痕書站

　　天微微亮，柳延醒過來。昨夜折騰出不少汗，伊墨將他捂得嚴實，不曾受涼，所以醒來時，柳延未覺得頭重，除了腰身有些軟綿酸痛，倒是難得的神清氣爽。糾纏了數天的低熱，不醫而愈。
　　柳延探著自己的額頭，想起這三世，除了第一世體弱，時常發病，餘下兩世，都是健健康康，就是有病，也是心病。
　　如前世季玖，初遇伊墨後大病一場，若不是小女俯在身上的童聲咿呀喚醒神智，也不知要病多久。
　　柳延想起前世女兒，而今不知已是誰家婦，又或者早已離世。腦子裡對女兒所有的印象，只有那個嬌嫩嫩的小人兒，嗲著染紅的指甲，張著小嘴等奶娘餵飯時的嬌憨模樣。自然的，他又想起季樂平。
　　父子間反目相向，不是不惆悵，終歸是骨肉血親，遇上時內心裡自然軟下一角，因這份柔軟，被刺到時，也就更痛些。
　　
　　柳延閉上眼又睜開，伊墨已經醒了，正一聲不吭地望著他，眼神通透，將他一切都看得明白。
　　伊墨撫著他的背，像是安慰，又隱隱的，似乎帶了兩分歉疚。也說不上歉疚什麼，或許只是感同身受，卻又幫不上什麼忙，便有了歉疚。這世間只有最親愛的人，才會如此恨不能以己身，替他憂和痛。
　　柳延重新閉上眼，臉頰湊過去，蹭在伊墨臉上。兩人呼吸交織在一處，對方心思也都了然於胸，各自靜下來，摒了那些紛紛擾擾雜亂無序，依偎相守，享這一時安寧無憂。
　　直至天色大亮。
　　
　　院子裡有了響動，是沈玨起床燒水，又打掃院子。院子掃乾淨了，沈玨才端著熱水，在門外喚他們起床。這些本該下人們忙碌的尋常瑣事，他做起來倒是得心應手，畢竟活了兩百多年，有些法力在身，這些小事難不住他，且從中得了許多樂趣，譬如做飯，無事時自己鑽在廚房裡研究，做得愈發好了。早先柳延不願意他辛苦，欲雇人來做這些雜活，沈玨都拒絕的乾淨。或許是知道日子不長，只有這樣的親力親為才能安心。
　　“爹，起床了沒？”喚了一聲沒反應，沈玨鍥而不捨，繼續在門口喚。他也只是喚喚，不敢冒然推門，誰曉得裡面會是什麼光景——雖然自家爹爹面皮薄，伊墨的臉皮有多厚，沈玨還是清楚的。況且那老妖蛇，愛捉弄家人的脾性從未削減分毫。
　　
　　木門無聲無息地開了，屋裡兩人正在收拾自己的衣衫不整，沈玨將手中木盆白巾等物放在桌上，過去探了探柳延的額頭，欣喜地道：“爹，病好了。”
　　“好了，”柳延穿好衣袍，正蘸著青鹽漱口，說話時險些咬了自己一口，頓時不再說話，待洗漱完了，才道：“我想今日回山。”
　　“不玩了？”沈玨問。
　　“不了，遊玩雖熱鬧，太鬧了我又不習慣，不如山上安靜。”
　　沈玨說：“我也想回去了。”
　　伊墨取過一旁青鹽，正準備漱口，聞言頓時插了一句：“想你那小松樹精？”
　　“松樹精？”柳延一愣，放下手中濕巾，目光在他們父子身上游離一遍，最後停在沈玨臉上。
　　本來，山中多精魅，只因伊墨是半仙的妖，山中尋常精魅都躲得遠遠的，怕被他抓了，辛辛苦苦修煉的道行毀於一旦。所以柳延雖有妖為伴兩百多年，但除了伊墨和沈玨，別的妖物至今未曾見過一個。莫說妖，連精鬼都沒見過。可是，也有跑不掉的小妖精，比如那山中的松樹精，本身紮根土壤，不曾得道成仙，脫離不了本身。所以，逃也逃不掉，明明怕得要死，卻也只能在山中待著。
　　沈玨無意中便發現了這躲不掉的小樹精。
　　確實是精，連人形都化的虛虛渺渺，若遊魂一般。山中歲月過的緩慢，沈玨倒是與它相識了，偶爾也談談天，不曾有任何非分之想，可惜這話讓伊墨一說，活生生就被扭曲的變了味。
　　
