Chapter 39

Chapter 39

1

Standing in the bathroom, Wu Wanyi silently gazed at the bud blossoming in his navel.

Layer upon layer of petals had already unfurled into a full circle, stained a blood-red crimson. The inner petals remained a delicate pink, yet the golden pistils at the center were faintly visible.

The mark on his abdomen was no longer the faint outline it once was; it had become vivid and deeply defined, seeming to emit a golden-red glow through Wu Wanyi’s pale skin.

An intense thirst and restlessness crawled under his skin like countless ants, yet Wu Wanyi’s face remained expressionless, as if he felt none of this bone-deep agony.

He dressed, opened the door as if nothing was amiss, and looked at Mi Yunjin, who was basking in the sun with closed eyes in the courtyard. His gaze gradually softened.

An unbearable longing churned in his abdomen, causing his throat to move slightly.

Slowly, he raised his hand, as if caressing Mi Yunjin’s cheek through the window.

——

When Mi Yunjin awoke, he found a sun umbrella above his head.

He lifted his thick eyelashes, taking a moment to realize he had fallen asleep again.

"Wu Wanyi," he said instinctively, but the surroundings remained quiet, with no response.

Just as he was about to sit up, he saw Wu Wanyi approaching from outside, holding a beautifully wrapped box.

Meeting his gaze, Wu Wanyi quickened his pace and walked up to him.

"Awake?"

Mi Yunjin nodded. "Mm."

He glanced at the box in Wu Wanyi’s hand and asked, "What’s this?"

Seeing the curiosity in Mi Yunjin’s eyes, Wu Wanyi’s fingers tightened slightly. Calmly, he replied, "Cookies. From a neighbor."

"A neighbor?" Mi Yunjin thought for a moment before suddenly smiling. "That lovely girl."

Wu Wanyi felt anxious when Mi Yunjin couldn’t recall at first, but now that he remembered so quickly, Wu Wanyi felt strangely annoyed.

Though Mi Yunjin’s thinking had slowed, he remained very sensitive to Wu Wanyi’s emotions.

"Why are you upset?" he asked with a gentle smile.

Wu Wanyi pursed his lips and said nothing, turning to sit beside Mi Yunjin.

The deck chair was small, far too cramped for two grown men.

But Mi Yunjin didn’t mind being squeezed to the side. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Wu Wanyi’s waist and pulled him onto his lap, so neither would be crowded.

Wu Wanyi quietly looked at the lawn below and suddenly asked, "What would you do if you forgot me someday?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Wu Wanyi regretted them.

He didn’t want Mi Yunjin to realize he was growing old.

He was even more afraid Mi Yunjin might remember things he shouldn’t.

Wu Wanyi pressed his lips together, a wave of unease rising within him.

"I didn’t say anything."

He tried to stand, but Mi Yunjin wrapped his arms around his waist and sat up straighter, his warm chest against Wu Wanyi’s back.

"I won’t forget you."

Mi Yunjin’s voice was still unhurried, clear, and pleasant as ever.

Aside from his slowly whitening hair and failing memory, Mi Yunjin’s appearance showed no signs of aging.

This was perhaps Wu Wanyi’s only comfort.

It gave him hope, the fantasy that Mi Yunjin was merely experiencing a temporary decline and that everything would return to normal once this period passed.

Mi Yunjin’s voice, like a spring breeze, eased the unease in Wu Wanyi’s heart, but it was soon followed by a hint of sorrow.

"People... always forget," he said slowly.

Mi Yunjin gazed at the sky ahead and said gently, "If it's remembered in the heart, it won’t be forgotten."

Wu Wanyi’s heart trembled, a sudden surge of an ache rising to his nose.

"What time is it now?" Mi Yunjin’s voice softly asked.

Wu Wanyi took a deep breath, lifted his head, and said casually, "Four o’clock."

But Wu Wanyi hadn’t looked at the time at all.

Mi Yunjin looked at the setting sun ahead, then glanced down at Wu Wanyi’s calm face. In the silent stillness, a faint strange feeling flickered through his mind.

It seemed he had forgotten something very important.

——

——

It took Mi Yunjin a long time to realize the effects of aging.

Aging wasn’t just about his hair turning whiter; his mind and reactions were slowing down as well.

