Chapter 1

"Brother's headache is acting up again, good, good, Cao'er can listen to stories again......"

"Rascal girl, no nonsense! How can you be happy when your brother has a headache? Go and change the cloth on his forehead, the previous one is getting cold."

"Mother, you're blaming me wrongly. The old chief said that Brother's illness is peculiar; every time he has a headache, he becomes more energetic afterward. Maybe the pain will make him better. And every time Brother has a headache, he becomes very clever and tells many beautiful stories. Mother, didn't Cao'er tell you last time? You said they were good, didn't you?"

"Truly an undisciplined girl. Remember what Mother says: don't let the villagers know about Brother telling you stories, especially the content of the stories. Got it?"

"Yes, Cao'er remembers, Mother, don't worry."

In a small village nestled in the mountains, there was no night watchman, and it was long after sunset. The thick night had already seeped into the earthen and stone-built thatched cottage. The only window on the wall, old and broken, swayed in the night breeze, making a grating 'creak' sound.

The thatched cottage had no extra furniture. Two long stone slabs, laid side by side and covered with thick dry grass, served as beds. There were no silk quilts or fine furs; a five-layered hemp quilt, heavy and not very warm, covered a thin-faced young man who had his eyes tightly shut and his thumbs pressing on his temples, clearly suffering from a headache.

A middle-aged woman, around forty, dressed in simple clothes and with a humble appearance, stood by the bed, looking at the young man with concern. Beside her was a young girl, not yet of marriageable age, with her hair tied into two uneven buns on the sides, held together by two roughly straightened twigs. The dim light cast a long shadow of her head, making it look like a mountain spirit or tree demon.

The girl looked at her shadow, pouting slightly. Even at her young age, she knew it wasn't a good look. But Brother's headache was acting up again, and based on experience, he would become clever for a few days after each episode, telling many beautiful stories. These stories were so captivating that the two twigs on her head seemed insignificant in comparison.

Thinking of this, the girl excitedly took the cloth from Brother's forehead, washed it in a basin of hot water, wrung it out, and placed it back on his head, muttering, "Brother, get better soon. Cao'er really wants to hear your stories......"

The warm cloth made the young man groan in comfort, and his hands, which had been pressing on his temples, gradually relaxed.

The middle-aged woman's face relaxed, and she smiled, turning up the oil lamp and walking to the bed, softly calling her son's name.

Mother's voice was exceptionally beautiful, always reminding Bai Dong of the beautiful announcers on CCTV. He couldn't quite place the time period; for eighteen years, he had been in a state of confusion, sometimes clear, sometimes muddled, born in this remote mountain village. In the village, with over twenty households, from the most learned old chief to the youngest child, not a single person could read. They never saw a tax collector all year. Who knew which dynasty they were in?

"Mother, my head doesn't hurt anymore. It's late, you should rest. I'm not filial, making you worry."

For eighteen years, memories from two different lifetimes had been battling in Bai Dong's mind. After each headache, the past memories would resurface, giving him many beautiful stories to tell his sister. Unfortunately, these memories would fade after a few days, only to return with the next headache. However, the memories of this era were crystal clear: his childhood, his youth, his mother's youthful face, the single piece of meat in his bowl during the New Year......

The past is past. The loved ones, friends, and family of his former life were now in the past. Bai Dong belonged to this vague era, this small thatched cottage that could be blown away by the autumn wind, and his mother's warm embrace.

I love this family. It's so peaceful, without the noise of the city, the busy and stressful life, or the pressure of mortgage and car loans. Although life was poor, it was warm and cozy. Bai Dong had no regrets. Since he was here, he would make the best of it, not seeking a brilliant life but hoping for the safety and health of his family.

The middle-aged woman kissed her son's forehead and turned to leave. Her son's filial piety was her greatest treasure, and she should savor it, not waste it. Cao'er, however, had no intention of leaving. Seeing her mother go, she immediately took off her straw shoes, revealing a pair of crystal-clear little feet. Clearly, she had no bad habit of not washing her feet before bed. She cheered and huddled next to Bai Dong, "Brother, I want to hear a story. What happened to Alibaba?"

"Did you wash your feet? Didn't I tell you that girls should pay attention to personal hygiene? We lack everything, but not water. Why didn't you wash?"

"They really don't smell, why don't you smell them, Brother?"

Cao'er proudly lifted her little foot, which was very white in the dim light and indeed had no smell. To prove it, she curled up and, like a kitten, sniffed her foot before preparing to bring it to Bai Dong's mouth.

"You rascal girl, you're almost a young lady. You can't be so unruly. If you don't listen, Brother won't tell you any stories, and you'll regret it." Bai Dong laughed and pushed away Cao'er's foot. It was inappropriate for a brother to smell his sister's feet.

"I'm only thirteen......"

Cao'er wriggled, not leaving but getting even closer, her head burrowing into Bai Dong's side, cooing, "Just this once, please, Brother."

Thirteen years old, in this era, was old enough to be a mother, but in the past era, she was still a child who would cling to her parents. Thinking of the past, Bai Dong's heart softened. He sighed, "Alright, you little rascal."

