La tumba de Qin Shi Huang

Capítulo 12

The woman said, "The rooster crows," while the man said, "It's still dark."

The sky was dark, the moon was just a crescent hook, and there were only a few stars. The brightest one was Venus, also known as the Evening Star or the Morning Star. Venus is the brightest planet in the sky, with a maximum magnitude of -4.4, which is 14 times brighter than Sirius, the star mentioned in Su Dongpo's poem "Looking northwest, shooting at Sirius." Sirius is the brightest star in the sky besides the Sun.

We gather firewood and tie it up; the three stars shine in the sky. What a night this is, to see such a good man! Oh, my dear, what a wonderful man you are!

Because Venus is so bright, eclipsing all the other stars in the sky, the ancient Greeks bestowed upon it the beautiful name Aphrodite, while the ancient Romans affectionately called it Venus. To them, Venus was a diamond, a beautiful woman, and the goddess of love. In Chinese legend, however, it is depicted as an old man with a white beard. It turns out that it too transformed into the Three Pure Ones in one breath. In the morning it is Venus (the Morning Star), in the evening it is Evening Star, and in the middle it is Venus.

We gather herbs and bundles, three stars shine in the corner. What night is this, to witness such an encounter? Oh, my beloved, what a wonderful meeting!

It must be around three or four in the morning. It's so dark, with only streetlights and the occasional car headlights flashing past me, casting beautiful, flowing arcs of light. The city's streetlights are tens of thousands of times brighter than the stars in the sky.

The knotted strings of the Chu army are tied together, and the three stars shine in the doorway. What night is this, to see such a radiant being? Oh, my darling, what a radiant one you are!

Actually, the three stars mentioned in the context of the constellation Hu refer to the three stars of Orion, Antares, and Aquila. Orion is the three belt stars of Orion, Antares is the three brightest star of Scorpius, and Aquila is the three brightest star of Aquila, also known as the "carrying pole stars".

Look, I can see the stars in the sky so clearly, yet I can't understand my own feelings. Three stars in the sky, three stars in the corner, three stars in the doorway—the stars all shift and change, but in my heart, there is only my beloved. Oh, my beloved, what a wonderful man you are! The Book of Songs contains the most romantic and passionate love poems.

I recite the verses of "What night is this?", my soul wandering aimlessly along the road. Let me go back, let my soul return to its place, let me spend one night with my beloved, watching the three stars rise in the east, turn past their zenith, and set in the west. Every night, every night passes like this, my love, my love, how radiant you are!

I rushed to the banks of the Wuli River, but there wasn't a single ghost in sight. I wept bitterly, shouting for Brother Ma, Brother Luo Yi, Sister Ming, but none of my brothers or sisters came. The sky grew increasingly dark, and gusts of cold wind blew, the river wind howling so fiercely that I could barely stand. I used the wind to lift myself up, discern my direction, and headed towards the Roman Gardens. The deepest darkness before dawn arrived; daylight was approaching. I couldn't linger outside any longer; once the sun rose, I would vanish into nothingness.

Once again, I ride the wind, not like Liezi, not like Zhuangzi, not like the sages of the past, but only like the rooster crowing and the dog stealing. Ghosts are afraid of roosters crowing; when a rooster crows, a ghost vanishes. But I am not afraid. When I think of roosters crowing, I remember a poem, "The Woman Says the Rooster Crows."

The woman said, "The rooster crows," the man said, "It's still dark." The young man rose to look at the night; the bright stars shone.

They will soar and fly, hunting ducks and geese. Let us add to their catch, and share this with you.

Let us drink wine and grow old together. With zither and lute at our side, all is peaceful and serene.

Knowing that you were coming, I presented you with various ornaments.

Knowing that the son was obedient, I asked him about it with mixed ornaments.

Knowing that you like it, I will repay you with a gift of various ornaments.

My reason was once again overwhelmed by emotion; all I could think about was that brief embrace and kiss.

