family book
1

a

1

The beginning of the story involved two dead people and a broken heart.

The two people who had died were called Liu Wen and Liu Ping respectively, and that broken heart was constantly beating in Zhou Yao's chest.

These three people were children who grew up in the same fishing village. Zhou Yao was the same age as Liu Ping, while Liu Wen was two years younger than them. At that time, there was a famine, and most of the people in the village made a living by fishing. Zhou Yao and Liu Ping had gone to the seaside to pick up seashells together since they were young. They had almost become one. Liu Wen was more like a scholar. He had been educated by his father since he was young. Sometimes, he would follow them to the beach and watch from afar.

Every day when the tide was low, they would follow the fishermen to the seaside. The exposed surface of the sea was wet and glistening in the sunlight. Liu Ping carried a bucket and dug shells in the wet sand. Liu Wen was cleaning up the tangled seaweed. The waves receded and gradually became shallow. The sound of the waves gradually drifted away. Zhou Yao always rushed to the front, chasing after the receding waves. He ran to the distant bottom of the sea, throwing up pieces of wet sand under his feet. He wanted to chase after the fiercest wave and fight within it. He pressed forward fearlessly. Liu Ping raised her head, and saw Zhou Yao charging towards the white waves. The dazzling light was about to engulf him. She put down the bucket and couldn't help but walk towards him, hoping to become a part of Wave Chaser. The wet sand sank under her feet and water seeped out, wetting her lower body. She kept running forward, running into the waves like him, running closer to him. For so many days and nights of picking shells, she could only foolishly look at Zhou Yao's back as he left, listening to the sound of him splashing the waves, while she herself had to take care of Liu Wen, who was two years younger, and could not go. Now, Liu Wen could already pick up seaweed alone. He had the temperament of a gentle scholar as he left the sea. She felt that she had broken free and was running towards the sea.

The white spray of the water splashed up and hit her knee. She was knocked back by the violent force. The seawater was bone-piercing. Her body was drenched and she was shivering, but she was laughing out loud and could not stop. She took a few steps forward and faced the retreating white waves. Zhou Yao stood in the deeper part of the sea, his entire body was already drenched, and he turned around to look at her. Her high ponytail was swinging back and forth, and the ends of her hair were wet. She was staring at the hermit crab crawling in the shallow water in fear. Her body swayed along with the waves, seemingly unstable but blending into the waves. She lifted her foot and stepped on a hermit crab. Unexpectedly, a huge wave swept over. She swayed her body and was about to fall, but was held up by Zhou Yao who was on top of her. Zhou Yuan looked at her surprised expression and pulled her deeper into the sea. They didn't know who caused it, but they kept going into the sea, wanting to get closer to the sea and abandon the beach and village behind them. The waves hit their waists, rolled up their chests, and almost climbed up to their chins. Liu Ping was still giggling. She liked it this way. They were so close together that they almost merged into one to resist the violent waves. Liu Ping grabbed a handful of white waves. The white foam turned into water in her hands and flowed away.

The surface of the sea was sparkling with silver light, undulating.

The hot sunlight shone on their faces. Faint fiery clouds appeared on their faces. Liu Ping grabbed a handful of silver light and pasted it on her face. She felt a cool sensation and her blush disappeared. Zhou Yao turned to look at her. Water droplets dripped down her face, sliding down her cheeks and down her sharp chin, shining with silver light. Liu Ping let go of her hand that was holding her face and looked up at him. She pressed the back of her wet hand against his face. A protruding nose, sunken cheeks, and a tanned face. His face had changed from the smooth face he had when he was a child to the angular face he had now. The man's temperament was outstanding. Her hand slid all the way to the corner of his slightly curled lips and was held by his outstretched hand.

The waves had retreated to their feet, and the shining sunlight surrounded them, as if to separate them. The dazzling light overhead reminded Liu Ping of what had happened two years ago. At that time, they were only in their teens. The dazzling halo was right above her head.

At that time, Zhou Yao had just returned from chasing after the waves. His entire body was drenched, and water was dripping from the ends of his hair as he walked towards her. Liu Ping was currently squatting on the beach to pick up seashells. When she raised her head and saw Zhou Yao who was walking forward, she was very angry. The other party's wet body, messy hair, and dripping face made her jealous. She hoped that she could also chase waves, or even be better than him. In reality, in the past, she had indeed always competed with Zhou Yao, climbing trees, racing, climbing mountains, and even hunting birds. She was always better than Zhou Yao. Only Zhulang could not. She had to stay close to Liu Wen, who was two years younger, so that she could take care of him. Taking care of Liu Wen, who was weak and sickly, became a part of her escape. She was jealous of Zhou Yao's freedom. She fiercely grabbed a handful of sand, and threw it towards Zhou Yao's face.

Seeing this, Zhou Yao did not dodge. He smiled as he wiped away the wet sand on his face, and pounced onto Liu Ping. Liu Ping fell onto the wet sand. The seawater seeped into her clothes and touched her back. She was pressed down by Zhou Yao, both her hands were tightly squeezed by him. His hands shook, but he could not break free. She knew that as long as she cried out in pain, the other party would let go. However, she did not give in. She shut her mouth and stared at Zhou Yao.

Liu Wen kicked the sand and shouted,"Hit him, hit him."”

Dazzling sunlight swirled above his head, penetrating through Zhou Yao's hair that stood up, hitting Liu Ping's face, piercing her eyes. She closed her eyes and felt that her hands were already placed on the wet sand above her head, but the weight on her body did not decrease. Her body made a dent in the sand. Seawater seeped out and flowed. She felt a chill run down her spine. The warm breath that Zhou Yao exhaled from her nose sprayed onto her face. Then, she felt a chill on her face. Something damp was spread on her face. His fingertips passed through this layer of wet matter and scratched her face. He touched it gently as if he was trying to identify the outline of her face.

"Oh, big face, big face, big face. The loser's face will be painted." Liu Wen shouted.

Liu Ping opened her eyes, and saw the smug smile on Zhou Yao's face. He stood up and lowered his head to look at her. He mimicked Liu Wen, kicking the sand and calling out to the painted cat. Liu Ping sat up, wiped the wet sand off her face, stood up, and threw the wet sand at Zhou Yao.

