Chapter 1: Life Like a Mayfly Mr. Chen

Autumn Moon Market stood in the south area of the Jing Nan region.Within tens of miles, there were almost four hundred families.

Although not many people lived there, it was still a busy place.

People came and went in the market.

Sellers by the roadside shouted to sell their goods.

An old man in a tavern poured wine for others, and his face wrinkled as he smiled.

The butcher at the meat shop cooked bones slowly, trying to bring in more people.

The crowd walked along the street.

Sometimes they stopped.

Sometimes they talked a little.

“Pour me some wine.”

A pair of black-and-white boots stepped into the tavern.

The person arriving had his hands behind his back.

He wore a long green robe.

He was very good-looking.

Two strands of hair fell down his cheeks.

A gourd hung from his belt.

“Coming…”

Old Man Zhang from the tavern called out and rushed over.

But seeing this person, Old Man Zhang froze.

Chen Changsheng smiled softly.

Then he took the gourd from his belt and handed it to Old Man Zhang.

“You…”

Old Man Zhang’s voice stopped suddenly.

His body turned stiff and still.

Chen Changsheng looked at Old Man Zhang before him and asked,” You don’t recognize me?”

“Of course…”

Old Man Zhang smacked his lips, looking lost as he said,” I do!”

Chen Changsheng said,” First, bring me a pot of Autumn Moon Brew. Then fill this gourd.”

“Yes… yes.”

Old Man Zhang agreed.

He took Chen Changsheng’s gourd and turned to pour the wine.

But now he looked more afraid than before.

While pouring, his hands trembled a little.

He seemed scared of spilling any wine, thinking it might make this ‘Mr. Chen’ unhappy.

Chen Changsheng sat down inside the tavern.

Soon Old Man Zhang brought over a pot of Autumn Moon Brew.

“Enjoy slowly, sir.”

Old Man Zhang spoke with respect in his eyes.

Yet there was also clear fear in his look.

He acted like he didn’t want to talk to Mr. Chen more.

So Old Man Zhang turned away to fill the gourd with wine.

Chen Changsheng didn’t mind.

Then he poured wine for himself.

As the wine reached his throat, the spring breeze blew into the tavern.

His expression became a little more joyful.

His gaze moved outside the tavern.

Three more years had passed in a blink.

Over these decades, Autumn Moon Market had grown even busier.

By the time Old Man Zhang finished filling the gourd, the man sitting there had drunk half the pot already.

His face showed some redness.

“Sir, the gourd is full.”

“Leave it here.”

“Right.”

After placing down the gourd, Old Man Zhang tried to leave at once.

But Chen Changsheng said,” Why rush away? Sit and talk.”

Old Man Zhang stopped walking.

Though he wanted to go very badly, he didn’t dare say no.

He sat down carefully, unable to hide the fear in his eyes.

Chen Changsheng smiled and said,” Are you that scared of me?”

Old Man Zhang’s face showed bitterness as he spoke,” I’m an old man already, sir. Please don’t scare me anymore.”

His voice was near begging and held a hint of helplessness.

Chen Changsheng replied,” I’m no monster or evil ghost. How would I scare you?”

Old Man Zhang glanced at him but quickly looked away.

He felt uncomfortable all over.

Thumping a hand on the table, he said,” When I first met you at sixteen, I’ve known you for five decades now.

My parents were long buried and resting.

I’m sixty-seven now, old beyond words…”

He lifted his head and went on,” Yet you, Mr. Chen, look exactly as you did when I met you at sixteen.”

“How can I not be scared?”

Old Man Zhang lowered his head.

He didn’t dare look at the man before him.

Chen Changsheng took a sip of wine and said,” Look at you, acting so scared.”

Old Man Zhang mumbled as if wanting to argue back.

But no words came out at all.

“I only come for wine besides buying wine. When have I ever harmed you?” Chen Changsheng said.

This was true. Chen Changsheng came every three years just like this.

He’d order one pot and fill one gourd.

Sometimes he stayed to chat. Other times he left after getting wine.

