Astrology Hall with Flesh and Blood

Chapter 60

Then, Xiaoxue put this letter, which resembled a will and contained his final hopes and dreams, into the mail slot at home, so that the postman would come to collect it without him having to leave. He truly admired his foresight back then; without this, how could he have sought help from the astrologer?

Having done all this, he felt an unbearable ache throughout his body, every bone feeling as if it had fallen apart. Yet, his heart was as pure and clear as the sky after the rain—exhaustion was natural, but even more incredible was the exhilarating feeling of about to be relieved of a heavy burden—he knew he was about to die. Before he died, he had entrusted his perfectly healthy sister to the astrologer's care. He felt genuinely proud of himself. For sixty years, he had been diligent and conscientious, never violating the "taboo" the astrologer had spoken of, ensuring that his sister, sculpted from ice and snow, remained as exquisite and translucent as when she was born from the snow.

So beautiful.

Alright, now that he has settled everything behind him, he can finally rest in peace and travel alone. He lay flat on the bed, and memories flashed before his eyes like scenes from a black and white film, playing out in chronological order. He felt as if he had returned to the past, to before that tragedy occurred, when he held his little sister's hand and carefully led her across the river.

Xiaoxue's translucent face peeked out from behind the door. "Grandpa's a lazybones!" she shouted. "He's still sleeping in bed!"

His smile revealed a face full of wrinkles, and a strong, bitter smell filled the air. "Grandpa is sick...he wants to sleep a little longer."

Of course, he knew perfectly well that what he needed most right now wasn't sleep, but food. He was only paralyzed in his lower limbs; with proper care, he might live for many more years. Having spent his entire life in this ice-cold house, he had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for many years, a condition that had tormented him for the rest of his life. Yet he had always kept it to himself—who could he tell? Xiaoxue wouldn't understand. Moreover, Xiaoxue didn't need to eat either, so he always ate alone, quietly in his room. Now, how could he let Xiaoxue touch the food just because of his paralysis?

Because of taboo.

Because of temperature.

This is why his mansion was always as cold as an icebox, why he never let Xiaoxue go out and come into contact with outsiders or things; and why, for sixty years, he had always stayed by Xiaoxue's side but had never once touched her skin.

“Where she dwells must be as cold as frost and snow, and she must not touch anything that emits heat,” the astrologer said, his icy green eyes radiating a chilling aura that could freeze anyone. “Your warm heart will kill her.”

As the price for resurrecting his sister, he silently accepted and abided by this taboo, never violating it throughout his life. How could he possibly send Xiaoxue to her death with his own hands just to prolong his own dying days?

He poured all his strength into his head, smiling kindly at Xiaoxue—his last smile. "Xiaoxue, be good. Grandpa's going to meet the Duke of Zhou (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with sleep) soon." He paused for a long time before finally managing to say the next promise, "How about Grandpa tells Xiaoxue a story when he wakes up?"

Life force was slowly evaporating from his body. How many days had passed since Xiaoxue closed the door as he had instructed? He hadn't had a drop of water or a grain of rice, and his hands, like his lower limbs, had become numb. As his consciousness was fading, he clearly saw his thoughts gently fluttering erratically in the air, like his sister's eyes, crystalline and delicate like snowflakes…

Xiaoxue slowly stood up. Several times, her pale lips trembled, but no sound came out. A rare glimmer of color appeared on her translucent white skin. The astrologer reached out and gently took her hand.

“Your brother, Mr. Luo… is not the coward you imagine.” He gently pressed her slender hand against his face. “The reason he has never touched you is because he is afraid you will die.”

The elaborate lies—from claiming to have infectious diseases, albinism, and even amnesia—were all tricks Mr. Luo used to protect Xiaoxue. He sacrificed his entire life to protect her, and in the end, he chose his sister without hesitation between his own life and Xiaoxue's.

He starved to death in his bed.

