1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
Eternal Promises

At the bottom of the Gorge of Silence, Zhang, Jiao, and Yu Hao were made even more worried when they found that there was only a bear carcass that Shuwan had killed. It took them almost 2 days to get to that place.

“Why is there only a bear carcass? Where did Shuwan go?” said Zhang who was getting more and more anxious.

“Entahlah. I don't understand either,” said Yu Hao.

Amidst the confusion, Jiao found a pretty important clue. He called out to Zhang and Yu Hao. “Zhang! Hao Yu! Comeoverhere... I found something.”

With the ligat the two approached where Jiao was gathered. 

“What did you find, Jiao?” ask Yu Hao.

“Try you to see the footprint of this horse. My hunch says that this has something to do with Shuwan.” 

“Then what are you waiting for? Let's follow where this trail goes!” Zhang shouted as he ran leading the way in search of Shuwan.

***

Even if you have to wait for thousands of years

Even so bitter as I felt

I don't care

And I will not turn away

Because you're my only reason

To continue to survive, in wading the flow of space and time

As my guide, in order to meet you again

It was getting late, but Liem had not moved from his place. Sitting at the study table, accompanied by a lantern, and Shu’er's painting hanging before him. For a moment he stopped his writing activities, and looked at the painting of his late wife.

“My wife, I will still be waiting for you in the next life. Even if I have to wait hundreds, or thousands of years, I will remain loyal to you. That's also ‘does that mean the embroidery you gave me? If so, I look forward to the day of our meeting. Maybe you won't remember me, but I'll always put you in my deepest heart. That was my promise forever. Later, the one who took you on the journey across time was me, and it will always be me. Because in fact, the story you went through is a story about us, not about others.”

Shuwan could not hold back his tears. “Why do you have to get here?”

Liem lived his ordinary life. Its strength is no longer as tough as it used to be, because it has now been brittle eroded by disease. The healers had given up, and even the best medicine was useless.

Shuwan was so happy to see it. You are alive, but your heart is dead, buried with the idol. What else do you look forward to, other than death, to returning to a meeting? That love... It really hurts, doesn't it?

Liem, who felt his death was approaching, had just finished writing a will for his family. When he finished, and was about to rise from his seat, he suddenly collapsed.

Prang....

The ink she used to write fell to the floor because of the clasping of her hand. And he fell on the floor. His hand did not stop tightly grasping his right upper abdomen.

"Ugh...."

He groans in pain. The face of pain was so obvious that it could imprint on anyone who saw it.

Shuwan panicked instead of playing. He had seen people in pain, but it felt natural. For this time, his heart also seemed as if it could feel his pain. “Hei! What happened to you?” Shuwan tries to touch her, but in vain. He can't be seen, anything else touched. “A-what should I do?”  

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of the room. Apparently it was Liem's father. As he did not hear the answer from his son, he forcefully broke down the door.

“Liem... What happened to you?” zhang Zhi Hua said, Liem's panicked father found his son lying on the floor.

In a hurry, Zhi Hua ran over to Liem. He shook his son's body, patted him on the cheek, and called his name, but his son only looked at him with a blurred look.

“A-father... My A-ku... Going soon... Accompany Shu’erku. Please, read carefully my will. Excuse me... Because I can't yet... Being a good boy... For family... This... Don't cry with me... Because i'm... Per-gi... With happy... Su-sul my love in the next life.”

Liem closed his eyes after he finished saying that sentence. Although he endured the pain, but he left with a smiling face. 

Zhi Hua cried, her tears falling down Liem's lifeless face. So too with Shuwan. His heart felt crushed watching this stifling sight.  

Shuwan felt pain in his heart. In his cry, his gaze slowly blurred, and slowly disappeared. He doesn't understand what happened to him. Until, he also realized with a hunting breath.

“Takkk!” shuwan shouted as he opened his eyes. He squeezed his head after witnessing so many tragedies. His tears did not stop flowing, even when he had regained consciousness.

“Finally you realize too,” chirps the white-haired man who from Shuwan fainted standing guard beside him.

Shuwan was surprised to find a foreign man nearby, “S-who are you? And why are you here?” he said with a sharp look. Shuwan then realizes that his clothes have changed. “Aahhh... My clothes!” 

“Hei... No need to be that sweet ‘kan? I am your god of salvation. Regarding your clothes, now it is still in the clothesline. I locked it because of a lot of blood stains.”

“I-it means... You changed my clothes? You fucking pervert!”

