No matter what Chen Yunqi said, San San obediently answered "yes," her docile demeanor breaking Teacher Chen's heart. He pulled her onto his lap and softly asked, "Does your hand still hurt? Are you blaming me?"
San San shook her head and said earnestly, "I don't blame you. Actually, I wanted to hit him too, but he's an elder... I didn't dare..."
“I stopped you not because I was worried you would get hurt in a fight with him. A-Cuo-Qu-Bi is a villager, but you are different. No matter how right or wrong you are, they will not respect you or truly stand on your side. You are so kind, I am worried that they will unite against you.”
After finishing his sentence, San San sighed softly. He knew his people all too well. No matter how simple and kind they appeared to outsiders, their inherent flaws would be laid bare when their own interests were at stake. They could treat you like family when you first met them, but they could also turn their backs on you without any reason.
Chen Yunqi realized he had indeed acted too impulsively, less clear-headed than an eighteen-year-old. He scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "Sigh, I..."
Before he could continue, San San kissed his lips. The words that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back; Chen Yunqi was lost in the sweet, passionate kiss, instantly forgetting everything else.
San San's kiss was so incredibly healing.
A moment later, their lips parted, and San San rubbed her nose against his, whispering, "Brother looks so cool when he fights."
Teacher Chen, easily flattered, immediately felt her legs go weak upon hearing the compliment, and an uncontrollable smile crept onto her lips. Her initial grief and indignation instantly transformed into tenderness. Her barely concealed smugness was evident in her expression, yet she feigned nonchalance and said, "Really?"
San San saw through him and, wanting to see more of his feigned calmness and clumsy cuteness, continued, "Yes, he's a hero."
Chen Yunqi couldn't hold back any longer. He grinned broadly and reached out to pinch San San's chin, saying somewhat arrogantly, "I'll protect you from now on."
"Yes! With my brother here, I'm not afraid of anything." San San's eyes crinkled with affection as she leaned on Chen Yunqi's shoulder, feeling as sweet as if she had eaten honey.
That night, San San's father stayed at A Cuo Qubi's house. When San San's mother returned home, Chen Yunqi, San San, and Sheng Xiaoyan had already gone to bed.
The next morning, San San's father returned home. After the funeral at Sheng Qinzhi's family, the Yi people from her maternal side also left. They did not take the three siblings with them. With the village chief's coordination, the children stayed at home temporarily to at least have a peaceful New Year. Their final destination would be discussed after the school teachers returned after the New Year.
During the few days of the Spring Festival, San San frequently visited relatives and friends with his parents, but Chen Yunqi did not go with them. He did not go anywhere except to Li Laoqi's house. Li Laoqi asked him to write down his home address on a piece of paper, planning to go down the mountain to send sausages to Chen Yunqi's family after the Spring Festival when the postal service resumed normal operations.
Tang Yutao returned on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. He left early despite his family's objections and took an unlicensed car from City C all the way to the foot of Tianyun Mountain. There, he happened to meet Village Chief Sheng, who had just returned from town. On their way back to the village, they listened carefully to what had happened at Sheng Qinzhi's house.
While resting halfway through the journey, Village Chief Sheng squatted down by the roadside, panting, and said, "Teacher Tang, it's not that I'm biased towards my relatives, but this Teacher Chen isn't a regular volunteer teacher, nor is he a cadre from the town or county. He's always meddling in our village's affairs, and we've even gotten into a fight several times already. Isn't this a bit too much?"
Tang Yutao took off his glasses and wiped the dirty lenses with the corner of his clothes, then raised one eyelid to look at him.
“Village Chief Sheng, it’s wrong of Teacher Chen to hit someone, but we’re both men. If it were me, I might not have handled it any better,” he said, putting his glasses back on and looking directly at him with sharp eyes. “Teacher Chen is my friend, and I also have a responsibility. I will try to persuade him, so you don’t need to worry about that. But I won’t be unreasonable. The idea that ‘I’m weak, therefore I’m right’ won’t work on me either.”
Hearing this, Village Chief Sheng looked somewhat embarrassed. He stammered, "I didn't mean anything by it... it's just... he's an outsider after all..."
