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　　柳延將他抱進懷裡，雖是死死抱著，卻不知道他什麼時候又會張口，再咬自己。他不怕被咬傷，那些疼痛對經過沙場的他來說不過皮毛，他只是本能的擔心而已，像一個在烈日下行走的人，突然頭頂天空乍變，暴雨傾盆而下。他擔心的是那一瞬，無所適從的狼狽。
　　當然這些話他不會說，這些擔憂也無人可說。他無法想像自己對懷裡的蛇說：你要咬我，就趁現在咬個痛快，咬死也罷。只是不要，在我以為你信任我之後，猝不及防地咬我一口。
　　他害怕他會疼到絕望。
　　“害怕”這個詞，柳延只是不說，然他心裡卻從未逃避過。他終是有所畏懼的。對這世間存畏懼之心。
　　高山仰止，紅塵萬丈，天地蒼穹，若心中無所畏懼，那便不該是人。
　　連蛇妖伊墨，心中也是有所畏懼的。縱有千年道行，呼風喚雨之能，他也不曾生出違逆的念頭，否則他未必就聽話地任人打回原形，倒是會帶著柳延四處逃遁，了了這一世。
　　這些情理，柳延懂，伊墨懂，沈玨卻想不透徹。
　　沈玨說：“我就不信父親沒有別的法子。”
　　柳延道：“還有什麼法子，能比現在更好？”略頓，柳延又重複道：“現在，很好。”
　　至少還能在一起。
　　在一起就足夠了。其餘的，柳延不貪求。第一次聽見這個結局時，也想過能不能生出變數來，柳延想過，以伊墨之能，未必不能逃掉。只是，逃掉又怎麼樣呢？他不過是一個凡人，跟在伊墨身邊也是累贅。若是不跟，則是生生的分離之苦。也或者，他們的逃亡路上要眼睜睜看著最親愛的人傷在自己面前，死在自己面前。那樣的結局過於慘烈，他們消受不來。
　　比起這些，他們寧願選擇如此渡完一生——在一起，即使不能相認，也在相守，至生命終結，黃泉路上並行時，知道自己給了對方，安好無恙的一生。
　　柳延閉上眼，輕摟懷中黑蛇，將他貼在心口上。幾日下來，黑蛇業已習慣，不做反抗，懶散的隨他抱著，並覺舒適。
　　
　　沈玨看著他們，無法反駁柳延的話，他知道連伊墨都未必說的過柳延，又況論自己。也或許，他並不想辯駁。
　　身為人子，眼睜睜看著現實殘酷落在親人身上，卻無能為力。這樣的無能為力，在他生命裡出現過太多次，而每一次，都是自己至親之人，每一次，他都重複地認識到自己的無能為力。
　　仿佛他並未長大，仿佛他還是那個幼兒，看著自己的爹爹一夜老去，生命枯竭在眼前。他伸出手，一次又一次試圖做些什麼，卻每一次，都比前一次更深刻的認知到自己的無能。
　　他什麼都做不了。他什麼都做不到。只能看著他們受苦受難，而他在一旁……只能看。
　　他伸出去的手，一次次頹然收回，帶著攏不住的風。
　　他知道自己無力改變什麼，憤懣與懊惱只能加深這種無能的絕望。
　　這個時候，只有洞察一切的柳延能安慰他，告訴他，不需要做什麼，你很好，因為這樣很好。
　　
　　即使明知這不是最好的結局，但柳延說了，沈玨便默默地讓自己信了。他信了，柳延就不用在悲哀裡再分出心來，去擔憂他冒失的去做些什麼。深深地瞭解這一點，沈玨便讓自己相信，這樣的結局，就是人妖殊途的最好結局。沒有人不開心，沒有人不甘願。不能，也不敢。
　　很久很久以前，在沙場上的季將軍也曾說過，人要有敬畏之心。這句話他為什麼說，在什麼情景下說的，沈玨都不大記得清了。但他始終記得，那日季玖手上沾滿了血，他滿身血腥，卻神態肅穆地說出這句話。
　　要敬畏什麼，沈玨沒有問，或許是敬畏一個人，或許是敬畏某種東西，也或許，是敬畏一種虛無。
　　因為心中有所敬畏，所以人不敢放肆作惡；因為心中有所敬畏，所以將軍不會輕易殺不該死的人。
　　因為心中有所敬畏，所以從出生伊始，啟蒙第一課，是人之初，性本善。
