Completely off topic: Yippee! The adaptation of my favourite ancient novel is airing!! Who’s joining me to watch Nirvana in Fire? (Crossing my fingers that I’m not going to have to go treasure hunting to find a reasonably clear version of it.)
I’m happy to say this chapter is fully back into the progression of their romance. And yes, their romance is still progressing. ❤ Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi are getting some peaceful time for themselves. 🙂
Chapter 17.1 – The Moon Shines Upon Home (1)
This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or re-posting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
Please do not repost this anywhere.
Little detail by little detail. All the things he did, like droplets, were slowly permeating through her life.
Regardless of past or present life, Zhousheng Chen had never changed. He never voiced his feelings and spoke not about his love, but he was still able to let her know that he cared for and cherished her.
<>This translation’s only approved site of posting is hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Please support it by only reading it from there. Thank you.
For the next several days, Zhousheng Chen was, as always, busy. The day before Grandmother’s birthday, he had a little more leisure time and returned to their courtyard wing. But before he could even change his clothing, Shi Yi seemed to suddenly remember something and asked him, “Are you tired?”
“Not very tired.”
“Let’s go to the library tower, would that be okay?”
“The library tower?”
“Mm-hmm.” Shi Yi stood up from where she had been sitting on the sofa. “Also… could you ask someone to ready some writing brushes and ink? Not the type where I need to grind the ink stick against the stone[1]. Just a big bucket of prepared ink will do.”
Zhousheng Chen was intrigued and soon had instructed people to make the preparations.
They changed and went to the library tower. Nobody normally came to this place, and right now, it was only the two of them there as well. The items Shi Yi had requested had been prepared and placed beside the bookshelves. She walked up, her hand resting on the carved, wooden handrail at the top of the staircase. Peering through the gaps of the three-metre high bookshelves, as if she was mulling over something, she scrutinized the wall on the other side that had calligraphy artwork and traditional Chinese paintings hanging on it.
Zhousheng Chen was in no hurry to disturb her, so he stepped over and from the nearest bookshelf, pulled off a book at random.
As he leafed through the book, he seemed to melt into and become one with the space he was standing in.
Shi Yi’s eyes shifted from the wall and the three-metre high shelves onto him. He wore sky-blue colored trousers, a white dress shirt, and a pair of silver, metal-frame glasses, and his suit jacket had been casually draped onto the wooden ladder beside the bookshelf.
It was nearing sundown, and the candles of the lamps in this place had already been lit far beforehand.
Together, the remaining rays of the setting sun outside the window, the bright candlelight, and him seemed like an ink-and-wash painting[2] in her eyes. The background was only a faint color, but then as the painting moved to the outline of his figure, it seemed as if brushstrokes changed from being indistinct to vivid… Shi Yi walked over to him and from behind, slipped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his back.
He covered her hands with one of his. “Have you figured out how you will write it yet?”
“Mm.”
“This library tower is more than a hundred years old already,” he smiled, “but you are the first person to ever think about leaving your writing on the walls.”
“How did you know I wanted to write on the wall?”
He made no comment in return.
Alright, fine. Her intentions were pretty obvious.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. Please do not repost this anywhere, including, but not limited to, on Wattpad, on personal blogs, as distributable electronic files, etc.
This place, indeed, was spotlessly clean. Even when a painting was removed from the wall, there was no noticeable mark of discoloration left behind from the painting having hung there for a long time. From the brush holder that had been prepared for her ahead of time, she selected a brush. Standing on the third step of a wooden ladder, she one word, one line at a time, wrote out the poem, “Rhapsody of the Imperial Park”, that was engrained in her heart. The bucket of ink hung off a corner of the ladder, and now and then, as she adjusted her position, the bucket would also sway lightly.
Brush holder (image credit)
She was focused in her writing, and Zhousheng Chen quietly kept her company.
The words flowed off her brush and down the wall until they happened to stop at that line.
