Do not let it drift away
One day, it snowed heavily.
The trees were covered in silver, shining brightly under the sun.
Today is the last day of school, and Zhu Xun eagerly awaits You Youju's arrival.
"Dear friends, I wish you all a happy and healthy new year. I look forward to meeting you all again next year." Mr. Fan bowed and announced the end of the year.
The children clasped their hands in greeting, their faces beaming with undisguised joy.
May you have a peaceful and healthy new year, Master!
"Goodbye, Master!"
May the Master have a Happy New Year!
"..."
The children were all well-behaved, wearing plain red cotton-padded coats with earmuffs, and some even wore little hats. They were all beaming with joy as they happily left school.
Zhu Xun, however, was dressed in a padded jacket with an animal skin scarf around his neck. His hair was loosely tied back with a red ribbon, and his hands were tucked into his sleeves. Standing under the eaves, he looked like someone who didn't fit in with his surroundings, attracting the attention of many parents.
But Zhu Xun paid no attention to any of this, because he was about to spend his first Spring Festival with his immortal.
As the crowd thinned out, a carriage stopped at the entrance, and a person wearing a cloak stepped out, holding a red plum blossom umbrella, which brought a touch of spring to the white snow.
"Zhu Xun, get in the car," the man said.
Zhu Xun smiled and strode forward, taking his warm, large hand in hers.
After what happened with Niu Er and the others, Zhu Xun deliberately said that he would leave school a little later, saying that the teacher had extended the class time. He didn't actually like everyone staring at him with starry eyes. He didn't know what that felt like, but he wanted to be a little selfish, a little selfishness of his own.
The carriage was warm and cozy, with an unknown fragrance in the air. Since the weather had gotten colder, You Youju had hired a carriage, and even if he didn't come himself, he would instruct the driver to pick him up, not wanting him to travel a long way in the cold.
"Thank you so much for these days. I'll need your help again next spring. I wish you good health and a happy new year." You Youju nodded to the driver and handed him a New Year's red envelope.
"You're too kind. Thank you for your patronage, young master. I wish you both a happy new year!"
"There are some candied fruit and maltose in the main room. Go and see if there's anything you like. Bring it over to add to the festive atmosphere, but save some for us to eat while we keep watch." You Youju untied his cloak, hung it on the clothes rack, and added some new charcoal to the charcoal brazier.
Zhu Xun nodded excitedly and ran towards the main room. Before long, he returned with a food tray.
You Youju took the roasted pear that was simmering in a porcelain pot and put it in a bowl. The pear flesh was simmered until it was soft and translucent, and the soup was garnished with a few goji berries, which had a yellowish sugar color and were sweet.
"Look how happy you are, come and have some pear juice."
Zhu Xun took it with both hands, carefully took a sip, and his eyes sparkled: "Uncle, it's so delicious!"
You Youju took a sip and comfortably squinted her eyes: "I learned this in my hometown, thinking you would like it. You're always like a little adult, why are you being so childlike today?"
Zhu Xun slowly savored the pear juice, her eyes fixed on You Youju, a smile still on her lips, and calmly stated, "This year is different. This year, Zhu Xun has drunk pear juice, eaten candied fruit and maltose, and has enough to eat every day, new clothes to wear, and has a fairy... and an uncle."
As he finished speaking, he lowered his eyes, his raven-feather-like eyelashes fluttering. His face, now fuller and rosy from improved living conditions, was flushed.
You Youju felt a pang of sorrow, a pang of sorrow for Zhu Xun, for the future Demon Emperor, and for himself. He reached out and pinched the soft flesh of Zhu Xun's cheek: "Silly child, silly Xun'er, what if your uncle leaves?"
One second Zhu Xun was enjoying his new nickname, the next he felt as if he'd been doused with cold water, his body temperature plummeting. He hadn't considered this possibility. Right, his uncle was an immortal; what if he were gone?
In an instant, the anxiety that had subsided returned. He slowly raised his head, his eyes were frighteningly red, his lips were slightly parted, and he looked at You Youju with disbelief and even a hint of despair. His expression was truly terrible.
You Youju was also frightened by his expression, and for a moment she stammered and couldn't say a word. It was really like he was bringing up the most sensitive topic. But it was precisely because he knew that he would die sooner or later that he didn't weigh the consequences and couldn't help himself.
Zhu Xun spoke, her eyes filled with sorrow, her voice urgent: "Immortal...Immortal? Zhu Xun can be like a child every day! Zhu Xun can go without pear juice, without living in a warm house, without eating her fill, without wearing new clothes, Zhu Xun doesn't want any of that! Don't go! Immortal, please don't...Is that alright? Zhu Xun didn't do this for a better life..."
