"You?!"
"Um."
"Good to see you back."
There were no exclamations of surprise, no tears. With only a strong hug, the two men encapsulated centuries of separation.
This was the scene when Jiu Jue and Zimiao met. I knew it would be like this. These two men from the Immortal Clan, who once drank wine and played chess as they gossiped about everything under the sky, were as familiar as siblings who shared everything. Their tacit understanding is rooted deeply, unaffected by time or space. It is precisely because of this familiarity and tacit understanding that they can calmly accept both separation and reunion.
"Years ago, you just smelled the wine I brewed and passed out," Jiu Jue poured half a cup of wine into my cup, blinking deadpan, "With such a criminal record, I shouldn't even let you near my wine."
"Times have changed," I grabbed the cup and drank the wine in one gulp, staring straight at him, "I've taken pains to come all the way to this lousy winery of yours where even birds don't shit, full of kindness to console a jilted old man, and you're not even willing to give me a drink! I despise you!"
"You dare to say that to me? You returned to Wangchuan early without even notifying me, thinking you were still gadding about abroad! If I didn't call you with the big gossip of breaking up, would you have shown up so quickly?" Jiu Jue snorted and poured me another half cup.
"Your skills have improved again," Zimiao sniffed the contents of the cup lightly, took a sip, and gave Jiu Jue a thumbs up, "Only you can control the interesting flavor of this wine just right, each cup with its own unique taste."
"No matter how well it's brewed, it needs someone who can appreciate it before it's perfect," Jiu Jue raised his glass to Zimiao. The light from the lamp was just right, casting shadows on the wall, the clink of the two men's cups resounding clearly. In the rich aroma of wine, the silhouettes of the two men on the wall were as vivid as any ink painting.
Jiu Jue's winery, let's call it his home, is located in the outskirts of another city. It takes about three hours by plane from Wangchuan to get there. It took Zimiao and me twenty minutes, and if not for me taking the wrong route, it would have been even faster.
I seldom come here. First, besides the wine, there's nothing else here. It's boring. Even Jiu Jue himself rarely stays here. He once affectionately and artistically claimed not to be an otaku, but a man who wants to wander everywhere on his own, like the wind. Second, Jiu Jue rarely invites me of his own accord. He says he's afraid I can't handle the enchanting aroma of the wine here, and that I'll secretly drink up all his wine without paying. If it weren't for getting dumped, he definitely wouldn't have called me to the winery. The winery is not only his home, but also an important place where his hard work and thoughts are stowed.
The layout here is the same as before, except for the large floor-to-ceiling window in front, which looks a bit modern. Everywhere else is rich in ancient style: white walls, red columns, gauzy curtains, pearwood furniture, blue-and-white porcelain decorations, not to mention numerous antique calligraphy and paintings. The orchids in the corners of the room emit a faint fragrance, and a piece of semi-cursive script on the wall behind reads, 'green trees bend to cover the corners of the house, green mountains mend the gaps in the wall[1].' It perfectly matches the green hills and lush trees outside the window. Just taking a look at such a place is relaxing and joyous.
However, from the moment Zimiao and I entered until now, Jiu Jue hasn't mentioned anything about the breakup. He's just reminiscing with Zimiao and teases me, looking as calm and composed as ever. There's not a trace of the traits of someone who's experienced a breakup. It's clear that all his wailing and crying on the phone was just an act!
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be getting married? But got dumped? You, you..." I grabbed Jiu Jue, stumbling over my words, "Are you going to hang yourself or jump into the river?"
"Ha, you had a bit too much to drink, didnt you!" Jiu Jue poked my head with gloating, then turned to Zimiao, "Look at the guy you trained, she still hasn't made any progress." He steadied me as I swayed, "The one heartbroken is probably you, right?" These words were probably the most effective hangover cure in the world.
"You went to Unceasing?" I instantly sobered up. I remembered not mentioning a word of the melodramatic incident that just happened to me to Jiu Jue.