“You’ve forgotten?” Zhousheng Chen had an amused expression as he asked her in a warm voice.
Pursing her lips, she turned her head to look back at him.
He gave a chuckle. “The last half of that line is, ‘Beauty is offered, a soul is given in return, and the heart rejoices to be at one another’s side.’”
For a moment, her expression was dazed. Something in her mind seemed to superimpose on the present, causing her heart to become too unsettled to continue her writing. She hopped off the ladder and set the brush on the holder.
“Why aren’t you writing?” Zhousheng Chen was leaning against wall beside the window, looking out into the night on the other side.
Without even their detection, the sky had grown dark already. From here, they had a view of the greater half of the old manor, which was brightly illuminated. There was already an atmosphere of celebration for an elder’s ninetieth birthday. The Zhou family placed great importance on these things, so naturally, preparations had been completed for it very early. Tonight, a gambling hall that would operate through the night had been started up as well as some performances of old Chinese theatrical plays.
A three day, three night celebration. Tomorrow would be the birthday banquet.
Despite the relatively remote location of the library tower, from where they were, they could still faintly hear some of the noise.
While he was still deliberating whether he should send for someone to bring dinner to them there, Shi Yi had already noiselessly blown out all the candlelit lamps and walked over to him. Her hand slid from his waist up to his chest where it stopped at the second button on his dress shirt.
Her palm felt slightly hot, and her body was burning up a little as she pressed up against him.
Her lips also brushed up against his skin.
She wanted him.
“Shi Yi?”
“Mm.” She gently nipped his collarbone, not forcefully at all, but like a cat or dog lightly licking an itch on its paw.
Zhousheng Chen shut the window, and, encircling his arms around her, he allowed her to rest atop the windowsill. “It’s a little cold here.”
“Mm.” She pulled the hem of his shirt out from his waistband, and then her hands slipped inside his clothes.
It really was cold. Cold were her hands. Hot was his body
His hands were a little cold as well, and worried they would chill Shi Yi upon contact with her skin, he only allowed one of them to cover her bosom through her blouse. Soon, his hand slid up to her chin, and tilting her head up with it, he lowered his face down to hers and began to kiss her.
All around, it was extremely quiet and dark.
The window now closed, she could see only his eyes and the contours of his face.
As she breathed in and out very lightly, she could feel his hand, through the material of her garments, trailing all over and lingering on her body.
At first, she had taken the lead, but afterwards, things slid out of her control. While he undid her garments, Zhousheng Chen also had to divide his attention to listen for any movements inside the library tower. With her clothing half-fallen from her body, he slid his own jacket under her for her to rest on, and then, their bodies were already pressed tightly together in union. Shi Yi bit down on her lip, and with her eyes squeezed shut and her back against the window, she held him tightly to herself.
The tip of his nose brushed across her chin, then her collarbone.
His arms were wrapped around her so that her blouse would not completely slip off.
Their lips came together in kisses and then separated again.
The noise and clamour off in the distance had all been shut out by a single window.
“This floating life is but a dream. How often can life’s pleasures be enjoyed?[3]” His voice was right beside her ear. “Shi Yi, alone, is all that I ask……”
Her body felt limp and she rested herself against him as they tenderly exchanged kisses.
With one stroke of her pen at a time, she had sealed those old dreams of a past dynasty within papers and beneath her pen.
This life and this place, this time and this moment, as she received his love, the one she loved with all her heart was him, this man right before her.
……
They straightened their clothing and together, went down the stairs of the tower. Zhousheng Chen draped his badly wrinkled jacket over his forearm, not displaying any abnormal behavior and looking extremely proper, as if they truly had been simply reading upstairs… But the lights had been blown out for such a long time. How could the people downstairs not know what they had been doing? However, like him, they were completely unruffled.
Only Shi Yi’s eyes glimmered as if with moisture and evaded eye contact.
