Skyfall
When mountain people go to sea, it's like fish leaping onto land; after the initial novelty, all that's left is bewilderment.
After countless times of getting entangled in the net and being entangled in it, the net went into the water, and the man collapsed on the boat, exhausted. In the blink of an eye, firelight reached the surface of the sea.
"Miss Yan, wake up! Your butt's about to get burned."
Meng Yan turned over, her clear eyes meeting a hazy gaze. Sure enough, Yue Lang had made her sleepy.
She patiently pointed to the sky and a cloud for Yue Lang, then drew a circle on the water. After hesitating for a while, she took out a fire talisman, lit it, and pressed it into the water. The sparks fluttered a few times and gradually calmed down. The red light was swallowed by the dark blue, and the wet yellow talisman stuck to Meng Yan's hand.
"Oh, I'm dreaming."
Yue Lang felt relieved and lay back down peacefully.
After poking him twice without any response, Meng Yan sighed resignedly. Oh well, he brought it himself; he couldn't just throw it down to feed the fish, could he?
.
When Yue Lang woke up again, the dock was already vaguely visible in his eyes. The fiery red of the sky and sea had faded, leaving only a few stars. The moon had not yet hung over the mountain.
Nearby, Meng Yan was intently playing with a collection of three or five tools. From time to time, the sound of clattering could be heard from the water tank. Upon closer inspection, the fishing net had already been retrieved onto the boat.
Holding the fire talisman for light, Yue Lang bent down and crawled into the cabin. With one hand, he lifted the cover of the water tank below, and a fish fell onto his face without warning.
Yue Lang: "..."
fish:"……"
It jumped a few more times and then fell back into the water tank.
Yue Lang maintained what he thought was a suitable distance, leaned back over the lid and looked down. The shimmering water reflected his light, making it impossible to see what was inside, but he could feel the sea's presence—water splashed all over his face.
In short, the catch was plentiful, although it is unknown what they caught.
Holding a fire talisman, he stepped out of the cabin. Meng Yan had already packed up the fishing nets and tools and turned to look at him.
Yue Lang was glad he had lit the fire, otherwise he might have missed the beautiful scenery.
In fact, he didn't pay any attention to anything in the background, whether it was the surging sea, the tranquil night sky, or the fishing boats returning home with candles lit.
He only saw Meng Yan, just as the person opposite him only saw the light of the talisman.
He made a small decision, raising the talisman slightly. The flames blazed in front of him, yet he seemed oblivious to their light and heat. In the flames that filled half of his vision, he saw the man's gaze follow closely behind.
Now, she's noticed me too.
"Miss Yan." He heard himself speak, but when Meng Yan stood beside him, he suddenly didn't know what to say.
"The scenery...it's so beautiful!" He extinguished the talisman in his hand, and the fishing boat was instantly shrouded in darkness. The wind brought coolness, helping him to catch his breath.
Meng Yan also woke up in the wind; thank goodness, he almost got drunk.
Can the sea really make people drunk?
.
People waiting on the dock held fishing nets in their hands, chatting and laughing, while red lanterns danced around them, guiding the dark shadows on the sea.
Someone spotted the unusually unfamiliar ship, and as everyone looked around, they quickly recognized Meng Yan and Yue Lang.
"Yan Yan, didn't you and Yue Lang go to rest? Why did you end up resting at sea? And where did you get this boat from?"
Yue Lang relayed Xiao Ling's words to Meng Yan without missing a single one. She merely raised an eyebrow, not noticing the unusual way the address was addressed.
With Yue Lang lifting him ashore, Meng Yan was about to wave and explain when he heard the clicking of a mechanism and the flapping of air, accompanied by faint sounds of collisions.
Not only the two who had just come ashore, but also the onlookers on the dock looked up, searching for the source of the sound in the darkness, until their gazes settled on Meng Yan's head.
It was a bird that looked larger than a waterfowl at first glance. It wasn't afraid of people at all and hovered above the crowd. I couldn't tell what kind it was because of the dim light, but I could tell that it flapped its wings with tremendous force. If I got hit by it, I guess I would have to cover my face and rest for a while.
It flew without making a sound, and there were no companions in sight. Amid everyone's curiosity, it flapped its wings and descended in surprise. The crowd quickly dispersed, leaving only Meng Yan and Yue Lang standing still.
"You came pretty quickly."
Yue Lang reached out and accepted the mechanical sparrow's generous gift before Meng Yan could even reach it. However, his expression suddenly changed. His eyebrows, which had been flying for a while, furrowed tightly, and his lips tightened as if he were gritting his teeth.
Seeing his actions, Meng Yan took a step back to make it easier for him to take over, but unexpectedly, he saw Yue Lang like this. He took two steps closer and reached out to take it as well. He was stunned when he touched the package.
Did they bring the stones from the valley along with this?
Before they could even open it, the soft, light texture reached their hands from the edges. The two frowned and looked at each other, then slammed the package onto the ground with a "plop," creating a dent in the smooth sand.
With limited visibility, everyone wanted to get closer for a better look, but the mechanical sparrow stood lazily to the side, sometimes motionless, sometimes flapping its huge wings and throwing sand onto people's faces and heads, making it impossible to get too close.
Behind the imposing bird shadow, Meng Yue and his companion knelt on the beach, using all four hands to unravel the layers of intertwined and intricate strips of cloth.