Sometimes, while sitting on the garden swing, he would unconsciously fall asleep under the warm sunlight.

When he awoke, he often couldn’t recall what he had been doing earlier, simply watching quietly as the sun set, and just like that, the day would pass.

Before this, he hadn’t needed sleep or rest. His time breaking through the soil had been brief, followed by a long and vigorous bloom that lasted a century.

But his aging had come so suddenly and swiftly, in just a few short days.

For the first time, Mi Yunjin felt the helplessness of fading life, so sudden he couldn't process it.

He often spent full days sitting in the courtyard, completely unaware of what he had done or failed to do.

This made him realize he was slowly withering with the passage of time.

Yet, his subconscious kept reminding him that there was something extremely important he needed to do.

Mi Yunjin started thinking, to pay attention to the things he'd been missing.

Amidst all the strangeness, he finally noticed Wu Wanyi's odd behavior.

Amid the quiet fading of his memory, so much that he couldn't remember was filled in by Wu Wanyi.

Especially the time.

Until now, he hadn't harbored any doubts; his trust in Wu Wanyi was absolute. On those clear, calm days, everything felt so ordinary and relaxed, just like always.

And watching Wu Wanyi stand in the sunlight tending to the flowers was his favorite part of the day.

Until one day, he saw Wu Wanyi trembling as he chewed on his fingers, spit dripping down his wrist onto the petals, Wu Wanyi's jet-black eyes filled with longing as he stared at the dew in the flowers.

The thick fog in his mind suddenly cleared, and memories flickered through his mind like scenes from a movie.

——

It was a completely normal morning, except the weather wasn't great. Perhaps due to a sudden drop in temperature overnight, a heavy fog clung to the morning that wouldn't lift for a long time.

Mi Yunjin woke unusually early and, completely out of character, remembered that he hadn't watered the flowers.

He walked to the door but saw Wu Wanyi crouching in the mist-drenched garden.

Wu Wanyi's thin face looked even more sharply carved, an intense hunger written in his eyes, threatening to turn him into a beast consumed by craving.

At that moment, Mi Yunjin suddenly remembered—he realized he hadn't fed Wu Wanyi flower dew for a long time.

An hour? A day? Several days?

He only recalled often asking Wu Wanyi if it hurt.

Wu Wanyi always said it didn't.

He asked Wu Wanyi what time it was.

Wu Wanyi always said ten o'clock, one o'clock, five o'clock, always missing the times he had set for himself.

Now, thinking back abruptly, he realized it had been several days since he last fed Wu Wanyi flower dew.

And Wu Wanyi had borne it all without complaint.

Poised and unaffected in front of him, never showing any sign, as if nothing had happened.

Mi Yunjin's mind suddenly cleared; the days of drowsiness vanished in an instant. The intense sensation of pollination and seeding snapped him back to alertness.

"Wu Wanyi."

The morning mist dispersed, and blazing golden light shot through the thick clouds, instantly illuminating the earth.

Mi Yunjin watched Wu Wanyi's back, his eyes glistening with emotion.

Hearing Mi Yunjin's voice, Wu Wanyi's heart shook.

He turned around and saw Mi Yunjin standing there. For some reason, a strong sense of unease surged within him.

Because Mi Yunjin's eyes were very bright, like blazing torches shining with gold.

The weariness of the past few days had also vanished from Mi Yunjin's body.

His half-black, half-white hair fell across his shoulders, still striking but now shining with a vibrant glow.

Moreover, Mi Yunjin's face was glowing and energetic.

Like a candle on the verge of burning out, burning with its last light.

Wu Wanyi slowly stood up and quietly watched Mi Yunjin.

His restless heart instantly clenched, broke, and then scattered into a handful of weightless ashes.

He knew that the last bit of sand in his hand was about to slip away.

"Wu Wanyi."

Mi Yunjin stood at the door, calling his name softly.

"Hmm."

He took a step forward, like he was walking to his grave, moving step by step toward Mi Yunjin.

The end had arrived on such an ordinary day.

2

Stopping before Mi Yunjin, Wu Wanyi came to a halt.

He tried his best to keep his face blank, but he had no idea how much grief showed in his eyes.

