Cheng Yifei glanced at Liu Yucong and his group, who were currently glaring at the student who had dropped the basin. He found the sight somewhat amusing.
The final exams lasted two and a half days.
When the last subject ended, Fei Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had spent all his spare time resting just so he could maintain his focus during the exams. He had done his best; now, he would leave the rest to fate.
He didn't have many belongings and wasn't in a hurry to pack. Most of the other students, however, had packed their bags that morning. As soon as the exams were over, they said their goodbyes and left immediately.
Cheng Yifei was helping Fei Cheng pack his clothes and was about to ask how he planned to get his luggage home when Fei Cheng’s grandparents arrived.
Only five or six students who weren't in a rush to head home remained in the dormitory. The corridor was a mess, strewn with piles of trash.
Grandpa and Grandma Fei seemed accustomed to such sights. They walked in with beaming smiles, stepping over the scraps of paper.
"Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Grandma," Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing greeted the elders, pausing their work.
"Ah, hello, hello!" Grandma Fei’s smile grew even more tender when she saw Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing holding her grandson’s things. "Thank you for helping Chengcheng pack. He’s such a lazybones."
Fei Cheng was holding a pair of slippers, looking for a plastic bag to put them in before tossing them into a bucket. Hearing her voice, he turned around in surprise. "Grandpa, you’re here so early. I haven't finished packing yet."
Grandma Fei walked over and felt Fei Cheng’s forehead. "I’ll help you pack in a bit. Are you feeling any better? Have you been taking your medicine on time?" Her smile quickly faded into a look of worry. "Why do you still have a fever?"
Hearing this, Grandpa Fei came over to check as well. He made an immediate decision. "We have to go see Dr. Dai again. He said if the fever didn't break, we had to go back to the hospital immediately."
Fei Cheng was pulled aside by his grandfather in a daze. Grandma Fei took the items from his hands and briskly packed his luggage. Having done farm work her entire life, she was quite strong; she hoisted the bags and prepared to leave, not forgetting to tell Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing, "His grandfather and I are taking Chengcheng to see the doctor now. Be careful on your way home, boys. If you have time during the break, come visit Chengcheng. He won't have much to do."
Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing obediently agreed.
Fei Cheng was led away by his grandfather. It wasn't until they reached the bottom of the dormitory stairs that he realized he hadn't even said goodbye to Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing.
Yu Qing shouldered his backpack and whispered, "Chengcheng’s grandparents really dote on him, coming all this way to pick him up. My parents didn't even accompany me for registration on the first day of school. I have to handle everything myself, from the start of the term to the holidays."
Cheng Yifei swept all the trash on the floor into a woven sack to throw away. Hearing Yu Qing’s grumbling, he didn't even look at him as he asked, "Are you sure you're alone?"
Yu Qing instantly regained his energy. "No, no, I still have a good brother like you with me. Let’s go, let’s go home."
***
Fei Cheng didn't even make it home; his grandfather took him straight to the hospital.
After a series of examinations, the doctor insisted on hospitalization. A high fever that persisted for a week was a serious matter, and the cause had to be found.
Once the exams were over, Fei Cheng’s mind and body relaxed, allowing the illness to seize the opportunity to surge back with a vengeance. As a result, Fei Cheng stayed in the hospital for over a week without fully recovering. His condition fluctuated unpredictably.
The doctor couldn't find the cause either and suggested transferring Fei Cheng to the county hospital.
This terrified the two elders. They hurriedly called their son to ask for his opinion. On the other end of the line, Fei Cheng’s father told them to follow the doctor’s advice and move him to the county hospital, showing no intention of returning himself.
Grandma Fei stayed by her grandson’s side. He had grown noticeably thinner and remained in a deep sleep. Her eyes reddened as she sighed. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something. She stood up and said to Grandpa Fei, "Old man, I need to go to Xihuang Temple to ask for guidance."
"Yes, go and ask. Don't worry, and be careful on the road. I'll watch over Chengcheng here." Grandpa Fei paced back and forth at the foot of the bed.
Fei Cheng had no idea his grandparents were worried sick. His mental state was poor; to put it bluntly, he looked no different from someone on the verge of death. His consciousness was blurred, and he spent his days lost in dreams.
He was looking for someone.
That person was also looking for him.
He traveled across mountains and rivers, through forests and deserts, cities and villages. He didn't know how long he had been walking; he only knew he couldn't wake up. If he woke up, he would never find them.
At dusk, he came upon a grassy field. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves and caressed his cheeks. He felt that this was the place.
He waited quietly, waiting for the person who kept calling his name to appear.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from behind. He turned and saw a young girl about ten years old.
The girl stood a few paces away, her clear, watery eyes looking at Fei Cheng timidly. "I'm glad I made it in time."
"Who are you?" Fei Cheng looked at her, puzzled.
