Fang Qiu stretched hard and lazily, then glanced out the window.
Outside the window, the night was deep as water.
It was getting late.
Buying a house plus going around town stocking up on household goods—she'd been busy all day, and her body felt a little worn out.
She was getting a bit drowsy.
As it happened, tomorrow she still had to set out to oversee the production of Your Name, so she'd best sleep early and rise early.
She changed into a set of panda pajamas, put out the light, and burrowed into the covers. Just as she was drifting hazily toward sleep, on the verge of dropping off, she suddenly heard a faint click.
Fang Qiu hadn't paid the sound any mind at first.
After all, in her past life she had often heard the sound of glass marbles dropping from the floor above while she slept.
It was all just a scientific phenomenon.
Have faith in science.
Don't panic.
Keep sleeping.
Just as Fang Qiu nuzzled her face gently against the pillow, intending to go back to sleep, another faint rustling noise came from over by the door.
It was the sound of the door being pushed open!
Fang Qiu's pupils contracted, and in an instant all her sleepiness vanished.
Someone had opened the door!
Who was it?
Was it Shenhe?
No—there had been no sound just now of a key being inserted into the lock and turned. If it were Shenhe, she wouldn't be so stealthy!
Could it be a thief?
She'd long heard that Liyue had a truly terrifying criminal gang called the Treasure Hoarders.
Its members did everything from kidnapping and extortion, murder and robbery, down to petty thieving and pilfering, forced buying and forced selling—no evil was beneath them.
So her home had drawn a thief!
Once in her past life, she'd gone out to throw away the trash and forgotten to bring her keys, so she'd had to call a locksmith.
That fellow's skill—one light swipe with a little slip of paper and the door popped open, without the slightest noise.
No good!
She had to strike first to gain the upper hand!
If the other party got the jump on her, she'd have absolutely no chance of winning!
If she were subdued by them, the consequences were too dreadful to imagine.
She still had over two million Mora in her account!
No, wait.
The bigger worry was her personal safety!
Unthinkable!
Too horrible to even let into her head!
No good!
She had to nip it in the bud!
Fang Qiu didn't opt to spring up with a carp's leap and immediately channel her Vision to start fighting; instead she carefully, without making a single sound, propped herself up.
It wasn't because of any special strategy.
It was purely because her physical constitution wasn't up to letting her bound upright with a carp's leap—she couldn't even sit up the way you do for a sit-up.
Since she couldn't suddenly spring up and give her opponent a fright, all she could do was adjust her posture properly before launching her attack.
The door slowly opened.
When it was halfway open, the wooden door even let out a drawn-out creak.
This thief was far too unprofessional.
The Cryo element gathered slowly in Fang Qiu's hand. The moment the door was fully open, she would launch her decisive strike!
She planned to fire off a few ice spikes and cripple the other party's legs.
Even if she missed, she was in Liyue Harbor, after all, and the place wasn't remote. Once the Treasure Hoarders learned she was a Vision-bearer, they would absolutely turn and flee at once. They'd never dare go toe-to-toe with a Vision-bearer like her in Liyue Harbor.
What's more, even if the other party dodged, she'd prepared a follow-up move that could directly inflict grievous injury.
Soon, the door was pushed all the way open.
In the instant the door was fully open, Fang Qiu rose up fiercely, several ice spikes taking shape in a flash. Just as she was about to launch her attack—
The other party's voice rang out.
"Miss Fang Qiu, is that you? So you're home after all—why haven't you turned on the lights?"
Such a familiar voice.
Was it Yun Jin?
By the first few words, Fang Qiu had already made out that it was Yun Jin's voice.
She gave a start, her movements stalling at once, and the few ice spikes that had condensed into being promptly dropped to the floor, ringing out with several crisp ding-ding-ding sounds.
"Uh? Is that Yun Jin?"
Fang Qiu asked.
"Mm, it's me."
Yun Jin's voice came from over by the doorway.
