Chapter 123: Distant Cousin, Until We Meet Again

An Muxi finished posting her postcard, ordered a refreshing milkshake, and sat listening to the sea breeze and the rhythmic sound of the waves. Watching the ships approaching from the distance, she wished she could freeze time in this very moment.

Lin Shendu had no idea what was written on An Muxi’s postcard. An Muxi noticed that Lin Shendu had already posted his own, and since she couldn't find where he had placed it, she simply tucked her postcard among the many others on the wall. It was better to keep a sense of mystery between them.

As the night deepened, the evening breeze grew cooler. Shadows blanketed the island, and the colorful lights reflected off the sea. With no one on the road, the entire island felt as if it had fallen into a deep slumber. The three of them walked back to their guesthouse, ready to search for Su Bao’er’s distant cousin the following day.

The next morning, the day was bright and clear. Uncle Chen, the owner of the guesthouse, drove the three of them across the island. The address was the one Lin Shendu had obtained from the police station the day before—the home of Su Bao’er’s very, very distant cousin.

Uncle Chen was in high spirits today and switched on the car’s music player. A classic song, "No Future," began to play:

"When a ship sinks into the seabed,
When a person becomes a riddle,
You do not know,
Why they left.
That 'goodbye' was their final word..."

"When a car vanishes into the horizon,
When a person becomes a riddle,
You do not know,
Why they left,
Just as you do not know that this was the end..."

The lyrics felt hauntingly relevant to Su Bao’er’s situation. Lin Shendu sighed; some songs only truly resonate once you have lived through the experience. He began to hum along softly:

"On every night the stars abandon the galaxy,
I will bid farewell,
Farewell to myself,
Because I do not know,
And I do not want to know,
The distance between us and the reunion..."

The song was beautifully written—"on every night the stars abandon the galaxy." It felt exactly like Su Bao’er’s life. She didn’t know, and had no way of knowing, what the final resolution of her story would be.

"In every dream where the galaxy falls into the valley,
I will wake up,
And forget the dream,
Because you do not know,
And you will never know,
That what is gone is truly gone..."

Lin Shendu hoped that for Su Bao’er, meeting him would be like that dream falling into the valley. Su Bao’er stared blankly ahead, then suddenly turned to look at Lin Shendu. Her tear-filled eyes searched his face. "Deer boy... what’s the name of this song? It’s so beautiful..." she whispered.

They arrived at the cousin’s house. The man was named Xu Xiang. When the three of them knocked on the door, however, they were greeted by two young men in their twenties. After Lin Shendu explained their mission, they learned that Xu Xiang had passed away several years ago. The Xu and Su families were indeed related, though the connection traced back more than three generations. It wasn't a close bond, but for Su Bao’er, it was precious nonetheless.

The two young men were Xu Xiang’s sons. Perhaps their father hadn't been very creative with names, as the brothers were called... Xu Sirui and Xu Fa. The two brothers were surprised by the sudden appearance of their "distant little aunt" seeking family ties. They weren't truly close—the connection was too distant and had faded years ago—but Xu Sirui managed to find an old photograph in a frame. It was a group portrait of family members on the island from many years ago. The black-and-white image was blurry and worn, featuring twenty or thirty people.

"This is my father," Xu Sirui said, pointing to a young man in the photo. "As for whether Su Bao’er’s parents are in here, I really don't know... but you can keep the photo!" Xu Sirui was a long-haired, bespectacled boy who appeared quite scholarly.

"Hey, this photo is ancient. Let’s take a new one together as a keepsake for Aunt Bao’er! After all, strictly speaking, we are family!" Xu Fa said boisterously. He was a curly-haired, devil-may-care boy who seemed much more outgoing than his mature, steady brother.

This sentiment resonated with everyone. What defines family is the blood connection that one holds in their heart, even if it is distant and thin. This photo of Su Bao’er, Xu Sirui, and Xu Fa would be something Su Bao’er would treasure for the rest of her life.

"Aunt Bao’er, we don’t have much to hold us back now that Dad is gone. If we have the chance, we’ll come visit you!" Xu Fa said with a cheerful wave. After they all shared lunch, it was time to say goodbye.

"Aunt Bao’er, if you get homesick, just come back and see us. We’re family!" Xu Sirui added.

"Mmm... I know, little three, little four..."

After bidding farewell to Uncle Chen as well, Lin Shendu left the island with An Muxi and Su Bao’er. Goodbye for now, Miaozihu Island. Goodbye, East Pole Island.

Around 11:30, they arrived at the pier of Dongfushan Island. As they disembarked, crew members helped them across the boarding ramp, and they assisted other tourists with their luggage. The locals were noticeably kind and thoughtful. Once ashore, Lin Shendu saw many people holding signs for guesthouses.

Legend had it that Dongfushan Island was named after Xu Fu, who stopped there during his expedition to the East. The island was about 3,000 meters long and 1,700 meters wide—not very large. There were very few flat roads; most of the terrain consisted of slopes and stone steps, making the geography somewhat complex. There was a local saying to describe Dongfushan: "The hometown of wind, the bed of rain, the kingdom of fog, and the cradle of waves." Judging by that, the climate was quite volatile.

The guesthouses near the pier were run by local fishermen and were scattered across the island at varying heights. It was Lin Shendu’s habit to find lodging first. After looking around, he noticed that many of the houses were built into the mountainside, layered one above another all the way to the peak.

Lin Shendu chose a three-story guesthouse with blue-and-white decor, giving it a strong navy aesthetic. It looked fresh and clean. He chose it primarily for its location, as it offered a direct view of the island’s white lighthouse. Unlike the one on Miaozihu, this lighthouse was pure white and known as the "First Sentinel of the East Sea." It stood near the pier and was the most beautiful spot on the island to watch the sunset. The white lighthouse, set against blue skies, white clouds, and the green sea, made for a perfect backdrop for portrait photography.

Since they had already eaten, the three of them dropped off their luggage, eager to explore the beautiful island. However, sightseeing here was a bit different. Miaozihu Island was more modernized; Lin Shendu discovered that on Dongfushan, there were only roads near the pier. The rest of the island had no roads at all, meaning it was entirely car-free. To see the island, they would have to hike!