Chapter 85: Sky and Water
Often in the world, it's those fleeting and intense existences that appear so beautiful.
Jiang Hong kept thinking about this verse even after saying goodbye to Sihui and returning to the hotel.
He felt uneasy for a long time, and when he woke up in the afternoon the next day, he saw that Lu Xiu had sent him only one message.
[Message me when you wake up.]
Jiang Hong packed his luggage while replying to Lu Xiu. As per their original plan, they were supposed to pick up the RV in Xi'an and drive back to Chongqing, but Jiang Hong suddenly didn't know how to face Lu Xiu.
After Jiang Hong replied, Lu Xiu asked: [What are you doing? Feeling better?]
Jiang Hong responded: [I'm not sick.] He added a laughing emoji at the end.
Lu Xiu: [Didn't you cry last night?]
Jiang Hong didn't want to discuss last night's issue anymore. He felt better after waking up and seeing Old Sun bustling around the room cheered him up.
[How about you?] Jiang Hong wanted to ask Lu Xiu if he wanted to go home together.
Lu Xiu: [I've got something to handle at school suddenly. Do you want to go home? If you do, you go first. I'll come after I'm done here.]
Jiang Hong felt that Lu Xiu probably also wanted to give them some time to cool off, blaming himself for not thinking clearly last night and making their relationship awkward.
Jiang Hong replied decisively: [Okay, then I'll go home first.]
Lu Xiu didn't message back after that, so Jiang Hong booked his own flight. Seeing Lu Xiu's ID information at the bottom made him feel a bit sad, as if he was suddenly alone.
Not long ago, when he thought Lu Xiu loved him too, it felt like finding his other half, and everything was filled with joy. But this isn't right - Jiang Hong had always been loved since childhood; without a lover, he still had his family, and his parents always loved him dearly, not to mention Lu Xiu was still good to him.
It's just my own whims... Jiang Hong reflected and concluded that his troubles were due to his own whimsical and selfish nature.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong, dragging his suitcase at the airport, asked, "Am I selfish and whimsical? Only thinking about my own feelings?"
"No way," the cleaning robot replied, "You're great. You're a good kid, Jiang Hong. Why do you suddenly ask that?"
"It's nothing." Jiang Hong felt down again, boarding the plane alone back to Chongqing.
His home neighborhood was the same as always, reminding him of when he dropped out and the end of the first semester, feeling gloomy after saying goodbye to Lu Xiu and returning home.
"Oh my!" Jiang's mother was surprised. "Why did you come back without telling us? Where's your senior?"
Jiang Hong said, "He had something to do, went back to school." Jiang Hong forced a smile, but his mother, observing him, saw through his mood and asked, "Did you two have a fight?"
"No, no!" Jiang Hong hastily showed his phone to his mother, signaling that he was definitely not dating or gay. His mother, not even looking at the phone, said, "It's okay, you're home now! Mom will make you something delicious!"
This made Jiang Hong feel even more embarrassed.
But his parents tactfully refrained from asking too much about Lu Xiu. In the evening, when Jiang's father came home, he only briefly mentioned it and told Jiang Hong to rest well. After all, being out for an entire month and traveling to so many places, he must be exhausted. They could go play golf together in a few days.
This summer, Jiang Hong's discomfort was only slightly less than during the winter break. After all, Lu Xiu still greeted him every day, just like before, unfailingly once in the morning and once at night.
However, Jiang Hong, almost petulantly, kept his responses brief, not asking when Lu Xiu would come to see him, as if their relationship could never return to how it was before the failed confession.
Only Jiang Hong understood that he was actually being petulant with himself.
As the summer days passed, Lu Xiu, aside from his routine greetings, didn’t say much else. Jiang Hong didn't ask what he was doing at school. Everything seemed to have returned to how it was during the last winter break.
Only this time, there was no New Year's celebration, nor would there be a chance of encountering Lu Xiu waiting at his doorstep before the festivities.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong said, lying bored in bed, "I think I'm getting depressed."
"What is depression?" Old Sun asked.
"Depression means you can't eat," Jiang Hong explained, "and you just want to lie in bed all day, with no energy, wanting to do nothing."
Old Sun: "But you just ate a bowl of noodles, two meat buns your mom made, and a big bowl of soy milk this morning."
Jiang Hong: "……"
Old Sun: "But you're right about wanting to lie in bed all day. That's exactly what you guys do in your dorm every day."
Jiang Hong: "Ahhhh—stop talking!"
Old Sun: "Do you want me to broadcast today's news for you?"
Jiang Hong: "No need, I don't care about world affairs at all."
In the middle of the day, under the blazing sun and 46-degree heat outside, Jiang's parents were conversing downstairs. Jiang's mother commented that their son was lying in bed all day on his phone, which wasn't good, and he might end up depressed. "Old man, arrange some activities, take him out."
So Jiang's father started calling, "Jiang Hong, Jiang Hong," and Jiang Hong replied, "I heard you! Isn't it too hot to go out now?!"
Jiang's father said, "Let's go! Uncle Zhang and his nephew have invited us to play golf. It's a chance to meet some young people!"
Jiang Hong had no choice but to change his clothes, put on a baseball cap, and follow his father out.
Today was indeed beautiful weather, but Jiang's father thoughtfully chose an indoor VR golf course, where he chatted leisurely with a friend while playing golf in the comfort of air conditioning.
Jiang Hong had little interest in golf, except he was quite good at chipping. Whenever the ball was about to reach the green, he would take a shot for his father, then sit back down and drink juice. Jiang's father's old friend also brought a young man named Zhang Keqin, a few years older than Jiang Hong, currently a second-year master's student, who only helped his uncle tee off with a driver.
Jiang Hong didn't feel like talking to anyone, just wanting to blankly stare at his phone. Although he was looking at his phone, he was only repeatedly going through his chat history with Lu Xiu and didn’t really have anything else to do. But the other person was quite enthusiastic, sitting across from him and trying to strike up a conversation intermittently.