The sunlight continued to swirl. The waves retreated to their calves and gently pushed them. In an instant, a voice came from the beach. Liu Ping broke free from the depths of her memories, ran back, and left Zhou Yao. Zhou Yao chased after him.

Liu Wen was only pinched by the hermit crab. His scream was enough to startle a string of seagulls. He was thin and dry, and when he stood up, he looked like a flagpole stuck in the sand.

"I will tell them that you abandoned me and ran into the sea to play.”Liu Wen said.

"You are already fourteen years old. You should act like a man. Don't always call me sister for such a small matter.”Zhou Yao said.

"She's not my sister. She has to take care of me." Liu Wen said," My mom said that she wants to serve me.”He stretched out his bloody finger and waved it in front of Liu Ping's eyes.

Liu Ping grabbed his hand and wrapped it with a handkerchief.""Let's go back."

Zhou Yao stood on the beach in a daze, looking at the figures of the two of them disappearing into the distance, as he searched and searched through his memories. Liu Ping had indeed been taking care of Liu Wen, but Liu Wen had never called Liu Ping his sister. This kind of care seemed excessive in Zhou Yao's eyes, but it never caused anyone to be surprised.

In the end, the answer came out from Zhou Yao's mother's mouth. At that time, he had just returned from the beach. He stood in front of the water tank, lifted the ladle, and poured water into his mouth. A gurgling sound came from his throat. The water slid down his cheeks and dripped. He thought of the pearl that had slid down Liu Ping's face.

His mother told him unhurriedly that Liu Ping was a child bride that the Liu family had exchanged for half a jar of rice.

"She just came back not long ago. We're different. We can have our own fields. The landlord was also eliminated. However, very few people would mention this because no one knew about it. I still remember when everyone was liberated. The landlord of the East Village was so scared that he drank medicine and committed suicide. The widow remarried with her children.”

Zhou Yao put down the water ladle, and looked at the reflection on the surface of the water. He saw himself peeping at himself from the bottom of the vat, his eyes dark and dull. He threw the gourd ladle into the water. The shadow swayed and disappeared.

"So, don't run around with Liu Ping anymore. You have to know your limits." His mother hung the dried fish on the roof, then rushed towards Zhou Yao who was running out and said," A few days ago, Old Huang from the neighboring village hanged himself, because he was afraid of being criticized. Although these things have nothing to do with me, I still have to hide far away.”

Zhou Yao ran to the front of Liu Ping's house, stood under the tree, and looked towards the window that was flickering with candlelight. Liu Wen must have been reading under the candlelight again. His father was a scholar who taught in the county town. Naturally, his son also wanted to learn under his guidance. Zhou Yao stood there, and waited until the candlelight was extinguished before he approached the window and mimicked the chirping of birds. This was the game between him and Liu Ping, the secret code for their meeting.

The window was slightly ajar. Liu Ping's eyes flickered as she looked outside. After she saw Zhou Yao, she closed the window. A moment later, the window opened. Liu Ping crawled out. She glanced at Zhou Yao, and quickly walked in front.

The moonlight was covered by dark clouds.

The night was dark.

Zhou Yao was only a few steps away from her, following closely behind her. Liu Ping sensed the distance and knew that he already knew. If it was in the past, he would definitely run up to her, pull her hair, and chase after her. Zhou Yao suddenly understood that Liu Ping knew that he understood something. If it was in the past, she would naturally stop because he was too slow and stretch her legs to trip him. But now, the two of them were walking one after the other, as if they were strangers.

The moon had already come out, scattering light.

Zhou Yao raised his head and looked at her straight waist.

"He's already asleep, so I can only come out.”Liu Ping walked to the moonlit beach, turned her head and glanced at him, then turned her face away anxiously.

Zhou Yao did not know why she would say such a sentence at this time and place, as if it was inappropriate and shameful for them to meet. He stared at her, his familiar hands tightly clenched together and hidden in his sleeves.

She turned her back to face the full moon and the sea. Zhou Yao wished to move forward and see her face clearly. He wanted to grab her hand and squeeze it tightly. But his mother's words floated out. He could only stand a few meters away from her and look at her.

She looked at the surface of the sea and began to walk steadily towards the slightly undulating sea. Zhou Yao also followed.

She walked into the sea. The dark wave hit her knee and retreated. She continued to walk forward, ignoring the surging seawater. Her clothes were soaked and swelled in the sea. After the waves subsided, they stuck to her body tightly. She stood there and stopped. She stretched out her clenched fist and opened it, beating the surging waves until her hair was wet from the splashing waves. Finally, she sighed softly and covered her face with her hands.

"He is only my younger brother. He should be my younger brother. I only treat him as my younger brother.”She kept repeating these words as her body swayed.

Zhou Yao was afraid that she would faint in the sea, so he followed her. She let go of his hand and looked at him with tears in her eyes. Her face looked pale under the moonlight.

The two of them stood in the sea in silence for an unknown amount of time.

"I can't chase after the white waves like I did today. I can only stay by his side.”Liu Ping said.

"You can. No one can force you at night. You can come here. I'll wait for you here." Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping looked up at him and remained silent.

"Have you forgotten? No fishing boats would set sail on a full moon night. At that time, you can come here. No one will see you, and no one will talk nonsense.”Zhou Yao said.

"Is that so?" Liu Ping asked.

"I won't appear either. I will only watch you in the forest and not disturb you.”Zhou Yao said," Don't worry, I won't do anything.”

Liu Ping nodded.

2

For a long time, Liu Ping would bring Liu Wen to the seaside to pick up shells when the tide was low. Liu Wen, on the other hand, would carry a book and sit on the sandy surface covered with leaves. He would occasionally read a book and occasionally look up at Liu Ping, who was digging sand not far away, as if he was inspecting something.

Zhou Yao was still chasing after the receding waves. He kept moving forward, diving into the waves and swimming towards the surface, not wanting the waves to climb over him. He dived into the water and swam. He hated the bare sand, the escaping hermit crabs, and all signs of retreat. He only wished that he could float in the waves and face the scorching sunlight until Liu Wen and Liu Ping had left.

