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墨書 Inktalez
In the deep of night, the moonlight flowed like water, bright yet infused with an aching sorrow.
In the darkness, a figure quietly wandered through the courtyard of the villa. She carried a simple, ordinary bundle on her shoulder, appearing as if she was about to leave.
Suddenly, from the same darkness, a tender voice broke the silence. "Mom, are you leaving?"
The shadow paused for a moment, as if frozen like a statue that had forgotten how to walk. Yet, she did not turn around; she simply faced away from the small figure slowly emerging from the shadows.
"Are you really going?" the little girl asked uncertainly again.
The shadow trembled slightly but remained silent.
"If this is your choice, then you should go. An Yijun will take good care of everything here and wait for you to come back," the little girl said calmly, a smile gracing her face, as if in her eyes, this person was merely stepping out for a moment and would return soon.
It seemed that the softest part of the shadow's heart had been struck. However, images of Sima Rui's bloody visage flashed through her mind, An Yijun's suffering after the Curse, Azure Thorn's decision to become a monk, and Yuwen Ruojian's broken state… and more. Her spine straightened significantly; her resolve remained unshaken. The calamity that spanned lifetimes loomed over her. The High Priestess's words echoed in her ears: if you attempt to break it, this calamity will continue to your next generation, passed down through the ages. How could she choose selfishness for herself?
The little girl seemed to understand what was in her heart at that moment and smiled sadly. That desolate laughter seemed far too mature for someone her age.
"Mom, I always knew you weren't from this world. Everything you taught me is so special, unique, unparalleled. An Yijun doesn't know why you left Father or why you are leaving here, but I know you must be afraid of something; you must have your own reasons... I won't blame you; An Yijun will never blame you. You have always been An Yijun's most beloved person, and that will never change. So An Yijun will protect everything you care about here and wait for you to come home."
At that moment, many figures suddenly appeared behind An Yijun—Little Seven, Song Kong, Lian, and Jun Jin's butler… They had noticed her odd behavior during this time; it was as if she had prepared for everything in advance. They were not fools; while her sorrow was well hidden from others, they were the closest to her and understood her best. How could they not perceive it? Everything she did was for her own peace of mind before leaving. So they silently cooperated with whatever she had instructed.
The shadow did not turn around because she feared that if she did, she would lose all courage.
Taking a deep breath, she smiled lightly and said, "An Yijun, you've always been a strong child. Without me, you'll do just fine."
With tears in his eyes, Little Seven smiled at his master—the one he chose to follow for a lifetime—and gently yet firmly said, "Young Master, no matter how far or how long you go, this home will always be waiting for your return."
Song Kong and Lian silently gazed at her, their eyes soft as water and warm as sunlight. It was this person who had given them everything, a home, the warmth they sought in life, and had built a different world for them. Whether she was present or not, they would protect it with all their hearts, even with their lives.
They would stay here, waiting for her, no matter how far she went or how long she was gone, to be her eternal support, her forever resting place. This was the meaning of home.
A place that would never abandon the traveler wandering far away. The only place that would always hold her warmth. The place that lit the way in the darkness and marked the direction forward when she felt lost.
The shadow silently closed its eyes, ultimately saying nothing, stepping forward resolutely without looking back.
An Yijun watched the figure disappear into the darkness, tears finally falling. Had she really left?
"An Yijun, you must be a strong child."
Her words had never been forgotten. Wiping away her tears, An Yijun's eyes suddenly sparkled with an unusual light in the darkness—a silent transformation. A growth that broke free from its cocoon.
"Mom, I won’t let you down." She smiled coldly in the dark, her gaze filled with strength, determination, and a hint of pain.
The few people behind her noticed her expression suddenly turn as cold as frost, no longer resembling a child of just a few years.
Without lingering, she turned around and sighed before leaving: "We need to make this place better. Perhaps when she returns, she will feel a bit happier. At least, she won’t be disappointed."
As the shadow reached the door, a small furry figure suddenly jumped out from under the eaves.
The mysterious creature seemed to smile in the darkness. Its bright eyes seemed to say: How could leaving home happen without me?