"What major are you studying?" Zhang Keqin asked.
Dressed in trendy brands, Zhang Keqin looked like the typical wealthy young man one might find in a nightclub. Although Jiang Hong wasn't very interested, he politely put away his phone.
"I study Exo..." Jiang Hong almost blurted out "Exorcism System Engineering" but stopped himself just in time.
"What was my major again?" Jiang Hong said, "Sorry, I forgot... I need to check. Oh right, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering! Yes, that's it! It's such a hard name to remember!"
Zhang Keqin: "………………"
Jiang Hong, finding the situation somewhat amusing, asked, "And you?"
"I did my undergraduate in International Business and my master's in Financial Management," Zhang Keqin replied.
"Ah," Jiang Hong laughed, "that's my dad's favorite major."
After a moment of thought, Zhang Keqin added, "You're from Chongqing, right? What's fun around here?"
Zhang Keqin, born in Chongqing but raised in Macau, would occasionally visit his uncle during holidays. Talking to Jiang Hong, he displayed a bit of an elder brother's demeanor, albeit unavoidably with a hint of roguishness. Perhaps it was because he was often pampered, his thoughts mostly self-centered, not considering others' feelings much.
Jiang Hong often couldn't help but compare people he met in real life with Lu Xiu, realizing that Lu Xiu didn't possess a trace of worldly vulgarity.
Although Lu Xiu always seemed indifferent to the outside world, his aloofness was equal towards everything, making him appear unique and independent.
"Let's go out," Zhang Keqin suggested. "I don't feel like playing golf anymore, let's go."
Jiang Hong informed his father, who encouraged his son to make more friends and go out more. So, Jiang Hong got into Zhang Keqin's sports car, with Zhang Keqin chatting on his phone while checking the navigation.
"Do you find yourself contacting old friends less after starting university?" Zhang Keqin asked.
"Yes," Jiang Hong replied. "I don’t know why, but I’ve lost touch with many high school friends."
Indeed, Jiang Hong had a few good friends in his class; two of them went abroad, and another moved to Guangdong. With the rest, he wasn’t as close, so he rarely attended high school reunions.
It seems I haven't hung out with anyone outside of exorcists for a long time.
Jiang Hong also thought of his roommates and missed them.
Zhang Keqin drove to Wanda Plaza, inviting another friend to join them. Jiang Hong wasn't exactly socially anxious, but he felt a bit awkward. This friend, although male, had a strange aura about him that Jiang Hong couldn't quite place.
He and Zhang Keqin seemed to be of similar age, and he kept looking at Jiang Hong. Zhang Keqin introduced him simply as "a little brother from a family friend." The guy stayed only briefly before leaving with his LV bag.
"Want to go to a bar tonight?" Zhang Keqin was checking Dianping (a Chinese app similar to Yelp) and asked, "Do you have any good bars to recommend? Have you been to XX Bar? Shall we check it out?"
"I rarely go to bars," Jiang Hong said. "But I can recommend a few. There are many on Jiu Street. I won’t be joining though, I want to go home."
Zhang Keqin said, "Since we're already out, let's hang out together."
"No, no," Jiang Hong quickly refused. The two strolled around Wanda Plaza, and although Zhang Keqin wanted to buy him something, Jiang Hong declined, insisting he could afford anything he wanted. In the end, Zhang Keqin drove him back home in his sports car.
"Oh, you're back early?" Jiang's mother remarked.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong replied. "What’s for dinner? Is dad not back yet?"
Jiang's mother hadn't cooked dinner, seemingly surprised by Jiang Hong's early return. She suggested, "Your dad won't be home for dinner, so how about we two go out for hotpot?"
"Great!" Jiang Hong loved hotpot. His spirits lifted at the idea.
However, after that day, he couldn't shake off a strange feeling, a thought creeping into his mind.
Was the friend Zhang Keqin invited out gay?
The more Jiang Hong pondered, the more uncontrollable his thoughts became. Was Zhang Keqin also gay? Wait, which bar was he planning to take me to?
Jiang Hong searched online and found that the "XX Bar" mentioned by Zhang Keqin was indeed a gay bar!
"Ahhh!" Jiang Hong panicked: Wait, why did he talk about those things with me? Did he figure something out? Was I too obvious? I don't like guys, right? Except for Lu Xiu, I have no interest in other men... Wait, Lu Xiu? Did my dad sense something? Does Zhang Keqin's uncle know?
It can't be a setup for a blind date, right?! That's too shocking!
Jiang Hong couldn't bear to think about it, becoming somewhat paranoid over the next few days. Did his parents know more than he realized?
In the following days, every time he saw his parents whispering, Jiang Hong felt as if they were discussing him.
The dorm group chat, however, was lively. With the start of the semester approaching, He Jian began asking everyone about their return to campus.
Zhang Xiting: [How did the school term come around so quickly again?]
Jin: [There's still half a month left. Where did you guys go to hang out?]
Jiang Hong: [I met a friend from Macau.]
He Jian: [Oh? Is the 'teacher’s wife' coming to visit Macau?]
Jiang Hong: [Stop calling me 'teacher's wife'!]
Before Jiang Hong decided what else to say, Zhang Xiting asked: [When are you planning to return?]
Jin replied: [Probably in the next few days, right? I bet He Jian won't come until the very last day.]
Jiang Hong: [I don't feel like staying at home anymore. I was thinking today about maybe going back to school earlier.]
He Jian: [Teacher’s wife, want to come over to my place? I’ll take you to The Venetian for an experience.]
Jiang Hong thought to himself to forget it, not being interested in places steeped in luxury and excess.
Jin then asked: [What happened? Did you have a fight at home? Why not come and hang out at my place for a few days?]
Jiang Hong suddenly felt tempted, remembering something: [Is your home in Tianshui or Kashmir?]
Jin: [Yeah, you remember. It's in Tianshui. We're famous for the Maiji Mountain drizzle here.]
Jiang Hong: [I'll check the flight tickets.]