　　因為敬畏，所以明知結局並非理想，依然沒有猶豫。如英雄末路，美人遲暮，前者敗給不可戰勝的對手，並心悅誠服；後者敗給不可抗力的流年，並無話可說。
　　
　　季玖這樣說過，柳延也這樣說過。
　　沈玨便無話再說，低聲道：“爹覺得好那便是好。”
　　
　　柳延真心覺得這樣是好的。他可以與他一起，賞同一朵花開，豔麗無方；看同一片麥田，碩果累累；或許，可以帶著他游走四方，品人間煙火百味。然後在黃泉路上，談論走過的路，賞過的花，喝過的酒，遇到的人。
　　可以在那裡，坦然地對伊墨說，沒有辜負這些年，沒有辜負這光陰，四季一起走過了，流年一起走過了。你與我，一起走過，沒有分離。
　　柳延覺得這樣是好的。再無貪求，心滿意足。
　　他坐在院中，懷中抱著一條吃的肚腹滾圓的蛇，與搖椅上微微晃動，看著院外花開了又落，枝頭結出青澀的果實並逐漸紅潤，看著雛鳥展開稚嫩的羽翼第一次飛翔。他氣定神閑地看著，面帶微笑，歲月靜美。
　　沈玨下山採辦去了，秋天馬上就要過去，寒冬將來臨，家中棉被需要翻新，添置一些冬衣，炭火去年也用得所剩無幾，他要備上足足的炭火，在寒冬的屋子徹夜不休的燃燒起來，讓小屋始終暖熱著，仿佛心也是暖的，再也不會冷。
　　要採辦的東西很多，沈玨一時回不來，柳延在院中坐著，想起自己忘了告訴他，不要置辦太多東西，明年開春，伊墨冬眠結束，他們就要離開了。
　　上一回遊玩，中途敗了興匆匆回來，這一次，柳延想帶著懷裡黑蛇，重新再走一次，將山水風景都看遍，才會回來。
　　再回來時，懷裡的蛇或許已是一條老蛇。這中間時間還很長，柳延卻不想再浪費。
　　
　　彼時麥苗飄香，桃花鮮豔，杏花粉白，榴花火紅，油菜花金黃燦爛，開完一季，還有下一季，彼時他年少氣盛，恣意輕狂，用自己性命賭伊墨的心軟，總覺得時光漫長，隨手揮霍。卻未想過，下一季的花，即使一模一樣，卻不是曾經那一朵。
　　他如此無知。
　　目光溫柔繾綣地落在懷裡黑蛇身上，柳延想，幸好輾轉三世，他還在這裡，還有一路執著的人始終不曾放棄，讓他得以回握他的手，還能夠有機會改過自己的無知，好好的在一起，重新來過，共度一生。
　　秋日的陽光，溫暖中含著蕭瑟，灑在他身上，無聲又無息。
　　
　　傍晚時分，山中刮起了風，一時寒意驟起，柳延起身準備進屋，卻在一轉身間，眼角瞥到了低矮院牆外，逐漸枯黃的光景裡，一抹蔥綠的影子。
　　許久不見的小松樹精，在這個即將萬籟俱寂的時節，重新站到了院牆外，正猶疑著，不知要不要進來。
　　柳延本能的要走過去給他開門，腳步卻在剛剛邁開的一瞬間停滯，沒有可能的事，他又如何能擅自給出希望？只是猶豫了很短的時間，頃刻柳延便打開了院門，望著那有些愕然的，依然單純的臉，道：“許久不來，我道你離山了。”
　　小松樹精搖了搖頭，望了他片刻，又越過他的肩頭，望向院內，並未看見想的那個人，眉間隱隱有絲失落，道：“我是離不了太遠的，只是回去修行了。”
　　“不進來坐坐麼？”柳延道：“有你喜歡吃的桂花糕。”
　　“……不了。”小松樹精說，低下頭，這才看見他衣襟裡露出的一截蛇身，只一眼，小松樹精就察覺到了異常，那蛇身細了許多，再不是印象裡的粗壯駭人，心裡驚了一下，他臉上也不懂得掩飾，指著道：“他這是怎麼了？受傷了嗎？怎麼變得這麼小？……”
　　他還要問，柳延截斷了他的疑問，淡淡道：“他不是妖了，只是一條蛇。”一邊說著，柳延攏好衣襟，接近冬眠的伊墨貼在他身上睡著，被衣料攏得嚴嚴實實。
　　小松樹精沒料到會是這個答案，不過幾月光景，好像許多事都改變了原先模樣。這才察覺自己的唐突，小松樹精一時不知如何是好，匆匆道了一句歉，轉身跑掉了。
　　柳延目送他慌張離去，低頭對懷裡的蛇歎道：“你原先的樣子，也不知嚇壞多少人，現今變小了，怎麼還是嚇人？”
