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Chapter 64: I found you
During the earthquake, Yu Nian was deep in the water source area under the guidance of a guide.
The guide, named Yan Shu, is a local resident who is familiar with the mountain roads. As he walks, he introduces in Mandarin, which he is not very proficient in, saying, “This is it. There are glacial remnants in the mountains here, with snow accumulation throughout the year. This area is surrounded by uninhabited zones. The experts who come here for research say that it is the high mountain snowmelt, rainfall, and underground streams that flow out from the cracks in the rocks after natural filtration and purification through vegetation, soil, and granite, under gravity and immense pressure. The water contains many natural mineral elements. When I was a child, if someone in the village fell ill, the old village chief would send the young and strong villagers into the mountains to collect water from here in a bucket. They would bring it back to give to the sick person, and after drinking it, the illness would improve by half.”
Yu Nian took a bamboo tube handed to him and squatted down by the clear water pool. He scooped half a tube of water and tasted it, pleasantly surprised, “It has a faint sweet taste!”
“Yes, I heard the elderly say that this water is the nectar flowing out of the mountain god’s stone bowl.” Yan Shu squinted and smiled, “I know it’s just a bluff, but now I tell my two little monkeys at home the same thing. The older generation always said that we should have awe for nature.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Yu Nian scooped another tube of water, sealed it with the lid, and prepared to bring it back for Xie You to taste. He checked the time, “Uncle Yan, can you take me back now? The activity site should be set up by now, and going back late will delay the schedule.”
“Sure, be careful with your footing. From here to the top, there’s only the narrow path we just came down. It’s not easy to walk. We need to…”
Just then, the surrounding birds began to chirp sharply, and the flapping of their wings sounded like a bad omen. Then the ground beneath their feet started shaking. At first, Yu Nian thought he hadn’t stood steady and that the stones beneath his feet were shaking. It wasn’t until he heard Yan Shu’s terrified voice saying, “The mountain god is angry!” that he realized it was an earthquake!
There were several loud noises, and rocks and soil rolled down from the cliffs above, smashing into the clear water pool in front of them, creating a huge splash.
Quick to react, Yu Nian grabbed Yan Shu’s arm and retreated several steps, but still, half of his clothes got wet.
After what seemed like a long time, the shaking finally stopped, and the two of them let go of each other’s hands, both feeling lingering fear.
Yu Nian took out his phone from his pocket and indeed, the signal was already weak in the mountains, and now it was completely lost. Yan Shu ran to the spot they came down from and came back panting, “No good, the path collapsed. The road is completely blocked by the rolling stones, piled up who knows how high. The two of us can’t move it. We can’t go back up!”
Yu Nian pondered for a moment, thinking about the situation at the activity site and whether anyone might be injured. He said to Yan Shu, “Fortunately, neither of us is injured. With such a severe earthquake, there will definitely be rescue teams coming. Don’t worry.”
“Yes, yes, yes! I was so panicked earlier, but I feel better now.” Yan Shu patted his chest, and with a devout expression, he bowed to the east, then opened his eyes with some embarrassment. “It’s the etiquette to worship the mountain god taught by the village elders.”
Yu Nian stood upright and imitated Yan Shu’s movements, solemnly and properly bowing to the east. “Is that how it’s done?”
“Yes, yes, exactly!”
After worshiping the mountain god, the two of them sat on the rocks, not daring to sit close to the mountain wall for fear of aftershocks.
Yan Shu’s voice was slightly hesitant, “I thought you would make fun of me and say I’m superstitious.”
Yu Nian shook a blade of grass in his hand and smiled, “I worshiped the mountain god with you, and I feel much more at ease now. Maybe the mountain god saw our sincerity and will truly bless us.”
Yan Shu nodded repeatedly, then sighed, “I never expected an earthquake to happen.”
Yu Nian felt heavy-hearted. Judging by the intensity of the shaking earlier, the magnitude of the earthquake was likely to be high. However, they didn’t know where the epicenter was or what the situation was like outside.
He took out his phone again and fiddled with it, but there was still no signal, so he gave up.
The two of them didn’t dare to wander around and sat in place, keeping an eye on their surroundings, trying to find topics to chat about.
“Uncle Yan, you have two children, right?”
