Chapter 52: Luo Guyun painstakingly gathers friends and family, and travels around the world on the Crescent Moon to heal old injuries
This year's Spring Festival at Moon Lake Villa was even more lively. In addition to close family and friends, Luo Guyun and Xiao Xiangyue's friends from around the world, including Prince Willison and Princess Bena of Sweden, Prince Brook and the younger Brook brothers of Spain, representatives of the Moon Lake Fan Club, a small number of media outlets, and business partners of the Morn Group, were all invited to the villa to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Fortunately, the villa is big enough to accommodate more people.
In the afternoon, Xiao Xiangyue played doubles tennis with brothers Paul and Little Brook on the clay court. Luo Guoyun and a group of brothers and friends sat on leisure chairs by the court, sipping tea and chatting.
Yi Shui teased, "Third brother, you're hosting banquets every day, are you trying to emulate Lord Mengchang's three thousand guests?" Bandeng said, "Yue'er has always loved hustle and bustle. Isn't the general making these arrangements just to please him?" Sun Mu said, "Ever since the Mid-Autumn Festival incident, everyone's been worried for the past six months. Yue'er finally made it through, it's time to celebrate!"
Luo Guyun sighed, "For over a decade, Yue'er's amnesia has been like a sword hanging over his head, never knowing when it would be unsheathed or fall. Now that his memory has been restored, it's like defusing a time bomb. Nothing serious has happened, so we should be happy. But I only hope he never has to remember it... Don't look at Yue'er's happy smile, but I know his state of mind is different... After all, those wounds are indelible. I just hope every day will be lively and lively, so that he won't have even a single moment to recall those unbearable past events."
Ike said, "Hangyue's memory has been restored, and she's no longer afraid of those melodies. She doesn't need to avoid them anymore. Does General Luo plan to return to mainland China?"
Wu Xiaoxin said angrily, "Why do you want to go back? Do you know what the situation is like over there? If my father had listened to me and gone with me, he wouldn't have died of anger!"
Wu Xiaoxin's father served as mayor of Shanghai for many years before liberation. When Wu Xiaoxin came to the United States, he urged him to join him. He was reluctant to leave his homeland, and in 1949, he refused to follow Chiang Kai-shek to Taiwan, insisting on remaining in mainland China. In the years immediately following liberation, he was treated with respect, participating in government as a member of a democratic party. Later, during the Anti-Rightist Movement, Wu spoke out a few fair words criticizing the authorities' reckless behavior, and was subjected to various persecutions. During one struggle session, he suffered a heart attack, and the octogenarian died of anger.
Yi Han smiled bitterly. "In recent years, the mainland has launched one movement after another. In the past two years, there has been a Great Leap Forward, where everyone is engaged in steel production. All the trees on the mountains have been cut down. People's livelihoods are in decline, and social order is on the verge of collapse. The people are suffering terribly. People have starved to death in many places..."
Luo Guyun thought: "Have the 100,000 tons of wheat donated by our Yunyue Foundation arrived in Anyang as scheduled?"
Yi Han sighed. "The Chinese government is exaggerating, spreading false propaganda claiming that grain yields exceed 10,000 kilograms per mu, claiming that ordinary people are not starving. They refuse to accept international aid. The grain we donated was also shipped with great difficulty from South America to Canada, Australia, and other places, and then imported into China through commercial channels. I also used all kinds of connections and tricks to get some of the wheat shipped to Anyang. In addition to the few kilograms of food coupons rationed monthly, the people in the city can buy some extra flour, so at least there has been no widespread famine..."
Luo Guyun ordered: "Now that we have a road, we should arrange for some rice, focusing on aiding the Yishun and Luling areas. If Yue'er knew that people were starving to death every day where he grew up, how sad he would be..."
For a moment, everyone was in a heavy mood.
At the other end of the villa, Sun Mu's wife Wang Shufang was walking towards this side with a tall woman with a bulging belly.
