Two days later, at the investigation office.
Qin Guodong took out a plastic bag with the Golden Crow Wheel’s chip inside and handed it over to Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng accepted it.
“I have to go back to take over Ren Chong’s mess.” Qin Guodong said, “The special investigation team hasn’t been dissolved yet, so someone has to look after it.”
Zhou Sheng took the chip and handed it to Ou Qihang. Ou Qihang was overwhelmed by the honour. “You’re really lending it to me?”
“Yu Hao promised you ah.” Zhou Sheng said, “Which means I promised you too. It’s no big deal to lend it to you for a year to play with.”
Yu Hao said, “If the CPU doesn’t have any energy, it probably won’t be able to start up again.”
Ou Qihang studied the wires in the bag, saying, “Un, I’ll give it a try ba.”
Zhou Sheng said, “Don’t take it to your school’s laboratory ah.”
“Of course.” Ou Qihang said, “I’m only going to study it at home, I won’t tell anyone about it.”
One month later, at the newspaper office.
Zhou Sheng rode a shared bicycle and arrived outside newspaper office in the evening, then went in to look for Yu Hao. Situ Ye, while holding an ocarina, was teaching Chen Yekai, Ou Qihang, Fu Liqun, and Lin Ze how to play it.
“Yo, everyone’s here?” Zhou Sheng said in surprise, “Why are you guys suddenly learning this?”
Yu Hao was writing his manuscript, and he was about to blow up. He was still going all ‘ahhhhhh I’m never going to finish this’, while Situ Ye said with a smile, “Just playing for fun.”
“What’re you guys learning?” Zhou Sheng took one as well, “Let me play too? Wifey, there’s no rush, you can write first.”
“《Silent Memories》” Ou Qihang said sternly, “Douyin’s divine melody.”
Zhou Sheng’s mouth twitched. Situ Ye continued, “You don’t need to learn it.”
Yu Hao glanced at Zhou Sheng, and Zhou Sheng felt even more baffled.
Two months later, Sanjia Hospital.
Everyone was holding bouquets and fruit baskets as they rushed into Huang Ting’s hospital ward.
“Why are you all dressed so formally…” Huang Ting glanced at them, but everyone just treated him like air and rushed straight to the other hospital bed where the bone marrow donor lay.
“Thank you!” Chen Yekai was even shedding tears. He went to shake the donor’s hand. It was Yu Hao’s first time seeing Chen Yekai cry like this, and he couldn’t help but want to cry too.
“Thank you, Dage.” Zhou Sheng said to that man.
“You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” The donor said.
“Thank you for saving our brother!” Fu Liqun said, “If you have any instructions for us in the future, feel free to let us know!”
Huang Ting, “……”
Huang Ting just lay idly in bed and looked at the ceiling.
Six months later, Beijing Airport.
“I’m going ah.” Fu Liqun sadly bid farewell to his friends at the airport.
Zhou Sheng said, “Don’t weep so much, ai, we’ll go to Germany during the National Day holidays to find you. We’ll meet again in a few months.”
“Yxjs!” Me Oldec rjlv, “Tbecu Zjrafg, Tbecu Zjvjw, P…”
Te Ljb rwlifv jr tf fwygjmfv Me Oldec. Jtfc Tfxjl jcv Lejcu Klcu teuufv Me Oldec jr kfii lc aegc.
“Lejcu Klcu, ub yjmx fjgilfg.”
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“Rfnfg wlcv, P’w gfmbnfglcu nfgs delmxis.” Lejcu Klcu jcrkfgfv.
Ye Hltjcu vjgafv bnfg jcv rtbeafv, “Oldec Xf!” Ktfc tf ifjqa eq jcv teuufv Me Oldec.
Cen Shan smiled while watching them to one side. Fu Liqun turned around, held hands with Cen Shan, and went to the security checkpoint. Zhou Sheng just looked down at his phone, glancing at Fu Liqun once in awhile as he waited for him to leave.
Yu Hao turned his head sideways to look at Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng looked away. Yu Hao caught a glimpse of a large paragraph of WeChat content he wrote that he wanted to send to Fu Liqun, but he deleted all of it in the end.
“Gege!”
Just as Fu Liqun was about to wait in line, Zhou Sheng finally shouted and took a few steps forward.
Fu Liqun stood still, turned his head, and looked at Zhou Sheng with loneliness evident in his gaze. Zhou Sheng couldn’t rein it in; he went a few steps forward, but stopped, and the two of them just looked at each other quietly like that.
“I love you!” Fu Liqun smiled as he shouted, then turned his head and didn’t look at Zhou Sheng any longer.
“I love you too!” Zhou Sheng shouted openly as if no one else was around.
Everyone couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Zhou Sheng held Yu Hao’s hand and left. After Fu Liqun passed through the security checkpoint, he sat beside Cen Shan, shook his head, and finally began to cry.
Eight months later, at home.
Yu Hao scanned his fingerprint to unlock the door. He heard the laughter of a girl and Zhou Sheng’s mad laughter in the house.
“He’s back, he’s back.” Zhou Sheng was amused, “Quick, greet your sis-in-law, go. Yu Hao, Anqi’s here.”
“Hello, sis-in-law.” Anqi laughed.
“Hello, Meimei.” Yu Hao said, “I went out for an interview today, so I couldn’t pick you up.”
“That’s all right, Ge went.” Anqi said, “I bought some chocolate for you.”
Yu Hao asked, “How many days are you staying for?”
“I’m going abroad tomorrow,” Anqi said, “So I came to find you two. Sis-in-law, why do I feel like I’ve met you somewhere?”
Yu Hao brewed some pour over coffee for Anqi and Zhou Sheng, saying, “In a dream ba?”
Zhou Sheng, “Wu…”
Anqi said, “Really seem to have seen you in my dreams before.”
Yu Hao said, “Zhou Sheng never told me that he has a younger sister.”
Anqi said, “Ai you don’t know this, my Mum used to be really annoying; she would always nag and grumble as she thinks my Ge…”
Zhou Sheng smacked his thigh and said, “Ai! I remembered something. Repeat it for your sis-in-law again! I guarantee he’ll laugh himself to death!”
Yu Hao understood something — Zhou Sheng’s stepmother most likely wanted to marry this daughter of Zhou Laichun who wasn’t related to him by blood to Zhou Sheng! No wonder. Does he think I get jealous that easily?!
“What is it?” Yu Hao smiled, “I heard you guys laughing so happily just now…”
Anqi said solemnly, “Just the other day, I heard it from my Mum…hahahahahaha——”
Anqi hadn’t even said it before she bowled over laughing. Zhou Sheng laughed so hard that he lay sprawled on the table as well. Yu Hao didn’t know whether to cry or laugh for a moment as he looked at this pair of siblings.
“Zhou Laichun that idiot hahahaha—”
Yu Hao, “???”
Yu Hao was instantly intrigued. He said, “Don’t laugh anymore! Hurry and tell me ah!”
“Hahahaha—” Anqi finally reined herself in and said intermittently, “Zhou Laichun had a baby, but for some reason, he got into a fight with his wife and went to get a DNA test. As a result…it was his chauffeur’s kid, hahahaha—”
Zhou Sheng said, “His chauffeur is really handsome okay?! Why are you looking down on his chauffeur! Xiao Qin and my family’s chauffeur have eloped! That’s true love! The chauffeur’s wife even went to my house to catch the adulterers…”
Yu Hao instantly burst into laughter and almost knocked the coffee over.
“Then what should we do?!” Yu Hao cried, “He’s going to come and torment us again!”
Zhou Sheng laughed so hard tears were spilling out. He shrugged helplessly.
Anqi asked, “Ge, you don’t want to go back to manage the company?”
“Your Ge’s in charge of the office now ah.” Yu Hao said, “The results of his postgraduate entrance examination will be released soon, and he still needs to go to graduate school.”
Anqi laughed so hard she collapsed in her chair. She said, “Aiya I don’t know about you guys either, do as you see fit ba.”
“The results are out,” Zhou Sheng said to Yu Hao, “I passed the written examination.”
Yu Hao, “You passed?”
Zhou Sheng, “The interview is next week.”
Yu Hao, “You passed?! Why didn’t you say anything?!”
Zhou Sheng said, “Hahahaha it’s obviously ‘cause this gossip about the Old White-eyed Wolf is more interesting ah hahaha, how can the postgraduate entrance exam compare?!”
Yu Hao immediately went to rummage around for the party poppers he had prepared, then pointed it at Zhou Sheng’s head and pulled the string; with a ‘bang’, rainbow ribbons were strewn all over the heads of the other two. Anqi shrieked and ran away. Yu Hao thought that she was frightened, but Anqi said, “Give me one! Congratulations, congratulations!”
“I prepared a whole box!” Yu Hao shouted, “This is great! I’m the wife of a postgraduate from today on!”
Zhou Sheng, “……”
Anqi and Yu Hao started pulling party poppers like crazy together and made a mess of the house.
“Congratulations to the old Director Zhou for having another beloved son!” Anqi clearly didn’t like Zhou Laichun that much either.
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“Hahahaha—” Yu Hao laughed so hard he fell to the sofa. He shouted, “Congratulations, congratulations!”
One year later.
Ou Qihang began analysing the Golden Crow Wheel’s circuit on the computer. Qin Guodong came in and sat down.
“He promised to lend it to you for a year?” Qin Guodong asked.
“Yes.” Ou Qihang looked at the computer screen and answered, “It can’t be used now anyway. Zhou Sheng said that there’s no use in him holding onto it, so he lent it to me temporarily. He’ll come get it from me whenever he wants to use it.”
Qin Guodong said, “Spent so much effort in applying for this lab for you, but the analysis still failed.”
Ou Qihang pulled a swivel chair over, saying, “It’s very difficult. This is a product of another civilisation, so it’s good that we even know what it’s used for. The CPU can’t find an appropriate energy connector at all; it looks like it has to extract energy directly from the stars.”
Qin Guodong said, “What kind of job do you plan on looking for?”
Ou Qihang answered, “I’m going to graduate school. Don’t touch it, I have to go out for a while. I’ll come back next week.”
Qin Guodong placed both hands behind his back and glanced at the Golden Crow Wheel on the analyzer. Ou Qihang packed up the things in the lab and suddenly asked, “Qin Laoshi, may I ask a question?”
“What is it?” Qin Guodong turned around and said.
“At the very beginning, have you ever thought of taking the Golden Crow Wheel for yourself?” Ou Qihang said, “I’m really curious. Or is it that you discovered it was of no use in the end, which was why you returned it to Zhou Sheng?”
“Is that very important?” Qin Guodong said, “I don’t think it’s necessary to think too deeply about the process.”
Ou Qihang said, “I’m just curious. Who knows if you would use it after the CPU is successfully charged.”
Qin Guodong answered, “By then, someone will come to stop me. Evil can never prevail over good. I’m not as arrogant as Ren Chong.”
Ou Qihang said with a smile, “Right? But I think you may have had that idea before.”
“To be honest, I really didn’t.” Qin Guodong said, “Throughout this lifetime, I’ve always been worn out from gaining insight into the hearts of people. If you understand the hearts of too many people, then one wouldn’t even have a single friend in this world, so why bother? Manipulating and playing around with people’s hearts may satisfy Ren Chong’s desire for power, but once he succeeds, it also means…”
Ou Qihang said, “It also means that you would be the only person left in this world.”
“Yes.” Qin Guodong nodded. “All living things have already been invaded by your spirit, so you’ll turn into the only God. How lonely would that be, and how unfortunate would that be?”
Ou Qihang said, “That’s true. Once all desires are satisfied, there’s not much meaning left in living.”
Qin Guodong asked, “Where are you going?”
