The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

145. You are the untouchable clouds and rain.

Looking at Yuan Zi'an, who was sitting quietly opposite him and staring at him, Zhao Qianfan mustered up her courage and said, "You came here this time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Zian made a "shh" gesture, then leaned closer and sniffed him, before exclaiming with sudden realization, "Oh~ so you've already lost your virginity. This alluring fragrance must have played a big part in that."

Zhao Qianfan looked at him calmly, sighed, and said, "What exactly do you want?"

Seeing his somewhat impatient yet helpless expression, Yuan Zian smiled and said, "It's nothing, I'm just curious how far things have progressed between you two."

Zhao Qianfan stared at him and said, "This doesn't seem to be any of your business."

Yuan Zian's eyes narrowed slightly, and he chuckled as he said, "Originally, this had nothing to do with me, but since you've interfered with the workings of the world's natural order, it's now my concern."

Zhao Qianfan asked, puzzled, "Hmm? What makes you say that?"

Seeing that he seemed genuinely clueless, Yuan Zian smiled and reminded him, "That manifested rose."

Zhao Qianfan suddenly realized that he remembered the beautiful figure that had appeared at the Kowloon Harbour International Flower Festival.

“Not too stupid,” Yuan Zian said, taking a sip of coffee as he saw that he understood. “That was originally his destined love tribulation, but you forcibly broke it up. What’s even more unexpected is that you actually took his virginity and became his love tribulation. It’s ridiculous.”

Zhao Qianfan said righteously, "We truly love each other and haven't hurt anyone else, so how is it absurd?"

Yuan Zian sipped his coffee indifferently, watching his explanation, and after a long while, he chuckled and said, "It's not that this matter is absurd, nor is this relationship absurd, but rather that you are too impatient, which makes me feel that it is absurd."

Zhao Qianfan tilted his head, somewhat puzzled. Yuan Zian slowly explained to him, "He is your nine lifetimes of love tribulation. It's understandable that you like him, but you shouldn't have made your move so early and become his tribulation. Instead, you should have comforted him after the heavenly tribulation was over and let him understand your feelings."

Zhao Qianfan understood what he meant, but he wouldn't allow Li Zichun to sleep with other people. After waiting for nine lifetimes, he should be Li Zichun's rightful Daoist partner.

Yuan Zian could tell what nonsense he was thinking just by looking at him, and continued, "And now, because of him, a transmigrator, the tribulations of love will be twice as difficult. What you will face is the backlash and punishment of the entire Heavenly Dao."

Zhao Qianfan said in shock, "How could this be?"

“Why not?” Yuan Zian rolled his eyes at him. “Most people in the world are foolish. No matter how beautiful or handsome they are, they are just a skeleton in a cloak of skin. Love is nothing but a mirage, a dream. You know all this, otherwise you wouldn’t have taken out the imperial marriage certificate to promise to be together for all eternity.”

Zhao Qianfan was speechless after hearing what he said, and remained motionless, pondering her next move.

Yuan Zian continued detachedly, "If lovers in this world want to be together forever, it is always a difficult journey. Even the love between a man and a woman, who are in harmony, is like this, let alone between two men. The road you two are about to take will only be more difficult."

Zhao Qianfan was startled by what he said, feeling that he had done something wrong but did not know how to make amends. Although he was anxious, he still asked calmly, "Why are you telling me this? Do you have some way to fix this?"

Yuan Zian said with a smile, "Even if I did, I wouldn't intervene. What you two have to do with me. I just felt close to him and was in a good mood, so I gave you a few pointers. Instead of worrying about why things turned out this way, you should think about how to get through this. Calamity is already on its way."

After saying that, Yuan Zian put on his sunglasses and walked out, looking like he was someone to be avoided.

Meanwhile, Li Zichun was strolling leisurely in the bar, smiling and singing "Half a Lifetime Gone":

Half a lifetime has passed, so desolate. Fallen flowers break one's heart. You and I are separated by the ends of the earth.

I chased after your moonlight, but tears welled in my eyes. How can I forget the past, now gone with the wind?

Flowers bloom and wither, flowers fill the sky, it is you who appear and disappear.

Day after day, night after night, yet I can hardly capture your face.

I sigh softly at the fleeting nature of life, at the passing of beautiful women, how many years have passed since they came and gone?

Who will write the regrets of half a lifetime? Only passersby remain in this world.

......