　　黑蛇無知覺地動了一下尾巴，在他背上繞了一下，理也不理，仍然在睡。
　　吃飽便睡，睡醒了四處爬一爬，或上樹，或在牆角轉一轉，再吃些東西，繼續睡，這就是他現在的生活。
　　
　　柳延伸手探進衣襟，忍不住揉了揉他腦袋，道：“你若被養成一條胖蛇，也是我本事。”
　　懷裡的蛇被揉搓著，格外好脾氣的一動不動，等柳延揉完了抽出手，他才挪動了下位置，將腦袋擱在柳延的頸窩旁，蒙在衣物裡，繼續做他的酣然大夢。
　　
　　天剛剛黑下，沈玨就趕回了山，大包小包也不知多少東西壘成了一座小山，被他扛在背上，仿佛棉花般輕飄飄地扛到山中小院裡。
　　沈玨放下東西，舀水洗了手，取出一份包好的熱食放在桌上，“黃酒燒雞，爹吃不吃？”
　　柳延問：“你吃過了麼？”
　　“吃了，”沈玨道：“吃完了才趕回來的。”
　　柳延正準備說話，聞香的蛇從他頸側探出腦袋，對著那燒雞吐了吐信子，柳延撕了一片肉喂過去，真心開始擔憂，會不會把他肚皮撐破。
　　沈玨見狀道：“該是無事，他要冬眠，此時自然多吃些。”
　　“它中午剛吞了兩個雞蛋。”柳延指了指院外：“吐出來的蛋殼怕是還沒幹透呢。”
　　父子兩人都不曾養過動物，饒是他們活成了人精，遇上這種事也都沒了主意，面面相覷。
　　“要不……”沈玨猶豫著道：“少喂點？”
　　“嗯。”也只能這樣，柳延雖然不介意養出一條胖蛇，卻怕養出一隻因進食過多的病蛇。
　　沈玨站在一旁看了片刻，突然說有人來了，走了出去，柳延站在門旁，看他拉開院門，接著門外走進來一人，黑夜中隔得稍遠看不清面容，一身白袍，髮絲銀亮。
　　“沈清軒，我來看你了。”那人開口，聲音很大，卻蒼老粗糲，柳延愣了一下，覺得這聲音有些陌生，卻又有些耳熟。
　　“你怎麼來了？”沈玨站在一旁，不冷不熱地說。
　　“哈哈，無處可去，自然找你們。”那人還是那副老態龍鍾的嗓音，卻又有許多頑皮的意思在裡面，柳延這才醒悟，來人是許明世。
　　
　　許明世走到柳延跟前停下，在屋內燭光的搖擺裡，望著他道：“我來看看你們。”
　　他的背部佝僂起來，仿佛這些年的光陰積累成了一座山，壓彎了他的腰杆。他說這話的時候，眼睛眯起，眼中是老人特有的渾濁，臉上溝壑疊嶂，不過一年未見，他比先前見到時，又老了許多。
　　許明世看了看柳延，又垂下眼，望著他懷裡黑蛇，同樣嘶啞而蒼老的嗓音，低低道：“老蛇兒，你不認得我了？我想來看看你們，你卻不認得我了，你這老蛇，討厭的很呐。”
　　柳延忽而明白，許明世這趟來，是來告別。
　　“沈清軒，”許明世道：“我該了的事已了，現已無處可去，你還能像那年一樣，收我入府做客麼？”
　　柳延挽了挽唇角，道：“什麼時候，許明世也會這虛頭巴腦的客氣了？”
　　許明世嘿嘿一聲，“那我就不客氣了，”說著轉頭對沈玨道：“小子，我走不動了，你給我找間屋子，鋪個床吧。”
　　雖有仇怨，這一回，沈玨卻未說什麼，轉身進了偏屋，替他收拾房間。柳延則請他進來，兩人坐在桌邊，飲著茶閒聊。
　　
　　沒一會屋子就收拾好了，許明世打了個呵欠，道：“那我去休息了，明兒接著聊。”
　　“許明世，”身後柳延叫住他，問：“今年能一起過除夕嗎？”
　　許明世背對著他，笑了一聲說：“這個冬天我還能過得去，莫說除夕，元宵都吃得上。”
　　“那便好。”柳延說。
　　“我去睡了。”許明世說，佝僂著背，緩緩走了出去。
　　沈玨站在一旁，看著他進屋，又熄了燭火，客房一片黑暗了，這才回過身，對柳延道：“他也沒什麼朋友。”
　　柳延點點頭，沉默良久才道：“最後一段路，他來找我們送，就好好送一段。”
　　沈玨“嗯”了一聲，“知道。”
　　“怎麼說，也是幾百年的交情。”柳延輕聲說。
　　
　　雖有百年之交，終究難免一別。

