half of an angel is the devil. Now I finally have the courage to love again. I've finally decided to see the world and human nature clearly; there must be light behind the darkness."

Wu Huan looked somewhat puzzled, gazing at Yu Fu with a perplexed expression, awaiting an answer.

"Wu Huan, I love you, and I hope to walk hand in hand with you through life."

"ah?!"

"I love you. This love came suddenly and is unstoppable."

"Are you...are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

"..."

Wu Huan bit her lip tightly, tears welling up instantly. She covered her mouth in a panic, a low scream escaping her lips. The tears swirled, shimmering with golden light, like countless tiny suns rising from Wu Huan's cheeks, illuminating the dark green sky as if streaks of lightning were frozen in the heavens. This strange sight was unexpected, but it seemed that no one else noticed it except Yu Fu and Wu Huan.

“Look, you are like an angel, the angel in my life.”

Wu Huan's sobs turned into laughter; she was so happy, her soul bright and pure because of the love she received.

May I kiss you?

"..."

Wu Huan blushed slightly and lowered her head. Yu Fu cupped Wu Huan's beautiful face and gently pressed his lips to hers. In that instant, heaven and earth disappeared, and dazzling light filled the surroundings. Both Yu Fu and Wu Huan's hearts pounded uncontrollably, filled with a sweet feeling.

Is this love?

"Yes, love that has been gone for a long time."

A knowing smile blossomed in their eyes.

At that moment, they suddenly discovered that their bodies had become transparent, and they could see their hearts. The hearts were bright, soft, and faintly red. They turned their gazes around and found that everyone was transparent; some hearts were shrouded in darkness, some hearts were fiercely battling light and darkness, and some hearts were clean but remained outside the body, empty inside. Every heart was different, and their suffering was destined to be different as well.

"How wondrous! Could this be the true nature of humanity?"

"But why are their hearts different from ours?"

"Because they are not us."

Yu Fu's gaze swept over the old man pushing his cart, who was stopped on the slope. He noticed that the old man's heart was a murky white light, while the hearts of the students walking past him were composed of a mixture of pure white light and darkness. Every ray of light flickered, and looking down from the top of the hill, through the steel and concrete city, countless lights, some strong and some weak, flickered, creating an incomparably beautiful scene in the gradually darkening city.

"So beautiful."

Wu Huan said that she gently rested her head on Yu Fu's shoulder, gazing at the city with contentment.

Is this our Garden of Eden?

Yu Fu put his arm around Wu Huan's waist, pondered deeply, and then answered:

"This is our home."

At that moment, groups of students walked by in twos and threes. They didn't even see Yu Fu and Wu Huan, walking straight past them. A cacophony of voices rose and fell into the distance.

"We have completely disappeared."

They looked at each other, still showing surprise, but no longer shock.

Every new beginning is built upon a dying past, a chaos filled with wonder at the world. Everything, every living being, every place that already exists has new meaning, can be a new beginning. This is true in this moment, and it is true in that moment. For those without light in their hearts, there is no difference between this and that, and therefore no new hope.

"From this moment on, this is our Garden of Eden!"

Yu Fu grabbed Wu Huan's hand and loudly announced, as if making a vow.

<Ten> Under the Night

Christmas is almost over, but the festivities are just beginning.

Yu Fu and Wu Huan walked hand in hand down the street, their thoughts differing, though happiness was the same. The difference between men and women lies not in the physical, but in their thoughts. Individuals without difference, those who are androgynous, are closer to the true essence of humanity; a contradictory mixture, yet tragically without a home. Men and women are two groups at opposite ends of the spectrum, and it is precisely because of these vast differences that a binary world exists; those in the middle are destined to perish.

The city's night is ablaze with lights, a surge of revelry fueled by this Western holiday. Couples hold hands, lovers gaze into each other's eyes, while only the lonely turn around, wondering where home is.

Yu Fu and Wu Huan walked forward, filled with curiosity, for the lights within people's hearts varied in color and brightness. There was no longer any need to guess who was good and who was bad; everything was clearly visible. They discovered that people's words and actions were inconsistent; a body driven by a dark heart did not necessarily commit evil; every individual possessed their own thoughts. This revealed a universal truth:

People often think evil, but often do good.

