August ablaze.
Drip, drip, drip—!
The harsh chirping of cicadas, mixed with the intermittent honking of horns, echoed on the bustling streets, where the scorching sunlight roasted the gray-brown asphalt. Heat waves surged, distorting the entire street.
Under the sparse shade of a few trees on the roadside, a few young people gathered, holding cigarettes, waiting for the traffic lights.
Suddenly, one of the young men, exhaling smoke, seemed to have noticed something. He exclaimed softly, his gaze fixed on a corner of the street.
"Arno, what are you looking at?" his companion asked.
The young man named Arno stared blankly at the street corner for a while before speaking, "You know... how does a blind person cross the road?"
His companion was puzzled. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke slowly, "Usually, blind people have someone to guide them when they go out, or they use guide dogs. In modern cities, there are also traffic lights with voice announcements at the roadside. If none of these is available, they might rely on sound and a cane to move slowly."
Arno shook his head, "But what if there's no one to guide, no guide dog, no voice announcements, and even the cane is being used to carry cooking oil?"
"Do you think you're funny?" his companion rolled his eyes and followed Arno's gaze. In the next moment, he froze in place.
Across the road diagonally, a young boy in a black short-sleeved shirt stood there. Thick black fabric wrapped around his eyes, blocking out all light.
In his left hand, he held a cheap shopping bag full of vegetables, and in his right hand, he dragged a white cane slung over his shoulder like a pole. At the end of the cane, a large bucket of golden peanut oil gleamed in the sunlight!
Blindfolded eyes, cane on the shoulder, left hand with vegetables, right hand carrying oil...
This bizarre scene immediately attracted the attention of a crowd.
"Hey, look, that person looks strange."
"With so much fabric covering his eyes, can he see the road?"
"Didn't you see the guide cane in his hand? He's probably a blind person, right?"
"In this day and age, most blind people wear sunglasses. Who covers their eyes with fabric on a hot day? Aren't they afraid of suffocating?"
"Yeah, and have you seen any blind person not using a guide cane to walk, but using it to carry things?"
"Youth these days are really something."
...
The cicadas of summer couldn't drown out the whispers of the surrounding pedestrians. They curiously observed the boy, quietly discussing whether he was genuinely blind or faking it, all while eagerly awaiting the flashing red light.
At that moment, a clear voice sounded from beside the boy.
"Big brother, shall I help you cross the road?"
It was a girl in a school uniform, around twelve or thirteen years old. With a few glistening sweatdrops on her cheeks, she gazed at the boy with concern, pure and simple.
The boy was slightly stunned, turning his head to look in the direction of the little girl. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Yes."
He hung the bag of vegetables on his right hand, freeing his left hand to wipe the sweat from his clothes. He gently held the little girl's hand.
Click—!
The green light lit up.
The boy stepped forward, walking across the road with the little girl. She was nervous, glancing left and right at the passing cars, walking cautiously and timidly.
As for the boy... he walked steadily.
In the eyes of the onlookers, this scene didn't look like a kind girl helping a blind person cross the road. Instead, it seemed like an older brother guiding a little child.
The road wasn't wide, but in just a dozen seconds, the two reached the other side of the road. The boy thanked the little girl and walked away towards a secluded alley without looking back.
"He's not blind," Arno confidently declared, witnessing the scene. "He must be able to see."
Behind Arno, another young man propped his chin with one hand, pondering for a moment. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he exclaimed:
"I get it, he's cosplaying Blind Monk!"
Slap—!
A resounding slap landed on the back of his head. Arno scolded him, "Idiot! Always playing games every day. Who in their right mind cosplays Blind Monk on a busy road? Are you trying to get killed?"
After a two-second pause, Arno muttered under his breath, "Besides... Blind Monk's eye-covering cloth is red, and this cosplay doesn't look like it."
"Arno, you're still talking about me..."
"Shut up."
"Oh."
In the midst of their bickering, the young man who had been silent all along observed the departing figure of the boy, his brows slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong?" Arno noticed his gaze.
"I know him."
"Know him?"
"Yes." The young man nodded, "When my younger cousin was in elementary school, I heard that there was a student in their school who had an accident, had problems with his eyes, had to cover them with black fabric, and even had some mental issues..."
"Mental issues?" Arno was puzzled, carefully recalling the situation just now. "I didn't see any issues."
"That was ten years ago, and maybe he's recovered by now. But at that time, the situation caused quite a stir. The student withdrew from school in just a few days and reportedly transferred to a special school for the blind."
At that moment, another person enthusiastically interjected, "By the way, what was the accident? To make someone go blind and have mental issues, could it be something supernatural?"
"Don't know." He paused, "But... it was something more bizarre than that."