“Yes, my children were born late, they’re twins, both boys. They’re in primary school now, and their grades are good, but they’re mischievous and make me want to spank them!” Yan Shu talked about his family, and his smile quickly softened, bringing color to his pale lips. He then asked Yu Nian, “What about you? Do you have a partner?”
“Not yet, but there’s someone I like.” Yu Nian pointed to the bamboo tube in his hand. “I brought this back for them to taste.”
“Good, good. You’re considerate. Your future partner is lucky!” Yan Shu became less anxious and shared many legends about the mountain.
As they talked, Yan Shu sighed and suppressed his worries, saying, “I wonder how many people will be affected by this earthquake.”
“Yes,” Yu Nian tugged at a blade of grass in his hand, lost in thought. Suddenly, he remembered something his grandfather taught him to write before, “A mayfly lives in heaven and earth, as insignificant as a grain of sand in the boundless sea.” In this world, people were indeed small and fragile.
Yan Shu patted his face and stood up first. “Let’s not think about these things for now. You wait here. I’ll go catch some fish and roast them for us to eat and fill our stomachs! Who knows how long it will take to get back up, but we can’t go hungry.”
Yu Nian quickly stood up. “I’ll come with you. It’s a good opportunity to learn!”
They stayed there until it was pitch black, and everything around them was silent. There were three aftershocks, causing many rocks and soil to fall. They found a safe spot with a windbreak and set up a campfire, keeping themselves warm despite the cold air in the mountains.
“The fish this afternoon were small. We ate several, but it didn’t fill us up.” Yan Shu bundled up his coat and muttered, “I wonder how my wife and children are doing, whether they cried or not.”
Yu Nian held a stick in his hand and poked the campfire, also wondering how Yu Qing and Xie You were feeling, and how Meng Yuan and Shi Rou were doing.
On the mountain.
Qu Xiaoran wrapped himself in a thick coat and shivered as he spoke, “It’s really cold in the mountains at night! The cold wind seeps into the bones!” He stood next to Xie You, both watching the construction site. “What did the experts say?”
Xie You didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the equipment moving rocks. His eyelashes seemed to have been tainted with coldness. His voice was hoarse as he said, “We’ll have the road cleared before dawn.”
Hearing his raspy voice, wearing only a thin suit and shirt, looking as if he were barely standing straight, supported by steel bars, as if he would collapse the moment he relaxed. Qu Xiaoran worried, “Should I get you a coat?”
“No need.”
“Alright.” Qu Xiaoran glanced at the time and advised, “Don’t worry. The best rescue experts are here, the best equipment has been brought in, and the medical facilities are complete. Everything is prepared. Besides, they were down there with local guides. Yu Nian must be fine and not injured.”
Xie You stared at the dimly visible outline of the mountain, his voice subdued, “He must be cold.”
Hearing these words, Qu Xiaoran didn’t say anything more. He reached out and patted Xie You’s shoulder. “I’ll stay with you.”
As the night grew deeper, the temperature in the mountains became more severe. Qu Xiaoran exhaled into his hands, thinking about Xie You’s pale face when he heard the news, how his trembling hand dialed the phone number, and how unsteady his steps were as he hurried out of his office.
He pushed aside all his work along the way, mobilized all the helpful resources he could, and arrived at the place where Yu Nian was as quickly as possible. Seeing the path blocked by rocks, his body froze for a few seconds, his eyes filled with blood. If it weren’t for being firmly held back by him, he probably would have personally tried to move the debris.
Seeing the tense expression and pale lips of Xie You, Qu Xiaoran suddenly realized that Xie You’s feelings for Yu Nian might be deeper than he had imagined.
It wasn’t a fleeting infatuation driven by hormones, nor was it a momentary excitement. It was a genuine concern, deeply embedded in his heart, so sensitive that even a slight touch would cause profound pain.
Touching Xie You’s cold hand, Qu Xiaoran spoke softly, “Relax your grip. If your palm is covered in a row of bloody wounds from your nails, and you say if Yu Nian saw you like this, wouldn’t he feel heartbroken?”
Xie You was silent for a moment, then loosened the fist he had been clenching tightly for who knows how long.
