Chapter 40

Chapter 40

1

This was not an act of love, sweet and pleasurable.

Yet, it was deeply passionate.

Wu Wanyi willingly offered himself, surrendering his body completely to Mi Yunjin.

His skin flushed with a beautiful rosy hue, glistening with a fine sheen of sweat. The brand on his abdomen was the most erotic mark, and the flower blooming in his navel grew ever more vibrant.

But in Wu Wanyi's eyes, all this beauty paled in comparison to even a tenth of Mi Yunjin.

That face, always ethereal yet otherworldly, now showed a different expression for the first time, flushed with desire.

His rosy lips no longer spoke gentle words but panted soft, warm breaths. His usually calm and distant eyes deepened with intensity.

Wu Wanyi was utterly captivated.

He raised his hand, gently brushing aside Mi Yunjin's fallen white hair, caressing that impassioned face.

He said, "Mi Yunjin, kiss me."

Mi Yunjin took his hand, gazing at him intently, then slowly lowered himself.

He let out a desperate breath, feeling Mi Yunjin's warm, lingering breath fall gently on his lips. His eyes were filled with infatuation.

"Mi Yunjin, kiss me," he breathed hoarsely.

"Alright."

Mi Yunjin spoke softly and kissed his lips.

Wu Wanyi smiled, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

He couldn't hold them back.

He closed his eyes, parting his lips to entwine with Mi Yunjin's tongue.

The slick, wet sounds were filled with unspoken desire; all the intense emotions in his heart melted into heated, viscous gasps in that moment.

Wu Wanyi held Mi Yunjin tightly, as if wishing to merge into his very being, filled with extreme longing and desperate, all-or-nothing despair.

Mi Yunjin stroked Wu Wanyi's temples, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes.

A sigh from the depths of his heart was filled with lingering bitterness and tender sorrow.

For the first time, Mi Yunjin felt a stir of personal emotion.

He closed his eyes, kissed Wu Wanyi's lips, and held his body tightly.

Fresh green tendrils silently crept across the entire bed, slowly enveloping Mi Yunjin and Wu Wanyi, forming a green cocoon.

Then a vibrant, lush flower slowly grew and bloomed, revealing a golden, shimmering seed at its center.

The seed, glittering like gold, seemed like a falling star, riding the wind out the window like a glowing firefly, carrying a newborn's fearless innocence far away with the breeze, to any place it could take root.

No one knew where the seed would fly.

"Mi Yunjin" could grow anywhere.

Whether in volcanoes flowing with lava, scorching barren deserts, or hard, cold cliffs—the "transcendent and solitary" "Mi Yunjin" could take root and sprout.

It might take a day, a month, or even a year.

Guided by fate, it would land where it was meant to, blooming into the most beautiful and vibrant flower.

7008, who had remained silent all along, finally lifted its eyes, watching the seed fly into the distance, and uttered its most devout wish.

——

——

The sun rose, the moon set.

Wu Wanyi jolted awake from the dream, staring dazedly at the empty room.

Last night, he seemed to have seen a vivid and magnificent scene, much like the colorful and surreal dream he had before.

Only last night did he finally see clearly that those vibrant, swirling colors were actually a flower blooming anew from withered petals.

He panicked, kicking off the covers to get out of bed, but his legs gave way and he knelt on the floor.

The pain didn't clear his head; instead, it made him even more bewildered as he glanced around in confusion.

Like a frenzied fly, he paced anxiously around the room before turning to the mirror.

Naked, he was emaciated. The flower in his navel was gone, but a faint gold-red mark remained on his flat abdomen, faintly glowing with its last dying color.

The tightness in his chest suddenly eased, and he collapsed weakly to the floor.

But before long, he clambered to his feet again, hastily pulled on some clothes, and stumbled downstairs.

As he ran, his steps slowed, and he walked as if in a trance toward the door.

Outside, a fine drizzle was falling, misty like a layer of fog, dampening the sunshade umbrella in the courtyard.

Under the umbrella, a white-haired person sat quietly in a chair.

The person sat motionless with eyes closed, posture relaxed. The bright red flower on their neck curled inward as it withered, as if drained of life, aged and frail.

Wu Wanyi walked out barefoot slowly. He stood before Mi Yunjin, facing the misty rain, and slowly knelt down.