“Australia, to play.” Ou Qihang said, “I’ll bring some specialities back for you, byebye.”
Newspaper office.
Lin Ze and Situ Ye dragged their luggage into the office. Lin Ze said to Jin Weicheng who was the editor on duty, “Jin Laoshi, we’ll have to trouble you for being on duty.”
“Have fun.” Jin Weicheng said.
March, Australia, Hardy Reef.
During midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, the Great Barrier Reef’s waters that were almost transparent looked just like jelly. Houses dotted the water in great numbers, and the coral reef was dyed a beautiful bluish-green as it spread out on the offshore seabed. The sun shone brilliantly; the seabed could be seen with just a glance. Yachts with glass bases sailed by one after another, as if they were floating in mid air — the blue skies, white clouds, and sea waters had merged into one colour.
Yu Hao slept until it was dark out because he was still suffering from his jet lag. When he arrived the night before, it was pitch dark outside, and he couldn’t see anything. When he woke up in the morning, the water house facing the sea was enveloped by muslin curtains, while the radiant sunlight streamed in from outside.
“Get up!” Chen Yekai said, “Look at the time!”
Beside Yu Hao on the bed, Zhou Sheng had gone missing, his warmth still lingering under the blanket.
As soon as Yu Hao looked at the time, he was startled. Ou Qihang followed in as well, saying, “Get up and change your clothes! It’s about to start!”
Yu Hao, “……”
“Why is it that you guys aren’t wearing anything, but I have to wear a shirt!” Yu Hao lamented, “I want to go snorkelling too!”
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“How are we not wearing anything!” Chen Yekai said.
Ou Qihang, “Exactly, we’re obviously wearing beach shorts.”
Ou Qihang and Chen Yekai were both half naked and were obviously very aware of their status as tourists. They were even barefoot as they pushed Yu Hao to the wash basin. Ou Qihang smeared sunscreen on Yu Hao, Chen Yekai helped him wax his hair, and after being embroiled in chaos for a while, Chen Yekai looked at the diving watch on his wrist and said, “Okay, when the time comes you just need to walk along the route.”
Ou Qihang said, “We’ll go off first!”
Yu Hao scrutinised himself in the mirror. He took a deep breath, stood there for awhile, then pushed the door open and left.
Lin Ze was half naked and wore a pair of beach shorts as he waited at the entrance to the water house. He placed an ocarina next to his mouth, and once the door opened, the music began to play.
Yu Hao laughed. That was the Douyin divine melody that they had been practicing diligently for months.
“You walked with me into a cicada summer, walking through the hustle and bustle of a city; songs still in the air, in your eyes like pomegranate blossoms, I can’t see your tenderness…”
Yu Hao sang along with the music as he walked out of the long corridor. Lin Ze blew his ocarina with a cadence as he followed him from behind. At the end of the corridor, Chen Yekai appeared and began blowing on an ocarina and followed up.
“I miss you so much, every rainy season; what you choose to forget, is what I am attached to the most—”
Situ Ye waited in the garden and smiled at Yu Hao. That smile was as brilliant as the sun, and he sang with Yu Hao,
“This letter is too short for my feelings; there are too many ripples that I cannot finish telling of, every aspect of my story is about you.”
On the stony path, Cen Shan blew an ocarina with a gentle hint of a smile in her gaze, accompanying Yu Hao to walk towards the dock.
Ye Hltjcu kjlafv ja atf vbmx. Lf rajgafv qijslcu tlr bmjglcj jcv pblcfv atfw. Te Ljb rafqqfv bcab atf sjmta klat j uijrr yjrf; atf ybjawjc qjvvifv atf kjafg, jcv atf ubcvbij-ilxf ybja rkjsfv jr la kjr gbkfv bcab atf agjcrqjgfca rfj.
Vxlfr kfgf mifjg, atf ygffhf kjr ralii, jcv atf kjnfr kfgf delfa. Te Ljb rabbv ja atf ybk bo atf ybja jcv ibbxfv ja atf mbgji lrijcv lc atf wlvvif bo atf rfj. Ktfgf kjr jc jgmt atfgf yelia klat ktlaf gbrfr; Me Oldec jcv Lejcu Klcu ybat kbgf rtlgar jr atfs kjlafv klat Itbe Vtfcu. Itbe Vtfcu mjrejiis sjcxfv j ofk alwfr ja atf gbrf qfajir erfv obg vfmbgjalbc.
Five boats that were decorated as gondolas drifted in slowly on that transparent sea as it approached the island.
Yu Hao looked at Zhou Sheng, who was waiting for him on that island. Situ Ye sang to one side,
“How did I fall in love with him, and decide to go home with him; giving up my all, my everything, it doesn’t matter…”
“This letter is too short for my feelings; my youth of yester-year is a long story, my story is still about you.”
The gondola reached the shore. Yu Hao disembarked. Adorned in a white shirt and a pair of black suit pants, he walked towards Zhou Sheng, who was drenched in sweat from the sweltering heat. Zhou Sheng looked very handsome today but also seemed really hot. He would loosen the tie around his neck from time to time, and sweat could be seen dripping from his hair.
“You’re here?” Zhou Sheng said.
“Overslept.” Yu Hao said with a little embarrassment.
“Without anyone going into your dream to wake you, you can’t get up.” Zhou Sheng’s slight smile was intoxicating. He bowed his head and kissed Yu Hao, held his hand, and they walked to the arch decorated with white roses. Situ Ye immediately took his camera out and froze this moment.
A year and a half later.
“…there’s still another project here, they actually took us into a waterfall with an inflatable boat! Zhou Sheng was insistent on pulling me over to play with him, and we ended up getting drenched.”
The photo Chen Yekai received was of a half naked Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng wearing life jackets, cutting a sorry figure as they were soaked all over. As well as another photo they took together in front of a waterfall.
“Chichén Itzá’s really hot, they’re quite tan now…” Chen Yekai said as he held the photos.
In the photo was Zhou Sheng, who was wearing a shirt and a pair of black shorts as he played football on the Cuju court. Yu Hao captured the moment of Zhou Sheng kicking out handsomely, kicking the football used for practice out in a path that drew an arc in the air.
“We’re following an expedition team.” Cen Shan read the letter from Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng under the sunlight by the window of her home in Vienna. Fu Liqun looked at the photo — in it were the two of them and several other expedition team members at a camp set up in the desert, and they were making a ‘yeah’ gesture.
Fu Liqun said, “They actually went?”
Cen Shan asked, “Why are they so insistent on Loulan?”
Fu Liqun smiled and hugged Cen Shan from behind, touching Cen Shan’s bulging stomach with both hands.
“Will they be able to make it for our wedding in time?” Cen Shan said, “They have to get their asses here next month.”
Fu Liqun said, “They’ll make it, don’t worry. They’ve already bought their tickets. Let me take a look?”
Fu Liqun looked through the photos, saying, “The Loulan in the dream ah. Do you remember that the movie we watched when we first met was about it?”
Cen Shan said, “Of course I remember, and I kept getting bitten by mosquitoes…after passing the Devil City of Yardang was a vast no man’s land. I didn’t see Lop Nor, and wolves were howling all night, it reminded me of the legendary ‘scheming white wolves’.”
Fu Liqun laughed. Cen Shan flipped to the last photo; in it were Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng with their faces covered as they withstood the sandstorm and scorching sun with only their eyes showing, and they were sitting cross-legged in front of the ruins of the ancient city.
“Hailed a cab in Ramla Square…to head to the Lighthouse of Alexandria.”
In Los Angeles, Shi Ni sat on a swing in her courtyard, reading the letter with her head down.
“…the earliest lighthouse has already sunk to the bottom of the sea, and Egypt rebuilt it in 2015.” Shi Ni looked at the photo; Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng were sitting under the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Zhou Sheng sat on the railings while Yu Hao stood, smiling at the camera, and she seemed to vaguely recall something.
“The Hanging Gardens of Babylon have not been found yet.” Huang Ting flipped over the front of the photo, “But we’ve visited the ancient Babylonian ruins in southern Baghdad…Damn it, aren’t you guys a bit too bold? Isn’t Iraq still in the midst of war?”
In the photo were Yu Hao, Zhou Sheng and a sentry.
“Then, Zhou Sheng almost hit the one dressed up as a zombie…”
Ou Qihang flipped through the photos that Yu Hao mailed over; it was a photo they took together in front of ‘The Walking Dead’ attraction in Universal Studios.
“Luckily I pulled him back in time.” Ou Qihang didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, “I want to travel around the world too! It’s so exciting!”
“The letter is too short for my feelings, I don’t have enough to describe everything in detail…”
Yu Hao sat in front of the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii; there was a board spread out on his knees, and he had his head bowed as he wrote a letter. He placed the photos that they had taken in the envelope, then put it in the mailbox. Zhou Sheng looked up at Pompeii’s ruins and said, “It’s the last one?”
“Un, for Liang Laoshi.” Yu Hao said, “There aren’t any left.”
Zhou Sheng said, “Then let’s go to my dream?”
“Let’s go.” Yu Hao laughed.
The next day, both of them got up very early. After visiting the last place of interest, they would take a plane at noon to Vienna to attend Fu Liqun’s and Cen Shan’s wedding.
Colosseum, the marble white colour before dawn cast some light down. Summer’s morning was the coldest period in Rome. Zhou Sheng and Yu Hao wore long-sleeved jackets as they entered the arena.
Zhou Sheng stood in the darkness before dawn, looked around, then looked up at the grandstand. Yu Hao’s camera was hung around his neck. He sat down in the grandstand and looked at Zhou Sheng, who was in the arena.
“Hey, boy!” Yu Hao shouted down.
“Hey!” Zhou Sheng answered.
Yu Hao asked, “Who do you want to challenge this time?”
Zhou Sheng, “I don’t want to challenge anyone! Just here for an inspection tour.”
Yu Hao said, “Come up?”
Zhou Sheng said, “You come down.”
“You come up.”
“You come down. Behave.”
So Yu Hao could only walk down the stairs to stand next to Zhou Sheng. He said, “I still want to take a picture of you from a higher place.”
“Shh.” Zhou Sheng pulled Yu Hao’s hand, “The sun’s coming out, watch it from here.”
Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng held hands, like two travellers who had walked over from a long river of time.
The sun rose, illuminating this world that was sound asleep and awakened all living beings. Its light surrounded them, its rays shining in through the many doorways of the ancient Roman arena. Each opening in the wall was like a door— a door that led to the billions of dream worlds that shone resplendently like brilliant stars.
——Seizing Dreams·The End——
【Dogs actually aren’t that terrifying. Dogs are mankind’s friends ah.】A bunch of messy words were written on the postcard.
Lin Ze held the postcard and said, “Why did that kid suddenly send me such a postcard? And it’s of Monet’s painting?”
Situ Ye was bored stiff. “He should’ve gone to Paris again ba?! When is Yu Hao Didi coming back! Hasn’t he been away from home for too long!”
“He’s still writing his manuscripts. Don’t you worry about him.” Lin Ze said, “Why is it an impression of a sunrise?”
Situ Ye, “Why are you caring about that impression of his? I’m bored! I want to play too! I want to go to Australia too! I want to go to Antarctica! I want to go to Croatia to see King’s Landing City…”
Lin Ze, “I’ll definitely take you during the National Day holidays! Stop shouting! I got it!”
The author has something to say:
Every time I finish telling the stories of the protagonists, I’ll feel like I’ve just lived through a grand and magnificent life.
Hopefully, everyone has their own dreams, in which the sun would always rise.
《Seizing Dreams》extras will be released in the simplified version first, please pay attention to the information of the publication of the simplified version.
The simplified edition will be published in Jinjiang three months later.
Okay, that’s it, see you guys in the next book.
Two days later, at the investigation office.
Qin Guodong took out a plastic bag with the Golden Crow Wheel’s chip inside and handed it over to Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng accepted it.
“I have to go back to take over Ren Chong’s mess.” Qin Guodong said, “The special investigation team hasn’t been dissolved yet, so someone has to look after it.”
Zhou Sheng took the chip and handed it to Ou Qihang. Ou Qihang was overwhelmed by the honour. “You’re really lending it to me?”
“Yu Hao promised you ah.” Zhou Sheng said, “Which means I promised you too. It’s no big deal to lend it to you for a year to play with.”
Yu Hao said, “If the CPU doesn’t have any energy, it probably won’t be able to start up again.”
Ou Qihang studied the wires in the bag, saying, “Un, I’ll give it a try ba.”
Zhou Sheng said, “Don’t take it to your school’s laboratory ah.”
“Of course.” Ou Qihang said, “I’m only going to study it at home, I won’t tell anyone about it.”
One month later, at the newspaper office.
Zhou Sheng rode a shared bicycle and arrived outside newspaper office in the evening, then went in to look for Yu Hao. Situ Ye, while holding an ocarina, was teaching Chen Yekai, Ou Qihang, Fu Liqun, and Lin Ze how to play it.
“Yo, everyone’s here?” Zhou Sheng said in surprise, “Why are you guys suddenly learning this?”
Yu Hao was writing his manuscript, and he was about to blow up. He was still going all ‘ahhhhhh I’m never going to finish this’, while Situ Ye said with a smile, “Just playing for fun.”
“What’re you guys learning?” Zhou Sheng took one as well, “Let me play too? Wifey, there’s no rush, you can write first.”
“《Silent Memories》” Ou Qihang said sternly, “Douyin’s divine melody.”
Zhou Sheng’s mouth twitched. Situ Ye continued, “You don’t need to learn it.”
Yu Hao glanced at Zhou Sheng, and Zhou Sheng felt even more baffled.
Two months later, Sanjia Hospital.
Everyone was holding bouquets and fruit baskets as they rushed into Huang Ting’s hospital ward.
“Why are you all dressed so formally…” Huang Ting glanced at them, but everyone just treated him like air and rushed straight to the other hospital bed where the bone marrow donor lay.
“Thank you!” Chen Yekai was even shedding tears. He went to shake the donor’s hand. It was Yu Hao’s first time seeing Chen Yekai cry like this, and he couldn’t help but want to cry too.
“Thank you, Dage.” Zhou Sheng said to that man.
“You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” The donor said.
“Thank you for saving our brother!” Fu Liqun said, “If you have any instructions for us in the future, feel free to let us know!”
Huang Ting, “……”
Huang Ting just lay idly in bed and looked at the ceiling.
Six months later, Beijing Airport.
“I’m going ah.” Fu Liqun sadly bid farewell to his friends at the airport.
Zhou Sheng said, “Don’t weep so much, ai, we’ll go to Germany during the National Day holidays to find you. We’ll meet again in a few months.”
“Yxjs!” Me Oldec rjlv, “Tbecu Zjrafg, Tbecu Zjvjw, P…”
Te Ljb rwlifv jr tf fwygjmfv Me Oldec. Jtfc Tfxjl jcv Lejcu Klcu teuufv Me Oldec jr kfii lc aegc.
“Lejcu Klcu, ub yjmx fjgilfg.”
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“Rfnfg wlcv, P’w gfmbnfglcu nfgs delmxis.” Lejcu Klcu jcrkfgfv.
Ye Hltjcu vjgafv bnfg jcv rtbeafv, “Oldec Xf!” Ktfc tf ifjqa eq jcv teuufv Me Oldec.
Cen Shan smiled while watching them to one side. Fu Liqun turned around, held hands with Cen Shan, and went to the security checkpoint. Zhou Sheng just looked down at his phone, glancing at Fu Liqun once in awhile as he waited for him to leave.
Yu Hao turned his head sideways to look at Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng looked away. Yu Hao caught a glimpse of a large paragraph of WeChat content he wrote that he wanted to send to Fu Liqun, but he deleted all of it in the end.
“Gege!”
Just as Fu Liqun was about to wait in line, Zhou Sheng finally shouted and took a few steps forward.
Fu Liqun stood still, turned his head, and looked at Zhou Sheng with loneliness evident in his gaze. Zhou Sheng couldn’t rein it in; he went a few steps forward, but stopped, and the two of them just looked at each other quietly like that.
“I love you!” Fu Liqun smiled as he shouted, then turned his head and didn’t look at Zhou Sheng any longer.
“I love you too!” Zhou Sheng shouted openly as if no one else was around.
Everyone couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Zhou Sheng held Yu Hao’s hand and left. After Fu Liqun passed through the security checkpoint, he sat beside Cen Shan, shook his head, and finally began to cry.
Eight months later, at home.
Yu Hao scanned his fingerprint to unlock the door. He heard the laughter of a girl and Zhou Sheng’s mad laughter in the house.
“He’s back, he’s back.” Zhou Sheng was amused, “Quick, greet your sis-in-law, go. Yu Hao, Anqi’s here.”
“Hello, sis-in-law.” Anqi laughed.
“Hello, Meimei.” Yu Hao said, “I went out for an interview today, so I couldn’t pick you up.”
“That’s all right, Ge went.” Anqi said, “I bought some chocolate for you.”
Yu Hao asked, “How many days are you staying for?”
“I’m going abroad tomorrow,” Anqi said, “So I came to find you two. Sis-in-law, why do I feel like I’ve met you somewhere?”
Yu Hao brewed some pour over coffee for Anqi and Zhou Sheng, saying, “In a dream ba?”
Zhou Sheng, “Wu…”
Anqi said, “Really seem to have seen you in my dreams before.”
Yu Hao said, “Zhou Sheng never told me that he has a younger sister.”
