Chapter 68: First night in a foreign country

Sikkim is a very small country, about the size of a large city in China, like Shanghai.

Poor us, we had never heard of this country before, and the little common knowledge we had about it was learned from the conversation between Chengxin and the border official of Sikkim.

After learning this news, Brother Chengxin began to communicate with the official again. According to Brother Chengxin, since Sikkim is not very large, could he take us all the way to the capital of Sikkim, where it would be more convenient for us to transfer to India? After all, we were not willing to delay too much in a place where we were unfamiliar.

In order to get such convenience, it is naturally necessary to have the necessary benefits. For various considerations, we also exchanged some of our money for US dollars through certain channels. US dollars are universal, and Brother Chengxin used a little to get this convenience.

At this point, we finally saw everyone who had crossed the border earlier. They were waiting by the roadside, walking all the way, only about 5 kilometers from the border.

An escort car obviously couldn’t fit that many people, so the problem was solved with money again. After receiving enough money, the official used some unknown method to mobilize two more cars, so that they could continue to move forward.

However, this time, Hui Gen was unwilling to be separated from me again, and forced Cheng Xin to sit in the other car, while he sat in the same car with me.

“Brother, you don’t know how worried I was about you. If it weren’t for Brother Chengqing’s urging us to keep going, I would have wanted to run back. Brother Chengqing insisted that you were fine.” Hui Gen’er chattered to me as soon as he sat in the car. It was obvious that waiting by the roadside had also tormented their minds, and it was Chengqing’s credit that stabilized the situation this time.

I placed my hand on Hui Gen’er’s bald head and remained silent for a long time before saying, “We’re fine, but your brother Lushan has made a great sacrifice.”

At this time, Lu Shan’s face was still that hopeless, grayish white color without luster, his eyes unfocused, and he kept muttering to himself, saying something that only he himself knew, and even if others listened carefully, they couldn’t make out what he was saying.

The road conditions in Sikkim were not good, and the whole way was bumpy. Lu Shan’s body swayed up and down, as if he were a leaf in the wind, completely losing control of his body.

Lu Shan’s appearance obviously frightened Huigen. He looked at Lu Shan carefully and then asked me in a low voice, “Brother, what’s wrong with Brother Lu Shan?”

I also looked at the distance with a sad look, at the scenery that was not clearly visible in the night, and whispered, “He has lost something very important in his life. The pain of that loss is not as light as when I lost you, Sister Xue. Let him be quiet for a while.”

Hui Gen nodded understandingly and said nothing more.

When I said this, I was mostly guessing. Lushan didn’t tell me his story, but I could feel that the sadness of loss was the same as when I lost Ruoxue.

We didn’t make it all the way to the capital of Sikkim, but stopped halfway. The official found a place for us to spend the night, saying that the road conditions here were not suitable for night travel, and that it was a rainy night.

We didn’t object to this decision too much. In fact, fatigue was about to overwhelm us, so it was good to have a peaceful night’s rest.

I didn’t even have time to take a good look at the place the official had arranged for us. I simply washed up, fell into bed and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly and found that Lu Shan was sitting by the window, staring blankly, his eyes as bright as an owl’s.

I wanted to comfort him, but I felt that at this time, it was unnecessary for others to say anything, so I simply remained silent.

I got up, put on my clothes, and handed Lu Shan a pack of cigarettes. I lit one for myself, too. Happiness can be passed on to each other, and mutual sadness can also infect each other. Lu Shan’s sadness naturally also stirred my heart.

The drizzle had stopped in the middle of the night. I opened the window and saw a bright moon rising in the sky, illuminating the night after the rain. The distant mountains, the nearby dripping banana leaves, the wet earth and sky, and the damp mood. It turned out that the place where we rested was a large residential area, but it was also the first night in a foreign country.

Ruoxue, are you doing well in Longmu? Are you still the same Ruoxue who has never changed since the beginning? Or in that environment, have you transcended the bonds of the world and forgotten me?