In Bai Dong's stories, Alibaba was a happy young man who found treasure, married a beautiful wife, and defeated his enemies. To a man, this was a complete story. But to Cao'er, the life after Alibaba's marriage was the focus, like the happiness of married life, the daily chores, and whether he often talked to his wife. Girls were girls, even across a thousand years, they still cared about these domestic details.

Bai Dong realized that Cao'er had the ambition to turn "One Thousand and One Nights" into a Korean drama. This thought had to be nipped in the bud, or he would have a lot of stories to make up, and they would be longer and smellier than a foot-binding cloth. He needed to change the subject quickly.

"Alibaba's story is great, but Brother has an even better one. There's a sailor named Sinbad who has many exciting adventures on his voyages. And there's the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp. The lamp is a wonderful thing; you can get anything you want just by asking. Don't you want to hear it?"

Cao'er squinted her eyes and quickly forgot about Alibaba. Brother always had new and exciting stories and words. The more she heard, the more she wanted to tell the other children in the village, but Mother and Brother didn't allow it. Still, she loved listening, like the king in the story who became so captivated by the stories that he couldn't bear to cut off the queen's head.

"Can you really get anything? I want to hear the story of the magic lamp, Brother, tell me quickly."

The story didn't disappoint Cao'er. Lying next to Brother, counting the stars through the broken roof, she heard how Aladdin defeated the evil and lived happily ever after with the princess. Cao'er smiled happily, then touched her stomach and looked up at Bai Dong, "Brother, if Cao'er had a magic lamp, we could eat flatbread every day and always be full......"

Bai Dong didn't answer. He suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Compared to Cao'er, Aladdin in the story seemed greedy, wanting fine wine and food and having the lamp build him a palace. But Cao'er's wish was so simple, just to have flatbread every day......

Turning to hug Cao'er, he pulled her into his arms and said softly, "Brother also wants to find a magic lamp for Cao'er. What do you think?"

The magic lamp was a wonderful thing. Could he become the magic lamp for Mother and Cao'er?

***

Spring had arrived, but the cold wind still cut through the chest. Which historian said that ancient China had no distinction between north and south and had a mild climate? What nonsense! Cao'er stood by the stream, saying she wanted to catch two fish to nourish Brother's body. Her little feet were already blue from the cold, and Bai Dong really wanted to bring her back and warm her feet in his embrace forever.

But Cao'er was determined. Every time Bai Dong tried to approach, she would pout and wave her fists in a threatening manner, as if defending her territory. After each headache, she would go into the water to catch fish, and this was her territory, even her beloved Brother couldn't intrude.

Bai Dong had to back off and, as Cao'er requested, lie on the sunlit stone slab by the stream. The spring sun was warm but not scorching, making him feel cozy, like Mother's embrace and Cao'er's warm little mouth.

Lying on the stone slab, watching the cheerful Cao'er, Bai Dong felt a surge of warmth. The headache had disappeared for three days, and according to past experience, he would forget the memories of his previous life. But this time was different. The invisible barrier in his mind seemed to have completely shattered, and the memories of his past life were still crystal clear. The two sets of memories no longer intertwined or fought but blended perfectly, becoming one. This made Bai Dong feel like he had been reborn, filled with confidence and hope.

"Brother, Cao'er caught two fish, they're so big."

Cao'er cheered and jumped ashore, holding a fish in each hand, both over a foot long, gleaming in the sunlight.

They were even carp.

Ps: About the term "Brother," this era actually didn't have the term "Brother." However, since modern people write books for modern people, there is a process of "translation." Should we use the exact terms from the Spring and Autumn period? I don't have that ability, and even if I did, it would be difficult for modern readers. Feng Menglong's "The Chronicles of the Warring States" seems very ancient to us modern people, but it's actually a translation of the Spring and Autumn period's text into Ming Dynasty text for Ming Dynasty readers. Feng Menglong himself didn't understand the true ancient language; he didn't even have Baidu.

So, I can write in a semi-classical style, but I don't want to. When I first started writing, I tried semi-classical style, but it felt pretentious and affected reading. It's not very meaningful.

Of course, we can't be purely modern. Depending on the character's personality and the context, I will use some classical terms, like in a grand ceremony or a sacrificial text. You can't use modern poetry for such occasions.

Also, for the moral and social terms of the time, I try to keep them as authentic as possible. We can't call the ruler "the boss" or "the head of the household." That would be a translation error. For example, before the Ming Dynasty, officials were not called "adults." In TV dramas, they call them "Lord Bao," which is amateurish. In the Song Dynasty, women were called "lady," which was a term of respect. If you call them "miss," they might get into a fight.

I believe as long as we pay attention to these details, it's fine. For example, Cao'er calling Brother "Brother" is more lively than calling him "elder brother." If Cao'er called him "my elder brother," she wouldn't be a cute little girl anymore; she would sound like an old man.

That's the idea. I hope everyone understands. :）

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends