The relationship and distance between lovers are much like the sun and the earth. In the galaxy of human connection, love keeps me in a constant revolution around you; yet at the same time, I have my own days and nights, spinning in my own rotation, turn after turn. It is thanks to the revolution and rotation of this planet that day and night, spring, summer, autumn, and winter are able to cycle and change, making time feel eternal and profound.
On the very night Liang Juejun went to the hospital to visit Cao Jing, Xia Yinuo made a special trip to visit Cai Kun, an old friend of her father, Xia Yan.
Cai Kun had been Xia Yan’s classmate. In his early years, he worked in the field of epigraphy and calligraphy; he was a deeply low-key and refined man. Every year when the new tea hit the market, Xia Yan would always take Xia Yinuo to Cai Kun’s home to brew a pot of tea, discussing the past and present while surveying the state of the world.
When Xia Yinuo arrived for her visit, the happiest person was naturally Auntie Cai. She took Xia Yinuo’s hand, her eyes practically sparkling with affection as she praised her repeatedly. "Xiao Bao is getting more and more beautiful!" Cai Kun naturally understood his wife’s thoughts; the couple had only one son, who was around Xia Yinuo’s age, and they had always lamented not having a sweet, caring daughter of their own.
Xia Yinuo smiled politely. "Uncle Cai, I actually have something I’d like to trouble you with today."
Cai Kun replied heartily, "Oh? Is that so? Just say the word, Xiao Bao. If I can help, I certainly will!"
Xia Yinuo pursed her lips and smiled. "It’s like this—I want to learn how to carve seals myself. But I’m starting from zero, and since you’re an expert in this field, I wanted to ask if you could help teach me some basic techniques."
"Ai, what expert? When I was young, I was just a familiar face in the trade. Nowadays, not many people care about this craft anymore!"
"How could that be? This is an art form. We of the younger generation are shallow in our knowledge; there is so much we need to learn."
"Haha! Good! Then let’s go to the study. I’ll show you some things." As Cai Kun led Xia Yinuo to the study, he asked, "Have you heard much about seal carving before?"
Xia Yinuo spoke truthfully. "In middle school art class, the teacher taught us a little bit, but it wasn't anything substantial."
"In that case, we’ll tailor the lesson to your needs and keep it simple." Cai Kun fished his glasses out of his shirt pocket, put them on, and began to speak eloquently. "The art of seal carving, or *zhuanke*, is the art of making seals by combining calligraphy and engraving. It is a unique artistic form of Chinese characters. Its history spans over three thousand years."
Xia Yinuo nodded seriously.
Cai Kun took a cardboard box out of a drawer, filled with various types of seal stones. He picked one up at random and explained, "For a beginner, Qingtian stone is one of the most common materials. This stone is produced in Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province, hence the name. Qingtian stone has a fine, moist texture and takes the blade easily, allowing for a rich expression of the knife's character. It comes in colors like green, yellow, pale red, and greenish-gray. Among them, 'Light-frozen,' 'Ginkgo-frozen,' and 'Pine-flower-frozen' are more precious, while the high-grade 'Fengmen Qing' is the most famous."
Xia Yinuo also picked up a stone, holding it up to examine it closely under the light.
"As for the knife techniques... carving copper or jade requires great strength and deep skill, and the process is quite complex. But good stone takes the force beautifully, just as fine paper takes ink. Where the iron pen travels, stone chips scatter, creating a natural splintering effect. The lines left behind possess a primitive, vigorous aura of metal and stone. The commonly used techniques can be roughly divided into *chongdao*—the thrusting cut—and *qiedao*—the slicing cut. The thrusting cut moves briskly, like a sudden torrent, expressing a powerful and dripping momentum; it is the specialty of the Anhui School. The slicing cut moves more slowly, using short, fragmented strokes in succession, one step at a time, expressing a forceful, condensed, and steady atmosphere; this is the specialty of the Xiling Seal Art Society of the Zhejiang School. Combining the two techniques yields even better results. You’re a medical student and you do experiments year-round, so your manual dexterity certainly won't be an issue."
