The Return of the Soul

Chapter 18

I genuinely dislike Meng Xixi and wish Luo Yi would forget her. Anyway, she's gone, and Luo Yi is dead. Even if he loved her while he was alive, it's all in the past. Besides, weren't they already together? No one forced Luo Yi to do that; it was his own choice. In other words, he's already left Meng Xixi in the past, and Leng Qingqing is the girl he likes now. Luo Yi will be a man with many women in the future, so what difference does it make if he has another Leng Qingqing? What difference does it make if it happens a few more times? Leng Qingqing is such a good girl; she shouldn't be alone. Being with Luo Yi was her own choice, wasn't it? No one, including me, forced her. She's willing; who can tell her what to do?

Luo Yi had no choice but to say, "I'll see how it goes. If she doesn't mind, I'd be happy to have a drink and chat with her. Having Miss Leng as a friend would make life so much more interesting."

My desire was irresistible, and seeing that he only said half of what he meant, I had no choice but to finish the sentence myself: "Have a drink, chat, and then go to bed. Haha."

Luo Yi smiled, then said seriously, "That's not good for her." Seeing my questioning look, she explained, "I'm not referring to any physical harm, but to her life. What am I? I can't go shopping, to the movies, or meet her friends. I'm just a secret lover. If she really falls for me, she'll have to bear all the difficulties alone. That's why I said let's be friends. If she only sees me as a temporary companion, it's fine for me to spend a few nights with her. After all, the nights are long, and it's hard to sleep. A little romance is nice. Miss Leng is a rare person, and I'd rather be friends with her."

I understood what he meant and suddenly said, "If only you weren't Luo Yi." He looked at me questioningly, and I said, "If you weren't Luo Yi, you wouldn't have this face that everyone recognizes, and then you could go shopping, see movies, and meet friends with her. Anyway, everyone has to work during the day these days, and people meet friends after sunset. Where couldn't you and her go then? What's wrong with you two being lovers?"

Luo Yi laughed and scolded, "Little girl, you have too many ideas. I know, we'll handle our own affairs. You just mind your own business."

As we spoke, we arrived outside my private ward. Along the way, we encountered many doctors, nurses, and patients, but no one glanced at us. It seemed we had truly become invisible again.

Heavy wings

Luo Yi and I slipped into the ward. As expected and unexpectedly, my parents were both there. My body lay on the bed, and my shadow wandered listlessly around the room, idly lashing at everything in front of it. When she saw me, her eyes brightened, then she pouted, twisted her body, stomped her foot, and held up a finger, mimicking the crying gesture of a female lead on stage. Her entire sequence of actions was like a theatrical performance; the stylized movements perfectly encapsulated the character's inner turmoil, making it instantly understandable to the audience.

I said to Luo Yi with a grin, "Have you ever seen what someone who only has emotions and no reason looks like? It's like her, all silly. Love is her spiritual sustenance. Our lover didn't come for a day, and she got this anxious. Little Ma said I'm carefree and unrestrained, that I don't cry and whine, and that I don't bother people or cause trouble. He didn't see this. If he had, I guarantee he would have stayed far away."

Luo Yi looked her over carefully for a few moments and said, "All actors, besides reading Chernyshevsky's 'An Actor Prepares,' should also look at the performance of an independent emotional individual who is detached from the body and reason. They should be able to learn a lot from it."

I spat and said, "You guys should just go watch more shows and stop making fun of me. Do you really think I'm just a source of amusement for men?"

Luo Yi said, "So, according to you, I'm just here to amuse you? So you look down on me."

I called myself a victim of a crime, and said, "I'm innocent! I admire you so much. I see you every day, and my heart leaps with joy whenever I see you. I rush to call you 'brother.' How could I look down on you?"

Luo Yi said, "Then what did you mean by that just now? We look at you, so you become someone who amuses us, but when you look at us, we're not? Whose standard are we using?"

I was a little surprised and asked, "When did Luo Yi become so witty? It seems that becoming an immortal has indeed made your mind clearer and your reactions quicker. You can even make sarcastic remarks." I chatted with Luo Yi for a few moments and then introduced them, "Those are my parents. It looks like they come every day."

Luo Yi nodded and said, "You have wonderful parents. It's clear they love you very much. Your cheerful and lively personality must be inseparable from their kindness and love. Look, you've been lying here for so long, and they're still patiently staying by your side. Not every parent loves their child like that."

