The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

190. Expectations and Delusions

Li Zichun has never given much thought to the topic of children.

He only has three years in this world, and if he fails to complete his mission, death is the only option left. Therefore, uncertain topics such as partners, children, and the future will not come up in his mind.

So he was at a loss when faced with Du Zihua's question. He had intended to refuse directly, but when he met Du Zihua's expectant yet uneasy eyes, he couldn't help but soften. He simply said expressionlessly, "You're only in your early twenties. How come you suddenly have this idea?"

Du Zihua thought he was angry, so she held his hand and said, "But didn't you tell me in the desert before that you would leave this place after the mission was completed? I love you, and I hope to leave something behind about you, even if it's just your offspring. Don't worry, I only want your sperm. After the child is born, I will adopt him and raise him as you would me, and I will love and raise him myself. He won't be an orphan."

Li Zichun didn't know what to say to the child, and his thoughts drifted far away.

No matter how well one plans in their past life, through the mirror of the underworld after death, a person remains exactly as they were. Upbringing does not change their nature; it can only guide and influence certain behaviors. It's as if the hand of fate has already written the entire script at birth.

That's why he requested to stay in Hell in the underworld for a longer period of time. If he doesn't have the chance to live forever and can't cultivate the Dharma, he will eventually be trapped in the cycle of reincarnation forever.

The origin of the child is quite ridiculous. The soul that is given is nothing more than a cleansed ghost. After crossing the Bridge of Helplessness and drinking the Meng Po soup, it is reincarnated.

Li Zichun once served tea and water at the Meng Po Pavilion for five hundred years, watching the endless queue of souls come and go, like an endless circular path, experiencing different lives, forgetting, experiencing again, experiencing again, life after life, without end...

He once asked Meng Po out of curiosity if souls had to repeat themselves endlessly after death.

Meng Po, with her legs crossed, pinched his nose with her delicate fingers and said, "Guess?"

Li Zichun just smiled faintly and didn't dare to reply.

He knew that if he dared to say another word, he would be killed by "Ta". It was best not to inquire about such a life-or-death secret if he was not strong enough.

Having witnessed the full spectrum of human nature and experienced all of life, when the cycle of reincarnation arrives, one will discover that it was all a joke.

What's so ridiculous? In this life, whoever is whose father might become your great-grandmother in the next. After going through all the kinship relationships, Meng Po stirs up the soup, causing the Yellow Springs water to whirlpool and change the direction of reincarnation, and then you enter the next cycle of reincarnation with a different surname.

Children are merely random gifts bestowed by heaven; no one can predict what they will become as they grow up. Education may help them become better people, and material comforts may provide them with a better life, but the human soul itself cannot be changed.

Born this way, and died this way. It's just that we enter the underworld again, carrying the filth of the mortal world, to be "purified" babies once more. And the "filth" is used to cultivate the red spider lilies, which are the main ingredient in brewing Meng Po's soup. In other words, we cleanse ourselves, endlessly, which is truly ridiculous.

Flowers bloom without leaves, and so do people. After death, they know nothing of their past lives, repeatedly exploited, roasted in the furnace of heaven and earth, where all living things are self-destructed. This cycle repeats endlessly, with no escape.

Li Zichun once asked a question while massaging Meng Po's shoulders and legs: "Is it really possible for no one to transcend the mortal world and attain true freedom?"

Meng Po exhaled a puff of smoke, which transformed from a wisp of gas into a large circle like the Milky Way before finally dissipating.

She seemed to say nothing, yet she also seemed to say everything.

Li Zichun seemed to have an epiphany. Amidst the sound of the opium pipe stirring the Yellow Springs River, a faint voice murmured: "The mortal world refines us, repeatedly tormented by the five senses, six desires, and seven emotions; how easy is it to achieve enlightenment..."

Du Zihua was about to say this, but seeing that he was lost in thought, staring blankly, and with one hand waving in front of him, she couldn't help but grab his hand and say, "What's wrong? Don't scare me. I was wrong, I shouldn't have asked. Don't leave me."

Li Zichun snapped out of his reverie and, seeing his nervous expression, patted his head and said with a smile, "It's nothing, I was just thinking about some old things."