Xia Yinuo smiled. "Why don't you demonstrate for me, Uncle Cai?"
Cai Kun beamed. "To talk without practicing would indeed be unjustifiable. It really has been a few years since I’ve played around with carving a seal!"
There was no time like the present. With that, Cai Kun found his tools, set them out, and began to carve a seal.
"Now, here is a set of seal carving tools: a carving knife and the most ordinary Qingtian stone." Xia Yinuo watched as Cai Kun first used sandpaper to grind the surface of the stone evenly. "The stones you buy are all coated in wax. We have to grind off that thin layer of wax to facilitate the subsequent operations. Be careful to apply pressure evenly so you don't grind it into a slant."
Xia Yinuo nodded in agreement.
Cai Kun cut a small piece of translucent tracing paper and used a small brush to write the character 'Xia' in seal script. Xia Yinuo smiled knowingly.
Cai Kun said, "Seal script might look a bit foreign at first, but it’s actually quite easy to get started with. Of course, mastering it is very difficult. If you trace it back to its origins, there are always traces of physical forms to follow, which is why seal script possesses such aesthetic quality. Note that you must use thick ink; if you add too much water, the tracing paper will wrinkle. If you feel you can't grasp the size of the character well, you can use a pencil to draw a grid on the paper first."
"Just like when we first learned to write in elementary school," Xia Yinuo joked.
"Exactly!" Cai Kun nodded with a smile, carefully flipping the tracing paper over to transfer the reversed character onto the polished stone surface. "Actually, it doesn't matter if you don't know how to use a brush. You can print out the character you want to carve, place the paper face down on the stone, and then dab it with banana oil—or even the nail polish remover you girls use. Rub the paper slowly, and it will transfer the character onto the stone. You can try that at home; it's very convenient."
Xia Yinuo spread her hands and looked at them. "I don't wear nail polish, but we do have banana oil in the lab."
Cai Kun fixed the seal stone into a wooden tool, adjusted his glasses, and picked up the carving knife. "This is called a seal bed; it's used to hold the stone in place. This grip is called the 'surrounding grip.' See? Just like holding a brush, use your first three fingers to hold the knife and your ring finger to brace against the stone. In terms of difficulty, the slicing cut is harder. As a beginner, we’ll just use the thrusting cut."
As soon as Cai Kun finished speaking, he began to move the blade. Xia Yinuo leaned in to watch closely. In less than three minutes, the initial shape of the seal script character 'Xia' had formed.
"The initial carving looks like this—a bit messy, it still needs refinement." Cai Kun used his finger to dab some nearly dry, sticky ink and lightly tapped it onto the carved stone surface.
"Doing this makes it much clearer how the carving turned out. At this point, you have to check where things are off or where the carving isn't good enough."
As he spoke, Cai Kun poured a bit of the stone powder he had ground off earlier onto the surface, patted it even, and began to make adjustments.
"When refining, you still have to pay attention to your knife technique. Never rub the knife back and forth, otherwise the seal will lose its spirit. The impression it leaves will look sloppy and ugly."
Xia Yinuo nodded repeatedly.
Once the refinements were nearly finished, Cai Kun brushed away the stone dust, blew on it, and then took out a box of seal paste. He lightly dabbed the stone and pressed the seal onto paper.
"Cinnabar seal paste—fine texture, bright color, yet steady."
Xia Yinuo gave him a thumbs up, clicking her tongue in admiration.
Cai Kun laughed. "These are just minor skills, not worth mentioning."
Xia Yinuo countered, "Not at all. Your craftsmanship is uncanny, Uncle Cai. My jaw is practically on the floor!"
Cai Kun laughed heartily.
Auntie Cai brought over a fruit platter and chided, "You, dragging Xiao Bao into your tinkering for so long. Even if you aren't tired, she is. Take a break and eat something. You two were so serious I didn't have the heart to interrupt."
Xia Yinuo took the platter, thanked Auntie Cai, and continued to ask, "Uncle Cai, could you help me pick out a piece of seal stone that would be suitable for a collection after it's carved?"
