This was an unfamiliar city, and even an unfamiliar era.
With panic in his heart and a forced calm on his face, he had set up a fortune-telling stall on a busy street.
Then he had given Wang Dali a hint and saved Mrs. Wang's life.
When Wang Dali brought gifts to thank him the next day, he had forced himself to remain expressionless and play the part of a lofty master, speaking slowly and accepting the gifts with casual indifference.
When he returned to his little rented house that afternoon, he buried his face in his pillow and laughed for a long time.
Being a lofty master felt pretty damn good.
After that, his reputation spread, and Meng Da and Meng Er came to invite him... everything afterward seemed to have been put on fast-forward.
He had nearly died.
But in the end, he hadn't.
He raised his hands and studied them against the dim daylight outside.
Not long ago, these hands had been typing on a keyboard in an office cubicle.
Now, these hands could lay down fifteen or twenty different formations, unleash a whole slew of spells, and divine a heap of unknown heavenly secrets with a few calculations on his fingers.
He looked through the gaps between his fingers at the sky outside. Good heavens, did you really have to arrange such a bizarre fate for me?
And then there was her.
He braced his hands against the bed and pushed himself upright, his brows knitting.
She likes me.
That probably isn't my imagination.
He had never been in a relationship before, but he wasn't stupid.
A girl's eyes couldn't hide what was in her heart.
He scratched his ear.
When did it start?
When I saved her as the Divine Tomb collapsed?
...Is this really one of those "I have no way to repay you for saving my life" situations?
Or am I just too handsome?
That's certainly true, but isn't making a girl fall in love at first sight a bit much?
He felt a little melancholy.
She treats me well, she's pretty, she has a nice figure, and she's even the deputy head of the Water Palace... if I had a normal lifespan, what would be wrong with staying here?
Sadly, a man with only a year left to live could make no promises to anyone.
For someone as short-lived as a mayfly, born at dawn and dead by dusk, what was the point of talking about love?
As he raced between life and death, there were things he shouldn't understand, couldn't understand, and... didn't need to understand.
Another lost bird landed beneath the eaves, shook the droplets from its head, found its bearings, and flew away.
It's time I set out.
That was what he thought.
Separated by a single wall, they gazed at the same gloomy sky, each with something weighing on their heart, each silent.
I'll say goodbye to him/her tomorrow.
She thought it.
He thought it.
Chapter 59: Farewell
Today, the circuit intendant and the county magistrate had organized a citywide celebration to mark their success in resisting the flood.
Heavy rain could wash away houses, but it could never wash away the people's resolve!
The floodwaters were cold, but the hearts of the people burned hot!
Under the loving care of Director-General Duan in the central government, under the concern of Governor Zhang in Jinan, and under the circuit intendant's instructions, the county magistrate had led the whole city to stand united against the flood!
Beat the gongs and drums! Dance the dragons and lions! Hang lanterns and streamers! Let the celebrations begin!
Early that morning, Ninth Lady dragged Cui Jiuyang out into the streets to watch the festivities.
Ninth Lady was like a curious child, pointing out every costumed performer who passed to Cui Jiuyang.
"Look, that's the land boat dance! Hahaha!"
"The stilt walkers are fun. Watch him kneel down to pick up the copper coin on the ground, then flip back onto his feet!"
"Hey, hey, move aside! The drunken Guan Yu is coming. Oh, it's one of the young fellows from our troupe playing him. Don't let him see me."
Cui Jiuyang played along, feigning amazement and fascination to keep her happy.
"Whoa, has that lion trained in martial arts? How's it jumping so high?!"
"Hey, look at that dragon dance. Go pin its head to the Huixian House sign with your sword."
"Hahahaha! I just saw the kid playing Toad Boy fall asleep on the sacred boat!"
The procession headed toward the docks in a great, sprawling crowd. That was how things worked in Jining City: whatever the occasion, it had to involve the docks somehow.
At the docks, the procession gathered around the stage that had been set up in advance, and the opera performances began.
The first play was River God Marries a Wife.
Cui Jiuyang wasn't particularly fond of it and showed little interest.
Ninth Lady could sing all these pieces herself, so she was even less interested.
She gave Cui Jiuyang a pat. "Didn't you used to run your fortune-telling stall around here? Take me to see it!"
