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Chapter Text

13 February, Rainy

Dear Diary:

I saw a flyer. Apparently, my local candy shop sells some magic candies on Valentine's Day. It would grant me power to talk to a stranger. And you know what? Valentine's Day is tomorrow. I don't have anyone. Well, for the past few centuries I've spent it with Ming-Xiong He Xuan. It still feels kind of strange not having him around.

I've probably written too much about him in my previous entries but he used to be my best friend. For centuries, five whole centuries. But he probably definitely hates me. I should probably hate him too. Everything would be much simpler if I did.

Well, I did plan to ask my current best friend out for a date, but he's got a whole heaven to rebuild. I don't want to be a burden to him.

It's almost midnight now. I need to sleep. Maybe it's Heaven Official's Blessing that I chanced upon this flyer. I'll just go talk to a stranger and report back to you tomorrow!

14 February, Sunny

Dear Diary:

I went to "Talk to a Stranger". Turns out that I need to use 1 yuan to buy a candy. I only had 2 yuan with me. It goes like this. I pay, I get a candy, and a chance to pick a random password. I was about to pick a password when someone else slammed the table with a slip of paper and left. The paper was his password.

Somehow, he just hated the stranger he was paired with, because the stranger was not a girl?! So I didn't pick a random password. I just got that abandoned password and started calling.

The shopkeeper stopped me and asked me why I didn't pick a new password. Also, if I was only going to buy a candy, I should take the change.

I just told him to keep the change and flicked the password I got, giving him a bright smile. He reminded me the rules again.

"To call, just put your index finger and middle finger to your temple after popping the candy into your mouth. No asking and revealing your names. Also, whoever got in first speaks first. The call ends when your candy is fully dissolved."

I listened and nodded. I hope the other guy waiting at the other end of the line didn't get too bored.

Luckily, when I reached him through the line, he was still there!

"Hi! I'm sorry...did I say anything wrong just now?"

"Uhhhh...bad connection...I think...hahaha!"

Yes, I lied. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

"Alright, do you want to begin?"

I was quite taken aback. Wasn't him the first one in? Or was it the previous guy? I haven't thought of what to say yet!

"Uhhh...I don't know what to say...how about you go first?"

Luckily for me, he was a kind man. He began telling his tale shortly.

So he lost his partner in a war and was waiting for him to come back. He believed that his partner can come back as a ghost.

I told him that ghosts do exist! Maybe he will see his partner in no time!

"Aw, thank you!"

That's what he said. He thanked me for being so optimistic and encouraging. People around him was telling him his partner may never return. That he should let it go. Only his best friend is as supportive as me.

Well, it was nothing. I merely stated the truth.

It was soon my turn to speak. I told him the tale. Well, I left out some parts, the whole ascension and god and ghost part. I just said that my brother stole the exam papers and exchanged mine away with a scholar of a similar name as mine. I thought I got a good grade and was super thankful to go to college. Much later in life, I found out the truth, and that my best friend at work was the scholar I wronged. I watched my best friend kill my brother. On that day, I lost the only two people I loved.

Well, you knew the real deal. Ming-Xiong He Xuan was my best friend. But he wasn't the Earth Master. He was a ghost who aimed to kill my brother all this time. I thought I will die too. But I didn't. He didn't hurt me. Although I'd rather die. But since he wants me to live, I will live.

Back to the conversation, the stranger told me that it's not my fault. It's my brother's fault and he paid for it. He empathised with my situation, and asked if I had any other good friends.

"Yes. My best friend is just...very busy. He just...took up a leadership position...in a new company...and need to build up. My other friends would laugh with me though. Or laugh at me. But I just laughed with them. Doesn't make much of a difference."

"Why would they laugh at you?"

"Because I kept talking about me being a god...damn scholar who went to a prestigious college...hahahaha! They think...I'm mental."

He stayed silent for a long time. So I went on to talk about life as a normal guy on the streets. How it was much more carefree than being...a god...I mean, someone of a higher status.

Before my candy went off, I thanked him for listening to my blabbering. He was a sweet guy indeed.

I was about to take my leave when the shopkeeper stopped me, with a lucky draw box of passwords.