"A pitiable person," Arno sighed. "What's his name?"
"Seems like it's, Lin... Lin... Lin Qiyue?"
...
In the evening glow, Lin Qiyue pushed open the door.
Almost instantly, the fragrance of the dishes from inside wafted into his nostrils. He sniffed, swallowed his saliva, and walked into the house with his belongings.
Creak—!
The old door emitted a sharp creak, covering the sound of the stir-frying from the kitchen. A middle-aged woman pushed open the kitchen door, seeing Lin Qiyue with a large number of bags. She exclaimed, hurriedly rushing forward.
"Little Seven, why did you bring back so many things at once? Are you misusing the government's subsidies again?"
"Auntie, the government's subsidies for people with disabilities are meant for living expenses. Using them to buy oil is making the most of it," Lin Qiyue smiled.
"Nonsense, this money is saved for your university. How can you misuse it? Let me tell you, Auntie's income from work is enough to support the three of us. Don't randomly spend your money."
Auntie gently wiped the oil barrel, her expression somewhat pained. She muttered softly, "Such a large bucket of oil, and it's even a branded one... Must have cost quite a bit."
Before Lin Qiyue could say anything, Auntie suddenly realized something.
"Wait... how did
you bring back so much stuff?"
"Oh, I met some kind-hearted people on the way, and they helped me bring them back," Lin Qiyue calmly said.
"Good, good, it seems there are still good people in society... Did you properly thank them?"
"Thanked them," Lin Qiyue changed the topic. "Auntie, where's Ah Jin?"
"He's doing homework on the balcony... By the way, the regular check-up doctor from the mental hospital came. He's resting in the room. You go check on him, and Auntie will go cook. When it's ready, I'll call you both."
Lin Qiyue's footsteps paused slightly, and he responded with an "Oh," turning towards the bedroom.
...
"Hello, I'm a doctor from Sunshine Mental Hospital. My surname is Li."
Seeing Lin Qiyue enter, the young man sitting on a small stool in the bedroom stood up and spoke gently. He wore a large pair of black-framed glasses, giving him a gentle and scholarly appearance.
Lin Qiyue raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wasn't it Dr. Han who used to come?"
"Dr. Han was promoted to vice director last year." Dr. Li smiled and explained, a hint of envy in his eyes.
Lin Qiyue nodded slightly, uttering an "Oh."
Well, Dr. Han was getting older, and with his excellent medical skills, it wasn't surprising for him to be promoted to vice director. Having a new young doctor come in for regular check-ups was reasonable.
Seeing Lin Qiyue sit down, Dr. Li cleared his throat and took out a stack of medical records from his bag.
"Sorry, because I'm new here, I don't know much about your situation. Let me briefly understand it first." Dr. Li apologized.
Lin Qiyue nodded.
"Name... Lin Qiyue?"
"Yes."
"Seventeen years old."
"Yes."
"Um... according to the medical records, you lost your sight ten years ago due to an accident, and at the same time, you were sent to our hospital because of some problems?"
"Yes."
Dr. Li pondered for a moment. "Did you change your name?"
"...No, why do you ask?" Lin Qiyue was puzzled.
Dr. Li scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Uh, sorry... I thought you might have changed your name after losing your sight. You see, ten years ago, you went blind, and you were seven years old at that time. Your name happened to be Lin Qiyue. So, I thought maybe you changed your name after losing your sight..."
Lin Qiyue remained silent for a while before shaking his head. "No... I've never changed my name. My parents gave me the name Lin Qiyue before I was born."
"That's quite... hehe," Dr. Li awkwardly halted his words, realizing it might be impolite. "Quite a coincidence."
"Very..." Lin Qiyue faintly spoke, "quite a coincidence."
Dr. Li felt a bit embarrassed but quickly changed the subject. "Uh... the medical records don't seem to detail the accident that caused your blindness and mental instability. If it's convenient, could you tell me about it?"
Lin Qiyue, silent for a while, finally spoke slowly:
"There's nothing I can't say... it's just that you may not believe it, and you might even have me sent back to the mental hospital."
"No, no, don't consider our relationship as that of doctor and patient. This is just a normal chat between friends. It won't go that far," Dr. Li half-jokingly said, "Even if you tell me you were pulled into an alchemy furnace by Laozi, I'll believe it."
Lin Qiyue remained silent for a moment and then nodded slightly.
"When I was a child, I loved astronomy."
"Okay, and then?"
"That night, I lay on the roof of our old house and watched the moon."
"Did you see something? Like the moon rabbit?" Dr. Li chuckled.
Lin Qiyue shook his head. His next words, however, made Dr. Li's smile freeze on his face.
"No, I saw an angel."
"A radiant angel, shrouded in golden light, with six white wings."