Cai Kun frowned in thought. "The current market for seal materials is quite messy. The Fengmen Qing on the market can range from dozens or hundreds of yuan to tens of thousands. Let me think... I should still have some photos here from a friend who runs a shop specializing in epigraphy and seal carving. The materials and prices are quite suitable. Let me find them for you."
Cai Kun began rummaging around. It took a while, but he finally found a few photos, looking as happy as if he’d won the lottery. "Found them! Let's take a look!" Cai Kun muttered as he beckoned Xia Yinuo over.
"Look, this one is a 'Fengmen Qing Five-Color Frozen Plain Square Seal.' Qingtian Five-Color Frozen has rich and varied colors with beautiful patterns, like a natural painting. This one is a 'Qingtian Frozen Archaic Knob Seal'; the texture is relatively firm and brittle, the color pure and elegant—a fine choice for carving. The third one, let me see... oh, a 'Fengmen Qing Guardian Lion Knob Seal.' The color is pure, the texture fine, and the lion knob carving is primitive and robust. And the last one, a 'Fengmen Qing Plain Square Seal.' It has no decoration at all; it's moist and possesses an inner beauty."
Xia Yinuo pointed at the photo. "I like this last one, the Fengmen Qing Plain Square Seal. It's reserved and dignified, low-key and not ostentatious."
Cai Kun nodded in approval. "Very good!"
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Cai, to help me acquire the stone."
"What trouble? It's rare to see someone with your level of interest. I have two books here; take them home and have a look."
"Okay."
After saying goodbye to Uncle and Auntie Cai, Xia Yinuo happily weighed her plans as she drove home. While waiting at a red light at a crossroad, she spotted Gu Yizhi in the distance.
On this cold winter night, Gu Yizhi was wrapped in a heavy coat, squatting at the intersection while making a phone call. Her face was full of anxiety, and a Golden Retriever lay at her feet.
After a moment's hesitation, as soon as the light turned green, Xia Yinuo drove her car over to Gu Yizhi’s side.
Lowering the window, Xia Yinuo called out, "Senior Gu?"
"Xiao Xia?!"
"What's happened...?"
"Do you know where the nearest pet hospital is?"
Xia Yinuo looked around and then nodded. Without a word, Gu Yizhi opened the car door and carefully maneuvered the dog into the back seat. The Golden Retriever looked listless and weak.
Xia Yinuo didn't ask any more questions and drove straight to the entrance of a pet hospital. It was nine o'clock at night, and the hospital was already closed. Seeing Gu Yizhi’s frantic state, Xia Yinuo had no choice but to call a former classmate who had studied veterinary medicine as an undergraduate. The classmate recommended a 24-hour pet hospital that required driving nearly halfway across City C.
Along the way, to soothe the worried Gu Yizhi, Xia Yinuo asked what symptoms the Golden Retriever was showing.
Gu Yizhi replied, "He hasn't been eating much since yesterday. I thought he was just being moody. I went to work during the day and left food and water, but when I came back tonight, he started vomiting. He's thrown up several times, he's so lethargic, and his stomach seems to be in pain."
Xia Yinuo glanced at the Golden Retriever through the rearview mirror. The dog lay motionless in the back seat while Gu Yizhi gently stroked his head.
Xia Yinuo asked, "Was the vomit chyme, or was it foamy mucus or gastric juice?"
Gu Yizhi said, "That... at first it was chyme, but after everything in his stomach was gone, it was just mucus."
Xia Yinuo: "Does he have an appetite? Or is he drinking a lot of water?"
Gu Yizhi: "No appetite. He vomits as soon as he drinks water."
Xia Yinuo: "Then why didn't you get him to a hospital sooner?"
Gu Yizhi: "I..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I know you're very busy with work." Realizing she had been rude, Xia Yinuo quickly apologized. "Looking at his symptoms, it's likely acute gastroenteritis. It shouldn't be anything too serious, so don't worry too much yet."
Gu Yizhi sighed. "I hope so. Of all times, my car is in for maintenance. I didn't expect something like this to happen."