"What's wrong with outsiders?" Tang Yutao crossed his arms, raised his eyebrows and said, "I'm an outsider too. We're all here to help. There's no problem with Chen Yunqi teaching, and there's no problem with him helping you with farm work. He's just hot-blooded and standing up for what's right. What he did was what you, the village chief, should be doing. What's wrong with that? If there's a problem, it's your problem."
Village Chief Sheng was no match for his silver tongue. With his low level of education and dull mind, he was rendered speechless for a moment. He simply slapped his thigh and said, "Sigh, yes, yes, no matter what I say, it's useless. Blame it on my cowardice!"
Tang Yutao said again, "You don't need to say that. Even an upright official can't settle family disputes. Different people have different tastes. It's not surprising that you can't manage it." He paused, then continued thoughtfully, "But... in the future, if we outsiders have any conflicts with people from your village, I hope you can truly uphold justice and not just parrot what others say."
After listening to his words, Village Chief Sheng felt something was amiss. Another conflict in the future? Was Teacher Tang so certain there would be another conflict? Was he even giving himself a heads-up? He was completely bewildered and wanted to ask for clarification, but when he turned around, he found Tang Yutao had already walked away.
With no one at school, Tang Yutao put down his things and went to San San's house. Upon entering, he indeed saw Chen Yunqi sitting alone in the main room, engrossed in a worn-out book by the dim light. He tossed the bag he was carrying into Chen Yunqi's arms, plopped down opposite him, picked up a teacup that someone had apparently drunk from, and downed the remaining tea in one gulp.
Chen Yunqi was startled and almost dropped the bag. He put down his book, opened it, and flipped through it. Besides several large packs of wet wipes, a carton of cigarettes, and two boxes of Durex, there was also a small, gleaming silver object.
"Not bad, you actually found it." Chen Yunqi picked out the item and examined it from all angles, a very satisfied look on his face.
"Damn it, you're trying to be romantic, and I have to search all over town for this piece of junk during the New Year!" Tang Yutao held out his palm. "Give me money! Plus a fee for my trouble, a running errand fee, and compensation for emotional distress!"
Chen Yunqi laughed, put the things back into the bag, and said to him, "What mental anguish have you suffered, sir?"
"I'm a straight guy! I've been hit with a sweet attack from a gay couple!" Tang Yutao said with an exaggerated expression. "From 'tools of the crime' to birthday gifts, you guys are moving so fast! You didn't even consider how much I can handle!"
Chen Yunqi patted his palm and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, I'll compensate you double. I don't have the money now, I'll give it to you later."
Tang Yutao was somewhat skeptical and pressed further, "Where's your money?"
Chen Yunqi gave a brief, evasive account of helping Li Jun repay his debts. Tang Yutao was so angry that he gritted his teeth and insisted on going to Li Hanqiang's house to teach Li Jun a lesson. Chen Yunqi made him sit back down, and Tang Yutao said indignantly, "That good-for-nothing! You shouldn't have helped him!"
"I just don't want his family to have a bad New Year. Let's talk about this later." Chen Yunqi said evasively for a few moments, then asked, "Let's get down to business. What about Sheng Qinzhi and his sister?"
Tang Yutao was also troubled by this matter. He told Chen Yunqi that Director Zhang had promised to report the situation to the Education Bureau after the holiday, hoping to coordinate with relevant departments and welfare institutions to first resolve the children's home issue, and then their household registration issue. The most optimistic scenario was that someone would be willing to adopt them; otherwise, staying in the village relying on neighbors' charity or being sent to an orphanage were not long-term solutions. Even if someone was willing to adopt them, the possibility of all three being adopted by the same family was very small, meaning the three siblings were destined to be separated.
"Let's just take it one step at a time," Tang Yutao said helplessly. "That's all we can do. It's their fate." He shrugged. "They have no choice."
Chen Yunqi remained silent. He had never believed in fate, but after arriving in Tianyun Village, the series of events he witnessed made him see the harsh realities of life and deeply understand what it meant to be "willing but unable." There was so little they, as outsiders, could do. Whether it was teaching Huang Yelin to paint, helping him find his father, or helping Li Jun pay off his gambling debts, none of it could change their fate. Where they would ultimately end up, and whose hands their destiny was in, no one could say for sure.