The woman in the poem says, "You've heard the rooster crow; it's time to get up." The man replies, "It's still early. Look at the sky; the stars are still so bright." The woman says, "I knew you were coming. I've made a jade pendant to give to you as a token of my gratitude for your greetings and joy."

What's the use of reading so many books? Instead of contributing to the country, you just waste your time on petty theft and thievery.

Lost in thought, experiencing moments of sadness and joy, I didn't realize that it had started to rain. The rain was neither heavy nor light, pattering against me as I drifted about. The wind blew the raindrops, wetting my hair and dress. I felt heavy and had no choice but to fall to the ground, struggling step by step through the rain.

The wind and rain are mournful, the rooster crows loudly. Now that I have seen my lord, how can I not be at peace?

The wind and rain are fierce, the rooster crows loudly. Now that I have seen my beloved, how can I not be healed?

The wind and rain are dark and gloomy, yet the rooster crows incessantly. Now that I have seen my esteemed friend, how can I not be overjoyed?

I felt no effect from the wind and rain; I was simply overflowing with joy and contentment. A man loved me so deeply, so passionately, and I felt his love in return, wanting to love him with all my heart and soul. Ah, now that I've seen my beloved, how could I not be happy? If I knew that life without him would be a desolate wasteland, then I would gladly risk my life to drink and talk with him. If my body destined me not to grow old with him, then even in the darkest of times, amidst the crowing of roosters, I would still find joy in every moment of every day.

Despite going through so many ups and downs, I still have no regrets about my initial choice.

A car drove past me, splashing water on me, but I walked slowly, ignoring it. The car drove a few meters, then reversed and stopped beside me. It was a black Mercedes. The driver opened the door and leaned out; it was a man slightly older than Luo Yi. The man asked, "Miss, why are you walking alone in the rain? Have you run away from home? Your parents will be worried. Where do you live? I'll take you home."

I stared at him blankly, speechless. Seeing that I was silent, he thought I had suffered some kind of shock, and became even more concerned, saying, "Miss, did you run away from home? Why aren't you wearing shoes? Your clothes are all wet. Get in the car quickly, or you'll get sick if you stay in the rain any longer."

Was this person talking to me? I was stunned and asked him, "Are you talking to me?"

The man found it strange and said, "Yes, who else is there besides you? Where else is there? Miss, did you have a fight with your family? They must be worried in this rainy weather. I have a cell phone here, would you like me to make a call for you so they can feel at ease?"

He can see me? He's talking to me? Could he be like Leng Qingqing? I asked again, "Do you know Leng Qingqing?"

He frowned, increasingly convinced that I was provoked, and patiently said, "I don't know Leng Qingqing, but I feel you're about to become cold and aloof. Miss, do you want to get on or not? I can show you my driver's license. If you still don't believe me, do you want me to give you my phone? You can call the police anytime. Miss, this road leads out of the city, and it's rare for cars to pass by at this time."

I'm confused again. He can see me, he has a driver's license, and he sounds like a perfectly normal person; I'm the crazy one. For him to stop and give a crazy person a ride is truly a kind act. I'll trust him this once; what am I afraid of, a ghost? Besides, this rain is really making me uncomfortable.

I opened the back door, got in, and tried to sit in the corner so he wouldn't be unable to see me in the rearview mirror and become suspicious. I tugged at my half-dry robe and glanced at my socks; the soles were wet and black, as if I had walked a long way in the rain.

The man asked, "Miss, where do you live? Would you like to make a phone call first?"

I looked at my robe and socks, not quite understanding what was going on, and just casually replied, "No. 37, Roman Gardens."

He heard the address and fell silent. The people living there were all wealthy and powerful; what was the point of asking so many questions about a young woman running away from home late at night? It was just the same old story anyway; why pry into someone's privacy?