"I don't have time to visit your little shop," Jiu Jue shook his head, laughing, "But seeing your miserable face, I guessed right away. Don't forget who your Uncle Jiu Jue is."
I punched him hard, "Spill it! How did you know?"
"Let me think." Jiu Jue deliberately tilted his head back, contemplating the sky, before saying after a while, "Actually, I just guessed." He lowered his head, looking at me with a forced smile, then glanced at Zimiao, "Uninvited guests stir up the sea of emotions. Men and women in this world are all alike."
He still had the mind to compose poetry? I threw up my hands, then, fueled by alcohol, grabbed Jiu Jue's collar, "You really live up to your reputation as an old fox, guessing everything right! Yes, my family has a relative from the East China Sea who says she's the first wife of my man, and Ao Chi doesn't deny it at all. I'll do them a favor, I came here to drink with you, so they can fly off together!"
I just said what I wanted to say, talking without rhyme or reason, as I unleashed all the pent-up resentment and grievances in my belly. It's not that I can't tolerate Ao Chi's contempt towards me. The world that belonged to me, once a wasteland, had been repaired and rebuilt single-handedly by Ao Chi at a moment I hadn't even noticed. I was so sure that Ao Chi loved this world deeply because I was in it. This world, which took so much time and effort, belonged only to him and me, not allowing a fault to violate it in any way. He wouldn't allow it, and neither would I.
And at the moment, my greatest grievance is that the one overturning this world is Ao Chi himself. The sadness and powerlessness of seeing one's own backyard on fire couldn't be diminished no matter how many buns I ate. I clutched onto Jiu Jue, my voice increasingly softer and slower, my tears washing away the words I wanted to say. I'm just glad that the people in front of me were Jiu Jue and Zimiao. In front of them, I don't feel ashamed no matter how crazy I act. I trust them and see them as family. In front of family, anything is okay.
Family, a concept that had always been vague, became incomparably clear at this moment. After releasing all my emotions without reservation, my confused and desolate heart suddenly realized that Zimiao was so naturally put under this concept by me, without any hindrance or melancholy.
"Alas, a woman in love is indeed brainless. Even you, a millennia-old tree demon are no exception," Jiu Jue patted my back gently, but his words were still mean. "That's why they say, falling in love is risky, and you need to be cautious when getting married. Cry if you want, I won't laugh at you."
Zimiao said nothing, calmly drinking, one cup after another.
Finally, I punched Jiu Jue hard, wiped away my tears forcefully, and took a deep breath, saying, "I'm fine."
"Are you sure you are calm and comfortable here and here?" Jiu Jue pointed to his heart, then to his head.
Much better. Zimiao is right. When hungry, eat; when angry, let it out. That's the way.
"I said I'm fine." I glared at him, grabbing his sleeve to wipe my nose.
"My coat is expensive! Missy!" Jiu Jue yelled and retracted his hand, grabbing tissues to wipe his sleeve vigorously, shaking his head as he did so. "Well, it seems like you're back to your senses now. I can talk to you..." He glanced at Zimiao, "...guys about a little problem."
"Are you finally going to talk about your heartbreak?" I blew my nose hard.
"Heartbreak is a fact, but what I really want to tell you is a hundred times more important than heartbreak," Jiu Jue said, standing up to get a small wooden box from his antique desk drawer. Opening it, he said, "Take a look at this."
On the snow-white brocade at the bottom of the box, a scale the size of a thumb lay neatly arranged. The bottom was as translucent as jade, with a wisp of vermilion extending upward, growing brighter as it climbed, like a red cloud spreading from within, sparkling and translucent, with shimmering colors. After a brief examination, Zimiao said, "Dragon scale?"
"Not just any dragon scale, it's the most noble dragon scale from the East China Sea Dragon Clan," Jiu Jue said, looking at me. "Do you know where I found this?"
"Why on earth did you go to the East China Sea?" I blurted out.
"I found this in the Dongting water tomb." Jiu Jue looked at me gravely. "Not long ago, someone broke into the water tomb and stole the bracelet on Jingjun's wrist." He turned to Zimiao. "You know the origin of that bracelet, right?"
