Half an hour later, the first rays of golden sunlight pierced through the early morning mist, shining through the blinds into a hospital office. On the desk lay an open copy of the Basic Medical Knowledge Manual, the rich aroma of coffee drifting upward.
Nurse Lena was looking at Jim, who was professing his love to her, with a face full of helplessness as she rejected the man's request for the third time: "I'm sorry, Mr. Jim, I think we... really aren't a good fit."
Jim closed the ring box with a look of heartbreak, straightened his flashy pink lawyer's suit, and stood up to leave the office. Before leaving, he left the door ajar: "I think we both need a little time to think."
In the hospital corridor, the passing orderlies all made encouraging gestures to the dejected man; clearly, the entire hospital knew this romantic lawyer.
Despite hitting a wall multiple times, his behavior of repeatedly and boldly professing his love had even led many newly hired young staff members to view Jim as a role model.
Two minutes later, Lena walked out of the office.
The head nurse, who used to always find fault with her, said earnestly this time, "Little Lena, although Jim is a bit of a playboy, he cares about you so much; everyone can see it."
Lena brushed her hair back with her hand. "But I don't like men like him. His character doesn't pass my test; I prefer someone mature and steady."
Although her face remained expressionless, Lena secretly enjoyed the way everyone looked at her—with envy, jealousy, and disdain. At least for this moment, she, an otherwise ordinary girl, was the center of everyone's attention. Thinking of this, her pace toward the registration room quickened slightly.
The path to the registration room required crossing the hospital's back garden. There, she saw a familiar figure: an old man in gardener's clothes.
He was tall, his back straight under the silhouette of his waxed jacket. His stubble was white, but he always handled matters with steady efficiency.
Old Quel was swinging a shovel, seemingly busy with work.
"Mr. Quel." Lena stopped and curiously looked around; only she and Old Quel were in the back garden. "What are you busy with?"
"The director commissioned me to refresh the soil in the back garden. It's winter, and the ground is frozen solid."
Old Quel stabbed the shovel into the ground, turning his weathered gaze toward Lena. "Why are you here?"
"I..." For some reason, Lena looked a bit bashful. "I need to report some equipment, and I just happened to pass by."
"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll get back to work."
As Old Quel spoke, he expertly used the shovel to separate a small section of an arm sticking out of the pit, shoveled a few more loads of black soil inside, and pointed at the sweat on his forehead.
Lena responded and quickened her pace to leave. However, compared to her lightheartedness when she arrived, her departure was noticeably rushed, as if her mind were in disarray.
After Lena was far away, Jim finally strolled out from behind with his hands behind his head. He glanced at the lifeless figure in the pit and chuckled.
"Did she see it?"
"Perhaps."
"What would the young lady think if she knew what you were doing?"
"To become a qualified leader, excessive mercy, kindness, and pity will only slow her down. She must learn to harden her heart and use methods to let others know she is covered in thorns and fangs—that anyone who dares provoke her will pay the price."
"The young lady still has a long way to go."
"Furthermore, the young lady will never know." A cryptic smile spread across Old Quel's stubbled face as he drained the last of the vodka from his bottle and tossed it into the pit.
The label on the bottle was gradually obscured by the falling dirt until the pit was leveled with thick black soil.
Everything in the garden appeared the same as before, a vibrant display of red and green.
"From now on, you are a member of our Tree of Eternal Life, Tang Xin... oh no, Miss Sevia." Vandoni smiled and reached out her hand to Tang Xin.
"Ms. Vandoni." Tang Xin shook the warm hand.
Inside the room of the Tree of Eternal Life Club, the great artists applauded this new member. Even the surface of the ancient tree in the center of the room, which had been rooted there for over a thousand years, began to glow with a mysterious golden-red light.
Past memories caught up with her. The last time she had seen the woman before her was at the academy's opera house; at that time, Yuzu had accompanied her to handle the procedures for her leave of absence. Now, she stood before these illustrious artists she had once only seen in textbooks, listening to them applaud her joining.
A slight sense of unreality arose in her heart, but Tang Xin did not show any panic or confusion. She simply lowered her eyes slightly as light and shadow weaved and flickered around her. Having experienced so much, she was no longer the frequently constrained and naive girl she once was.
Knowing she would carry even more responsibility and duty, she felt not even a hint of vanity despite the congratulations from these influential artists.
She still had a long journey ahead of her.
"Miss Tang."
A man's call pulled her back to reality.
Tang Xin looked at the person before her and responded politely, "Mr. Aliford, I've read your 'Hymns of Praise'. I've admired you since I was very young. I've always..."
"There's no need for these pleasantries anymore." The man waved his hand with a gentle smile. "From now on, we are all members of the Tree of Eternal Life. For that nobility in our hearts, let us strive together."
Aliford looked at the portraits hanging nearby, filled with the gilded frames of the great artists of that era. All were painted by top masters, the expressions of the subjects looking life-like. Tang Xin was also somewhat entranced; standing before these portraits felt as if there were only a hazy veil between them. The great practitioners who had fought for the cause of humanity a hundred years ago stood right before her, their gazes intense as torches, their smiles wise and warm.
"Michiro, Raquel..."
When the burning star swam into her field of vision, its deep gaze flickered with the orange glow of history, while her companions embraced a sense of sorrow as they looked at one another.
Only then did Tang Xin realize that the area before the portraits was crowded with familiar figures—all famous artists from her books.
"Floran, Gamu, Sado, Polado, and Mr. Chen Shi." Whispering their names with slight joy, Tang Xin kept her excitement in her heart, though she couldn't hide the clear light in her eyes.
Tang Xin's expression was sincere as she clasped her hands to her chest, chanting softly like a bard.
"In deep forests and high mountains lying in cold springs,"
"With a heart of fire, expanding to reach the divine,"
"Embracing high mountains and stars,"
"Embracing coral and the earth."
"The sun's light is far from as dazzling as yours,"
"The moon is scorched by your brilliance,"
"You are the true giants,"
"The dull thud of your fall echoes through the hills,"
"The winds in the forest howl with angry beaks."
"No need to mourn the departure,"
"Our pens will pause for your noble virtue,"
"To comfort the bitter people with joy."
"From now on, you shall be the wind,"
"And we shall become the hills."
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