On the night of the full moon, Old Wolf was radiant, waking from his sickly state and clamoring to go to the manor to admire the moon.
"But sir, it's very cold outside! The doctor advised that you shouldn't go out unless it's necessary to Sun," Martha reminded him.
"I know my physical condition. Staying indoors is just waiting to die!" Old Wolf said. "There's a total lunar eclipse tonight. Will I ever see another total lunar eclipse in my life? How can you bear to let a dying old man's beautiful wish be dashed, Martha?"
Martha finally relented, helping the old man put on the thickest clothes she could, along with a scarf and hat. As she pushed the wheelchair out, she asked curiously:
How did you know there would be a total lunar eclipse tonight?
William Wolf's face was buried in his thick scarf, and his voice, filtered through cashmere, sounded hoarse and rough.
"A prophecy from a dream."
Martha knew that Mr. Wolf had strange dreams, so she wasn't particularly surprised. However, she didn't really believe that dreams could predict celestial phenomena; it was probably just something the butler or some servant had told Mr. Wolf.
The total lunar eclipse was officially predicted a long time ago, and I've heard that there will be a rare blood moon this year, which is being exaggeratedly spread by many people.
Some say that a blood moon is a sign of impending doom. There was a blood moon a few years ago, but that one occurred in the Eastern Hemisphere, while this one occurred in the Western Hemisphere. Canada is fortunate enough to be able to see both lunar eclipses.
Following the last blood moon, a terrifying supercyclone struck the South Pacific, unusually splitting into two, one of which inexplicably crossed the equator. The two wind masses struck western South America and eastern Asia, one to the east and the other to the west, leveling the entire Pacific Ocean archipelago, including Hawaii.
This left Martha with a vague sense of unease.
She began to pray silently, hoping that good people would live peaceful lives. But she found that her heart was not big enough to hold everyone in the world; at that moment, all she could think of was Huang Liang.
They didn't even have a honeymoon, or even a sweet weekend. On the second day of their marriage, her husband left her and went to faraway Alaska with young Master Wolf.
Martha didn't blame him. Although he had many secrets, carried an extraordinary mission, and was about to do something earth-shattering, she knew nothing about it. But that didn't matter. For her, all she needed to know was that he loved her, and that was enough.
What comforted her even more was that Huang Liang's courage to do all this stemmed from his love for her.
On their wedding night, they were deeply in love, whispering sweet nothings all night long. As the first rays of dawn crept in through the gaps in the curtains, she nestled shyly against her husband's chest.
Her husband gently kissed her earlobe and said tenderly, "Thank you, Martha. You inspired me, showed me who I am, and made me understand the meaning of life. For you, I would do anything, even give my life!"
"Shh!" Martha gently placed her finger on his lips. "Don't say such unlucky things." (And Tushu)
"I have to go." Her husband removed her fingers, then sucked on them. "I have to go! For you, for the future, for our possible little baby! I will not allow anyone to tarnish the world that belongs to us, I will not allow our child to become a pitiful slave. I want the world to be full of sunshine, the earth to be covered with flowers, children to run freely, and people to always smile..."
Martha didn't quite understand her husband's words. She felt free and happy right now, but she trusted him.
She encouraged him, "Go ahead! Whatever you want to do, I'll support you. I'll be here waiting for you to come back."
The heated house and the garden on a winter night are like two different worlds. As soon as they stepped outside, the cold wind felt like a sharp blade piercing their faces.
William Wolf coughed.
Martha quickly patted his back and urged again, "Mr. Wolf, it's so cold outside, let's go back. Your health is the most important thing! When the young master returns, he'll definitely want to see you healthy and well."
"Look!" Old Wolf suddenly pointed to the sky, where a bright, shining moon hung in the sky. "How many more times will I see a moon like this? If I miss tonight's lunar eclipse, I'll never see another one in my life."
He paused for a moment, then said, "I imagine the children are watching from there too." His voice suddenly choked with emotion. "I won't be able to wait for them to come back. Just being able to look at the moon with them would be enough for me."
Martha was a little sad. She knew that what Mr. Wolf said was probably true, but she had to comfort him; it was her duty.
"Sir, look what you're saying! You'll live to be a hundred, no, two hundred!"
William Wolf chuckled and laughed heartily, "Who can live to be two hundred? Wouldn't I become a celebrity old man in Canada? I don't want to be constantly asked on TV by those stupid hosts what I eat every day and what my health secrets are..."
He turned his head and said, " Martha, don't call me 'Master' anymore. You're married now, you're Mr. Huang's wife, and you're no longer the little girl you used to be."
Martha replied, "No, sir, I will always be your maid."
Old Wolf smiled and said nothing more, but you could tell from his face that he was very happy.
The moon slowly climbed to its zenith, and its bright moonlight shone down, like a layer of silver dust being spread in the garden.
Martha saw the shadows on the moon's surface; she knew they were lunar craters, but now they looked more like patterns carved on a bright bronze mirror.
She remembered the story Huang Liang had told her.
He said there was a very tall tree on the moon, and a man named Wu Gang chopped it down with a giant axe every day. Only by cutting down the tree could he see his beloved.
The tree grew very fast; if Wu Gang slacked off even a little, it would sprout many branches and leaves. Wu Gang diligently chopped and chopped, and just as he was about to finish, a Crow flew down and snatched his clothes, which were hanging on a branch. He put down his axe and chased after the Crow, finally managing to retrieve his clothes. When he looked at the tree, it had grown back to its original state.