When I arrived at the Roman Garden, the security guard stopped me, saying I didn't have a pass. I said, "Then I'll get off here." The man said, "How can that be? It's raining so hard. Since I promised to take you home, I won't feel at ease until I get you home safely." I had no choice but to tell the guard through the rear window, "I'm the sister of Ms. Leng Qingqing, the owner of unit 37. She drives a silver Lotus sports car with license plate A-3345." The guard saw that I was telling the truth, and he didn't think I was lying. Leng Qingqing's aloof and elegant image and that silver sports car must have left a deep impression on him. The car's value also indicated that the person inside was unlikely to be there to cause trouble. So he raised his hand, and the gate's lifting arm was raised, allowing the car to drive in.

The reason I said I was Leng Qingqing's sister was because Luo Yi was dead, and his house was empty. If I told people I was going to Luo Yi's house, wouldn't that cause a lot of suspicion and trouble? Leng Qingqing's image is so striking; people will definitely remember her. I used her as a cover so I wouldn't be exposed. I pointed out which way to turn, and after several turns, the car stopped in front of number 37. I got out of the car and thanked the man.

The man glanced at me and asked, "Do you want me to help explain?" I shook my head and said, "No need, you can go now. I don't want my family to know." The man nodded and drove away. I pretended to feel around under the doormat at the entrance, as if I was looking for my keys. Once the car was out of sight, I slipped into the deserted house.

Two people saw me at the same time, without the slightest suspicion. They saw me and spoke to me. My robe was wet, my socks were dirty, and my hair was dripping. What was going on? It couldn't be such a coincidence; those two people also had the ability to see ghosts. Where in the world would there be so many people with the ability to see ghosts? If there were, the world would be in chaos long ago. One cold-hearted person has already become the leader of the Cold Cult; if there were three people with the ability to see ghosts, wouldn't this world become a refrigerator?

I felt as if I had gained substance. Leng Qingqing probably knew why; what she saw was different from what others saw.

This situation was too bizarre. Of all the strange things I've encountered, this one, if not the most unusual, was certainly one of the worst. In my anxiety, I disregarded manners and went upstairs, calling out, "Sister Leng, Sister Leng, which room are you in?"

I heard groans coming from a room on the second floor, as if someone was annoyed at being woken up. I went up to check and saw that the door was ajar, not closed properly. It was dark inside, and the groans were coming from there. I squeezed through the crack in the door, my eyes quickly adjusting, and saw a bed in the middle. The blankets were heaving, and Leng Qingqing must be sleeping on it. I sat down and said, "Sister Leng, are you awake? I have something important to tell you. If I don't tell you, I'm going to explode. I'm too scared to come out when it gets light. Please don't be angry, I'll leave after I finish."

Leng Qingqing gave a soft "hmm" and asked coldly, "What is it?"

I didn't care if she was unhappy, indifferent, or cold; she was used to being cold anyway. I wasn't afraid she'd ignore me; thick-skinned people are thick-skinned everywhere. I said, "Sister, two people saw me and talked to me. I'm soaked from the rain, and my socks are dirty. Sister, do you have any clothes I can borrow to change into? These wet clothes are so uncomfortable. Also, my hair is wet; I don't know if I can take a shower. Sister, could you buy me a couple of sets of underwear? I can't possibly lend you my underwear too. Sister? Are you awake, or have you fallen asleep again? I'm sorry, I woke you up."

Leng Qingqing was getting annoyed by my nagging, so she reached out and turned on the light, saying, "Let me see."

I stood up and showed her.

She sat up halfway, pulled the thin blanket over herself, exposing her shoulders and chest. Oh, so Leng Qingqing is used to sleeping naked. I blurted out, "Sister, I've heard sleeping naked is good for your skin, I'll try it next time."

Leng Qingqing's face turned pale with anger, and she said, "Get out!"

I quickly said, "I'm sorry, sister, I won't say anything. But look at my clothes and socks, what am I going to do now?"

Before Leng Qingqing could speak, she heard another man's voice say, "What happened?"