"2 yuan for 2 turns. Pick a password."

And so I did, returning back into the shop with a new password and a new candy.

This password was quite long, significantly longer than the previous one. But I recited it anyway.

"LWMIBTLWMIFACLWMIKARLWMIAS16"

Well, I wrote the password down because it was quite interesting. Not like the previous password, it's just numbers.

When I went in and talked, there was no one there yet. I waited. But very soon, a stranger entered. Let's call this guy Stranger 2.

Stranger 2 just cleared his throat to make me know he was here.

"Shoot." He said.

So I repeated the tale, the half-true tale about college entrance exam. This time, Stranger 2 prompted me to talk about the times I spent with my best friend.

Well, time to come out with stories. But actually they are true too.

"We went for missions together. We went to eat. We went to practically everywhere in the world. We dress up together. I annoyed him to dress up as girls. It was one of my favourite times. Every time he denied being my best friend, he was also...too cute. He didn't mean it though. But now that I thought about it, maybe he meant it. Maybe he was telling me the truth every time."

And when I finally got to the part of Ming-Xiong killing my brother, he said that my best friend was a jerk!

But Ming-Xiong was not!

So I lashed out at Stranger 2.

"HE'S NOT A JERK. HE'S RUINED BY ME. HE...HE WAS WRONGED! HE WATCHED HIS FAMILY MEMBERS DIE ONE BY ONE! I WAS THE THIEF!"

And he replied with a monotonous "no, you're not".

"I AM!"

I realised that I wasn't being nice here. It's against the rules. So I apologised and prompted him to take his turn. However, he seemed to prefer talking about my problem instead. He told me that Ming-Xiong is a jerk, I should move on and find better friends.

I burst out crying. For a split second, I don't want to talk to him. But come to think of it, he meant it well. He was just not very nice about it. Once he heard me cry, he stopped talking about Ming-Xiong.

"Fine, forget it. How are you now?"

"Good. You can talk to me about you now."

Stranger 2 didn't. He asked me how I was coping. I told him I roamed around the streets and occupied myself with other people on the streets.

"How are you coping, like emotionally?"

I don't know why, but I just felt that strange sense of warmth. Like rationally I knew every word he said was cold, but I still felt being cared for.

So I told him about those nightmares, about my brother beheaded, about my best friend leaving me alone. About how I wanted to die, but eventually figured out that he wanted me to live, so I went on to live shamelessly.

"Don't say that about yourself."

He interrupted. But still, in a good way.

I blabbered on a bit more until he interrupted abruptly with an apology, leaving me confused.

"I'm sorry, for what your ex-best friend did to you."

"HAHAHAHAHA..."

I laughed. Like seriously, he didn't have to. What did I just hear? A stranger apologising for Ming-Xiong?

"Stop haha-ing. Say something sensible."

Well, this sort of grounded me. It always worked wonders. Ming-Xiong did that before.

"Okay, but really, you don't need to apologise."

"Do you have something...to say to your friend, if you don't mind sharing."

Stranger 2 was really using up my last bits of candy giving me therapy. But at that time I was already invested, so I didn't get to know about anything more about him.

So I told him something that I may probably tell Ming He-Xiong. Like how badly sorry I am and how much I wanted to turn back time and change everything. I would love to be an ordinary simple man worshipping him as a god...but I changed this word last minute into a scholar.

I don't know, somehow it ended up with me calling the stranger He-Xiong. But he didn't mind.

I left this event feeling warmed.

15 February, Misty

Dear Diary:

I had a dream. Not the usual bad dreams. Okay to be fair, it started as a bad dream. I was watching my brother die for a millionth time. But later someone held me, hugged me, brought me to bed and wiped my tears away. I opened my eyes.

And I saw him. Ming-Xiong. Or He Xuan. Whatever the name. Then he dissappeared.

It was a dream after all.

I woke up in the morning and realised my robes were a bit wet. So was my hair. It's wet, but a bit more straightened. Maybe it rained a bit too much last night.

I also found out that I had a new blanket. I never knew this shelter had it. I probably sleepwalked and got it somewhere due to the cold.

I went on hunting for food, everything else today were good. The sun shone brightly and soon enough, my hair and robes are dried.

