Chapter 4: Organizing

June was the rainy season in Jiangnan.

One moment, the sun shone brightly. The next, dark clouds gathered, and heavy rain poured.

The gloomy sky carried an apocalyptic sense of ruin. In times like this, Sang Shen’s small room, half the size of the main one, felt safer.

The room was tidy.

Partly because he cleaned thoroughly.

Partly because, aside from a desk and chair by the window, there was no other furniture.

It was hard to be messy.

Sang Shen opened his suitcase. He sorted the things brought from the city.

These were all his belongings.

Yin Xing sat in the corner.

Her back pressed into the narrow angle, as if seeking the safety of being enclosed. Her posture looked too much like a discarded rag doll.

“Tired? Why not go back to your room to sleep?”

Sang Shen took out an autumn long-sleeve from the suitcase. He refolded it.

Yin Xing shook her head silently.

“Alright, suit yourself. But… don’t push yourself.”

The suitcase was his mother’s. Bought that year for a trip to Harbin.

That was an unforgettable winter.

His mother got an extra-large suitcase to fit the whole family’s clothes.

It was terribly inconvenient on the trip. Three smaller suitcases would’ve been better.

So it was only used once.

But to Sang Shen, it was precious. A family photo sticker was on it. Plus, he had clothes for all seasons. So he filled it and brought it to the countryside.

“There’s no wardrobe in my room… I’ll get some cardboard boxes for now…”

Sang Shen mumbled, setting a thick winter coat aside.

He sorted clothes by season. This way, finding summer clothes wouldn’t mess up the others. The suitcase wouldn’t get chaotic.

“…Ah.”

He suddenly held up a red T-shirt with a Su Shi poem printed on it.

It was bought at the Song City theme park’s souvenir shop.

The pure red T-shirt had dark black text.

“‘The affairs of the world are a grand dream, life cools several times in autumn’…”

Sang Shen held it up toward Yin Xing.

“Look, the shirt we lost before—it’s back. Life’s really unpredictable.”

Yin Xing didn’t answer. She glanced quietly at the text on the shirt. She nodded lightly, seeming to recognize it.

“Back then, coming to the countryside from the capital, I wanted to bring everything. But when leaving again, I brought almost nothing… Things that felt important got lost.

At first, it didn’t matter. But the longer time passed, the more I missed them…”

Sang Shen folded it carefully, placing it on a clean spot.

“This time, I’ll keep it safe. Can’t lose it again.”

He slowly sorted through the suitcase. Some items, even he barely remembered. He’d study them for a while before faint memories surfaced.

They were his things.

Yet sorting felt like unearthing someone else’s treasures.

Yin Xing watched quietly from the side.

As if lost in thought.

Or recalling the past with Sang Shen.

The large suitcase was sorted amid a rainstorm that seemed to drown the village.

With no wardrobe yet, he placed clothes on the desk and chair.

“Oh, I haven’t checked this zipper yet. Probably nothing left…”

Sang Shen mumbled, opening the zipper. He pulled out an envelope.

“…Huh? What’s this?”

It was a plain white envelope, somewhat thick, not just holding paper.

He opened it curiously. Seeing a delicate ebony box, he remembered something.

“Oh! Why’s this here? It shouldn’t belong to the past… I bought this in the future.”

He unfolded the letter. It was his handwriting.

After a glance, he scratched his head sheepishly. Though Yin Xing asked nothing, he explained naturally.

“I bought this in the summer of ’07…  For me, that’s just a few days ago. Uh, the letter says I spent half a month’s wages on it. To save for a future girlfriend…”

“…Like an idiot.”

“Yeah… maybe I was an idiot.

The letter says I planned to buy a precious gift every six months. So I’d have lots to give a girlfriend later. Guess I really did that in the future, huh?”

Yin Xing didn’t answer. Her face darkened. Sweat beaded on her forehead, as if enduring great pain.

“Sorry, sorry! I shouldn’t have said that…”

Sang Shen picked up the ebony box. It held a jade hairpin and comb, both edged with silver.