————————————————

Liu Yan held him in his arms, and although he held him tightly, he didn’t know when he would open his mouth and bite him again. He was not afraid of being bitten, because the pain was nothing to him after going through the battlefield. He was just worried instinctively, like a person walking under the scorching sun, and suddenly the sky above his head changed and heavy rain poured down. He was worried about the moment of being at a loss.

Of course, he would not say these words, and there was no one to share these worries with. He could not imagine himself saying to the snake in his arms: If you want to bite me, bite me now, even if it means biting me to death. Just don’t bite me unexpectedly after I thought you trusted me.

He was afraid that he would be in so much pain that he would despair.

Liu Yan just didn’t say the word “fear", but he never avoided it in his heart. He was afraid of something after all. He was afraid of this world.

The mountains are lofty and the world is vast, as is the sky. If you have no fear in your heart , you are not a human being.

Even the snake demon Yi Mo was afraid. Even though he had practiced Taoism for thousands of years and could call the wind and rain, he never thought of disobeying. Otherwise, he might not have obediently allowed himself to be beaten back to his original form, but would have fled with Liu Yan and ended his life.

Liu Yan and Yi Mo understood these principles, but Shen Jue couldn’t figure them out.

Shen Jue said: “I don’t believe that my father has no other way."

Liu Yan asked, “Is there any other way that can be better than now?" After a pause, Liu Yan repeated, “Now, it’s very good."

At least we can still be together.

Being together is enough. Liu Yan doesn’t want anything else. When he first heard about this ending, he wondered if there would be any changes. Liu Yan thought that with Yi Mo’s ability, he might be able to escape. But, what if he escaped? He was just a mortal, and it would be a burden to follow Yi Mo. If he didn’t follow, he would suffer the pain of separation. Or, on their way to escape, they would have to watch their loved ones get hurt and die in front of them. Such an ending was too tragic and they couldn’t bear it.