　　沈玨解釋了一下，看向柳延，柳延眼神是正直的，聞言道：“那更好，我們回山，你也見見朋友。”
　　伊墨漱口畢，道：“你想將它收了房也可，將來也有人陪。”
　　沈玨啞了許久，才回擊一句：“要收您收，我爹同意，我也不介意多個小爹。”
　　柳延聞言輕歎一聲：“我這爹做的不好，你嫌棄也是應該。”話說的平平靜靜，眼底促狹一閃而逝，明擺著欺負自己兒子，且從中得了許多樂子。近墨者黑。
　　沈玨急忙喊：“哪有的事！”
　　伊墨在一旁快活地添油加醋：“我是見它對你有心，你不願意就作罷，平白嫌棄你爹作甚？”
　　“我……”我哪有！
　　一家子正在熱熱鬧鬧的鬥嘴時，院門被叩響了，銅環砸在門板上，“砰砰”作響。
　　鬥嘴聲立時停下，沈玨端了水盆出去，將水潑在院中，放下木盆去開門。院門打開，來客是季樂平。
　　幾天沒見，這人幾乎瘦了一圈，眼裡佈滿血絲，神情頹靡沮喪，似是受了許多煎熬。這樣子確實有幾分可憐，沈玨猶豫了一下，放他進了庭院。
　　“你候著。”沈玨說著去找柳延。
　　
　　柳延雖未出屋，卻已經從伊墨處得知來客是誰，正忖度要不要相見，此時房門被推開，沈玨探頭進來道：“爹啊，是季樂平。”冬日的陽光不夠溫暖，光線卻燦爛，照在門畔的青年臉上，面容英挺，笑容璀璨，似乎是無憂無慮。卻不知道房裡的爹爹，硬生生從他狀似無憂的臉上，瞅出了兩分忐忑的端倪。
　　只一眼，柳延就知道了沈玨的心情，七分彷徨不安，三分茫然無措。這半年來，將自己內心藏著捂著的，還有沈玨——伊墨餘生半年之期，半年後這個家只怕會煙消雲散。沈玨內心的忐忑，只怕比他們更甚。柳延知道，他一直是個戀家的孩子，否則也不會跟著伊墨尋自己，一尋就是百年。
　　轉瞬間便有了決斷，柳延笑了一下，淡淡道：“你去告訴他，季玖屍骨早已入土，讓他回去吧，這裡沒有他要找的人。”
　　沈玨聞言驚疑片刻，道：“若是他不肯走？”
　　柳延一瞪眼，道：“趕人都不會了嗎？”
　　沈玨一溜小跑，趕人去了。
　　
　　沈玨一走，柳延坐在椅子上，低頭擺弄桌上茶盞，容色恬靜，只有羽睫偶爾輕顫一下，遮住了眼。
　　活著便是這樣，有許許多多為難的地方，在無數條岔路面前，總要有人做出抉擇，從哪裡開始，往哪裡去，一路與何人為伴。
　　三生三世，他做了許多這樣的抉擇，有好的也有不好的，有對的，自然也有錯的。而不論好與不好，對或者錯，一路陪伴在身邊的，也只有這兩個人。不論他做出抉擇時，給他們帶來多少傷痛，想要陪伴的心情也從來沒有改變過。這樣一份心情，便抵得上一切。
　　外面熙熙攘攘的人群，兩百年前是他的路人，兩百年後，還是他的路人。同樣，他也是這些人生命裡的過客。
　　最後陪伴在生命裡，相互依靠，彼此幫攜的，只有他們三個。
　　曾經的路很難走，也一路鮮血淋漓地走過來了，互相傷害過詆毀過，最終也都各自原諒了。依然能在一起。
　　在一起。哪怕一天，對他們來說也彌足珍貴。容不得質疑與詆毀。
　　伊墨走過去，撫著他的頭問：“難過了嗎？”
　　“有一點，”柳延回道：“只是一點。因為，季樂平的爹確實死了。”
　　確實死了。季玖。
　　屍骨入土這麼多年，再活過來的是重入輪回的柳延。只是得了伊墨的付出，才有了三生記憶，如果伊墨沒有這麼做，而今的柳延，照樣還是季樂平生命中的過客，或許連路人都算不上。
　　前一世的季玖，遇到了英明的帝王，所以能夠實現抱負。
　　也同樣是因為帝王的多疑嬗變，季玖一死以酬知遇之恩，保季家太平。那一世他不欠誰，誰也不欠他。
　　對兒女，他有思戀與惆悵，卻並不是很難過。或許是因為很早很早的時候，他就知道，自己會離開。