Wu Gang chops down the tree, Crow cause trouble. Year after year, there is always a tree, a man chopping down the tree, and a bird causing trouble on the moon.
Martha didn't understand why the tree had to be cut down so the poor man could see the woman he loved; she also didn't understand why the Crow was trying to stop them—perhaps just to protect the tree, where its nest was?
The thought of that man, sweating profusely and panting as he choked on trees all day, a Crow cawing noisily overhead, and his helpless expression, made her want to laugh. She found the story fascinating, and because of it, she came to love the moon and the shadows cast by the craters.
Just as she was about to be mesmerized, the once smooth edges of the moon suddenly became somewhat blurred, as if clouds had drifted by, even though the sky was clearly clear. Then, that blur began to spread, like ink spreading and staining the moon. The dark shadow gradually expanded, but its edges became regular and smooth, as if someone had opened their mouth wide and taken a bite out of the moon.
Martha was so engrossed in watching that she didn't notice William Wolf's chest heaving, his breathing rapid, and his face flushed, as if he were experiencing the excitement of first love.
The shadow grew larger and larger, gradually engulfing half the moon. Only a faint crescent of moonlight remained, yet it shone even brighter than when the moon was full.
Martha squinted, feeling the cool breeze brush against her cheeks.
She seemed to see that robust man from the East, wielding an axe, who, after countless days and nights, finally could not bear it any longer and chopped down the wall of the Palace of Vast Cold with one blow. Half of the palace collapsed, and his Beauty stood on the dew-covered jade steps, smiling gently at him.
This was the most romantic story Martha had ever seen. She felt like she was watching a romantic Eastern film, imagining her husband beside her, the sweet feeling of leaning on his shoulder.
The moonlight was fading, like a stage curtain slowly being drawn. Only when the last ray of light disappeared did she awaken from her reverie.
However, the darkness was short-lived; the moon was not completely swallowed up, but instead revealed a crimson face, as if draped in a red veil.
"Blood Moon!"
Martha gasped.
Despite being mentally prepared, knowing that tonight's moon would be a terrifying blood moon, she still couldn't help but tremble when she saw its crimson color.
A blood-red moon hangs in the deep sky.
This is not romantic at all.
"Let's go back."
Martha shuddered, gripped the handle of Old Wolf's wheelchair, and prepared to push him back.
But what she saw when she looked down really startled her— Old Wolf was gone!
The elderly man, who was just sitting listlessly in a wheelchair, has vanished into thin air!
The garden was dark and gloomy, the crimson moonlight shining on the trees and flowerbeds, as if painting the manor with a thin layer of red lacquer. The shadow cast by the sculpture next to the central fountain resembled that of a wounded, blood-stained knight from the Middle Ages.
The wheelchair was covered with a thick bearskin, and Mr. Wolf's cashmere scarf and hat lay there, along with his symbolic, long-unused, jewel-encrusted cane, which rested quietly against the armrest of the wheelchair.
Everything seemed so eerie.
Martha's heart was pounding.
She didn't know what to do. Should she call for help? Or pray to the moon?
The moon slowly moved its hidden and shadowy form, now hovering atop the ancient tower on the side of the manor. The tower cast a huge shadow, like a giant guarding in the darkness.
She saw a huge white wolf standing on the spire of the tower. It was so white that even under the blood moon, it was not stained with a single other color.
It turned its head and gazed silently at Martha.
Martha saw the white wolf's eyes, bright and pure like sapphires, which brought peace and tranquility.
Martha was no longer panicked or afraid. For some reason, she was convinced that it was Mr. Wolf.
The white wolf raised its head and let out a long howl.
Its howl echoed through the manor, across the streets of Vancouver's Vancouver West, through Stanley Park, across the entire Vancouver, through the deep blue sky, through the depths of Martha's mind, reaching places never before visited by human thought...
The moon's blood-red cloak began to fade, and the sky darkened again. A sliver of light appeared from the moon's edge, like a car headlight shining in the night.
The moon gradually revealed its crescent shape, displaying its perfect form little by little.
In the reviving light, Martha saw the white wolf's body fading, its raised head becoming an eternal silhouette in the moonlight.
Martha only withdrew her gaze when the moon was once again whole, hanging in the sky like a silver plate, and the entire manor was restored to its radiant glow.
She saw Mr. Wolf sitting peacefully in his wheelchair, his eyes closed. His scarf and hat rested on his lap, and his cane leaned against the armrest of the wheelchair, its jewels gleaming in the moonlight.
"Master," Martha called softly, "Master Wolf..."
Old Wolf never opened his eyes again.
On the night of the lunar eclipse, William Wolf passed away.
Martha wasn't sad. She believed that Mr. Wolf lived on the moon, in that heavenly realm, forever peacefully watching over humankind.
For some reason, she thought of that tree again, and the shirtless man chopping it down. A Crow perched on the tree, cawing incessantly.
However, the ominous legend of the blood moon did not end with the death of Old Wolf. A few days later, a massive earthquake of magnitude 9 or higher struck northern Santa Fe City, Argentina, with its epicenter located between the Vera Town and Governor Crespo Town. The entire Vera Town vanished overnight.
Xia Chujue shed tears as she watched the disaster area on the live news broadcast on television.
Although the mountains and houses in the picture have long been unrecognizable, her extraordinary memory still allows her to vaguely discern that it is the place where she once lived as a child.
Mom said that's Dad's hometown.