Zhang Xiting asked: [What happened at home?]
Jiang Hong: [Ah, it's a long story... I'll tell you all about it when we meet.]
Jin: [Shall I come to Chongqing to pick you up?]
Jiang Hong quickly declined, saying Jin's hospitality was beyond the norm. He'd buy his own ticket and fly over; Tianshui was close to Xi'an anyway, and it would be a good opportunity to return to school with Jin.
Thus, reinvigorated, Jiang Hong, an Aries who could temporarily forget the heartache of unrequited love, bid farewell to his whispering parents and headed to Tianshui to visit Jin, dragging his suitcase along.
Tianshui, located at the western end of the Qin Mountains but belonging to Gansu Province, is one of the rare regions with abundant moisture besides Gannan, and a significant granary of the Three Kingdoms period.
Jin had told Jiang Hong about his frequent temple visits, given the mysterious connections between lions and Buddhism. Yet Jiang Hong was surprised to learn that Jin’s family lived behind a magnificent temple, with half a mountain belonging to the Yang family, surrounded by many relatives. Jin picked him up from the airport in a modified off-road vehicle, fitting his rugged persona.
"Teacher’s wife, how are things with Teacher Lu?" Jin asked.
"Oh, so your surname is Yang," Jiang Hong deflected, "I almost thought your surname was Jin. And how about your Persian cat girlfriend?"
Jin: "Alright, I won't ask about Teacher Lu if you don't ask about Liangliang."
Jiang Hong cheerfully agreed: "Her name is Liangliang? Sure, let's agree on that!"
Tianshui was much cooler than Chongqing. Considerately, Jin didn’t introduce Jiang Hong to his myriad relatives, knowing he might not want to meet new faces, and they had a simple meal with his family. During dinner, everyone sat on the floor in the dining room, which was covered with luxurious Persian carpets, serving food in gold and silver dishes, and drinking from jade bowls.
Jiang Hong also had the fortune of meeting Jin’s parents. Jin’s father was strikingly similar to him: tall, imposing, also of mixed heritage, with a face full of golden beard, resembling a Khagan from TV dramas. As for Jin's mother—
Wow! She was stunning!
With golden hair and blue eyes, and incredibly charming, her smile was as warm and inviting as the sun, capable of melting snow.
Jiang Hong began to understand why Jin was attracted to the Persian cat girl; she bore a slight resemblance to his mother, especially in demeanor.
"Has Jin been in a relationship at school?" Jin's father inquired.
Not waiting for Jin's cue, Jiang Hong quickly replied: "It seems not yet. Have you been secretly dating someone?"
Jin laughed heartily, waved his hand, and poured more wine for Jiang Hong, saying, "This wine has a low alcohol content, feel free to drink. It's osmanthus wine from Lanling."
"Lanling's fine wine with osmanthus fragrance, served in a jade bowl, glows like amber."
Jin's mother, not speaking Mandarin, laughed and said something in Uyghur, which Jin's father translated: "This boy is a bit dull, doesn't know how to charm a girl. His mother often worries he won’t find a partner."
"Ah," Jiang Hong replied, "that won't be a problem. Jin might be a bit of a straight guy, but it's fine, he’s a lion after all."
In the world of demons, lions indeed hold a high status. Jiang Hong, used to mingling with dragons, phoenixes, or creatures like cranes and pixiu, didn’t pay much heed. In the school’s demon community, lions were quite impressive. Fortunately, Jin was naturally gentle and kind, or else he could have been a dominating figure on campus.
Jin's father addressed him: "Jiang Hong."
"Yes!" Jiang Hong straightened up, reflexively attentive upon being called.
Jin's father continued: "You should also keep an eye out for him. It's fine to find a girlfriend, just make sure there’s no reproductive isolation, that’s the basic rule..."
Internally, Jiang Hong was baffled by the term 'reproductive isolation' but gave Jin a reassuring look with his eyes, indicating not to worry.
Jin turned bright red, feeling awkward but relieved that Jiang Hong wasn’t a stranger.
Jin's mother said something else, laughing, and his father translated: "His mother wanted to introduce him to a cousin, purebred lions, but I said no. Inbreeding leads to mental retardation..."
With so many peculiar aspects to the conversation, Jiang Hong didn’t even know where to begin. He nodded continuously, adding: "If I find someone suitable, I'll definitely keep an eye out for him. Well, the only lion I know is him."
"There are too few lions!" lamented Jin's father. "They're either in circuses or zoos, not focusing on cultivation, not making progress. Humans, on the other hand, are flourishing for thousands of years, making it easier to find a partner..."
After the meal, Jiang Hong nearly suffocated with laughter in Jin's room, rolling on the floor.
Jin: "Ah, sorry for making you laugh."
"No, it’s okay, really," Jiang Hong reassured, "I’ve had my share of embarrassments at home too. I’ll tell you about it."
Jin’s room continued the ancient Persian style, with a massive floor mat and a soft bed, palm trees outside the window, and a low table where Jin sat on the floor, copying Buddhist scriptures.
Jiang Hong then shared his story with Lu Xiu, leaving Jin pausing in disbelief.
"How is that possible?" Jin exclaimed.
"You think so too, right?" Jiang Hong said with a laugh. "See, you also thought we were together, which is why I was so foolish to confess to him."
Jin: "No, Jiang Hong, it's not like that..."
Jiang Hong gestured to let it go, adding, "Anyway, it ended up making things awkward for both of us..."
Jin: "Wait, Jiang Hong, that's impossible. Lu Xiu does like you."
Jiang Hong replied, "He does like me a lot, just not in a romantic way. He sees me more like a younger brother. It's okay, I've accepted it. I'm not that upset anymore, not upset at all, see? I can even talk about it with a smile..."
Jin: "Demon logic is different from human logic. If we like someone, we genuinely like them. We don't even bother with those we don't like... Jiang Hong, unless... well, unless..."
Jin suddenly fell silent, pondering something.
