Chapter 64 A chance encounter, a glimpse of something wondrous, and reflections on the times deepened my thoughts. ...
When night falls, people are like the moon, and the moon is like silver.
As night deepened and twilight descended, the Yanxi Pavilion was brightly lit, and laughter echoed continuously.
Dan Heng walked slowly beside Chen Mi. The two deliberately avoided the bustling crowds and chose to take a quiet, secluded path. The path was quiet and dim, and even the lamps paled in comparison to the swaying shadows of the trees.
The two passed through Tanhu Forest and bypassed Yanxi Pavilion. Danheng escorted Chen Mi out of Suiyuan Garden, and Qingqiu Terrace was faintly visible in the distance.
A breeze blew in from the pine trees and rocks, carrying a slight chill. It lifted a corner of Chen Mi's robe and lightly brushed against Dan Heng's right hand, which was placed at his side.
Dan Heng glanced down, deliberately slowed his pace, and silently moved to her right side, blocking the subsequent gust of wind for her.
He remained silent as always, occasionally glancing at her as if confirming something. His gaze was indifferent, yet his actions revealed meticulous care.
Shen Mi listened to the two people's footsteps, which were very close and tight. Just as they were about to reach the stone steps in front of Qingqiu Terrace, she suddenly stopped.
"Danheng, Qingqiu Terrace is just ahead. You can drop me off here. I can walk on my own from here."
"The road isn't far." Dan Heng frowned slightly, his tone still relatively gentle, but he didn't quite agree.
Shen Mi chuckled softly, her tone unhurried yet earnest: "I'm not a child. The lights are bright here, I won't get lost. Besides..." She paused, then lowered her head, "More than my safety right now, I hope to see you for a long time."
Danheng looked at her, his brows relaxed, and he knew in his heart that parting was quietly approaching.
The human heart is like a flower that longs to bloom. This beautiful scene, even in an amusement park that never closes, eventually comes to an end.
Shen Mi noticed his unusual behavior and turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"
Danheng looked up at her, his eyes seemingly hiding a hint of melancholy at their parting, softened by the night, yet still stubbornly bright: "Then I'll watch you leave."
Shen Mi chuckled and joked, "Just now on the rooftop, weren't you urging me to leave? You even said it was getting late."
Dan Heng turned his head away and responded in silence.
Shen Mi sighed softly, took a few steps forward, and hugged Dan Heng, the little dumpling about to give birth.
She mimicked how her parents patted her back when she was little, placing her hand on his broad back and gently comforting him: "If we can meet every day under the clear moonlight from now on, what's wrong with parting now?"
Your sorrow, too, will seep into my heart as the twilight deepens. ①
"Go back now, Danheng. Take care of yourself. Remember to eat the snowflake crisps I gave you. See you another day."
The wind swept across the distance between them, carrying the sorrow in a long, lingering way. Danheng didn't answer, watching Shen Mi's departing figure, slowly savoring the words she had spoken as she gently stroked his back.
Seeing these objects is already a delightful experience; being moved by the times, my thoughts become even more profound.
*
Shen Mi walked out of the Suiyuan gate empty-handed. Looking at the couples walking hand in hand around him, he felt a pang of sadness.
"Sigh—" She sighed softly, glanced at the time, and saw it was exactly eight o'clock in the evening.
Shen Mi was about to go to a nearby station to wait for the public starship back when he heard someone call his name from behind. When he turned around, he saw that it was Qing Cu.
She asked in surprise, "Qingcu, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to watch a play."
Qingcu had just returned from watching a play at Yanxi Pavilion when she saw a familiar figure at the gate of Suiyuan Garden. At first, she thought she was seeing things, but when she got closer, she realized it was Chen Mi.
"And you? What brings you to Suiyuan?"
Shen Mi explained, "I saw online that Suiyuan was quite fun, so I came here following the guide. I didn't expect to almost get trapped in the illusion and not be able to get out."
As she spoke, Shen Mi's face was full of embarrassment and lingering fear. She scratched her head and added with a wry smile, "I thought it was a tourist attraction for taking photos, but I got trapped inside as soon as I went in. By the time I realized what was happening, I had been wandering around in the illusion for half an hour."
Upon hearing this, Qingcu raised his eyebrows immediately, asking incredulously, "You went in alone?"
“Hmm.” Shen Mi nodded. “I thought it was like any other tourist attraction, so I didn’t pay attention to the tips in the travel guide…”
"You really are... ignorant and fearless." Qingcu sighed, half reproachfully and half helplessly. "The illusion of Suiyuan is no joke. You can easily get trapped if you're not careful. But you were lucky to get out on your own."
Chen Mi looked at her, as if remembering something, and asked again, "You just said you came to see the play? Is it the one that starts at six o'clock?"
“Hmm!” When talking about what she likes, Qingcu explained with a smile, “Yanxi Pavilion has invited a special opera troupe to perform the ‘Immortal Boat Heroes’ series these past few days. Today they happened to be performing ‘The Case of Chen Shimei,’ so I came here specifically to listen to a show.”
"The Case of Chen Shimei?" Shen Mi was surprised. No wonder he could understand the plot when he listened to it upstairs. At the time, he was thinking that the translation of the synesthetic beacon was too much. He didn't expect to meet an old friend in a foreign land.
Qingcu paused, her gaze sweeping over Chen Mi's face, then suddenly smiled meaningfully: "Were you also in the corridor of the Yanxi Pavilion? I didn't see you."
Shen Mi shook his head: "No, I just happened to overhear a few words when I was passing by. They were very interesting, so they left a deep impression on me!"
