Lights of the Abyss
A week later, Lu Ye's wound was basically healed. Qi Chen packed his luggage, said goodbye to the old fisherman, and the two of them boarded the train back to Shanghai together.
When the train started, Lu Ye leaned on Qi Chen's shoulder, watching the scenery receding outside the window. He held Qi Chen's hand, with his fingertips wrapped around the red rope he had woven - the red rope Qi Chen had woven in the fishing hut using the old fisherman's gift. There was also a small peach wood bead strung on it, with the words "Chen" and "Ye" engraved on it.
"Do you remember the first time we took the train to Nanjing?" Lu Ye asked softly. "You were afraid I'd get carsick, so you bought me some plums. I ended up eating too much and had to drink water the whole way."
Qi Chen smiled and nodded, reaching out to rub his hair: "Remember, you said plums were too sour, and next time you want to eat sweet things. Later, every time I went out with you, I would put a box of strawberry-flavored candy in my bag."
Lu Ye fished out a box of candies from Qi Chen's coat pocket. Sure enough, they were strawberry-flavored, the brand he liked. He peeled one and put it in his mouth. The sweetness spread across his tongue, and he felt at ease.
It was already evening when they returned to Shanghai. The lights in Shen Yuan's secret room were still on. Xiao Wu was hunched over the front desk, sorting out appointments. Seeing Lu Ye and Qi Chen walk in together, his pen dropped to the ground with a clatter, his eyes widening. "Qi...Brother Qi Chen? You're really back?"
Lu Ye smiled and nodded. Qi Chen walked forward and patted Xiao Wu on the shoulder: "Thank you for your hard work. It's thanks to you for taking care of the secret room during this period."
Xiao Wu's tears instantly fell. She wiped her eyes and quickly took out her phone to call Chen Zhe: "Brother Chen Zhe! Brother Qi Chen is back! Hurry and bring Lele to the secret room!"
Less than half an hour later, Chen Zhe arrived with Lele. Lele was holding Grandma Chen's stuffed rabbit. When he saw Qi Chen, he immediately rushed over and hugged his legs: "Brother Qi Chen! You are finally back! I drew a lot of pictures of you and put them all in the secret room!"
Qi Chen squatted down, touched Lele's head, smiled and said, "Thank you, Lele. Tomorrow, I will take you to buy your favorite ice cream."
The secret room suddenly became lively. Chen Zhe brought some homemade snacks, Xiao Wu made tea, and several people sat around the front desk, chatting about the days after Lu Ye and Qi Chen separated. Lele also took out his sketchbook and turned the pages to show Qi Chen. The book was filled with scenes of him and Lu Ye in the secret room, in Wangchuan Garden, and in the old alley.
"This is Brother Qi Chen helping Brother Lu Ye sew clothes," Lele pointed to a page with a picture of two little people holding hands and the words "Together Forever" written next to it. "I hope Brother Qi Chen and Brother Lu Ye will never be separated."
Lu Ye and Qi Chen looked at each other and saw tenderness in each other's eyes. Qi Chen held Lu Ye's hand tightly and said softly, "We will never be separated again."
That evening, after seeing off Chen Zhe, Lele, and Xiao Wu, the secret room finally quieted down. Lu Ye and Qi Chen sat on the floor at the front desk, looking at the items in the display case—Master Mo's notes, Mr. Lin's letter, Grandma Chen's stuffed rabbit, Shen Yurong's theater tickets, Su Wan's pocket watch, and Qi Chen's old pen—each one carried a memory.
"When will we open Chen Ye Study?" Lu Ye leaned in Qi Chen's arms and asked softly.
Qi Chen stroked his hair and said softly, "After the New Year, we'll find a place near an old alley and open a study. We'll fill it with our favorite books and these old things that carry stories. We'll help those with obsessions find answers, and help those lost souls find their way home."
Lu Ye nodded, closed his eyes, listened to Qi Chen's heartbeat, and felt the warmth in his arms. The moonlight from the window poured in, illuminating every item in the display case and their clasped hands.
"Oh right," Qi Chen suddenly remembered something and took out a small mahogany plaque from his pocket. It was engraved with the words "Chen Ye" and was exactly the same as the one he had placed in the secret room. "I engraved this when I was in the fishing hut. When the study opens, we will hang it at the door, just like the Chen Yuan secret room, as our mark."
Lu Ye took the mahogany plaque, touched the inscription on it, and said with a smile, "Okay, hang it on the door of the study so that everyone knows that this is our home."
Qi Chen hugged Lu Ye tighter, rested his chin on the top of his head, and said softly: "Xiao Ye, thank you for not giving up on me."
Lu Ye shook his head, looked up at Qi Chen's eyes, and said seriously: "It's not my credit alone. You have always been by my side, accompanying me in your own way. Qi Chen, in the future, we will walk together, and no matter what difficulties we encounter, we will face them together."
Qi Chen lowered his head and kissed Lu Ye's forehead, his voice filled with promise: "Okay, let's go together and never separate."
The lights in the secret room burned for a long time. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting two shadows cuddling on the floor, like a timeless painting. The soul-calming bell in the display case lay quietly, its runes no longer glowing, yet it seemed to guard this hard-earned happiness, protecting this couple who had finally reunited after enduring life and death.
Their story isn't over; it's just turned a new page. In the days ahead, they'll continue to help people untie their knots and liberate the souls of those who have been haunted by their past. They'll also spend their ordinary days cooking sweet-scented osmanthus porridge, watching the ocean, and fulfilling all their unfinished promises, turning every ordinary day into the warmest of memories.
The wind of Wangchuanhai is still blowing, carrying Lanyin's final blessing and those untied obsessions, echoing softly through the years, telling everyone who is looking for warmth: As long as there is light in your heart, as long as you don't give up on love, you can find your way home and be with the one you love most forever.
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