My parents were massaging and turning me over, doing it very carefully and gently. They chatted occasionally as they worked, without showing the slightest impatience. I thought of Luo Yi's parents and felt deeply sorry for him. Not having loving parents is definitely the biggest loss in life. I comforted him, saying, "Brother, it's okay, I love you." I hugged him as I spoke.

To my surprise, this hug enraged my shadow. She rushed over, grabbed me, and started hitting me, her eyebrows furrowed, her lips bitten—her expression was quite similar to Mrs. Ma's when she was angry. Startled, I quickly released Luo Yi and said to her, "This is Brother Luo Yi. He's here to help us return to our bodies. Don't worry, I absolutely haven't fallen for anyone else. All my feelings are with you. Besides being reasonable, I'm good for nothing else." The latter part of my words sounded very strange; someone who didn't understand might have thought I was cursing or swearing an oath to my lover. Perhaps I should do the same to myself, talk to myself, and understand my innermost thoughts?

She released me with a hint of doubt, glanced at Luo Yi, and suddenly made the same expression Ming Jie had when she first met me: covering her face with both hands, widening her eyes and mouth, and exclaiming "Wow!" A classic Macaulay Culkin expression. She recognized Luo Yi. She looked at Luo Yi, then at me, unable to understand why we were together. Luo Yi and I laughed. I said, "This is Luo Yi, now our big brother. You can be as infatuated as you want; he won't push us away." I grabbed Luo Yi's left arm, tilted my head towards her, and gestured for her to do the same. She first glanced timidly at Luo Yi, and seeing his encouraging nod and smile, she mustered the courage to pinch his sleeve with two fingers. She secretly smiled, looking very shy.

Luo Yi laughed and said, "So this is what you're like in real life. I thought you were easy to get along with everyone."

I gasped and said, "So, people who are overly friendly in real life are all shameless and emotionless? Hmm, that makes sense."

Luo Yi laughed heartily, "Little sister, it'll definitely be much lonelier without you by my side from now on. I'll miss you. Let's go." He looked down and smiled at her, "Can we go now?"

My shadow was so excited her eyes were practically sparkling. I think her excitement wasn't because she could go back, but because of Luo Yi. How could a little girl's eyes not light up when a superstar was so kind and attentive to her? It seems Luo Yi was right to come. His single word, "Let's go," was far more effective than any coaxing or threatening I could muster.

I glanced longingly at my parents and said, "Tomorrow, tomorrow I can talk to them, hug them, and act cute with them. We should go early so we can come back early." I looked at them too. These past few months must have been the hardest for them. When I come back, I will definitely take good care of them and not let them worry about me anymore.

Shadow nodded, then tilted her head, widened her eyes, and gave a questioning look. I said, "It's been raining all day since last night, and a lot of people have caught a cold. They've all come to the hospital to line up for medicine and injections, just like kindergarten kids, sitting in a row, eating fruit, so well-behaved. A-Yi went to the outpatient clinic, so let's not disturb him. When we come back tomorrow, he'll be overjoyed to see us all able to talk and move. We'll give him a surprise." I didn't tell her about Wei-Xiao's illness to avoid causing trouble. Who knows what kind of trouble she might cause if she gets anxious? Besides, I didn't lie to her. When I said A-Yi went to the outpatient clinic, it had two meanings; it was up to her to interpret it.

Shadow was easily fooled. With my sweet talk and Luo Yi's handsome face, she obediently followed us, just like a well-behaved child in kindergarten. Once outside the hospital, she clung tightly to me, her arms and legs wrapped around me, as if afraid of being alone. Since I left, she had probably stayed in that ward the whole time, so she was a little afraid of the bustling traffic outside.

Luo Yi escorted us across several streets to a small park by the Wuli River. Usually, the park is bustling with people dancing street dance and ballroom dance in the evenings, and in the mornings it's a haven for Tai Chi sword and Mulan boxing. But this time, it was quiet; it was late, and after a day and night of rain, everyone was staying indoors. Luo Yi said, "This is fine. We don't necessarily have to go to Fisherman's Wharf. Fisherman's Wharf is just Little Ma's territory; he couldn't bear to leave his kingdom, so he remains there even after his death."

I smiled and said, "So, are you going to find a place to be your base in the future? This place isn't very good; it's not secluded enough."

Luo Yi said, "I'm not going to run a restaurant, a gambling den, a brothel, or a drug factory. What use would I have for a base?"