He brought her to that private casino that operated without rest, regardless of day or night. Hanging in the corridor near the entrance were pieces of calligraphy artwork of poetry written in bold and elegant cursive script. Shi Yi recognized many of them were the “sexually suggestive poems and amorous songs” he enjoyed, and she could not hold back a laugh.
Zhousheng Chen, of course, knew the reason for her laughter, and crooking his finger, he flicked her forehead.
The two of them stepped further inside.
The entire space had been partitioned off by several hanging curtains made up of strings of beads, creating separate spaces for gambling table after gambling table. There were sounds of shouting, bets being called out, and countless dice rolling over blue and white porcelain plates.
Behind every beaded curtain were indistinct outlines of people.
On the outside of the curtains, there were only several dozen girls who were there to wait upon the guests, carrying alcohol and incense in their hands and hurrying about everywhere.
Everyone present there were friends and family who had come to offer birthday well wishes, and they had all heard, a little while ago, that this eldest young master would very shortly be taking control of the Zhou family. As a result, those who came over to them and offered their greetings and niceties were all very respectful. Zhousheng Chen merely passed through the people, and Shi Yi followed beside him, observing this scene which she had never before seen.
It was not surprising that Zhou Wenchuan would eye this position so covetously. As the second young master of the Zhou family, he most certainly did not lack wealth, but rather… this sort of display, this sort of status.
<>The translator sincerely asks that you only read this at its actual site of posting, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you truly do wish to share, please post a link to hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com.
Zhousheng Chen only strolled around there briefly, as a formality, and then returned with her back to their own courtyard wing.
She was genuinely tired and stretched herself out the chaise lounge beside the window, languidly watching as he changed his clothing. The side of his body was facing her, and she could vaguely make out traces of two scratch marks on his waist, which had been put there earlier. Shi Yi’s cheeks instantly burned red, and she turned to look out the window.
She laid her cheek against the soft fox pelt, and soon, her eyelids started to close together.
Drowsiness rushed over her.
Warmth was felt on her waist, and then his arm encircled her. Bending down to look at her, he asked, “Sleepy?”
“Mm.”
Here, in this moment of closeness and intimacy, she suddenly remembered, though, that the poem on the wall was still incomplete and, coincidentally, had stopped at that same line. Inexplicably, her heart felt somewhat unsettled. Zhousheng Chen could sense this, so she told him the reason. He thought nothing of it, however. “Tomorrow night, I will go there with you again.”
“Okay……”
“Shi Yi?” He was pondering something carefully. “Would you like to have children?”
“Yes.” If she had his child, she reckoned that everyday, she would be holding the baby and not wanting to put him or her down.
He mused for a moment, then asked, “How many do you want?”
“Huh?” This question… Shi Yi was a little embarrassed.
“Would you like a boy or a girl?” he continued to ask.
“Is that something you can even choose?…”
“You can, if you have any special requests.” Zhousheng Chen chuckled, “For example, would you like twins? Triplets? How do you want the genders to be assigned within the multiples? All of these can be accomplished.”
“Really?”
He let out a laugh but did not answer.
“The greatness of science…” She was not even able to keep her eyes open anymore.
He helped her remove her dress and then covered her with a blanket.
Shi Yi was still lying where she had been before. Through her misty state of drowsiness, she could feel his hand, under the blanket, sliding from her waist, down her thigh, to her calf, and then to her ankle and foot. It felt tickly, but she was unable to evade his actions. At last, he let go of her foot and laid down on his side beside her.
His hand was on her body, slowly caressing and stroking her.
In her sleepy state, he aroused a restlessness within her body once again, and she shifted slightly. “I’m sleepy…”
“Sleep, then.”
“…… I can’t sleep when you’re like this.”
In a low voice, he told her, “I’ll wait until you’re asleep, then I’ll…”
A seductive voice…
Unable to outlast his pestering, she let him continue.
Into the middle of the night, rain started to fall.
It came down quite heavy and beat against the window.
