Chapter 31 Faithful

When the sun sets down on the horizon, Guozhao Zhiqiang, Deming, and Yang Chuntao reached Rivers Village. Rivers Village is a one-day walk to Cloud City. Most people who travel to and from Cloud City will take a break here before continuing their itinerary. Guozhao Zhiqiang, Deming, and Yang Chuntao stopped at a Guanyin temple. Guozhao Zhiqiang walked into the Guanyin temple leaving Deming and Yuan Chuntao at the doorsteps.

Deming asked Yang Chuntao, "What is he doing? We should go down to the village to find a inn to rest."

Yang Chuntao replied, "Even if we walk into the village, there will be no place for us. We are familiar with this area because we often travel from our city to Capital City. Many rooms are booked in advance, or some merchants pay to stay the full year."

Deming, "Really?" Hearing what Yang Chuntao said, Deming was taken aback.

Yang Chuntao smiled at Deming and said, We usually take refuge here, which is more convenience and free. Sometimes there are too many hunters or civilians taking refuge here, so we sleep on the side of the road, or keep walking until we reach Cloud City." She sighed. "I hope all rooms are full except one." She smiled.

Deming asked, "Why do you hope so?"

Yang Chuntao said, "Because I want to sleep next to senior brother." She looked at Deming shyly.

Deming suddenly feel a rush of anger crawling on his skin. He stared at Yang Chuntao with wide eyes.

Yang Chuntao put her hands on her hips and said, "Hey, don't look at me that way. If the gentleman doesn't make the first move, there is nothing wrong with the lady making the first move."

After a while, Guozhao Zhiqiang walked out with a monk. Deming and Yang Chuntao followed Guozhao Zhiqiang and the monk to the back temple. There are two long rows of bamboo houses behind the Guanyin Temple. Each long bamboo house is divided into six rooms. The monk led them to a small bamboo house.

The young monk said, "Everyone can rest here for tonight."

Deming and Yang Chuntao thanked the young monk. Deming looked at Yang Chuntao and saw her big fox-like eyes gleaming.

Deming whispered, "Lady Yang, your hope has come true."

Yang Chuntao looked at Deming and smiled. She whispered, "Don't be our third wheel."

The young monk looked at the three hunters and said, "Dinner will be serve at seven." Then the monk walked back to the back door of the temple.

Guozhao Zhiqiang turned to Yang Chuntao, "There is only one bamboo house left. The four bamboo houses have been taken. We will have to share this room for tonight."

Yang Chuntao smiled happily at Guozhao Zhiqiang and said, "It's better than sleeping on the side of the road." She sighed. "Let's go in."

The three of them walked into the small bamboo house. There is only one single bed in the bamboo house.

Guozhao Zhiqiang said, "You two can take the bed." Then he walked out.

Deming looked around and the bed was enough to fit the three of them if they all squeeze together. He looked at the back of Guozhao Zhiqiang and said, "What is the matter with him?" He looked at Yang Chuntao. "It seems like you lose your chance of sleeping next to him." Knowing that Guozhao Zhiqiang would not share the bed with Yang Chuntao, Deming couldn't help but feel excited.

Yang Chuntao put the bag on the bed and looked at Deming sadly, "He has always been like this. We hunted together for three weeks. He slept on the roof and in different rooms. He never slept with me on the same bed." She smiled at Deming. "But I won't give up."

Deming, "Really?"

Yang Chuntao sighed, "It has been like this for almost three years."

Deming asked, "Lady Yang, does your senior brother have a lover?"

Yang Chuntao smiled and said, "I don't know, if he currently has one or not. I know that he used to have one, but that was a long time ago."

Deming asked, "How long ago?"

Yang Chuntao sighed, "Twelve years ago."

Deming asked, "What her name?"

Yang Chuntao smiled and said, "I don't know his name. I have never asked my other brothers."

Deming looked at Yang Chuntao, who was sitting on the bed, looking at the open door. He asked, "Why not?"

Yang Chuntao sighed deeply, and she turned to looked at Deming. She said, "Because I'm afraid if I know his name... I might hate him for being the number one person inside senior brother's heart."

Deming asked, "Do you like your senior brother?"