With such sadness, the images in my mind kept changing. The fragile body that carried my life with its own. The beautiful back view in the setting sun. The first glance that turned into a thousand years. The photo of me with a stiff smile. And the promise that we were destined to break every winter.

“Every year at this time, let’s go see a movie, okay? Chengyi!”

“Chengyi, don’t look back, don’t look back!” Chengxin brother forcibly held my head and dragged me out.

But, whether I turn back or not, that figure is gradually disappearing into the depths of the Dragon Tomb, isn’t it?

My tears finally blurred my eyes, and even the cigarette I inhaled into my lungs could not comfort my sadness and longing at this moment. Next to me, there was another man who was crying like a fool—Lu Shan.

I looked up, wiped away the tears in my eyes, turned around and slapped Lushan’s shoulder. “There’s still time. You can go find Baima and get the drum back. The important thing is that you have hope.” I paused, looked at Lushan, whose expression had softened a little, and continued, “I once had a very beloved woman. I know where she is, but it’s a place I may never hope to reach in my life. But I told myself that I still had to go. That was my hope for comfort. Do you understand?”

Lu Shan looked at me, his hands trembling a little. He rubbed his face tiredly and said, “Do you want me to understand that people should have hope?”

“No, what I want you to understand is that you have real hope. You have a brother like me who promises to go with you into the mountains and the sea. Not like me, who only has the hope of comforting myself, without even a foundation. Can’t you walk to Manmanba in this lifetime?” I whispered.

“Brother?” Lushan looked up at me with a look of emotion in his eyes.

“Since you brought us to the border, we have been brothers. In our hearts, there is no difference between you and each other, because we understand what you have sacrificed.” I said seriously.

“But you don’t know everything about me, so how do you know what I sacrificed?” Lushan stood up and looked out the window with me.

“Yes, I don’t know everything about you, and I’m still waiting for you to tell me. But how could your sadness be fake? I’ve experienced this sadness just like you have.” I pretended to be indifferent, but at this moment, the bitterness in my heart was like an ocean, rolling and spreading throughout my body. I almost didn’t dare to think of the word “snow” again, for I was afraid that I would go crazy.

“Chengyi!” Lu Shan’s hand suddenly patted my shoulder heavily, and then he suddenly sobbed and said, “No matter… no matter if she is alive… or if she has become a holy object… I have always been with her… I have never left her… she is the purest… purest and most noble snow lotus in my heart! But… now…” Lu Shan patted his chest, making a loud sound, and then said, “Now it’s very empty here… I can’t feel her… she has to exist.”

“Then find her! Isn’t that right? As long as you are alive, there is hope. After you have pursued that hope, no matter what, you can let go with a smile when you die. That is all I need in my life, and I can sleep peacefully with no regrets. You need to rest.” I whispered.

“Well, I need a good sleep.” Lushan rubbed his face again. This time, there was no longer any despair on his face, and a little hope finally ignited in his eyes.

“Yes, hope can always make people feel better. At least because of it, they won’t waste their days. There was once a woman who gave me hope and made a promise that we would be together forever. I accepted it. Lushan, are you much luckier than me?” At this time, a gentle voice like the spring breeze suddenly interrupted our conversation. I turned around and it was Brother Chengxin.

He leaned against the door frame of the room, his eyes also filled with a sad look. Was he talking about that girl named Shen Xing? The calm, wise, and indifferent girl.

I let out a long breath. This is a sad night in a foreign land, but it is also a torch of hope that lights up the way ahead, fuelled by sadness.

I looked at Chengxin and smiled, “When did you wake up?”

“From the time you and Lushan were standing here and sitting here, like fools, crying.” Chengxin also smiled and replied.

But under the moonlight, there were also traces of tears on his cheeks. Was it also difficult to forget the embrace between the living and the dead in that room?

The three of us were silent, then almost at the same time said, “Tired, go to sleep.”

The night will always pass, and tomorrow, whether there is a sun or not, the sky will always brighten. The road will continue to be traveled, accumulating experiences that will become memories, tempering our hearts.