Passerby
“You are actually more suitable than your sister.” The father played with the string of green Buddhist beads in his hand, stared at Jiang Moyun for a long time, as if he was reminiscing about someone, and finally left out this comment.
It was as if it were just mentioned casually.
But Jiang Moyun knew that he was looking at his mother through her. As she grew older, the aunt who had taken care of her had also been momentarily dazed, watching her profile as she read by the window, and murmuring "Miss".
As dusk fell, the light and shadow cast a hazy, aged glow on her face, blurring her features. However, she could still see the tears welling in her aunt's eyes as she called out, and her father's figure standing lingering around the corner. Seeing this, she knew the call wasn't for her, but she pretended not to notice, smiling as she took her aunt's hand, her voice sweet and girlish—"What's wrong, Aunt Xue? Why did you call me all of a sudden? And why are you crying? Did Xiaoyun make you sad?"
"No, Xiaoyun is the best girl. It's just that the sandstorms in Beiping are too strong, and Aunt Xue accidentally got some in her eyes."
She deliberately emphasized her own name, even her mother's, because she hated it when people tried to evoke images of others in her.
As expected, she saw her father raise his wrist, a flash of emerald light appeared, his clothes fluttered, and his figure disappeared from sight.
However, after that, she had several more economics-related classes, which further squeezed out her already limited dance practice time. She was very dissatisfied with this, and this dissatisfaction reached its peak after discovering that her sister didn't mind her father's actions at all, and even took the initiative to find her a better and more responsible teacher.
"What's going on? I'll become your competitor!" Jiang Moyun was utterly exasperated. So, she stormed off to find her father, pushed open the door, and loudly declared, "I don't want to learn this!"
A few seconds later, she heard a soft laugh. She looked towards the source of the laughter and realized that the person who had just spoken looked familiar...it seemed to be the teacher that her sister had brought! She then realized that her father, sister, and the teacher were all in the room, and the atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.
But she didn't care about any of that now, and once again solemnly reiterated, "I don't want to learn this. I have no interest in your damn position as head of the family! I was born to dance!"
After a long silence, the older sister couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing. "Why did you make our little Yun'er so angry? Teacher Zheng, is your teaching too difficult and boring? You need to reflect on it and make some improvements." Jiang Qingchen joked.
"Then I really must apologize. But was I really that bad at teaching, Xiaoyun?" Teacher Zheng called her, mimicking her older sister, and looked over with feigned pitifulness, waiting for her answer.
Jiang Moyun found him frivolous and was even more dissatisfied with him. She ignored their banter and stared intently at her father, who hadn't spoken a word since they started talking. Under her gaze, her father stopped stroking his prayer beads, sighed softly, and beckoned her over.
"Qingchen, Young Master Zheng, you two go ahead and get busy. I want to have a word with Xiaoyun alone."
The others left, and Jiang Moyun took two steps forward, walked up to her father, and silently confronted him. In the end, her father gave in first.
“You’re very smart, you know what I mean, so why are you unwilling?” Her father looked at her with that reminiscing gaze once again, which made Jiang Moyun very dissatisfied.
So, did Father do all this because of her face, which resembles Mother's? Just because she looks more like Mother than my sister, does she have to go down this path too? I've never even met her, but just because of this blood relation, do I have to sacrifice my own dreams to carry on her legacy?
Jiang Moyun was furious at this coercion. But she remained silent for a long time, saying nothing. Because in this anger, she also clearly realized that since she had received favors from her family, she had to bear the corresponding responsibilities.
She felt resentful and deeply powerless at this absurdity. In the end, she calmed down and could only angrily say, "Aren't you afraid that my sister and I will fight for power and both of us will end up losing?"
"Can you do it?" Father started playing with his precious Buddhist prayer beads again. Although the beads had become lustrous and looked of good quality after years of wearing and handling, the material, while already considered top-grade, was nothing compared to what Father owned. However, Father always wore them year after year, as if they were very precious.
"If you two really end up fighting each other, then each of you should rely on your own abilities. I won't interfere. As long as one of you ends up in that position, that's fine." Her father withdrew his reminiscing gaze and calmly looked her over. "Besides... with your current abilities, do you think you can both be seriously injured? You don't have that kind of ability."
"Why do you insist on that position of family head? You yourself don't want to be that useless thing." Hearing her father's words, Jiang Moyun calmed down and returned to her usual indifferent and fearless demeanor.
