Pearl Light

Extra 2 (Shen Tong Guang) Part 3

6

From then on, the Bridge of Previous Destinies had a King Shen.

King Shen waited by the bridge, waited through wind, waited through rain.

People of all kinds walked across the bridge.

Children, elders.

Women, men.

Mortals, immortals.

But there was no one like Li Zhen Zhu.

At first, people talked about him, saying such a handsome man must be a fool, not knowing to go home even in the wind and rain.

King Shen shook his head, "You don't understand. I am waiting for my home."

People went on with their lives, grew accustomed to seeing him, and stopped asking.

The second year, a boy with pigtails timidly handed him an umbrella in the rain:

"They say you're a fool, standing in the rain without an umbrella."

"They're the fools. Holding up an umbrella would block my face, and she wouldn't be able to see me."

The boy who handed the umbrella became friends with King Shen.

His name was Er Zhu, and his family ran a distillery.

Er Zhu loved to brag, so no one wanted to be his friend.

King Shen became friends with Er Zhu because Er Zhu bragged and made big promises:

"When you finally meet your lady, I'll cover all the wine for your wedding banquet!"

King Shen was delighted to hear that.

King Shen would tell Er Zhu stories about Zhen Zhu.

Er Zhu actually didn't quite understand what was so special about Zhen Zhu.

So, King Shen would buy Er Zhu candy.

"Is the candy good?"

"Yes!"

"Zhen Zhu is just as good as the candy."

In truth, Er Zhu still didn't understand how good she was, but having candy to eat was good.

King Shen knew Er Zhu still didn't understand, but having someone willing to listen to stories about Zhen Zhu was good.

In the summer of the tenth year, Er Zhu got married to a quiet girl who always kept her head down.

"Is that girl good?"

"Yes. She believes everything I say."

King Shen pretended not to understand and laughed.

Er Zhu blushed and shoved a handful of wedding candy into King Shen's hand:

"I can't explain it well, but it's just as good as this candy."

Er Zhu got married, and no one was willing to listen to King Shen talk about Zhen Zhu anymore.

7

People came and went across the bridge.

King Shen was alone again.

Late, there was wind and snow on the Bridge of Previous Destinies.

Sometimes, there were a few surprising downpours.

No one was curious anymore about who he was or whom he was waiting for.

Three years later, on a beautiful autumn day, the little yellow flowers bloomed again under the Bridge of Previous Destinies.

In the morning, the sky was clear, but suddenly, it was covered with dark clouds.

"The Taotie King misses his wife! It's going to rain heavily!"

Pedestrians hurried home.

By the bridge, only a solitary King Shen sat.

In autumn, when King Shen reverted to his true form, the sky would pour down heavy rain.

A well-read scholar passing by remarked, "I know, 'Travels with My Wife' mentions that this is Taotie; when it cries, it rains."

Over the past forty-three years, he had replayed his memories with Zhen Zhu over and over again.

The sweet flatbreads had long been eaten, leaving him with only memories.

Those memories were like sweet flatbreads, making him reluctant to think too much at once.

Shen Tong Guang planned that in his past life, he spent eighty-one years with Zhen Zhu.

If he met Zhen Zhu three years later, he could save the remaining thirty-five years of memories and cherish them later.

Shen Tong Guang stopped crying.

Deep in thought, he suddenly felt someone holding an umbrella for him from behind.

For some reason, seeing that umbrella, Shen Tong Guang felt a mix of sweetness and sorrow in his heart.

It was like eating the hawthorn sweet flatbreads Zhen Zhu made in winter.

"Thank you, but with an umbrella, the person I'm waiting for won't recognize..."

Shen Tong Guang turned around and was stunned.

The girl holding the umbrella was leading a small yellow dog.

The little yellow dog, seeing that he didn't appreciate the gesture, barked at him three times.

The rain stopped, and the sunlight scattered over the puddles, making little golden flowers bloom in the water.

The umbrella was lifted slightly.

The face beneath it was as bright as the little yellow flower in her hair.

She wasn't crying, just wiped her eyes and smiled at Shen Tong Guang with curved brows:

"Whose gongzi is this? Who are you waiting for?'"

(The End)

TL Note:

I'm not crying, you're crying😭😭😭

Some little details you might not have noticed:
1. When the ML cries, it rains. After the FL passed away, it rained for seven days, meaning the ML cried for seven days after her passing.
2. The ending of Extra 2 corresponds with the ending of the main story:
"He'll wait and wait, and people will ask, 'Whose gongzi is this? Who are you waiting for?'"

Shen Tong Guang proudly lifted his chin:

"I'm Li Zhen Zhu's gongzi, of course I'm waiting for Li Zhen Zhu!"