Once she'd confirmed it was Yun Jin, Fang Qiu finally relaxed.
Scared her half to death.
Fang Qiu let out a long breath, walked over to the desk, and lit the candlestick.
In an instant, the whole room brightened, and Fang Qiu could now clearly see the person standing in the doorway.
Yun Jin was standing there, pretty and poised.
"Miss Fang Qiu, you look so adorable in those clothes."
Yun Jin said with a soft laugh.
"Thanks for the compliment."
Fang Qiu's pretty face flushed red. She hastily invited Yun Jin in, and as she headed toward the kitchen, she said, "Yun Jin, have a seat. What would you like to drink? Is black tea all right? It's all I've got."
"That's fine, I'm not fussy."
Yun Jin smiled faintly.
"Oh, by the way, Yun Jin, how did you get the door open?"
Fang Qiu asked once she'd finished boiling the water.
"How did I get in? The door wasn't locked. It opened with a light push—at first I even thought there was no one home."
Yun Jin said.
"Er... is that so?"
Fang Qiu felt a little embarrassed.
She actually hadn't locked the door properly...
"Oh, by the way, Miss Fang Qiu, there seemed to be a few dinging sounds just now—what was that?"
Yun Jin asked, puzzled.
Hearing Yun Jin's question, Fang Qiu froze on the spot, her gaze drifting about, not daring to meet Yun Jin's eyes.
She could hardly tell Yun Jin that she'd just taken her for a thief and had been planning to make her move and cripple her legs, could she?
And that upon discovering the visitor was her, she'd given up the attack, and the few ice spikes had dropped to the floor?
That would be far too embarrassing...
Eh?
Wait—the ice spikes dropping to the floor...
Fang Qiu's pupils contracted.
Oh no—she'd forgotten to dispel the ice spikes.
Only, before Fang Qiu could react, Yun Jin had already cast her gaze toward the spot where Fang Qiu had just been standing, and saw the few ice spikes lying quietly on the floor.
"What's that?"
Yun Jin asked, puzzled.
"Uh..."
Fang Qiu was dumbstruck.
It was over.
Too late to do anything...
For a moment, the scene was utterly awkward.
With no other choice, Fang Qiu could only honestly recount the whole thing to Yun Jin, just as it had happened.
"Eh? So you were already asleep, Miss Fang Qiu? I'm sorry, I disturbed you. How about I come back tomorrow instead?"
Yun Jin's face was full of apology, and she made as if to rise and leave.
"No, no, it's all right, I'm wide awake now."
Fang Qiu hastily said, "Since I'm already awake, and since you've already come all this way, just stay and sit a while—keep me company and chat."
"All right, then."
Yun Jin nodded.
When Fang Qiu asked why Yun Jin had come at this hour, she learned that Yun Jin had stopped by twice during the day.
But each time, she hadn't been home.
Fang Qiu took the chance to tell Yun Jin about her change of residence, and invited her to come visit when she had time.
Yun Jin naturally agreed.
Before long, the water came to a boil.
Fang Qiu poured Yun Jin a cup of black tea and carried it over to set before her. Seeing Yun Jin take a sip, Fang Qiu smiled and said, "By the way, Yun Jin, was there something you came to see me about today?"
"Mm, I'd like to discuss a new opera with you."
Yun Jin said.
"A new opera?"
Fang Qiu was taken aback.
"Mm, I want to perform it for the Lantern Rite."
Yun Jin said.
"Uh, but I'm not really skilled in opera..."
Fang Qiu said a touch awkwardly.
"Miss Fang Qiu needn't be so modest. Opera and storytelling are inherently connected."
Yun Jin said with a smile, "What's more, the songs in the Sword and Fairy you wrote earlier have a wonderful resonance with opera."
"All right, then."
Fang Qiu nodded and said, "So what sort of opera would you like to write?"
