524 Forever (2/2)
Lanzhou reached out his hand and touched Ye Qingxuan's hair. ”Thanks.”
Ye Qingxuan did not say anything.
Ye Lanzhou stood up and began to walk on the beach. ”You must have already know what happened to the Ye family.”
”Yes.” Ye Qingxuan nodded.
”If you do not want to get involved in this business, just let it go…” Ye Lanzhou shook his head. He then smiled when he saw his son had grown up so tall. ”You know what, I met your mother when I was the same age as you are now.”
Ye Lanzhou waved his hands and asked Ye Qingxuan to come over. ”At that time, I was kicked out of the east side, and since then I have been wandering in the west like a homeless dog. I was afraid people were walking behind me or staring at me. I was afraid of people's shadows. I was afraid of people, including myself… I did not care how I looked or how this world looked. But when I met your mother, for the first time, I felt this world was good. The world that held your mother was good.”
”In her eyes, I was a hero.”
”But I know I am not a hero. Still, I want to become a hero for her and make the world where she was a better place.”
Suddenly, Ye Lanzhou became quiet and turned his back to Ye Qingxuan.
”At last, I became a hero, but I failed to protect her,” Ye Lanzhou murmured. ”This was the biggest mistake I ever made. Later, I refused Ludovic's request, destroyed the mechanism of purgatory, and displeased Hyakume, but I do not regret all this. I am so sorry that I failed to accompany your mother for her whole life.”
Ye Qingxuan was silent. Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound. His father's face had cracked, like a mirror.
”What is going on?” Ye Qingxuan was shocked.
Ye Lanzhou forced out a smile. ”The consciousness of a human is not compatible with a catastrophe. I finally managed to wake up, but to make it compatible with my consciousness, I would have to sleep for at least a few decades or centuries.”
”You…” Ye Qingxuan looked at his father in a daze. Ye Lanzhou reached out his hands and hugged his son. Ye Qingxuan could feel his father's heart beating and his hot tears.
”My dear son, listen. This world is beautiful, do not resent it. One day, you will also meet a girl, a good girl. When you meet her, you will find that you would do anything for her, you would change this world into a better place for her. I am so sorry that I can not stay by your side. I have a lot of things to tell you… but I do not have the time.”
Ye Lanzhou backed away, looked at his son, and laughed.
”I am so happy to see you becoming a decent man.”
Ye Qingxuan turned around so he would not see the cracks on his father's face.
”Do not behave like a child, turn around and say goodbye to me.”
After a long while, Ye Qingxuan said, ”Goodbye.”
Ye Lanzhou laughed. He reached out his hands and touched his son's hair. ”Meeting your mother and having you as my son are the two best things in my life.”
Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan clenched his teeth and did not say anything.
”Then, I shall say goodbye.” Ye Lanzhou backed away a few steps. Then he turned around and opened his hands. His past rose up like the fog, then it fell into his dreams.
A sleeping city appeared in the fog. The gone Avalon became bustling again. In the city, all the dead people were reborn and walked the streets. Young boys were wearing their sunday best, and young girls were wearing makeup. They walked side by side and hand in hand. Everyone was full of hope, and the homeless found their own shelters.
Ye Lanzhou was stumbling in the street. He crossed the crowded street, a quiet alley, and finally found the path home.
He saw that slim figure again.
Hearing his footstep, the young girl turned around.
”Why are you so late?” She watched him. ”I have been waiting for you for a long time. The ball is about to begin.”
Her eyes were so gentle and beautiful, he cried when he saw them.
”I am sorry I am late.” Ye Lanzhou knelt down on one knee and held her hands. ”Would you do me the honor of having a dance with me?”
”Sure.” The young girl nodded and held his hands. ”We can dance as long as we want.”
”How about we dance for our whole lives?”
”That is too short.”
”A thousand years then?”
”Well, it is still a bit short.”
”Forever then?”
”Yes, forever.”
The everlasting ball began at last. Ye Lanzhou smiled and held her hands.
The two walked together into a dream, the dream of eternity.
”Deal then.” He hugged her and said gently, ”Forever.”