The words he wanted to say caught in his throat. He turned his head away and lowered his gaze, avoiding Mi Yunjin's face.

"Why did you wake up so early today?" he asked hoarsely, trying to sound casual.

But reality never hides.

Mi Yunjin smiled and said, "I couldn't sleep."

Wu Wanyi looked up and met the tenderness in Mi Yunjin's eyes. His suppressed emotions suddenly broke for an instant.

He quickly lowered his head, his vision blurring for a second.

"It's still early. Go back to sleep for a while."

"No, it's not early anymore."

Those words almost broke Wu Wanyi.

What did he mean by "it's not early anymore"? It was as if every minute from now on had become precious.

"Sleep a little longer," Wu Wanyi tightened his grip on the small shovel in his hand, his voice so rough it was barely recognizable, with a begging tone he didn't even recognize.

Just like before, when Mi Yunjin would sleep until the sun was high, then lazily sit in the courtyard soaking up the sun.

He would clean, water the flowers, stay by Mi Yunjin's side, idly spending their time together.

Wu Wanyi's hand was lifted, his fingers pried open one by one.

He had gripped so tightly that he didn't even notice his fingers were scraped.

Mi Yunjin took the shovel from his hand and said gently, "Isn't it a pity to waste such fine weather on sleep?"

Wu Wanyi's heart clenched violently. He wanted to rage, to shout, to look into Mi Yunjin's eyes and demand what he meant by that!

But in the end, he only grasped Mi Yunjin’s hand, then weakly let go.

It was useless.

Nothing could be changed.

He bowed his head and said nothing for a long time.

——

8:00 AM.

Wu Wanyi gazed intently at Mi Yunjin's gentle face, his eyes somewhat dazed.

Mi Yunjin tended to his wounds while softly asking, "What were you doing this morning?"

He slowly opened his mouth. "Tilling the soil."

Mi Yunjin took his hand and looked up with a smile.

"Alright, then we'll go till the soil together later."

Wu Wanyi's throat tightened as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent, lowering his gaze to silently watch their intertwined hands.

Whether it was an illusion or not, the desert roses today seemed unusually vivid.

Under the bright sunlight, the morning mist dissipated, and glistening dewdrops quivered on the vivid petals before dripping down. In the fresh, natural air, the entire flowerbed felt unusually alive.

Wu Wanyi pursed his lips and crouched down beside Mi Yunjin.

He watched as Mi Yunjin's pale, clean hands became stained with mud, like ink blotches on pristine paper—the stark contrast between black and white was mesmerizing.

Then, he looked at the tiny green caterpillar struggling slowly in the soil, saw Mi Yunjin pause and gently place his hand on the ground, and watched as the little worm turned and slowly crawled onto Mi Yunjin's finger.

The tiny insect wasn't frightening; instead, it inspired awe at life, like emerald set against jade.

Mi Yunjin set the caterpillar free into another corner, saying softly, "Go on."

The little worm turned its head and crawled away leisurely.

Wu Wanyi stared fixedly at the little worm, felt a mix of pity and resentment that such a small life had also received Mi Yunjin's compassion.

He withdrew his gaze, suddenly wrenched the shovel away from Mi Yunjin's hand, and began stabbing the soil over and over, as if venting his anger by trying to shatter the flowers along with it!

Mi Yunjin said nothing, only looking at him with an indulgent, amused gaze.

After grunting with effort for a while, Wu Wanyi slammed the shovel down, his eyes red as he said, "What’s so funny? I'm going to dig up all your flowers!"

He hated Mi Yunjin's smile.

Especially the calm delight in his eyes, which felt like needles stabbing into his own.

Was the other so eager for death?!

Mi Yunjin smiled, his eyes curving. "Alright."

Wu Wanyi stood up and kicked the shovel away.

Liar!

He knew perfectly well he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

——

9:00 AM.

Wu Wanyi leaned against the tree, his lips sealed against Mi Yunjin's.

The days of prolonged suffering completely collapsed in that moment.

Wu Wanyi's body went limp, his eyes dazed, and only Mi Yunjin's hand supporting the back of his head kept him from sliding down.

He opened his mouth, drinking him in hungrily, as if to crush Mi Yunjin's lips, bite them ragged, and devour them.