When he was dying, he was quite calm. “I am not afraid of death,” Xiaoxue seemed to hear his voice from afar. “My only fear is that after I die, no one will be able to take care of you like I did.”

"Why..." Xiaoxue looked bewildered, "Why did he do this... I'm not worthy..."

The astrologer cast a pitying glance at her.

"Twins, male and female—it is said they are the reincarnations of lovers who couldn't be together in their past lives. Do you understand, you heartless and tearless one?"

It only takes a moment to fall in love with someone, but it takes a lifetime to make them happy. In his final moments, Luo Bing thought, "For so long, I have kept my true feelings to myself—that's wonderful."

Xiaoxue stumbled a few steps and swayed as she walked upstairs. "Fool!" she kept muttering to herself, "Idiot!"

Fearing something might happen to her, Yan Wuyue rushed upstairs. Unfortunately, the astrologer snatched back his trench coat first and quickly draped it over his shoulders. When Yan Wuyue reached the top of the stairs, she saw Xiaoxue standing beside Luo Bing. One a young, beautiful woman, the other an elderly woman with white hair; life and death—the contrast was stark!

“Now, you can’t stop me, can you?” Xiaoxue bent down, resting her slender head against Luo Bing’s frozen, bluish chest. A look of intoxication, incongruous with her age, appeared on her childlike face—a look usually reserved for a mature woman in love. An embrace of mutual affection, something that could have been done sixty years ago, now exuded such despair and coldness.

Then, tiny, bright red flames began to emerge from their bodies. The flames seemed to try to separate them, but in response, Xiaoxue hugged them even tighter. She held onto Luobing's body tightly, refusing to let go, even in death.

So she began to melt.

For a fleeting moment, Yan Wuyue misjudged, mistaking the streams of water flowing down Xiaoxue's cheeks for tears. However, the astrologer told her that the Snow Maiden did not shed tears. Then she saw thousands upon thousands of fine streams of water flow down Xiaoxue's gradually collapsing body, only to be instantly swallowed by the flames. Like a beautifully sculpted snowman, Xiaoxue vanished without a trace as soon as the sun rose. Just as she was about to disappear, it seemed as if her soft voice echoed in the air:

"I'm a bad kid, brother... I've troubled you for so many years, thank you so much..."

Then, water, all that remained, enveloped the fallen ice; how wondrous it was that at such a low temperature, the water quickly froze into beautiful ice flowers, forever and gently enveloping the fallen ice within them.

We will never be apart again, never.

"Not all love is passionate," the astrologer remarked on the way back. Yan Wuyue's response was a loud sneeze.

Despite the astrologer lending her his trench coat, poor Yan Wuyue still caught a nasty cold and sneezed incessantly the whole way. The astrologer expressed his deepest apologies for this.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “I don’t know how to make humans feel warm.”

His unusually sincere expression made Yan Wuyue smile. She couldn't help but think of the mother who would rather stay locked in her dormitory than leave her daughter alone. "Protect," she sincerely admired that mother, "to have someone to protect until death is truly a blessing! Astrologer, do you have someone to protect?"

The astrologer smiled meaningfully, and in his vision, the star marks on the back of Yan Wuyue's hand were sparkling.

The second suffering in life is the suffering of old age. The Buddha said that youth is fleeting, and the days of youth are gone. All beautiful memories will be eroded by the ever-deepening wrinkles.

Volume Four: The Soul Singer, Third Movement: The Sick Half-Eared Man (Part One)

I don't know when it started, but everything around me seems to have become strange.

He could have lived a very happy life. As a student, he was intelligent and hardworking, never causing his teachers or parents any worry, and easily gained admission to a prestigious national university, where he received the Outstanding Student Scholarship every year. As a person, he had a wide range of interests, and for his hobbies, he and a few friends founded an association. As president, he was quite capable, transforming an unknown, fledgling club into a thriving and successful organization, winning the university's Outstanding Club Award in its very first year. What an honor that must have been for him and his new association!