"Heavy snow!" Xiao Xiangyue stopped playing and asked in surprise, "Why are you back? Didn't I tell you not to travel back and forth because you were pregnant? We also agreed to go to Houston to see you after the New Year!" His face was red from the intense exercise. Luo Guyun picked up the towel on the chair and wiped the sweat from his neck. He handed him a cup of black tea made with American ginseng on the table and said with a smile, "Oh, you're sweating so much. Go back and take a shower. You're tired today. You need to get a good night's sleep."
Sun Mu asked, "Yue'er, do you still have nightmares at night?" Luo Guyun said, "It's been much better recently, and I only wake up occasionally. After all, those pains can't be forgotten just by wanting to..."
Daxue had been living with her husband in a mansion in Houston since their wedding. Luo Guoyun and Xiao Xiangyue had wanted to buy them a separate property, but she had firmly refused. She said she would keep the house and clean it whenever the general and Ye'er came to Houston, so they could live together, just like they were still married. It had been over six months since their wedding in May. Seeing them now, her mouth pursed, and she couldn't help sobbing.
"What's wrong with the heavy snow? Don't cry... don't cry..." Xiao Xiangyue hurriedly hugged her.
Luo Guoyun also hurriedly said: "Who made our Daxue suffer injustice? Sit down and talk slowly..."
Shufang said bitterly, "That Anthony is a piece of shit. He finds women outside and brings them home..." Daxue lay on Xiao Xiangyue's shoulder, sobbing, "Last night... I... I went to see Xiaoxue, came home, opened the bedroom door, and saw... Anthony in bed with a blonde woman... I questioned him, but he didn't care, saying that I was pregnant and couldn't satisfy him. I... I was furious and rushed up to him to fight, but he pushed me to the ground and walked away with that woman..."
"This Anthony married our Daxue, but he is still not satisfied and is having affairs with other women outside! I will send him back to his hometown in Italy, ruin his reputation, and make him have no place to stand in the United States!" Luo Guyun was very angry.
Ban Bench said, "The last time the Second Master married his fifth wife, I heard the General say with my own ears, 'For a man, having three wives and four concubines is normal!' Why is it that now that Daxue is in power, she insists on demanding a man's undivided devotion?" Yi Shui laughed and said, "Your General has always had double standards, don't you know?"
Daxue had been with Luo Guoyun and Xiao Xiangyue since she was little, never having suffered the slightest injustice. Though a maid, she was also proud and arrogant. Wiping away tears, she said, "Who...who says all men have to have three wives and four concubines? The general and Ye'er are men too, how come...they don't have those messy things?"
Yi Shui asked, "What does Daxue think? Should she teach him a lesson and move on with her life, or should she completely end her relationship with him?"
Daxue sobbed, "Anthony doesn't... doesn't really love me, so I don't care about him! Even if he begs me on his knees and sends me in a sedan chair with eighteen people carrying him, I won't go with him!"
Yi Han laughed and said, "Forget it, forget it. If Daxue's standards are based on your two masters, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to get married in this life..." Daxue said resolutely, "If I don't want to marry, then I won't marry! From now on, I will serve the general and Ye'er for the rest of my life, and I won't go anywhere!"
Xiao Xiangyue stroked her back and said soothingly, "Daxue, calm down! It doesn't matter if you don't want the man, the child is yours! I heard from Brother Sun that the due date is next month. It's not worth it to get yourself hurt by getting angry..." Luo Guyun said, "In that case, Daxue will be temporarily left in the care of Brother Sun and Sister-in-law Shufang. We'll make plans after the child is born." He pulled Xiao Xiangyue up and said, "Let's go back and change clothes first."
The villa boasted a dozen or so Chinese and Western restaurants, allowing guests to choose their favorite dishes based on their preferences, rather than necessarily gathering for every meal. Xiao Xiangyue preferred the flavors of her hometown, often enjoying Sichuan cuisine and Ah Kuan's Yangzhou dishes. After a nice shower and a casual outfit, she and Luo Guyun headed to the Chinese restaurant.