Cui Jiuyang looked reluctant. "What's there to see?"
Ninth Lady tugged him along without looking back. "Come on, come on. It'll be more interesting than this."
They squeezed out of the crowd. Cui Jiuyang pointed the way, but Ninth Lady was the one pulling him forward.
When they reached his old spot, his little patch of ground was still empty. No one had taken it.
His small table and other odds and ends were stored outside a noodle soup shop behind it.
Ninth Lady urged him to fetch them and set up his stall. She wanted to see how Cui Jiuyang used to tell fortunes.
Cui Jiuyang couldn't make sense of it, but he had already decided to indulge her today, so he fetched his things and arranged them one by one.
His reputation had long since spread. Before he had been set up for very long, men were coming to ask about their prospects working on canal boats, women were asking when their sons would get married, and all sorts of other questions followed.
Cui Jiuyang carefully divined their fortunes and explained what they should do, how to avoid malicious people and find benefactors, and so on.
Ninth Lady rested her chin in her hand beside him, watching him work with a beaming smile. Sometimes, she even opened her fan to fan him.
Several times, Cui Jiuyang tried to pack up. Surely a little demonstration was enough-was he really supposed to spend the whole day telling fortunes?
But Ninth Lady wouldn't let him leave. Only when the sun slanted west did she allow him to close the stall.
She carefully counted the day's earnings in Cui Jiuyang's cash box.
"Eighty-two copper coins in all! Impressive! That's so much more than I used to earn." Ninth Lady held the coins excitedly, looking like a little money grubber.
Cui Jiuyang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Hey, you're being ridiculous. Pry a single bead off any lampstand in the Jidu Shrine, and it'd be worth eight months of my fortune-telling. Why are you counting my earnings?"
Ninth Lady put the copper coins into a little purse and hefted it. "Remember saying you'd treat me to a drink? We'll use just this money, and we'll have that drink today!"
Cui Jiuyang narrowed his eyes at her. "I remember agreeing to have a drink, but I don't remember saying who'd pay."
Ninth Lady hurried toward the street without looking back. "Same difference. You've earned some money, haven't you? Thanks for all your hard work!"
Cui Jiuyang followed helplessly.
To his surprise, Ninth Lady found a little meat-and-vegetable eatery beside the canal.
Perhaps everyone in Jining City was worn out from the day's festivities. There was hardly anyone in the eatery that night, and Ninth Lady and Cui Jiuyang turned out to be its only two customers.
On one side lay the canal; on the other, the long street gradually fell quiet as the docks shut down for the night.
An elderly man ran the place alone, serving as cook, bookkeeper, and waiter all at once.
Under the dim yellow lantern light, Ninth Lady ordered with practiced ease.
The breeze off the canal carried a chill and stirred her hair. She gently raised a hand to smooth her bangs, tucking a strand behind her ear as the heat and oily smoke from the old man's cooking drifted past her.
For a moment, Cui Jiuyang felt as though he had seen this scene in a Wong Kar-wai film.
A thought rose unbidden in his mind. If only I had another fifty or sixty years to live.
Then he wouldn't leave.
Once Ninth Lady had finished ordering, she came over with a spring in her step. They found a seat beside the canal and sat facing each other.
She rummaged and rummaged through her Treasure Bag, finally producing two Celadon Porcelain Gourds.
"You pay for the food, and I'll provide the wine. How's that?"
"One gourd each. Neither of us gets to sneak any extra!"
She picked up a gourd and filled the cup in front of her, then glanced at Cui Jiuyang, who was staring at her in a daze. "Pour your own! Do you expect me to wait on you?"
Cui Jiuyang smiled, picked up the other gourd, and filled his own cup.
The night breeze immediately carried the rich fragrance of wine to his nose, mellow, sweet, and crisp. Ninth Lady's wine was always strong, but wonderfully tempting.
The old man worked briskly, and before long, four hot dishes were on the table.
Stir-fried liver, pork intestines with tofu, crisp-fried vegetable balls, and garlic lung slices.
Ninth Lady grinned. "All eighty-two coppers, with not one left over. And that's after the old gentleman knocked three off the price."
Cui Jiuyang raised his cup. "My fault. I didn't earn enough, and Ninth Lady has had to go without. I'll drink this as my punishment. Bottoms up for me; drink as you please."
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