Qing Gu

On countless sleepless nights, tossing and turning as if gnawed at by insects, I’ve had to admit one thing, I seem to have fallen in love with Shen Jianqing, that aloof and handsome Miao youth. — The bad luck began with that road trip. Among the bustling crowd in the Miao village, I glimpsed a corner of a dark blue robe flash by; that was my first sight of Shen Jianqing. The cold, aloof youth was like a venomous snake coiled in a corner, his greedy gaze sending a chill down my spine. At that time, I still didn’t know I would never leave this Miao territory again. In this life, I have seen Shen Jianqing’s Gu container three times. The first time, I stood beneath the window of the stilted house, pointing at the container with a smile: “Shen Jianqing, is this your Gu inside?” The Miao youth stood in the damp shadows, the silver ornaments on his body gleaming with a cold, eerie light. “Li Yuze,” he said, “I don’t cast Gu.” — The second time, I was trapped in the youth’s slender yet powerful embrace, my peripheral vision fixed on that pitch-black Gu container. I asked, “Shen Jianqing, do you cast Gu now?” The youth’s voice was close to my ear, it was damp and sticky’ “Li Yuze, I don’t cast Gu.” — The third time, that was a very, very long time later. My hands trembling, I very slowly opened that Gu container…