I screamed and turned to leave. It turned out Leng Qingqing wasn't alone; she had a male companion. I had thought… I had thought someone like her would have a hard time finding a male companion. Firstly, she was cold, and secondly, she… she has special abilities, doesn't she?

Leng Qingqing laughed and said, "Come back!"

I stopped and said with my back to her, "I didn't see it, I really didn't see it. Sister, you can hear me. I'll leave after you're done. It's getting light, and I'm afraid Brother Luo and Sister Ming will worry about me."

He said coldly, "Your Brother Luo is right here."

I screamed again and turned around quickly. Sure enough, I saw someone on the other side of the thin blanket. That person was also half-sitting up, pulling the blanket up to their chest. That person had a handsome face, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. It was none other than Luo Yi.

A movie scene

Oh my god!

Luo Yi truly lives up to his reputation as a superstar, and Leng Qingqing truly lives up to her title as the leader of the Cold and Aloof Cult. The things they did were beyond anything ordinary people could have imagined. Even if Luo Yi is a ghost, he's a dashing young and handsome one, while Leng Qingqing, having seen ghosts for years, has long since lost her fear. These two hit it off perfectly; they couldn't be more compatible. Last night I noticed them exchanging flirtatious glances, their attitudes ambiguous, but I didn't expect them to hook up so quickly. Not only hook up, but they even slept together. It seems we all gained a lot last night. I found myself, my family, and my lover; Luo Yi found Little Ma, learned new skills, rediscovered himself, and unleashed his long-dormant charm; and Leng Qingqing's bed is no longer Leng Qingqing's. How wonderful, a happy ending for everyone. I just wonder how Little Ma managed it, and what about my reappearance?

I used to sit at the foot of their bed and ask Leng Qingqing, "Is he cold to the touch?" Actually, I was wondering if I could handle it. In *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, and in all ghost stories, the female ghost always ends up in bed with the scholar. I've read *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* since I was little, but back then I was more interested in the Taoist priests who could walk through walls, the paper-cut lotus flowers, and the honeysuckle vines and peonies in the Shangqing Palace on Laoshan Mountain. But now I'm not an adult, am I? It's okay to think about other things, isn't it? Other female ghosts can do it, but can I? Little Ma and Luo Yi can, but can I? My scholar has been waiting for me, longing for me. So, can this little female ghost have a romantic encounter with him?

Being a ghost really has its advantages. In the past, just thinking about these obscene questions would have made my face turn as red as a tomato or a persimmon. But right now, I sit calmly and confidently on the edge of a bed between two naked men and women who have just made love, asking them such private questions as if I were just asking, "Have you eaten yet?"

Leng Qingqing's face was initially cold, as if frozen solid. I looked at her innocently and called out, "Sister Qingqing." Leng Qingqing, who had been holding it in for a while, couldn't maintain her composure and burst out laughing, saying, "You silly girl, that's not very affectionate at all. Why don't you call me 'Sister Leng,' but 'Sister Qingqing' instead?"

I said with a grin, "Calling her Sister Qingqing is more affectionate. We're so close, like sisters. Sister Qingqing, Big Brother, congratulations! You know what? Watching you two right now feels like watching a movie. It's like a scene from a movie. Sister Qingqing is an orphan from the manor, and Big Brother is the former owner of the old house. Sister Qingqing inherited the old house from a distant relative, Big Brother was startled awake by a beautiful woman who suddenly barged in, and then you met by chance, convinced that it was your destiny from a past life. You fell in love across time and space, overcame many obstacles, and finally got together. Then, a Taoist priest or a knight-errant came to meddle..." I rested my hand on my chin, staring at the ceiling, still thinking about how to continue the story, when Luo Yi angrily interrupted me.

Luo Yi's face turned pale, utterly embarrassed. She snapped, "Alright, that's enough! Why don't you go write a script? What kind of behavior is it for a girl like you to sit here and launch into such a long-winded speech? Do you think this is still the other place? Or do you really think this is a movie theater? Can't I have any privacy? Does sleeping with someone have to be news?"