Old Man Zhang thought back over the years.

He seemed to make a firm choice.

Gritting his teeth, he asked the question burning inside him.

“So sir, tell me the truth. What… are you really?”

He stared at Chen Changsheng—as if he was ready for anything.

Chen Changsheng felt surprised.

He set down his cup and asked,” Now, why do you dare ask?”

Old Man Zhang sighed quietly and said,” I look all ancient. I won’t live much longer. What else would I fear?”

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Chen Changsheng thought a bit and said,” We’ve met often enough. Think of us as old friends. Why don’t you guess first—what am I?”

Old Man Zhang started to speak but said,” I don’t dare guess.”

“I won’t mind. Go ahead,” Chen Changsheng said.

Old Man Zhang thought hard.

Biting his lip, he said,” Sir, are you… a monster?”

“No.”

“A ghost?”

“No.”

Old Man Zhang smacked his lips again and asked,” Then are you… an Immortal?”

Chen Changsheng still shook his head but didn’t speak.

He truly didn’t know if he counted as one.

Old Man Zhang watched him longingly.

Not a monster, not a ghost, not an Immortal. Then what? He really couldn’t figure it out.

Chen Changsheng lifted his eyes to meet his gaze and said,” I am a mayfly.”

Old Man Zhang paused and asked,” What’s a mayfly?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said,” It’s nothing special.”

Truthfully, he wasn’t from this place. Only an accident brought him here.

And it all began with a carving of a mayfly.

That time during an old site study, he touched a lifelike mayfly carving.

Suddenly, everything went dark.

His whole world spun.

When he woke again, he was here.

No chance at power. No immortal pointed his way.

Worst of all…

He seemed to have a Curse upon him.

Every three years, he woke only for a day.

Like when regular people sleep—only he slept three years at once.

During those years, Chen Changsheng stayed thinking clearly.

But he could not feel his own body. He saw nothing and heard nothing. Only thoughts remained.

Each time he woke at sunrise, dusk would bring his death again.

Exactly like a mayfly.

In his world, only eighteen days had passed awake.

But fifty-four years went by in this one.

Just like Old Man Zhang before him now.

He used to be a shy young boy when they met.

Now, in a blink, Old Man Zhang had white hair and walked slowly and unsteadily.

All this wrapped around Chen Changsheng like bad luck.

Old Man Zhang felt puzzled inside.

He wanted to ask more but lost his earlier courage.

He felt cold sweat wetting his clothes along his back.

He didn’t dare ask on.

Chen Changsheng never explained what this ‘mayfly’ meant anyway.

He just drank on by himself.

Old Man Zhang sat still like this. He didn’t dare talk again.

The tavern fell into heavy quiet.

Only when Chen Changsheng finished the wine did the silence break.

Chen Changsheng asked,” I recall, you never took a wife and have no kids, right?”

“That’s right,” Old Man Zhang answered.

Chen Changsheng continued,” Haven’t thought of passing down your wine-making craft?”

Old Man Zhang replied,” Things are good now. Young folks here go out beyond our Civic District.

Who’d want to stay and learn this from me?”

“That’s no good.”

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said,” If you die off, I won’t get Autumn Moon Brew to drink.”

Old Man Zhang opened his mouth and said,” You’re making things hard for me, sir.”

Chen Changsheng gave a smile and muttered.

“Not making things hard.”

With the wine finished, he tied up the Wine Gourd and stood to leave.

As Chen Changsheng rose, Old Man Zhang inside felt a stone drop in his heart.

Chen Changsheng had one foot past the tavern door when suddenly he looked back at Old Man Zhang.

“I’ll be back in three years.”

Chen Changsheng said,” Remember to prepare Autumn Moon Brew early.”

“Right.”

Old Man Zhang answered quickly, saying,” Sir, best wishes for your journey!”

Under his watch, that man named Mr. Chen slowly faded into the Civic District. His figure disappeared.

Old Man Zhang let out a long sigh.

Once back in the tavern, he sunk onto a seat.

He felt dazed for a good while, still unable to gather himself.