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Peacock Sea
墨書 Inktalez
The feather was incredibly light, pure white all over, and when held in the palm, it felt as if it had no weight at all.
Mo Nan stared at the feather, slowly closing his eyes as if lost in deep memories of some unknown past, a complex emotion unconsciously surfacing on his face.
In the only post office lobby in the county, the early morning Gobi still retained the cool air of the night, a hint of chill lingering in the atmosphere.
Dressed in a slightly worn jacket, Mo Nan's expression appeared particularly dim in the dimly lit lobby.
The staff member, perhaps still not fully awake from sleep, lazily stretched and then tapped on the glass window, calling out to the tall, gloomy-looking youth: "Hey, stop daydreaming!"
Elida gently nudged Mo Nan's shoulder at just the right moment. This tall Uyghur boy with long eyelashes and a warm smile spoke with a thick local accent: "Hey, Mo Nan, didn't you say you were going to send something? Why are you zoning out?"
Gradually, Mo Nan came back to his senses. He reached for a narrow black wooden box that he had placed on the counter earlier. Inside was a thick layer of yellow sand, and the quartz within sparkled faintly under the dim yellow sunlight overhead.
Mo Nan carefully buried the feather in the sand, then meticulously sealed the box with tape. He cradled it in his hands and solemnly handed it to the staff member. In the recipient's address section of the form, he wrote out each letter clearly for his younger brother Mo Bei, who was four years his junior.
Elida naturally didn't understand why this good friend, who had grown up alongside him, wanted to send a feather and a box of yellow sand to his brother studying far away.
With good intentions, he smiled and reminded Mo Nan: "Hey, I think sending a bag of raisins or some apricots would be much more practical!"
Mo Nan simply shook his head gently without offering further explanation.
After taking care of this matter, Mo Nan and Elida went together to thoroughly repair the borrowed off-road vehicle. The two had partnered to open a bar in town, which had a wonderfully charming name: Embrace of the Peacock Sea.
However, the locals rarely come here to drink. Those rugged and bold Uyghur people simply cannot stand the dreamlike electronic music in the bar, nor the mysterious Dunhuang Feitian patterns adorning the walls.
The bar is not large, and on one side of the wall hangs a massive map of Eurasia, depicting the entire Silk Road of the Han Dynasty. Bright red lines mark the vibrant routes: starting from Chang'an, passing through the Hexi Corridor, exiting Jiayuguan, and then splitting into northern and southern paths. After leaving China's borders, they lead to Juandu (modern-day India), Da Shi (modern-day Saudi Arabia), and Da Qin (modern-day Europe).
Along this grand ancient marvel route, the bar's owner has deliberately marked a large circle around Shanshan County, located east of Turpan in Xinjiang. This place is not only a crucial point on the Silk Road but also the very location of this bar.
Elida sometimes engages in local specialty trade, helping Mo Nan during the day. As night falls and the warm winds of the western regions gradually cool down, the vast desert appears as if covered in snow under the moonlight, which shines as brightly as a blade suspended in ice.
The music in the bar is soft and soothing like distant sand dunes. At this moment, Elida prepares a cocktail for arriving travelers, named "Millennium Old Dream," filled with nostalgia and deep remembrance for the ancient kingdom of Loulan buried beneath the sands to the south.
Afterward, he sits down to quietly listen to the travelers' tales and experiences while also selling essential tools and food for outdoor adventures.
In this seemingly idyllic bar, weary travelers gradually forget their fatigue and loneliness. If they drink too much, they simply lay their heads down on the table and fall into a deep sleep, with soft blue lights gently swirling like water.
In the middle of the night, Mo Nan wakes up from the cold. Feeling somewhat uneasy, he wraps himself in his military coat and gets up to check on the off-road vehicle.
His movements stir Elida, who had been sleeping at the bar counter. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Elida says, "It's already September; soon travelers will start arriving one after another. I doubt we have enough drinks stocked up; should we go buy some?"
Moonlight spills down like water as Mo Nan trembles slightly while lighting a cigarette. He shakes his head, signaling Elida to return inside. Then he stands alone in the bar's backyard, smoking while softly murmuring to himself, "October is approaching; they should be coming soon."
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