Half a lifetime has passed, and we are now worlds apart, unable to reconcile our past affections. All that remains are what I think of and desire.

I only regret that my heart has plummeted a thousand feet, unable to cross this past. A fool is only saddened by love...

There are many versions of this song. Li Zichun naturally sang the opera-style version because this was not a performance, but a tea and wine bar. He treated it as a practice session. Thinking about it carefully, he realized that he hadn't sung in the ancient style or opera style for a long time.

Li Zichun sang the whole song very casually, and this nonchalant attitude made the song more charming. Without any special voice changes or affectation, it sounded more natural.

Li Zichun's singing attracted many customers to the bar. He smiled and said to the owner, "Boss, can we have the meal on the house for free?"

The restaurant owner was greeting customers and casually glanced at him, saying, "What kind of rubbish is this? Did you write it yourself? These are all songs I've never heard before. Can you play a song like the first one? Something soothing and calming."

Li Zichun said with a smile, "Alright, I'm watching you."

The boss found his words amusing, glanced at the cat licking the wine, shook his head with a smile, refilled Qi Tong's cup, and said, "The man is strange, and the cat is strange too. It's true that birds of a feather flock together. Interesting."

Li Zichun looked at the drunken Qi Tong, smiled and thought for a moment, then picked up the microphone and sang "Clouds and Smoke Turn into Rain":

Your "goodnight" is an unconscious expression of compassion. I stay up late to cure my insomnia and sleep talking.

That handwritten letter remained at the bottom of my suitcase; I didn't have time to give it any meaning during the journey.

If everything has already turned to smoke and rain

Can I become mud and stain you once more?

If life is like a passing movie...

Oh, let me wake up from my sweet dream once again.

How I long to see you again, even if it's just a fleeting glance before we part.

The dim silhouettes under the streetlights, the increasingly long forest path.

I long to see you again, at least then we can still joke around.

The autumnal equinox, when the first leaves fall in the streets and alleys; us, gradually fading into the distance.

......

The train whistle sounds on the platform; I miss your voice.

We carried it over and walked into the crowd.

Searching for a place to settle down...

Li Zichun's singing voice is natural and soothing. Although gentle and melancholic, it brings peace to the listener's mind. It floats in the air above the cultural and creative zone, attracting more and more people to come here.

The voice seemed to be softly telling a beautiful yet sorrowful story. The beauty lay in the past, in what was once possessed, in the beauty of the past; the sorrow lay in the fact that all this beauty ultimately served as a prelude to separation. In the end, like clouds and smoke turning to rain, they flowed into the rivers and seas, never to meet again.

The bar owner was also drawn in by his singing and said with a smile, "Young man, you sing quite well. How about coming to sing for us at our bar?"

The people drinking milk tea nearby were stunned, covering their mouths and chuckling. The owner said smugly, "What? You don't want to? I can give you five hundred yuan a day, and song requests are extra."

Many people couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Qitong meowed twice at the opportune moment, signaling for more drinks. Li Zichun walked over, stroked its head, and said, "You greedy little thing, be careful you don't get vomiting and diarrhea tonight."

Qi Tong protested twice in dissatisfaction, but Li Zichun insisted on paying the bill and said to the owner, "Thank you for your hospitality, we'll be going now."

The boss also found it a bit strange; why would someone not even want something for free?

Seeing his bewildered expression, the onlookers laughed and explained to him, "Boss, do you not watch TV at all?"

The boss said indifferently, "What's so interesting about TV? It's all the same old love stories, and the songs are the same. There's nothing new to sing, and not many of them are good."

Upon hearing this, Li Zichun walked to the door, then rolled her eyes and came back, saying to him, "Why don't you turn on the TV tonight? You might see me!"

The shop owner sized up the unkempt young man before him and timidly asked the customer next to him, "You all know him? He's a celebrity?"

Amidst the nodding and following gazes of the crowd, Li Zichun quickly left, leaving the boss and the bartender looking at each other in bewilderment.

Li Zichun's popularity is now on a completely different level. Carrying a cat carrier, she ran through the crowd. What started as a simple chase between a celebrity and fans escalated as everyone held up their phones and followed her. Eventually, more and more curious people gathered, their eyes gleaming as they recognized her! The crowd grew larger and larger, and people along the way, upon recognizing her, all started running after her.

Seeing that things were going badly, Li Zichun took off running even faster, and as a result, everyone on the street started running after her! In the end, it turned into everyone in the entire cultural and creative district running after him!