"'May the torch be passed on, may virtue never fade'—that is the central theme of the Lantern Rite. On this day people release sky lanterns to guide the heroic spirits home, and over time it has also come to mean the reunion of loved ones. So I'd like to write an opera about reunion."
Yun Jin said, "Miss Fang Qiu, do you have any ideas?"
Having said that, Yun Jin immediately added, "Er, remember, it absolutely must be a reunion—no one can die, and it can't be a tragedy."
"Don't worry..."
Fang Qiu gave Yun Jin a look, caught between laughter and tears.
This girl—does she have PTSD?
It seemed her next book really ought to be a story of reunion after all.
With that, she began to think it over.
In her past life, for the sake of writing and lifting material, she had once spent a period studying opera.
Things like The Marriage of the Fairy Princess, Nezha Conquers the Dragon King, Legend of the White Snake, The Butterfly Lovers, and the like.
She'd even studied quite a few foreign plays, things like Romeo and Juliet.
Still, when it came to the reunion of loved ones, it really wasn't easy to come up with something.
While Fang Qiu was thinking, Yun Jin sat quietly to one side and waited, taking a sip of black tea now and then.
"A story about a child who, in order to save his own mother, endures countless trials and tribulations, and is finally reunited with her."
Fang Qiu said.
"Mm, that sounds quite good—truly worthy of you, Miss Fang Qiu."
Yun Jin's eyes lit up.
Fang Qiu pondered for a moment, then said, "Once upon a time there was a famous mountain called Mount Hua. On the mountain stood a temple, and the temple's deity was called the Third Holy Mother—she was something like the niece of the Heavenly Emperor in Sword and Fairy..."
Unhurriedly, she told Yun Jin the story of Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother—that is, The Magic Lotus Lantern.
The Third Holy Mother fell in love with a scholar named Liu Yanchang, and became pregnant with his child.
However, at the Peach Banquet, gods and immortals from every quarter gathered, and the Third Holy Mother alone was absent.
The Third Holy Mother used illness as an excuse to remain in the mountains, but she was found out by her elder brother, Yang Jian.
The Third Holy Mother had violated Heaven's law, so Yang Jian had his Howling Celestial Dog steal away his sister's Magic Lotus Lantern, then struck and sealed her beneath Mount Hua.
And in the mountains the Third Holy Mother gave birth to her child, naming him Chenxiang.
She entrusted a Yaksha to deliver the child to Liu Yanchang's side.
As Chenxiang grew day by day, he came to miss his mother more and more. So one day he set out to find her, and after enduring every manner of hardship, he at last reached Mount Hua—only, as a mere mortal, he simply had no power to rescue his mother.
Just when he was in despair, an immortal appeared, took him in, and taught him the arts of magic and cultivation.
And he gradually grew up.
At last he had the strength.
But when he tried to split open Mount Hua, he was blocked by his uncle, Yang Jian.
As Fang Qiu unspooled the tale, Yun Jin became utterly absorbed, her heart caught up in the fate of Chenxiang's family.
The Yang Jian in Fang Qiu's story was tremendously powerful—far beyond what a child like Chenxiang could ever defeat.
In the end, with the help of immortals from every quarter, Chenxiang finally managed to reclaim the Magic Lotus Lantern, and by the lantern's power, with a single stroke of his axe he split open Mount Hua and rescued his mother.
And so Chenxiang's family of three was reunited.
"So moving—truly worthy of you, Miss Fang Qiu. This story is sure to be loved by everyone. It's both a tale of gods and immortals and a tale of mortals—two birds with one stone."
Yun Jin exclaimed in delight.
Having said that, she shifted the subject, and asked with some puzzlement, "But there's one thing I can't understand: why did that Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, want to seal away his own sister, and yet still let Chenxiang rescue his own mother? Isn't she his sister?"
"I've got another story here—Yang Jian's story. Would you like to hear it?"
Fang Qiu thought for a moment, then said with a smile.