A person who is completely true to themselves does not exist in this world, because contradictions in thought are always present; people only care about the consequences of their actions. How can one not punish those who go against their will? How can one guarantee that someone whose mind is constantly unbalanced will not do things against the will of the masses? Remember, saints exist only in legends; only the dead can forgive everything.

"Ah, how shall we build our own Garden of Eden?"

On the pedestrian overpass on South Street, Wu Huan spoke to Yu Fu, who was gazing at the city lights at night. Yu Fu turned around, looked at Wu Huan with tenderness in his eyes, and Wu Huan was immediately moved. This moment belonged to them. The revelers surged past, passing through their bodies, their noisy laughter floating like a layer of oil, passing overhead and under their feet. They were oblivious to it all, their eyes only on each other.

"Oh, with you by my side, my dearest, even hell is the most beautiful Eden."

Wu Huan chuckled softly, her face flushed. Everyone loves to hear cheesy words, especially when they come from the mouth of a loved one—it's like heavenly music. Wu Huan rested her chin on Yu Fu's shoulder, stood on tiptoe, and tightly embraced Yu Fu's neck, gazing at the distant scenery. The wind howled through the streets, vehicles weaving through the surging air currents, and pedestrians in the shadows shimmered with a spiritual light, like soft lamps, flickering and illuminating as they moved through the long street, ethereal and otherworldly.

"In this life, may you be happy and content, and may you smile even in hardship."

Yu Fu gazed at Wu Huan again. This kind woman, despite so many setbacks and sins, had not lost her courage to live. She still stood up, remaining an upright person in this world. Wu Huan's soul was purer than the soul of any passerby—what a miracle! How wondrous the human soul is! Yu Fu recalled the words of a Soviet writer: "A nation that rises from suffering has nothing left to frighten it."

But at that very moment, something strange happened: a young woman bumped into them, and the three of them immediately exchanged astonished glances, as if they had discovered a tremendous secret. Even stranger, Yu Fu discovered that while the others couldn't see him, they could see the woman; she was real.

"You? Who are you?" Yu Fu asked.

"Who are you?" the woman asked back.

“We might be angels. What about you?” Wu Huan answered and asked.

“An angel? That reminds me of something… Oh, I don’t know who I am,” the unfamiliar woman replied.

At this moment, Yu Fu made a new discovery: this woman's heart was transparent, without the slightest impurity. She stood before him, radiating a soft light, like an angel, only without wings.

"How could you not know who you are? Everyone has a origin; nothing in this world comes from nothing. Are you an angel?"

“An angel? Me? How could that be? I remember walking out of a school. It was a Friday, what an unlucky day. I remember clearly that a car suddenly rushed out from around the corner, and I was in the hospital. But I can’t remember who I am. The damn driver ran away, and nobody knows which school I went to. Just like that, I lost myself.”

When the woman said this, everyone around her stared at her with surprise. This was because, in their view, the woman was talking to herself.

"Let's go somewhere else to talk, it seems like no one can see you here."

Doesn't that surprise you?

"Oh, what's so strange about that? Many people are forgotten by even more people, and many people are blind to reality. That's just how the world is. What's so strange about that?"

“You must be an angel, an angel sent by God to bring us the gospel, otherwise how could we have met in such a big city?”

"Stop talking like that, it's too formal and makes people uncomfortable."

Amidst many astonished gazes, the three left and walked towards an open space to begin their conversation.

The place was located in a small alley leading from South Street to Desheng Street. It was pitch black without streetlights, and a strong wind swept through, swirling dust in the air. Occasionally someone would pass by, but they would hurry, their glances filled with wariness. The unfamiliar woman smiled, a radiant smile.

“You see, I’m an oddball just like you. They’re always afraid of the unknown, yet they’re always exploring it. It’s really interesting.”

"But I don't understand, your heart... is so clean and bright."

"My heart? You can see my heart? Tell me, what does it look like?"