Li Zichun had always thought that such things only happened in the news, but he never expected it to happen to him. He had just gone out for a stroll in broad daylight, but it turned into a "sports meet".

Li Zichun laughed at himself, finding it absurd no matter how he thought about it.

Perhaps because he was tired from running, Li Zichun started to stroll around and even took off his mask, because it was so hot.

It's all that damn cat's fault! He suddenly wanted to drink in broad daylight for no reason. If it weren't for the fact that you can suppress the system in your head, I would have thrown you away long ago. Meanwhile, the culprit was already fast asleep in his cat carrier, snoring away.

The massive, surging crowds made the entire neighborhood a trending topic online; the scene was so large that someone unfamiliar with the area might have thought it was a riot.

Finally, Li Zichun was too exhausted to run or walk anymore, and he doubted that he would be able to leave the street if he didn't say something.

As the news became a trending topic, the number of people on the street increased, and he couldn't squeeze out anytime soon.

Taking advantage of the crowd, Li Zichun randomly found a street performer with a sign hanging on the roadside, borrowed the stall and microphone, and started shouting: "Everyone, please be careful and avoid congestion. Please be careful, keep your personal belongings safe, cooperate with the street patrol police, and do not block the main road or inconvenience others."

The crowd had gone crazy, but some rational fans maintained order and the street did not run into chaos.

Li Zichun dared not sing here. If he dared to open his mouth in this setting, it could very likely cause a riot.

Li Zichun was speechless at the noisy shouts, and could only keep his head down and slowly weave through the crowd like an eel, clinging to the wall.

As he walked with his head down, a hand suddenly grabbed his and started running quickly through the crowd. Li Zichun looked up and saw a familiar face. Reassured, he let the man lead him away quickly, finding his way, squeezing through the crowd, going up the stairs, getting into the car, and driving away—all done quickly, steadily, and in one smooth motion.

Li Zichun, carrying the cat carrier, followed closely behind him and soon emerged from the crowd.

The person leading them was none other than Jia Hui, who had been in charge of recording his performance during the previous singing competition, and the driver of the car they were in was Liu Wancun.

The three quickly drove onto the main road, shaking off the large group of people chasing them.

Li Zichun sat down, took a deep breath with lingering fear, gave them both a big hug, and said with a smile, "Thank you. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to get out of here until tonight."

Liu Wancun rolled his eyes and said without turning his head, "You're lucky to have met us today, otherwise you would probably have been stripped naked by those crazy fans."

Jia Hui smiled as he looked at Li Zichun, who was panting heavily, and continued, "How come you still have no sense of being a celebrity? It was the same thing at the food street. You started singing whenever you felt like it. Don't you know that there's already a huge gap between celebrities and ordinary people? If you keep acting like this, you'll cause a riot sooner or later."

Li Zichun sat there smiling, hugging the cat carrier, nodding as he accepted their criticism. Only after they finished did he reply, "Okay, okay, thank you both. But how did you end up around here?"

Jia Hui said with a smile, "We just happened to have a day off today and were eating over there. As soon as we finished eating and went outside, we saw a noisy crowd running downstairs. We thought there was some kind of competition. If Liu Wancun hadn't spotted you in there, we wouldn't have bothered with it."

Li Zichun said "Oh" and smiled, "I see. I must say we're really destined to meet."

Jia Hui laughed and said, "Come on, this trip feels like I've been working overtime."

Li Zichun laughed and looked at Jia Hui, saying, "Why don't you come over to my place? You're on vacation anyway, so I can cook something to thank you."

Jia Hui nodded, then asked Liu Wancun, "I have no objection, Wancun, what about you?"

Liu Wancun said with a smile, "I have no objection either."

And so, the group drove home, chatting as they went. Little did they know, news and rumors outside were already swirling around them.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"This Half of My Life" is a song with lyrics by Jiu Cun, music by Qu Duomei and Xiong Lei, arrangement by He Wenyu, and sung by L (Tao Zi). It is included in the album of the same name, "This Half of My Life," released on June 6, 2022.

"Clouds and Smoke Turn into Rain" is a song with lyrics by Moyusi, music by Shaonian Pei, arrangement by Li Ruotian, and sung by Fangdong de Mao. It was released on October 19, 2017, and is the ending theme song of the animated series "I Am Jiang Xiaobai".