"His story?"
Yun Jin asked, puzzled.
"Mm."
Fang Qiu nodded and said, "Once you've heard it, perhaps you'll understand why Yang Jian wanted to stop Chenxiang."
"I want to hear it."
Yun Jin nodded.
It wasn't just to satisfy her own curiosity—it was also because only by understanding this character could she write the opera well.
"Then I'll tell it."
Fang Qiu smiled faintly and said, "As the story just mentioned, Yang Jian is actually the Heavenly Emperor's nephew. Many, many years ago, when the Heavenly Court was newly founded and Heaven's laws had just been established, Yang Jian's mother Yaoji—that is, the Heavenly Emperor's sister—was just like her daughter, the Third Holy Mother: she fell in love with a mortal, united with him, and gave birth to Yang Jian and his two siblings. When the Heavenly Emperor learned of this, he ordered Yang Jian's father and elder brother killed, and sealed his mother away within Mount Tao. He and his sister were fortunate enough to be saved by other immortals..."
"Er..."
Hearing this, Yun Jin couldn't help knitting her brows. She realized that things weren't quite so simple.
The story of Chenxiang saving his mother was like a gentle, lovely tale of immortal and mortal—so how was it that, when it came to Yang Jian's part, the whole tone suddenly turned not quite right?
Fang Qiu gave Yun Jin a faint smile and continued the telling.
Yang Jian cultivated under that immortal, and at last achieved some measure of attainment.
He set out to rescue his mother, fighting his way up to the Heavenly Court.
And so he came to Mount Tao, defeated the flood dragon that guarded it, and with a single stroke of his axe split open Mount Tao—only to find his mother bound in chains. He could not cut through the chains, and at that moment the flood dragon came to ambush him again, only to be defeated by Yang Jian once more.
Yang Jian was about to kill the flood dragon, but his mother Yaoji pleaded on its behalf, and only then did Yang Jian spare it.
That flood dragon then transformed into Yang Jian's weapon.
Just as Yang Jian was trying to find a way to rescue his mother, the Heavenly Emperor up in the heavens learned that Yang Jian was rescuing her. Because the Heavenly Emperor had only just taken hold of the Heavenly Court, his power was unstable, and Heaven's laws were not yet enough to overawe the heavenly realm—so he meant to make an example of his own sister and nephew to establish his authority.
And so the Heavenly Emperor sent out ten suns, intending to scorch Yang Jian and his mother to death.
Thus ten suns appeared in alarm across the sky.
Countless living beings were reduced to drifting ash.
Yaoji was scorched until she fainted. Seeing his mother's life hanging by a thread, Yang Jian at once hoisted up a massive boulder to block out the suns. But under the blaze of ten suns, that boulder soon glowed as if heated red-hot, scorching his skin until flesh split and tore.
Yet Yang Jian never budged.
And Yaoji slowly came to. She pleaded with the Heavenly Emperor, willing to go to her death in exchange for the safety of her son and of all living beings—but the Heavenly Emperor refused without mercy.
Yang Jian, too, wished to trade his own life for his mother's, and was likewise refused.
Yang Jian felt as though his very bones were about to be melted, his consciousness gradually blurring. He heard his mother say to him, "Erlang, I am going now. For me, this is a kind of release as well. You must protect your sister well, and never let her come to harm."
By the time he came back to himself, his mother had already breathed her last.
Yang Jian was beside himself with fury. He lifted his head toward the sky, roaring that he would trample the Heavens to dust and make the Heavenly Emperor pay with his life—never scorn a young man for his lowly state.
Yet in the end, to protect his sister, all he could do was choose to submit to the Heavenly Court, biding his time and nursing his resolve.
"So you mean—he sealed away his sister, the Third Holy Mother, and forbade Chenxiang from rescuing his own mother, all in order to protect his sister and his nephew?"
Having heard Yang Jian's story, Yun Jin was left utterly frozen on the spot, her eyes rimmed red and brimming with sorrow, murmuring as she spoke.