Seeing the unexpected companion in her arms, the shadow sighed helplessly. She said no more but looked ahead on the path, smiled slightly, and then walked forward with determination.
At the entrance of a certain room.
Thomas gazed at the figure in white that suddenly appeared before him, graceful and extraordinarily handsome, as if he were not of this world, a Divine Son, a Peerless Youth. He was momentarily taken aback.
He heard the young man smile gently at him and say, "It's time to set off."
Thomas stared blankly for a moment, finally coming to his senses. He returned the warm smile and nodded, saying, "Alright."
From that day on, the women washing clothes by the Indus River remembered seeing a foreign young man in white on the deck of a merchant ship setting sail. His face was as pure as moonlight, and his gaze was as cool and clear as the waters of the Indus River at midnight...
In Rome's Colosseum, amidst the fierce and brutal bullfighting matches, someone spotted a foreign girl dressed in a long gown adorned with white lace petals. She wore an elegant streamlined hat, her long hair flowing, her expression calm and serene, as if she were a dream...
In that vast and fertile land, a river almost traversed all the countries within it. By the Nile River, where water plants swayed gracefully, Egyptian girls dressed in linen played by the riverbank. They did not miss noticing a foreign boy casually walking by on the opposite shore. His smile bloomed like a tranquil lotus in the Nile; his skin resembled the most beautiful cloud above Egypt, with golden grasses swaying in the wind casting reflections beneath his fluttering eyelashes...
Sunlight spilled over a small city in a distant western country, illuminating unique lavender bouquets that seemed to be draped in golden light, radiating blue and purple hues. The sky here was an exceptionally clear blue; the air felt refreshing like chilled lemonade, and deep within one’s heart flowed a gentle spring that made one want to sing. The rolling hills covered in purple lavender resembled an immense sea of violet, so beautifully enchanting it brought joy beyond measure. Those working in the fields saw a foreign woman dressed in a white gown adorned with pearls, her skirt filled with deep purple and light blue bouquets. With a bright and charming smile on her face, she stood against the wind holding a white scarf, running joyfully through the flower fields...
On an unfamiliar continent by a Strait where pirates ran rampant, it seemed every corner echoed with pirate songs. A foreign boy dressed in pirate attire stood at the bow of a ship, calmly observing the world's splendor...
Everything felt like fleeting moments; spring waters flowed eastward...
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"Cough cough..." A Seductive Man dressed in red lay on a couch. His complexion was pale; his fingers were frighteningly white, and his body was thin, resembling that of a frail woman. Even now he remained breathtakingly beautiful. The room was filled with light smoke that seemed to carry an elusive herbal fragrance...
At that moment, a sturdy man dressed like a guard suddenly burst in holding a box. He ran in while shouting loudly, "Master is saved! Master is saved..."
After entering the room and feeling the oppressive chill of the old man's gaze, he smiled awkwardly. His voice trailed off as he respectfully presented the box to the man lying on the couch. The man furrowed his brow, clearly uninterested. The guard spoke urgently, "Master, this is a gift from a Seafarer sent here for you. Perhaps you would like to take a look?" His last words were spoken cautiously, fearing that he might inadvertently anger his master.
The Red-Clad Man's expression remained one of impatience, yet he opened the box with a hint of curiosity.
The guard watched as his master's emotions shifted from indifference to shock, then confusion, pain, infatuation, fascination, and finally… uncertainty about what expression to wear.
"This… a blooming mandrake?" The Red-Clad Man looked at the flowers in the box with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.
The silent old man beside him stared in astonishment at the seductive red mandrake that seemed to come from hell. He gazed at its shimmering glow, as red as blood; it was a mandrake nurtured by blood… This meant that Ruo Er was saved…
He suddenly recalled the cold-faced woman with her shallow gaze when he left; she was not as heartless as she claimed… She still thought of saving him. That miraculous woman… Tears filled the old man's eyes for the first time since leaving the palace. He wept for his child’s suffering coming to an end and for that woman who repaid kindness with kindness… Her magnanimity was admirable; he had hurt her, yet she still saved him…
The guard exclaimed happily, "Yes, Master is saved!"