Jiang Hong: "?"
"Nothing," Jin continued, "Keep going."
Jiang Hong nodded and continued: "The main point is, I suspect my parents knew about it all along! Or maybe they sensed that Lu Xiu and I had broken up, and my dad introduced me to the nephew of a friend, this guy..."
After hearing the story, Jin suggested, "Maybe you're overthinking it, just a coincidence?"
Jiang Hong and Jin analyzed the situation, but ultimately Jin admitted that if something looks a certain way and sounds the same, without any other reason, then seeking more explanations is just self-deception; it's better to accept it.
Jin finally said, "That's indeed awkward."
Jiang Hong then asked, "I wanted to ask you something. For demons, does gender really... not matter? Or, is it... not that important?"
Jiang Hong recalled the night Lu Xiu rejected his confession, talking about both being of the same gender, Lu Xiu had said, "This matter has nothing to do with gender."
Jin replied, "It doesn't matter at all, no influence whatsoever."
"Oh, really?" Jiang Hong thought, realizing his main concern stemmed from them being the same gender, a significant mental barrier for him.
Jin explained, "From a courtship perspective, as long as there's affection, the same gender is completely fine. A same-sex relationship won't result in offspring, fulfilling just the 'liking' aspect."
Jiang Hong concluded, "Alright, seems like I worried too much. But since he doesn't like me, there's no point dwelling on whether that was the reason."
Jin said, "Demons are not like humans; we don't have rigid moral rules set by sages, especially in mating. Whether it's monogamy, polygamy, or even more open relationships, much of it is evolutionary for survival. Even in human society, many ancient ethical norms, such as the prohibition of incest due to genetic diseases, were established for the survival of the species."
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you accept being with the same sex? Is this question too offensive?"
"Of course," Jin replied, "Certainly. Some male members of certain species are indeed more attractive than females, that's a fact. If Liangliang were a male cat, I would accept him too. Same-sex relationships lean more towards pure enjoyment... However, in nature, sperm is quite valuable and subject to mating season constraints. So, for the purpose of procreation, most males wouldn't actively seek same-sex partners. If you spend all your time with the same sex during mating season, it means missing the chance to reproduce."
Jiang Hong felt like he was attending a candid biology lesson on natural selection.
"Alright," Jiang Hong said.
"But dragons don't care about this at all," Jin sighed, adding, "Dragons are the most independent and unique."
Lying on Jin's massive circular Persian couch, Jiang Hong looked up at the ceiling adorned with Arabic patterns and asked, "Why?"
Jin explained, "Dragons don't worry about proliferating their species. They have comprehended the Dao of Heaven early on."
Jiang Hong wondered, "Why don't they need to proliferate their species?"
Jin asked, "Think about it, why are there so few dragons in the world?"
Jiang Hong: "Yeah, why are there only Principal Xiang and Lu Xiu as dragons?"
Jin: "If there were dragons everywhere, would there be enough spiritual energy for them to cultivate?"
"True," Jiang Hong, feeling sleepy, replied, "If there were too many dragons, it would be chaotic."
"The stronger the individual," Jin added, "the more they are bound by the laws of nature. This is the rule of all things. The world maintains itself to prevent collapse."
Jiang Hong's eyelids grew heavy, slightly tipsy, and he slowly drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, he felt Jin come over to cover him with a blanket and moved closer to the inside, his hand brushing against something furry.
"Why is there so much fur..." Jiang Hong mumbled sleepily.
"It's shedding season," Jin replied. "I'll have someone vacuum it up tomorrow..."
Waking up in the middle of the night, Jiang Hong felt a vibration around him.
"Don't use the vacuum cleaner now!" he protested sleepily. "It's noisy."
"It's okay, go back to sleep," Jin reassured him from nearby.
The next morning, Jiang Hong found a bunch of unread messages on his phone.
Jiang Hong: "???"
As the morning sun shone brightly, Jin was already awake, dressed in a white tank top and long pants, feeding fish outside.
Jiang Hong glanced at his phone, flooded with messages inquiring about him, and his family group was full of anxious messages from his parents.
[Jiang Hong? Are you still in Tianshui? You didn't go to Xi'an, did you?]
Following that, in the chat with his mother, there were five or six missed video call requests.
[Baby, where are you? Call me back quickly! I'm so worried!]
Jiang Hong hurriedly called his mother back, and on the other end, Jiang's mother said, "Ah, good, you're still in Tianshui. Then I'll hang up now. I haven't slept all night worrying with your dad."
Jiang Hong: "What happened?"
Jiang's mother replied: "It's fine as long as you're okay, my poor heart..."
Jiang's mother ended the call abruptly, leaving Jiang Hong utterly confused. He then checked other groups and was shocked.
"There was a big explosion in Xi'an?" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "Jin!"
"I saw it!" Jin replied. "Let's have breakfast first."
Breakfast consisted of milk tea, various nuts, pastries, and noodles, served one after the other. Jin's father came over, said something about being busy that day, apologized for not being able to accompany them, and suggested Jin take Jiang Hong to Maiji Mountain for a good time before leaving.
"What exactly happened?" Jiang Hong asked. "In the Yanta District."
Fortunately, the explosion wasn't near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but it occurred in a crowded area around 11 pm, just as people were preparing to head home after their visits.
The dorm group and class group were also constantly updating messages. Someone asked if there was a video to see, but the class monitor said there were no videos, and everyone should stop asking.
Zhang Xiting also asked: [For such a big incident, there’s no video on the entire internet? Were there any casualties? How many died? There’s no official report!]
Sensing something serious, Jiang Hong said, "Jin mentioned he looked it up online, and there were no videos. It was said to be a natural gas explosion accident."
"There's no way there wouldn't be any videos, right?" Jiang Hong remarked. "There are so many surveillance cameras... If they all got deleted, there's only one conclusion..."
Everyone had reached the same conclusion: This explosion was related to the hidden world. Only then would it make sense for all footage to be deleted from the internet.