I said, "Now that you're the boss, you need a place to put a big desk and a chaise lounge, right?" I was referring to the office conditions I had mentioned to him in Wuyuan when we started our company. I never expected that he would come back here and actually do it.

Luo Yiha laughed and said, "You have a good memory; you remember everything."

I said, "Of course, who am I? If I didn't remember everything, I wouldn't have been able to come back so easily." I chatted with him about this and that, but I was just reluctant to say goodbye. Once we said goodbye, I would remember nothing at all, and thinking about it now, I actually feel a little attached.

Luo Yi said, "Some things should be remembered, and some things should be forgotten. Little sister, thanks to you, I wasn't lonely at all on this journey; it was quite interesting. I had been here for a long time before you left, just wandering around aimlessly every day. But after you left, it became lively and bustling. Little sister, I can't thank you enough. I'll see you off. Take care. I'm in a bit of pain on the way back, but I'll have to bear it."

I reached out and hugged him, saying, "Big brother, please say goodbye to Sister Ming and Sister Qingqing for me."

Luo Yi agreed, saying, "Little sister," I replied, "What?" He smiled, reached out, and pushed me into the river. Burdened by my emotions, I floated lightly downwards, knowing he was taking advantage of my distraction to send me away. This farewell, this heartfelt goodbye—was it going to be a grand, elaborate send-off?

I clutched my emotions tightly, like a feather falling into the dark river. Whirlpools in the river pulled us downwards, twisting us into a rope, a braid, a drill bit—even the largest twisted dough sticks in Tianjin's 18th Street couldn't be twisted so tightly. It was so tight I could suffocate, my feet felt like lead balls. Edmond Dantès, when his feet were bound with iron balls and thrown into the Mediterranean Sea below the Château d'If, must have felt this terrifying weight. Emotion, like a thread, cut into my consciousness; I knew we were finally one.

So this is what feelings are like. I am a feather, she is lead. Without feelings, we are just clouds in the sky, scattered by the wind, never lingering for anything. With feelings, we are like rain, inevitably falling. We fall, we live and die, filled with all sorts of emotions and desires. We are no longer carefree.

Does it hurt? Absolutely, but this pain is different from the last. Last time it was just pain, like a thousand arrows piercing my heart; this time it's a dragging, tangled mess, unclear and ambiguous, as if it's tearing me apart. I thought I had feelings, that I could reminisce about the sweet days of the past, but it's so heavy that I don't even have time to think about those things. I only know pain, pain so intense I want to die. I know I can't endure this pain again; if it happens again, I'll surely die in this river from the agony.

I don't want to live anymore.

How many times in our lives do we say these words? Giving up is such an easy thing. I came from the desolate, misty plains, facing countless difficulties, yet I never considered giving up. Who knew that once this emotion took hold of me, the first thing I thought of was giving up? I never knew emotions could be so fragile, so cowardly. What do I need her for? But without her, I have nothing. Our emotions are our burden; the more emotions we have, the heavier the burden. The heavier the emotions, the deeper the rope tightens, and the more intense the pain. That pain penetrates deep into the muscles, deep into the bone marrow, deep into the soul.

The soul, inherently light and insubstantial, can still feel pain. There's only one reason for this: we have emotions, and love causes us pain. The deeper the love, the deeper the pain. Emotion is a pair of wings; it carries the body, and although it is heavy itself, it can fly because it is a pair of wings.

Phoenix Tears

I crawled out of the Blackwater River, writhing and groaning in pain beneath the Bridge of Helplessness. Well, here I am again. There are probably few in the world who treat the Bridge of Helplessness like a tourist attraction. I wouldn't say I'm the first or last, but I'm certainly a once-in-a-century auspicious omen. I laughed bitterly, thinking that such a suffering auspicious omen is probably quite rare.

The Bridge of Helplessness was crowded, all expressionless; I didn't want to look at them. The Meng Po Teahouse was still packed; those people were in agony and despair, gritting their teeth, frowning, and cursing—it made my teeth ache. With emotions, you're a clown; without emotions, you're a puppet. Life is like a circus owner, relentlessly whipping us onto the stage, caring nothing for our injuries.