Awakened by the noise, she discovered that only a thin blanket covered the two of them, and it was rather cool. She reached behind her and felt his back. It turns out he had merely haphazardly pulled a shirt over so that it was only half-covering his body. She speculated that, before he had fallen asleep, he had been worried she would catch a cold and had wrapped her in most of the blanket. Because he was tired himself, though, he could not be bothered with going back over to the bed and had simply felt around until his hand grabbed a shirt. He then threw it over himself and was done with it.
Most of the time, he truly was not overly particular and was actually very laidback.
The air was so cool on his body. Did he not feel cold at all?
Shi Yi used her hand to gently warm his waist as she softly called him.
Dazedly, he made a sound in answer, and then for a moment, he seemed to force his mind into wakefulness before he asked her huskily, “Woke up from the cold?”
“Mm.”
“I saw you had fallen asleep so I didn’t want to wake you.” His own body completely bare, he lifted her, still wrapped in the blanket, up into his arms and carried her onto the bed. He pulled a quilt over so that it covered both of them before bringing her into his embrace once again. And then, very quickly, he fell into a deep slumber.
Placing her warm palm on the back of his icy-cold waist, she gently rubbed it.
Slowly, she, too, drifted off to sleep.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. Please do not repost this anywhere, including, but not limited to, on Wattpad, on personal blogs, as distributable electronic files, etc.
[1] The ink used in traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting is actually a solid stick composed of some sort of wood soot and natural glue compressed together. To use, it is ground with some water against an inkstone. In the past, ink did not come readily in liquid form and would required to be freshly grinded each time. The inkstone 砚, acted as a mortar to grind the ink stick and then would also contain the freshly produced liquid ink. The inkstone was highly regarded in a scholar’s study and together with ink, the brush, and xuan paper, they were called the 文房四宝 “Four Treasures of a Study”
Ink stick and inkstone (image credit)
[2]水墨图 “shui mo tu.” Ink-and-wash painting is done with a brush and ink on xuan paper. Because an inkstick is ground with water onto the inkstone, ink of varying consistencies can be prepared, depending on how much water is used. Therefore, shading, contrast between brightness and darkness, texture, coloring, etc can all be accomplished with the ink.
[3] 浮生若梦, 为欢几何. This is a line from Li Bai’s poem 春夜宴桃李园序 “A Banquet on a Spring Night in a Peach and Plum Garden.” (My translation of the line is modified from Lin Yutang’s translation in his book The Importance of Living.) The concept of a “floating life” in Chinese culture is used to describe a state where things of life are variable and not within your control, where you are but a speck in the world. This line by the poet, Li Bai is saying that our lives are fleeting, like a dream, and therefore, how brief is the time that we actually have to enjoy pleasures.
This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or re-posting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
Additional Comments:
“With one stroke of her pen at a time, she had sealed those old dreams of a past dynasty within papers and beneath her pen. This life and this place, this time and this moment, as she received his love, the one she loved with all her heart was him, this man right before her.” Shi Yi has finally moved on. 🙂 Not saying that she was treating Zhousheng Chen of the past and present as two separate people but that, my interpretation, she has finally let go of her regrets of the past, for she can at last truly simply “cook and make tea for [him] and tenderly take care of [him]… keep [him] from weariness, keep [him] from suffering, keep [him] from needing to constantly be on the move, keep [him] from being alone, without anyone to trust and lean upon.”<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com.
Zhousheng Chen’s response to the line of poetry he quoted from Li Bai (see footnote [3]): if in his floating life, he has but only a brief time to enjoy things that bring him joy, then all he asks is to have Shi Yi. Basically, “You’re the one who brings me true joy” or “All I want is you.” *thump thump thump goes my heart* I know, technically, it’s not “I love you,” but it’s pretty darn close, just as heartfelt and touching, and a whole lot more poetic. *girly sigh* Hooray for our scientist, who has finally moved to vocal expression of his feelings! (And it’s only been ~3 months after they consummated their marriage. Not too slow, really. The once aloof professor should get some credit. :p)
Completed:
1 of 1 Prologue
53 of 56 Main story segments
0 of 3 Epilogues
Fanatical 
September 19, 2015 at 8:22 am
ah no i feel as though this is another calm before the storm…..don’t like the foreshadowing…no not at all
September 19, 2015 at 9:20 pm
since only 3 chapter left, i think this is just like the closure
September 22, 2015 at 6:52 am
i’m not too sure on that cause ZWC is still out there and deffs gonna do something, especially when he is SO willing to sacrifice his own child and endanger the woman he “loves”? No we are not out of the clear yet.
Major relief tho has to be the fact that its a HE, so no matter wat our fav couple are going to get their MUCH deserved happy ending =)
September 23, 2015 at 4:55 am
Well, the closure will have to come, just a matter of sooner or later… 😉
September 23, 2015 at 4:54 am
Yes, definitely catch the foreshadowing! Repeat after me: Hoju only translates happy ending stories. 😉
September 19, 2015 at 8:38 am
Good morning Hoju, another sweet chapter and indeed the calm before the next storm. Can’t believe that it’s is nearing the end of this novel soon.
Have a wonderful weekend ahead and once again, thank you for the beautiful translation
September 23, 2015 at 4:57 am
I can’t believe this is nearing the end either! I’m torn between feeling happy and sad about it.
Hope your day is wonderful as well. And of course, you are most welcome. 🙂
September 19, 2015 at 8:38 am
What a lovely chapter….thank you.
September 23, 2015 at 4:57 am
One of my favourite scenes, too. You’re welcome!
September 19, 2015 at 8:46 am
Thank you for the chapter. Great work!
September 23, 2015 at 4:58 am
You are always welcome. 🙂
September 19, 2015 at 8:49 am
“All I want is you” to me feels much stronger than “I love you” xD
And thanks for the tissues…
September 23, 2015 at 4:59 am
Me, too. That statement is a promise, an expression of love, and expression of need for her. It’s beautiful and speaks so well to Shi Yi with her love for poetry.
September 19, 2015 at 8:52 am
I thought you wanted us to prepare some tissues for tears instead it was for nosebleed? Chinese novels indeed have some artistic bed scenes.
September 19, 2015 at 11:20 am
I’m totally, swooning hard? 😀 😄 😘
September 23, 2015 at 5:02 am
My translation does not capture all of the poetic, artsy feel. I like that feeling, though, because it makes it feel classier.
September 19, 2015 at 8:59 am
Thank you so much for the translation. I can’t believe we are reaching the end. This novel is so good.
September 23, 2015 at 5:02 am
You’re welcome! I can’t believe it either. I really feel like this just started. But I’m so glad you like it!
September 19, 2015 at 9:00 am
Thanks Hoju for a lovely lovey dovey chapter . The warning of tissues ha ha. I thought some kind of tragedy coming.
September 23, 2015 at 5:05 am
You’re welcome!
September 19, 2015 at 9:15 am
This chapter my favourite with the wuzhen lake chapter *grinning*
September 23, 2015 at 5:06 am
❤
September 19, 2015 at 10:21 am
Thank you so much Hoju!!! 😘😘😘
September 23, 2015 at 5:06 am
You’re welcome!!
September 19, 2015 at 10:44 am
I’m so gonna watch Nirvana! Peanuts said you were crazy about the novel and that I would find a drama buddy for it in you haha. Have not read the book but the trailer looks amazing!
September 23, 2015 at 5:13 am
How are you liking it so far? I was wondering how non-novel readers would react to the first couple of chapters. There were so many characters that were introduced, and even I was getting a couple of them mixed up (e.g. Consort Yue vs. the Empress) at first. They’ve shifted some things around that came later in the novel and brought them to happen in parallel, so there is a lot going on. And, as expected, Nihuang has a much larger role in the drama than the novel. I guess if you’re going to hire Liu Tao, it won’t be for just a few scenes.