He raised a trembling hand, stroking Mi Yunjin's snow-white long hair, gently tracing the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, then sliding down to the withered flower on his neck.

Feeling a faint pulse, the rope around his neck loosened. He drew a ragged breath and slumped to the ground, utterly drained.

The drizzling rain soaked through his clothes, mixing with his cold sweat, clinging to his skin.

He held Mi Yunjin's no longer smooth or soft hand, bowed his head, and trembled as he leaned against Mi Yunjin's leg.

"Mi Yunjin…"

His voice thick with tears, he buried his face, warm tears burning against Mi Yunjin's skin.

In the quiet air, a warm hand gently rested on Wu Wanyi's head, stroking his hair.

Wu Wanyi trembled. He gripped Mi Yunjin's hand tightly, kneeling at his feet, burying his head for a long time without a word, only his flood of tears soaking Mi Yunjin's clothes.

——

Standing in the bathroom, Wu Wanyi washed his reddened eyes with cold water, took a deep breath, and walked out looking completely normal.

Mi Yunjin sat on a chair by the window, watching the light rain outside. Hearing Wu Wanyi’s voice, he took a long moment to turn around.

Noticing Wu Wanyi was still wearing the damp clothes, he asked softly, "Why haven’t you changed?"

"I’ll change now." Wu Wanyi glanced at the fine wrinkles on Mi Yunjin’s face, then averted his gaze as if nothing was wrong.

"Do you need to change, too?"

Mi Yunjin’s clothes were also damp from the drizzle, stained with dark, wet patches.

"Alright," Mi Yunjin replied, though it took him a while to slowly steady himself on the chair as he stood.

Seeing Mi Yunjin’s struggle, Wu Wanyi turned away, gritting his teeth to suppress the lump in his throat, swallowing back all the sorrow rising within him.

"It’s a bit chilly today. Let’s add a coat."

Wu Wanyi stood in front of the wardrobe, looking at the neatly arranged clothes inside, his eyes welling up again.

In the past, he never cared about anything around him—even these clothes had been put away by Mi Yunjin.

"Anything is fine."

Wu Wanyi lifted his head, wiped away his tears expressionlessly, selected some clothes, and turned around. "Don’t move. Let me help you change."

Mi Yunjin smiled faintly. "What’s wrong? I can change by myself."

Wu Wanyi lowered his gaze. "I want to help you."

Noticing Wu Wanyi’s reddened eyes, Mi Yunjin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, his expression softening. "Alright."

Wu Wanyi began unbuttoning Mi Yunjin’s clothes one by one. His pale, thin skin was painfully revealed with each movement, a far cry from the smooth firmness of the day before.

Yesterday’s beautiful sight now seemed like a distant mirage.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, making it difficult to even undo the buttons.

Mi Yunjin gently took his hand and asked with a gentle smile, "Is it very ugly?"

Wu Wanyi looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with a fury Mi Yunjin couldn’t comprehend.

"What did you say!"

"Who said you could say such things!"

Emotionally charged, Wu Wanyi’s eyes grew even redder, his expression cold and fierce.

Gazing into Wu Wanyi’s reddened eyes, Mi Yunjin chuckled softly, holding Wu Wanyi’s trembling fingers gently. "Alright, I won’t say it anymore."

"What do you mean, you won’t say it? I won’t say it either, and no one is allowed to say it!"

Mi Yunjin nodded indulgently. "Alright, no one is allowed to say it."

Satisfied with Mi Yunjin’s response, Wu Wanyi wiped away his tears forcefully and continued changing Mi Yunjin’s clothes.

But perhaps the tears he hadn’t shed over the past ten years were reserved for Mi Yunjin’s arrival.

Even after wiping his eyes dry, tears still trickled down the moment Wu Wanyi lowered his head.

Mi Yunjin raised a hand to wipe away Wu Wanyi’s tears, but Wu Wanyi brushed it aside.

He kept his head down, silent, allowing large teardrops to fall freely.

Clearly, the earlier incident had angered him deeply—his fingers were still trembling slightly.

Did Mi Yunjin truly not understand why Wu Wanyi was so angry?

How could he not understand?