Chapter 85: Sky and Water
Often in the world, it's those fleeting and intense existences that appear so beautiful.
Jiang Hong kept thinking about this verse even after saying goodbye to Sihui and returning to the hotel.
He felt uneasy for a long time, and when he woke up in the afternoon the next day, he saw that Lu Xiu had sent him only one message.
[Message me when you wake up.]
Jiang Hong packed his luggage while replying to Lu Xiu. As per their original plan, they were supposed to pick up the RV in Xi'an and drive back to Chongqing, but Jiang Hong suddenly didn't know how to face Lu Xiu.
After Jiang Hong replied, Lu Xiu asked: [What are you doing? Feeling better?]
Jiang Hong responded: [I'm not sick.] He added a laughing emoji at the end.
Lu Xiu: [Didn't you cry last night?]
Jiang Hong didn't want to discuss last night's issue anymore. He felt better after waking up and seeing Old Sun bustling around the room cheered him up.
[How about you?] Jiang Hong wanted to ask Lu Xiu if he wanted to go home together.
Lu Xiu: [I've got something to handle at school suddenly. Do you want to go home? If you do, you go first. I'll come after I'm done here.]
Jiang Hong felt that Lu Xiu probably also wanted to give them some time to cool off, blaming himself for not thinking clearly last night and making their relationship awkward.
Jiang Hong replied decisively: [Okay, then I'll go home first.]
Lu Xiu didn't message back after that, so Jiang Hong booked his own flight. Seeing Lu Xiu's ID information at the bottom made him feel a bit sad, as if he was suddenly alone.
Not long ago, when he thought Lu Xiu loved him too, it felt like finding his other half, and everything was filled with joy. But this isn't right - Jiang Hong had always been loved since childhood; without a lover, he still had his family, and his parents always loved him dearly, not to mention Lu Xiu was still good to him.
It's just my own whims... Jiang Hong reflected and concluded that his troubles were due to his own whimsical and selfish nature.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong, dragging his suitcase at the airport, asked, "Am I selfish and whimsical? Only thinking about my own feelings?"
"No way," the cleaning robot replied, "You're great. You're a good kid, Jiang Hong. Why do you suddenly ask that?"
"It's nothing." Jiang Hong felt down again, boarding the plane alone back to Chongqing.
His home neighborhood was the same as always, reminding him of when he dropped out and the end of the first semester, feeling gloomy after saying goodbye to Lu Xiu and returning home.
"Oh my!" Jiang's mother was surprised. "Why did you come back without telling us? Where's your senior?"
Jiang Hong said, "He had something to do, went back to school." Jiang Hong forced a smile, but his mother, observing him, saw through his mood and asked, "Did you two have a fight?"
"No, no!" Jiang Hong hastily showed his phone to his mother, signaling that he was definitely not dating or gay. His mother, not even looking at the phone, said, "It's okay, you're home now! Mom will make you something delicious!"
This made Jiang Hong feel even more embarrassed.
But his parents tactfully refrained from asking too much about Lu Xiu. In the evening, when Jiang's father came home, he only briefly mentioned it and told Jiang Hong to rest well. After all, being out for an entire month and traveling to so many places, he must be exhausted. They could go play golf together in a few days.
This summer, Jiang Hong's discomfort was only slightly less than during the winter break. After all, Lu Xiu still greeted him every day, just like before, unfailingly once in the morning and once at night.
However, Jiang Hong, almost petulantly, kept his responses brief, not asking when Lu Xiu would come to see him, as if their relationship could never return to how it was before the failed confession.
Only Jiang Hong understood that he was actually being petulant with himself.
As the summer days passed, Lu Xiu, aside from his routine greetings, didn’t say much else. Jiang Hong didn't ask what he was doing at school. Everything seemed to have returned to how it was during the last winter break.
Only this time, there was no New Year's celebration, nor would there be a chance of encountering Lu Xiu waiting at his doorstep before the festivities.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong said, lying bored in bed, "I think I'm getting depressed."
"What is depression?" Old Sun asked.
"Depression means you can't eat," Jiang Hong explained, "and you just want to lie in bed all day, with no energy, wanting to do nothing."
Old Sun: "But you just ate a bowl of noodles, two meat buns your mom made, and a big bowl of soy milk this morning."
Jiang Hong: "……"
Old Sun: "But you're right about wanting to lie in bed all day. That's exactly what you guys do in your dorm every day."
Jiang Hong: "Ahhhh—stop talking!"
Old Sun: "Do you want me to broadcast today's news for you?"
Jiang Hong: "No need, I don't care about world affairs at all."
In the middle of the day, under the blazing sun and 46-degree heat outside, Jiang's parents were conversing downstairs. Jiang's mother commented that their son was lying in bed all day on his phone, which wasn't good, and he might end up depressed. "Old man, arrange some activities, take him out."
So Jiang's father started calling, "Jiang Hong, Jiang Hong," and Jiang Hong replied, "I heard you! Isn't it too hot to go out now?!"
Jiang's father said, "Let's go! Uncle Zhang and his nephew have invited us to play golf. It's a chance to meet some young people!"
Jiang Hong had no choice but to change his clothes, put on a baseball cap, and follow his father out.
Today was indeed beautiful weather, but Jiang's father thoughtfully chose an indoor VR golf course, where he chatted leisurely with a friend while playing golf in the comfort of air conditioning.
Jiang Hong had little interest in golf, except he was quite good at chipping. Whenever the ball was about to reach the green, he would take a shot for his father, then sit back down and drink juice. Jiang's father's old friend also brought a young man named Zhang Keqin, a few years older than Jiang Hong, currently a second-year master's student, who only helped his uncle tee off with a driver.
Jiang Hong didn't feel like talking to anyone, just wanting to blankly stare at his phone. Although he was looking at his phone, he was only repeatedly going through his chat history with Lu Xiu and didn’t really have anything else to do. But the other person was quite enthusiastic, sitting across from him and trying to strike up a conversation intermittently.