Du Zihua hugged him tightly, making Li Zichun feel a little breathless. He said irritably, "If you keep hugging me like this, I'm going to be crushed by you."

Upon hearing this, Du Zihua did not let go, but slightly weakened his grip, and said calmly, "I'm afraid you'll run away if I let go."

Li Zichun bumped his head against his and said speechlessly, "This is the house I bought. Where can I run off to?"

Du Zihua reluctantly let go of her hand, looking aggrieved as if she had done something wrong.

Li Zichun shook his head helplessly, then pulled him into a hug, and the two lay down on the sofa. He stroked his soft hair and said with a smile, "You like children, don't you? I do too. But liking doesn't necessarily mean having. If you want one, you can talk about it after I leave."

Du Zihua drew circles against his chest and said weakly, "All I want is your child. I don't like any other person's."

Li Zichun chuckled and ruffled his hair, saying in an annoyed tone, "You brat, you're so good-looking. If you had a child who inherited your good looks, he would definitely be a handsome man in the future."

Du Zihua looked up with a smile and said, "Hehe, this is the first time you've ever complimented me on my looks."

Li Zichun reached out and brushed his stray hairs, gently stroking his thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, straight nose, and cherry-red lips with the silky smoothness of an army ant.

Du Zihua bit his finger, the flames in her eyes suddenly flaring up as she sucked, and another storm was brewing.

The issue of the child was left unresolved, but the fire that had been ignited was exceptionally fierce, as if it wanted to evaporate all the moisture in the body, unrestrained, disorderly, chaotic and violent, with a scorching yet gentle warm light.

Li Zichun was so exhausted that he collapsed onto the sofa like a dead fish, his eyelids twitching as he drifted off to sleep.

While he was asleep, Du Zihua quietly cleaned up the remains and carefully collected the essence in a test tube. After finishing everything, she gently lifted him up and carried him to bed to rest together.

When Li Zichun woke up, he felt sore all over, as if someone had squeezed him dry. He lay limp on Du Zihua's body, not wanting to move at all.

Li Zichun slept until the sun was high in the sky, and only then did she regain some energy. She traced circles on Du Zihua's body with her finger, pouting and saying seriously, "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect you to be so amazing last night, hehe~"

Du Zihua pulled the person in his arms closer, stroked his hair, and said, "Wasn't I amazing before?"

Without thinking, Li Zichun said, "Before, it was alright, but not as proactive, passionate, and unrestrained as yesterday, going crazy like that that couldn't be stopped."

Du Zihua whispered in his ear in a sexy, seductive, deep, bubbly voice, "So... do you... like it?"

Li Zichun met his seemingly smiling eyes again, and moved her head to meet his passionate kiss. In the silent back-and-forth probing, another romantic and unforgettable moment ensued.

The two seemed to want to meld each other into their very bones, relentlessly squeezing, crushing, and possessing one another...

When the two were finally exhausted, Li Zichun was also hungry.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of Zhao Qianfan's kindness. He would always prioritize his desires, prepare delicious and plentiful meals for him, tell him about the day's itinerary, prepare the necessary items for the trip in advance, and restrain his own desires, putting his preferences first. He wouldn't end up like this now, making excessive demands, feeling weak all over, and having to get up to order takeout or cook for himself.

Li Zichun didn't want to move today and just wanted to rest and enjoy himself, so he simply pulled Du Zihua out of bed and took him out to eat.

The two of them didn't care about their image at all, and with their hair all messy, they started strolling around the streets.

The first phase of construction of supporting facilities such as shopping malls and parks around the villa is already taking shape. There are not many people in the surrounding area, but there are still quite a few.

The two hadn't gone far from their doorstep when their tall stature and casual attire couldn't diminish their immense popularity; they were recognized by many people shortly after leaving.

Many people mustered up their courage and went up to ask if they could take a group photo. The two of them naturally accepted everyone's requests, and everyone quickly took the photo and left happily.

The paparazzi who were waiting nearby also caught wind of the situation, and the two quickly noticed and hurried to a nearby restaurant.