Anqi said, “Ai you don’t know this, my Mum used to be really annoying; she would always nag and grumble as she thinks my Ge…”
Zhou Sheng smacked his thigh and said, “Ai! I remembered something. Repeat it for your sis-in-law again! I guarantee he’ll laugh himself to death!”
Yu Hao understood something — Zhou Sheng’s stepmother most likely wanted to marry this daughter of Zhou Laichun who wasn’t related to him by blood to Zhou Sheng! No wonder. Does he think I get jealous that easily?!
“What is it?” Yu Hao smiled, “I heard you guys laughing so happily just now…”
Anqi said solemnly, “Just the other day, I heard it from my Mum…hahahahahaha——”
Anqi hadn’t even said it before she bowled over laughing. Zhou Sheng laughed so hard that he lay sprawled on the table as well. Yu Hao didn’t know whether to cry or laugh for a moment as he looked at this pair of siblings.
“Zhou Laichun that idiot hahahaha—”
Yu Hao, “???”
Yu Hao was instantly intrigued. He said, “Don’t laugh anymore! Hurry and tell me ah!”
“Hahahaha—” Anqi finally reined herself in and said intermittently, “Zhou Laichun had a baby, but for some reason, he got into a fight with his wife and went to get a DNA test. As a result…it was his chauffeur’s kid, hahahaha—”
Zhou Sheng said, “His chauffeur is really handsome okay?! Why are you looking down on his chauffeur! Xiao Qin and my family’s chauffeur have eloped! That’s true love! The chauffeur’s wife even went to my house to catch the adulterers…”
Yu Hao instantly burst into laughter and almost knocked the coffee over.
“Then what should we do?!” Yu Hao cried, “He’s going to come and torment us again!”
Zhou Sheng laughed so hard tears were spilling out. He shrugged helplessly.
Anqi asked, “Ge, you don’t want to go back to manage the company?”
“Your Ge’s in charge of the office now ah.” Yu Hao said, “The results of his postgraduate entrance examination will be released soon, and he still needs to go to graduate school.”
Anqi laughed so hard she collapsed in her chair. She said, “Aiya I don’t know about you guys either, do as you see fit ba.”
“The results are out,” Zhou Sheng said to Yu Hao, “I passed the written examination.”
Yu Hao, “You passed?”
Zhou Sheng, “The interview is next week.”
Yu Hao, “You passed?! Why didn’t you say anything?!”
Zhou Sheng said, “Hahahaha it’s obviously ‘cause this gossip about the Old White-eyed Wolf is more interesting ah hahaha, how can the postgraduate entrance exam compare?!”
Yu Hao immediately went to rummage around for the party poppers he had prepared, then pointed it at Zhou Sheng’s head and pulled the string; with a ‘bang’, rainbow ribbons were strewn all over the heads of the other two. Anqi shrieked and ran away. Yu Hao thought that she was frightened, but Anqi said, “Give me one! Congratulations, congratulations!”
“I prepared a whole box!” Yu Hao shouted, “This is great! I’m the wife of a postgraduate from today on!”
Zhou Sheng, “……”
Anqi and Yu Hao started pulling party poppers like crazy together and made a mess of the house.
“Congratulations to the old Director Zhou for having another beloved son!” Anqi clearly didn’t like Zhou Laichun that much either.
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“Hahahaha—” Yu Hao laughed so hard he fell to the sofa. He shouted, “Congratulations, congratulations!”
One year later.
Ou Qihang began analysing the Golden Crow Wheel’s circuit on the computer. Qin Guodong came in and sat down.
“He promised to lend it to you for a year?” Qin Guodong asked.
“Yes.” Ou Qihang looked at the computer screen and answered, “It can’t be used now anyway. Zhou Sheng said that there’s no use in him holding onto it, so he lent it to me temporarily. He’ll come get it from me whenever he wants to use it.”
Qin Guodong said, “Spent so much effort in applying for this lab for you, but the analysis still failed.”
Ou Qihang pulled a swivel chair over, saying, “It’s very difficult. This is a product of another civilisation, so it’s good that we even know what it’s used for. The CPU can’t find an appropriate energy connector at all; it looks like it has to extract energy directly from the stars.”
Qin Guodong said, “What kind of job do you plan on looking for?”
Ou Qihang answered, “I’m going to graduate school. Don’t touch it, I have to go out for a while. I’ll come back next week.”
Qin Guodong placed both hands behind his back and glanced at the Golden Crow Wheel on the analyzer. Ou Qihang packed up the things in the lab and suddenly asked, “Qin Laoshi, may I ask a question?”
“What is it?” Qin Guodong turned around and said.
“At the very beginning, have you ever thought of taking the Golden Crow Wheel for yourself?” Ou Qihang said, “I’m really curious. Or is it that you discovered it was of no use in the end, which was why you returned it to Zhou Sheng?”
“Is that very important?” Qin Guodong said, “I don’t think it’s necessary to think too deeply about the process.”
Ou Qihang said, “I’m just curious. Who knows if you would use it after the CPU is successfully charged.”
Qin Guodong answered, “By then, someone will come to stop me. Evil can never prevail over good. I’m not as arrogant as Ren Chong.”
Ou Qihang said with a smile, “Right? But I think you may have had that idea before.”
“To be honest, I really didn’t.” Qin Guodong said, “Throughout this lifetime, I’ve always been worn out from gaining insight into the hearts of people. If you understand the hearts of too many people, then one wouldn’t even have a single friend in this world, so why bother? Manipulating and playing around with people’s hearts may satisfy Ren Chong’s desire for power, but once he succeeds, it also means…”
Ou Qihang said, “It also means that you would be the only person left in this world.”
“Yes.” Qin Guodong nodded. “All living things have already been invaded by your spirit, so you’ll turn into the only God. How lonely would that be, and how unfortunate would that be?”
Ou Qihang said, “That’s true. Once all desires are satisfied, there’s not much meaning left in living.”
Qin Guodong asked, “Where are you going?”