August ablaze.
Drip, drip, drip—!
The harsh chirping of cicadas, mixed with the intermittent honking of horns, echoed on the bustling streets, where the scorching sunlight roasted the gray-brown asphalt. Heat waves surged, distorting the entire street.
Under the sparse shade of a few trees on the roadside, a few young people gathered, holding cigarettes, waiting for the traffic lights.
Suddenly, one of the young men, exhaling smoke, seemed to have noticed something. He exclaimed softly, his gaze fixed on a corner of the street.
"Arno, what are you looking at?" his companion asked.
The young man named Arno stared blankly at the street corner for a while before speaking, "You know... how does a blind person cross the road?"
His companion was puzzled. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke slowly, "Usually, blind people have someone to guide them when they go out, or they use guide dogs. In modern cities, there are also traffic lights with voice announcements at the roadside. If none of these is available, they might rely on sound and a cane to move slowly."
Arno shook his head, "But what if there's no one to guide, no guide dog, no voice announcements, and even the cane is being used to carry cooking oil?"
"Do you think you're funny?" his companion rolled his eyes and followed Arno's gaze. In the next moment, he froze in place.
Across the road diagonally, a young boy in a black short-sleeved shirt stood there. Thick black fabric wrapped around his eyes, blocking out all light.
In his left hand, he held a cheap shopping bag full of vegetables, and in his right hand, he dragged a white cane slung over his shoulder like a pole. At the end of the cane, a large bucket of golden peanut oil gleamed in the sunlight!
Blindfolded eyes, cane on the shoulder, left hand with vegetables, right hand carrying oil...
This bizarre scene immediately attracted the attention of a crowd.
"Hey, look, that person looks strange."
"With so much fabric covering his eyes, can he see the road?"
"Didn't you see the guide cane in his hand? He's probably a blind person, right?"
"In this day and age, most blind people wear sunglasses. Who covers their eyes with fabric on a hot day? Aren't they afraid of suffocating?"
"Yeah, and have you seen any blind person not using a guide cane to walk, but using it to carry things?"
"Youth these days are really something."
...
The cicadas of summer couldn't drown out the whispers of the surrounding pedestrians. They curiously observed the boy, quietly discussing whether he was genuinely blind or faking it, all while eagerly awaiting the flashing red light.
At that moment, a clear voice sounded from beside the boy.
"Big brother, shall I help you cross the road?"
It was a girl in a school uniform, around twelve or thirteen years old. With a few glistening sweatdrops on her cheeks, she gazed at the boy with concern, pure and simple.
The boy was slightly stunned, turning his head to look in the direction of the little girl. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Yes."
He hung the bag of vegetables on his right hand, freeing his left hand to wipe the sweat from his clothes. He gently held the little girl's hand.
Click—!
The green light lit up.
The boy stepped forward, walking across the road with the little girl. She was nervous, glancing left and right at the passing cars, walking cautiously and timidly.
As for the boy... he walked steadily.
In the eyes of the onlookers, this scene didn't look like a kind girl helping a blind person cross the road. Instead, it seemed like an older brother guiding a little child.
The road wasn't wide, but in just a dozen seconds, the two reached the other side of the road. The boy thanked the little girl and walked away towards a secluded alley without looking back.
"He's not blind," Arno confidently declared, witnessing the scene. "He must be able to see."
Behind Arno, another young man propped his chin with one hand, pondering for a moment. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he exclaimed:
"I get it, he's cosplaying Blind Monk!"
Slap—!
A resounding slap landed on the back of his head. Arno scolded him, "Idiot! Always playing games every day. Who in their right mind cosplays Blind Monk on a busy road? Are you trying to get killed?"
After a two-second pause, Arno muttered under his breath, "Besides... Blind Monk's eye-covering cloth is red, and this cosplay doesn't look like it."
"Arno, you're still talking about me..."
"Shut up."
"Oh."
In the midst of their bickering, the young man who had been silent all along observed the departing figure of the boy, his brows slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong?" Arno noticed his gaze.
"I know him."
"Know him?"
"Yes." The young man nodded, "When my younger cousin was in elementary school, I heard that there was a student in their school who had an accident, had problems with his eyes, had to cover them with black fabric, and even had some mental issues..."
"Mental issues?" Arno was puzzled, carefully recalling the situation just now. "I didn't see any issues."
"That was ten years ago, and maybe he's recovered by now. But at that time, the situation caused quite a stir. The student withdrew from school in just a few days and reportedly transferred to a special school for the blind."
At that moment, another person enthusiastically interjected, "By the way, what was the accident? To make someone go blind and have mental issues, could it be something supernatural?"
"Don't know." He paused, "But... it was something more bizarre than that."
