"Sometimes, I still wonder whether I made the wrong choice back then," Jiu Jue said, sitting across from me, holding a drumstick in his hand but not taking a bite for a long time. "If I had let them drink that poisoned wine, they would probably still be alive in the heavens now, serving as mighty golden-armored gods."

  "Is being a god truly a blessing? I don′t think so," I replied, slurping my noodles heartily. I liked the noodles at this little diner.

  Jiu Jue smiled faintly and said nothing.

  "The most important thing," I continued, "is for everyone to understand what they should do now. Dwelling on the past or fantasizing about the future—neither appeals to me." I swallowed a mouthful of noodles, speaking with my mouth still half full.

  "Anyway, I′d bet you anything: even if time rewound, you′d still stop Su and Li from drinking that poisoned wine, and they′d still choose to fight and die for their country. That′s because, whether you realize it or not, all of you understood the importance of ‘now.’”

  "Heh, that′s why you′ve never been interested in peeking at your future," he said, stuffing the drumstick into his mouth and gazing out the window, trying hard to look like he was thoroughly enjoying it.

  "Hey, don't be like that. Although you can't find them for now, in my opinion, the st time you encountered them, you waited a thousand years. If you think about it, from the Tang dynasty until now, it's almost been a thousand years. I'd say it′s about time for you to meet them," I said, encouragingly patting his shoulder.

  His expression suddenly changed, and his eyes fell on his right shoulder. Then, his face contorted as he yelled at me, "Can you wash your hands before touching me?!"

  Five greasy fingerprints were imprinted on his brand-new, expensive designer shirt.

  I bolted out of the restaurant before even finishing my soup, with Jiu Jue chasing after me, shouting as he ran, "Pay me back!"

  Outside the restaurant, a tour guide led a group of tourists towards us. Among the group, a young couple was arguing heatedly. "I only stepped on your foot; no need to make such a big deal out of it! You′re acting like a woman!"

  "You're a damned idiot; let me step on your foot and see what happens!!"

  "How dare you call me that?!"

  "What's wrong with insulting you? Come on, hit me!"

  "You think I won′t?!"

  For a moment, the entire street was in chaos, with people yelling and running about, creating a lively uproar.

  I noticed that Jiu Jue had stopped chasing me. He stood on the side of the street, staring bnkly at the quarreling couple. Alright, I knew it—I'm famous for my "Golden Crow Mouth," whatever I say happens. I thought to myself, This time, I might as well head home alone.

  Before leaving Xi'an, I bought a replica of the wine jug with a dancing horse and cup pattern. Jiu Jue's birthday is next month, so it would make a perfect gift. The best part? It was cheap...

  Sitting in the cabin, I idly flipped through a magazine. Gradually, I began to feel something was off. A strange sense of being watched gripped me. I suddenly looked up, scanning the surroundings. The passengers around me were either reading or sleeping; nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Could it be that I ate too many noodles and my digestion was off, causing me to feel this way?

  I shook my head and quickly closed my eyes to rest. I could only hope the pne would arrive soon. Thinking about it, in the few days I′ve been away, the phrase "when the cat′s away, the mice will py" kept echoing in my mind. I couldn′t shake the worry that I′d left my business in the hands of Pang Zi and Shou Zi, and that made me uneasy. I could only hope that when I returned, my teashop hadn′t been burned down, flooded, or seized by authorities. Amen.