So when I don't know whether it rained or shone, the weather is misty. Like my brains. I didn't really have a good one anyway. If not how did I live as an fool for centuries?

One of my friends asked me why I'm not scratching my head anymore. I don't know though. It wasn't itchy, like just today? Thanks to the rain yesterday, I said. Free bath.

He stared at me wide eyed.

"What rain?"

"The rain yesterday?"

"There's no rain yesterday!"

He said he wasn't drenched so there was no rain last night. I said I sure was drenched so it sure rained last night. We bickered a bit but forgot about it when we found some leftover food near our shelter.

I took them in and shared them with everyone.

Evenything was good, except one thing. A-Qun caught a cold today. I can't do anything other than giving her the blanket I used last night.

Chapter Text

San Lang:

It's been three months since I last saw you. I missed you.

Today, when I heard a knock on my door, I hurried over to open it, hoping it was you outside. But this time, it was Uncle Yuan, the ghost selling candies in Ghost City.

"Granduncle," he began.

"Spare the formalities," I said. "Just Xie Lian will do."

"Granduncle Xie Lian."

...

I gave up. But you get it right? I can't possibly accept such an honourable title.

He told me about his depreciating business at his stall. No one wanted to buy his candies to hide ghostly qi anymore after Mt. Tonglu reopened. He sure does have other candies, but they proved useless in Ghost City. Like those who granted powers. When everyone here had some sort of spiritual powers, it became useless.

So he asked me if I could lower his rent for him to make a financial recovery.

However, I came out with something better. A collaboration in the mortal realm would solve this problem!

I began roaming around the mortal realm looking for candy shops who would want a collaboration with a...magician. Well, of course we can't talk about the Ghost Realm. I wasn't very good at telling lies though. So...figuring that out, I changed tactics and made posters instead.

Some stalls began to sign up. Perfect!

San Lang, I am also a business prodigy, although not as brilliant as you. I wish you were here to see me at work. I will be at Uncle Yuan's place helping him out two days later.

It would also be Valentine's Day. If you aren't back by then, I'd be alone. You know you will always be my Valentine. Although it never happened before. We met last year in autumn and you were...gone so fast.

But San Lang waited for me these 800 years. What's the big deal if I wait another 800 years for you?

Xie Lian
12 February

San Lang:

All is well today. I occupied myself with the flyers again. Quite a lot of shops and stalls have signed up. I printed a newer copy and included more shops on it, including the shops at the Capital.

It was a bustling city, this I knew. But San Lang, do you remember who lives there as well? Shi Qingxuan.

So after all the work was done, I visited him. He wasn't there. His companions said he went out to find food. It's already past 10pm. I wanted to wait for him but the beggars need to sleep already. So I left my last flyer at his shelter for him.

Xie Lian
13 February

San Lang:

Today I went to help Uncle Yuan, but I sort of messed up. Without you by my side I was very unlucky.

I answered a lot of calls today. But almost all hanged up on me for various reasons. Like because I wasn't a girl.

There was only one person who talked to me. And I think I knew who that was.

One, he firmly believed that ghosts exist.

Two, he was optimistic and encouraging.

Three, his brother was killed by his best friend.

Four, he had a best friend building up on a new leadership position.

Five, he lives on the streets.

Six, he laughed when he was nervous.

Seven, his friends said he was mental.

San Lang, you're so smart. I don't have to tell you who that was.

He needs to know that it was not his fault. That he didn't need to punish himself. But you and I know how stubborn he was. I don't want him to feel bad. So in the end I ended up just listening to him.

I will try to visit him again soon.

Apart from that, I actually saw Black Water at Uncle Yuan's. But as you know, he avoids me. So I didn't say hi. I caught a glimpse of him giving a lot of money to Uncle Yuan though. Maybe Black Water was donating to help out Uncle Yuan at his financial recovery.

Do you want to lower his debt?

He made one call though, and left after that. Candies are obviously not enough for his appetite. He must be going off to buy food.

Xie Lian
14 February

San Lang:

I visited Shi Qingxuan last night, but I saw a shadow leaving their shelter. It was a tall figure, about your height, but slimmer.

