lerbook Chapter 73 Some things, time cannot take away.
Chapter 73 Some things, time cannot take away.
The flow of people in front of the ticket gates resembled a winding dragon, slowly crawling in the morning light.
As Liu Ruyan raised her phone to show the reservation code, a sharp, dialectal shout suddenly came from behind her:
"Don't push! My grandson's shoes are going to get stepped on!"
Ye Fan subtly stepped aside, making way for the young couple carrying a stroller, both sweating profusely. The baby sleeping soundly in the stroller had rosy cheeks and seemed oblivious to the surrounding noise.
Passing through the deep Meridian Gate, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before me.
The grandeur of the Taihe Hall Square came into view.
In the early morning, the air in the Forbidden City is fresh and slightly cool, filled with the fragrance of pine and cypress trees and the aroma of history.
The vermilion walls and golden glazed tiles appeared particularly solemn and dignified in the pure morning light, exuding a silent weight.
Liu Ruyan affectionately linked arms with Ye Fan as they strolled through the vast Taihe Hall Square.
A vast plaza stretched out before us, ending at the majestic Hall of Supreme Harmony, symbolizing the once supreme imperial power.
The roof ridge beasts on the eaves silently looked down at the two tiny figures.
"Standing here, I feel like a speck of dust blown away by history."
Liu Ruyan unconsciously lowered her voice, her fingertips idly stroking Ye Fan's sleeve, her gaze sweeping awe over the magnificent buildings around her.
"Yes! No matter how glorious the emperor or how magnificent the palace, they can't escape the passage of time and eventually become nothing more than a handful of dust."
Ye Fan's gaze also swept over the massive complex, his eyes deep and calm, carrying a wisdom beyond his years.
His fingertips gently caressed the back of Liu Ruyan's hand, then he suddenly changed the subject:
"But some things cannot be taken away by time. Look at these palaces with mortise and tenon joints, which have stood firm despite countless earthquakes; look at this drainage system, which has remained free from flooding and siltation for six hundred years."
His fingers traced across the air, as if outlining unseen crystallizations of wisdom:
"This is true eternity."
The morning breeze brushed against his forehead, revealing his exceptionally bright eyes.
The outline of the memorial hall was faintly visible in the morning mist in the distance.
Ye Fan's voice suddenly became gentle yet firm:
"And then there are those giants who truly changed the fate of the nation and live on in the hearts of the people. They may not have had a royal palace, but their thoughts, their spirit..." He gently pressed his hand to his chest, "live forever here, in the hearts of millions."
He was excited.
Because this afternoon we are going to pay our respects to the person he considers the greatest!
.........
Sunlight danced on the golden glazed tiles of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, refracting six hundred years of glory into dazzling spots of light.
Liu Ruyan tiptoed and raised her phone, but the camera lens was filled with students waving selfie sticks—their bright sun-protective clothing and exaggerated poses completely blocked the solemn palace.
"never mind!"
She reluctantly lowered her arm.
"The guide says we should go to the Treasure Gallery..."
Before he could finish speaking...
From diagonally in front came a child's scream and the crisp sound of porcelain shattering!
On the stone steps beside the Hall of Preserving Harmony, a little boy wearing a dinosaur T-shirt was lying on the ground, the blood seeping from his knees particularly glaring on the white marble floor.
He scraped his knee and it bled, which terrified him so much that he burst into tears.
The blue-and-white porcelain replica he was holding had shattered into more than a dozen pieces, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
A middle-aged couple nearby tried to hug him in a panic, but were pushed and shoved by the surging crowd and stumbled.
Ye Fan's figure had already flashed in front of him.
"Please move aside! The child is injured!"
Ye Fan's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through the noisy crowd like a sharp sword.
The surrounding tourists paused upon hearing the sound and instinctively made way for it.
With his left arm parting the throng of people like water, he steadily supported the boy under his armpit with his right hand, and with a turn, he protected the child in a safe area inside the palace wall.
Liu Ruyan had already squatted down, deftly pulled out wet wipes and iodine swabs from her bag, and gently but quickly wiped the boy's wounds.
The boy's knees were covered in blood and dust; she disinfected them while gently comforting him.
"It's nothing, just a scrape, it won't hurt for long."
"Xiao Lei! You scared your mother to death!"
A woman in a light gray linen dress stumbled over, her face pale and her voice trembling.
Behind her followed a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, his forehead beaded with sweat.
His gaze swept over Ye Fan's steady movements and Liu Ruyan's skillful handling of the situation, filled with gratitude and surprise. He repeatedly thanked Ye Fan and Liu Ruyan.
"Thank you so much! This child is so naughty, he insisted on buying that porcelain vase..."
The boy pointed sobbing at the shattered pieces of blue-and-white porcelain on the ground, tears streaming down his face.
"For...for my brother..."
The father shook his head and sighed softly, then took out a gold-embossed business card from his suit pocket and handed it to him:
"My surname is Chen, Chen Jianguo, and this is my wife."
He pointed to the woman beside him whose eyes were still red:
"My youngest son's name is Chen Xiaolei, and his older brother..."
Halfway through his sentence, a look of pride unconsciously appeared on his face:
"He just got admitted to the Archaeology Department of Nanjing University this year. This kid insisted on buying a porcelain vase from the Palace Museum as a back-to-school gift for his older brother, and then..."
Ye Fan accepted the business card (Chen Jianguo, General Manager of Jinling XX Technology Company).
Liu Ruyan suddenly exclaimed in surprise:
"What a coincidence! Ye Fan was also just admitted to Nanjing University!"
She gently nudged Ye Fan's shoulder, then knelt down and softly spoke to the sobbing Xiao Lei:
"It's good that you're safe and sound! How about I take you to the souvenir shop to pick out an even more special gift?"
Mr. and Mrs. Chen were both surprised and delighted:
"Nanjing University? That's the same school as Yuxuan!"
Mrs. Chen frantically pulled out her phone, her voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"What a wonderful coincidence! Xiao Ye, you must exchange contact information so that Yu Xuan can take you sightseeing in Jinling when school starts."
As she spoke, she opened the green bubble QR code:
"We're tourists in the capital too, but we're locals. Yuxuan knows exactly which duck blood soup is the most authentic and which sycamore-lined avenue is the most beautiful!"
As she spoke, she glanced at her husband, and Chen Jianguo immediately added knowingly:
"Yes, yes, you absolutely must come over for dinner! Your aunt's Nanjing Double Stinky Dishes are absolutely amazing!"
Xiao Lei had already stopped crying while the two were exchanging contact information.
The little one tugged at Ye Fan's clothes, tilting his tear-streaked face up, his eyes sparkling:
"Brother, you just appeared in a flash! Do you know martial arts? Can you teach me?"
Ye Fan couldn't help but chuckle, squatted down to face him, and gently ruffled his fluffy hair:
"Your brother just likes to run and exercise. As you get older, more exercise will help you improve your reaction time."
.........
At parting!
Madam Chen insisted on giving Liu Ruyan a beautifully crafted gift box with the words "Daoxiangcun" printed on it:
"This is some donkey roll I just bought this morning. It's made with the skills of a time-honored brand; you absolutely have to try it!"
Unable to refuse, Liu Ruyan had no choice but to accept it with a smile.
Ye Fan looked at the packaging box and suddenly remembered that Zhao Mingzhe had said he would bring him some local specialties, so here it is!
Even after walking quite a distance, Xiao Lei's childish voice could still be heard behind him:
"Brother Ye Fan! When you go to Jinling, I want to take you to climb Purple Mountain!"
The clear, melodious voices of children echoed across the Taihe Hall Square.
"must!"
Ye Fan turned around and waved, the sunlight gilding his tall figure with a golden edge.
Liu Ruyan noticed that this was the first time he had laughed so heartily today.
.......