"They filled in the missing pieces of my story," Zimiao nodded.
"Who has the ability to break into the water tomb?" I was surprised. Could it be that a demon seeking quick success and instant benefits was driven to desperation and stole the "Eyes of the Water God" to improve their cultivation?
"At first, I was also puzzled. I wandered around the water tomb but found no clues. Before leaving Junshan last night, I couldn't let go and went back into the water tomb once more. It was then, under the severed roots of that foolish tree inside the tomb, that I found this dragon scale," Jiu Jue picked up the remarkable scale. "I recognized this as a dragon scale, so I caught the Dragon Lord of Dongting to account for it. Only then did I learn that this thing came from the East China Sea Dragon Clan."
"Although the Dragon Lord of Dongting is not as noble as the East China Sea Dragon Clan, he's still a divine dragon. Even if he only governs Dongting Lake, he's not easy to deal with. How did you manage to manipulate him?" Zimiao chuckled. "Looks like you've made another devious move."
"You've got it wrong. I simply brought a jar of hundred-year-old Snow Red wine, and that old fool Dragon Lord of Dongting went crazy with joy. A few cups in, and he spilled everything. When it comes to brewing wine, who in the Three Realms can match me?" Jiu Jue proudly tapped the jug. "You guys don't know, but when that old guy saw this dragon scale, it was as if his little mung bean eyes lit up, and he kept calling out 'Third Princess.'"
"Third Princess?" I was stunned, grabbing Jiu Jue and asking urgently, "And then?"
"And then? Well..." Jiu Jue paused. "The story after that probably has something to do with you. Otherwise, why would I call you here?"
My mind, which had been clouded by anger, gradually began to clear. The robbed water tomb, the dragon scale, the sudden turmoil between me and Ao Chi, all these previous coincidences that were too coincidental, started to organize themselves into a coherent narrative.
"That old fool said that among the East China Sea Dragon Clan, there's a Third Princess with a body covered in red scales. Among all the dragons of the East China Sea, only her scales shine with the colors of dawn. This Third Princess's maternal grandfather is the younger full brother of the current Dragon King. Because of her gentle and charming nature, as well as her exquisite beauty, she is adored by everyone in the East China Sea and the old Dragon King early on decided to betroth her to his grandson," Jiu Jue is bright-faced and sparkly-eyed whenever he talks about such gossip.
But I felt nauseated hearing this. Third Princess, the Dragon King's granddaughter-in-law—each word stabbed me like a knife, each sentence choked me like a bun.
Seeing my darkened face, Jiu Jue chuckled and patted my head, "It's okay, it's okay. Close relatives have no future. Be good, don't get angry, okay?"
"Dragons don't have to follow the rules of human reproduction," I pushed away his hand. "Continue!"
"On the day of the Third Princess's wedding to... well, to Ao Chi, this evil dragon, right after worshiping Heaven and Earth in front of all the guests, suddenly talked about something with the old Dragon King, then abandoned the bride and left the East China Sea. It's just that he was captured by the old Dragon King shortly afterward and imprisoned in the Ice Prison of the East China Sea Dragon Palace for many years. In the end, probably because the tough old Dragon King couldn't bear to punish his own grandson, he was released. But there are also rumors that the evil dragon, Ao Chi, broke out of the Ice Prison by his own abilities. After that, no one in the East China Sea Dragon Clan could control him, so they had to let him leave the East China Sea and do as he pleased."
"So, he was imprisoned in the Ice Prison because of this incident," Zimiao shook his head with a smile. "Initially, I thought he had committed some heinous shady business. This evil dragon is really an unusual thing."
"What did he say to his grandfather? At his wedding." I suddenly wanted to know this.