Paul and Xiao Xiangyue had become good friends since the interview program about the kidnapping incident. Many of the firsthand news about him was reported by Paul. He was currently chasing Yi Han in the Chinese restaurant to ask about the incident with Henry at last year's Oscars reception. A crowd gathered around, listening with great interest.
"...... Before I could react, Yue'er slapped him in the face, leaving him stunned! Maybe the kid couldn't understand why Yue'er was so polite to him when he acted like a troublemaker in front of the media and embarrassed him in various ways, but he suddenly lost his temper and started beating people..." Yi Han described it vividly. Sun Mu laughed: "That kid must have offended Yue'er! Who dares to say anything bad to his brother Yun in front of him? Not to mention hitting him..." Mrs. Daisy covered her mouth and laughed: "My brother is so gentle, I have never seen him lose his temper, I wonder what he looks like when he hits people!" Migbrook shouted: "How can Xiangyue be gentle? He can be very fierce when he is fierce! He even stabbed me with a knife!" He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a shallow scar on his wrist. Yi Shui shook his head: "Oh, Yue'er would attack with a knife? I can't believe it..."
Xiao Qin had mentioned Xiao Xiangyue's feud with the Brooke brothers in a letter to Luo Guoyun. The others were unaware of it. This only intensified their interest, prompting them to inquire about the cause. Jiner, who was present at the time, recounted how the Brooke brothers had ganged up on someone and how Xiangyue had, in self-defense, stabbed Mig with a knife.
Luo Guyun laughed loudly: "You deserve it! If I were here, I would tear you into pieces!"
Martin said aggrievedly, "We were almost stripped of our titles because of this. That was worse than being torn into pieces! After that, we never dared to provoke him again... Alas, even God is partial to Xiangyue. He is so perfect! Maybe there are no regrets in life..." Xiao Xiangyue retorted, "Not at all... Xiangyue has had a biggest wish since childhood, and it has never been fulfilled!"
Everyone looked at him. He had already spoken, but he was too embarrassed to swallow it back, so he could only stammer, "My...my biggest wish is...to go to the market..."
"What?" Everyone burst into laughter.
Xiao Xiangyue was a little embarrassed: "Don't laugh! When Xiangyue was a child, she met less than ten people in total! At that time, Daddy, Grandpa Sun, Auntie and Big Brother Sun would occasionally go to the market in the town more than a hundred miles away. They would always bring me some delicious food and fun things, but they never took me with them! I could only imagine how lively and interesting the market was... When I grew up, I would be recognized whenever I went to a crowded place, and I didn't have many opportunities to visit the market..."
Sun Mu laughed heartily. "Poor Yue'er! It turns out he'd been secretly resentful about this for decades... Back then, the nearest market town in Alsophila Valley, where we lived, took a day and a night to walk to. We had to climb over mountains and ridges, and we could only eat dry food on the way, and we had to camp outdoors for a night. Yue'er had a weak health as a child, so he absolutely couldn't sleep outdoors. Besides, the market was dirty and messy. What if he caught some disease? So we never took him out!"
Luo Guoyun suppressed a smile. "After Yue'er and I left Alsophila Valley, she would go wherever there were crowds of people, just to see what was happening. Sometimes, even if you pulled her away, she wouldn't leave. So, she has this problem!" He turned to Yi Han and said, "Has the cruise ship we ordered from France arrived?" Yi Han said, "It arrived a long time ago. It's been docked at Miami Harbor to enjoy the sea breeze. Third brother can use it anytime he wants."
"Brother will take Yue'er to travel around the world and visit the most famous markets in the world!" Luo Guyun said loudly.
After dinner, the two went to Sun Mu's villa to visit Daxue. They comforted her in every way and asked the kitchen to prepare nutritious meals for her every day. After everything was arranged, they returned to their own residence.
Ever since Xiao Xiangyue regained his memory, Luo Guyun had been using the amber-colored skin cream more frequently to distract him. But after a while, he felt something was amiss; it would damage his kidneys, which was not good. At night, he would often lie in bed with him, chatting about all sorts of things, and fall asleep while chatting. Every night, Luo Guyun would wait for him to fall asleep first, ensuring his breathing was even, before he could rest assured and go to sleep.
