Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, falling in dappled fragments and scattering across people. Together with the gentle breeze, it brought a faint, intoxicating haze.
Asano Kiyoshi stood beneath the shade of a tree. The mottled light falling over him was far from comfortable, perhaps because he was no longer in a human body.
Lu Sheng stood beside Asano Kiyoshi, watching the stream of people approaching from afar. Uncontainable joy appeared on his face. Looking at each person as they came closer, he said to Asano Kiyoshi, "Look, that's Wang Ma from the village. She used to take such good care of us. I remember that when we got married, she even brought us Uncle Wang's favorite liquor. Uncle Wang sulked over it for an entire day afterward. And that's Old Man Li. He was the doctor in our village. I was frail and sickly when I was alive, and it was only thanks to Old Man Li's kindness that I was able to..."
Asano Kiyoshi showed no impatience as he listened to Lu Sheng chatter away. He understood Lu Sheng's excitement and joy at that moment, so he simply listened patiently, responding with a few words now and then.
But as time passed, Lu Sheng still did not see his wife and daughter. A trace of anxiety appeared between his brows, and his words gradually grew fewer. He walked out from beneath the shade, half his body exposed to the direct sunlight. Under its rays, his figure became ever more insubstantial.
Seeing this, Asano Kiyoshi looked somewhat worried. He said to Lu Sheng, "It's all right. There's still time. Just wait a little longer; they'll probably be here soon. Watch yourself. Don't stand in the sunlight. Your body won't be able to take it."
Hearing Asano Kiyoshi's