Every full moon night, Liu Ping would sneak out and chase the waves under the moonlight. Zhou Yao, on the other hand, silently stood guard by the beach, staring at the surface of the sea. Just as they had agreed, they did not come into contact with each other and only tacitly agreed to each other's existence. Zhou Yao stood under the tree, looking for a spot to move around through the long beach. He saw Liu Ping turn her head and look over. Under the moonlight, she looked like a god standing on the sea, looking in the direction of the sea. She turned around, hit the waves, and jumped into the sea. Seeing this, Zhou Yao hurriedly ran out of the forest, rushed into the sea, and ran towards the sea.

He still remembered the scene of them holding hands and rushing into the sea. At that time, Liu Wen was still young and was willing to stand obediently on the beach and wait instead of running into the sea. Soon, Liu Ping learned how to swim. She had been soaking in the sea for a day and was scolded when she returned. From then on, she was forbidden from going into the sea on the grounds that Liu Wen could not stay on the beach alone. He needed care.

Zhou Yao swam forward with all his might, and saw Liu Ping's body poking out from the sea, floating on the surface of the sea. She closed her eyes. His face was calm and solemn. The moonlight softened the contours of her originally resolute face. Her face seemed to be covered in frost. She lay quietly in the sea, her limbs spread out, gently moving with the waves. His hair was scattered in the water, as if it was absorbing seawater and growing. She seemed to have become one with the sea and could not be separated. The seawater occasionally climbed up her smooth chin and slid down, gently caressing her cheeks. Zhou Yuan looked at her face and knew that she was satisfied.

On the way back, Liu Ping went ashore and changed her clothes in the forest. Following that, Zhou Yao accompanied her back to the village. The two of them were a few steps apart, and neither of them spoke. Zhou Yao lowered his head to look at the water line on the ground, and knew that it was dripping from the wet clothes on Liu Ping's hands. He was waiting for the next full moon. This was because they had almost no chance to meet other than on full moon nights.

In less than half a year, this situation changed. Liu Wen went to the county town to study. He only went home once a month. He became quiet, staring at his books all day and not going to the seaside. He talked about books, and books were always in his hands. Liu Ping had to do more farm work, take care of the vegetable garden, and feed the pigs. She watered the vegetables, plucked the worms, and weeding. Occasionally, when she heard the sound of the waves, she would stop what she was doing and listen quietly. Her line of sight was blocked by rows of thatched cottages. Even so, she was still satisfied with listening to the sea, imagining the distant Zhou Yao casting a net into the sea. Zhou Yao often went out to sea to fish with the fishermen. He had grown taller, stronger, darker. The eaves of his house were always covered with dried seafood. Every time he entered the room to drink water, his head would always pass by these dry sea goods. They swayed unconsciously, as if they were welcoming a gust of wind.

"He doesn't seem to be willing to talk to us. He only comes back to read books.”Liu Ping said.

She turned around and floated on the surface of the sea with her eyes closed.

"He should have learned a lot from the book.”Zhou Yao said.

He swam far away, but he could still hear the other party's voice.

"Father said the same thing. He said that Liu Wen had changed. That was true. However, he often discussed some things with his father. I don't understand." Liu Ping said.

"He probably doesn't know that you snuck out to swim, right?”Zhou Yao said.

He stared at Liu Ping's face, which was glowing faintly.

Liu Ping opened her eyes and dived into the water. She turned her head to look at him.

"Not long after he went to study, he didn't want to stay in the same room as me and didn't need me to take care of him. He stopped talking to me. Sometimes I think he's staring at me. But when I looked at him, he was reading a book. He had changed a lot and was no longer as young as before.”Liu Ping said.

"It seems that reading books has its benefits.”Zhou Yao said.

"There's nothing wrong with reading. I learned a little too. Don't say that." Liu Ping said.

"I didn't say anything. I just hoped that the book would let him know something.”Zhou Yao said.

"He's just a child two years younger than us.”Liu Ping said.

"He better stay away from you. I don't care if he's younger than me.”Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping glared at him, turned around, and swam back with all her might. Seeing this, Zhou Yao hurriedly followed behind her, swimming behind her and following her onto the beach. She was drenched and walked quickly on the beach. Zhou Yuan looked at her back and called out. He opened his mouth in surprise and spread his hands to look at her.

"If you don't stop, I'll be fine. I'll rush over and pounce on you." Zhou Yao said.

"Zhou Yao, why are you like this? How did you become like this? Did the sea make you like this? You've become very strange since you went out to sea. Liu Wen is my younger brother. How dare you speak like this. Haven't you thought about what you said?"

"I'm afraid he doesn't think so. I'm afraid those things are coming soon.”Zhou Yao said.

"Stop talking. You've become like the sea now." Liu Ping said.

"Aren't you?" Zhou Yao said. He took a step closer and noticed Liu Ping shaking her head slightly. Her gaze fell on the turbulent sea behind him.

"I can always hear the sound of the sea, even in the vegetable garden. It's like a heartbeat.”Liu Ping said," But that was only a short period of time.”

"Do you still remember the feeling of the sea, or do you want to be a part of it?”Zhou Yao said," You must be jealous of me."

Liu Ping slapped Zhou Yao's face, and pursed her lips into a smile. Zhou Yao smiled as well.

"I don't know. Sometimes, when I pass by your house, I can smell the sea.”Liu Ping said.

"Those dried fish are hanging all over the house and they keep poking my head.”Zhou Yao said," You should go to the sea, the real sea, the vast sea. Only you and the storm appeared in the dark night.”

"I have imagined that scene before, or a dream. I saw you calling in the dark night. For some reason, this scene always appeared in my dreams. Sometimes, I even ran outside your house. I smell that scent, the scent of the sea. Sometimes, I feel like you're inside. You will come out of the house. But you didn't. You're already out at sea.”Liu Ping said. She was panting and her cheeks were flushed from talking so much. At the same time, she clenched her fists and trembled slightly.

Zhou Yao stretched out his hand, and did something that he had always wanted to do, caressing Liu Ping's face and comforting her. "It's okay. I'm already back. I'm right here. All I thought about during those difficult days was you. It was you who supported me to recover. Every time, I have to rush back from the sea before the full moon.”

Liu Ping held his rough hand and licked the bloody wounds on the back of his hand. Zhou Yao looked at her long ponytail, which extended from the back of her head to her waist. Feeling the tip of her warm tongue swimming across her wound, his heart was burning.

Liu Ping said,"Can it not happen? Can it disappear?" The sun is about to sunrise."