So it turned out that behind the seemingly heartless Yang Jian lay such a tragic tale.
She could not imagine the panic and dread Yang Jian felt upon learning that his own sister had violated Heaven's law.
Nor could she imagine the relief he felt after sealing his sister away, when the Heavenly Emperor did not move to add further punishment.
Still less could she imagine Yang Jian's despair and anguish after Chenxiang, with the help of the great immortals, split open Mount Hua.
At that moment he must surely have thought that he was about to lose his sister and nephew all over again.
And there was nothing he could do...
Only, she'd never have guessed that after all these many years had passed, the Heavenly Emperor's rule had long since been consolidated, and with Yang Jian's own strength having grown, the Heavenly Emperor showed leniency and spared Chenxiang and the Third Holy Mother.
There was no telling what Yang Jian felt, seeing his sister's family reunited.
Was it joy for his sister, or the sorrow of remembering his mother...
At the thought, Yun Jin couldn't help shooting Fang Qiu a plaintive look.
Truly worthy of Miss Fang Qiu...
To be able, in such a short time, to create a story this deeply moving and this internally consistent—and to hide such a blade beneath sweet, cloying pastry.
"Still, Yang Jian's story—best not adapt it into an opera and perform it for the Lantern Rite."
Fang Qiu said, "Save it to perform after the Lantern Rite is over."
"Mm."
Yun Jin nodded, and at the same time felt a little helpless.
Unlike this white-haired beauty before her, she didn't much enjoy stabbing people in the heart.
But after hearing Chenxiang's story, surely many people would come to dislike that wicked elder brother.
And knowing the truth, how could she possibly bear not to tell others of Yang Jian's hidden bitterness...
Miss Fang Qiu really was a wicked-hearted one.
"Miss Fang Qiu, thank you. I'll write this story into an opera. After I return, I'll discuss it with everyone at the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, and we'll pay you the appropriate compensation."
Yun Jin said.
"No, no, just take it as my Lantern Rite gift to you."
Fang Qiu said with a beaming smile, "Just cherish these two stories well."
"This..."
Yun Jin hesitated.
These two stories were worth no small amount.
"We're friends, and friends should help one another. Next time there's a chance, you can return the favor."
Fang Qiu said with a smile.
Setting aside the matter of their being friends, the very fact that Yun Jin went to buy her books before every release day already provided a great deal of publicity.
One had to remember—Yun Jin was a renowned star performer of Liyue.
According to Hu Tao, even that Master Zhongli of their Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, a man of exceedingly refined taste, loved watching Yun Jin's operas.
Walking down the street, at least one in every three people knew Yun Jin's great name.
For a celebrity like this to personally go and buy her books before every release day—coming up with a story for her free of charge was only proper.
What's more, Yun Jin was also helping with her film production.
Granted, it was Miss Ningguang who'd funded the invitation, but Yun Jin needn't have put in so much effort.
"All right, then. Thank you, Miss Fang Qiu."
Yun Jin nodded, then asked, "By the way, Miss Fang Qiu, what would be a good name for this opera?"
"Call it The Magic Lotus Lantern or Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother."
Fang Qiu said, "As for which one in the end, I'll leave that to you to choose, Yun Jin, after you've finished writing the opera."
"Mm."
Yun Jin nodded.
After that, they chatted more about the opera, and once they'd finished discussing it, the hour had grown thoroughly late.
Outside the window, the night was cold and clear.
Most of the lanterns along the roadside had gone out, and Liyue Harbor too had sunk into slumber.
As they chatted on, the sleepiness that had vanished from Fang Qiu's fright gradually returned.
Seeing Fang Qiu's drowsy look—cute as it was—Yun Jin felt it wouldn't do to disturb her any longer, and said, "It's getting late. I'll head back first. Miss Fang Qiu, you should rest early."