Jiu Jue shrugged: "Ao Chi only whispered to the old Dragon King, so only the two of them know what was said. The Dragon King considered it a family scandal and forbade anyone from talking about it, so not many people know the inside story. The Dragon Lord of Dongting happened to be one of the invited guests at the time, so he knows this story well. Moreover, what that old lecher can't forget is the Third Princess's beauty. Last night, while we were drinking, he kept telling me how ethereal and gentle she was, how she didn't lose her composure even when abandoned by her husband on the spot, and how she was even busy comforting the old Dragon King who was half-dead with anger."
My body slumped. The first wife is a fact, the marriage is a fact, and he didn't deny it because they are facts. She said that she had been waiting for him, waited for so long, for thousands of years, as a wife.
My anger, my grievances, suddenly seem unfounded and unreasonable. The one who should be angry and aggrieved isn't me…
"I admire this Third Princess of the East China Sea," Zimiao suddenly said, a hard-to-guess smile on his face that only he himself could understand.
"I admire her too!" Jiu Jue chuckled and leaned over, striking an exaggerated pose of brotherly unity with Zimiao.
"You guys..." I suppressed a strange sour feeling in my heart and said, "I know, you admire her for her grace and elegance, unlike me, who runs amok when unhappy and eats buns ferociously when angry, completely lacking the qualities of a virtuous woman."
Jiu Jue burst into laughter, his lake-blue hair swaying frivolously in the lamplight; Zimiao remained as steady as a rock, only slightly raising the corners of his mouth and shaking his head helplessly. The way they looked at me was the same as it was thousands of years ago.
Time froze and rewound at this moment. I became that little tree demon again who got angry at the slightest teasing. Zimiao is still Zimiao, Jiu Jue is still Jiu Jue, nobody has changed, whether in the cave of Mount Fulong or in this small winery.
Such a feeling soothed my chaotic heart, accommodating those feelings that had almost dispersed.
"What I admire is the extraordinary forbearance of this Third Princess." Zimiao smiled, "You are different from her. You can also wait, no matter how long it takes. But your waiting and her waiting have different purposes."
"Yes," Jiu Jue agreed, "What we admire most is Third Princess's shrewness and audaciousness."
After listening to their words, I thought about it and found that the person who broke into the water tomb and stole the bracelet was none other than Dong'er who kept "squeezing me out" of Unceasing inadvertently. If she only came looking for her husband, it's unreasonable for her to break into the water tomb and find someone who has nothing to do with Ao Chi, disturbing a person who has been dead for many years.
I carefully recalled everything that has happened recently - the plane crash, Duan Lake, Zimiao's reappearance, the theft at the water tomb, Dong'er's search for her husband... conspiracy, trap, scheme, and other words like these keep dancing before my eyes incessantly.
A chime sounded from Jiu Jue.
"I've subscribed to phone news." Jiu Jue took out his phone from his pocket, glanced at it, and was stunned, "There's been an earthquake in Wangchuan."
"Huh?" I remembered the strange cracks on the ground I saw earlier.
"The magnitude is not big. A small number of buildings are damaged, and a few people have minor injuries." The content of the message should be considered fortunate, but Jiu Jue's brow furrowed tightly.
Zimiao's expression was exactly the same. He extended his left hand, palm up, revealing a conspicuous crimson, cinnabar-like dot at the center.
I distinctly remember that there were no "birthmarks" on Zimiao's palm.
"Did you figure it out?" Jiu Jue suddenly asked.
Zimiao closed his hand into a fist, smiling, "The world is so big, there are still too many things beyond our expectations."
"Do you have anything to tell me!" I couldn't stand these two men flaunting their tacit understanding in front of me. From their eyes, I could clearly see what we were all searching for.
"Have you heard of Wangchuan?" Jiu Jue asked.
"Of course, it's the city I live in." What a stupid question.
Jiu Jue shook his head, "Not your Wangchuan, but it can also be said to be that Wangchuan." I felt like punching him.
"Enough chatter." Zimiao stepped forward, grabbing my hand and heading towards the door.
"What's going on?"
"Back to Wangchuan!"
[1] This line is from a sanqu(lyric form of poetry) poem titled "题临安邸" (which roughly translates to "Inscription on the Lin'an Mansion") written by Ma Zhiyuan.
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