A single sentence could drag him from the warmth of spring to the depths of ice, leaving him drowning and struggling to survive.
You Youju covered his mouth. Zhu Xun's sudden stubbornness startled him, and he felt sorry for him. This was not something a child should say.
"I'm sorry... Takehiko."
He lowered his hand weakly, closed his eyes, and pressed his brow. A mix of emotions welled up inside him, choking him. Something furry snuggled into his arms, wrapping its arms around his waist. This was the first time Zhu Xun had ever hugged him willingly, like a child pleading. No. Zhu Xun was a child.
You Youju softened, realizing that his words had been far too cruel to a child. He let Zhu Xun sit on his lap and gently patted his back: "I'm sorry, Zhu Xun. You've always been a good child to your uncle. Your uncle only hopes... hopes you'll be alright."
Zhu Xun shook his head and sat quietly on You Youju's lap.
You Youju slowly spoke: "When you asked me what I was thinking before, I didn't know how to answer you. I am an extra person in this place." He was not sure if his explanation was appropriate, or if Zhu Xun would understand.
He paused for a moment, then continued softly, “My uncle’s hometown also has towering mountains and concrete jungles; it also has vast grasslands where people can roam freely, singing and dancing, untouched by war; it also has boundless seas where everyone can go to the surface to watch the waves and observe all kinds of fish; everyone can fly from here to anywhere without needing to fly on a sword. Seeing the Gobi Desert and snow-capped mountains is all easy.”
Zhu Xun leaned on You Youju's shoulder and asked, "Then Uncle wants to go home, so let's go. Take Zhu Xun with you too." Take me with you, no matter where you are, no matter the heat of summer or the cold of winter. As long as you are here, it's better than every tree in bloom.
You Youju smiled, her hand slowly stroking Zhu Xun's back: "I'll go back occasionally, but staying here with you feels the best, you know, Xun'er."
Zhu Xun nodded, his tone seemingly sleepy: "Zhu Xun understands." He then shook his head, gripping You Youju's arm tightly, as if in resignation: "Uncle, please don't leave without saying goodbye."
You Youju's eyes welled up with tears. He gently leaned against Zhu Xun's head, patting him rhythmically and humming the famous lullaby of his hometown. In this environment, Zhu Xun's earlier unease subsided, and he slowly fell asleep. Before drifting off, he mumbled indistinctly, "Immortal..." He clicked his tongue, "I also want to see your hometown... Please take me there..."
New Year's Eve
Instead of preparing a large feast, You Youju cooked glutinous rice balls. The plump, white rice balls were filled with black sesame, red bean, and peanut fillings, and also had a few pieces of chopped candied fruit added for a sweet and sour flavor. You Youju taught Zhu Xun how to roll the rice balls.
"Uncle, why are the glutinous rice balls filled with candied fruit?" Zhu Xun asked You Youju with a puzzled look as he rubbed the glutinous rice balls in one hand.
You Youju washed her hands, put the glutinous rice balls into the boiling water one by one, added poached eggs and fermented rice, and said proudly with raised eyebrows, "Zhu Xun will know how delicious it is once he eats it."
Zhu Xun laughed when she heard this description, put down the glutinous rice balls she had made, and thought to herself that her uncle was the one who was like a child.
As a child, he was incredibly dependent on You Youju; as Zhu Xun, he felt an incongruous protective instinct towards You Youju.
You Youju wiped Zhu Xun's cheeks with a cotton handkerchief. Outside, snow was falling heavily, but inside, the candlelight shone brightly, and glutinous rice balls were bubbling in a pot, with white steam rising, enveloping the two of them in a warm atmosphere of laughter and conversation.
This was Zhu Xun's first time eating glutinous rice balls. With a gentle bite, the filling gushed out, sweet and delicious. He then tried one with candied fruit filling, and sure enough, just as You Youju had said, the sweet and sour candied fruit and glutinous rice complemented each other perfectly. He smiled contentedly and nodded in agreement to You Youju.
Two poached eggs, one solid and one runny, were in a white porcelain bowl. There were also egg drop soup in the broth. Zhu Xun's taste buds were satisfied, and he insisted on finishing the soup before eating the last glutinous rice ball.
"Huh? Why is it hard?" Zhu Xun exhaled and spat out the glutinous rice ball. Attached to the glutinous rice skin was a hard copper coin.
"This is?"
You Youju feigned surprise: "Oh, Zhu Xun won the lottery!" He then ladled a bowl of soup for Zhu Xun and pushed it in front of him.
Fireworks burst into bloom outside the window. The New Year has arrived.
"Zhu Xun, Happy New Year. May the new year bring you good fortune."