“Anyway, the items themselves… they’re not at fault.”

“…Never… been cared for.”

Yin Xing forced the words through clenched teeth. She leaned against the wall, gasping as if suffocating.

Sang Shen stuffed the box back into the envelope. He tossed it into the desk drawer.

“But when beautiful dreams break, that feeling’s awful… I think I understand you a bit more now.”

Yin Xing responded with silence.

Sang Shen said no more.

At times like this, comforting words felt excessive. Better to let time calm her.

The desk had cabinets on both sides for odds and ends. Sang Shen wiped them several times with a cloth. He lined them with old newspapers left in the house. He stuffed bulkier thick clothes inside.

He’d still need cardboard boxes for the rest. But this way, he’d need fewer.

The rain outside stopped. Bright sunlight peeked through cloud gaps. Lingering mist turned faint gold in the fresh sunlight.

“Want some water? It’s cooled down, perfect to drink now.”

Sang Shen handed her a plain transparent glass cup.

The half-filled water looked especially clear.

Yin Xing didn’t answer.

But she took the cup with both hands, sipping lightly.

“Oh, I haven’t asked before. That… glass block thing with a white frame. What is it?”

Sang Shen cautiously watched her expression.

“If it’s tied to painful memories, I won’t ask…”

“…It’s a gift I gave myself.”

“To yourself?”

“No one’s ever given me a gift.”

“So you bought one for yourself?”

“…Sure, think of it that way.”

It sounded like there was more to it. But Sang Shen restrained himself from asking further. He pulled the topic back.

“So what is it?”

“A phone.”

“A phone!? Really a phone? A future phone, so high-tech. No keyboard? How’s it used?”

Yin Xing stretched out her pale hand, frowning slightly.

“Give it here.”

Sang Shen grinned eagerly, placing the phone in her palm.

She lightly pressed a button on top. The screen lit up, showing a white apple logo.

“Oh! That’s how it turns on. Like a Nokia, but the buttons are so sleek. What phone is this?”

“iPhone 4s.”

“iPhone…? Weird name.”

Yin Xing seemed annoyed by his questions. After a few seconds of silence, she muttered two words.

“Apple.”

“That’s the Chinese name? Feels like I’ve heard it somewhere… or maybe not. Probably my mistake.”

Yin Xing opened the phone.

As if demonstrating, she slid her slender fingers across the screen.

She opened the camera, snapping a shot of Sang Shen’s goofy face.

“Whoa!”

“…Take it.”

“Did it just take a picture? It did? This phone can take photos? This is the camera?”

Sang Shen took the phone curiously. He pressed something, shouting in surprise.

“Whoa, it caught my face! There’s a front camera too?”

Click.

“…This button takes photos?”

“…Play with it yourself.”

Yin Xing finally grew impatient.

“Let me have some quiet.”

“Oh, okay… Can I ask you if I don’t get something? This phone’s so cool. Sliding fingers on the screen is so smooth…”

“No.”

“Hey, that’s harsh…”

“…Tired.”

“Want me to carry you to bed?”

“No need.”

“Alright, I’ll go outside to play so I don’t bother you.”

“…Don’t.”

“Huh?”

“Stay here.”

Yin Xing shook her head tiredly.

“…Okay. Let’s see, this is the volume button, right? Yeah, it is. And… this is—oh! The photo I just took is here. So clear. Better than a regular camera, huh? Future tech’s amazing…”

Sang Shen muttered to himself, engrossed.

The tiny phone shocked him endlessly.

When he realized he shouldn’t be so noisy, he looked up. Yin Xing had closed her eyes, seemingly asleep.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly. Tears rolled from her eyes, as if caught in a nightmare.

Sang Shen reached out several times but pulled back. Finally, he let his hand rest gently on her head. He stroked her light green hair softly.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t think about the past. No nightmares then. Think of nice things. Like tonight, we can eat at Uncle’s. Auntie will make a big table of delicious food for us…”