"What major are you studying?" Zhang Keqin asked.
Dressed in trendy brands, Zhang Keqin looked like the typical wealthy young man one might find in a nightclub. Although Jiang Hong wasn't very interested, he politely put away his phone.
"I study Exo..." Jiang Hong almost blurted out "Exorcism System Engineering" but stopped himself just in time.
"What was my major again?" Jiang Hong said, "Sorry, I forgot... I need to check. Oh right, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering! Yes, that's it! It's such a hard name to remember!"
Zhang Keqin: "………………"
Jiang Hong, finding the situation somewhat amusing, asked, "And you?"
"I did my undergraduate in International Business and my master's in Financial Management," Zhang Keqin replied.
"Ah," Jiang Hong laughed, "that's my dad's favorite major."
After a moment of thought, Zhang Keqin added, "You're from Chongqing, right? What's fun around here?"
Zhang Keqin, born in Chongqing but raised in Macau, would occasionally visit his uncle during holidays. Talking to Jiang Hong, he displayed a bit of an elder brother's demeanor, albeit unavoidably with a hint of roguishness. Perhaps it was because he was often pampered, his thoughts mostly self-centered, not considering others' feelings much.
Jiang Hong often couldn't help but compare people he met in real life with Lu Xiu, realizing that Lu Xiu didn't possess a trace of worldly vulgarity.
Although Lu Xiu always seemed indifferent to the outside world, his aloofness was equal towards everything, making him appear unique and independent.
"Let's go out," Zhang Keqin suggested. "I don't feel like playing golf anymore, let's go."
Jiang Hong informed his father, who encouraged his son to make more friends and go out more. So, Jiang Hong got into Zhang Keqin's sports car, with Zhang Keqin chatting on his phone while checking the navigation.
"Do you find yourself contacting old friends less after starting university?" Zhang Keqin asked.
"Yes," Jiang Hong replied. "I don’t know why, but I’ve lost touch with many high school friends."
Indeed, Jiang Hong had a few good friends in his class; two of them went abroad, and another moved to Guangdong. With the rest, he wasn’t as close, so he rarely attended high school reunions.
It seems I haven't hung out with anyone outside of exorcists for a long time.
Jiang Hong also thought of his roommates and missed them.
Zhang Keqin drove to Wanda Plaza, inviting another friend to join them. Jiang Hong wasn't exactly socially anxious, but he felt a bit awkward. This friend, although male, had a strange aura about him that Jiang Hong couldn't quite place.
He and Zhang Keqin seemed to be of similar age, and he kept looking at Jiang Hong. Zhang Keqin introduced him simply as "a little brother from a family friend." The guy stayed only briefly before leaving with his LV bag.
"Want to go to a bar tonight?" Zhang Keqin was checking Dianping (a Chinese app similar to Yelp) and asked, "Do you have any good bars to recommend? Have you been to XX Bar? Shall we check it out?"
"I rarely go to bars," Jiang Hong said. "But I can recommend a few. There are many on Jiu Street. I won’t be joining though, I want to go home."
Zhang Keqin said, "Since we're already out, let's hang out together."
"No, no," Jiang Hong quickly refused. The two strolled around Wanda Plaza, and although Zhang Keqin wanted to buy him something, Jiang Hong declined, insisting he could afford anything he wanted. In the end, Zhang Keqin drove him back home in his sports car.
"Oh, you're back early?" Jiang's mother remarked.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong replied. "What’s for dinner? Is dad not back yet?"
Jiang's mother hadn't cooked dinner, seemingly surprised by Jiang Hong's early return. She suggested, "Your dad won't be home for dinner, so how about we two go out for hotpot?"
"Great!" Jiang Hong loved hotpot. His spirits lifted at the idea.
However, after that day, he couldn't shake off a strange feeling, a thought creeping into his mind.
Was the friend Zhang Keqin invited out gay?
The more Jiang Hong pondered, the more uncontrollable his thoughts became. Was Zhang Keqin also gay? Wait, which bar was he planning to take me to?
Jiang Hong searched online and found that the "XX Bar" mentioned by Zhang Keqin was indeed a gay bar!
"Ahhh!" Jiang Hong panicked: Wait, why did he talk about those things with me? Did he figure something out? Was I too obvious? I don't like guys, right? Except for Lu Xiu, I have no interest in other men... Wait, Lu Xiu? Did my dad sense something? Does Zhang Keqin's uncle know?
It can't be a setup for a blind date, right?! That's too shocking!
Jiang Hong couldn't bear to think about it, becoming somewhat paranoid over the next few days. Did his parents know more than he realized?
In the following days, every time he saw his parents whispering, Jiang Hong felt as if they were discussing him.
The dorm group chat, however, was lively. With the start of the semester approaching, He Jian began asking everyone about their return to campus.
Zhang Xiting: [How did the school term come around so quickly again?]
Jin: [There's still half a month left. Where did you guys go to hang out?]
Jiang Hong: [I met a friend from Macau.]
He Jian: [Oh? Is the 'teacher’s wife' coming to visit Macau?]
Jiang Hong: [Stop calling me 'teacher's wife'!]
Before Jiang Hong decided what else to say, Zhang Xiting asked: [When are you planning to return?]
Jin replied: [Probably in the next few days, right? I bet He Jian won't come until the very last day.]
Jiang Hong: [I don't feel like staying at home anymore. I was thinking today about maybe going back to school earlier.]
He Jian: [Teacher’s wife, want to come over to my place? I’ll take you to The Venetian for an experience.]
Jiang Hong thought to himself to forget it, not being interested in places steeped in luxury and excess.
Jin then asked: [What happened? Did you have a fight at home? Why not come and hang out at my place for a few days?]
Jiang Hong suddenly felt tempted, remembering something: [Is your home in Tianshui or Kashmir?]
Jin: [Yeah, you remember. It's in Tianshui. We're famous for the Maiji Mountain drizzle here.]
Jiang Hong: [I'll check the flight tickets.]