The bud within him quivered eagerly, pushing open Wu Wanyi's clothes. Mi Yunjin slid his hand beneath Wu Wanyi's shirt, revealing the gold-red bloom etched from his lower abdomen.

After a long time, their bruised, swollen lips parted, a glistening strand of saliva connecting them, which Mi Yunjin carefully fed back into Wu Wanyi's mouth.

Wu Wanyi's lower abdomen felt hot and swollen; the overwhelming fullness dyed the corners of his eyes with a sated flush. He looked down at the flower bud on his body, which had unfurled another layer, and bowed his head in prolonged silence.

A long time later, he tightened his grip on Mi Yunjin's hand, his knuckles turning white, the veins on the back of his hand clearly visible.

He pressed against Mi Yunjin's chest, and even through it, he could hear Mi Yunjin's relieved and untroubled heartbeat.

The strong, powerful rhythm felt like a sledgehammer pounding against his own heart.

——

12:00 PM.

A sudden cool breeze gusted outside, swaying the tree branches.

Wu Wanyi looked at Mi Yunjin's face, turned away without a word.

Not long after, he emerged carrying a kite.

"Hold it tight."

He placed the string in Mi Yunjin's hand. Mi Yunjin paused for a moment, then smiled and enfolded him in his arms.

"Together."

The courtyard was small, but the sky was vast.

The kite flew higher and higher, eventually becoming a faint dot in the air.

Wu Wanyi turned his head to look at the smile on Mi Yunjin's face, unconsciously mirroring his smile, but then the bitterness welling up inside made him press his lips together.

Suddenly, Mi Yunjin snipped the string, letting the kite fly away.

Wu Wanyi stared blankly upward, watching as the kite disappeared into the distance, leaving only a dangling string.

At that moment, he couldn't tell whether he felt relief or sorrow, or perhaps still-unaccepted resentment and despair. He bent over, clutching his stomach, as a parched thirst and pain well up from within, making him want to laugh. But as soon as he curved his lips, tears fell from his eyes.

Mi Yunjin said nothing, only turned to kiss his lips, tenderly brushing away his tears at the corners of his eyes with his thumb.

Wu Wanyi stared fixedly into Mi Yunjin's eyes, meeting that gentle gaze. His glistening eyes darted restlessly, his heart pounding wildly.

In the end, he wrapped his arms around Mi Yunjin's neck and crushed their lips together in desperation.

——

3:00 PM.

Wu Wanyi sat on Mi Yunjin's lap, lifted his head up, and said, "Higher."

"Alright."

Mi Yunjin wrapped his arms tighter around his waist, and the swing rose higher and higher.

Wu Wanyi felt the wind blow against his face, the cool, damp air seeping inch by inch through his pores into his body, then passing through his empty heart.

He gazed at the sky ahead and slowly let go of Mi Yunjin's hand.

"A little higher."

The swing rose even higher, and the feeling of weightlessness grew stronger.

Wu Wanyi felt as if he had truly grown wings and was flying.

His eyes held an intense yearning, as if he wanted to soar into the sky at any moment and then plummet violently.

That way, he wouldn’t be in so much pain.

But in the end, he closed his eyes, took Mi Yunjin's hand, and laced their fingers together tightly yet gently.

After a long while, he asked into the wind, "Are you happy?"

A breath carrying the scent of flowers drew near from behind.

"Happy."

A surge of scalding heat rushed to his eyes, and even with his eyes tightly shut, tears slipped uncontrollably from the corners.

He forced a smile, his voice raspy as he said, "Good, that's good, that's good..."

Mi Yunjin didn’t speak, only held him from behind.

——

6:00 PM.

Wu Wanyi lay on the sofa, his eyes shining as he gazed at Mi Yunjin's face.

He no longer resisted Mi Yunjin's lips, no longer refused the desires in his body, and no longer feared the flower blooming in his abdomen.

His shirt was pushed up to his chest, the bud in his navel had fully bloomed, its vivid, dripping petals glowing with a captivating, dazzling hue, ripe and decadent.

Wu Wanyi stared into Mi Yunjin's eyes, accepting everything Mi Yunjin gave him without reservation.

A continuous flow of nectar entered his body through his throat, the golden-red mark glowing brightly, like blood vessels delivering nourishment, eagerly irrigating the flower as red as blood.

