499 We All Saw the Darkness at the End of the Road I (1/2)
We All Saw the Darkness at the End of the Road (Part I)
Ning Que's dormitory was at the back of the mountain, and he stayed in the Academy because Sangsang was very ill. She did not wake up for a long time, and when she did she was still weak. Ning Que lulled her to sleep by telling her jokes and singing songs like when they were children. Noticing that he was very tired, Tang Xiaotang decided to take over the responsibility of taking care of Sangsang so that he could have a break outside.
It was near dusk and the rear of the mountain was enveloped in warm red light. Ning Que walked out of the yard and saw Chen Pipi standing near the lake with his hands on his waist. ”What happened?” Asked Ning Que.
Chen Pipi looked at the rippling water and the algae in it, his face full of loneliness. He answered, ”I feel strange seeing you and Sangsang have such a good relationship.”
Ning Que thought that maybe he and Tang Xiaotang were bickering again, so he patted his shoulder and comforted him. ”Senior Brother, you don't have to compare your relationship with me.”
Chen Pipi explained seriously, ”Tangtang and I are not what you think.”
Ning Que thought to himself that there was no need to hear Chen Pipi explain further, since he had called her such an affectionate nickname. He scoffed and said, ”Don't you think the most shameful thing in the world is when a man doesn't want to admit his relationship with a girl?”
Chen Pipi turned to him and said sincerely, ”We've only held hands.”
”She is still a little girl and you want to do something to her, don't you?” Ning Que said mockingly.
”She and Sangsang are almost the same age!” Chen Pipi replied.
Ning Que felt a little embarrassed and stayed quiet upon hearing that.
In the glow of sunset, the mud looked like diamond-shaped gold. Chen Pipi lowered his head and moved his feet slightly, making a few golden marks in the ground. After being silent for a long time, he said, ”We are not like you and Sangsang. Although we neither share life-challenging experiences together, nor have the time to live together, our relationship is going quite well. I felt heartbroken seeing her jump into the waterfall and I was happy showing her around in Chang'an...”
Ning Que didn't want to be seen as a relationship expert, so he asked directly, ”What on earth are you trying to say?”
Looking up at Ning Que, Chen Pipi asked, ”You were terrified when Sangsang fell seriously ill, weren't you?”
After thinking for a while, Ning Que said, ”Yes, I can't imagine my life without her.”
Chen Pipi said, ”Me too. I can't imagine my life without Tangtang either, so I decided to go back to Zhishou Abbey.”
Ning Que didn't know what to say. Two years ago, when Chen Pipi denied that he was born an illegitimate child of the hierarch of West-Hill, he had guessed his real identity, and now it was confirmed. Based on what he had said, Ning Que thought that going back to Zhishou Abbey meant that he would tell people over there about Tang Xiaotang.
Chen Pipi said, ”There's a saying that says 'an ugly daughter-in-law is bound to meet her husband's parents eventually'. My father is still alive and Tangtang is in no way ugly, but in his eyes people from the Devil's Doctrine are not beautiful. I have to go back to settle it.”
Ning Que slightly frowned and said, ”But have you thought about the possibility that you will never be able to come back to Chang'an once you return to Zhishou Abbey?”
Chen Pipi looked at him dearly and replied, ”Younger Brother, you are my best friend in Chang'an. If I never come back, please take care of Xiaotang for me.”
Ning Que turned him down without any hesitation. ”Senior Brother, don't make me do that. Your wife is your responsibility and you should not count on me.”
This enraged Chen Pipi. ”How can you be like that?” He started shouting. ”Anyway, as long as the Headmaster talks to the Zhishou Abbey, won't I get to come back?”
Rather than think about this any further, Ning Que said, ”You have to wait for me to return back from Lanke Temple and then we can discuss it. But in my opinion, you should ask teacher to host your wedding, and in that case, you don't have to go back to Zhishou Abbey.”
Although the Headmaster seemed to be very unreliable, his words were accurate一 or maybe it was Eleventh Brother's medicine that was excellent. Regardless, Sangsang's temperature dropped down to normal at night and she felt much better, lying on the bed and talking with Tang Xiaotang privately.
Sitting by the table, Ning Que reread Primary Exploration on the Great Spirit by the light of the oil lamp. He was distracted and couldn't help peering over at the bed. He saw Tang Xiaotang's beautiful face and recalled Chen Pipi's words, feeling a bit sorry.
The oil lamp shook when the breeze blowed in, making the light in the room change all the time. He remembered the strange dream he had last night and the Master's words in the hut when Sangsang was ill. An idea suddenly crossed his mind, so he asked Tang Xiaotang to look after Sangsang and walked out into the yard.
He left the Mirror Lake and journeyed through the woods, bypassing the waterfall, and walking out of the narrow valley. Eventually, he reached the rear of the mountain behind the Academy and stood on the cliff overlooking the sea of clouds. It was already late at night and it was all very quiet. Only the sound of water splashing on the stones could be heard. He walked along the steep, stone path and soon arrived at the cliff cave, where he had been imprisoned for a whole spring.
The awning built by his Senior Brothers was not as new as it used to be after standing against one year's wind and rain. The Purple wisteria that had grown beside it was dancing in the wind like bells. Ning Que walked towards them and saw the Headmaster.
The Headmaster was sitting on the edge of the cliff with a delicate meal box to his left and a bottle to his right. In the meal box he had some beef and in the bottle there was clear liquor. He was staring at the light in Chang'an City in the distance.
Ning Que walked to him and bowed. He recalled the long talk with Headmaster the last time he was here. It had also been a dark night in late spring.