Tang Yutao returned, and Chen Yunqi could no longer linger at San San's house, so he went back to school that night. Lying in bed that night, he felt that the distance that was once only a wall apart now seemed impossibly vast.
The night is long, I wonder if that gentle and warm boy is asleep, or if he is also like me, unable to sleep and suffering from lovesickness, gazing at the moon as if three autumns have passed.
On the ninth day, Li Hui returned. He carried back large bags of local specialties from his hometown, and also bought many toys and books for his goddaughter, Li Yan.
The tenth day of the lunar month is San San's birthday. Half of the year has passed, the appointed day has arrived, and San San's family is about to celebrate.
Whenever someone in the village plays drums, all the familiar neighbors will go to join in the fun. The family will then slaughter chickens and sheep to entertain them, and two jars of strong liquor will be placed next to the hearth. After the seals are opened, the whole house will be filled with a rich aroma of liquor.
When the teachers arrived, a large number of people had already gathered inside and outside San San's house. Everyone sat around Old Suni, smoking and drinking, waiting for the appointed time to watch him perform his exorcism.
Chen Yunqi entered the house but did not see San San. Just as he was about to go look for her, his mother called out to him, "Teacher Chen is here! Perfect timing, here's some wine for you."
After saying that, he squatted down beside the wine jar, picked up a rubber tube stuck in the jar, put it in his mouth, and sucked hard with both cheeks. A chopstick was lying across the mouth of the jar, and a bowl of water was on the ground next to it. As Amu drank, Li Hanqiang added water to the jar until it was full, level with the chopstick. Only then did Amu let go, casually wiped the mouth of the tube a couple of times, and handed it to Chen Yunqi, gesturing for him to take it.
Tang Yutao nudged him from behind and whispered, "It's a matter of etiquette. If someone offers you a drink, you have to drink it back. Just finish your drink and then offer it to someone else."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunqi went over, took the tube, and squatted down to drink from it.
The amount of water in the bowl didn't seem like much, but it was difficult to drink. The tube was slow and strenuous to suck through, and after only a few sucks, Chen Yunqi felt his cheeks ache and his stomach bloat. He forced himself to suck for a long time, but he didn't seem to have gone down much of the wine from the jar.
Li Hanqiang egged them on from the sidelines: "Don't stop feeding! You can't stop! Hurry! Hurry!"
Amu, holding a bowl and adding water, looked up at Chen Yunqi and saw that he looked somewhat pained. She smiled and said, "Can't drink it? If you really can't drink it, then forget it. I'll drink it for you."
Chen Yunqi shook his head with the tube in his mouth, indicating that he didn't need to. After pausing for a moment, he mustered all his strength and sucked hard again, finally drinking down a large portion of the wine and pouring all the water into it as well.
Gan Gan Jiu is a type of liquor brewed by the Yi people themselves using sorghum and corn. It tastes slightly sour and sweet, similar to rice wine, but much stronger. Chen Yunqi drank his bowl of liquor for Li Hanqiang. He handed over the straw and was about to go rest when Li Hanqiang quickly finished his drink and said to Chen Yunqi, "Brother, I'll drink this bowl for you!"
Whether their enthusiasm was feigned or genuine, the people in the room kept offering Chen Yunqi drinks, no matter who he offered them. They used the excuse of unavoidable custom to keep pouring him drinks for several rounds, and Chen Yunqi had no choice but to accept them all, even taking a bowl for Li Laoqi, who had a sensitive stomach. Eventually, Tang Yutao couldn't stand it anymore and stepped in to stop them, and only then did the group lose interest and shift their focus.
When San San returned with her father after slaughtering the sheep, Chen Yunqi was leaning against the wall, already quite drunk. Before San San could check on him, Old Suni untied his headscarf, revealing a long braid at the back of his head, and began to beat a sheepskin drum around the fire pit, chanting incantations as he performed a ritual for San San.