“Australia, to play.” Ou Qihang said, “I’ll bring some specialities back for you, byebye.”
Newspaper office.
Lin Ze and Situ Ye dragged their luggage into the office. Lin Ze said to Jin Weicheng who was the editor on duty, “Jin Laoshi, we’ll have to trouble you for being on duty.”
“Have fun.” Jin Weicheng said.
March, Australia, Hardy Reef.
During midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, the Great Barrier Reef’s waters that were almost transparent looked just like jelly. Houses dotted the water in great numbers, and the coral reef was dyed a beautiful bluish-green as it spread out on the offshore seabed. The sun shone brilliantly; the seabed could be seen with just a glance. Yachts with glass bases sailed by one after another, as if they were floating in mid air — the blue skies, white clouds, and sea waters had merged into one colour.
Yu Hao slept until it was dark out because he was still suffering from his jet lag. When he arrived the night before, it was pitch dark outside, and he couldn’t see anything. When he woke up in the morning, the water house facing the sea was enveloped by muslin curtains, while the radiant sunlight streamed in from outside.
“Get up!” Chen Yekai said, “Look at the time!”
Beside Yu Hao on the bed, Zhou Sheng had gone missing, his warmth still lingering under the blanket.
As soon as Yu Hao looked at the time, he was startled. Ou Qihang followed in as well, saying, “Get up and change your clothes! It’s about to start!”
Yu Hao, “……”
“Why is it that you guys aren’t wearing anything, but I have to wear a shirt!” Yu Hao lamented, “I want to go snorkelling too!”
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“How are we not wearing anything!” Chen Yekai said.
Ou Qihang, “Exactly, we’re obviously wearing beach shorts.”
Ou Qihang and Chen Yekai were both half naked and were obviously very aware of their status as tourists. They were even barefoot as they pushed Yu Hao to the wash basin. Ou Qihang smeared sunscreen on Yu Hao, Chen Yekai helped him wax his hair, and after being embroiled in chaos for a while, Chen Yekai looked at the diving watch on his wrist and said, “Okay, when the time comes you just need to walk along the route.”
Ou Qihang said, “We’ll go off first!”
Yu Hao scrutinised himself in the mirror. He took a deep breath, stood there for awhile, then pushed the door open and left.
Lin Ze was half naked and wore a pair of beach shorts as he waited at the entrance to the water house. He placed an ocarina next to his mouth, and once the door opened, the music began to play.
Yu Hao laughed. That was the Douyin divine melody that they had been practicing diligently for months.
“You walked with me into a cicada summer, walking through the hustle and bustle of a city; songs still in the air, in your eyes like pomegranate blossoms, I can’t see your tenderness…”
Yu Hao sang along with the music as he walked out of the long corridor. Lin Ze blew his ocarina with a cadence as he followed him from behind. At the end of the corridor, Chen Yekai appeared and began blowing on an ocarina and followed up.
“I miss you so much, every rainy season; what you choose to forget, is what I am attached to the most—”
Situ Ye waited in the garden and smiled at Yu Hao. That smile was as brilliant as the sun, and he sang with Yu Hao,
“This letter is too short for my feelings; there are too many ripples that I cannot finish telling of, every aspect of my story is about you.”
On the stony path, Cen Shan blew an ocarina with a gentle hint of a smile in her gaze, accompanying Yu Hao to walk towards the dock.
Ye Hltjcu kjlafv ja atf vbmx. Lf rajgafv qijslcu tlr bmjglcj jcv pblcfv atfw. Te Ljb rafqqfv bcab atf sjmta klat j uijrr yjrf; atf ybjawjc qjvvifv atf kjafg, jcv atf ubcvbij-ilxf ybja rkjsfv jr la kjr gbkfv bcab atf agjcrqjgfca rfj.
Vxlfr kfgf mifjg, atf ygffhf kjr ralii, jcv atf kjnfr kfgf delfa. Te Ljb rabbv ja atf ybk bo atf ybja jcv ibbxfv ja atf mbgji lrijcv lc atf wlvvif bo atf rfj. Ktfgf kjr jc jgmt atfgf yelia klat ktlaf gbrfr; Me Oldec jcv Lejcu Klcu ybat kbgf rtlgar jr atfs kjlafv klat Itbe Vtfcu. Itbe Vtfcu mjrejiis sjcxfv j ofk alwfr ja atf gbrf qfajir erfv obg vfmbgjalbc.
Five boats that were decorated as gondolas drifted in slowly on that transparent sea as it approached the island.
Yu Hao looked at Zhou Sheng, who was waiting for him on that island. Situ Ye sang to one side,
“How did I fall in love with him, and decide to go home with him; giving up my all, my everything, it doesn’t matter…”
“This letter is too short for my feelings; my youth of yester-year is a long story, my story is still about you.”
The gondola reached the shore. Yu Hao disembarked. Adorned in a white shirt and a pair of black suit pants, he walked towards Zhou Sheng, who was drenched in sweat from the sweltering heat. Zhou Sheng looked very handsome today but also seemed really hot. He would loosen the tie around his neck from time to time, and sweat could be seen dripping from his hair.
“You’re here?” Zhou Sheng said.
“Overslept.” Yu Hao said with a little embarrassment.
“Without anyone going into your dream to wake you, you can’t get up.” Zhou Sheng’s slight smile was intoxicating. He bowed his head and kissed Yu Hao, held his hand, and they walked to the arch decorated with white roses. Situ Ye immediately took his camera out and froze this moment.
A year and a half later.
“…there’s still another project here, they actually took us into a waterfall with an inflatable boat! Zhou Sheng was insistent on pulling me over to play with him, and we ended up getting drenched.”
The photo Chen Yekai received was of a half naked Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng wearing life jackets, cutting a sorry figure as they were soaked all over. As well as another photo they took together in front of a waterfall.
“Chichén Itzá’s really hot, they’re quite tan now…” Chen Yekai said as he held the photos.