　　
　　“季玖真的死了嗎？”伊墨蹲下身，手搭在柳延膝上，揚頭望著他的眼，輕聲問：“死了嗎？”
　　柳延閃開他的視線，稍後又挪回來，迎上去，道：“那棺木你都鑽過，裡面可不是一個死人？”
　　“是。”伊墨說。
　　柳延抿了抿唇，突然道：“你藏的那幅畫在哪裡，拿給我看。”
　　他說的是那副火盆裡取出的畫，伊墨拿出來，兩人將畫卷展開，隔了近七十年光陰，畫紙微黃，畫中景物卻依舊鮮鮮潤，飛舞的桃花，糾纏的肢體，那年那月作畫的心境似乎又歸回腦海，柳延眨了眨眼，眼角濕潤，泛起了紅。
　　“弄些筆墨來，”柳延說。
　　顏料墨汁，粗細不一的毫筆，便呈在桌案上。
　　柳延走向桌案，將畫卷鋪展其上，自己研墨，待墨汁研好，才提筆一笑：“我再添些。”
　　伊墨走到他身旁，靜靜望著那幅畫。
　　
　　院裡人聲漸消了，沈玨送走賓客後重新關好門，趕去廚房忙碌著一家人早上的吃食。抓了一把白米撒進鍋，加了水，小火慢慢熬香，又洗了些青菜，切成了絲，米粥熬熟後灑了進去，點了些香油，又準備了兩盤小菜。沈玨端著木盤喚兩人吃飯。
　　屋裡卻毫無動靜，平白的沒人理他。
　　沈玨納悶了一會，自己推開門走進去。柳延正伏在案前，也不知是在寫還是在畫，聽到他叫喚，又進了屋，連頭都未回一下。伊墨負手站在一旁，勾著頭在看。兩人顯然都凝神專注，完全無視了他的存在。
　　沈玨放下菜肴，踮著腳尖走過去，湊到兩人身後，也直勾勾的拿眼睛瞅——到底是什麼東西，讓你們都不理我。
　　一入目便是大片的紅，像是染在眼眸上。
　　那樣落英繽紛，層巒疊嶂的紅。十裡桃花，怒綻了天地。花海裡一雙人，交疊在一處，恣情而安寧。
　　沈玨只看了一眼，待明白那畫上是什麼，自覺地收回了游離的視線，對畫中兩人不再多看，轉而關注柳延的筆下。
　　畫中那雙人的不遠處，多了一塊青石，隨著他的筆鋒勾轉，突棱而起的青石上，逐漸顯現出一件折疊的衣物。
　　那衣物伊墨認得，沈玨也認得，通體烏黑的鐵片，縫製在一處，成就了將軍身上的盔甲。烏黑玄甲在青石上光華暗轉，煞氣逼人。柳延筆下停了停，又換了一支筆，略頓後，青石旁又有一柄長劍，劍鋒收鞘，躺在地上的花瓣裡。
　　
　　柳延收起筆，不知想到什麼，將那畫提了起來，走到兩人身前，舉高了展給他們看。
　　將軍卸下的甲胄放在青石上，青石不遠處，是一雙恣情的人。墨蹟漸幹，伊墨伸出手，在那盔甲上撫過，畫中的繽紛花瓣一下子鮮活起來，似乎微風吹拂，畫卷裡紛紛揚揚，揚起一場盛大的花瓣雨。天上人間。
　　待風停下，幾瓣桃花落在玄甲上，安安寧寧，仿佛盔甲一直在那裡，花瓣也一直在那裡。並非新添。
　　一直都是——故鄉。
　　任時間輾轉，流年不歸，書生或將軍抑或傻子，至始至終都未變過，是他的故鄉。
　　故鄉，便是遊子尋尋覓覓，跌跌絆絆走了許多彎路，最終都要回去的地方。
　　也是他的故鄉。柳延看著那副盔甲，神態安詳，低聲輕語道：“季玖該做的事已經做完，來找你了。”
　　——來找你了。
　　欠你的，都還你。傷你的，都補給你。
　　兩世的溝溝坎坎，縱橫交錯的傷，想要用這一世抹平。
　　這一生，即使短暫，也要好好的，認真的，一起度過。
　　
　　伊墨牽了他的手，扣在掌心裡，十指交錯，掌心相貼。
　　許多話他們不用說，目光相接便足夠，知道對方所思便是自己所思，對方所求便是自己所求。
　　他們是一家人。所謂家人，不僅僅是住在一起，而是互相為伴，彼此包容，相愛相親。
　　最後，同聲相應，同氣相求。

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Liu Yan woke up at dawn. He had sweated a lot last night, and Yi Mo had covered him tightly, so he didn’t catch a cold. So when he woke up, Liu Yan didn’t feel heavy-headed. Except for some soreness in his waist, he felt refreshed. The low fever that had plagued him for several days was cured without medical treatment.

Liu Yan touched his forehead and thought about his three lives . Except for the first life when he was weak and often sick, he was healthy in the remaining two lives . Even if he had illnesses, they were mental illnesses.

Just like Ji Jiu in his previous life, he fell seriously ill after meeting Yi Mo for the first time. If it weren’t for the little girl’s babbling voice leaning over him to wake him up, it is unknown how long he would have been sick.

Liu Yan thought of his daughter in his previous life, but he didn’t know who she was or whether she had passed away long ago. All he remembered about his daughter was that delicate little girl, with red nails and a cute and innocent look when she opened her mouth and waited for the nurse to feed her. Naturally, he thought of Ji Leping again.

It’s not that I don’t feel sad when a father and son turn against each other. After all, they are blood relatives, so when they encounter this, a corner of their heart will naturally soften. Because of this softness, it hurts more when they are hurt.

Liu Yan closed his eyes and opened them again. Yi Mo had woken up and was looking at him silently. His eyes were penetrating and he saw everything clearly.

Yi Mo stroked his back, as if to comfort him, but also faintly, as if with a bit of guilt. It’s hard to say what he felt guilty about, maybe he just felt the same way, but couldn’t help, so he felt guilty. Only the dearest people in this world would be so reluctant to sacrifice themselves to worry and hurt for him.

Liu Yan closed his eyes again, leaned forward and rubbed his cheek against Yi Mo’s face. Their breaths intertwined, and they understood each other’s thoughts. They calmed down, put aside the chaos and disorder, snuggled together, and enjoyed the peace and tranquility.

Until daybreak.

