One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

32

Chapter 10.2 - Like Your First Adornment (2)

The décor of their accommodations for the night could not be considered beautiful and fine.

It was more similar to the homes of ordinary folk.

She was not certain whether it was because of the pingtan she had listened to after dinner or because of the atmosphere of this place but she suddenly was reminded of their time together, before he had left, in Zhenjiang. It had been brief but also mysterious. At the time, she had only been anxious about trying to get along with his strange family, but now that she recalled that period, she increasingly wanted to sigh.

His existence in such a family, was it destined?

A wealthy, powerful family hidden from the rest of the world.

She slept until some time past three o'clock in the morning, when that image of transcribing down tea names repeatedly began appearing in her mind. After tossing about in bed, she arose. She deliberated for a long time until, finally, she dialed his number, but listening to what seemed like an endless dial tone, she several times considered hanging up the call.

Was he resting? Or still in the laboratory? Or in a meeting?

Raising her mobile phone up in front of her eyes, she stared at the screen that indicated that the call had not yet connected, and her thumb was already sliding over to select the option to hang up. Suddenly, the call was connected... Shi Yi immediately brought the phone to her ear.

"It's so late. Why are you still awake?" Zhousheng Chen's voice was somewhat puzzled.

"I had a dream." She still sounded sleepy. "It was the same dream, over and over again. I knew I was dreaming, but I couldn't wake up and could only watch it happen."

"A nightmare?"

"Mm-hmm. Nightmare."

"Those water towns all have their own tales." She was not certain where Zhousheng Chen was. There was a slight echo accompanying his voice coming through the receiver. "I have heard some of them. Most contain some mentions of being haunted or bewitched, but I do not really believe those. Perhaps you did not get enough rest during the day?"

"Mm-hmm. Perhaps."

The dreams had all been the same. They were all about him and her, and Shi Yi did not find them frightening. As a result, when she awoke, she only had an urge to hear his voice, as if she needed to confirm that he truly did exist, that he was in the same time and space as she was.

"What did you dream about?" he asked.

"I dreamt that I was copying out the famous teas of each of the dynasties," she answered in soft voice. "Can you recite them out? I mean, teas from the Tang dynasty?"

"Almost. I do know some."

"For example?"

"For example?" He gave a chuckle. "You would like me to recite tea names to coax you off to sleep?"

"Mm-hmm." She had originally been lying on her back, but now she turned to the side and changed to a more comfortable position. "I want to hear."

"My wife should be one of the Top Four Female Voices, right?" he teased her. "I am just someone who does research, and there really is nothing special about my voice. I am afraid you will start to dislike it after listening to it for a while."

"I won't," she laughed. "Never in this life will I dislike it."

On the other end of the phone call, he grew silent for a moment. And then, he called her name.