The project took even more time and effort than she had anticipated. It wasn’t until the first snowfall in the immortal cave dwelling that she finally completed the last step.
Tan Yin looked up at the mechanical man, its height and body shape identical to a real person. She felt the same sense of accomplishment as before, but this time, it wasn’t just accomplishment. Every contour was carefully carved by her own hands, every stroke of the eyebrows meticulously painted. At the time of making it, she had been completely focused, but now that it was finished, as she gazed at it, an indescribable feeling stirred in her heart.
Its eyes were made from the most precious black gemstones. She had polished the skin to a smooth, even texture, and the hair was real human hair, which she had painstakingly attached strand by strand, styled into a bun.
Tan Yin stared at it for a long time, the swelling emotion in her heart slowly calming. She took a white robe that had been prepared in advance and carefully dressed the mechanical man. Bathed in the snowy light, its eyes gleamed with life, its long hair cascaded over its shoulders, and its face, as smooth as jade, looked so lifelike it almost seemed to be smiling at her.
She was once again lost in its appearance.
Why had she made it look like him? She couldn’t explain it. Just as she had instinctively shielded Yuan Zhong behind her that time, creating this mechanical man in his likeness had been an unconscious act. She hadn’t even considered making it resemble anyone else. Why? She couldn’t say. Despite all her years of living, despite mastering the art of craftsmanship, she still didn’t understand the human heart. She couldn’t even understand her own.
She didn’t know how long she stood there before letting out a silent sigh. Taking a bronze rod, she rolled up the sleeve of the mechanical man, revealing a small hole at the elbow. She inserted the bronze rod and turned it ten times. The mechanical man shuddered, emitting a characteristic clack-clack, wandered aimlessly around the room for a few circles, and then stopped, turning to look at Tan Yin. Its eyes sparkled like a deity’s, making it impossible to tell if it was real or not.
“Well met.” The mechanical man clasped its hands together and bowed to Tan Yin.
Tan Yin smiled. “Come on, let’s go give him a surprise.”
It was two quarters past the hour of the dragon (around 8:30 am). This was the time when Yuan Zhong usually gathered fragrant herbs in the Xie Xiang Forest. Tan Yin, with the mechanical man in tow, quietly slipped out the door, walking slowly along the snow-covered lakeside. Snow had been falling heavily all night and hadn’t stopped yet, but the snow on the path wasn’t too deep. Along the side of the road, a wooden figure was diligently sweeping the snow with a broom, most likely set in motion by Yuan Zhong earlier in the morning. He had already learned how to control those four wooden figures.
The Xie Xiang Forest was a world of silver and white. Yuan Zhong, without an umbrella, was bent over, brushing aside snow in search of matured but still unharvested maoxiang (a fragrant herb). Hearing the sound of footsteps behind him, he turned around with a smile and said, “What, you’ve finally decided to leave your shabby little workshop today…”
He stopped mid-sentence, stunned. Standing behind him wasn’t Tan Yin, but a man dressed in white, holding a paper umbrella made from purple bamboo. The umbrella was tilted low, obscuring the man’s face, with only the long, black hair hanging over his chest visible.
“In this vast, silver world, layered with jade-like towers, on such a rare snowy day, would you care to share a drink with me, brother?”
The voice was deep yet carried a clear tone, strangely familiar.
Yuan Zhong froze for a moment, staring silently at the man. The figure’s height and build seemed oddly familiar. The umbrella still obscured the man’s face, and his white robe fluttered in the wind and snow.
“If you don’t speak, I must have been too forward.” The man in white chuckled. “Then I’ll offer you a song and dance for your amusement.”
With that, he gently released the ink-painted paper umbrella, which was swiftly carried away by the wind and snow. Beneath the umbrella was a pale face, with slightly upturned eyes, exuding a cold indifference. Yet, the eyes held a faint smile. Yuan Zhong, upon seeing his face clearly, was struck as if by lightning. He pointed at the man in utter shock, mouth agape, unable to say a single word.
The man in white clasped his hands together and, with a sweep of his long sleeves, began to sing and dance. His movements were powerful and bold, and his voice was strong and resonant. He sang the familiar song Jian Xi, one Yuan Zhong had heard countless times.
“Jian Xi, Jian Xi, your dance graces the day. At the height of noon, you stand in the forefront.”
The hem of his white robe brushed the snow, scattering it as the snowfall intensified. Dressed in white, he was almost indistinguishable from the snow, making it hard to tell where he ended and the snow began.
After the performance, the man in white bowed. “Forgive my humble offering.”
Yuan Zhong stood dumbfounded, but then, as if something clicked, he shouted, “Ji Tan Yin! You little rascal! Come out!”
He called twice, but no one responded. Yuan Zhong, sharp-eyed, spotted a figure lurking behind a tree in the distance, sneakily hiding in the most obvious way possible. He strode quickly toward her. Tan Yin, seeing his furious expression, was taken aback. It wasn’t the reaction of joy she had anticipated. She stared blankly as he approached, and then… he reached out and flicked her forehead hard.
“You’ve been holed up day and night for three months just to make this?” Yuan Zhong asked, his expression odd, pointing at the eerily lifelike “Yuan Zhong” in the forest.
Tan Yin, rubbing her forehead, nodded. Seeing his strange look, she murmured, “You… you don’t like it?”
She had hoped to surprise him, and while it seemed she had certainly surprised him, the joy she expected wasn’t quite there.
Yuan Zhong stared at her for a long, long time, long enough for a thin layer of snow to accumulate on her shoulders. Finally, he blinked, a dense mist escaping his lips.
“I… I really didn’t expect this…” he said with a bitter smile, but that bitter smile quickly transformed into a real one. His beautiful eyes were filled with joy, so much that it was practically overflowing.
So foolish. He looked so foolish, yet he couldn’t stop smiling.
“You like it?” Tan Yin wasn’t a fool. She could clearly see the growing smile on his face, and she couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile as well.
Yuan Zhong scratched his nose, glanced back at the “Yuan Zhong” in the woods, and then looked down at her. His pale face took on a faint blush.
“I like it.” His voice started soft, but suddenly grew louder, echoing through the Xie Xiang Forest.
“I like it!”
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