Qu Xiaoran took a cold breath. “I just received news from the foot of the mountain. Meng Yuan injured his hand, and Yu Nian’s assistant sprained his foot. They have been treated, and it’s not serious. I asked them to rest at the foot of the mountain and not come up to cause more trouble. Yu Qing rushed back as soon as she heard the news, but the filming location is quite remote. She may not arrive until close to noon tomorrow. She knows I’m at the scene, so she asked me to let her know once I find them.”
After saying a few more words, Qu Xiaoran looked at Xie You, whose lips were tightly pressed together like a sculpture, and nudged him with his elbow. “Brother, don’t stay silent. I’m a little worried about your state.”
Only then did Xie You speak. “I’m fine.”
Who was he trying to fool by saying he’s fine?
But his brother was no longer the same as before. Qu Xiaoran carefully observed his expression but couldn’t discern anything. Sighing in his heart, Qu Xiaoran didn’t press for more information.
After a long silence, he heard Xie You’s hoarse voice. “Xiaoran, he will be okay, right? He won’t quietly leave like my brother, my father… and never be seen again, right?”
With that one sentence, the trailing tone seemed to scatter into the mountain wind.
Qu Xiaoran’s eyes welled up with tears. He suddenly remembered when he received news of Xie Li’s accident, how Xie You looked up in confusion and asked him, “Xiaoran, it’s not true, right? My brother said he would come to see me, listen to the new composition I wrote. So, it’s not true, right?”
Suppressing the lump in his throat, Qu Xiaoran quickly nodded, pretending to be relaxed. “Of course, Yu Nian will be fine, definitely.”
After a while, Xie You finally responded with a soft “Hmm.”
The campfire had extinguished, and only a few sparks flickered in the darkness. Yu Nian couldn’t fall asleep and noticed that Yan Shu had turned over several times. He gently spoke up, “Uncle Yan?”
“You’re not sleeping either?” Yan Shu sat up, brushing off the grass on his body. “I didn’t dare to mention it before, but my heart is in turmoil. Every time I close my eyes, I see my wife and children covered in blood. I can’t fall asleep no matter what.”
Yu Nian glanced at his phone; there was still no signal. He turned off the screen and continued the conversation. “A benevolent person will have good fortune. The heavens have eyes.”
“Yes, yes. My two children are mischievous, but they have kind hearts. When they come across an injured bird on the roadside after school, they carefully bring it back and wait until it’s healed before releasing it back into the mountains. My wife is the same. If the neighbor needs help, she’ll always lend a hand without being lazy…”
Yu Nian listened to the sound and said, “The rescue team should have arrived. I heard the sound of machinery. Maybe when it’s daylight, we’ll be able to go up.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Yan Shu nodded and continued, “Natural disasters and man-made calamities are unpredictable. One never knows. Perhaps one day, we’ll just die. I was thinking, if I really die this time, I won’t be content! I haven’t seen my two mischievous boys go to college, haven’t bought the down jacket my wife likes, haven’t visited my sworn brother, whom I haven’t seen for years…”
Yu Nian listened quietly, thinking about what regrets he would have if he died. He hadn’t recovered the lost artifacts, hadn’t finished writing the song he promised to help Yu Qing with, hadn’t apologized to his teacher…
And he hadn’t told Xie You that he had someone he liked, and that person was him.
Feeling extremely tired, Yu Nian hugged his legs, resting his chin on his knees, and drifted off to sleep in a daze. The sound of Yan Shu’s murmuring gradually faded, and he couldn’t hear it anymore.
After an unknown period of time, Yu Nian suddenly woke up from his light sleep.
The sky was still pitch black, without a trace of moonlight. Distant voices seemed to reach his ears. His head felt dizzy, and his legs had gone numb from being bent for too long, losing sensation.
He reached out and leaned against the rough tree trunk to barely stand up. But before he could steady himself, he instinctively turned away from the glaring light, closing his eyes.
Rapid and hurried footsteps rushed past dry twigs and fallen leaves, creating faint rustling sounds that fell on his eardrums. The next moment, he was tightly embraced by trembling arms, drawn into a cold embrace. In an instant, the scent of cedar filled every breath he took into his nostrils.
There was a sensation of heavy kisses on his forehead, the rapid breaths that quivered against his skin, and beside his ear was Xie You’s voice choked with emotion, “Nian Nian, it’s alright now. I found you.”
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I’m relieved 😭