I got up, walked to Meng Po, bowed to her, and said, "Grandma, we meet again. When I left last time, I told you that I would come back to drink your tea again. Only three days later, I've really come back to ask you for tea. Last time, I was grateful that you saw me off and helped me find my soulmate. Now we've come together, and after drinking the tea, I'd like to go back. Please see me off again. My child is growing very well and is waiting for me to return so he can be born. Grandma, thank you for your kindness." I bowed again after saying this.

Last time I cut in line, someone came up and told me to line up at the back. This time, when I cut in line, no one dared to say anything. They all stared at me blankly, looking at this monster who crawled out of the black water of asphalt and oil and could talk, and said such strange things.

Meng Po carefully examined me, nodded, and handed me a bowl of tea. I was overjoyed and took it, about to drink it all in one gulp, when suddenly I remembered something and said, "Mother, I'm afraid that after drinking this bowl of tea, I won't remember anything from the other side. What should I do? I can forget what's here, but I can't forget what's there. Mother, how can I control this?"

Meng Po didn't speak, she just stared at the bowl. I thought that with her rich experience, she couldn't possibly make a mistake, and since there was no other way, I had no choice but to trust her. I raised the bowl to my lips to drink, but then I remembered something and said, "Mother, I'm going back, not to cross the Bridge of Helplessness to the Terrace of Longing for Home. Mother, please watch carefully, don't let me go the wrong way."

Meng Po probably rarely encounters someone as long-winded as me. Her eyes darted around, as if to indicate that she found me annoying.

I dared not say anything more, and picked up the bowl to drink. Just as I was about to drink, I said again, "Grandma, is this bowl sturdy? Will it break if I drop it?"

Meng Po, unaware of my intentions, merely glared at me. I guessed she was a mute old woman, unable to speak, and her expressions were rather limited. She certainly didn't have much passion for this job; selling the same bowl of tea for millennia had lost all its novelty. If a Coca-Cola were to challenge her, she'd definitely go crazy.

I laughed and said, "Grandma, I want to take this bowl of tea to the river to drink it. After I finish drinking it, I won't remember anything. If I pour it out, it will fall right into the river, so I won't get lost. What do you think?"

Finally, Meng Po was enraged. She snatched the bowl from my hand, pried open my mouth, poured a bowl of tea into it, and then shoved it back up, closing my jaw. As soon as I closed my mouth, the entire mouthful of tea went down in one gulp. I was just thinking that Meng Po must be thousands of years old, yet she had such a temper. Then, with a wave of her hand, I was lifted into the air as if riding on clouds, and with another "plop," I fell into the Blackwater River.

It's so dark! Why is it so dark? It's so dark I can't see anything, not even my hand in front of my face. It's as dark as when the movie theater suddenly lost power, as dark as when I plunged headfirst into a pool of ink. It's as dark as a painting by Ikkyu: a crow flying in the night.

Why is it so dark?

It infuriated the fierce Zhang Fei.

They won't even let us criticize Li Kui.

There was a man named Hei Jingde during the Tang Dynasty.

I delivered charcoal in Dongshan.

I used to mine coal in Xishan.

It only sold coal for two days.

It only pushed coal for two days.

It only carried coal for two days.

It only carried coal for two days.

He probably served as the second-in-command of the coal shop for a couple of days as well.

I heard a crosstalk performance on the radio or TV, where someone was talking about a piece of black cloth called "German Blue," and asked why it was so black.

I tried to laugh after a few lines, but then my whole body started to ache. I groaned and said, "Mom, turn off that comedy. It's making my bones hurt from laughing so much."

I heard my mom agree and say she'd turn it off. The moment the comedian's voice faded away, I heard her yell, "Xiao Ye, Xiao Ye, was that you talking?"

Look at what my mom said, who else could it be but me? I mumbled, "Yes, Mom. Mom, don't call me that, it hurts my ears when you call me that."

My mom was still screaming, and then I heard her running around the house, calling out, "Xiao Ye, Xiao Ye, where are you? Where are you? Let Mom see you, come out!"

Now even my head was throbbing. I said through the pain, "Mom, please stop jumping. Your jumping is giving me a headache."

My mom immediately said, "Okay, okay, I won't jump, I won't jump. I'll sit down. Xiaoye, come sit next to Mommy and let Mommy touch you."

I was in so much pain that I was both laughing and crying. I said, "Mom, stop it. My whole body aches. I don't want to move at all. Mom, come and lie down with me for a while. Can you rub my stomach? My stomach feels so bloated. Is it because I haven't had yogurt for several days and haven't been to the toilet?"