"A pitiable person," Arno sighed. "What's his name?"
"Seems like it's, Lin... Lin... Lin Qiyue?"
...
In the evening glow, Lin Qiyue pushed open the door.
Almost instantly, the fragrance of the dishes from inside wafted into his nostrils. He sniffed, swallowed his saliva, and walked into the house with his belongings.
Creak—!
The old door emitted a sharp creak, covering the sound of the stir-frying from the kitchen. A middle-aged woman pushed open the kitchen door, seeing Lin Qiyue with a large number of bags. She exclaimed, hurriedly rushing forward.
"Little Seven, why did you bring back so many things at once? Are you misusing the government's subsidies again?"
"Auntie, the government's subsidies for people with disabilities are meant for living expenses. Using them to buy oil is making the most of it," Lin Qiyue smiled.
"Nonsense, this money is saved for your university. How can you misuse it? Let me tell you, Auntie's income from work is enough to support the three of us. Don't randomly spend your money."
Auntie gently wiped the oil barrel, her expression somewhat pained. She muttered softly, "Such a large bucket of oil, and it's even a branded one... Must have cost quite a bit."
Before Lin Qiyue could say anything, Auntie suddenly realized something.
"Wait... how did
you bring back so much stuff?"
"Oh, I met some kind-hearted people on the way, and they helped me bring them back," Lin Qiyue calmly said.
"Good, good, it seems there are still good people in society... Did you properly thank them?"
"Thanked them," Lin Qiyue changed the topic. "Auntie, where's Ah Jin?"
"He's doing homework on the balcony... By the way, the regular check-up doctor from the mental hospital came. He's resting in the room. You go check on him, and Auntie will go cook. When it's ready, I'll call you both."
Lin Qiyue's footsteps paused slightly, and he responded with an "Oh," turning towards the bedroom.
...
"Hello, I'm a doctor from Sunshine Mental Hospital. My surname is Li."
Seeing Lin Qiyue enter, the young man sitting on a small stool in the bedroom stood up and spoke gently. He wore a large pair of black-framed glasses, giving him a gentle and scholarly appearance.
Lin Qiyue raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wasn't it Dr. Han who used to come?"
"Dr. Han was promoted to vice director last year." Dr. Li smiled and explained, a hint of envy in his eyes.
Lin Qiyue nodded slightly, uttering an "Oh."
Well, Dr. Han was getting older, and with his excellent medical skills, it wasn't surprising for him to be promoted to vice director. Having a new young doctor come in for regular check-ups was reasonable.
Seeing Lin Qiyue sit down, Dr. Li cleared his throat and took out a stack of medical records from his bag.
"Sorry, because I'm new here, I don't know much about your situation. Let me briefly understand it first." Dr. Li apologized.
Lin Qiyue nodded.
"Name... Lin Qiyue?"
"Yes."
"Seventeen years old."
"Yes."
"Um... according to the medical records, you lost your sight ten years ago due to an accident, and at the same time, you were sent to our hospital because of some problems?"
"Yes."
Dr. Li pondered for a moment. "Did you change your name?"
"...No, why do you ask?" Lin Qiyue was puzzled.
Dr. Li scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Uh, sorry... I thought you might have changed your name after losing your sight. You see, ten years ago, you went blind, and you were seven years old at that time. Your name happened to be Lin Qiyue. So, I thought maybe you changed your name after losing your sight..."
Lin Qiyue remained silent for a while before shaking his head. "No... I've never changed my name. My parents gave me the name Lin Qiyue before I was born."
"That's quite... hehe," Dr. Li awkwardly halted his words, realizing it might be impolite. "Quite a coincidence."
"Very..." Lin Qiyue faintly spoke, "quite a coincidence."
Dr. Li felt a bit embarrassed but quickly changed the subject. "Uh... the medical records don't seem to detail the accident that caused your blindness and mental instability. If it's convenient, could you tell me about it?"
Lin Qiyue, silent for a while, finally spoke slowly:
"There's nothing I can't say... it's just that you may not believe it, and you might even have me sent back to the mental hospital."
"No, no, don't consider our relationship as that of doctor and patient. This is just a normal chat between friends. It won't go that far," Dr. Li half-jokingly said, "Even if you tell me you were pulled into an alchemy furnace by Laozi, I'll believe it."
Lin Qiyue remained silent for a moment and then nodded slightly.
"When I was a child, I loved astronomy."
"Okay, and then?"
"That night, I lay on the roof of our old house and watched the moon."
"Did you see something? Like the moon rabbit?" Dr. Li chuckled.
Lin Qiyue shook his head. His next words, however, made Dr. Li's smile freeze on his face.
"No, I saw an angel."
"A radiant angel, shrouded in golden light, with six white wings."