Qingcu blinked. She had been a little suspicious of her, but when she saw the interest in opera on her face, she immediately smiled. Her attention was completely drawn to the opera, and she didn't have time to ask any more questions.
"Of course." She straightened her back and said with some pride, "Although it is an old play, some new techniques have been used in the arrangement. The singing style, the percussion rhythm and the performance rhythm have all been changed, making it more compact. I really enjoyed watching the climax. Moreover, the actors have been changed to more handsome actors with better singing styles."
Shen Mi listened with great interest, a smile appearing in his eyes: "After listening to you, I regret that I only passed by and didn't go in to take a look."
"Then don't leave." Qingcu glanced at her, a hint of slyness in his eyes. "They have several more shows coming up these days, like 'Killing at the Temple' and 'The Prince Replaced by a Civet Cat,' all classic pieces. I think they're just as good as the Ten Great Butterfly Fantasy Shows. If you like them, come with me to see a few more shows?"
Upon hearing these familiar names, Shen Mi's eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded in agreement without hesitation. However, thinking of the illusionary traps in Suiyuan Garden, he couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"But there are so many illusionary traps in Suiyuan, and this afternoon I..."
"That's easy. The Bureau of Works has special mechanisms to deal with this. Go get one tomorrow, and you won't be dragged into the illusion next time."
Shen Mi smiled gently and nodded, "Okay, okay!"
Qingcu continued, "Since you're here, don't rush to leave. There's a street fair nearby later with lots of snacks. Want to go check it out together?"
Shen Mi hesitated for a moment, then realized that there would be no more shuttle buses after nine o'clock, and she was in a dilemma.
Qingcu noticed her hesitation, chuckled, patted her shoulder, and said to Chen Mi, "Since I invited you, I will definitely get you home safely, don't worry."
Shen Mi immediately nodded: "Okay."
The two walked and talked, following the bluestone path at the entrance of Suiyuan Garden. Although the flowers and trees outside the garden were not as abundant as inside, they were still well-maintained. The night breeze was cool, and the lanterns along the way were lit up, each one seemingly shimmering with colorful light, creating a dreamlike scene like a stage performance.
Shen Mi suddenly spoke up: "Qing Cu, do you really enjoy watching plays?"
"Yes, I like it very much." Her eyes shone, as if recalling some precious memory. "I grew up in an orphanage. When I was a child, the orphanage had limited funds, which could only guarantee basic food and clothing. There were basically no entertainment facilities, but a kind old man would come and sing opera for us every day."
Shen Mi turned to look at her. Qing Cu spoke with a relaxed expression, as if she were recounting someone else's story, but Shen Mi could still hear the loneliness hidden in that understated manner.
"And then?" Shen Mi asked.
"Later on, I just... grew to like it more and more." Qingcu shrugged, a smile still on her lips. "I like watching them portray all kinds of lives on stage, and I also like watching them act out all the joys and sorrows. Although it's a play, the emotions are piled up in the singing, and it sounds like a dream. Sometimes I feel like I've lived a whole life."
Shen Mi listened to her words in silence, simply walking quietly beside her, being a dutiful listener.
Qingcu continued, her tone still relaxed, but her words revealed an undisguised sincerity and calmness: "Stories in plays always come to an end, no matter how tragic, once the song is over, it's over. But in reality... how many final curtain calls are there in reality? Sometimes I wish I were on stage, even if I was just an extra, so I could smile and say to those around me, 'See you offstage.'"
Shen Mi lowered her head, a bittersweet feeling rising in her heart. She patted Qing Cu's shoulder, as if offering silent comfort.
Qingcu turned to look at her, her gaze softening, and said softly, "That's why I love watching operas so much. Those days when I was a child were too hard to bear, and the only thing that could help me forget reality was those operas."
Shen Mi couldn't help but ask, "Is the old man who sang for you still around?"
Qingcu sighed softly, her expression suddenly turning melancholy: "He's gone. When he passed away, I was on the battlefield fighting against the evil creatures alongside the general."
Shen Mi was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Is it the great war a hundred years ago?"
Qingcu looked at her and nodded.
Shen Mi could not hide his sadness.
Having heard and seen, the content in the text is ultimately not as vivid as reality. Qingcu's words were like a stone thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples in Chen Mi's heart.
“That’s all in the past. I just occasionally think of the old man and what he once told me: ‘Life is a play that keeps beginning, you have to keep moving forward and keep striving to move forward.’”
Shen Mi didn't answer. He just looked at the bluestone road under his feet, which was shining brightly under the night lights. Suddenly, he felt that the road in front of him was obviously a broad road, but why did it feel like a long and silent road that made him frown and choke up?
It wasn't until the distant cries of vendors drifted through the air that Chen Mi slowly came to her senses—the street fair was just ahead.
"Chen Mi, what would you like to eat? It's my treat." Qing Cu's cheerful voice rang out, like a wind chime swaying in your ear.
Shen Mi was slightly surprised: "No need, no need, you're too kind, Qing Cu."
Qingcu waved her hand and said confidently, "It's not easy to meet a friend with whom we can get along. Besides, we've upgraded from online friends to offline friends, so this is a happy occasion that should be celebrated."
Shen Mi nodded. Besides the talkative Yu Tie, Qing Cu was the second friend she made after coming to Luofu.
"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer."
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The author's note: ①Xi Murong②The light rain dampens my handkerchief, the streams splashing onto the mat. Seeing this, I am already amazed; feeling the times, my thoughts are boundless.
My dear readers!!! Long time no see!!! I missed you all so much!!! I'm all better now!!! Updates every other day are back!!! [doge][doge][doge][starry eyes][starry eyes][starry eyes][kiss][kiss][kiss][kiss]
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