Zhang Xiting asked: [What happened at home?]
Jiang Hong: [Ah, it's a long story... I'll tell you all about it when we meet.]
Jin: [Shall I come to Chongqing to pick you up?]
Jiang Hong quickly declined, saying Jin's hospitality was beyond the norm. He'd buy his own ticket and fly over; Tianshui was close to Xi'an anyway, and it would be a good opportunity to return to school with Jin.
Thus, reinvigorated, Jiang Hong, an Aries who could temporarily forget the heartache of unrequited love, bid farewell to his whispering parents and headed to Tianshui to visit Jin, dragging his suitcase along.
Tianshui, located at the western end of the Qin Mountains but belonging to Gansu Province, is one of the rare regions with abundant moisture besides Gannan, and a significant granary of the Three Kingdoms period.
Jin had told Jiang Hong about his frequent temple visits, given the mysterious connections between lions and Buddhism. Yet Jiang Hong was surprised to learn that Jin’s family lived behind a magnificent temple, with half a mountain belonging to the Yang family, surrounded by many relatives. Jin picked him up from the airport in a modified off-road vehicle, fitting his rugged persona.
"Teacher’s wife, how are things with Teacher Lu?" Jin asked.
"Oh, so your surname is Yang," Jiang Hong deflected, "I almost thought your surname was Jin. And how about your Persian cat girlfriend?"
Jin: "Alright, I won't ask about Teacher Lu if you don't ask about Liangliang."
Jiang Hong cheerfully agreed: "Her name is Liangliang? Sure, let's agree on that!"
Tianshui was much cooler than Chongqing. Considerately, Jin didn’t introduce Jiang Hong to his myriad relatives, knowing he might not want to meet new faces, and they had a simple meal with his family. During dinner, everyone sat on the floor in the dining room, which was covered with luxurious Persian carpets, serving food in gold and silver dishes, and drinking from jade bowls.
Jiang Hong also had the fortune of meeting Jin’s parents. Jin’s father was strikingly similar to him: tall, imposing, also of mixed heritage, with a face full of golden beard, resembling a Khagan from TV dramas. As for Jin's mother—
Wow! She was stunning!
With golden hair and blue eyes, and incredibly charming, her smile was as warm and inviting as the sun, capable of melting snow.
Jiang Hong began to understand why Jin was attracted to the Persian cat girl; she bore a slight resemblance to his mother, especially in demeanor.
"Has Jin been in a relationship at school?" Jin's father inquired.
Not waiting for Jin's cue, Jiang Hong quickly replied: "It seems not yet. Have you been secretly dating someone?"
Jin laughed heartily, waved his hand, and poured more wine for Jiang Hong, saying, "This wine has a low alcohol content, feel free to drink. It's osmanthus wine from Lanling."
"Lanling's fine wine with osmanthus fragrance, served in a jade bowl, glows like amber."
Jin's mother, not speaking Mandarin, laughed and said something in Uyghur, which Jin's father translated: "This boy is a bit dull, doesn't know how to charm a girl. His mother often worries he won’t find a partner."
"Ah," Jiang Hong replied, "that won't be a problem. Jin might be a bit of a straight guy, but it's fine, he’s a lion after all."
In the world of demons, lions indeed hold a high status. Jiang Hong, used to mingling with dragons, phoenixes, or creatures like cranes and pixiu, didn’t pay much heed. In the school’s demon community, lions were quite impressive. Fortunately, Jin was naturally gentle and kind, or else he could have been a dominating figure on campus.
Jin's father addressed him: "Jiang Hong."
"Yes!" Jiang Hong straightened up, reflexively attentive upon being called.
Jin's father continued: "You should also keep an eye out for him. It's fine to find a girlfriend, just make sure there’s no reproductive isolation, that’s the basic rule..."
Internally, Jiang Hong was baffled by the term 'reproductive isolation' but gave Jin a reassuring look with his eyes, indicating not to worry.
Jin turned bright red, feeling awkward but relieved that Jiang Hong wasn’t a stranger.
Jin's mother said something else, laughing, and his father translated: "His mother wanted to introduce him to a cousin, purebred lions, but I said no. Inbreeding leads to mental retardation..."
With so many peculiar aspects to the conversation, Jiang Hong didn’t even know where to begin. He nodded continuously, adding: "If I find someone suitable, I'll definitely keep an eye out for him. Well, the only lion I know is him."
"There are too few lions!" lamented Jin's father. "They're either in circuses or zoos, not focusing on cultivation, not making progress. Humans, on the other hand, are flourishing for thousands of years, making it easier to find a partner..."
After the meal, Jiang Hong nearly suffocated with laughter in Jin's room, rolling on the floor.
Jin: "Ah, sorry for making you laugh."
"No, it’s okay, really," Jiang Hong reassured, "I’ve had my share of embarrassments at home too. I’ll tell you about it."
Jin’s room continued the ancient Persian style, with a massive floor mat and a soft bed, palm trees outside the window, and a low table where Jin sat on the floor, copying Buddhist scriptures.
Jiang Hong then shared his story with Lu Xiu, leaving Jin pausing in disbelief.
"How is that possible?" Jin exclaimed.
"You think so too, right?" Jiang Hong said with a laugh. "See, you also thought we were together, which is why I was so foolish to confess to him."
Jin: "No, Jiang Hong, it's not like that..."
Jiang Hong gestured to let it go, adding, "Anyway, it ended up making things awkward for both of us..."
Jin: "Wait, Jiang Hong, that's impossible. Lu Xiu does like you."
Jiang Hong replied, "He does like me a lot, just not in a romantic way. He sees me more like a younger brother. It's okay, I've accepted it. I'm not that upset anymore, not upset at all, see? I can even talk about it with a smile..."
Jin: "Demon logic is different from human logic. If we like someone, we genuinely like them. We don't even bother with those we don't like... Jiang Hong, unless... well, unless..."
Jin suddenly fell silent, pondering something.