Recalling the early days of the association's founding, it was indeed filled with hardship. The trivial and tedious matters are needless to mention, but he and a girl from the association even got caught up in a bizarre and inexplicable incident. That girl had always been the object of his affections, but she consistently avoided responding to his subtle advances. However, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, for they were both pulled into a strange world. During the days they endured together, he protected and cared for her, and because of this, she finally agreed to be his girlfriend. Perhaps it was out of gratitude, perhaps out of loneliness, or perhaps simply out of desperation. Whatever the reason, when they were finally rescued, their hands were tightly clasped together.

From that moment on, he felt as if he were immersed in warm, cozy water, every pore of his body feeling comfortable.

His girlfriend was quiet, gentle, and incredibly cute and beautiful. He couldn't help but secretly admire his choice. Compared to a certain tomboy he spent every day with who was rough, boisterous, and completely unlike a girl, it was obvious who was more lovable. Although he clearly loved her more than she loved him, he still believed he was a good man and would dedicate his life to making her happy. He had long dreamed of them getting married, having children, and building a happy little family. She was so gentle; she would definitely be a wonderful mother…

The sudden change in events came so swiftly, without any warning whatsoever.

He asked his girlfriend to have dinner with him, but she hurriedly declined on the other end of the phone, saying, "I'm sorry, I have to rush to class and don't have time to talk to you anymore." She slammed the phone down.

He stared blankly at the busy tone on his phone. How long had it been going on? Lately, she was always saying she was busy—busy with classes, busy with homework—but never busy enough to see him. He understood that she was a strong-willed girl; to maintain her ranking in the top ten of the class, she devoted almost all her time to studying, only finding a tiny bit of free time for club activities. But… in his experience, she shouldn't be so busy that they didn't even have time to eat together.

As soon as such impure thoughts as "Does she have someone else...?" surfaced in his mind, he immediately suppressed them.

No, that can't be. He immediately remembered that at the beginning of the semester, she had casually mentioned to him that she was going to lose weight—probably by joining a school-organized aerobics class or something. He was puzzled. Why would a slim young girl like her want to lose weight? Not only did she control her diet on a regular basis, but she also wanted to go to aerobics classes every day to lose weight? He thought about it for a moment and decided to call her friend to find out.

Friend 1, phone off; Friend 2, not answering, he patiently called three times, still no answer; Friend 3, 4, 5, 6, none of them answered.

This was strange. He frowned. How could all these girls disappear at the same time? It was too bizarre. With this huge question in mind, he walked listlessly into the cafeteria. Looking at the dazzling array of food, he felt he couldn't eat anything and had no appetite.

Someone patted him on the shoulder, and when he turned around, he saw it was a senior student.

"Eating alone?" the senior asked.

It felt as if a needle had gently pricked his heart. He was in so much pain that he couldn't answer, but he could only ask, "Aren't you the same? What about your senior sister?" Yes, he remembered that his senior brother and his girlfriend were always inseparable.

The senior student gave a wry smile, "They're just going to aerobics class! I really don't understand these girls!"

He couldn't help but prick up his ears, "Aerobics?"

“Yeah,” the senior student seemed to have suffered a great injustice as well, and before he could catch his breath, he launched into a long tirade, “They’re crazy! They said it was some kind of aerobics to lose weight, and everyone rushed over. Before, they were always inconsistent, but this time they’re going every single day, even more enthusiastic than during regular classes!”

So that's how it is. He felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders and instantly felt much lighter. "This isn't bad," he reassured his senior, "at least it's a form of exercise."

"Exercise my ass!" the senior sneered. "You think they're really going to lose weight? If it weren't for that new aerobics instructor, they wouldn't be working so hard!"

His heart sank. Without even having time to eat, he hurriedly said goodbye to his senior and ran towards the sports center. He had accompanied her here before and knew that the girls usually did aerobics in the gym on the second floor. The gym was two hundred square meters, with huge mirrors embedded in all the walls so that people could correct their posture. He silently climbed the escalator, and from afar he could hear the rousing music and the loud clapping and stomping coming from the gym.