San San had no choice but to sit properly on the small stool, letting Old Suni sing and dance for him, while his eyes kept glancing towards the corner of the wall.
Chen Yunqi rested his arm on his bent knee, looking at him through the fire pit with hazy, drunken eyes. His unfocused gaze held an indescribable meaning.
The eighteen-year-old boy wore a black hoodie, which made his face look like jade and his lips red and luscious. His bright eyes were as clear as autumn water. He sat with his legs crossed in front of him. His quiet and gentle temperament was so out of place with the dilapidated environment and eerie atmosphere around him.
Despite the cacophony around him, Chen Yunqi's mind seemed to be muted, and all that remained in the bizarre scene before him was the serene black-clad youth. He found San San exceptionally beautiful and captivating tonight, and the more he gazed at her, the more intoxicated he became.
Since San San couldn't get away for the time being, Chen Yunqi took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to get up and go to the courtyard to get some fresh air and sober up. Little did he know that the aftereffects of that liquor were really strong. Even though he was still somewhat sober, he collapsed as soon as he saw the wind and slumped down next to the stone mill, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
San San's mother was carrying a big rooster into the house when she saw Chen Yunqi lying drunk on the ground. She quickly went over to help him up and told him to come inside and lie down and rest.
Chen Yunqi, enduring the discomfort in his stomach, lay down on San San's bed and closed his eyes to rest. He had only been lying there for a short while when the door was kicked open with a "bang," and then Old Suni, who was holding a rooster, and a group of onlookers burst in with a cacophony of gongs and drums.
Old Suni rolled his eyes back, chanting incantations in the Yi language, and brandishing a wooden sword, slashing around as if truly possessed by a god. The eerie scene sobered Chen Yunqi up considerably, and he lay stiffly on the bed, too afraid to move.
After an unknown amount of time, Old Suni finally finished the exorcism and moved on to another room. San San didn't need to follow him during this part; he sneaked into the room after everyone left, looked around for a while to make sure no one was watching, and then gently closed the door. Just as he turned around, someone blocked his way from behind and slammed him against the door.
The noise was shut out behind the door. San San, pressed against the door panel, was instantly engulfed by the strong smell of alcohol and the passionate kiss.
Chapter Forty-Six: Birthday
A thin door separated the inside from the outside into two worlds. Outside, drums blared and birds chirped and doves gathered; inside, lovers whispered sweet nothings and lingered in each other's arms.
Half-drunk and half-awake, Chen Yunqi was so gentle. He gently cupped San San's cheek with one hand, and braced the other hand against the door, using his broad chest to embrace San San completely. He leaned down slightly and took San San's soft lips into his mouth, slowly sucking and gently biting them, as if he were savoring the most unforgettable delicacy in the world. With each kiss, he would raise his deep eyes to look at San San, his gaze so captivating that it seemed to steal one's soul.
Endless love surged in his eyes. San San had never known that there could be such a deeply affectionate person in the world. For a moment, he felt as if he had drowned in the unfathomable sea in Chen Yunqi's eyes.
One glance, and there's no cure.
With the intoxicating aroma of alcohol lingering in her mouth, San San parted her lips slightly, allowing her beloved to greedily take from her.
Chen Yunqi couldn't get enough of kissing the person in his arms. He finally managed to stop himself, stepped back slightly, took San San's hand, and took out a gleaming silver metal object from his coat pocket and placed it in his palm.
It is a 24-hole Guoguang harmonica.
San San held the harmonica in both hands, examining it closely. His eyes were filled with surprise and confusion as he looked at Chen Yunqi. Chen Yunqi raised his thumb and gently stroked San San's rosy lips, kissed his forehead, and whispered in his ear, "Happy birthday, baby."
Yes, today is not only an auspicious day for exorcising ghosts and casting spells, but it is also San San's eighteenth birthday. Tonight, his house is bustling with activity, but apart from Chen Yunqi, among those people eating meat, drinking wine, and shouting excitedly, not one of them is truly there for him.
San San was used to it all; he had never celebrated his birthday, nor had he ever received a birthday present. The day held no special meaning for him. If his family happened to remember and cooked him a bowl of noodles with a poached egg, that was already a great luxury. As for gifts, cakes, and adoring celebrations, those were things he only knew from stories in books.