There was a noise in the yard. It was Shen Jue who got up to boil water and clean the yard. After the yard was swept clean, Shen Jue brought hot water and called them to get up outside the door. These ordinary chores that should have been busy for the servants were easy for him to do. After all, he had lived for more than two hundred years and had some magical powers. These small things were not difficult for him, and he got a lot of fun from them. For example, when cooking, he would study in the kitchen when he had nothing to do, and he got better and better at it . Earlier, Liu Yan didn’t want him to work hard and wanted to hire people to do these chores, but Shen Jue refused them all. Perhaps he knew that his life was not long, and only by doing it himself could he feel at ease.

“Dad, are you up yet?" After calling out but getting no response, Shen Jue continued to call out at the door. He just called out , not daring to push the door open rashly , because who knows what will happen inside – although his own father is thin-skinned, Shen Jue knows how thick-skinned Yi Mo is. Besides, that old devil’s temper of teasing his family has never diminished.

The wooden door opened silently. The two people in the room were tidying up their untidy clothes. Shen Jue put the wooden basin, white towel and other things in his hand on the table, went over to touch Liu Yan’s forehead, and said happily: “Dad, the illness is healed."

“Okay," Liu Yan put on his robe and was gargling with green salt. He almost bit himself while speaking, and stopped talking immediately. After he finished washing, he said, “I want to go back to the mountain today."

“Don’t want to play anymore?" Shen Jue asked.

“No, although the fun is great, I’m not used to it being too noisy. It’s better to be in the mountains and quiet."

Shen Jue said: “I want to go back too."

Yi Mo took the green salt from the side and was about to rinse his mouth when he heard the words and immediately interrupted: “Miss your little pine tree spirit?"

“Pine tree spirit?" Liu Yan was stunned. He put down the wet wipes in his hand and his eyes wandered between the father and son, finally stopping on Shen Jue’s face.

Originally, there were many spirits in the mountains , but because Yi Mo was a half-immortal demon, ordinary spirits in the mountains stayed away, fearing that they would be caught by him and their hard-earned cultivation would be destroyed. So although Liu Yan had been accompanied by demons for more than two hundred years, he had never seen any other demons except Yi Mo and Shen Jue. Not to mention demons, he had never seen spirits . However, there were also little demons that could not escape, such as the pine spirit in the mountains, which was rooted in the soil and had never become an immortal, and could not escape from itself. Therefore, he could not escape, and although he was scared to death, he could only stay in the mountains.

Shen Jue accidentally discovered this little tree spirit that could not be avoided.

It was indeed a spirit, even its human form was vague and ethereal, like a wandering soul. The years passed slowly in the mountains, and Shen Jue got to know it. They chatted occasionally, but he never had any improper thoughts about it. Unfortunately, when Yi Mo said this, his words were distorted and changed.

Shen Jue explained and looked at Liu Yan. Liu Yan’s eyes were upright and he said, “That’s even better. Let’s go back to the mountain and you can meet your friends."

After Yi Mo rinsed his mouth, he said, “You can keep it as your room if you want. You will have someone to keep you company in the future."

Shen Jue was silent for a long time before he responded, “You can take me in if you want. My father agrees, and I don’t mind having another little father."

Liu Yan sighed softly upon hearing this: “I’m not a good father, so you have reason to dislike me." He said it calmly, but there was a flash of mischief in his eyes, and it was obvious that he was bullying his own son and getting a lot of fun from it.

Shen Jue shouted hurriedly: “That’s impossible!"

Yi Mo happily added fuel to the fire: “I see that it has feelings for you. If you don’t want to, just give up. Why do you dislike your father for no reason?"

“I…" How could I!

When the family was bickering loudly, there was a knock on the gate. The copper ring hit the door panel with a “bang bang" sound.

The bickering stopped immediately, Shen Jue took the basin out, poured the water into the yard, put down the basin and went to open the door. The door opened, and the visitor was Ji Leping.