The book is one of my absolute favourites! It doesn’t reveal the tragedy of the Flaming Army nor the tensions between characters (e.g. Nihuang and Mei Changsu… In the drama, you know right from the start that there’s history between the two of them) so early, so you’re left trying to puzzle out the relationships and how they all fit.
September 23, 2015 at 11:13 am
I recognize Consort Yue vs Empress by their headgears 😅 I’m on ep 5 currently and I really like it. After the first couple of eps I think everything starts to gel together so it’s not difficult to follow. But I guess dramas are made for the masses so they tend to “dumb things down” to make sure we follow haha. Right now I really like Princess Nihuang and Prince Jing. Badass females are always welcomed in my fiction world, and the prince is upright to a fault that I find him endearing. Of course I like Su Zhe too. Can’t wait to see more of his strategies. Hu Ge can do no wrong in my eyes 😁
One of my fav moments is when the Grand Empress Dowager called him Xiao Shu even though she couldn’t recognize anyone else to save her life. Oh the irony. Lucky for him she’s got dementia but maybe somebody should’ve caught on 😉 ah, now I wish tmrrw wasn’t Weds and I could stay home to watch dramas.
September 26, 2015 at 10:50 am
I can differentiate between the consorts and the empress now, but at first, all the beads beside the face made them look more similar. :p
I’m liking Prince Jing. He really suits the upright albeit mule-headed son and general of an army. Perfect casting in my mind. I’m enjoying Nihuang, and just watching to see how they play out the romance. I’m hoping it won’t be overly dramatic. In the novel, she has moved on already, although he still holds a special place in her heart, and he, although he probably still has regrets and feelings for her, very clearly knows what his goals are and does not pine in any way. I don’t mind that they play up the feelings, just not overdone.
I love that scene in the novel with the Grand Empress Dowager. Just a sense that she must have had. No one caught on because Su Zhe/Mei Changsu looks nothing like Lin Shu did — everything from frame and bone structure to individual features. It would seem impossible in people’s eyes for him to be Lin Shu.
I’m only watching this with half an eye on the screen right now in my race to the finish line of my translation, so I’ll have to re-watch again later. I need some dedicated time to marathon this drama.
October 4, 2015 at 2:35 am
I guess as a novel reader, you’ll have a tougher time getting immersed in the drama, too. My brother has read the book and he sometimes glances over when I have an episode on. He keeps wanting to tell me spoilers haha. He says that the Crown Prince is much more pathetic in the drama than in the book, which I had guessed because how the heck is he able to compete with Yu Wang at that rate?
They did play up Nihuang/Shu Gege but not too much… she does disappear from time to time so there’s not much development there. I’m really loving the bromance though haha.
September 19, 2015 at 11:21 am
Thanks so much luv 😘 😍 😄
September 23, 2015 at 5:13 am
You’re very welcome, dear! 😉
September 19, 2015 at 12:38 pm
Thank you for the chapter 😀
September 23, 2015 at 5:13 am
You’re welcome! 🙂
September 19, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Thank you 🙂
September 23, 2015 at 5:14 am
You’re welcome! 🙂
September 19, 2015 at 1:47 pm
Thank you….very cooling and calm chapter…
September 23, 2015 at 5:15 am
A much needed calming chapter after the sadness and tension previously. You’re welcome!
September 19, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Thank you for this translation, Hoju!
September 23, 2015 at 5:15 am
Thanks for reading! 🙂
September 19, 2015 at 9:39 pm
Oh no, is it ending soon? I want more of them! There so sweet and so utterly in love.
September 23, 2015 at 5:16 am
Mm-hmm. 😉 I have a progress tracker at the end of every post. 3 more posts until the main story ends and then 3 epilogues.
