ysterious Hidden Journey

Chapter 6

This world was eternally cloaked in grey. You could never see the horizon clearly, it would simply be covered in fog, or shrouded in a cloud of green-grey smoke.

Tombstone after tombstone stood upon the ground, an endless sea. Groups of dead people, their figures black, paced before their own tombstones in a daze. The tombstones had no inscriptions and no names on them. It was apparent that that they had been forgotten by the living. They had been left forgotten in this world; they could only stay by their own tombstone forever, having lost their way.

However, Xinqing wasn’t as afraid as she was at the beginning. Even when she saw the dead with their skin, she could now face them without fear.

“Ah Can…” Just as Xinqing was about to say something, she saw Ah Can standing before a tombstone, his expression melancholy. A bouquet of wilted flowers was laid upon the nameless grave; the flowers looked as if they were melding into the earth. It was yet another grave of a forgotten person.

“I remember that I came from this place.” Hearing him say that, Xinqing’s heart clenched tightly. She did not know how to comfort him despite seeing his lonely figure. She walked to the tombstone that he stood by. The tombstone had already been covered by vines and weeds. As she thought of how he once laid here, yet didn’t even have a name, her heart felt as if it was being crushed by something till she could not breathe.

“Then, let me give it a name,” she said to Ah Can as she squatted down to search for a sharp stone on the ground. This was the only way that Xinqing could help.

Ah Can was startled. That pair of eyes as deep as a still body of water rested upon her; however at that moment, Xinqing’s smile was bright and radiant without compare. She used the sharp stone to carve an inscription upon his tombstone. “They may have forgotten you, but I still remember you. You are Ah Can. No matter who you were in the past, you are still Ah Can,” she spoke out loud as she carved the words. She carved them very carefully and deeply, in order for the words to be clearly seen. In a short while, the words ‘Ah Can’s Resting Place’ were carved upon the tombstone.

When Xinqing stood up and turned around, she realized that Ah Can’s gaze was upon her the whole time. In a moment, he burst into laughter; it made Xinqing confused.

“What is it? Is my writing that ugly?” Xinqing turned around to glance at the words she carved; she thought they looked fine.

“Actually, that isn’t my tombstone, I was just… just recalling that I came from here.” Ah Can knew that his laughter was impolite, but he still couldn’t resist. Still, seeing her being so serious made him feel very warm that moment.

“Ah? Why didn’t you say anything earlier? I thought that was…” Xinqing was stupefied; she had thought that it was his grave, so she took it upon herself to carve the words on… Wasn’t it all for him?

“Actually even I don’t know which of these tombstones is mine.” He glanced at the tombstones all cramped together, but he seemed more at ease now. His gaze fell upon Xinqing again, “However, thank you for making a tombstone for me. I’m really happy.” Wind gently swept through his soft hair, but the curve of his brows and his smile were deeply engraved within her mind.

“Why don’t we carve names for them as well?” Xinqing wasn’t sure, but what she probably wanted to do was to ensure that these forgotten people would not be forgotten once again.

“But do you know their names?”

“Oh that’s right… then…” She was all pumped up at first, but hearing him say that, she deflated. Besides, there were too many tombstones; even if they were to engrave inscriptions upon them all, they did not know how long it would take.

“I believe that your sincerity can be felt by them,” said Ah Can. A gust of wind swept through the dried grass and vines. Xinqing then realized, even if she did not carve names upon the tombstones, as long as she remembered this place and remembered these forgotten people, how could they be forgotten yet again?

“Xinqing, I just realized that meeting you is actually a significant event,” Ah Can suddenly looked at her carefully, his tone gentle. Xinqing could only feel her heart thumping faster. She hurriedly looked away to cover up her odd expression.

“Really? How is it significant?”

“You gave me a name, and you made a tombstone for me. To me, these things are filled with significance.” His lips were curved up in a light smile as his gaze fell upon somewhere in the distance.

As Xinqing gazed at his profile, she thought that the feeling that he gave off was like a gust of wind, gentle yet intangible. However, as she was enjoying the moment in a world with him, she saw it again: Ah Can’s body was turning lighter; so light, it even began to look transparent. Xinqing quickly stretched out a hand to grab him. Ah Can turned his head back in confusion, his eyes meeting Xinqing’s own stunned ones.

The moment Xinqing touched him, he returned back to how he was, no longer transparent like he was earlier.