Compared to these, they would rather choose to spend their lives like this – together, even if they cannot recognize each other, they are still together, until the end of life, when they walk side by side on the road to the underworld, knowing that they have given each other a safe and sound life.

Liu Yan closed his eyes, gently hugged the black snake in his arms, and pressed him against his chest. After a few days, the black snake had gotten used to it and did not resist. He lazily let him hold him and felt comfortable.

Shen Jue looked at them, unable to refute Liu Yan’s words. He knew that even Yi Mo might not be able to defeat Liu Yan, let alone himself. Or perhaps, he did not want to refute.

As a son, he watched the cruel reality fall on his relatives, but he was powerless. This kind of helplessness has appeared too many times in his life, and each time it was his closest relatives, and each time, he repeatedly realized his powerlessness.

It was as if he had not grown up, as if he was still that child, watching his father grow old overnight, his life withering away before his eyes. He stretched out his hand, trying to do something again and again, but each time, he realized his own incompetence more deeply than the last time.

He couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t do anything. He could only watch them suffer while he stood by… just watched.

He stretched out his hand, but retracted it again and again, bringing with it the wind that could not be contained.

He knew that he was powerless to change anything, and his resentment and regret only deepened his sense of powerlessness and despair.

At this time, only Liu Yan, who sees everything, can comfort him and tell him that he doesn’t need to do anything, he is fine, because it is fine like this.

Even though he knew this was not the best ending, Liu Yan said so, and Shen Jue silently made himself believe it. If he believed it, Liu Yan would not have to worry about him doing something rash in his sorrow. Deeply understanding this, Shen Jue made himself believe that this ending was the best ending for the human and the demon. No one was unhappy, no one was unwilling. They could not, and they dared not.

Long, long ago, General Ji on the battlefield also said that people should have a sense of awe. Shen Jue could not remember why he said this and under what circumstances. But he always remembered that day when Ji Jiu’s hands were covered in blood, he was covered in blood, but he said this sentence solemnly.

Shen Jue did not ask what to be in awe of. Maybe it was awe of a person, maybe it was awe of something, or maybe it was awe of nothingness.

Because of awe in their hearts, people dare not do evil; because of awe in their hearts, generals will not easily kill those who do not deserve to die.

Because we have awe in our hearts, the first lesson we learn from birth is that human nature is good.

Because of awe, even though I know the ending is not ideal, I still do not hesitate. Just like the end of a hero and the old age of a beauty, the former is defeated by an invincible opponent and is convinced; the latter is defeated by the irresistible force of time and has nothing to say.

Ji Jiu said this, and Liu Yan also said this.

Shen Jue had nothing more to say, and whispered, “If Dad thinks it’s good, then it’s good."

Liu Yan really thought this was a good thing. He could enjoy the same flower blossoming with him, watching the same wheat field bearing abundant fruits. Or perhaps, he could take him around the world and taste the flavors of life. Then, on the road to the underworld, they could talk about the roads they had walked, the flowers they had admired, the wine they had drunk, and the people they had met.

There, I can tell Yi Mo calmly that I have not wasted these years, I have not wasted this time, we have walked through the four seasons together, and the years together. You and I have walked together, without separation.

Liu Yan thought this was a good thing. He no longer had any desires and was content.

He sat in the yard, holding a well-fed snake in his arms, rocking slightly in a rocking chair, watching the flowers outside the yard bloom and fall, the branches bearing green fruits and gradually turning red, and the young birds spreading their tender wings and flying for the first time. He watched calmly, with a smile on his face, and the years were quiet and beautiful.

Shen Jue went down the mountain to buy things. Autumn was about to pass and the cold winter was coming. The quilts at home needed to be refurbished and some winter clothes needed to be bought . The charcoal fire was almost used up last year, so he had to prepare enough charcoal and keep it burning in the house all night in the cold winter to keep the house warm all the time , as if his heart was also warm and would never be cold again.

There were many things to purchase, and Shen Jue couldn’t come back for the time being. Liu Yan sat in the yard and remembered that he forgot to tell him not to buy too many things. They would leave in the early spring of next year when Yi Mo’s hibernation would end.