"On the southeast side of the sea, there is a small island. I've been there before. No one lived there. It was a beautiful place. You will definitely like it. We can do anything in that place. He could build a house, build a few boats, and live an undisturbed life. I've thought about living this kind of life with you countless times. That is our island, our sea. Come with me. I'll take you there. That island is hard to find. No one will find us.”Zhou Yao said.

"But, I can't do this." Liu Ping said.

"He'll be eighteen soon. Do you really want to be with him?”Zhou Yao said.

"He's just a younger brother. You know that." Liu Ping said.

"You've already done a lot. All these years, you have done enough for them. He had already repaid the debt of gratitude. You should return to the sea with me.”Zhou Yao said," No matter what, on the night of the next full moon, I will definitely get a boat.”

Liu Ping raised her head to look at Zhou Yao, and let go of his hand.

3

In the following period of time, Zhou Yao was fishing on the sea. He sat at the bow of the boat, staring at the moon surrounded by fog, hoping that it would become more round. Every time he returned to the port, he would hand over all the fish to the captain. After midnight, he would secretly go out to sea to fish.

"Recently, something big happened in the village." His mother sat in front of the candle lamp and threaded a needle." It's better if you don't run around." Liu Wen's father was arrested. He said he was an intellectual. Liu Wen couldn't go to the county town to study and work with the others.”

"Mother, when did this happen?”Zhou Yao said.

"Just a few days ago, you weren't at home. They even captured Old Mr. Liu and surrounded him, beating and scolding him. How pitiful. He was already old, how could he take all this? He did not know what he had done. Don't join in the fun and don't criticize others. It wasn't easy to get old. At this moment, the Liu family was in trouble. He was an intellectual and was respected. Now that everyone had cut ties with them, no one cared about them.”

Zhou Yao threw down the fishing net, and turned his head to look at the sky.

The stars fell like a waterfall from the night sky.

"Silly child, Liu Ping is a good girl. But it's not your girl, don't think about it. Mother can help you find someone better than her. My family has food to eat. It's not too bad, nor is it embarrassing. I definitely won't let others starve. As long as I say a word, I don't know how many girls will be willing to come to our house.”His mother raised the clothes on her knees and began to sew them in front of the candlelight.

"Mother, don't say anymore." Zhou Yao said," There is only one person in my heart.”

"You're going to be captured. Don't even think about it. Forget about the fish and prawns you secretly give her every month. What else did he want? He had already gone too far. If they were discovered, they would be captured and criticized. Don't be silly! Child." The tip of the needle glinted coldly in her mother's hand as it pierced into her old clothes.

"I'm not afraid, as long as I can be with her.”Zhou Yao said.

"Don't even think about it, boy. We're all people with hard lives. It's fine as long as we live in peace. Leave the other matters to the old man." his mother said.

Zhou Yao turned his head to look at his mother, and realized that she was not looking up at him, but was instead sewing that old shirt that was filled with patches. Under the candlelight, her face was pale. She bit the thread and spread the clothes on her knees to check the patch.

The full bucket of Silverstar had already shifted its position. Half of the night had passed.

Zhou Yao came out of the village, and walked on a familiar path. He came to the house. There were all kinds of written notes pasted on the door. The large text was very eye-catching. The house seemed dilapidated, and a faint light came from inside, indicating that someone was living inside. He stepped forward and skillfully imitated the chirping of birds. Then, a soft sound came from the room. The window opened slightly. He took a step back and leaned against the wall.

Liu Ping poked her head out. Seeing that it was him, she opened the window and climbed out.

They walked silently towards the beach. When she was about to reach the beach, Liu Ping stopped and stood in the dark forest.

"I heard about it. Was that true? You didn't suffer, did you?" Zhou Yao said.

"They, they tied Father up and let him hang a sign everywhere. They beat and scolded him? Those were his students. Those people. Mother was about to collapse. There were always people coming to cause trouble at home. What was going on? I don't understand. They were all from the county. He even asked his father to admit his mistake, work hard, and not let him eat.”Liu Ping spoke in a hurry, incoherent, and her hands trembled with excitement.

"Are you alright? They didn't do anything to you, did they?" Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping shook her head." Mother cries every day. She won't let Liu Wen go out. She wants him to stay at home obediently." Then, those people came. Liu Wen followed him out. After he came back, he didn't say anything and locked himself in his room. I smelled smoke and climbed in through the window. He was standing there, tearing the book apart and throwing it into the brazier. His face seemed to be on fire, as if it was burning, and it was flushed red.”

"Don't say anymore." Zhou Yao pressed down on Liu Ping's shoulder, and shook her.

Liu Ping stopped talking and fell into his arms. She trembled and sobbed softly. He felt her weight and his chest felt heavy. He could not speak as he listened to her crying. He could only stroke her soft hair. Gradually, she stopped crying.

"Now is the time. They definitely wouldn't have thought that you couldn't take it anymore and ran away alone.”Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping broke free from his embrace and took a step back. Although the night was dark, Zhou Yao could still see her blurry face when she glared at him. A slap was thrown over. Her long nails scratched his rough face like a cold wind. Blood seeped out of his wound, and Zhou Yao was stunned.

"I definitely won't run away. Don't talk about this anymore.”Liu Ping said.

Zhou Yao looked at her face appearing and disappearing in the shadows of the trees, and knew that she was trembling in agitation, and her body was shaking. He wanted to hug her tightly in his arms. However, she had already become untouchable and intangible, as if she was just an illusion in the hazy night. This phantom kept shaking, as if it was about to disappear and reappear.

"It's better if we don't meet. Now, many people are staring at our family. If they were discovered, it would be over. Father, mother, Liu Wen, you and I can't live.”Liu Ping said.

"Cowardly, cowardly, are you still Liu Ping?”Liu Ping said.

"You didn't see what I saw.”Liu Ping said.

"What is it? What you said just now, can it be compared to the storm? And those unbearable nights, facing the vast sea alone.”Zhou Yao said.

"You can hide in your stable broken ship. He didn't even know what had happened here.”Liu Ping said," Everyone is crazy. Everyone. Only by enduring can we survive."

"This has nothing to do with you.”Zhou Yao said," Go to that island and build a stable nest.”

"I can't, I can't leave them behind, especially at this time.”Liu Ping said.

"Are you going to stay by their side for the rest of your life?”Zhou Yao said.

"This is not the time. You don't understand. You've been away from the shore for too long and have forgotten some things.”Liu Ping said," I won't come out to swim again, not even on a full moon night.”

After saying that, she turned around and walked out of the forest.

Zhou Yao's gaze tightly followed her back view in the night fog, until she disappeared around the corner. He felt the rope that bound them tightly loosen and dissipate into the darkness. He continued to stand in the bushes, looking in the same direction. It seemed that there was an acquaintance walking towards him. The narrow path kept shrinking and eventually disappeared into the night. Crickets started to cry.

He dived into the sea and didn't notice whether the tide was high or low. He dived into the cold water and fell asleep. He felt like he was lying in the sea. The sun, moon, and stars appeared above his head. The waves hit him, and the sound of the waves continued. Those childhood pranks flashed through her mind again. They threw the dead bird at Liu Wen's feet to intimidate him. Liu Ping couldn't stop laughing as such past events flashed back. Suddenly, everything changed. Liu Wen and Liu Ping stood together, holding hands. They laughed at him and ran away.

When he woke up, his mother was washing coarse cloth by the bed. The low sound of dripping water broke the peace of the cottage. He turned his head and saw his mother's withered hand. The coarse cloth was wiping his face.

"You have a fever, child. He even talked nonsense all night. The fishermen who brought you back said you wouldn't last the night.”His mother said," We should really let him come and see you.”She threw the cloth into the wooden basin. Her hand crawled up his forehead like a spider. He looked away when he saw his mother's wrinkled chin.

"Stop thinking about it. Son, cut it off. If you cut it off, the fever will go down.”His mother pressed her hand on his forehead.

Zhou Yao pushed her hand away, and sat up. His head went dizzy and he fell down again. His mother placed her hand on his forehead again and spoke in a low voice. This time, he took a deep breath and sat up again. Ignoring his mother's obstruction, he got out of bed and walked to the water tank to scoop up a ladle of water. Cold water began to pour in.

"Why didn't you lie down for a while? Child, you have to be obedient." his mother said.

Zhou Yao threw away the water ladle, and through a window on the wall, he saw the green smoke rising from the sea. He had a premonition that something bad was going to happen. He ignored his mother's advice and ran out to look for the location of the green smoke.

Dozens of people raised their torches and surrounded the bonfire on the beach. They shouted, waved the torches in their hands, and threw them into the fire. The raging flames rose rapidly and shouted.

There were a few people squatting beside the fire with wooden boards with words on them. Their hair was unkempt, their clothes were disheveled, their bodies were trembling, and tears were flowing. Someone couldn't hold it in and started crying. He was stepped on by the people behind him who were holding torches. The man spat out the sand in his mouth and turned his head to look at the torch above his head in fear. Zhou Yao recognized one of the prisoners. It was Mr. Liu. He was kneeling on the other side, motionless like a stone statue. The prisoners were made to speak loudly into the flickering light. Some people kept spitting and throwing sand at the prisoners 'faces, treating them as dead objects. Sweat oozed out of their pale faces. They twisted and turned into some kind of symbol that revolved around the fire. Those who were kneeling had been kneeling all this time, and they were far lower than the others by half their bodies. They could not raise their heads.

The charcoal on the fire started to roll down. The crowd dispersed a little, still shouting savagely, throwing sticks into the fire and ordering the kneeling ones to stay still. Zhou Yao clearly saw the faces of these people. These were all familiar faces. In the past, everyone worked and lived together. Why could they treat others like this? Moreover, those kneeling were all weak scholars. He couldn't understand. This kind of cannibalism was even crueler than what he had seen at sea. How much damage had those people endured to reach this level? They were no longer human. He looked at this strange scene and began to understand some of the things Liu Ping had mentioned. He glanced at Liu Wen, who was hiding behind him with his head lowered. The boy was thinner than ever. He hid in the noise and looked at his father.

A fierce sea breeze blew over, setting off a curtain of fire on the firewood. The charcoal hissed and shot out even longer tongues of fire, almost touching the kneeling men. Their sweaty faces were red from the light, as if blood was seeping out. The top of the pile of firewood swayed in the wind and was on the verge of collapsing. Those people opened their mouths and shouted, waving their torches. Someone stood up and pointed at the prisoner. The others echoed. The prisoners panicked and turned to look at the others. Their lips trembled and they couldn't speak. They kept kowtowing. Mr. Liu did not move at all. He lowered his head and knelt there, almost falling into the fire.

The wind blew even harder and howled. A few pieces of burning firewood on the bonfire rolled down with fireballs. Everyone was shouting, echoing, waving torches, and saying some inexplicable slogans.

At this moment, Liu Wen, who was almost drowned in the crowd, ran out and threw himself in front of Mr. Liu. The blazing fireball fell on his back, exploded, and burned. Liu Wen screamed as he pressed down on his father. Everyone quieted down and looked on. The prisoners also stood up and took a step back. Mr. Liu immediately pushed his son onto the sand and looked at him with tears streaming down his face.

The air was filled with a burning smell. The person who wanted to go forward to help was stopped by someone else.

"This is retribution. He deserved it. This is their crime." the leader said.

Mr. Liu raised his head and sized up the people surrounding him. Some of them were his students. His gaze swept past every face, and finally stopped on Zhou Yao who was standing at the periphery. He nodded at Zhou Yao, and looked at him peacefully. At this moment, Zhou Yao understood his meaning. He walked past those people and walked towards Mr. Liu, helping Liu Wen up.

Liu Wen's pale face was covered in sweat. He was squinting and moaning in pain. The fire on his back had been extinguished. The open wound was a bloody mess, covered in coarse sand.

Mr. Liu looked down at his son and said,"Child, why do you have to do this? I'm afraid this won't stop."

He wiped the sweat off Liu Wen's face and looked at his son.

"Father." Liu Wen coughed and spat out blood.

"Child, put it down. Put it all down.”Mr. Liu glanced back at Zhou Yao, then leaned forward and pounced towards the raging flames.

Seeing this, everyone was stunned and stood stiffly. Zhou Yao hurriedly pressed Liu Wen, who wanted to charge into the sea of fire, onto the sand. He completely ignored Liu Wen's kicks, curses, and sobs. He just pressed him down firmly under his body. He was so close to the fire that he could almost touch it. The firewood burned, cracked, and made crackling sounds. Strange sounds kept entering his ears, mixed with the whistling sea breeze. His body struggled in the sea of fire. Tragic cries rang out endlessly. The icy cold sea breeze was like a knife cutting across his face. He felt everything. He thought that the fire might collapse, but he did not care at all. He had an idea, hoping that the fireball would roll onto his body. Like Liu Wen, he wanted to die.

Mr. Liu's eyes flashed in his mind again. He trusted him, gave him the most important thing, and then died. This was something that Zhou Yao had never expected. At that moment, he actually numbly followed Mr. Liu's instructions and watched him commit suicide. He cruelly held Liu Wen down. He felt a strange power and thought that he was already standing with that group of people. Inevitably, he was pulled into the chaos. The torrent of society was swallowing him up. Just as he was lost in his thoughts, someone came up and pulled Liu Wen away, ignoring the fire.

"You murderer. I trust you. But you let him jump into the fire." Liu Wen shouted," You're a murderer. You killed my father. I will never forgive you, never. Liu Ping too."

When Zhou Yao heard Liu Ping's name, his heart could not help but tremble violently. It was as if he had suddenly woken up from a deep sleep. His heart beat faster and he panicked. He understood that the root of everything was Liu Ping. These sudden movements and chaotic events were constantly shattering all their hopes, burning them into ashes and scattering. They would never be able to escape the influence of this matter.

Most of them had already walked far away. He sat beside the fire and looked at the sea. He regretted walking out of that door and coming to this place. Perhaps, on a deeper level, he regretted leaving that sea. A strange thought suddenly came to his mind. Perhaps, after everyone was separated, Mr. Liu would walk out of the fire unscathed. He hoped that Mr. Liu would come out now and say a few words to him.

He came back to his senses and saw Liu Ping walking over. She was the last person he wanted to see right now. Before he left, he had already decided to tell her that he would wait for her, always waiting for her. Now, he could not even speak simple words. He didn't even want to look up at her face. He glanced at the body in the fire and quickly stood up to meet it. Liu Ping immediately stopped. She didn't look at him, but turned to look at the bonfire behind him. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"They locked him in the firewood room and only opened a small hole in the small door. Tomorrow, they will only send some porridge and water in. During the day, they would drag him out to parade around the streets, holding up signs. That night, I sneaked into the woodshed and brought him food. He begged me, he begged me to set a fire and burn him to death. He hoped to die with dignity. He also told me that he hoped Liu Wen could live. He is our only hope." Liu Ping said this silently, as if she had lost her mind.

For a moment, Zhou Yao was speechless. He was surprised by Liu Ping's reaction and the strange things that had happened in the past month. He did not expect these things to have such a big impact on her. Zhou Yao stretched out his hand, and grabbed the slightly bulging spot on her shoulder, as though he was holding onto the lifeline of her life. She stopped crying, stopped trembling, and turned to look at him.

"Follow me." This was Zhou Yao's only thought.

"You should be the one leaving," Liu Ping said. Hurry up and leave this strange place and live on that island! I don't know how far these terrifying things will develop. You should leave quickly.”

"If you don't leave, I won't leave either. Leave this place with me. Leave this terrifying place." Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping turned away. Her hair was tied up into a bun.

"Are you already with him?" Zhou Yao asked.

"No, it's just that the time has come. I've already promised my parents that I'll take good care of Liu Wen, that's all. He never touched me." Liu Ping said.

"Alright, follow me." Zhou Yao said. He grabbed Liu Ping's hand and squeezed it so tightly that the silver bracelet on her wrist was almost squeezed out. She sighed, twisted her wrist, and struggled. The silver bracelet swayed in her hand like a silver dragon.

"Zhou Yao, quickly let go." Liu Ping stretched out her hand to pry open the black palm on her wrist, but she was squeezed even tighter.

"You should tell the truth and say what you should say earlier. Are you worried about them? I only think about them." Zhou Yao said," I still only think of him in my heart.”

"What can I do? Please think about me, leaving them behind and escaping to the island? Can you not be so barbaric? Let me go. My hand is about to be crushed by you." Liu Ping said.

Zhou Yao threw her hand down, and said,"Bring them along." Let's live on the island together. He would send them back when this matter was over.”

Liu Ping smiled bitterly and rubbed the red spot on her left hand with her right hand.

"Don't be silly. Those people won't let anyone off. The old landlord died of poison. Those who were hiding were all found out. No one could escape. You, on the other hand, have nothing to do with these sports. Then, he should leave quickly to avoid future trouble. I can't leave. I've already promised father. I can't abandon them.”Liu Ping said.

"You weren't like this in the past. You will abandon Liu Wen and bully him with me.”Zhou Yao said.

"That's all in the past. Zhou Yao, after seeing all this, could it be that you still don't understand? At that time, I just wanted to steal a little freedom. Even so, I always knew in my heart that nurturing could not be ignored. Now, at a time like this, I can't abandon them all the more.”Liu Ping said," Please stay away from this place. Leave this place, go to the sea, go to the island. Only there is the safest place.”

"If you don't leave, I won't leave either. Every night, I will wait for you in the forest. Not just on full moon nights, but every night. Did you hear me clearly? Liu Ping, if anyone dares to do anything to you. I'll fight him to the death." Zhou Yao said.

Liu Ping stared at Zhou Yao, her red eyes looking at him leisurely. Zhou Yao calmed down, his hands drooped down powerlessly, like a kite without any traction. Under the blowing of the sea breeze, his body lightly swayed a few times. Liu Ping pulled the string, pulling everything closer and closer. She pulled Zhou Yao's hand over, and placed it on her fair face. The silver bracelet slipped onto his arm, flickering in the light. Pearl-like tears flowed out of her eyes and slid down. He used the back of his hand to wipe away her tears.

"Zhou Yao, you should leave quickly." Liu Ping said.

Zhou Yao heard a hissing sound from the burnt wood, and it was as if there was a foreign object that had just been released from his back, and it was panting. The hot wind blew against his back. His entire body tensed up and was about to be torn apart by an invisible force. His chest was stuffy, and his internal organs were swelling. They were about to explode and break through this narrow restraint. His throat was dry and hoarse. It was difficult for him to withstand the internal pressure. He swallowed and tried to push down the invisible object in his chest, but he felt nauseous.