Judging from the way they were doing it, there were at least a hundred people dancing.

He craned his neck upwards and gasped. Not only the gym, but even the hallways were packed with women, all of them women. They were wearing all sorts of workout clothes, dancing and gesturing to an unknown rhythm. He was stunned, terrified by this unprecedented sight; he couldn't recall girls ever being so crazy, just for a rare aerobics session? Could this new aerobics instructor have some unique method that could drive so many women into such a frenzy?

He vaguely heard a man's voice, followed by a deafening chorus of disappointed screams from the girls. Their orderly formation crumbled, no longer scattering as usual, but instead they eagerly surged into the gym. The fitness instructor's voice was quickly drowned out by the overwhelming screams of the girls. He stood guard at the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of her graceful figure.

"An Lin!" he shouted with all his might, struggling to break through the crazed girls, "An Lin!"

Volume 4, The Soul Singer, Third Movement: The Sick Half-Eared Man (Part Two)

There was no answer. His ears were filled with the girls' screams, a cacophony of chatter, making it impossible for him to understand what they were saying. Their slender arms stretched out, swarming in the same direction like a swarm of leeches. A strange light shone in their eyes, and all their gazes converged on only one point.

A man stood on the stage, head held high, as if he were the center of the world. He was remarkably tall, standing out starkly among the many women surrounding him. Even from a distance, he couldn't help but be awestruck by the man's handsome appearance. He had never seen such a captivating man—confident, proud, and exuding masculine beauty. The man's hair fell freely around his ears, only the ends dyed blonde, like faded gold, revealing the upper half of his jet-black hair. Perhaps due to recent exercise, glistening sweat clung to his smooth, muscular, tanned skin, adding a touch of luster. Only his eyes were different from others; though he couldn't quite place their color, they always seemed distinct from the rest of the group.

"Teacher Bai! Teacher Bai!" This time, he finally heard what the girls were saying, "Are you coming to class tomorrow?" He heard not only the words but also their voices clearly. It was An Lin's voice!

“My schedule only lists Monday to Friday,” Ms. Bai chuckled mischievously, “or will you pay me extra for overtime?”

"We do!" the girls shouted in unison. He could see clearly that the one shouting the loudest and most enthusiastically was his girlfriend, Anlin.

He was furious. His eyes were fixed on that lively and pretty figure; he couldn't see or hear anything else. He didn't know how much time had passed, or what Teacher Bai had said, but the excited girls gradually dispersed and flocked to the women's changing room. So he sat on the long bench, staring intently at the door of the changing room.

An Lin was one of the last few people to appear. As soon as she appeared, he immediately jumped up like a wound-up spring and leaped in front of her.

She was startled. He could see clearly that when she recognized him, what flashed across her beautiful eyes was not surprise, but fear.

"Let's go eat together," he said, afraid she would refuse.

Anlin glanced at him uneasily. "Why are you here? Haven't you eaten yet, it's so late?"

It's all because I was waiting for you! He had a bad feeling. Had she eaten first? No, she wouldn't eat before doing aerobics; it's bad for her digestive system.

Sure enough. "I cooked some porridge in the dorm," she replied casually, "just waiting to drink it after I finish my workout. If I eat and drink with you, then all my workout will have been for nothing. Go eat by yourself."

Her tone was unusually cold, as if she were speaking to a complete stranger. He pleaded with her relentlessly before she finally agreed to have dinner with him. "However," she reiterated, "I won't eat a thing myself."

The air in the cafeteria was thick with the greasy aroma of food, and Anlin frowned silently. He shoveled food into his mouth, wolfing it down—he was just too hungry. "Try a fried chicken leg, Anlin," he said solicitously, "It's delicious."

