Chapter 152: The Meaning of Everything

Chapter 152: The Meaning of Everything

"No... Dad, Mom, you've misunderstood me..."

Fan Siwei quickly explained, "It's just that... recently, I've been thinking about these things."

He didn't mention that these thoughts came from reading *Fire Punch*. Otherwise, his mother might rush into his room and throw away all his *Fire Punch* volumes.

However, his explanation did little to ease his parents' worries.

"Siwei, how about taking a trip soon?" his father suggested, softening his usual stern demeanor. He tried his best to smile warmly at Fan Siwei. "We could take some time off, just the two of us, to relax and clear your mind..."

He only had one son, and even if it meant taking a half-month leave from work, he was determined to ensure Fan Siwei wouldn't do anything rash.

"No..."

Fan Siwei shook his head blankly. "School just started, and there's a lot to catch up on..."

"Classes aren't that important!" his father insisted. "Siwei, come with me for a little getaway. You can always catch up on studies, but opportunities to travel together don't come often."

"I'll take time off too. Let's all go on a family trip!" his mother chimed in.

They were joking, right? At this point, they were more concerned about his well-being than anything else.

Work? What could be more important than Fan Siwei?

They wouldn't hesitate to quit their jobs if it came to that.

"But I still want to know, what's the meaning of being alive?"

Fan Siwei asked, "Is it just to meet others' expectations?"

His father sighed inwardly. He understood now.

Fan Siwei's dilemma lay in this very question. If it wasn't addressed, it would only fester, blocking his heart completely.

"No, living is about living for the sake of living," his father said firmly. "When I was in college, the first book I read was *To Live*."

Fan Siwei thought for a moment. He had heard of *To Live*, though he hadn't actually read it.

"*To Live* is a tragic story. Maybe young people today don't enjoy such novels," his father continued. "The protagonist, Fugui, was once a wealthy young man, but he lost everything due to gambling, becoming a peasant. He was conscripted as a laborer during the war. In middle age, his daughter became mute, and his son died from excessive blood loss, leaving him to bury his own child..."

"You see, he was so miserable, forced to watch everything crumble around him, unable to resist or change his fate."

"Then in old age, his wife died, his daughter died in childbirth, his son-in-law was crushed by a cement slab... His grandson, Kugen, became his last hope, but he died from overeating."

"In the end, Fugui was left alone with an old ox, trudging along a country road."

"When the sunset fell behind them, how bleak it must have been!"

"After reading the novel, all I could think was how utterly tragic it was," his father said heavily. "From the bustling early days to the desolate later years, Fugui lost everything, yet he continued to live."

"Just like you said, Siwei, the world is a huge lie."

"Everyone strives for an elusive happiness, hoping it will eventually arrive."

"But how many actually achieve that happiness?"

"In his youth, Fugui was already very fortunate. He was a wealthy, carefree young master. But from the height of his wealth to the depths of his despair, what he treasured most wasn't his riches or indulgences."

"It was during his hardships that he believed his wife was the best in the world, his children were the best, his son-in-law, his grandson, and even the old ox named 'Fugui,' were all precious to him, along with his friends..."

"I remember a line from an essay titled *The Wisteria Blooms*, which still sticks with me..."

'Both flowers and people encounter all kinds of misfortune, but the river of life flows endlessly.'

"That's exactly why choosing to live on is the best choice."

"Because as long as you're alive, you can experience everything this world has to offer. If you lose your life, you feel nothing."

"Thinking means you exist."

"We don't celebrate suffering; we celebrate those who thrive in adversity, who blossom beautifully despite the hardships. We celebrate the resilience of life itself!"

"Only by continuing to live does life have infinite possibilities. Only then can you see the vibrant, colorful world!"

"So... no matter what, keep living!"

"Like a poem I love—'You don't want to plant flowers because you don't want to see them wither. Yes, to avoid an ending, you avoid any beginning.'"

"Indeed, you shouldn't refuse to start just because you're afraid of seeing the end... Likewise, you can't refuse life just because it seems too painful."

His father's words plunged Fan Siwei into deep thought.

Suddenly, he had an epiphany. Isn't Agni the same?

Even carrying immense pain, he still chose to live on.

He lost those he loved, everything he held dear, and was constantly tormented by the unquenchable flames engulfing him.

[Translator: sauron]

But he still... lived on.

Not just for revenge.

That's why Teacher Aoyama, the mangaka of *Fire Punch*, kept Agni alive...

Because only by living on could Agni continue to exist in this world.

Only then could he save others, only then could the downfall of Bessimdruk occur.

Only then could he meet Rigorita and the others, and only then could everything else unfold.

If Agni had died at the beginning, none of these stories would have happened.

He might have avoided the pain, but everything would have been meaningless.

"I... I think I understand now..."

Fan Siwei's eyes gleamed with clarity. "Living... is the meaning of everything!"

"Even if life is a lie, even if it's painful, just being alive itself is never wrong!"

"So, no matter how thorny the path ahead may be, no matter how much it hurts, keep living!"

Seeing the change in Fan Siwei, his father smiled with relief.

It seemed... Fan Siwei had finally figured it out.

...

After dinner, Fan Siwei returned to his room and picked up the *Fire Punch* volume he hadn't finished.

His mind was no longer as heavy as before.

He was ready to keep reading, even if the upcoming story in *Fire Punch* continued to be heartbreaking!

Fan Siwei resumed reading from where he had left off.

**Author's note:** Personally, I do think it bears some resemblance to Teacher Yu Hua's *To Live*... Just my personal opinion. 0.0

(End of the Chapter)