This feeling appeared again a few days later. At that time, Liu Ping suddenly grabbed his hand, like a drowning person grabbing onto the best rope to save his life. She pressed all her strength on his arm. He was shocked. He had never seen her so desperate.

At that time, they were hiding in the dark forest and could not see each other's faces clearly. The insects in the dark made intermittent chirps or flew past with flashing lights. Liu Ping squeezed his arm tightly and was silent for a long time. He tried to do something to comfort her, but he was stopped by the strength of her grip.

"They want to send Liu Wen to the fishing boat.”Liu Ping said. "This is equivalent to killing him. After hearing this, her mother fainted. After waking up, she cried and made a fuss. He sat on the chair without speaking, eating, or sleeping. He just kept looking out the door. Liu Wen couldn't swim and his body was weak. How could he bear the days of going out to sea? If he came back, he would probably be dead. The Liu family only had one son. He was the hope of the family. Father also hopes that he can live on."

"Which ship? Which boat were they going to put him in?”Zhou Yao said.

"Public. He wanted to go out to sea with the ship and work together.”Liu Ping said. "He is our only hope. We must protect him well. His father had emphasized it repeatedly. He's the only one in our family."

"Don't worry. I'll follow you on board. I will take care of him. I've been out to sea so many times. I'll definitely be fine.”

Liu Ping heaved a sigh of relief and let go of his hand. He knew that she had recovered, and his tensed heart relaxed.

The moon climbed up and sprinkled a faint white light. The two of them were enveloped in silence, enjoying the moment of peace.

"Zhou Yao." Liu Ping called out softly, as if she was afraid of waking up the chirping insects. At this moment, the forest was silent. Liu Ping loosened her grip on his hand and reached out to touch his neck. Then, she only pinched it gently. Zhou Yao stood motionlessly. He kept reminding himself in his mind to just stay there quietly! He did nothing and waited for her to continue. Her ice-cold fingertips slid across his neck like water droplets and into the short hair on the back of his head. He followed the force of her palm and lowered his head, pressing his face against hers. Her face was wet, and there was the smell of dried wood. He knew that he already had this girl in his possession and could do whatever he wanted. However, he just stood there, close to her. He listened to her weak breathing and felt her body tremble slightly. Two rivers appeared in his mind. They converged, flowed leisurely, and rushed forward. Then, the two of them became each other's flesh and blood, fusing together indistinctly.

"Please come back safely." Liu Ping whispered into his ear. She raised her head, and the tip of her nose gently brushed across his cool cheek, as if she was using the tip of her nose to explore the outline of his face. Then, she lowered her head and buried a string of small seashells in his palm.

4

After going out to sea, Zhou Yao had always brought along that string of seashells. He worked hard and was respected by the crew. The captain trusted him and entrusted him with an important task. Every time, he would be able to complete the mission with outstanding results. However, his reticence made everyone stay away from him. He always hid in a corner and did not play with everyone. Everyone thought that he was a boring guy who only knew how to work. No one noticed that he was doing this to secretly observe Liu Wen who was being bullied.

Ever since they boarded the ship, Liu Wendong had to do the dirtiest and most tiring work. Everything he ate was leftover. He slept in a dark and damp corner. He was as thin as the flagpole stuck in the boat, his dirty clothes fluttering in the wind. His messy hair was nestled on his head like a bird's nest, mixed with fish scales. He didn't speak and always hid at the side.

Zhou Yao was astonished at his patience. This was completely different from the weak scholar from back then. He had almost forgotten about those missing moments. He wondered if the time spent studying had caused these changes and created the patience of reality. Or was it because of this campaign and Mr. Liu's departure that he became like this? Sometimes, he sympathized with this child. When he saw others bullying Liu Wen, he would shout loudly to stop them. Most of the time, he would be jealous. Why did it have to be him? Such a weak man could be with Liu Ping every day and receive her care. She prevented him from marrying Liu Ping and made him suffer from lovesickness. Sometimes, he even wished he could join the group, trip him on the deck, knock over his bowl, or throw him a wet and dirty fishing net. However, every time he was about to do these things, Liu Ping's face would appear in front of him. He had no choice but to scold those who had attacked him. He himself had been harboring such complicated emotions. He stood aside and held the shell chain.

Liu Wen deliberately avoided Zhou Yao, ignoring his help, and continued to be alone, silently enduring it. Sometimes, his determined gaze seemed to be hinting at something. He would always look back at Zhou Yao when he was being bullied, and would even glare at him fiercely. Regarding this, Zhou Yao was astonished. Seeing that he was being persecuted, he was unable to react in time. When he wanted to help, Liu Wen was already covered in injuries.

This time, Liu Wen was pushed onto the deck again. He lay on the stinky fishing net, clutching his stomach and panting.

Zhou Yao stood up, stared at those shameless bastards, and walked to the front of the fishing net. Those people surrounded him and clapped their hands. Zhou Yao thought that he had been attacked from both sides, and took a step back. Suddenly, he was hit in the back and knocked down to the deck. His head slammed into the moldy wooden board. He heard a heavy sound and felt his head split open. Something jumped into his mind in an instant and swayed there. The scorching sun above his head stung his eyes and made them sway. Liu Wen's thin face blocked the sunlight and entered his eyes. He felt that his neck was being held tightly, and he could not breathe for a moment. He rolled his eyes, and the sunlight swam again into the darkness. When he opened his eyes again, Liu Wen had already been pulled to a corner. His hands were hanging down, his eyes were wide open, and his mouth was wide open as he breathed. Zhou Yao stared at that sweaty face, and felt that his eyes and mouth had formed three holes, and were currently seeping into a pitch-black abyss.

Because of the fight, Liu Wen was tied to the mast. No one was surprised. Everyone watched him suffer from hunger and thirst under the scorching sun. They did not sympathize with him at all and just walked past him silently. How many times had Zhou Yao tried to get close to him and talk to him, but he would always be rejected by his fierce gaze.