They are so utterly in love. *sigh*
September 19, 2015 at 10:16 pm
Such a lovely update, though I always get the feeling that somethings going to come everytime the family gathers, even if it is the grand celebration of grandmother’s birthday, would Zhou Wenchuan still have something up his sleeves on such occassion???
Thank you Hoju!! 😀
September 23, 2015 at 6:38 am
Tehe… I wonder what gives you that impression… :p
You’re welcome!!
September 19, 2015 at 11:51 pm
Thanks for the chapter!
September 23, 2015 at 6:38 am
You’re welcome! 🙂
September 20, 2015 at 3:33 am
Such a naughty chapter and I thought the tissues are for tears but naught… 😉
And btw, I’ll be watching Nirvana in Fire. I’m helping out in the channel.
September 23, 2015 at 6:39 am
LOL. They’re married, and they did get a room… or a tower. 😉
Nice. 🙂 I think I’ve only ever been able to view one thing from Viki. Nearly everything else is blocked to me. 😦
September 20, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Peacefull chapter. Thank you hoju 😃
September 23, 2015 at 6:55 am
Indeed. You’re welcome! 🙂
September 20, 2015 at 5:32 pm
Thank you for the chapter! I’m curious on one thing about the chapter though.
There’s sentence say about ‘despite being old library, no one has ever written on the library wall’. It seems that writing on the wall is norm?
September 23, 2015 at 7:44 am
You’re welcome. 🙂
“This library tower is more than a hundred years old already […] but you are the first person to ever think about leaving your writing on the walls.”
He’s simply saying, the library tower had been around for so many years but you’re the first to even think about writing on its walls. It would be like a teacher saying, “I’ve taught so many students for so many years, but you’re the first to even think about stealing my shoes as a prank…” Not that stealing the teacher’s shoes is common, but that you are one unusual person to have thought about that, since it never happened all these years.
September 21, 2015 at 7:18 am
What a relaxing, beautiful chapter. Thanks!
September 23, 2015 at 7:45 am
One of my faves, for the interaction… You’re welcome!
September 21, 2015 at 8:35 am
I could literally (sorta) visualize this chapter. It’s so beautiful. I hope it was as beautifully read and you did translating it. Love it. =) ❤ Thanks so much for translating this novel. =)
September 23, 2015 at 7:58 am
Visualize…? 😀 Tehe…
The author has very beautiful writing. I try, but I still feel my translation doesn’t capture her wonderful way with words.
I am so glad you love it!
September 29, 2015 at 8:55 am
Weeeelllllll…ummm.. not quite what you think… I think you do a fabulous job of translating and (me not having any sort of clue) if she has such a wonderful way with words, I think it’s just amazing that you’re doing the translating. Wonderful writer + fabulous translator = an amazingly awesome book. 😉
September 21, 2015 at 8:43 am
Zhousheng Chen indeed deserves credit 😉
Happy Birthday (posting this on September 20 according to my time and I saw peanuts post)
How’s your injuries? Hope you get better(if you weren’t already).
I appreciate the tissue, lol.
Thanks for the chapter.
I believed Nirvana in Fire can be watch on viki,but no subtitles for me. Should be fine for you though. 😀
September 23, 2015 at 8:55 am
😉 He’s worked hard.
Thank you! Yes, indeed. It was September 20 over in my time as well.
My injuries are much better. At least I can sleep now! Still sore, but on the road to recovery…
You’re welcome, for both the chapter and the tissue. 😉
I can’t watch Nirvana on Viki. It’s blocked for my region. 😦
September 21, 2015 at 4:46 pm
happy belated bday dear hoju.. wish you all the best!
2nd. Yups, im gonna watch it,, viki already has the sub but i hope dc or other sites will release download link..