I had never heard Luo Yi say such harsh words to me before. I felt so wronged that I almost cried and said, "Big brother!"

Luo Yi ignored him and said coldly, "Get out. Go back over there and wait for me."

Seeing that he seemed genuinely angry, I could only awkwardly stand up. I glanced at Leng Qingqing again, who said, "Go ahead and get some sleep. You've been exhausted all night. I'll come see you again when you're awake."

I said "Oh," and slowly walked out. Luo Yi suddenly said, "There are quite a few clothes in the wardrobe in the last room on the second floor. Go find a few to wear." I was delighted and said, "Okay." In a good mood, and unable to resist being mischievous, I turned back as I gripped the doorknob and said, "I haven't finished my story yet. Alas, it's truly: 'Dreams are far away, tears are hard to recall; books are hastily written, ink is not yet dry.' Brother, you're such a spoilsport!"

Luo Yi was so angry with me that she ground her teeth, but Leng Qingqing laughed out loud. It seems that having someone to keep you company warms even a cold person, regardless of whether the person keeping you company is a person or a ghost.

Leaving the quiet, deserted house, it was still raining outside, making the sky seem even darker. I pulled my sleeves over my head and ran back to Luo Yi's house, wanting to check on my mother-in-law first. She wasn't sleeping; she was sitting alone in the small living room on the second floor, curled up on the sofa watching TV with a cushion. Seeing me, she happily said, "You're back! Did you find your family?" Seeing me soaking wet, she asked, "How did you get like this?"

I noticed she seemed a little embarrassed at first, because Luo Yi was having a good time with Leng Qingqing over there, while she was here alone watching an old movie in the late-night theater. Ultimately, her mother-in-law came for Luo Yi, and she was convinced he was her husband, which made her seem a bit like a first wife and mistress. But seeing that she was quite happy, I stopped worrying about her and said, "Found him, it's raining outside."

I ran to the last room on the second floor that Luo Yi had mentioned, turned on the light, and saw that it was also a guest room. Along the wall was a row of built-in wardrobes. I randomly opened one door, and it was filled with colorful dresses. I exclaimed, "Wow, Luo Yi, you actually have so many women's clothes hidden in your house! Are you a cross-dresser?" Then I thought, maybe they were left by my ex-girlfriends? I moved the hangers around and pulled out a dress—a rose-red dance dress with many sequins. This dress looked very familiar. Suddenly, I remembered that Meng Xixi wore it while dancing in "Scattered with the Clouds." I hung it back up and pulled out another dress—a smoky gray cheongsam with silver threads and subtle floral patterns, a semi-transparent fabric, and a light gray chiffon petticoat underneath. It had a high, stiff collar, reaching three inches, and a hem that reached my feet. I remembered that this was also a costume from a play.

It turns out Luo Yi bought all the costumes Meng Xixi wore and kept them here. If he loved Meng Xixi so much, why did he sleep with Leng Qingqing? Was it because, as he said when he first came back, she was doing well over there, so he shouldn't bother her? I shook my head, unable to understand the thoughts of this playboy type of man. But I really liked this cheongsam, though I couldn't wear it. On a whim, I went out and called my mother-in-law, saying, "Why don't you try this robe on? You always wear Ming Dynasty clothes; it's not good for people to see you like that."

The old woman touched the fabric and exclaimed, "What beautiful silk! How was it woven?"

Seeing that she seemed to really like it, I got even more excited and held up the cheongsam in front of her, saying, "Would you like to try it on? See if the length and fit are just right." Women are always drawn to beautiful clothes, even people from the Ming Dynasty. My mother-in-law nodded shyly and said, "I don't know how to wear this." I said, "I do, let me help you." I put down the cheongsam and gently helped her loosen the belt. When she took off her close-fitting clothes, my mother-in-law became even more shy, while I was completely mesmerized.