Since his mother's passing, the position of family head had remained vacant. Everyone had assumed his father would seize power and reveal his treacherous ambitions, but he merely served as acting head, calling himself the "gatekeeper." He claimed that, according to his mother's wishes, the position would only be passed on to the most outstanding member of the next generation. This caught everyone off guard, who were waiting to condemn him. Initially, some were naturally dissatisfied, but his mother had always balanced the various factions, and the seemingly insignificant son-in-law had indeed demonstrated remarkable abilities, stabilizing the precarious situation amidst the turmoil.
Under various constraints and balances, this calm has continued to this day. No matter how turbulent the undercurrents are, at least on the surface, things have remained calm for thirteen years.
"Because of your mother..."
Just as expected, it was nothing more than the same old vulgar talk about not letting others take away the family fortune. "These are all things stolen from others," Jiang Moyun thought sarcastically, but her father's next words made her involuntarily freeze.
“She wanted to establish some fairness, hoping that there could be at least one competition in the world that wouldn’t be made more difficult just because she was a girl…” The father unconsciously tightened his grip on the prayer beads, tilted his head slightly, and looked up at the empty space above him, where a beam of light shone down from the skylight, illuminating the dust floating in the air.
He just stared quietly, as if hoping to catch a glimpse of a shadow, or perhaps his gaze was simply fixed there, without any other intention. His voice grew softer and softer, as if afraid of disturbing something.
This was the first time Jiang Moyun had felt such a thick, almost tangible weariness in her father. In her short thirteen years of life, she realized for the first time that her father's figure was not as imposing as she remembered. His thinness before her eyes gradually replaced the image in her memory.
As she stood there in a daze, her father's voice rang out again, "She's gone, so I have to finish this for her."
"Jiang Moyun." This was the first time her father had called her by her full name in her memory. His voice was less gentle than usual and had become somewhat cold. "You have always been more indifferent and rational than your sister since you were a child. Compared to Qingchen's kindness, you are actually much more suitable for this kind of world."
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on his face, but it brought little warmth. The winter sun is always like this; beneath its warmth lies an unyielding chill.
“But there’s no need to force it. I don’t think your mother will blame me for letting you go free. It’s just that…” He paused, as if he wanted to say something, but then changed the subject, “Of course you can continue to dance, but you still have to take classes. You can’t be completely ignorant. The fighting has been too fierce lately, and it will only intensify in the future. At least don’t hold Qingchen back.”
Her father gently patted her head. "Alright, go on. I knew you'd come and cause trouble. Your sister already talked to me beforehand, telling me not to force you." As he spoke, he couldn't help but bend his fingers and tap her head slightly. "Everyone thinks I'll force you. What, haven't I spoiled you enough all these years? Don't you get whatever you want at home?"
Jiang Moyun threw herself into her father's arms, her voice muffled, "I know, I'll study hard."
She was the youngest daughter in the Jiang family, with her father and older sister above her. In this treacherous and ever-changing world, she could only do what made her happy.
Unfortunately, Jiang Moyun didn't realize this back then. She was always selfish and only wanted to indulge herself.
A few months later, Jiang Moyun met her most compatible partner, a rare confidant in her life.
She had only recently decided to learn to dance in pairs, and her teacher had been looking for a suitable partner for her, but had not yet found one she was satisfied with.
One day, her teacher excitedly told her that one of the new students was a perfect fit and that she should go see him. "That boy might not be as talented as you, but he's incredibly hardworking and shares your passion." She followed the teacher into the classroom and immediately spotted the boy dancing. Sunlight streamed in, highlighting his handsome, refined figure. After his dance, he noticed them, who had arrived long before, and gave them a warm smile.
Why do you dance?
The boy was still slightly out of breath after finishing. When asked by the teacher, he simply wiped the sweat from his forehead and said firmly and passionately, "Dance is the meaning of my life."
His eyes shone brightly, and Jiang Moyun was moved by the sincerity within them, so they naturally became partners.
"Hello, my name is Wen Yushen."
“It is the Wen Yu Shen in the saying, ‘His nature is like white jade, which remains cool even when burned; his writing is like a red string, which becomes more profound when struck.’”
He politely extended his hand to Jiang Moyun, a faint smile on his face accompanied by the afternoon sunlight, easily stirring ripples in Jiang Moyun's life that lingered for a long time.