With that, she rose to her feet and made as if to leave.
"Let me see you out."
In her haze, hearing that Yun Jin was leaving, Fang Qiu immediately stood up to see her off.
Only, she'd stood up too fast. She'd barely taken a single step out when her vision went black, and she pitched toward the floor.
Oh no...
She'd sat too long and gotten up too fast...
Orthostatic hypotension...
"Miss Fang Qiu, there's no need..."
Before Yun Jin could finish, she heard the sound of someone toppling behind her. She instinctively turned around to see Fang Qiu collapsed on the floor.
"Miss Fang Qiu! Are you all right?"
Yun Jin's expression changed, and she hurried back to Fang Qiu's side, gently helping her up.
Once Yun Jin had helped her up, Fang Qiu's eyesight slowly returned.
"I'm fine... I just sat too long and got up too suddenly, so I'm a bit dizzy."
Enduring the pain of the fall, Fang Qiu pressed a hand to her forehead, shook her head, and said softly.
"Then let me help you up."
Yun Jin said.
"Mm."
Fang Qiu nodded.
But the moment Yun Jin helped her up, she felt a stabbing pain shoot through her ankle.
It hurt so much that Fang Qiu's whole body shuddered, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.
Yun Jin noticed something was wrong with Fang Qiu too, and quickly looked toward her ankle. She felt along the bone—thankfully the bone was fine, it was just a sprain.
Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. She told Fang Qiu it was a sprained ankle, then supported her as she hobbled over to the Jumpy Dumpty doll and sat down.
"Luckily the sprain isn't too serious. People in the opera troupe often fall and sprain things, and I do too when I'm practicing, so I went to Bubu Pharmacy and learned quite a few first-aid skills. Roll up your trouser leg a bit, and I'll tend to it for you."
Yun Jin said.
"Mm."
Fang Qiu gently pulled up her trouser leg.
"Miss Fang Qiu, condense a block of ice for me."
Yun Jin said.
Fang Qiu waved her hand, and a block of ice floated up into the air, then dropped into Yun Jin's hand.
Yun Jin wrapped the ice in a towel and pressed it against Fang Qiu's sprained ankle.
An ice compress—very scientific.
While marveling that Yun Jin's method was very scientific, Fang Qiu also felt a bit helpless.
Just now, when her vision had gone black and she'd fallen, her first thought had been to protect her head—and as a result she'd failed to protect her foot.
Her head was fine, but her foot was the casualty.
This sickly, frail body of hers... too hard to deal with...
Just as she was lamenting, Yun Jin placed her hand on her smooth, fair calf and began to stroke it.
"Miss Fang Qiu's legs are so beautiful too."
Yun Jin said admiringly.
Eh?
Fang Qiu was startled.
What was Yun Jin trying to do?
Feeling Yun Jin's caress, Fang Qiu's pretty face—pale from the pain—instantly flushed with an alluring rosiness.
"Yun Jin, what are you...?"
Fang Qiu bit her lower lip lightly and asked, puzzled.
"I heard from Dr. Baizhu that after a sprain you must never massage the injured spot directly, but you can massage a few places on the calf to ease the pain and aid recovery."
Yun Jin said.
Soon she stopped stroking and began to knead and press her calf.
Though Fang Qiu had never heard of this method before and had no idea whether it was actually scientific, she had to admit that Dr. Baizhu's method really was effective—soon a tingling, numbing sensation slowly rose up.
After massaging for a while, combined with the ice compress, the pain basically disappeared.
And Yun Jin stopped massaging and struck up a conversation with her.
Once her foot no longer hurt, the powerful drowsiness came rushing back again.
"Let me carry you to bed to rest."
Seeing Fang Qiu's sleepy face, Yun Jin said.
"Mm."
Fang Qiu nodded with sleep-hazed eyes.
Only after she'd answered did she suddenly realize that what Yun Jin had said just now wasn't "help" her up...
But "carry"?
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