I asked in surprise, "How old are you?" Her body was slender and delicate, with small breasts and a waist so small that it could be encircled with one hand. Just looking at her figure, she was completely the body of a young girl.

She crossed her arms in front of her lower abdomen, her slender neck drooping, and turned her face slightly, too shy to look me in the eye. I sighed; the elegance of women in ancient times puts modern women to shame. If I possessed even a fraction of her grace, I would be a lady. I told her to keep her deep-colored robe and helped her put on a light gray silk cheongsam, buttoning it up with the floral buttons. I stepped back two paces to observe her closely, and before me stood a true classical beauty. If she were ten or twenty years younger, she could play Lin Daiyu. I looked at her face more closely; apart from a few fine wrinkles on her forehead and crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, her cheeks, chin, and neck were as smooth as a young person's. Judging from her appearance, she couldn't be more than forty years old. And with this cheongsam and a fashionable hairstyle, she could easily look thirty. I had always called her "Grandma" before, partly because her clothes misled me, partly because the lighting was dim, and partly because I hadn't really looked at her closely. That's why I had been calling her that all this time.

I exclaimed, "Sister, you are so young and beautiful!"

She smiled slightly and said, "What's the use of all this?" Her tone wasn't feigned arrogance or humility; she genuinely asked what the use of youth and beauty was, much like asking what the use of a television was. Only this indifference highlighted her noble transcendence, and made her beauty even more striking.

I shrugged. Of course, what use is youth and beauty to her? I continued rummaging through the wardrobe, finding a pair of old-fashioned, dark green embroidered women's shoes with layered soles. Looking at the design, it was from Neiliansheng. I had her put them on, then took apart a pillow from the bed and stuffed two wads of hollow cotton into the sides of her toes. A cheongsam paired with embroidered shoes—that was it; she truly looked like a woman from the Republican era.

I hung her clothes on the hanger where her cheongsam used to hang. Holding them in my hand, they were like mist and gauze, formless and intangible, as if a gust of wind could blow them away at any moment. I held the clothes, stunned for a moment, and asked, "After I left, did you see Little Ma? What did he do to make you both have bodies?" Her body was muscular and leathery; even after she took off her clothes, there was still this lump. Her physical body had probably long since decomposed by bacteria, and her clothes had long since become part of the soil. Why could I change her clothes?

“Sister Ming,” I’m going to call her Sister Ming from now on, “don’t you think all of this is strange?”

Mingjie smiled and shook her head, saying, "I don't think so. Aren't we even more peculiar from where we came from? Why don't you ask?"

Alright, unperturbed by praise or blame—that's the proper attitude towards a rapidly changing world. She could spend her entire life standing atop a mountain watching the clouds drift by, relying on this detached attitude, right? We stumbled upon this place by accident, and she came anyway. Faced with these new and strange things, she simply stares wide-eyed, not questioning why—because she couldn't possibly ask. As she said, isn't everything in the Ghost Realm even more bizarre? What's so strange about it? But while she can choose not to question it, I can't. I need to return to my body; I must find out why all this is happening. She doesn't know, and doesn't want to know, so I won't mess with her mind. I'll ask her when Luo Yi returns.

After all that fuss, I finally remembered that I was looking for clothes to change into. Then I noticed my white robe and white socks were almost dry. Even the black mud stains on my socks had mostly disappeared. I sat on the bed, lifting my feet to look at my socks, completely baffled. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head: Could my clothes be made of some kind of high-tech nanomaterial that's been hyped up? Those TV commercials say clothes made of nanomaterials, no matter how dirty, can be wiped clean with a single touch.

Now that it's clean, why should I change it? I just put on a pair of soft-soled slippers, closed the closet door, turned off the light, and said to Mingjie, "It's almost dawn, let's go to sleep."

Mingjie nodded and asked, "He hasn't come back yet, where did he go?" I smiled awkwardly and said, "Men have their own things to do." She hummed in agreement and obediently went back to her room to sleep. I went to the small living room to turn off the TV, returned to my room, lay down on the bed, and pulled the blanket over myself. It was so comfortable, having a bed to sleep in and a blanket to cover myself with.