"I am Fei Cheng."
"Huh?"
"I am the original Fei Cheng—the original owner of this body!"
"What?" Fei Cheng’s eyes widened slightly. What was going on?
The girl breathed a sigh of relief. "My task was successful. The System said it could grant me one wish, and I said I wanted to see you. But the condition for our meeting was that your consciousness had to be at its weakest. So, I'm sorry about these past few days."
Fei Cheng understood a little, yet remained confused. "What task did you succeed in? Is it that System..."
"Shh—" The girl interrupted him. "Time is running out. I just wanted to come and see you. Are you doing well?" she asked sincerely.
Fei Cheng said blankly, "I'm doing alright. Is there something you can't let go of?"
The girl gave an awkward smile. "Don't think of me as some vengeful spirit who refuses to reincarnate. But if possible, could you please take care of Grandpa and Grandma? They are the best people in the world; they would never, ever hurt you. As for everything else, it doesn't matter. Just protect yourself and live life your own way. Don't worry about anything else. I wish you success in your task. Take care."
Fei Cheng pressed further, "What if I don't complete the task?"
The girl silently mouthed the words: *You will remain stagnant in this world until your life ends.*
Fei Cheng felt a sudden jolt in his heart. He instinctively snapped his eyes open, only to see a pale yellow ceiling. Beside him, he heard Grandma Fei’s hushed, joyful voice. "He’s awake, he’s awake! It really was a case of offending something he shouldn't have!"
Fei Cheng moved his eyes and saw his grandparents looking at him with faces full of worry. Ignoring the aches in his body, he pushed himself up from the bed.
Grandma Fei supported him, muttering, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
He spat out some ash from his mouth and looked at the cup in Grandma Fei’s hand with a bewildered expression. There was half a charred yellow talisman inside. He seemed to realize what he had just drunk!
Half a month later, a fully recovered Fei Cheng was still wondering if the person he met in his dream was real. Had the original owner really been reborn in another world? Did she have a task just like him? And she had already completed it?
If failing the task meant his life would end in this world, then what was the result of completing it? Eternal life? That couldn't be right...
He was still lost in thought when he heard his grandmother calling from the courtyard. "Chengcheng, come down quickly! Xiaofei and the others are here to play!"
Fei Cheng stood up and peeked out the window. Seeing the figures of Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing, he called back an acknowledgment and ran downstairs.
***
Ten days after the holidays began, it was the Lunar New Year. On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, it was Yu Qing’s birthday. He invited Fei Cheng and Cheng Yifei to the town to eat and drink to their hearts' content. After a day of wild fun, he managed to drag Fei Cheng back to stay the night.
They stayed at Cheng Yifei’s house, the three of them squeezed onto a 1.8-meter wide bed.
Yu Qing was used to sleeping alone and tended to toss and turn. Fei Cheng, sleeping in the middle, was woken up three or four times by Yu Qing’s flailing arms. In a fit of annoyance, he kicked Yu Qing, turned over, and hugged Cheng Yifei before falling back into a deep sleep.
Cheng Yifei was woken by Fei Cheng’s movement. Once he realized who was hugging him, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. He turned on his side, resting his hand on Fei Cheng’s waist and nuzzling his chin against the boy's hair before drifting back to sleep.
Outside the window, dark clouds obscured the moon, making it pitch black. The air carried a faint scent of damp earth. A cold wind swept briskly under the eaves, cheering for the impending storm.
In the room, the sounds of three people breathing rose and fell. One of them was noticeably louder and heavier than the others.
When large raindrops began to patter against the window, the heavy breathing stopped. Cheng Yifei was awake.
He stared blankly at the person in his arms, not daring to breathe deeply or move.
It wasn't until a sudden clap of thunder rang out that he realized what he was doing. He hurriedly let go, moved the other’s hand away, backed off, and scrambled out of bed.
Drenched in a cold sweat, he fumbled his way out of the room in the dark.
With a *click*, the bathroom light flickered on.
Cheng Yifei locked the door and turned on the faucet. The sound of rushing water competed with the rain outside. He splashed several handfuls of cold water onto his face, only stopping when he felt the heat in his body begin to subside.
He panted, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Droplets of water slid down his cheeks, falling one by one into the sink.
"Fuck."
Cheng Yifei suddenly grabbed his own hair with both hands and pulled downward in frustration.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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西皇庙 | Xihuang Temple | A local temple mentioned by Grandma Fei.
黄符纸 | Yellow talisman paper | Used in folk medicine/Taoist rituals; often burned and the ashes mixed with water to drink.
戴医生 | Dr. Dai | The local doctor treating Fei Cheng.
小飞 | Xiaofei | A nickname for Cheng Yifei.
二十七 | Twenty-seventh | Referring to the 27th day of the 12th lunar month, just before Chinese New Year.