Yang Chuntao smiled and said, "Who doesn't like him?" She giggled a few times. "Everyone I know likes him. Many of my female classmates like senior brother." She looked down at the floor. "But no matter how much we like him; he will never like us more than just a fellow junior."

Deming asked, "How come?"

Yang Chuntao looked at Deming and said sadly, "Senior brother has liked this person since he was young. After waiting for nine years before reuniting, that person died. The red tassel on the sword is his hair. The necklace with the transparent tube on senior brother's neck hold the ashes of that person. So, you think that a person who will never forget the one he loves will easily fall in love again?"

Deming looked at Yang Chuntao and said, "I don't know." Deming was so happy that his heart was pounding. He wanted to run out to grab Guozhao Zhiqiang back to the room and kick Yang Chuntao out of the room. He wants to throw Guozhao Zhiqiang on the bed, took off his clothes, and made love to Guozhao Zhiqiang.

Yang Chuntao said, "A senior brother told me that after the person died, his body was already cold, and senior brother still held the body until the body began to decompose. Then senior brother finally burned the body and the body turned to ashes. Senior brother hung the person's ashes around his neck, remind himself that there is not a day when senior brother doesn't miss that person." She sighed. "Senior brother also made a spirit tablet for that person."

After hearing this, Deming wanted to jump up, ran out to find Guozhao Zhiqiang, and told him that he was the Deming who Guozhao Zhiqiang have been missing. Then he realized that his body was really dead and burned. The body he is in now is Dong Enlai. He decided to sit back on the bed with Yang Chuntao and decided to change the subject.

While eating, Deming did not see Guozhao Zhiqiang. When Deming and Yang Chuntao walked back to the bamboo house, Guozhao Zhiqiang sat by the bonfire.

Yang Chuntao smiled and rushed towards Guozhao Zhiqiang. She sat next to Guozhao Zhiqiang, "Zhiqiang, I didn't see you during dinner time. Did you eat?" Guozhao Zhiqiang nodded. She smiled at him. "Okay, okay. I'm going to bed. Good night." She stood up and walked towards the bamboo house.

Deming sat opposite Guozhao Zhiqiang. He looked at Guozhao Zhigiang's neck and then at his sword. Deming saw his red hair nicely braided, tied to Guozhao Zhiqiang's sword. Guozhao Zhiqiang's hazel eyes glanced at Deming, and then at the fire.

Deming cleared his throat and said, "I saw Deming three years ago." Guozhao Zhiqiang stared at Deming. "He found senior brother Wei and me. We were the lost disciples everyone was looking for. He helped me carry senior brother Wei to the riverbank. Then I was kicked into the river from behind. When I wake up again, I have already returned to the Guzheng Sector. Later, I learned that I had been in a coma for three weeks, and that senior brother Wei and brother Deming had passed away."

Guozhao Zhiqiang said lowly, "Why are you telling me this?"

Deming said, "No reason. I envy him very much, there is someone who love him so much after death, and that love has never faded by time."

Guozhao Zhiqiang said, "Because he is always right here." Guozhao Zhiqiang put his right hand on his left chest. "He will stay here forever, no one can replace him."

Deming wanted to reach out his hand to hold Guozhao Zhiqiang's face and kissed him until his lips bleed, but instead, he said, "If you don't open your heart to another person, how do you know that you won't fall in love again? Just by looking at lady Yang, you know that she likes you very much."

Guozhao Zhiqiang said coldly, "She is not Deming, why should I care whether she likes me or not?"

Deming said, "I heard that Deming looks the same as Hu Dingxiang. Some people say they are twins, while others say they are cousins. You have a good relationship with Hu Dingxiang, why not hook up with him."

Guozhao Zhiqiang raised his head and stared at Deming with his big hazel eyes. He didn't know why this young man knew about Hu Dingxiang and him. The past of him and Hu Dingxiang is known only to a few people outside the Cloud City, and this young man is not one of them. "He's not Deming," he said.

Deming asked, "So, if brother Deming is still alive, but his appearance changes, do you still love him?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang, "Even if he is disfigured or disabled, I only love him."

Deming sighed, "I really envy brother Deming." He stood up and walked past Guozhao Zhiqiang. "Maybe he is already standing in front of you, but you didn't love him enough to recognize him." He walked towards the bamboo house and closed the door behind him.