The last time he went on this trip, he lost interest and came back in a hurry. This time, Liu Yan wanted to take the black snake in his arms and go on another trip to see all the mountains and rivers before coming back.

When he came back, the snake in his arms might have been an old snake. There was still a lot of time in between, but Liu Yan didn’t want to waste any more time.

At that time, wheat seedlings were fragrant, peach blossoms were bright, apricot blossoms were pink and white, pomegranate blossoms were fiery red, and rape blossoms were golden and brilliant. After one season, there was another season. At that time, he was young and full of vigor, wantonly and frivolous, and bet his life on Yi Mo’s softness. He always felt that time was long and wasted it carelessly. But he never thought that the flowers of the next season, even if they were exactly the same, would not be the same as before .

He is so ignorant.

His eyes fell tenderly and lovingly on the black snake in his arms. Liu Yan thought, fortunately, after three lives , he is still here, and there is someone who has been persistent all the way and never gave up, allowing him to hold his hand back, and have the opportunity to correct his ignorance, be together, start over, and spend the rest of his life together.

The autumn sun, warm yet bleak, shines on him silently and without a trace.

In the evening, the wind blew in the mountains, and a sudden chill arose. Liu Yan stood up and prepared to go into the house, but as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a green shadow outside the low courtyard wall in the gradually withered and yellow scenery.

The little pine spirit, who had not been seen for a long time, stood outside the courtyard wall again at this time when everything was about to become silent, hesitating whether to come in.

Liu Yan instinctively wanted to go over and open the door for him, but his steps stopped the moment he took a step. How could he give hope without authorization? He hesitated for a short time, and then Liu Yan opened the door in an instant, looking at the somewhat stunned, but still innocent face, and said: “I haven’t come for a long time, I thought you left the mountain."

The little pine tree spirit shook his head, looked at him for a moment, then looked over his shoulder into the courtyard. He did not see the person he was thinking of, and there was a hint of disappointment between his brows. He said, “I can’t be too far away. I’m just going back to practice."

“Would you like to come in and sit down?" Liu Yan said, “Here is the sweet-scented osmanthus cake you like."

“…No." The little pine tree spirit said, lowering his head, and then he saw a section of the snake’s body exposed from his collar. At a glance, the little pine tree spirit noticed something unusual. The snake’s body was much thinner, no longer as thick and scary as he remembered. He was shocked, and he didn’t know how to hide his face. He pointed and said, “What happened to him? Is he injured? Why has he become so small?…"

He was about to ask more, but Liu Yan interrupted him and said calmly: “He is not a demon anymore, just a snake." As he spoke, Liu Yan closed his clothes . Yi Mo, who was almost hibernating, fell asleep on top of him, tightly wrapped in his clothes.

The little pine tree spirit had not expected this answer. In just a few months, many things seemed to have changed. Only then did he realize his abruptness. He didn’t know what to do for a moment. He hurriedly apologized and ran away.

Liu Yan watched him leave in a panic, lowered his head and sighed to the snake in his arms: “You scared so many people in your original appearance. Now that you have become smaller, why are you still scary?"

The black snake moved its tail unconsciously and coiled around his back, but it ignored it and continued sleeping.

He sleeps after eating, crawls around when he wakes up, or climbs a tree, or turns around the corner, then eats something and continues to sleep. This is his life now.

Liu stretched his hand into his clothes, couldn’t help but rub his head, and said: “If you are raised into a fat snake, it is also my ability."

The snake in his arms was being rubbed, and it was particularly good-tempered and did not move. After Liu Yan finished rubbing and withdrew his hand, he moved his position, put his head beside Liu Yan’s neck, covered it with clothes, and continued his sound sleep.

As soon as it got dark, Shen Jue hurried back to the mountain. He carried so many bags, big and small, that they formed a small mountain. He carried them on his back, carrying them as light as cotton, to the small courtyard in the mountain.

Shen Jue put down his things, scooped up some water to wash his hands, took out a package of hot food and put it on the table, “Rice wine braised chicken, do you want some, Dad?"