Wu Wanyi raised his hand, sliding from Mi Yunjin's snow-white temple down to his neck.

The flower blooming on Mi Yunjin’s neck had changed too, becoming more vibrant and full than before, its blood-red petals fully unfurled, dazzlingly red, decadently red, curving all the way to Mi Yunjin's Adam's apple.

The stamens, gleaming like gold, were noble and bright, like scattered, brilliant starlight.

Mi Yunjin's eyes thus gazed at him gently, calm and relaxed, filled with a tenderness as endless as a river.

"More?"

Wu Wanyi stared intently into Mi Yunjin's eyes, his gaze focused yet dazed, his voice raspy as he said, "Yes."

Mi Yunjin cupped the back of his head with one hand, and he obediently tilted his head back, meeting Mi Yunjin's lips.

Give it to him.

Give it all to him.

Wu Wanyi closed his eyes, then quickly opened them again, his voice low and hoarse as he asked, "Are you happy?"

Mi Yunjin smiled and said, "Happy."

The contentment and satisfaction in his eyes were never false.

Wu Wanyi smiled and said, "Good, that's good..."

The summer sunset was incredibly vibrant, like splashed paint or layers of softly blended rainbows, spreading magnificently and boundlessly behind Mi Yunjin.

"Why have you been asking that all day?"

Wu Wanyi looked at Mi Yunjin's face and said softly, "The books say that to love someone is to make them happy."

Even if that happiness felt like poison tearing through Wu Wanyi's insides.

Mi Yunjin's expression paused, then his eyes deepened.

He gazed intently at Wu Wanyi's face, bent down, and gently kissed Wu Wanyi's lips.

Nothing more, just a kiss.

——

9:00 PM.

Wu Wanyi knelt on the bathroom floor, his entire face flushed an unnatural red.

The intense desire to bloom and pollinate was nearly overwhelming his rationality.

But opposing this desire was the sorrow and despair he had suppressed all day, raging inside him, making his heart ache unbearably.

His eyes were red-rimmed, one hand clutching his abdomen tightly.

The delicate petals bloomed right under his palm; with just a slight pressure, the bloom would snap.

Mi Yunjin...

Mi Yunjin.

Mi Yunjin!

Wu Wanyi was on the verge of breaking down, gritting his teeth hard, swallowing all sound into his throat.

The overwhelming despair and grief turned him into a trapped beast, struggling and whimpering in agony.

He could do nothing, change nothing.

"Wu Wanyi."

Mi Yunjin's voice came from outside the door.

He bowed his head, his fingers pressing hard against the floor, the faint creaking sound as if his nails might snap.

But in the end, he pushed himself upright, letting the hot water wash over his face.

He took a deep breath, opened his bloodshot eyes, and stared at the reflection in the mirror—himself nearly consumed by grief.

After a long while, he opened the bathroom door, his face wearing an air of indifference.

Apart from the bloodshot eyes, there was no trace of the struggle and pain he had just endured.

The bedroom was unlit, shrouded in thick darkness.

Tonight’s moon was too dim; heavy dark clouds threatened rain.

Wu Wanyi used to hate this kind of gloomy, damp weather, but now he felt a faint sense of relief.

At least such a pitch-black, rainy night could hide his pale, ugly body.

Tough green tendrils silently crept across the entire room, swiftly encircling the bed.

This was the first time Wu Wanyi had seen Mi Yunjin’s body. Even in the dim light, as if veiled in a layer of grayish-black haze, Mi Yunjin’s snow-white skin and his taut, narrow waist were powerfully attractive.

It was only then that Wu Wanyi truly saw that the flower blooming on Mi Yunjin’s neck didn't just bloom on his neck—it spread from the nape, covering his entire smooth, pale back, blooming in a breathtakingly vivid display.

Wu Wanyi was lost in this magnificent sight until Mi Yunjin leaned down and asked softly,

"Ready?"

Wu Wanyi shifted his gaze to Mi Yunjin’s beautiful face and let out a final, mournful whimper.

"Yeah."

Time truly moved fast—swift and cruel, not even granting one more day.

Mi Yunjin brushed a kiss over his eyelids and said, "Don’t cry."