Tuesday, April 18, 2017

City of Endless Rain - Epilogue

Translator: Ying
Editor: ayszhang

City of Endless Rain finale
Announcement!

Epilogue


'Whatever I plant dies.' While taking care of the vegetable garden, he could not help but mutter to himself incessantly. The task of uprooting all the rotten plants took up the entirety of the morning.

"Tang Shan, it's time to eat. Stop for a while and continue after you've eaten," Li Yuanyu walked out the door, calling out towards Tang Shan.

"Alright, be right there." Tang Shan tidied up the tools quickly, removed his gloves and returned to the house.

Li Yuanyu's slender body leant against the door as he watched Tang Shan go about his business. He waited till Tang Shan ambled over to his side before drawing close to give Tang Shan a peck on the cheek.

Tang Shan chuckled, not knowing what was going on in Li Yuanyu's mind yet again, "What are you doing?"

"I'm kissing you. I love you, Tang Shan," Li Yuanyu answered truthfully, helping him open the door.

"How annoying can you get? I've gotten tired of all your honeyed words." Tang Shan entered and headed off to wash his hands, while Li Yuanyu was like a shadow trailing behind him.

"But I really love you." Li Yuanyu looked troubled.

"Yes, yes, I know you can't hold back your desires to display your love," Tang Shan spoke nonchalantly, heading over to the dining table in the kitchen, where Li Yuanyu darted to pull the chair for him. Tang Shan couldn't hold back his laughter at that. Even though they were already officially dating, Li Yuanyu was still the same as always, constantly trying different ways to please him.

"You really don't have to do this," Tang Shan had attempted at persuading Li Yuanyu hundreds of times but eventually yielded and gave up on halting the displays of tenderness and thoughtfulness from Li Yuanyu.

Tang Shan sat in the chair Li Yuanyu had pulled out for him as if it was the most natural thing to do, and surveyed the dishes on the table. They were all his favourite foods. Once Li Yuanyu, too, had taken a seat, they began their meal.

"I'm going to the market to buy some new seeds. Are you going with me?"

"Of course."

That was expected. Tang Shan beamed at him.

The two of them engaged in small talk, discussing the terrible weather, the plants that just could not survive, and whatever had been happening in the town lately.

After the meal, they took a stroll to the market together, with Tang Shan wanting to purchase some seeds and Li Yuanyu, some ingredients. The weather was great that day, and neither of them had brought umbrellas.

Once they arrived, they were met with an enthusiastic welcome from the residents. People would occasionally come over to greet them. The stream of gifts from the stall keepers had Tang Shan feeling flustered.

On the way back, the two of them carried so many bags, to the point that the patrolling officers that they passed by took the initiative and offered their help. Li Yuanyu declined, and Tang Shan shook his head at that. How could he not see where this was coming from? Li Yuanyu evidently wanted more time for the two of them to be alone.

Li Yuanyu seemed to have taken all the heavy items, while what he was carrying held practically no weight. He had initially wanted to help Li Yuanyu share the burden but was similarly rejected.

"Darling, even if you do all you can to please me, I can't like you anymore," Tang Shan spoke, at the end of his wits.

"What do you mean?" Li Yuanyu was suddenly staring at him in fear, expression displaying his nerves.

"Don't you get it? It's because I like you so much already," Tang Shan sighed, "You really don't have to treat me so well. Don't be so afraid that I'll lose my love for you."

 Li Yuanyu's expression was strained.

It was odd. Why was his lover acting this way? Was he a person that made others feel so insecure? Tang Shan reflected.

"Perhaps I should kiss you right here, so that you'll believe in my feelings for you," he teased.

"Kiss me."

Tang Shan froze, not expecting Li Yuanyu to actually request it.

"You said it yourself," Li Yuanyu looked disappointed and upset.

Tang Shan could find no easy way out of the situation, but this wasn't really that difficult a task. He advanced and gave Li Yuanyu a simple kiss on the lips.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Not really..."

Don't push your luck! Tang Shan drew closer once more, deepening the kiss a little more this time.

"I love you, Li Yuanyu." Having said this, Tang Shan was rather embarrassed, "Let's continue this when we get home."

Everything that Li Yuanyu was holding suddenly fell, sprawled all over the ground. Apples tumbled down the hill until they reached flat ground.

"What are you doing– " Tang Shan glanced at the items that were strewn all over the ground and raised his head to view Li Yuanyu, only to be left stupefied.

Li Yuanyu, when you cry like that, you look more like a pitiful child than a grown man.

"Why– Why are you crying?" Tang Shan was in a panic, still clutching the bags in his two hands and therefore unable to help wipe off Li Yuanyu's tears, despite his wish to do so.

"I'm happy, and I feel so blessed. It's great that you could fall in love with me." Li Yuanyu was tearing and sniffing as he spoke.

Li Yuanyu's love for him was so desperate, to the point that Tang Shan found himself pitying Li Yuanyu.

"You fool," he whispered, feeling his nose burn. It was all Li Yuanyu's fault, making him want to cry.


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ayszhang: And that brings us to an official close for this story! I am happy to announce that Ying and I will be collaborating on another project in the near future in addition to the new stories I had promised that will come out in May :)

Chapter 10

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