After washing up, Luo Guyun hugged Xiao Xiangyue and half-lay on the bed, pinching his cheek and teasing: "People say that couples should be encouraged to reconcile rather than separate. Your saying, 'It doesn't matter if the man doesn't want the child, the child is yours', actually means that you want Daxue to abandon the father and keep the child?" Xiao Xiangyue said: "When brother said he wanted to kick Anthony out of the United States, didn't he also mean that he didn't want Daxue to be with him anymore?" He muttered softly: "It's okay for men to be fickle, just like my eldest and second brothers, who are romantic but not vulgar. Anthony shouldn't have brought a woman home in the first place, and he brought her home and slept in the marriage bed with Daxue. Daxue was pregnant, and he actually laid hands on her. It shows that he has low character and is not someone you can entrust your life to!"
Luo Guyun agreed: "That's right! Yue'er's mind is as clear as a mirror, not the slightest bit ambiguous..." Xiang Xiang said again: "It seems that even a PhD in psychology can make mistakes! Dr. Kobe told me that it was thanks to you that you mistook Watanabe Yan for me that you came back from the brink of life and death. I insist that it's impossible! Even if Yue'er can't see or hear, she will never mistake her brother!" Xiao Xiangyue rubbed it and said: "That's right! Even if my brother turned into ash, Yue'er would not make a mistake..."
"And..." Luo Guyun chuckled. "Watanabe Hiko is just a mortal, not a god. I don't believe that with Yue'er's alluring skills, if you really want to be with him... well, can he resist? Can he resist? Unless you... don't even want to be with him..." Xiao Xiangyue was so angry that she flipped over and sat up in bed, glaring at him. Luo Guyun chuckled, "We're an old couple, and Yue'er is still ashamed?" Xiao Xiangyue refused to give in. She straddled him, hands on her hips, and demanded fiercely, "Just tell me clearly, who's the husband? Who's the wife?" Luo Guyun immediately surrendered, "Okay... Yue'er is the husband, and brother is the wife..." With a somersault, she flipped over and threw him onto the bed...
On the first day of the fourth lunar month, the massive cruise ship "Crescent Moon" slowly sailed out of the Port of Miami. Luo Guoyun finally realized his dream of owning a cruise ship and traveling the world with Yue'er, and they embarked on a global journey together.
Construction on the Crescent began two years ago, and its facilities are even more advanced than those of the Greek shipping magnate's luxury cruise ship. There's a helicopter landing pad on top, an indoor pool, and an infinity pool extending out from the stern. A stabilization system on the bottom prevents the ship from tilting or shaking even in strong winds and waves. The massive inscription "MS NEW MOON" on the hull can be seen from dozens of miles away, making it look like a floating castle on the sea.
Luo Guoyun had originally planned to engrave a pattern of clouds and moons entwined throughout the hull, but on second thought, he decided against it. This totem appeared on every one of Xiao Xiangyue's albums, a symbol known to the world as his own... He had wanted to travel the world with Yue'er, but wouldn't this be a public announcement that Mr. Chalad was here?
After the Spring Festival, a magazine published photos of Anthony in bed with a married woman, sparking a scandal. The Houston women's basketball team dropped him as coach and terminated his contract. Daxue gave birth to a beautiful, lovely mixed-race daughter, Roy, and divorced him. Anthony, as the party at fault, paid a large alimony payment to both mother and daughter, and Daxue raised the child. Unable to remain in the United States any longer, he returned to his home in Italy in disgrace. Daxue refused to leave, insisting on staying with her two masters, and boarded the ship carrying her daughter, who had just turned 100 days old.
Although Xiao Xiangyue had visited many places during her previous global tour, the intense schedule and constant media coverage left little time for leisure. This time, she truly enjoyed her freedom, traveling wherever she pleased. The cruise ship, which could accommodate thousands of people, only brought a few hundred-plus staff members, including personal guards, secretaries, and chefs. She journeyed through the Caribbean, Central and South America, the South Pacific, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean... She stayed longer wherever she pleased, free to do as she pleased.