——
At the age of fifteen, the two made their stage debut, stunning the world with their performance of "The Yellow Millet Dream." Jiang Moyun's life thereafter was as brilliant and passionate as that dance.
Just as everyone firmly believed that she would become the best dancer, it seemed so natural that she and Wen Yushen fell in love.
"There is a beautiful woman, graceful and charming. We met by chance, and it was exactly what I wanted." This is a love letter that Wen Yushen wrote to her. At the end of the letter, he said, "Moyun, you are the embodiment of my ideal."
They came together because of their love for each other, and their souls intertwined during their nine years of companionship. They were close friends, confidants, and lovers, and they had already made a promise to each other for a hundred years.
Time is merciless; years of power struggles and chaos have dwindled the once-vast family to a sparse number. Although the process was fraught with difficulties, the elder sister ultimately prevailed, inheriting the company. The world was no longer in its initial chaos; everything gradually prospered, and nine years later, everything had settled down. The teacher Zheng, whom she had once considered frivolous, had fortunately won her sister's heart; they had been married for two years and planned to have a child this year.
She was naturally a little dissatisfied, not that she particularly disliked Teacher Zheng, but in her eyes, even a celestial being like her wasn't good enough for her sister. However, since her sister liked him, she could only accept it with resentment. To be honest, it was Jiang Moyun who inadvertently became the matchmaker.
"Tsk, this kid really got off easy." Jiang Moyun was very displeased with the man's smug look.
Her older sister still liked to pinch her cheeks just like when they were children. Then she asked her when she and Wen Yushen planned to get married. "Didn't Yushen propose to you a long time ago? It was all over the news. Why aren't you getting married yet? Don't keep him waiting on purpose."
Just as Jiang Moyun was about to speak, Wen Yushen smiled and put his arm around her shoulder, naturally taking over the conversation, "It was me who was dragging my feet, always thinking that we should wait until we won the gold medal before having the wedding and celebration banquet together. That would be more in line with our Moyun."
Wen Yu lowered his eyes to look at her, and the two exchanged a knowing smile. Everything was just right.
"I want to wear a red dress when I get married."
"I'll do whatever you want. If you don't mind the effort, you can wear as many outfits as you like, whether they're red or not, and I'll help you change."
It's a deal.
"good."
But everything had already been secretly priced by fate. That dance at fifteen was dazzling but fleeting.
A moment of fleeting pleasure is truly a pipe dream.
As Jiang Moyun approached the end of her twenties, she choreographed a dance for the upcoming competition called "A Guest in the Human World":
A traveler in this world, a traveler in this world, I wake up and listen to the falling flowers in my leisure time;
Human guest, human guest, gambling on books while enjoying the fragrance of spilled tea;
A traveler in this world, a traveler in this world, at the time I thought it was just an ordinary thing...
This match was extremely important, but both of them were determined to win. This was undoubtedly the closest Jiang Moyun had ever come to his childhood dream.
"Yu Shen, let's get married if we win the gold medal."
"good."
Perhaps it was all preordained in the dark.
She came to this world merely to be a passerby.
They only won the silver medal in the competition, narrowly missing the gold. The award, which seemed like a sure thing, vanished without a trace. It seemed like they couldn't blame anyone but themselves, and could only lament that fate was cruel.
It might just be because they are all too young.
Jiang Moyun was very upset. Wen Yushen patted her shoulder and gently kissed her forehead to comfort her, "It's okay, there will be a next time. I can wait, as long as you are still willing to marry me, as long as you will continue to dance."
He paused slightly, looking at her with the same sincere eyes he had when they first met, "Mo Yun, we still have a long future ahead of us."
Jiang Moyun simply smiled in response, her gaze burning with idealism and love. "What nonsense are you talking about? I was born to dance." She couldn't be too direct; this was already her limit. Fortunately, they both understood each other, so there was no need for further words.
Now that the competition was over, Jiang Moyun naturally had to rush back—her sister had given birth more than two months ago, and both mother and daughter were safe.
It's been almost three months already.
She received the letter while she was in the middle of a crucial match and couldn't get away, but now she has to hurry back to see what's going on.
The plane encountered some turbulence halfway through the flight, and the shaking was a bit severe, but it quickly returned to normal.
Jiang Moyun continued to drift off into thought, seemingly unconcerned.
What was the child's name again, as mentioned in the letter?
It seems to be... "Ci Qing" (辞卿).
That's right, it's Ci Qing.
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