Once they reached the pet hospital and the examination was done, the veterinarian said almost exactly what Xia Yinuo had: "This is acute gastroenteritis. It could be caused by eating spoiled food, overeating, a foreign object, or irritating medication. The main symptoms are depression, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The dog's thirst increases, but vomiting occurs immediately after drinking. Appetite is significantly reduced or absent, and the dog may appear restless due to abdominal pain. In severe cases of vomiting, dehydration or electrolyte imbalance may occur. In the mouth, you can often see a yellowish-white coating on the tongue and smell an odor."
Gu Yizhi asked, "What should we do?"
The vet replied, "It's simple. I'll start by giving him an intravenous injection of glucose and saline. After that, you must restrict his diet and stop feeding him for 24 hours. If there is no more vomiting during that time, you can give him small amounts of water frequently to keep his mouth moist. Then, feed him sugar-salt rice water or liquid foods that are high in sugar, low in fat, low in protein, and easy to digest. Gradually return to a normal diet after a few days. I'll also prescribe some stomach-strengthening tablets to mix into his food three times a day."
Gu Yizhi was still a bit uneasy. "That's all it takes?"
The vet nodded. "Yes. However, I must remind you that your dog isn't young anymore—he's about eight or nine, right? You need to pay more attention to his diet. You can't neglect him just because you're busy with work."
Gu Yizhi looked ashamed. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Doctor!"
Xia Yinuo went outside to call Liang Juejun, briefly explaining the situation—without mentioning the seal, of course—and saying she might be home a bit late. Liang Juejun said okay and told her to be safe.
When she went back inside, Gu Yizhi had already finished the paperwork. The Golden Retriever had to stay at the pet hospital overnight for IV fluids and observation, and Gu Yizhi finally let out a long sigh of relief.
By the time they walked out of the hospital, it was past ten o'clock. Gu Yizhi got into Xia Yinuo’s car without the slightest bit of ceremony. Xia Yinuo thought to herself—*Fine, I'll see this through to the end.*
Sitting in the passenger seat this time, Gu Yizhi was much more relaxed. She asked, "I didn't expect you to know anything about veterinary medicine?"
Xia Yinuo glanced at her phone, looking a bit distracted. "I studied clinical medicine; humans and animals are quite similar."
Gu Yizhi: "I thought maybe you had a dog too."
Xia Yinuo: "To be honest, I'm a bit afraid of large dogs. Plus, I'm a bit of a neat freak, so I don't keep dogs."
Gu Yizhi exclaimed, "No way! Dogs are so cute, and you're actually worried about them being dirty?"
Xia Yinuo laughed. "Senior Gu, I didn't say I thought they were dirty, I just don't have the heart for it. Besides, you develop feelings for pets, and it's a very cruel thing when the time comes to part, isn't it?"
Gu Yizhi remarked, "A typical pessimist."
Xia Yinuo countered, "Don't paint everyone with the same brush. I actually do have a pet."
Gu Yizhi: "Really? Don't tell me it's the mice and rabbits in the lab!"
Xia Yinuo: "I keep things with long lifespans and strong vitality, the kind that can stay with you for a long time. For example, turtles."
Gu Yizhi said, "I couldn't tell, but you're quite the devoted person. You're a good kid!"
Xia Yinuo: "I'm not a kid anymore. Don't you know the lab is ruled by the post-90s generation now?"
"Psh, in my heart, you're all kids," Gu Yizhi waved her hand dismissively. "Hey, I haven't seen you wear glasses before."
Xia Yinuo: "I only wear them when I'm driving."
Gu Yizhi’s phone rang, the sound exceptionally loud in the quiet car. Gu Yizhi glanced at it and hung up. It rang again; she hung up again. Xia Yinuo looked at her but said nothing.
When the phone rang a third time, Gu Yizhi finally answered.
Whatever the person on the other end said, Gu Yizhi only replied coldly, "Lin Shen, do you think the whole world revolves around you? Go back to your meeting!" With that, she hung up and promptly turned off the phone.
***
**Glossary**