After not seeing him for a few days, he had lost a lot of weight, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked depressed and frustrated, as if he had suffered a lot. He looked quite pitiful, so Shen Jue hesitated for a moment and let him into the courtyard.

“You wait." Shen Jue said as he went to find Liu Yan.

Although Liu Yan did not leave the house, he had already learned from Yi Mo who the visitor was. He was just wondering whether to meet him or not. At this time, the door was pushed open, and Shen Jue poked his head in and said, “Dad, it’s Ji Leping." The winter sun was not warm enough, but the light was bright, shining on the face of the young man at the door. He had a handsome face and a bright smile, and seemed to be carefree. But he didn’t know that the father in the room could see some signs of uneasiness from his seemingly carefree face.

With just one glance, Liu Yan knew Shen Jue’s mood, seven parts of anxiety and three parts of bewilderment. In the past six months, he had been hiding his heart, and Shen Jue – the remaining six months of Yi Mo’s life, and after six months, this family might just disappear into thin air. Shen Jue’s inner anxiety might be even worse than theirs. Liu Yan knew that he had always been a home-loving child, otherwise he wouldn’t have followed Yi Mo to look for him for a hundred years.

Instantly making a decision, Liu Yan smiled and said calmly, “Go tell him that Ji Jiu’s body has already been buried. Let him go back. There is no one here that he is looking for."

Shen Jue was puzzled for a moment after hearing this, and asked, “What if he refuses to leave?"

Liu Yan glared and said, “Don’t you know how to chase people away?"

Shen Jue trotted off to chase them away.

As soon as Shen Jue left, Liu Yan sat on the chair, lowered his head and fiddled with the teacup on the table. His expression was calm, with only his eyelashes trembling occasionally, covering his eyes.

Life is like this, there are many difficult places, and in front of countless forks in the road, someone always has to make a decision, where to start, where to go, and who to accompany along the way.

In three lives , he made many such choices, some good, some bad, some right, and of course some wrong. Regardless of good or bad, right or wrong , the only two people who stayed with him all the way were him. No matter how much pain he brought to them when he made the choice, his desire to accompany them never changed. Such a feeling is worth everything.

The crowds outside were his passers-by two hundred years ago, and they are still his passers-by two hundred years later. Similarly, he is also a passer-by in the lives of these people.

In the end, there were only three of them who accompanied each other in life, relied on each other, and helped each other .

The road we walked was difficult, and we walked through it with blood. We hurt and slandered each other, but in the end, we forgave each other. We can still be together.

Being together for even one day is precious to them. They will not tolerate any doubt or slander.

Yi Mo walked over, stroked his head and asked, “Are you sad?"

“A little bit," Liu Yan replied, “Just a little bit. Because Ji Leping’s father is indeed dead."

He is indeed dead. Ji Jiu.

After so many years of being buried, the one who came back to life was Liu Yan, who had re-entered reincarnation. It was only because of Yi Mo’s efforts that he had the memory of three lives. If Yi Mo had not done so, Liu Yan would still be a passer-by in Ji Leping ‘s life , or even a passer-by.

In his previous life, Ji Jiu met a wise emperor, so he was able to realize his ambitions.

It was also because of the emperor’s suspicious changes that Ji Jiu died to repay his kindness and protect the Ji family’s peace. In that life, he didn’t owe anyone, and no one owed him.

He missed his children and felt melancholy, but he was not very sad. Perhaps it was because he knew very early on that he would leave.

“Is Ji Jiu really dead?" Yi Mo squatted down, put his hands on Liu Yan’s knees, raised his head to look into his eyes, and asked softly: “Is he dead?"

Liu Yan dodged his sight, then moved back a little later, walked up to him and said, “You’ve been inside that coffin, isn’t there a dead person inside?"

“Yes." Yi Mo said.

Liu Yan pursed his lips and suddenly said, “Where is the painting you hid? Show it to me."