Liu Yan asked: “Have you eaten yet?"

“I ate," Shen Jue said, “I came back after I finished eating."

Liu Yan was just about to speak when a snake, smelling the fragrance, poked its head out from the side of his neck and spit at the roast chicken. Liu Yan tore off a piece of meat and fed it to the snake, and really began to worry that the snake would burst its belly.

Shen Jue saw this and said, “It should be nothing. He wants to hibernate, so he will naturally eat more at this time."

“It just swallowed two eggs at noon." Liu Yan pointed outside the yard: “The eggshells it spit out may not be completely dry yet."

Neither the father nor the son had ever raised animals. Even though they were very smart, they were at a loss as to what to do when faced with such a situation and looked at each other in bewilderment.

“How about…" Shen Jue hesitated and said, “Feed less?"

“Yeah." This is the only way. Although Liu Yan doesn’t mind raising a fat snake, he is afraid of raising a sick snake due to eating too much.

Shen Jue stood aside and watched for a moment, then suddenly said someone was coming and walked out. Liu Yan stood by the door and watched him open the gate. Then a man walked in from outside. His face could not be seen clearly in the darkness, but he was wearing a white robe and his hair was silver.

“Shen Qingxuan, I’m here to see you." The man spoke, his voice was loud, but old and rough. Liu Yan was stunned for a moment, feeling that the voice was somewhat strange, yet somewhat familiar.

“Why are you here?" Shen Jue stood aside and said indifferently.

“Haha, I have nowhere to go, so I came to find you." The man still had that old and frail voice, but there was a lot of mischievous meaning in it. Liu Yan then realized that the person was Xu Mingshi.

Xu Mingshi walked up to Liu Yan and stopped. In the flickering candlelight in the room, he looked at him and said, “I came to see you."

His back was hunched, as if the years had accumulated into a mountain, bending his waist. When he said this, his eyes narrowed, with the turbidity that only old people have, and his face was full of ravines and ridges. In just one year, he looked much older than when I last saw him.

Xu Mingshi looked at Liu Yan, then lowered his eyes and looked at the black snake in his arms. He said in a hoarse and old voice, “Old snake, don’t you recognize me? I wanted to come and see you, but you didn’t recognize me. You old snake, you are so annoying . “

Liu Yan suddenly realized that Xu Mingshi came here to say goodbye.

“Shen Qingxuan," Xu Mingshi said, “I have done what I should have done. Now I have nowhere to go. Can you still take me in as a guest in your house like you did that year?"

Liu Yan raised the corners of his lips and said, “Since when did Xu Mingshi become so pretentiously polite?"

Xu Mingshi chuckled, “Then I won’t be polite," and turned to Shen Jue and said, “Boy, I can’t walk anymore, find me a room and make a bed for me."

Although there was hatred, this time, Shen Jue did not say anything, turned and went into the side room to help him clean up the room. Liu Yan invited him in, and the two sat at the table, drinking tea and chatting.

After a while, the room was cleaned up. Xu Mingshi yawned and said, “Then I’ll go to rest. We’ll continue the conversation tomorrow."

“Xu Mingshi," Liu Yan called him from behind and asked, “Can we spend New Year’s Eve together this year?"

Xu Mingshi turned his back to him, smiled and said, “I can still get through this winter. Not to mention New Year’s Eve, I can even have Yuanxiao."

“That’s good." Liu Yan said.

“I’m going to sleep." Xu Mingshi said, hunched over, and walked out slowly.

Shen Jue stood aside and watched him enter the room. He extinguished the candle and the room was dark. Then he turned around and said to Liu Yan, “He doesn’t have many friends either."

Liu Yan nodded, and after a long silence, he said, “He came to us to escort him for the last section of the journey, so we should escort him well."

Shen Jue said, “Yeah," “I know."

“After all, we have been friends for hundreds of years." Liu Yan said softly.

Even though we have been friends for a hundred years, we will eventually have to part ways.