A river called Canglang flowed through Chang'an. Whenever Cen Qing visited Shugui Temple to add a handful of earth to a grave, she would always pause by the river for a moment and listen to them sing:
"The waters of Canglang are clear, so I can wash my hat ribbons in them; the waters of Canglang are murky, so I can wash my feet in them."
Song Yilan would then smile and call her a fool.
She stood by the river as snow swirled all around her. Only the Canglang River at her feet flowed on without end, showing no sign of freezing. Seeing a snow-white crabapple blossom between his fingers, she asked, "In such a bitter winter, where could a crabapple still be blooming?"
He smiled, holding the flower. "Heaven has a heart, and so it left one crabapple tree in full bloom in my garden."
Cen Qing fell silent for a long while. When she raised her eyes, she saw the sky scattered with willow fluff and salt. She thought of the lonely grave on the hill behind Shugui Temple, but could not remember whether the crabapple she had gently laid before the headstone was still as bright as ever.
What heart could Heaven have?
If Heaven had a heart, it too would grow old. Yet Heaven and Earth have endured since time immemorial, and the rivers flow on. The sky... has never grown old.
Will the author not update this book?