Nightfall

Obsession

Anger was generated from difference. People had different points of view, different names, and different purposes of life. There could be sweet or salty beancurd, sticky rice cakes with meat or vegetarian stuffing, and there was life or death.

“You kill people just because they have different choices? You know I’m pretty heartless. It could enrage and upset me if you were to kill the Tang people. But it would never change my mind.” Ning Que stared at the market which had become a sea of blood with broken limbs scattered around, and said to her, “You were chosen by human beings. You would have never existed if it weren’t because of them. You should not do that to these people.”

Sangsang frowned and asked, “I was awakened because human beings had chosen me. But does that mean they can take my life whenever they want? Could parents choose to take the lives of their children?”

Ning Que said, “No one wants to take your life.”

She calmly and firmly said, “On the day I was born in the human world, the mistress asked their chamberlain to smuggle and drown me in the cesspit. On the same day in that store room, another chamberlain tried to kill you with a slasher. I was almost killed, and so were you. But you took that slasher from him, and I survived. I will never put my life in another’s hands again.”

Ning Que said after a pause, “Indeed, we should control our own fate.”

Sangsang said, “I am alive, so I don’t want to die.”

Ning Que’s anger gradually turned into helplessness. He did not know how to calm her down. She could kill people by slightly moving her fingers, or simply by thinking of it.

He came to her across the sea of blood, held her hands and pulled her into his arms. He murmured sadly into her ears, “I don’t want you to die either.”

Sangsang’s body slightly stiffened and then softened. She leaned woodenly onto his shoulders but seemed awkward. It was because they were about the same height.

“I’d rather die than watch you die.”

They held each other tightly in the sea of blood and surrounded by broken bodies. They were extremely calm, and even seemed holy. Numerous dim spots of lights drifted away from their bodies like stars.

With those light spots falling onto the ground, the blood stains started to fade until they completely disappeared. The bodies also disappeared as if they were purified by something holy.

It no longer smelled bloody, but rather a mixture of chicken manure, fish and tear-drawing onions, as well as green vegetables.

The green vegetables carried glittering dewdrops and looked refreshing and alluring. The newly harvested baby bamboo shoots were lined up in order and seemed charming despite of the mud they wore.

The peddling of the stall keepers started again. People were bargaining, parents were disciplining their kids, dogs were fighting over meat bones, and wild cats were being scared away. The sounds of clapping, barking, and meowing had revived the market.

“You see how fresh these spring onions are. Aren’t they cheap for only two pennies?”

Ning Que opened his eyes to see an auntie pointing a handful of fresh spring onion at him. She looked so eager that he would have felt embarrassed if he were to not buy some.

He smiled back and shook his head, then tapped on Sangsang to wake her up. He held her hand and walked out of the market. They did not buy any food, and was not worried about their next meal.

Love was all they needed.

…

…

Sangsang did not leave. She continued to live an ordinary life with Ning Que in Chaoyang City. They eluded from the outside world, enjoyed their daily journey between the courtyard and the market. They strolled by the brook from time to time.