At sunset, everyone went into the ship to eat. Zhou Yao took this opportunity to walk closer to Liu Wen. He picked up a bucket of water by his feet and poured it onto Liu Wen's body. Liu Wen was immediately drenched. He shook his dripping hair and stared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"What exactly do you want?" Zhou Yao said," Must you kill yourself?”

"What does this have to do with you? You murderer." Liu Wen said," Why don't you admit that you hate me?" Pretend to be kind and compassionate."

"That's right, I do hate you. He had wasted everything. Mr. Liu died not because of me, but because of you. Silly girl, think about it. Also, your sister has been taking care of you.”Zhou Yao said.

"She's not my sister. You know that. She's not my sister." Liu Wen said.

At this moment, someone coughed and interrupted their conversation. Zhou Yao could only lean closer to Liu Wen and say,"It's best to live well." Your sister is heartbroken."

"You must be very sad too." Liu Wen said.

"What?" Zhou Yao said.

"Why am I in your way? It had always been so. You must be very sad too. I know about you two. It was crystal clear. Do you think I'll treat her as my sister? Just because she's older than me? Always taking care of me? She was never my sister. I've never thought of it this way. On those full moon nights, when you guys were swimming together, I would stand silently in the darkness.”Liu Wen said.

Zhou Yao grabbed Liu Wen's dirty collar, and was about to lift him up and throw him away. Liu Wen chuckled softly as he held his hand. Seeing this, he let go of his hand, pulled out the scimitar from his waist, and stabbed it into the rope tied to his body.

"What do you want?" Liu Wen asked.

"Nothing, I just want to let go of you.”Zhou Yao said. He pulled his scimitar and cut the rough rope.

"That way, they'll arrest you. Can't you feel that everyone is suspecting you?”Liu Wen said.

Zhou Yao was stunned. He stopped, no longer cutting the rope. He had never expected that Liu Wen's confrontation with him was not to snatch Liu Ping away, but to protect him from suspicion and criticism. Zhou Yao sat down, and sat on a pile of ropes.

The moonlight had already paved a silver road on the sea.

A strong wind blew from the sea. The boat swayed. Very quickly. The people in the cabin ran out and looked at them strangely.

Zhou Yao touched his scimitar, determined to guard Liu Wen's side just like that, not allowing anyone to get close. The people only stayed on the deck for a while before they were driven back into the cabin by the gradually strengthening sea breeze.

The storm that had long been predicted had quietly arrived. The storm came in the dark night, playing with the lonely fishing boat along with the angry sea. Lightning tore the night apart. Everyone could sense the fear on their faces.

The rope wrapped around Liu Wen's chest twisted like a viper, hissing.

"Stop cutting. Don't waste time." Liu Wen said. His face was facing the heavy rain, and his facial features seemed to be filled with water.

Zhou Yao turned his body away, his hand grabbing onto the snake's body, as he pulled the scimitar back and forth. He spat out the rainwater in his mouth and gritted his teeth.

"Don't waste time," Liu Wen said. This ship is about to sink. Let's escape quickly.”

"You can't give up just like that. Your father left so that you could live and endure humiliation.”Zhou Yao said.

The viper let out a sharp hiss, broke off, fell onto the wet deck, and twisted into a ball.

"Don't give up!" Zhou Yao said.

The huge waves overturned the boat. The world turned upside down, and all of them fell into the rolling waves.

The object lost its support, floated, and sank.

Everything was wrapped in water.

5

Through a long dream.

Zhou Yao woke up in the middle of the vast sea, and half of his body was lying on a piece of driftwood. The scorching sun was high up in the sky, almost burning through his exposed skin. He splashed the seawater on his face and turned to look at the undulating sea.

Soon, he entered a state of confusion. The sun, moon, and stars appeared at the same time, occupying different positions in the sky. The sea reflected the sky. It was as if he was floating in outer space, reaching the universe without any boundaries. As long as he turned over, ripples would appear in the water and slowly spread out, shattering all the images. That face was deep in the sea, dripping pearls.

On the third day after the ship sank, he was rescued and became the only survivor, the lucky one in the eyes of the fishermen.

As soon as he came ashore, he did the only thing he could do. He came to Liu Ping's house, knocked on the door, and stared at that face. He licked his dry lips. He didn't even have time to drink the fresh water on the shore. He just stood there. The hot June sun was shining on his back. A few hens flapped their wings and pecked the yellow soil on the ground as they walked over. His lover was hiding in his shadow. She could tell. With just a glance. He had protruding stubble, unkempt hair, and a pair of disappointed eyes. She suddenly understood what was going on. Despair overwhelmed him. A glimmer of light extinguished in her eyes. He moved closer, trying to get something out of the dark hole in her eyes. In the end, he just opened his hands and found nothing. She was already unable to support this outcome. She turned around and leaned against the door frame. She looked up into the room, her eyes filled with tears. The image of her father locked in the small room appeared in her mind. You must protect Liu Wen. He is our family's only hope. Every word pierced into his heart. There was someone else waiting for her in the room. Her mother's shriveled figure appeared in the corner of the room. It was as if she understood what had happened in that instant.

The firewood that had been dried by the scorching sun. After they were thrown into the fire, they would make a sound like crying, and no one would answer them. For some reason, he suddenly recalled that scene and those voices.

The rooster straightened its neck. Brown feathers that shone in the sunlight protruded and spread out like a fan. It quickly bent its head and pecked the worms in the soil. It ran across the bumpy ground and hid under the tree, crying.

Liu Ping's body disappeared into the dark room. She just slowly disappeared without closing the door, as if she had forgotten the person outside. As for that person, no matter how he blinked, he could not see the situation in the room clearly. He could only lower his head and look at his hands that were still spread out, swollen and white from soaking in the sea.

Crying sounds came from inside the house. He could feel his body being dried by the scorching sun, and even everything around him was not spared. The rooster was lucky. It just chirped around the tree and hid in a corner where the sun couldn't reach.

Every second that followed was unbearable. Because he could hear her voice amidst the crying. He couldn't stand her crying, just like her empty eyes. He pulled down the shell chain on his hand and hung it on the door frame before turning around to leave.

Then, he boarded a fishing boat that was about to set sail.

He was a man of few words. He worked during the day and slept on the deck at night.

Only on the night of the full moon would he rush back to the shore and look at the beach from the fishing boat.

And the person whose face would drop pearls had never appeared.

This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]