But the man in front of him gave him the first and only beautiful fairy tale in his life that he could see and touch.
San San desperately told himself not to cry, because he had never been happier than he was now. He held back the tears that were about to spill from his eyes and smiled at Chen Yunqi, saying, "I can't play the harmonica."
“I know how, I’ll teach you,” Chen Yunqi said proudly, raising his eyebrows. “My grandfather also had an old-fashioned Guoguang harmonica, and he played it exceptionally well. I learned from him. Unfortunately, I’ve lost mine.”
San San gently stroked the cool metal cover, carefully put the harmonica into her pocket, and softly replied, "Okay, I'll learn to play it for you."
“After his birthday, our San San will be an adult. Congratulations.” Chen Yunqi looked at him gently and said earnestly, “From now on, may the sea be vast for fish to leap and the sky for birds to fly. I hope my darling will be safe, happy, and free.”
He raised his hand and ruffled San San's stray hairs, then leaned closer and continued with a smile, "There's no big cake this year, but I'll be with you for every birthday from now on. We'll make up for what we missed in the past together."
“Make a wish, you silly girl,” Chen Yunqi said, “Let me fulfill all your wishes in this life.”
San San's eyes gleamed slightly. He looked at Chen Yunqi with some confusion, his heart filled with a thousand words but unable to find the right words to express them. He could only obediently close his eyes.
Then... I hope I have the right to love you, the ability to soothe all your sorrows. I don't ask to be by your side for the rest of my life, I just want to leave you with the most beautiful memories.
Outside the door, San San's mother was looking around for someone. She called out several times but San San didn't answer. Just as she was about to push the door open and go inside, she saw San San open the door and come out rubbing his eyes. Chen Yunqi followed behind him and said to her, "Auntie, I'm sorry, I've had too much to drink and I want to go back and rest first."
According to the rules, people who enter the house tonight are not allowed to leave before dawn, but Chen Yunqi is Han Chinese after all, so Aunt San San didn't make a big deal out of it and quickly agreed to see him out.
Chen Yunqi rushed back to school, quickly fetched hot water to wash himself thoroughly, changed into clean shirts and trousers, checked the door lock several times to make sure it was only slightly ajar and could be easily opened with a gentle twist, before finally crawling into bed.
His heart was pounding, and he tossed and turned under the covers, unable to calm down. The words San San had secretly said to him before he left kept echoing in his ears.
"Brother, don't lock the door, I'm coming to find you."
Alcohol increases the viscosity of blood throughout the body, drawing out a large amount of water and causing a feeling of dry mouth, thirst, and unbearable hunger. The aftereffects wear off, leaving him feeling unwell all over. Exhausted and panting, Chen Yunqi tossed and turned, anxiously anticipating his next move, before finally falling asleep.
***
The ritual continued until midnight. During a break, everyone sat around the fire pit and ate the stewed mutton. Some people couldn't stay awake any longer and simply lay down on the straw mats. Some were drunk and others were asleep. In the chaos, no one noticed that San San seemed to be missing.
San San, dressed in only thin clothes, climbed over the back of the house without a flashlight and ran into the school. His heart was pounding like a deer. He tiptoed to Chen Yunqi's door, reached out and easily opened it with a twist of the wrist.
He locked the door behind him as he entered the room, then groped his way to the bedside. The person on the bed was motionless; San San then realized that Chen Yunqi was already asleep.
The drunk man slept soundly. In his hazy state, Chen Yunqi felt a cool hand slip inside his shirt and caress his chest. Then, he felt a weight press down on his lower abdomen, and a soft pair of lips pressed against his. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming, and sleepwalked in response to the gentle, wet kiss until his hands involuntarily reached up to the burning body, at which point he suddenly came to his senses.
He opened his eyes in surprise, recognizing the person lying on top of him by the familiar scent in the darkness.
His hands moved from her waist to her back, the skin smooth, delicate, and soft as jade. Chen Yunqi kissed her, murmuring, "Baby, is that you…?"
"Brother, it's me, I've come."