HNYWEF -Chapter 16 Out of Reach

Wude Year Nine, Fourth Day of the Ninth Month.

When the carriage stopped at the entrance to the alley, Zhou Yi was the first to jump down.

He had been cooped up the whole ride and could barely sit still anymore. The moment his feet touched the ground, he started looking around everywhere.

The alley was narrow, lined on both sides with gray walls. A few tree branches stretched out over the tops of the walls. The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, still damp from the rain that had just passed.

“Dad, look! The road’s made of stone!”

Zhou Xiong stepped down from the carriage and stood at the alley entrance without moving.

He looked at the alley.

Looked at the rows of gray walls.

Looked at the trees whose names he didn’t know growing over the wall tops.

There was no expression on his face.

Cheng Yaojin came up from behind and slapped him on the shoulder.

“Come on, what’re you standing there for? It’s just ahead!”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He followed Cheng Yaojin inside.

Zhou Yi ran ahead, touching the walls one moment, stomping on the stone slabs the next, then turning back to shout, “Dad, hurry up!”

When they reached a gate, Cheng Yaojin stopped.

The gate was new, its lacquer gleaming bright, the bronze rings polished to a shine.

Cheng Yaojin turned back to look at Zhou Xiong.

“This is it.”

Zhou Xiong looked at the gate.

After waiting a moment and seeing he still didn’t move, Cheng Yaojin reached out and pushed it open.

“Go on in.”

Zhou Yi had already rushed inside.

Zhou Xiong stood at the doorway, looking at the entrance.

Inside was a courtyard—not large, but neatly kept. Blue bricks paved the ground. A few flowers grew in the corners by the wall. A birdcage hung beneath the corridor roof, empty inside.

Zhou Yi froze for a moment.

There were people inside.

A lot of people.

And those people were looking at him too.

Some were tall, some short, some fat, some thin. Some wore silk, some rough cloth. Some had great beards.

All of them were staring at him, and then their gazes passed over him, landing on the doorway behind him.

Zhou Yi took a step backward.

He turned to look at his father.

“Dad…”

Zhou Xiong stood at the entrance, unmoving.

He looked at the people in the courtyard.

One face after another.

Some he recognized.

Some looked familiar.

Some he couldn’t remember the names of, but still remembered where he had met them.

All of them had come from Wagang Stronghold.

All of them were old brothers-in-arms who had once drunk together, fought together, bragged together.

Old comrades.

They looked at him.

And he looked at them.

Then something flickered through his eyes.

Not the joy of reunion.

Not the excitement of seeing old friends again.

It was fear.

Very faint.

Gone in an instant.

But it was there.

Like seeing something he was never supposed to see.

Like standing at the edge of an abyss and glancing down.

That trace of fear surfaced in his eyes—

then sank again.

All the way down.

Gone.

His eyes became empty once more.

Nothing inside them.

He simply stood there in the doorway.

Perfectly still.

Zhou Yi stood beside him, looking at the people in the courtyard, then at his father.

The people in the courtyard were looking at him too.

Someone stepped forward and opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But the words caught in his throat.

Because of Zhou Xiong’s gaze.

That gaze was not indifference.

It was as though something stood between them.

Like an invisible wall.

On one side of the wall was him.

On the other side were them.

As though his sorrow and joy no longer connected with theirs.

As though their happiness could no longer reach him.

As though their concern and heartache could never be received by him.

He simply stood there at the doorway, looking at them.

As though he were looking at strangers.

The courtyard was deathly quiet.

Quiet enough to hear the wind passing over the wall tops.

Zhou Yi stood beside Zhou Xiong, not daring to move.

Cheng Yaojin stood behind Zhou Xiong, also unmoving.

The people inside the room stood there too, unmoving.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for Zhou Xiong to speak.

Waiting for Zhou Xiong to step forward.

Waiting for him to laugh like before and curse, “Why’re you all here?” before walking in and sitting down for drinks.

But Zhou Xiong did not speak.

Did not step forward.

Did not smile.

He simply stood there.

Looking at those people.

With nothing in his eyes.

A long time passed.

Then another long time.

Only the sound of the wind remained in the courtyard.

At last, Zhou Yi could not bear it anymore.

He walked back to his father’s side and tilted his face up.

“Dad?”

Zhou Xiong did not lower his head.

He simply stood there, looking at the people inside.

Zhou Yi tugged gently at the corner of his clothes.

Zhou Xiong still did not move.

He just stood there.

Standing there the entire time.