At each destination, the cruise ship docked at a port. The two would often drive inland, change into local clothing, mingle with the crowds, interact with hawkers, and thoroughly enjoy the undisturbed life of ordinary people. Besides admiring the beautiful scenery, they often lingered in museums, art galleries, and historical sites. Occasionally, if they were recognized, they would quickly leave and move on to the next stop.
Xiao Xiangyue's favorite places to visit were the bustling, bustling markets, rich in local flavor. He particularly enjoyed the renowned Central Market of Oaxaca, Mexico; the farmers' market in Christchurch, New Zealand; Queen Victoria Market in Australia; and the Kali Market in Delhi, India. He was intrigued by the dazzling array of handicrafts, the exotic foods he'd never heard of before, the vibrant and eccentric plants and fruits, and the diverse people. Naturally, Luo Guoyun wouldn't let him try foods of unknown origin. Even if they couldn't eat them, just looking at them was satisfying. Hand in hand, they'd often buy fresh ingredients at the market and cook them back on the boat, or enjoy a craft beer and a freshly baked waffle at a roadside stall, or even an apple and black pork sausage to chew on while walking.
Xiao Xiangyue's childhood experience of begging and performing arts made him particularly sympathetic to street performers. He often did not carry money himself, and Luo Guoyun knew his thoughts. Whenever he saw someone performing on the street, he would take him over and throw some money into the empty bowl.
One day, passing by a square, a man was sitting on the roadside playing the accordion. The music he played was exactly the work of Xiao Xiangyue. However, the man's skills were not very good. He played intermittently and almost out of tune. The basin in front of him was empty and no one threw money into it. Xiao Xiangyue was inspired and ran over to take the accordion and started playing it on the roadside. The melodious music quickly attracted the attention of passers-by. Several people stopped and threw money into the basin, but did not leave. They looked him up and down. Soon, a small circle of people gathered around. Xiao Xiangyue saw that the situation was not good, so after playing a song, he returned the accordion to the man, took Luo Guyun and quickly slipped away.
Once in the Maasai Market in Nairobi, a skinny little black boy set up a stall in the corner, selling fruits and vegetables grown by his family. When the two of them came out after a round of shopping, it was almost dark, and the child was still there, and none of the things in front of him were sold. Xiao Xiangyue felt a little reluctant to move. Luo Guyun understood him very well, and immediately said: "Why don't we buy all these things..." Xiao Xiangyue happily kissed him on the face, let go of the hand she was holding, squatted down and started to communicate with the child through gestures. After a while, she said to Luo Guyun who was standing behind her: "Why don't you go to the drum vendor inside and buy a drum, a small one will do."
This area is famous for its handmade sheepskin drums, the bodies of which are usually hollowed out from whole tree trunks and are decorated with exquisite carvings or paintings with unique ethnic characteristics. Just now, when we were strolling around the market, we saw many vendors selling various African drums.
When Luo Guoyun bought the sheepskin drum, he saw Xiao Xiangyue and the child shouting joyfully, a bit like... rap. Xiao Xiangyue took the drum and taught the child the rhythm and technique. The drum beats matched the content of their shouts, making them catchy and rhyming, which was really entertaining. Xiao Xiangyue had made up a jingle about the items the child often sold, chanting it to the rhythmic rhythm of African Manding music, and paired it with the drum beats. It was a very eye-catching and perfect way to attract customers.
It was already dark, and the two of them walked hand in hand on the streets of Nairobi. Luo Guoyun smiled and said, "Yue'er is the real deal! It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. That child has learned the trick Yue'er taught him, and he will never go hungry again..."
"I wonder how Jianmei, Dongdong, and Erhu are doing..." Xiao Xiangyue thought with a hint of melancholy. This child brought back memories of Dongdong, who had been around the same age as this boy when he first met him at the Hanchang refugee camp over twenty years ago. Seeing him yearning for his old friend again, Luo Guoyun quickly changed the subject, "That sheepskin drum is quite fun. Let's bring one back for little Roy tomorrow..."