Even after lying down, I was still troubled by my health, racking my brains but unable to figure out the reason. Eventually, I could only comfort myself by saying, "Just sleep. When Luo Yi and Leng Qingqing arrive, I'll know. If that doesn't work, I'll ask Brother Ma." With that thought, I finally calmed down and fell asleep. But in my dream, that little Wei boy came to bother me.

Vampire Chen

Kui boy is haunting me in my dreams, and I welcome it. In the dream, we make love uncontrollably. This is actually my subconscious questioning whether he was happy when we were together, and whether I was happy too. I wonder if my half-heart can withstand such pleasure? My lecherous shadow says it was intentional. So, Kui boy was half-heartedly resisting? Oh dear, how come I don't remember something so fun? My lecherous shadow monopolizes all my emotions, leaving me in this awkward position, it's truly unbearable.

I rejoiced and marveled in my dream, but upon waking, realizing it was all a dream, I felt a pang of regret. I tossed and turned in bed for a while before finally managing to get up. As I slipped my feet into the slippers I'd found yesterday, I suddenly paused, realizing the socks weren't the ones I'd worn before. My old pair were worn and had been washed many times. These new ones, however, were brand new. When I first became a ghost, I'd wondered why my socks had been washed but never worn; now, of course, I understood. Someone was taking care of my body, dressing and undressing me, including putting on my socks. Was it my mother, the caregiver, or that brat?

Thinking of him helping me change my clothes, my heart fluttered again. The image of him massaging my body and moving my limbs flashed into my mind again, and I didn't know whether to be annoyed, amused, or touched. I bent down to touch my socks and pinch my toes. It's good that someone changed my socks; then I won't need to borrow clothes from Leng Qingqing and Luo Yi anymore.

When I woke up, I went to see Mingjie. She was lying on the bed, one hand across her chest, the sleeve of her ash-gray cheongsam draped over a cream-colored dandelion-print quilt. She looked languid and listless, like a beautiful woman asleep in spring. I quietly left, went to the small living room to turn on the TV, and casually peeked out the window through the curtains. It was pitch black outside. Was it already late at night? Had I slept for so long?

Still puzzled, a news report on TV caught my eye. A reporter, standing on a dark street, microphone in hand, was saying that since last night, the city had been hit by acid rain. Fish and shrimp in ponds were dying, and leafy vegetables were suffering from scorched and blackened leaves. Fishermen and vegetable farmers were lamenting their plight. If the rainfall intensified, the city's infrastructure, power lines, building surfaces, and historical buildings would all suffer varying degrees of damage. Dark clouds churned in the sky, and the rain was intensifying; it was going to continue for a while. Then the reporter interviewed some experts who described the devastation of acid rain as if it were the end of the world.

I didn't know much about acid rain, but I couldn't help but pay attention. The camera panned across the Wuli River; the Fisherman's Wharf was deserted, with only a couple of cars in the parking lot. Perhaps people were worried about the acid rain damaging their vehicles. Lost in thought, I suddenly heard Luo Yi's voice in my ear: "I see, that's the reason."

I froze, a vague idea forming in my mind, but it kept drifting and I couldn't quite grasp it. I turned to look at Luo Yi, who had changed into casual clothes, a light brown polo shirt paired with white twill thick cotton pants. He strolled over like a conman, pointed at the TV with his chin, and said, "Brother Ma has all the power."

I asked in surprise, "Did Little Ma cause this acid rain?"

Luo Yi nodded. "In order for us to become visible, he brought forward the acid rain disaster that was supposed to occur five years later. Actually, it's all the same. Humanity's reckless burning of oil and coal, deforestation and destruction of grasslands, and the discharge of chemical waste gas and wastewater into rivers without any treatment—the faster we develop, the sooner we'll be hit with the backlash. I once made a public service advertisement like this, but who would care?"