Jiang Hong: "?"
"Nothing," Jin continued, "Keep going."
Jiang Hong nodded and continued: "The main point is, I suspect my parents knew about it all along! Or maybe they sensed that Lu Xiu and I had broken up, and my dad introduced me to the nephew of a friend, this guy..."
After hearing the story, Jin suggested, "Maybe you're overthinking it, just a coincidence?"
Jiang Hong and Jin analyzed the situation, but ultimately Jin admitted that if something looks a certain way and sounds the same, without any other reason, then seeking more explanations is just self-deception; it's better to accept it.
Jin finally said, "That's indeed awkward."
Jiang Hong then asked, "I wanted to ask you something. For demons, does gender really... not matter? Or, is it... not that important?"
Jiang Hong recalled the night Lu Xiu rejected his confession, talking about both being of the same gender, Lu Xiu had said, "This matter has nothing to do with gender."
Jin replied, "It doesn't matter at all, no influence whatsoever."
"Oh, really?" Jiang Hong thought, realizing his main concern stemmed from them being the same gender, a significant mental barrier for him.
Jin explained, "From a courtship perspective, as long as there's affection, the same gender is completely fine. A same-sex relationship won't result in offspring, fulfilling just the 'liking' aspect."
Jiang Hong concluded, "Alright, seems like I worried too much. But since he doesn't like me, there's no point dwelling on whether that was the reason."
Jin said, "Demons are not like humans; we don't have rigid moral rules set by sages, especially in mating. Whether it's monogamy, polygamy, or even more open relationships, much of it is evolutionary for survival. Even in human society, many ancient ethical norms, such as the prohibition of incest due to genetic diseases, were established for the survival of the species."
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you accept being with the same sex? Is this question too offensive?"
"Of course," Jin replied, "Certainly. Some male members of certain species are indeed more attractive than females, that's a fact. If Liangliang were a male cat, I would accept him too. Same-sex relationships lean more towards pure enjoyment... However, in nature, sperm is quite valuable and subject to mating season constraints. So, for the purpose of procreation, most males wouldn't actively seek same-sex partners. If you spend all your time with the same sex during mating season, it means missing the chance to reproduce."
Jiang Hong felt like he was attending a candid biology lesson on natural selection.
"Alright," Jiang Hong said.
"But dragons don't care about this at all," Jin sighed, adding, "Dragons are the most independent and unique."
Lying on Jin's massive circular Persian couch, Jiang Hong looked up at the ceiling adorned with Arabic patterns and asked, "Why?"
Jin explained, "Dragons don't worry about proliferating their species. They have comprehended the Dao of Heaven early on."
Jiang Hong wondered, "Why don't they need to proliferate their species?"
Jin asked, "Think about it, why are there so few dragons in the world?"
Jiang Hong: "Yeah, why are there only Principal Xiang and Lu Xiu as dragons?"
Jin: "If there were dragons everywhere, would there be enough spiritual energy for them to cultivate?"
"True," Jiang Hong, feeling sleepy, replied, "If there were too many dragons, it would be chaotic."
"The stronger the individual," Jin added, "the more they are bound by the laws of nature. This is the rule of all things. The world maintains itself to prevent collapse."
Jiang Hong's eyelids grew heavy, slightly tipsy, and he slowly drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, he felt Jin come over to cover him with a blanket and moved closer to the inside, his hand brushing against something furry.
"Why is there so much fur..." Jiang Hong mumbled sleepily.
"It's shedding season," Jin replied. "I'll have someone vacuum it up tomorrow..."
Waking up in the middle of the night, Jiang Hong felt a vibration around him.
"Don't use the vacuum cleaner now!" he protested sleepily. "It's noisy."
"It's okay, go back to sleep," Jin reassured him from nearby.
The next morning, Jiang Hong found a bunch of unread messages on his phone.
Jiang Hong: "???"
As the morning sun shone brightly, Jin was already awake, dressed in a white tank top and long pants, feeding fish outside.
Jiang Hong glanced at his phone, flooded with messages inquiring about him, and his family group was full of anxious messages from his parents.
[Jiang Hong? Are you still in Tianshui? You didn't go to Xi'an, did you?]
Following that, in the chat with his mother, there were five or six missed video call requests.
[Baby, where are you? Call me back quickly! I'm so worried!]
Jiang Hong hurriedly called his mother back, and on the other end, Jiang's mother said, "Ah, good, you're still in Tianshui. Then I'll hang up now. I haven't slept all night worrying with your dad."
Jiang Hong: "What happened?"
Jiang's mother replied: "It's fine as long as you're okay, my poor heart..."
Jiang's mother ended the call abruptly, leaving Jiang Hong utterly confused. He then checked other groups and was shocked.
"There was a big explosion in Xi'an?" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "Jin!"
"I saw it!" Jin replied. "Let's have breakfast first."
Breakfast consisted of milk tea, various nuts, pastries, and noodles, served one after the other. Jin's father came over, said something about being busy that day, apologized for not being able to accompany them, and suggested Jin take Jiang Hong to Maiji Mountain for a good time before leaving.
"What exactly happened?" Jiang Hong asked. "In the Yanta District."
Fortunately, the explosion wasn't near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but it occurred in a crowded area around 11 pm, just as people were preparing to head home after their visits.
The dorm group and class group were also constantly updating messages. Someone asked if there was a video to see, but the class monitor said there were no videos, and everyone should stop asking.
Zhang Xiting also asked: [For such a big incident, there’s no video on the entire internet? Were there any casualties? How many died? There’s no official report!]
Sensing something serious, Jiang Hong said, "Jin mentioned he looked it up online, and there were no videos. It was said to be a natural gas explosion accident."
"There's no way there wouldn't be any videos, right?" Jiang Hong remarked. "There are so many surveillance cameras... If they all got deleted, there's only one conclusion..."
Everyone had reached the same conclusion: This explosion was related to the hidden world. Only then would it make sense for all footage to be deleted from the internet.