All these years abroad, everything was fine, except for Xiao Xiangyue's occasional nagging... I wonder how the wintersweet blossoms in the Nanjing mansion are blooming this year... I'm afraid the old locust tree in the Anyang courtyard has grown a bit thicker... Although Luo Guoyun took great pains, celebrating every holiday and gathering as many friends and family as possible, it couldn't fully alleviate his homesickness. This round-the-world trip didn't stop in mainland China or Taiwan. We went straight from Southeast Asia to the Maldives, then to Madagascar and the Indian Ocean... I worried that he might feel adrift, without a home to return to, but I kept it to myself. I wanted to explain it to him, but I didn't know where to begin...
The situation in mainland China was chaotic, so going there was definitely out of the question... The year Wu Xiaoxin left, Dongdong stayed behind to become the dean of the Tiannian Conservatory of Music. When Xiao Xiangyue was preparing for the inaugural Grammy Awards, she had intended to invite Dongdong and mainland music figures. Luo Guoyun was eager to help him achieve his wish, and he sought solutions through various channels. Unfortunately, China advocated class struggle as its guiding principle, was irreconcilable with the West, and had virtually severed ties with the international community. A rash invitation would not only prevent them from coming, but would also bring them endless trouble, so they had to give up. Back in Taiwan, the Chairman had repeatedly urged Luo Guoyun to return. Firstly, Xiao Xiangyue's memory hadn't yet recovered, and she had to avoid those melodies. Secondly, his elder brother, Fumin, whom he had always respected, was under house arrest by Chiang Kai-shek, deprived of his freedom. He truly felt that the Chairman was too narrow-minded. A few years ago, he had personally written a letter hoping for his release, but Chiang Kai-shek remained unmoved. So, he didn't bother going to Taiwan anymore...
Thinking of these messy things, Luo Guyun couldn't help but look a little depressed.
Xiao Xiangyue stopped, put her arms around him, buried her head in her chest, and whispered, "Brother, you don't have to say anything, and don't worry about me. Yue'er understands all the troubles... Yue'er said that wherever you are, that's home. Let's just stay together like this, and make the world our home, isn't that great?" Luo Guyun laughed: "Is Yue'er a worm in my stomach? Or can she read my mind? I just thought about it, and you know everything?"
Xiao Xiangyue tilted her head and asked, "Brother, do you know why Yue'er likes to go to the market?" Luo Guyun hugged him and said, "Brother, you have kept your promise and taken Yue'er to visit all the markets in the world. Does Yue'er feel better now?"
Xiao Xiangyue sighed, "The so-called mundane atmosphere is the most soothing to the human heart... The simpler and purer the state of life, the more it allows people to appreciate the meaning and value of life. Yue'er and her brother walked in this ordinary alley, squeezed in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, and what they felt was not the hustle and bustle, but warmth, tranquility and satisfaction... Why does the world love Yue'er's music? It is like this market: authentic, free, and warm, allowing people to temporarily forget the chaos and return to the most authentic way of life."
Luo Guyun laughed: "So Yue'er was looking for musical inspiration when she went to the market? This... this is completely unrelated to the highbrow and the lowbrow!"
The Crescent left Miami and has been traveling for more than a year.
Xiao Xiangyue loved these days; waking up each day was a fresh start, and he could gaze upon the world's beauties hand in hand with his beloved. Those nightmarish memories seemed to grow increasingly hazy and distant... Over the past year or so, he had maintained his usual prolific output, writing numerous new works and releasing two more albums. However, he didn't perform them himself, instead handing them over to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Orchestra. The music had a slightly different style, a deeper and more profound atmosphere. Upon its release, it proved incredibly popular, with reprints still exceeding demand.
The ship was equipped with an advanced high-frequency communication system, allowing for constant communication with the outside world. Luo Guoyun, even from afar, could command the ship remotely, and the Moren Consortium's business empire grew ever larger. Little Luo Yi had grown up on the ship, from a toddler to a runner.
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