When he was young, Gao Sijin once thought that calligraphy would sooner or later be a relic abandoned by the times, but his aunt always forced him to practice it. To avoid angering her, Gao Sijin had no choice but to comply, and as a result he can now write beautiful regular script.
Later experience proved that practicing calligraphy was indeed beneficial in many ways. A fine hand pleases the eye, and the motion of lifting and lowering the brush can calm restlessness and noise, while also nurturing a distinct pursuit of beauty.
Whenever he held a brush, Gao Sijin would often choose a line of poetry to practice his strokes:
I long to ride the wind and return,
Yet fear those crystal towers and jade mansions,
So high and cold.
Dancing with my clear shadow,
How can this compare to the mortal world?
This was Gao Sijin’s favorite poem from his nine-year compulsory education. In his leisure time, he would write it on paper in his most beautiful script.
“Thank you, Teacher.”
A large proportion of readers who came for an autograph would thank him in Chinese.
Gao Sijin would immediately return the thanks. Being loved by so many readers from a foreign country made him feel deeply honored, to the point of being overwhelmed.
Neat, upright regular script remained on the title page.
Tsukiyuki Nishiki.
In truth, if it were possible, Gao Sijin would have preferred to leave Bishop Myriel, or Bian Furu, Master Bienvenu. (Note: Bian Furu and Master Bienvenu are different appellations for Bishop Myriel.)
Unfortunately, that wish could not be fulfilled. Using a name from 《Les Misérables》 as a pen name would also mean ending in tragedy.
He had no choice but to compromise.
Without compromising, he could not imagine a way to win Tsukiyuki Rio’s trust.
Tsukiyuki Rio leaned sideways, admiring Gao Sijin’s signature.
“Gao-kun, your handwriting is really beautiful.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Like an autograph-writing robot, Gao Sijin signed the pen name ‘Tsukiyuki Nishiki’ on every title page handed to him.
“I will treasure this so very much!”
A female student in a JK uniform bowed to Gao Sijin to express her gratitude. Gao Sijin returned a smile. His hand was already starting to cramp, but he had no intention of resting. Readers were still lined up in a long queue, waiting for his signature.
Just then, a woman wearing sunglasses and a mask walked gracefully toward Gao Sijin. According to the order of the line, it was her turn.
“Huh?”
For some reason, Gao Sijin immediately felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this woman—her tall, slender figure, the fragrance she exuded, and those willow-leaf brows visible above the mask.
On the title page, in delicate handwriting, were the words: Keep it up, Little Ai.
Gao Sijin’s eyes widened, and he stared at her blankly.
“Gao-kun, what’s the matter?”
A slender, jade-like hand rested on Gao Sijin’s shoulder. Tsukiyuki Rio’s faint smile made his hairs stand on end.
“It’s nothing, my hand is just a bit tired.”
Gao Sijin gently shook his hand, then left a signature on the title page that was different from the others.
Bishop Myriel.
This signature was unlike the previous ‘Tsukiyuki Nishiki’; the strokes were more forceful and resonant, as though possessing sinew and bone. Gao Sijin already knew who this masked and sunglasses-wearing woman was. She was precisely the wife from his memories who had shared hardships with him—Feng Xiaohe.
On the spot where the message ‘Keep it up, Little Ai’ was written, faint damp traces could be seen. If only people could speak with their eyes.
Gao Sijin closed the book and returned it to her with both hands.
“Thank you for liking my work. I deeply love my readers too. Goodbye.”
She turned and left, while Gao Sijin remained seated.
Next came a reader who had left the alias ‘Borrowed Knife’ on the title page. Gao Sijin instantly broke into a smile. He had never imagined that such a small reader group would have someone in J-Country, let alone that they would attend this signing event.
Again, Gao Sijin secretly left the signature of Bishop Myriel.
He wanted to confide in Borrowed Knife about the ordeal of being kidnapped, but he dared not.
The power lurking behind the Tsukiyuki family made Gao Sijin shiver with fear. Just before dawn yesterday, the branch family of the Tsukiyuki family had even demonstrated in front of him their control over the local yakuza.
With a single phone call, members of the yakuza immediately rushed to the desolate Night Spring Mountain and efficiently moved the people trapped in the human traffickers’ den to safety—far more efficient than the police.
Gao Sijin was afraid of dragging Borrowed Knife into this. If Tsukiyuki Rio truly became displeased, people really would die.
To avoid pulling his reader into danger, he had to pretend to be extremely happy.
“Master…”
“Here you go. Thank you for always supporting my work. Goodbye.”
Behind the strained smile lay a painful core.
Since he had already said goodbye, let it be goodbye.
At least through this signing event, his readers would know his whereabouts.
That, at least, brought Gao Sijin some small comfort.
“Master, are you suffering?”
“I am very happy. I’ve never been more successful than I am now. My novel has not only been published, but I hear there are also plans for a manga and anime adaptation. All right, there are still many people in line behind you.”
“I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
Gao Sijin watched Borrowed Knife’s retreating figure, unsure if she felt disappointed in him.
I’m sorry, but there’s no going back now…
“Was that someone you know, Gao-kun?”
“Mhm, a reader from my old group. I never expected to run into them here in J-Country. The world really is small.”
“Indeed. The world really is small.”
Beneath Tsukiyuki Rio’s gentle smile hid an unfathomable depth that instantly reminded Gao Sijin of a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
Could it be that Tsukiyuki Rio intended to harm Borrowed Knife?
Gao Sijin immediately spoke up:
“Rio, don’t you dare do anything to my old readers. I already belong to you, but if you go too far, I would rather stand against you even if it costs me my life.”
“Gao-kun need not worry. My heart hasn’t become that narrow. However, should Gao-kun marry or sleep with another girl, that would be a different matter entirely.”
For the time that followed, Gao Sijin’s hand never stopped, continuously signing for readers, but his thoughts had long since drifted far, far away.
He had met them, yet could not say a single extra word.
Drowning in the sea may not necessarily be a tragedy. The true tragedy is seeing the coastline but being unable to swim ashore—that is real tragedy.
At four o’clock in the afternoon, Gao Sijin wiped the sweat from his forehead. Mishima Kaoru apologized to the remaining readers who were unable to receive a personal autograph. Gao Sijin felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The signing event concluded successfully.
“Good work.” Katakura Hayabusa placed a hand on Gao Sijin’s shoulder.
“I never expected you’d say something like that.”
“Anyway, what’s up with you today? You seem a bit absent-minded. If there’s anything I can help with, just tell me.”
Feeling Tsukiyuki Rio’s hand interlocked with his, Gao Sijin naturally could not tell the whole story. He could only offer an awkward smile.
“Katakura, how have things been between you and your sister lately?”
“Thanks to you, my sister has recovered a great deal. Her speech is still a bit stuttering, but I believe she’ll be able to go to school soon.”
“That’s good to hear.”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Katakura Hayabusa, Gao Sijin then thanked, one after another, the readers who attended the event, the organizers from Dengeki Bunko, and the staff from Toranoana.
At 4:40 PM, Gao Sijin left with the dust, accompanied by Tsukiyuki Rio and Yu Qingxue.