He was talking about the painting taken out of the brazier. Yi Mo took it out and the two of them unfolded the scroll. After nearly seventy years, the paper had turned slightly yellow, but the scenery in the painting was still as fresh and vivid, the flying peach blossoms, the entangled limbs, the mood of painting that year and that month seemed to return to his mind again. Liu Yan blinked, his eyes moist and flushed.

“Get some pen and ink," Liu Yan said.

Pigments, ink, and brushes of varying thicknesses were placed on the table.

Liu Yan walked to the table, spread the scroll on it, and ground the ink himself. When the ink was ready, he picked up the brush and smiled: “I’ll add some more."

Yi Mo walked up to him and looked at the painting quietly.

The noise in the courtyard gradually faded away. Shen Jue sent the guests away, closed the door again, and rushed to the kitchen to prepare the family’s morning meal. He grabbed a handful of white rice and sprinkled it into the pot, added water, and slowly boiled it over low heat until it was fragrant. He also washed some vegetables and cut them into shreds. After the rice porridge was cooked, he sprinkled it in, added some sesame oil, and prepared two dishes. Shen Jue brought a wooden plate and called the two to eat.

There was no movement in the room and no one paid any attention to him.

Shen Jue was puzzled for a while, then he pushed the door open and walked in. Liu Yan was leaning over his desk, not knowing whether he was writing or drawing. When he heard him calling, he went back into the room without even turning his head. Yi Mo stood aside with his hands behind his back, tilting his head and watching. The two of them were obviously concentrating and completely ignored his existence.

Shen Jue put down the dishes, walked over on tiptoe, got behind the two of them, and stared at them – what on earth could it be that made you ignore me?

The first thing you see is a large area of red, as if it was dyed on the eyes.

The petals are falling in all directions, the mountains are red. The peach blossoms are blooming all over the world. A pair of people are lying together in the sea of flowers, enjoying the love and peace.

Shen Jue only took a glance, and when he understood what was in the painting, he consciously withdrew his wandering gaze, no longer looking at the two people in the painting, and turned his attention to Liu Yan’s painting.

Not far from the two people in the painting, there is a piece of bluestone. As his brush strokes move, a piece of folded clothing gradually emerges on the protruding bluestone.

Yi Mo recognized the clothing, and Shen Jue also recognized it. It was made of black iron pieces, sewn together to form the armor on the general. The black armor shone darkly on the bluestone, and it was menacing. Liu Yan paused for a moment, then changed to another pen. After a slight pause, there was another long sword next to the bluestone, the blade was sheathed , lying in the petals on the ground.

Liu Yan put away his brush, and as if thinking of something, he picked up the painting, walked in front of the two men, and held it high to show them.

The general put the armor he took off on the bluestone. Not far from the bluestone was a pair of unrestrained people. As the ink dried, Yi Mo stretched out his hand and stroked the armor. The colorful petals in the painting suddenly came alive, as if a breeze blew, and the painting was full of petals, raising a grand rain of petals. Heaven and earth.

When the wind died down, a few peach petals fell on the black armor , peacefully, as if the armor had always been there, and the petals had always been there too. They were not new.

It has always been – my hometown.

No matter how time passes, whether he is a scholar, a general or a fool, what has never changed is his hometown.

Hometown is the place where travelers search for and stumble through many detours, and eventually return.

It is also his hometown. Liu Yan looked at the armor with a peaceful expression and whispered softly: “Ji Jiu has done what he should do and came to find you."

——I’m coming to see you.

I will pay you back for what I owe you and I will make up for what I have hurt you.

I want to smooth out the ups and downs and the criss-crossing wounds of two lives in this life.

Even though this life is short, we must spend it together well and seriously.

Yi Mo took his hand, clasped it in his palm, interlaced their fingers, and put their palms together.

They don’t need to say many things, just eye contact is enough, they know that what the other person is thinking is what they are thinking, what the other person wants is what they want.

They are a family. A family is not just about living together, but about being with each other, tolerating each other, and loving each other.

Finally, birds of a feather flock together.