But he had lived too long. From the moment he gained consciousness, he knew exactly when his life would end. Even the sense of mission of his race made him view death and rebirth with devoted acceptance and hope.

He only needed to wait, day by day, for fate to arrive.

Though he never felt his time alive was meaningless, he had truly lost the capacity for strong emotions.

In his eyes, Wu Wanyi was a very special person.

A life battered and bruised, nearing its end, seemingly broken, yet every scar was a mark of fierce struggle.

Compared to his own calm existence, Wu Wanyi lived with every ounce of his strength.

Mi Yunjin wanted to cradle this life in his hands, ensuring its final moments were no longer lonely and cold.

Flowing water has sentiment; falling flowers have meaning.

Even if the flowing water has run dry, even if the falling flowers have withered.

In these final moments before fading away, they could still use their last strength to cling tightly to each other.

Mi Yunjin lowered his head and gently kissed Wu Wanyi’s lips.

Wu Wanyi froze mid-action, lifting his head to look at him with tear-filled eyes.

2

Wu Wanyi didn’t ask when Mi Yunjin would leave, and Mi Yunjin didn’t bring it up either.

That time was running out was a fact both understood without words.

Mi Yunjin’s aging had visibly reached its final threshold—his eyes no longer held their former brightness, his voice was no longer clear and melodious, and even his heartbeat lacked its former strength.

Like a candle on the verge of burning out, flickering feebly in its last moments.

He admitted feeling a rebirth-like joy the moment he saw Mi Yunjin, but witnessing Mi Yunjin’s advanced decline brought the harsh reality into sharp, powerless focus.

Mi Yunjin was holding on, burning the last of his life to welcome one more tomorrow.

He didn’t know why Mi Yunjin, so weakened, insisted on staying.

The only reason he could think of was what Mi Yunjin had once told him:

—"To keep you company."

Every time he remembered, his heart swelled with pain. He didn’t dare dwell on it, afraid he would cry himself dry.

Wu Wanyi sat alone by the bedside, looking down at Mi Yunjin sleeping beside him.

He needed to constantly feel Mi Yunjin's breathing to believe that Mi Yunjin was still alive.

But he knew that the time they had now was merely borrowed.

They had today, but tomorrow was uncertain.

Wu Wanyi bent his knees, pressing them tightly against his abdomen.

After Mi Yunjin faded, the pain Wu Wanyi had once suppressed returned in full force.

The once-contained suffering multiplied throughout his body.

His face pale, he doubled over in pain.

The weakness and helplessness of waning life made Wu Wanyi see that his own time was also nearing its end.

It was okay.

In the past, Wu Wanyi would have felt pain and resentment, but now he felt at peace.

He looked down at Mi Yunjin's sleeping face, mentally tracing the outline of Mi Yunjin's features, lost in thought.

Even with wrinkles, Mi Yunjin was as beautiful as ever.

Resting his head on his knees, he gently brushed Mi Yunjin's snow-white temples, hooking a finger around a strand of Mi Yunjin's white hair.

As if, even if he or Mi Yunjin were to die, they would still be together.

Wu Wanyi bore the pain in his body and slowly closed his eyes.

Mi Yunjin was old, and he was about to die.

It was good.

Everything was the best ending.

All of Wu Wanyi's despair was eased by the pain of his impending death.

—

The silver-haired Mi Yunjin sat by the window, watching the drizzling rain outside.

Wu Wanyi stood behind Mi Yunjin, gently combing through the long hair.

He said calmly, "Do you want to go see the ocean?"

Mi Yunjin mustered the energy to reply, "Can we see the ocean in the rain?"

"Whenever you want to go, we can."

Mi Yunjin leaned back in the chair, his eyes seeming ready to close at any moment.

He smiled and said, "Alright."

Wu Wanyi looked at the white hair that had fallen into his hand, collected it calmly, and said softly, "Wait for me downstairs. I’ll change my clothes first."

"Okay."

Wu Wanyi helped Mi Yunjin downstairs and returned to the room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared blankly at the brittle hair in his hand.

Every cruel reality reminded him that Mi Yunjin was approaching his final days.

Pursing his lips, he picked up a pair of scissors and cut off a lock of his own hair, twining it together with Mi Yunjin's white strands.

He never used to believe in such things, but now it seemed all he could hold onto.

