"There is one universal truth none of us can escape: whether we are willing or not, all things will one day come to an end. I look forward to that day, yet I also feel reluctance and attachment. It is like the last day of summer, the final chapter of a good book, or parting from a close friend. Endings have never been avoidable. Autumn leaves drift down; you close the book in your hands and say goodbye to your friends. For us, today is just like that."
This was a message Dongfang Xiaochang had just left for Castle of Black Iron.
Castle of Black Iron had come to an end. For a time, Tiger, like everyone else, felt as though he were bidding farewell to a good friend. His heart was filled with unbearable reluctance and a sense of loss. Every sight and sound of Black Iron's journey from youth onward—its hardships and struggles, its bitterness and sweetness—stood before his eyes, impossible to let go.
Tiger had many things to say, yet did not know where to begin. At the end of Castle of Black Iron, what he most wanted to say was still a heartfelt thank you!
Yuewen is a wonderful platform. It was this platform that allowed Tiger and all of you to meet here. On this platform are many dedicated, lovely people who have cared for and helped Tiger. Some have always worked behind the scenes; perhaps Tiger has never even met them. Here, Tiger wishes to say thank you to Yuewen, to... to all those lovely people.
And Rice—thank you for safeguarding Castle of Black Iron day and night over these years. If Castle of Black Iron was a little tree Tiger planted, then Rice was the gardener who tended that little tree. And all