3rd. oh my God… i need tissueeee for my nosebleed!! this chapter is full of intimacy!!! omo omo omo… wow.. they ‘work’ really hard in this chapter and since i read this at office, emm.. you know.. i need to keep calm, haha.. or else.. i cant imagine it.. while reading it, my junior looks at me with ‘why your face turns red, sunbaenim?’ eyes.. lols..
thanks hoju ^^
September 23, 2015 at 8:56 am
Thank you. 🙂 I had a wonderful birthday!
How are you liking Nirvana?
LOL. By “work,” you mean….? 😉 You need to focus on your work, Yui. Hahaha!!
September 23, 2015 at 12:20 pm
havent watched it yet actually, but Kap. posted about it and some people highly recommend it. now i beg DC to release the engsub download link so i can watch at home, haha.. but the ost is super B.. my fave is Liu Tao’s single. super beautiful! and i read in other site that Nirvana is one of your fave book, correct me if im wrong 😀
hahaha.. im good in dividing my mind 😀
September 21, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Belated Happy Birthday! Hope you had a fantabulous day.
Thanks for the tissues. They definitely came in handy. Ah but I really love the give and take here. And whoa it has only been 3 months for them? It feels like they’ve been together for so long with the way they interact. Ah gotta love them both.
Thanks again hoju!
September 23, 2015 at 8:59 am
Thank you! It was an amazing day! Totally spoiled.
Isn’t it wonderful? I love seeing how they’ve come along. Probably, closer to 3.5 months. The boat ride was less than 3 months after, so I’m approximating. They’ve come such a long, long way. And now, as I look back on the progression, it feels so natural and right. ❤
You're welcome!
January 23, 2016 at 11:58 pm
This is my favourite chapter of the novel – no surprise as ink is my favourite medium with which to draw. Its silky darkness bleeds into paper as you move the brush and it moves unlike other liquids such as watercolour – it’s fluid for such a quick moment and is then permanent so suddenly. You have to be confident and deft with the darkest strokes.
I have that kind of esoteric belief where thoughts and memories can be captured and held as tangible objects when you pour yourself into making something. So the imagery of ShiYi finally putting her past life to rest by scribing the poem onto the wall resonates so strongly with me. ❤
Nirvana in Fire is actually on my to watch list – I'll just have to wait until I have a bit more free time so I can marathon a few episodes at a time.
January 30, 2016 at 6:46 am
Someone who is skilled in this art. 🙂 I love Chinese descriptions of ink, whether it be in calligraphy or painting, but I found my English vocabulary just inadequate to capture the beauty that the author used to describe it.
If Shi Yi had been able to complete that poem, I think she would have finally completely released her past life. The fact that it stops at the same place will niggle at her, as if she did not get to finish something that had been incomplete from her past and keep moving on. I surmise that later, when all has settled and we, as readers don’t have the privilege of reading it, Shi Yi will return to complete it?
Nirvana is a really well done drama and truly captures the spirit of the novel. I love the book and had high expectations of the production company, and they did not disappoint me. We can nitpick the details, but overall, I think it’s a must watch.
October 23, 2016 at 9:10 am
I’m really happy for both of them. For me, however, it was bittersweet when Shi Yi mentioned that “she had sealed those old dreams of a past dynasty within papers and beneath her pen.” I’m happy that she’s moving on, but it’s just sad, in some way I don’t know how to explain.
Zhousheng Chen’s expression of love melts my heart.
Thank you, thank you, hoju~
June 13, 2021 at 2:22 pm
From what i read so far, ShiYi and ZSC are very intimate. Like…the tension is there. I wouldnt call it sexual tension, but…the atmosphere around them…its like when its 2 of them, theyre in their own world. Theres no one can come in.
This thought came up because i couldnt wait to see how Bai Lu and Ren Jialun going to act as the couple in the drama adaptation.
October 9, 2021 at 12:44 am
for me, what ZSC had said to Shi Yi was more endearing and heartwarming more than the word I love you. hehe but regardless of what words you say to your love one, as long as it is heartfelt and not lie, I’m sure it’ll be heart touching too!