Wu Wanyi carefully placed the hair on his person, then opened the drawer of medicines and took out a box of painkillers.

He hadn't taken medication in a long time, and his body couldn't tolerate even the slightest stimulation.

As soon as the pill touched his throat, he doubled over and vomited. The intense nausea left him pale, and he continued to retch uncontrollably.

Wu Wanyi took a few breaths, then poured out a few more pills and put them in his mouth, but he vomited again before he could swallow them.

The bitter taste seeped deep into his throat, making his stomach cramp uncontrollably.

It was a medicine he had long been used to, yet now it was too bitter to swallow.

But Wu Wanyi did not give up. With trembling hands, he poured more pills into his mouth and forced himself to swallow them, battling nausea.

"Why bother?" 7008 asked.

"I don’t want his final journey to be affected by me," he replied hoarsely.

What else could he do?

What else could he do?

The medicine was bitter, but if he didn’t take it, the pain would be unbearable.

—

The sea, shrouded in dark clouds, churned with waves, rolling layer upon layer in the cool, damp wind.

Wu Wanyi held an umbrella with one hand and used the other to adjust the clothes of Mi Yunjin, who was sitting in a wheelchair.

Though it was drizzling, it was still summer, and the wind was refreshingly cool. Yet Mi Yunjin wore a heavy trench coat.

When Wu Wanyi touched Mi Yunjin's icy skin, his fingertips trembled violently.

But he quickly withdrew his hand nonchalantly, hiding his shaking fingers behind his back.

A snow-white braid hung neatly over Mi Yunjin's chest. Even in old age, Mi Yunjin remained as elegant and dignified as ever.

Gazing at the rolling waves ahead, Mi Yunjin whispered, "So this is the sea."

A fragile glimmer flickered in Mi Yunjin's eyes, wavering in the wind.

Wu Wanyi's throat tightened, and an uncontrollable ache surged to the tip of his nose.

He had originally imagined that the day he brought Mi Yunjin to see the sea would be a bright, sunny day, with the vast ocean reflecting the golden glow of the sun and the sand shining like scattered stardust.

But he had run out of time, and so had Mi Yunjin.

Wu Wanyi clutched the umbrella tightly, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and asked softly, "Will the new Mi Yunjin bloom in the sea?"

His voice was hoarse as he brought up the topic, as if he had already accepted the cruel reality of old and new.

Mi Yunjin smiled.

"I don't know, perhaps."

Mi Yunjin gazed at the boundless sea ahead. Under the overcast sky and stormy winds, the ocean possessed a vast and chilling intimidation, its roaring waves powerful enough to devour all tiny lives.

It didn't have to be sunny.

The majestic sea, churning with waves amid the wind and rain, was also beautiful.

Mi Yunjin slowly raised his hand, feeling the dampness brought by the rain and sea breeze swirling together, and caught a raindrop in his palm.

"Thank you, I’m very happy."

Mi Yunjin’s life was neither lonely nor filled with regrets. Everything Wu Wanyi had given him was the most precious gift.

Wu Wanyi didn’t speak, only stood quietly behind Mi Yunjin, holding an umbrella for him.

——

The string of overcast rainy days had left Wu Wanyi in a foul mood.

He was extremely agitated that the final days were plagued by such dreary, dismal weather.

So, when he felt a bright light shining on his face, he felt a dreamlike disorientation.

Seeing the empty bed, he froze for a moment before kicking off the covers, stumbling from bed, and lurching toward the stairs.

He fell to the floor with a thud, and only then, through the open window, did he see Mi Yunjin watering the flowers downstairs.

After Mi Yunjin began to wither, the desert roses planted in the garden had also drooped, losing their vitality.

But now, under the sun's rays, those flowers showed a glimmer of vibrant life once more.

A familiar premonition washed over Wu Wanyi, gradually spreading throughout his entire body.

Wu Wanyi sank to his knees, watching the silver-haired Mi Yunjin in the garden, and tears immediately flooded his face.

He clutched his constricting heart tightly, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

Yet he didn't dare make a sound, not even while crying.

After what seemed an eternity, Wu Wanyi doubled over, wiped the tears from his eyes, and pushed himself up unsteadily.

This was likely the last time Wu Wanyi would ever cry.

He lifted his head, took a deep breath, summoned his resolve to wipe away the last tear, and turned to make his way downstairs.

Hearing his footsteps, Mi Yunjin turned around in the sunlight and said with a smile, "Wu Wanyi, come here."

He gazed intently at Mi Yunjin’s sunlight-drenched face and walked over.

The swing was a bit damp from the light rain over the past few days, but it remained still sturdy.

Wu Wanyi sat on Mi Yunjin’s lap, his fingers gripping the swing ropes tightly.

Mi Yunjin circled his arms around Wu Wanyi’s waist and asked softly, "Wu Wanyi, do you have any wishes?"

Wu Wanyi looked down at Mi Yunjin’s aged hands and answered hoarsely, "No."

In the past, his wish was to die without pain.

It still was.

Only now, this wish had sent out countless branches, each engraved with Mi Yunjin’s name.

"What about you? Do you have any wishes?" he asked quietly.

Mi Yunjin’s breath warmed his neck, his chin resting on Wu Wanyi’s shoulder.

"My wish has already been fulfilled."

Mi Yunjin’s wish was his mission as "Mi Yunjin."

Feeling Mi Yunjin’s faint breath, Wu Wanyi tightened his grip, his throat too tight to speak.

"What about today? Do you have any wishes for today?" Mi Yunjin asked softly.

As he spoke, Mi Yunjin gradually sagged weakly to the side. Wu Wanyi’s heart clenched, and he quickly raised a hand to cradle Mi Yunjin’s head, which rested on his shoulder.

Voice thick with tears, he struggled to open his mouth and said, "I want to see a rainbow."

"Okay."

Mi Yunjin’s voice held a note of relief.

But Wu Wanyi’s heart ached too fiercely to breathe.

"Wu Wanyi, before I go, go see your friends."

Supporting Mi Yunjin’s lolling head, he replied hoarsely, "Okay."

"Wu Wanyi, the rainbow…"

He looked up and saw a brilliant rainbow ahead, shimmering with brilliant light under the sun, like a bridge spanning heaven and earth.

"I see it. It’s beautiful."

"Are you happy?"

Wu Wanyi’s throat tightened, and tears traced paths down his temples.

——"Loving someone means making them happy."

"Happy…" he managed through tears.

"That’s good." Having received his answer, Mi Yunjin let out a very soft sigh.

Suddenly, the weight against Wu Wanyi vanished, and his heart dropped, hollow and heavy.

He gazed numbly at the petals fluttering in the air. The swing stopped moving, and the space behind him felt utterly empty.

A gust of wind blew by.

All the petals in the garden scattered, vanishing like scattered dust.

And in the room, the two roses standing in medicine bottles—one dissolved into the air like ashes, the other withered away silently.

Wu Wanyi sat on the swing, numb and empty, until a fine mist settled on him. Only then did he lift his head to look at the overcast sky.

It turned out the weather hadn't actually improved today.

In the end, Mi Yunjin still gave him the most beautiful mirage.

Wu Wanyi closed his eyes in his suffocation, letting the rain soak his body.

This was truly the last time he would cry.

3

Wu Wanyi did not wallow in grief and collapse as one might have imagined.

Instead, he methodically organized all his subsequent plans.

He first went to reciprocate with a gift for the girl next door.

She was happy to see him and invited him in for tea, but he politely declined.

Then he went to the city where he had attended university and made his way to a hospital.

Standing at the door of the hospital room, he watched the joyful scene of a newborn's welcome inside and entrusted a gift to a nurse to deliver.

When the new father returned to the room and saw the longevity lock in his wife’s hands, he was puzzled.

“Apparently, one of your university classmates sent it. He said thanks for coming to his family’s funeral back then.”

The young new father froze for a moment before recalling a silent figure from his memories.

“What’s wrong?” his wife asked.

He muttered blankly. “Nothing.”

That wasn’t a university classmate but a high school classmate—though by a twist of fate, they had ended up at the same university later.

But they had little interaction and hardly spoke.

The only significant contact was when he attended three funerals for the other’s family, witnessing the last of his family members leave this world.

Back then, the other hadn't actually invited anyone to the funerals; he had gone on his own initiative.

He didn’t do much. He just felt that the other was so silent, as if he could die at any moment, so he quietly stayed by his side and did what he could.

Still, they hardly spoke. The other never uttered a word of thanks, but he didn’t mind.

Later, the other left the city, while he stayed. After that, they lost touch completely.

He thought the other had long forgotten him.

“Isn’t this gift too heavy?” his wife asked, looking at him with concern.

He smiled with understanding. “It’s fine. Keep it. The fact that he came means he’s doing well now.”

—

8 PM was when the bar was coming alive.

The bartender looked at an envelope on the counter and asked her co-worker, “What’s this?”

“Not sure. A customer left it for you.”

“A customer?”

“Yeah, the one who always sat in that spot but hasn’t been around lately.”

The bartender caught her breath. She quickly opened the envelope and found a bank card inside.

—“Thank you.”

The words were brief, but the bartender felt those two words had drained him of all his strength.

“Where is he?” she clutched her colleague's arm tightly.

“I don’t know…”

The bartender dashed out impulsively. Staring at the bustling crowd, her heart sank, unable to find its target. She could only stand blankly at the entrance.

She didn’t need him to repay her for the medical bills, nor did she need his thanks.

A sudden surge of sorrow made the bartender’s eyes redden without her realizing.

She felt that she might never see Wu Wanyi again.

This time, he was truly gone.

Standing on the bridge over the sea with the sea breeze brushing against his face, Wu Wanyi’s face was expressionless.

He was more at peace than ever.

There was no loneliness, no despair, no impulse to jump, no anger or resentment.

All the pain and struggle he had once felt suddenly seemed meaningless.

A screech of brakes echoed behind him. A man in a police officer's uniform looked at his figure and said loudly, “Don’t hang around here alone at night.”

He turned around, looked at the man’s face, took a package of cigarettes from his pocket, and threw it to him.

“I’m leaving now.”

The first time he had thought about jumping from here, the officer had said nothing, just given him a cigarette and told him to leave.

Later, Wu Wanyi took up smoking. Every time he came here, he would smoke a cigarette—once, twice, three times. He never did jump.

Wu Wanyi turned to leave but stopped in his tracks. Without looking back, he said, “I won’t come here again.”

With those words, he walked into the dead of night, facing into the sea wind.

The man holding the cigarette remained rooted behind him, not leaving for a long time.

In those darkest days of the past, he realized so many people had saved his life.

Wu Wanyi lifted his head and spoke to the dark sky.

“I hold no more hatred.”

His voice was soft, uncertain who he was speaking to.

—

Wu Wanyi died on the third night after Mi Yunjin left.

He died in his dream, without any pain, simply closing his eyes peacefully and never woke up.

Wu Wanyi's funeral was so ordinary only a handful attended.

No heart-wrenching grief or overwhelming sorrow, nor any grand spectacle.

A person came, and then left.

And in those ordinary yet somewhat melancholic days, no one knew that Wu Wanyi's ashes were scattered across the desert.

——

As spring turned to summer again, the scorching desert welcomed a new wave of tourists.

The hotel still stood there, its flower-shaped emblem unchanged, and the enthusiastic, cheerful guide remained as spirited as ever.

She excitedly told tourists interested in the desert's history about the origin of that "miraculous flower," her legendary stories holding their interest.

"Excuse me, where can we find more about these stories?"

The guide paused, dazed, as if seeing a tall, thin, silent, and somber young man looking at her.

But she quickly snapped back to reality, smiled, and said to the college student with glasses before her, "There are very few records about that flower. You could try checking the local records at the old library."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Last summer, she received a basket of vibrant red cherries.

She wondered how this year's cherries were growing.

The guide lowered her eyes, smiling with a sense of relief and nostalgia.

As night fell, the scorching desert was blanketed in darkness.

The sky was dotted with stars, and the moon was surprisingly full, vast and beautiful like the boundless Milky Way.

Amid this wondrous scene, a meteor streaked across the sky.

After nearly a year of waiting, 7008 opened its eyes.

"Finally, it sprouted."

As 7008 spoke, a green shoot broke through the soil.

The sturdy, vibrant sprout emitted a dazzling golden light, carrying the hope of new life.

Regarding death, Mi Yunjin had long provided an answer.

—Death is the continuation of life.