Heavy Sweetness Ash-Like Frost

19

Chapter 19: The Emotional Threads are Deep and Mysterious

    Nothing is more beautiful than an April's day. When it's April in the mortal realms, the cherry blossoms are in bloom, the sweet floral fragrance permeates the air, the mortals think that this is the epitome of beauty. But, such a sight is ordinary in the Flower World. Every day is an April's day, every season is spring. One doesn't remember when a flower blooms for it never withers.

  The warm wind made one drowsy, filled one with a sense of laziness. During the first few days when I first returned to the Flower World, I could hardly rise awake... whenever the Twenty Four Flower Leaders visited, I would be sleeping. This evening when I was playing chess with Night, I could barely last until half a set when I leaned down on the stone table and started to dream. Half dreaming and half awake, I thought I heard the Head Flower Leader talked to Night.

   "This child, Jin Mi... ah, her life is tough. Do I dare ask if Night is sincere towards her - without any ill intent?"

  "This is my real heart, the Head Flower Leader does not need to suspect."

  "But if one gives real feelings, then one will wish that one's feelings are also reciprocated with real feelings. Jin Mi is like barren ground, no matter what fertiliser you give, no matter how carefully you water and protect it, you would not be able to grow a single petal. To speak of love with her is to throw a stone in the big ocean, you would not receive an echo back. Is Night afraid of wasting time and effort?"

  "Ah... what is there to fear? If time is meant to be spent, I am willing to waste my life with her... but, for what reason does the Head Flower Leader speak so pessimistically about Jin Mi?"

  "(cough).... Jin Mi grew up under my watch, her basic nature is kind, only she has always been cold and ruthless with her feelings. Besides wanting to become god, she has no other desires, no person, no thing comes into her eyes - not to even mention her heart. When the Water God passed on, did Night see Jin Mi shed a single tear?"

  "Now that you mention it, she did not. But, a great love leaves no traces, a huge sorrow has no tears. How will the Head Flower Leader know if Jin Mi is not actually grieving in her heart? Please don't speak badly of Jin Er, if I may be so blunt, I do not like to listen of such words."

  "Ah... then I will stop here, one's nature is not easily changed, I can only hope that the efforts Night put in can crack metal and stone."

  Night stroke my loose hairs on my back, I comfortably laid down on his arm and fell into a deep sleep.

  I did not know how much time had passed but I suddenly realised that I was no longer sleeping on an arm but a silk pillow. Night must have left and I could only blearily hear the Head Flower Leader sigh, "I do not know if the Unfeeling Pill is a blessing or burden to you..."

  When I awoke again, the sky has lit and so the night had passed without any trace.

  Next to the previous Flower God's tomb was a stone pavilion  In the day, I would read the books that the Moon God had passed to me. The books talked about emotions and entanglements, I did not understand what was written, but I was forcing myself to read it from start to end to figure out its secret.

  I had woken up late today and felt bored of reading, so I started to copy out a few lines of poetry on loose paper when a gush of wind suddenly blew and the papers with ink on them started to fly out of the pavilion.

  I looked at the flying papers with interest, and decided to put down my calligraphy brush. I started to fold the other poems into butterflies and using my magic I made them fly one by one outside of the pavilion with their wings. The white clean butterflies with ink brush words on them flew up and down in the sunlight, it was a lovely sight, even more beautiful than real butterflies.