In the photo was Zhou Sheng, who was wearing a shirt and a pair of black shorts as he played football on the Cuju court. Yu Hao captured the moment of Zhou Sheng kicking out handsomely, kicking the football used for practice out in a path that drew an arc in the air.
“We’re following an expedition team.” Cen Shan read the letter from Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng under the sunlight by the window of her home in Vienna. Fu Liqun looked at the photo — in it were the two of them and several other expedition team members at a camp set up in the desert, and they were making a ‘yeah’ gesture.
Fu Liqun said, “They actually went?”
Cen Shan asked, “Why are they so insistent on Loulan?”
Fu Liqun smiled and hugged Cen Shan from behind, touching Cen Shan’s bulging stomach with both hands.
“Will they be able to make it for our wedding in time?” Cen Shan said, “They have to get their asses here next month.”
Fu Liqun said, “They’ll make it, don’t worry. They’ve already bought their tickets. Let me take a look?”
Fu Liqun looked through the photos, saying, “The Loulan in the dream ah. Do you remember that the movie we watched when we first met was about it?”
Cen Shan said, “Of course I remember, and I kept getting bitten by mosquitoes…after passing the Devil City of Yardang was a vast no man’s land. I didn’t see Lop Nor, and wolves were howling all night, it reminded me of the legendary ‘scheming white wolves’.”
Fu Liqun laughed. Cen Shan flipped to the last photo; in it were Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng with their faces covered as they withstood the sandstorm and scorching sun with only their eyes showing, and they were sitting cross-legged in front of the ruins of the ancient city.
“Hailed a cab in Ramla Square…to head to the Lighthouse of Alexandria.”
In Los Angeles, Shi Ni sat on a swing in her courtyard, reading the letter with her head down.
“…the earliest lighthouse has already sunk to the bottom of the sea, and Egypt rebuilt it in 2015.” Shi Ni looked at the photo; Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng were sitting under the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Zhou Sheng sat on the railings while Yu Hao stood, smiling at the camera, and she seemed to vaguely recall something.
“The Hanging Gardens of Babylon have not been found yet.” Huang Ting flipped over the front of the photo, “But we’ve visited the ancient Babylonian ruins in southern Baghdad…Damn it, aren’t you guys a bit too bold? Isn’t Iraq still in the midst of war?”
In the photo were Yu Hao, Zhou Sheng and a sentry.
“Then, Zhou Sheng almost hit the one dressed up as a zombie…”
Ou Qihang flipped through the photos that Yu Hao mailed over; it was a photo they took together in front of ‘The Walking Dead’ attraction in Universal Studios.
“Luckily I pulled him back in time.” Ou Qihang didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, “I want to travel around the world too! It’s so exciting!”
“The letter is too short for my feelings, I don’t have enough to describe everything in detail…”
Yu Hao sat in front of the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii; there was a board spread out on his knees, and he had his head bowed as he wrote a letter. He placed the photos that they had taken in the envelope, then put it in the mailbox. Zhou Sheng looked up at Pompeii’s ruins and said, “It’s the last one?”
“Un, for Liang Laoshi.” Yu Hao said, “There aren’t any left.”
Zhou Sheng said, “Then let’s go to my dream?”
“Let’s go.” Yu Hao laughed.
The next day, both of them got up very early. After visiting the last place of interest, they would take a plane at noon to Vienna to attend Fu Liqun’s and Cen Shan’s wedding.
Colosseum, the marble white colour before dawn cast some light down. Summer’s morning was the coldest period in Rome. Zhou Sheng and Yu Hao wore long-sleeved jackets as they entered the arena.
Zhou Sheng stood in the darkness before dawn, looked around, then looked up at the grandstand. Yu Hao’s camera was hung around his neck. He sat down in the grandstand and looked at Zhou Sheng, who was in the arena.
“Hey, boy!” Yu Hao shouted down.
“Hey!” Zhou Sheng answered.
Yu Hao asked, “Who do you want to challenge this time?”
Zhou Sheng, “I don’t want to challenge anyone! Just here for an inspection tour.”
Yu Hao said, “Come up?”
Zhou Sheng said, “You come down.”
“You come up.”
“You come down. Behave.”
So Yu Hao could only walk down the stairs to stand next to Zhou Sheng. He said, “I still want to take a picture of you from a higher place.”
“Shh.” Zhou Sheng pulled Yu Hao’s hand, “The sun’s coming out, watch it from here.”
Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng held hands, like two travellers who had walked over from a long river of time.
The sun rose, illuminating this world that was sound asleep and awakened all living beings. Its light surrounded them, its rays shining in through the many doorways of the ancient Roman arena. Each opening in the wall was like a door— a door that led to the billions of dream worlds that shone resplendently like brilliant stars.
——Seizing Dreams·The End——
【Dogs actually aren’t that terrifying. Dogs are mankind’s friends ah.】A bunch of messy words were written on the postcard.
Lin Ze held the postcard and said, “Why did that kid suddenly send me such a postcard? And it’s of Monet’s painting?”
Situ Ye was bored stiff. “He should’ve gone to Paris again ba?! When is Yu Hao Didi coming back! Hasn’t he been away from home for too long!”
“He’s still writing his manuscripts. Don’t you worry about him.” Lin Ze said, “Why is it an impression of a sunrise?”
Situ Ye, “Why are you caring about that impression of his? I’m bored! I want to play too! I want to go to Australia too! I want to go to Antarctica! I want to go to Croatia to see King’s Landing City…”
Lin Ze, “I’ll definitely take you during the National Day holidays! Stop shouting! I got it!”
The author has something to say:
Every time I finish telling the stories of the protagonists, I’ll feel like I’ve just lived through a grand and magnificent life.
Hopefully, everyone has their own dreams, in which the sun would always rise.
《Seizing Dreams》extras will be released in the simplified version first, please pay attention to the information of the publication of the simplified version.
The simplified edition will be published in Jinjiang three months later.
Okay, that’s it, see you guys in the next book.