This isn't a difficult request. I used to ask my mom to massage me whenever I had aches or pains. Her hands are warm and strong, and a massage would make the pain go away. Sometimes, before my period, my stomach would hurt and bloate, and I'd ask my mom to massage it. Then one time, I went to see Wei Yiqing, and I suddenly had a lot of pain. I even asked him to make me a hot water bottle. Thinking about that, my face flushed, and suddenly, even my face hurt, the pain reaching my teeth. I gasped for breath, saying, "Mom, why does everything hurt? My shoulders and neck hurt too. Do I have a high fever? Mom, come and feel me."

A familiar hand touched my forehead, and my mother said carefully, "Xiao Ye? Was that you calling for Mom?"

I nuzzled my head against her hand and said, "Who else could it be but me? Do you have a second daughter? Mom, my whole body aches, can you rub it for me? It will stop hurting when you rub it. Mom, why is it so dark? Did I spend two days as the second-in-command of the coal shop?" I said the last sentence in the tone of someone selling scraps of cloth.

Something was lifted from my face—no coal pit or anything like that. Turns out I was just wearing an eye mask. So it must be daytime now? I wear an eye mask during the day because I'm afraid of bright light, the kind with big, drawn-on eyes on it—it's terrifying! Then I forced my eyes open and saw my mom's face. I blinked and said, "Mom, you look five years older all of a sudden! Did you forget the face mask I recommended? I told you women need to take care of themselves. Once my body pains subside, I'll make you a cucumber juice, honey, and egg yolk face mask—all-natural, no chemical additives, plus a vitamin E capsule. I guarantee your face will look like a peeled egg after washing it off!"

My mom's face was contorted, half-crying, half-laughing, like a Hangzhou white chrysanthemum. I thought, "Oh no, something terrible must have happened at home. What could have made my mom so angry? Is Dad having an affair?" This was terrible! I said, "Mom? Who's that vixen? Let's beat her up and scratch her face to pieces. Let's see if she dares to seduce Dad again!"

My mom was stunned and said, "Is your dad having an affair?"

I said, "No? If not, why are you crying like this? You're not even getting ready. I've been calling you for ages and you haven't answered. But it probably isn't true. I must have made a mistake, otherwise you wouldn't be listening to this 'selling fabric scraps' nonsense."

My mom burst into tears and said, "Xiao Ye, you've finally woken up! Do you know how long you slept? You scared your mom to death! I thought you'd never wake up again."

I was baffled by her crying and said, "Why can't I wake up? I'm awake now, aren't I? Mom, please stop crying. My whole body aches. What should we do? Should I take a hot bath or get a massage? Ugh, my bones hurt all over. I guess I slept for too long."

My mother looked on with tears of joy streaming down her face, some even falling onto my face. I said, "Mom, if you were a phoenix, this tear could heal my wounds. Unfortunately, you're not. Luckily, you were born in the Year of the Rooster, so I'll just pretend you're a phoenix. After all, a chicken with feathers becomes a phoenix. I'll just consider your tear a magic cure. Mom, don't cry. Crying makes you look ugly. We agreed beforehand that we wouldn't cry no matter what. My heart feels fine, it's perfectly okay. You can feel it if you don't believe me." Before my mother could feel it, I touched my own heart. It felt a little off; it seemed bigger. I touched further down—why was my waist so thick, and my belly so round?

I yelled, "Mom, something's wrong! I have ascites. No wonder my stomach feels so bloated."

My mom started crying and then laughed, then cried even louder. I rolled my eyes and thought, "Oh no, I'm going to die."

I fell silent for a while before finally saying, "Mom, have I had a complication?"

My mother covered her face, stood up, and ran away. I thought in despair: So I'm going to die. I closed my eyes and started to cry. This day has finally come.

After a while, I heard someone approaching. I recognized the footsteps and said, "You're here? You knew all along, didn't you? I guess I won't live past twenty-five? I'm sorry, I made you sad. I was selfish, wanting to love you one last time before I die, without considering your feelings at all. Consider it a debt I owe you, I'll repay it in the next life. In the next life, I'll definitely be healthy and strong, and I'll go hiking, swimming, and play tennis with you..."

Before I could finish speaking, before I could express my feelings, he hugged me. His body was burning hot, his lips were burning hot, and his arms were strong and powerful. He held me tightly, kissing my face and my lips, kissing me with his burning lips, making my whole body feel hot and flushed. I said, "Ayi, don't do this, Mom is here, right?"