Knives, axes, hammers, saws, brushes... Meng Yan's most commonly used tools were all brought in by his senior brothers and sisters, along with half-shaved wooden strips and unshaped nails. Their creations also arrived at the distant seaside.
Meng Yan's feelings were complicated.
Yue Lang, always eager for drama, asked her, "Are you going back to this house?"
Meng Yan glanced at him, put away her tools, and continued rummaging through the cloth bag.
Steamed buns, flatbreads, baked flatbreads, sweet buns, pickled vegetables, cold rice, and fruit with fingerprints but no teeth marks...
Yue Lang's laughter grew increasingly unrestrained. Meng Yansheng sighed in despair, only to be choked by a passing gust of wind. After coughing for a while, he punched Yue Lang with his fist and then laughed.
Having confirmed that the large bird would not attack, the group moved closer step by step, stretching their necks, which were longer than their feet, to examine the ground around them.
"Yan Yan, Yue Lang, what's going on here? Is this some kind of mountain folk's blessing ceremony? You borrowed this tool from me this morning, how come it was delivered by birds this evening?"
And it's not just tools.
Meng Yan stood up from the ground with a headache, brushed the sand out of her clothes, and turned around to meet Ban Huan's puzzled gaze, just like Xiao Ling's. She thought for a moment and then threw the difficult question of explanation to Yue Lang.
"Brother Yue Lang, tell us about it! You Taoists have this ability too!"
I'm wronged! No, Taoist priests don't do that!
One moment he was smiling brightly, the next he was coughing seriously. His gaze swept from the mechanical sparrow to the steamed bun, racking his brains to think of something that could put together this mess.
Is there?
Absolutely none!
Then let's create something from scratch!
He took out a talisman, flicked his wrist, and a flame leaped onto his fingertip. Ostensibly, it was to make things easier for Meng Yan to pack, but in reality, he secretly slipped a talisman into her hand and stuck it directly onto the heavy and messy package.
The messy cloth bag, which had been filled with dozens of kilograms of items, suddenly became much lighter, and Meng Yan easily lifted it with one hand and casually hung it on the neck of the mechanical sparrow.
"Yes, that's what we Taoists do!" As he said this, Yue Lang straightened his back and shoulders, raised his hand and placed the mechanical sparrow on his forearm, affectionately patting its wooden head.
The flames that could be summoned at any moment, the large birds that descended from the sky, and the prayers that were granted—it all sounded quite plausible.
"To be honest, this boat and fishing net were borrowed from Mr. Weng in the west of the village. He's the old man who never leaves his house and is rumored to be plagued by bad luck."
If at first everyone had some doubts about Yue Lang's identity, now when Muranishi is mentioned, everyone's face shows an unquenchable fear, and their eyes look at him with a deep sense of conviction.
Meng Yan remained silent and went straight to the fishing boat, unloading the day's catch and leaving Yue Lang on the shore to deceive people.
The waves murmured, lapping against the bow and stern of the ship, echoing the shallow water in the cabin, almost drowning out someone's voice, which was carried by the wind.
"Although my skills are not very good, I can still see the basics of luck." He kept everyone in suspense until the discussion started, then he continued, "I wonder if you have noticed that the doors and windows of every household are often loose. Even if it doesn't rain, the dampness always seeps into the house. The tables and chairs are sticky, and the mattresses are heavy. Even if they are exposed to the sun during the day, they will return to their original state at night."
"And the fishing nets that everyone uses, after being away for a few days, need a lot of repairs when they come back. There are no major impacts, but the small holes appear far too often, which always causes some disruption to life."
Yue Lang has a clear and pleasant voice. He speaks slowly and deliberately, emphasizing certain words, so even if people don't hear everything he says, they can still understand some of what he says.
Seeing everyone pondering, Yue Lang changed the subject and pointed out an old story that had not been considered before, "But does anyone know that decades ago, this situation did not exist? Doors, windows and fishing nets were much sturdier and more durable than they are now. Moreover, they were not just plain wooden products, but were also carved with flowers and decorated with beads."
The crowd fell silent. Most of those waiting for the ferry at the dock were young people, mostly around Yue Lang's age. How could they know what the fishing village was like before they were born? As far back as they could remember, what Yue Lang described was just everyday life. They complained about the hardships every day and never thought that it could have been sweet.
"That's how it was many years ago." The old man, who had just returned from the boat, continued, his sleeves and trouser legs still rolled up from the sea. As soon as he reached the dock, he squeezed into the crowd, only to overhear a past that only a few people remembered. "Young man, you're so young, and you're not a local. How do you know these things?"
Yue Lang suppressed the almost-spoken "Because I am a Taoist priest," and patiently asked, "Uncle, do you remember any important events that happened during this time?"
How can one remember clearly all the big and small events that happened decades ago?
The old man was dizzy from the stares of the neighbors and was about to answer "no" when Yue Lang preemptively asked, "Or rather, when did the rumors about the old man from the west of the village begin?"
The two questions were asked right after each other, and even though the old man didn't answer, everyone could guess what was going on.
Yue Lang recounted what he had seen at Mr. Weng's house that day without a single lie. The audience listened attentively, and apart from the fishing boats moored and the roar of the waves, there was not a sound.
"Therefore, it is the decision made decades ago that has influenced you all today."
It wasn't an event, but a decision. The event could only affect the person it was directed at, namely Mr. Weng, but what truly changed and has continued to this day were the neighbors who, after hearing rumors many years ago, abandoned their original items and sought alternative solutions.
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