“No!” Anlin shook her head. “Ever since I started aerobics, I haven’t touched anything high in calories.” She glanced at him. “You should eat less too, or you might develop fatty liver!”

"Hehe, what am I afraid of!" he said dismissively, taking a big bite of the chicken leg. "What's there to be afraid of at such a young age! Besides, neither of us is fat."

“It’ll be too late when you get fat!” An Lin propped her shapely chin up with her hands. “Teacher Bai said that we should start preventing future obesity now…”

He choked violently. Something was stuck in his throat, causing him to cough violently. "Teacher Bai?"

"Mmm!" An Lin's eyes lit up with joy. "How's the new aerobics instructor? Pretty great body, huh?"

He casually agreed, but couldn't help but let his mind wander. Even the fried chicken leg in his hand suddenly lost its flavor and became extremely difficult to swallow.

"Isn't that what he makes a living from?" His words were laced with jealousy. "It's only natural that he has a good figure!"

“It’s not just his physique,” An Lin suddenly brought her face closer, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling and incredibly captivating. “Don’t you think he’s handsome too? He has the air of a male model, no, a celebrity. In all my life, I’ve never seen such a handsome guy except on TV!”

Hey, weren't you just calling me "teacher"? Why did you suddenly change your tune and become a boy? But then again, that Teacher Bai guy doesn't look much older than them, the college students. He vaguely remembered that most of the fitness classes organized by the school, whether it was aerobics, yoga, or street dance, had young female instructors. Since there had been precedents of many boys vying to sign up for yoga classes with beautiful female instructors, it seemed easy to understand why some girls would go for a handsome male instructor.

Even so, he couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. Perhaps it was because he lacked absolute self-confidence? While he wasn't ugly, he couldn't compare to the dazzling beauty of Teacher Bai. He wasn't short, and he was a good match for An Lin, but he didn't have Teacher Bai's long, strong legs, or a well-proportioned physique that showed signs of good physical training. No, like most high-achieving students buried in their books, he only had severely nearsighted eyes, a thin and slightly hunched back, and underdeveloped arms and legs. But none of that mattered, he comforted himself. What mattered most was that he loved An Lin and had stood by her through thick and thin. During the Ivy League Ghost House incident, he was willing to be imprisoned in the two-dimensional photographic space with her to save his beloved An Lin. It was precisely because of this that An Lin changed her previous evasive attitude and agreed to be his girlfriend. This relationship had been tested many times, and he cried out in his heart, how could it change because of a mere aerobics coach?

"Anlin," he put down his chopsticks, gazing hopefully into her eyes, "Do you...love me?"

She was only surprised for a moment, then laughed softly and gently. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" A blush rose on her cheeks, making her look incredibly beautiful. "How embarrassing!"

“Answer me, and ignore everything else.” He stubbornly insisted on his demand.

Then he saw Anlin's crimson lips part slightly. He pricked up his ears, ready to hear the vows his beloved uttered, a sound more beautiful than celestial music—and then he heard them.

"Of course, you silly goose!" came the gentle voice from her right ear.

"Of course not, you idiot!" Left Ear said cruelly.

Volume 4, The Soul Singer, Third Movement: The Sick Half-Eared Man (Part 3)

He gaped, unable to believe his ears. Which sound was real? He couldn't decide. For a moment, he thought it was his imagination, stunned and bewildered. Then, Anlin, puzzled, leaned closer, placing her warm palm on his forehead:

Are you alright?

This time, he heard the same concerned words simultaneously, along with the sight of her bright, watery eyes. He shook his head, trying to calm his agitated mood. "It's nothing," he replied with a smile, squeezing An Lin's hand tightly. This time, she didn't refuse.

He spent the next two days in extreme happiness. During those two days, Anlin stayed by his side the whole time, shopping, eating, studying, watching movies—she practically never left his side for a moment. He so wished the bright crescent moon would never sink below the horizon, that the scorching sun would never rise… so that the dreaded Monday would never come.