"How could this be… how could this be…" The Red-Clad Man swayed unsteadily, nearly fainting. He suddenly gasped for breath, coughing violently before spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Then he began to cry and laugh simultaneously, his expression twisted and fierce, as if he had gone mad or like a child who had received an unexpected surprise and felt fulfilled in this life.
The Red-Clad Man suddenly clutched the box tightly, sobbing softly, "Enough, this is enough for this life… An Jin, enough..."
The world may have been unfair to me, but meeting you is enough, enough.
Meanwhile, a young boy stood on the streets of the Mediterranean's most prosperous country, gazing at the vibrant blossoms around him with a slight smile—a satisfied smile. In his arms lay a fluffy creature that had just eaten its fill under the warm sunlight. It found a comfortable position in his embrace, yawned contentedly, and fell into a deep sleep.
In the year of Yongchang, the Eastern Jin Dynasty faced a great loss with the passing of Emperor Sima Rui. The people mourned deeply, weeping for seven days, and the entire nation donned white garments, silencing all festivities and music.
His son, Sima Shao, ascended to the throne and was known as Jin Mingdi, changing the name of the country to Tai Ning.
Four years later, the young emperor passed away.
Sima Yan succeeded him and was referred to as Jin Chengdi, renaming the country Xianhe.
Thus began the decline of the Eastern Jin. The power of noble families grew, and the nation fell into turmoil. Over a century later, the Eastern Jin would meet its end.
At that time, in a distant place, a person who had been lingering there heard this news from afar. They forced a bitter smile, their heart aching so intensely that they fainted on the spot, remaining silent for ten days. They neither ate nor drank, as if their soul had left their body. When they awoke ten days later, everything felt like a fleeting dream—so unreal.
*******************************************************************
Many years later, on a calm winter morning, at the entrance of an ordinary mountain lodge, a weary and thin figure stood holding a plump, white, fluffy creature that was unrecognizable as any animal. They stood there for a long time, raising their hand to knock on the familiar weathered door they had dreamed of for many years, only to let it fall dejectedly.
The youth's face bore traces of hardship; he was a traveler marked by time's sorrowful passage. His expression held a hint of regret and helplessness—like a child who had run away after making a mistake and returned many years later but lacked the courage to enter.
The plump creature mumbled, “This is your home; you wouldn’t dare not go back now, would you?” Despite all those years… it thought silently.
At that moment, the youth could no longer concern himself with whether there was mockery in its tone. He finally understood that saying about how one feels more timid upon nearing home and how one desperately wants to do something yet fears it… because everything mattered too much.
He lost track of how long he wandered in the swirling snowstorm, unaware of how many snowflakes had settled on his face and hair or how many footprints he had left in front of the door. He didn’t know how many times he had shouted in his heart or how often he had despised this version of himself…
Finally, like a valiant warrior charging into battle with all their fears suppressed, he rushed toward that door with determination and closed his eyes to prepare for knocking.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened. Two people were preparing to go out: a middle-aged man dressed in brocade and a graceful young girl. The middle-aged man held an umbrella in his hand, warmly grasping the delicate little hand of the girl. The two appeared affectionate, their expressions reflecting a deep bond.
The person standing outside paused their knocking, staring blankly at this strange scene. This heartwarming sight brought tears to their eyes. How could he be here? Hadn't he already passed away? An Yijun had truly grown up... Countless questions flooded his mind. Yet, in the end, he said nothing.
Tears threatened to overflow, but he held them back as he watched the two—his dearest ones. Then he smiled faintly, and all the words he wished to say condensed into a simple greeting: "Hi, I'm back."
To his surprise, there were people outside. Upon seeing this figure they had missed every moment of every day, tears of joy quickly welled up in the eyes of both individuals. They gazed at his unchanging face and the smile that graced his lips, along with Gaze's flickering look of concern.
The two exchanged smiles and spoke as if he had only been gone for a short while: "Little Jin (Mom), welcome home."
But only they knew how long the wait had been—long enough to feel like half a lifetime had passed.
Happiness was frozen in that moment.
Their story was just beginning. There was no end.
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