The two arrived at a high-end restaurant with a unique taste and style. After a satisfying meal in a private room, they sat down and chatted.

Just then, the voice of a resident singer rang out from the band stage outside. It was cool yet warm, which made Li Zichun feel very special. He couldn't help but stop chatting with Du Zihua and the two of them settled down to listen to the song.

The female singer sang his song "Angel in the Devil": "...If you took away my stubborn temper, would things be clearer? You can knock me down hard, but don't even think about me begging for mercy. You are an angel in the devil, so the way you break my heart is to make me laugh until the very last second, only to find a knife stuck in my chest. You are an angel in the devil, making hatred too vulgar, and letting the words 'thank you' flow from your eyes."

Call me crazy, but don't call me stupid...

This voice delighted Li Zichun, reminding him of Lin Xuehua's recommendations for "The Voice of China" and "Singing Great Songs." Although the show was already being recorded, contestants could still be selected to challenge the existing ones, and coincidentally, he had one spot available.

I was hesitant about using it before, but now it seems like I can give this newcomer a push.

Li Zichun called over a waiter and delivered a message to the girl, asking if she wanted to participate in the show, and if she could come over to talk after she finished singing.

Du Zihua watched and listened silently from the side. After a long while, he said with a half-smile, "Wow, it seems this girl is about to have a stroke of good luck."

Li Zichun tapped her forehead noncommittally: "Hehe, she just has a bit of talent. As for whether she can become famous, that's up to fate. I can't help her forever."

The girl's name was Sun Xiaoling. She finished singing a song quickly and hesitated backstage for a while. She thought it was another customer who was sexually harassing her. She originally wanted to refuse, but out of politeness and work requirements, she still had to come over in person to meet with him.

She was so surprised to see Li Zichun and Du Zihua as soon as she entered the private room that she almost lost control of her brain.

In her interview years later, she said that her mind went blank at the time, racing, wondering whether she should go along with it or pounce on them if they wanted to take advantage of her.

One is the uncrowned king of the music scene, and the other is a top male god in three fields. Both are my idols. Which one should I choose? It's so hard to decide.

Before she could finish her dream, Li Zichun asked her to sit down and started talking about the selection process for challengers on "The Voice of China" and "The Great Song of China". He asked her if she was interested in participating, and if she passed the selection, he could write a song for her to participate in the subsequent competitions.

Sun Xiaoling had never seen anything like this before. She never expected that such a windfall would fall into her lap. Looking back, she only remembered Li Zichun's chattering lips and Du Zihua's ambiguous smile. She had agreed in a daze.

When she finally stood on the stage of "The Voice of China" and passed the challenge round, and participated in the recording of the TV program, she felt as if she were in a fog.

Of course, all of this was inseparable from Li Zichun's help, because the song he gave her was Faye Wong's "Red Bean":

I haven't even had a chance to properly experience the weather when the snowflakes are blooming.

We'll understand what gentleness is better when we tremble together.

We haven't even held hands yet and walked across the barren sand dunes.

Perhaps from now on, I will learn to cherish eternity and forever.

Sometimes, I believe that everything has an end.

There is a time for meeting and a time for parting.

Nothing is immortal

But sometimes I'd rather choose to linger and not let go.

When we've seen all the scenery, perhaps you'll stay with me to watch the gentle flow of time.

I haven't yet cooked red beans into a lingering wound for you.

Then, sharing it together will help us better understand the sorrow of unrequited love.

I haven't even had a chance to properly savor the tenderness of a kiss while I'm awake.

Perhaps it's only when I'm around that you pursue the freedom of solitude.

......"

Li Zichun wrote the lyrics on a napkin he casually pulled from the table, then handed it to her and hummed it once. As for the rest, that was up to her own comprehension.

She needs to play and transcribe the melody herself, and the level she can achieve depends on her own efforts; this is also a test of her abilities.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Red Bean" is a song with lyrics by Lin Xi, music by Liu Chongyan, arrangement by Alex San, and sung by Faye Wong. It was included in Faye Wong's 1998 album "Singing and Wandering". In 1999, the song won the Hong Kong Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award.