But I kissed him back and said, "Ah Yi, Mom is here."

Speak of the devil, and he appears. Speak of Mom, and Mom comes too. Surprisingly, she's not angry; she comes up and hugs me. The two of them hug me and cry, showering my face with kisses. It doesn't feel like I'm dying; it feels like I've come back to life.

I don't know this person.

I later figured out why they were all crying while holding me. It turned out I wasn't experiencing abdominal swelling; I was pregnant. It became quite a joke, even more classic than the story of seeing a camel and calling it a horse's back swollen, or seeing an elephant and calling it a long-nosed bull monster. My parents and Wei Yiqing laughed whenever they talked about it, and I could only laugh along with them, feeling a little embarrassed, so I didn't dare tell them.

Because of my pregnancy, my already weak heart couldn't handle the strain, and one day it suddenly stopped supplying blood to my brain. I became a vegetable, bedridden for four months. My mother came to stay with me every day, massaging me, combing my hair, turning me over, and talking to me. Wei Yiqing even switched to the night shift so he could massage me, comb my hair, turn me over, and talk to me in the evenings. My father would come over as soon as he got off work to have dinner with my mother and me, and then they would switch shifts with Wei Yiqing before going home. Those four months were incredibly exhausting for them; if it weren't for the baby still growing inside me, I would basically have been given a death sentence.

Fortunately, Wei Yiqing was a doctor specializing in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and my father owned a medical equipment company. One was wealthy, and the other was talented. They managed to arrange for me to have a private room in the hospital where Wei Yiqing worked, and they did everything they could to treat me. I spent four months like that, neither alive nor dead. Then, one day, I suddenly woke up, which made my mother so happy that she cried and laughed at the same time. Because I hadn't spoken for so long, when she suddenly heard my voice, she thought it was my spirit coming to see her.

The whole "soul" thing is a joke. My mom says that one day, Wei Yiqing went crazy and went to the Wuli River to release river lanterns to summon my soul. The day he came back, supernatural things happened: writing appeared on the glass windows, someone hugged them, doors opened and closed automatically. I was so shocked I was practically pounding my teeth, covering my ears and saying, "Stop talking! Stop talking! It's terrifying! Are you all so brave? Didn't you even consult a Taoist priest? You scared the soul out of me! What kind of wandering ghost is causing trouble here? You didn't fall for it, did you? Huh? You must have, otherwise you wouldn't look like that. How can you be so easily fooled? Peruvian pesos for US dollars, do you want some?" My mom said, "Pah! Wei Yiqing did a great job! Releasing a soul-summoning lantern brought you back!"

The whole story about Wei Yiqing releasing river lanterns has become a joke. Everyone in the hospital is saying that when the doctors and nurses heard I was awake, they came to see me like I was a spectacle, and once they saw me, they wouldn't leave, staying to chat and tell jokes. They said Dr. Wei released river lanterns before the 14th of July, showing he's an impatient person. Apparently, at first, no one knew it was him; it was just a news report on TV, and then everyone got interested, started a manhunt, and found him in a couple of days. Everyone says Dr. Wei is such a romantic person; all the nurses in the hospital are practically flirting with him.

I was so ashamed I couldn't face anyone. After everyone left, I started interrogating him, saying, "Aren't you ashamed? Don't you care about your future? If you had gone to release him on July 14th, people would have just thought you were playing around. But you insisted on releasing him ten days early, right at the beginning of July. You deserve to be laughed at. I'm too ashamed to face anyone. I'll tell everyone that I don't know him and that we have nothing to do with each other."

The reason he kissed me with those burning lips that day was also due to a misunderstanding. He had some strange occurrences after releasing river lanterns that day, which got him excited, so he went again the next day. But then a heavy rainstorm hit, and he didn't release a single lantern, getting soaked and taken to the hospital by a kind passerby. This good-for-nothing, a doctor himself, actually got sick from releasing river lanterns in the rain! His temperature was 38.7 degrees Celsius—a high fever. And the fever wouldn't go away; he was delirious, even reciting some doggerel. Later, before his fever subsided, I woke up. He came to kiss me with his high fever, and I thought he was just being passionate, getting carried away. I woke up, and he was sick again, so he abused his power, adding a bed to my room, with an IV drip to bring down his fever. We lay facing each other, our fingers almost touching, gazing at each other without getting tired, only concerned with our happiness.