I was worried about their safety. So peered in and saw Shi Qingxuan sleeping comfortably on a bed. I counted the number of people sleeping there and found out that all the beggars were there. No one was missing.

So who is the shadow I saw? Am I hallucinating?

Shi Qingxuan seemed very tired. He tucked in well and was sleeping so soundly that it would be a sin to wake him up. I watched him sleep for a while before leaving.

But I've pondered a bit today. I felt that the silhouette I saw last night might be Black Water.

One, he was almost as tall as you, but slimmer than you.

Two, he wore black.

Three, he smelt like ocean.

Four, one of the beggars inside was Shi Qingxuan.

It must be him. No other people would fit all these descriptions.

So I went down to the shelter again and waited. Sure enough, I saw him. Very clearly indeed, since it was daytime.

He was leaving food outside the shelter.

I walked straight to him and confronted him.

I barely said "Black Water".

Sure enough, he quickly drew a Distance Shortening Array and dissappeared in no time. Looks like he wasn't ready to talk yet. But looking at the food left, it was very fresh as leftovers. I bet he bought newly packed food somewhere, stirred for a bit and left it for Shi Qingxuan and his companions. Even utensils were provided in the right numbers.

He had good intentions. Black Water, I mean. San Lang, if you heard that your friend and my friend Shi Qingxuan still cares for each other, you would support me if I try to get them back together, right?

I need to make plans for that to really happen.

Xie Lian
15 February

Chapter Text

Shi Qingxuan:

You called me "He-Xiong." A name I don't deserve.

I made the password from your communication array password. I comissioned the "Talk to a Stranger" to make it grand across the three realms. I orchestrated this whole conversation to talk to you. First time since I met you at the Human Array. Actually, that's not counted. So, it's the first time since leaving you at the Capital.

When I killed your brother in front of you, I thought I was angry at you. When I asked you what you wanted, I thought I was angry at you. But when I heard your answer, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't kill you like I killed your brother.

I thought I was angry at you until I looked at the four urns in front of me. I couldn't blame you. We've both chosen our family over each other. Who was I to blame you?

It wasn't long before I realised that my world turned cold. Cold and quiet. Your presence, your voice and your laughter will no longer linger with me. I have destroyed the only source of warmth I had since I died. I broke you into pieces.

With my fate, you could have already leveled up your cultivation. Or started a promising business. Or became a aspiring scholar. You could succeed in anything you want to do. You being a beggar with broken limbs only meant one thing—that this was what you wanted.

I have reduced your pride and made you believe you should suffer. I took your innocence away from you.

To hear you defending my name against a stranger was astonishing. I expected you to be angry at me, for all the physical, emotional and psychological torture I put you through, not angry at a stranger who told you I'm a jerk. Because that was the truth.

I have a lot to tell you. That I'm sorry. That I missed you. That I would love to turn back time and undo what I did upon you. That I would rather you be a god now and I be your worshipper. But I just can't seem to say it, not when I am literally a stranger now.

Instead I heard you saying it to me. Apologising, wanting to turn back time and change everything, that you'll rather be an ordinary man worshipping me.

And call me "He-Xiong" like I deserved it, when I don't.

Maybe you didn't need to hear this. Instead you need to take care of yourself. At least sleep on your bed. At least eat enough food before sharing with others.

You are still so kind. You took a password rejected by many. But you are too kind to me. What your brother did to me was bad. What I did to you was worse. If that crown prince saw me, I'm doomed. Then I may never get the chance to see you again.

I, Black Water Sinking Ships, He Xuan, am sorry for sinking my own friendship. You, the Wind Master Qingxuan, are more than my friend. You're the last person I love that is still alive, and the reason I felt alive. Just a little, but yes. I'm glad I got to know you, to feel the warmth that you'd offer even to a dead water ghost like me.

I should just burn this letter. But for now I would just leave it here in my manor, until you could receive burnt offerings. I hope it's by ascension, not the other way. Death was the last thing that I would wish on you. It was the one thing that I've experienced that I came to realise...I didn't want it on you.

If the sun ceased to exist, water would freeze. If the wind is silenced, life on earth would die out. If you were dead, will my joyless life ever be worthwhile?

He Xuan
15 February