366 Cutting the Candle (2/2)

Mo Shanshan who was seated on the chair suddenly lifted her hand and pointed at Chen Pipi. She said, ”Twelfth Senior Brother's straight... man acting wasn't very well practiced. So it wasn't funny.”

Chen Pipi wiped the sweat off his forehead and said awkwardly, ”I've just learned the part, please be lenient.”

Mo Shanshan looked at Ning Que and said, ”I liked it more when you said it alone.”

Chen Pipi glanced at Ning Que and headed out without hesitating. He left the silent room for the shadows of the bamboo forest and the couple in it.

After a moment of silence, Ning Que said hoarsely, ”Shanshan, you were right about what you said that day at the street...”

He had not managed to complete his sentence before sweat started to pour in buckets like a thunderstorm from his stiff body, thoroughly soaking his robes.

Mo Shanshan looked at him and her long lashes fluttered. She listened to his voice and suddenly stood up. She did not allow him to finish what he had wanted to say. Instead, she said softly, ”Thirteenth Senior Brother, please.”

Ning Que was slightly startled.

Mo Shanshan spread yellow bud paper on the desk, and weighed it down at a corner. She poured water into the ink slab and began to grind the ink. Then, she pointed at the brushes on the stand and said softly, ”Choose one.”

Ning Que did not know what she wanted to do, but silently chose the kind of brush that he normally used.

Mo Shanshan looked at him and said solemnly, ”You promised me in the Wilderness that you'd write me loads of calligraphy pieces.”

Ning Que thought about what had happened then. After a brief moment of silence, he replied seriously, ”I will write as many as you want me to.”

Rare mischievous expression spread on Mo Shanshan's beautiful face. She said jokingly, ”You'll write as many as I want you to? So how about writing endless copies?”

Ning Que replied playfully, ”Then I will never stop writing.”

Mo Shanshan looked at him silently, ”So write for me forever.”

The doors of the room inside the bamboo forest of the Reception Yard remained tightly shut from day to dusk and never opened once. Ning Que discussed the art of calligraphy with Mo Shanshan and wrote her sections until night came with the need to light candles. The silhouette on the window became two people, and from the outside, it looked like two shadows joined as one.

The candlelight flickered and Mo Shanshan trimmed the candle wick with a pair of small scissors. Then, she walked to Ning Que's side and watched him write. She knew that he was very tired, but also knew that he did not need pity at this moment.

After all, he could not write forever, and she could not trim the candle wick twice. The door opened with a squeak and Mo Shanshan sent Ning Que to the door. Outside the threshold, they bowed at each other peacefully before saying their goodbyes.

When they straightened up, Mo Shanshan looked into Ning Que's eyes. Suddenly, she walked forward and stuck her face in his chest rather clumsily. She listened silently.

After a moment of hesitation, Ning Que hugged her and patted her back gently.

Mo Shanshan leaned into his chest silently. Then, she said, ”You still owe me a note.”

...

...

Ning Que coughed violently and painfully after leaving the Reception Yard. It seemed that he could not lower the volume of the cough even if he held a handkerchief to his mouth.

Chen Pipi knew that he was beyond exhaustion and had been severely injured in the battle this morning. He had been waiting for him outside the courtyard. When he saw him coughing he could not help sighing, ”You were already heavily injured, but came to do something so emotionally and mentally draining. Isn't that injuring yourself even more? Why would you do this?”

Ning Que smiled and stuffed the handkerchief back into his sleeves, not saying a word.

Chen Pipi caught a glance of the specks of blood on the handkerchief and spoke after a brief silence, ”Would the Calligraphy Addict be more touched if she knew that you were heavily injured and were coughing up blood?”

Ning Que shook his head and said, ”I had already made a decision, so she doesn't need to be moved by this. The result would only amount to make me happy. It's despicable.”

Chen Pipi patted his shoulders and said, ”Let's go drink.”

Ning Que asked, ”When did you start liking alcohol?”

Chen Pipi said, ”Second Brother heard that you need alcohol at this time to feel better. That's why he went to borrow two bottles of alcohol from Professor Huang He. We shall go drink it now.”

Ning Que laughed and could not help but be touched by the fact that someone like Second Brother would be concerned about such things in life, and that Chen Pipi would accompany him throughout.

But the night was better spent alone.

Ning Que rejected Chen Pipi's suggestion to drown his sorrow. Instead, he decided to return home and rest. However, when he reached the entrance of Lin 47th Street, he suddenly remembered that Sangsang was still at the Scholar's Mansion. The Old Brush Pen Shop was as silent as a cemetery and the bed was as cold as a grave. He turned around silently after a moment.

It didn't take long for him to reach the Building of Pines and Cranes. He asked for the fanciest banquet because he had wanted to do something meaningless even if he didn't want to get drunk.

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