The man clucked. “The one who changed your clothes is my student. Don't you misunderstand me. How could I be interested in a flat chest like you?”

“K-you...”

“Already. What I said is true what happened. I just wanted to save you, because when I crossed the Abyss of Silence I saw a human body. And, when I checked, it turned out that there was still a weak pulse. So, I rushed to take you to my place of residence.” 

“Less Silence?” Shuwan suddenly remembers something forgotten. “Zhang? I-I have to get back there! My friends must be worried about me.” Shuwan tried to get up from his bed. But his weak physical condition nearly knocked him down as he began to make strides.

“Aahh..!”

Shuwan finally resigned, as the man laid his body back on the bed.

“Why do you want to help me?” shuwan asked with his blank look.

The man smiled, “Because you are beautiful,” short the man.

“Hei! I'm asking seriously, you don't joke.”

“But I am also serious,” the man smiled seductively. “I only regret if a wannita as beautiful as you died in that sad place.”

“Heh... Apparently you're the same as those perverted guys out there.”

“Bawkish guy? Oi! Don't carelessly judge me. Did you know I've traveled thousands of miles just to be able to live a quiet life like this?” The man looked upset.

“You think I asked you about your life's struggles? Never mind I want to rest, so I can get out of here soon.” Shuwan turned his back to the man, and pulled back the blanket.

Kruyukk.... 

Suddenly Shuwan's stomach rang from hunger. Damnit damnit! Why should it be at a time like this? Just make it ashamed!

“Hemm... Does anyone seem hungry? Are you sure you'll continue sleeping like that? I have a lot of good food in the kitchen?”

“I don't need! It's already! Just finish your own business!” 

Kruyukk.... 

Damnit damnit! Why the sound again, anyway?  Inner Shuwan was upset. His face was red with shame.

“Surely you don't need it?” The man was inexhaustibly teasing Shuwan.

Because he was very hungry when he woke up, he relented to his idealism not to face the man. Shuwan tried to get off his bed, and he grimaced in pain.

“Aahh..!”

Again the man propped up his near-falling body, and slowly swept it to sit on the chair available there.

After sitting down, the man rushed into the kitchen to fetch some food. Shuwan just looked at the place he was stopping at now.

After a few minutes, the man brought a tray of food that he would eat together. The man placed it on the table where Shuwan was, then sat opposite him.

“Eat so that at least you have enough energy to argue with me.” The man smiled back at Shuwan.

Shuwan ignored him, and stared at the bowl before him. “Where is your student? Why don't I see anyone but you?” The question just came out of Shuwan's mouth.

“They are looking for firewood, and also medicinal plants. Maybe tonight just came back.”

“Then why don't you help them? And even fun to stay at home?”

“Do I look like someone useless handsome guy?”

Narcissist of this guy? Yeah, but it's true. You even admitted to it yourself that you were a useless person. Inner Shuwan .

“But I'm busy taking care of you, all the time. Do you have any idea how much I wipe your tears out every time? Looks like almost half your tears came out.”

Shuwan was shocked to hear the man's words. Do I cry all the time? Even sad feelings can have such an impact. Shuwan then ate the rice in front of him. Then he said an apology, “Sorry, because it has troubled you. You take it easy, after this I'll be out of here soon, and I'll make sure you won't see me again.”

“You don't need to rush. You still need rest. Walking from bed to here just can't, want to get out of here? I doubt about that.”

“I want to find my friends.”

“Friends? You got any friends?”

“K-you! Of course I have. I am quite popular know!”

“Hahaha... I was just kidding. Already, finish your meal, then immediately take medicine.”

Shuwan is still upset. There was no conversation on the dining table. It feels awkward. Shuwan tries to break the silence.

“Umm... What's your name?” shuwan asked suddenly.

“I'm Ying Jie. Then you?

“I am Lin Shuwan.”

“Then I will call you... Ummm.. Shu’er. How?”

Shuwan was shocked to hear that person calling him that. He recalled how Zhang Wu Liem called him ‘Shu’er’ in his past life. Whereas I also introduced myself at the Liu House (episode 29) with that name, and it was just plain. But after seeing such a sad tragedy, I didn't understand how I felt.

“Hei.. Are you okay?” Ying Jie resuscitated Shuwan from his daydream. “Didn't you like it? If you don't like it, I'll replace it,” Ying Jie's sergeant.

“It's okay, I'm just reminded of the past. Call me as comfortable as you are,” Shuwan said after Ying Jie woke up her daydream. He also returned to his meal.

Ying Jie simply smiled, as if she understood what Shuwan was really going through.