The candlelight illuminated You Youju's face, softening his features. His smile had never been stingy with Zhu Xun's, especially today; the red mole between his brows added a touch of ethereal divinity. He hadn't forgotten that this was the immortal he had summoned. His radiant smile brought spring to the room, and countless hopes remained in his eyes, just as when they first met when You Youju arrived, bathed in the warmth of spring.
Zhu Xun was stunned, his heart surging with excitement, a thousand joys welling up inside him, making his chest burn and his nose sting. It was real, all of this was real.
He swallowed hard, letting himself calm down in the spring room for a moment, before muttering, "My uncle is my good luck."
You Youju looked at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation, and pinched his cheek: "Silly boy. After we finish eating, let's set off fireworks together."
Zhu Xun smiled, her eyes crinkling, and it seemed as if tears were glistening within them.
Fireworks soared into the sky, exploding into countless sparks that illuminated the faces of You Youju and Zhu Xun. At that moment, happiness seemed to materialize once more; his home, his fireworks, his New Year, his immortals—all soared and blossomed with the fireworks, ascending to the highest clouds. From that moment on, it was deeply etched into his mind, never to be erased, never to fade.
The sound of fireworks was like a sudden downpour on a sunny day. Under this pattering rain, two not-so-separated souls drew close, relied on each other, and were reluctant to part.
Zhu Xun made a silent wish in his heart: that this moment would last forever, that happiness would last forever, and that he and the immortal would never be separated again.
This year's weather is strange. At the same time, the winter plum blossoms bloom and then fall asleep, the magnolia stands tall on the moon's edge, the pear blossoms awaken and then lie dormant, and the warm light shines on the pink peach blossoms before the snow has melted.
In April of the same year, Zhu Xun returned to school. For the next two months, You Youju locked herself in her room, ostensibly for "seclusion." In reality, she was once again waking up in that pure white cage, longing for Zhu Xun and that small courtyard.
The doctor said he was sleeping longer and longer, and the dosage of his medication seemed to have increased. He could no longer eat porridge or rice, and he had become extremely thin. He longed for the world he found in novels, and wondered how long he would be gone once he returned.
He was afraid of missing the spring rain, the delicate fragrance of peaches and apricots, and the first plums forming. He was afraid of missing every second that little devil was growing up.
Where was his life? Was it in this coffin where he could only wait to die? Or in that lush, desolate void? Was it all an illusion? He asked himself. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, even his breathing became heavy.
One day, when nothing was happening, You Youju pulled Zhu Xun to sit under the osmanthus tree and said, "Zhu Xun, your uncle has something to ask you. Just answer according to your heart."
Zhu Xun tensed up, after all, the outcome of the last problem wasn't pleasant. He nodded and looked at You Youju solemnly.
You Youju chuckled and poked Zhu Xun's forehead with his fingertip: "Don't be so nervous." He looked away and gazed at the unnamed mountains in the distance: "Zhu Xun, what do you think of the school... um... the academy?"
Zhu Xun thought You Youju still misunderstood his relationship with his classmates, so he explained, "My classmates are all fine, and so is the teacher. I'm used to it."
You Youju tilted her head and looked at him: "Really? What if you're not allowed to go to school in two years? Would you be willing?" You Youju was actually very conflicted.
Zhu pondered for a moment and said, "Yes, I'm willing." Everything he had was given to him by his uncle. He only needed to do and listen, and it was all up to You Youju to decide.
You Youju put her hands behind her head, watching the osmanthus leaves sway in the wind, her eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't say a word for a moment.
"Zhu Xun, let's go out more. Although I'm just a half-baked teacher and can't teach you anything, it's always good to broaden your horizons."
You Youju was completely unfamiliar with teaching children. He didn't know what values to use to guide and educate Zhu Xun; he didn't understand ancient educational methods, and modern methods might not be suitable for this society. He could only try to let Zhu Xun interact more with people in this world, offering what he believed to be right for him to practice. Whether this would be effective for Zhu Xun, he didn't know. You Youju's arrival in this world was both fortunate and helpless. Zhu Xun helped You Youju withstand the loneliness of illness and release the torrent of loneliness, but then he discovered that human suffering was indeed endless, and he couldn't resist it; he could only submit.
There is nothing inherently wrong in the world; it is only the foolish who create trouble for themselves.
You Youju and Zhu Xun are ultimately separated by far too much. But for You Youju, no matter what, she only wants Zhu Xun to be well. This is not the view of a reader towards a character, nor of an uncle towards his nephew; it is the view of You Youju, the living You Youju, who hopes for the well-being of the living Zhu Xun.
Zhu Xun sat a little closer to You Youju, resting his head on You Youju's shoulder: "I'll listen to you, Uncle."
The wind picked up again, and the cicadas began to sing in unison. The sun was high in the sky, and the two of them nestled closely together in the shade of the tree.
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