Chapter 109.1 – The Lighthouse
Shi Yuan continued to flip through the notes.
The owner of the note mentioned that after he packed his luggage for three days, he followed his grandfather, Monroe, to the lighthouse.
This lighthouse was called “Ketuya”, which meant “flame” in the Empire language. In ancient times, navigators saw the light of the lighthouse, as if they saw hope.
The note read like this：
[I followed Monroe and lived in a narrow lighthouse for a month. I just learned that I have to live in the tower, otherwise, I will have to drive an hour and a half to the nearest town and come back the next day. I was very unhappy, but considering my tuition, I still endured it.]
[Monroe taught me a lot, and repeatedly told me the duties of the lightkeeper – in my opinion, none of this is necessary. The lighthouse has been automated a long time ago, so I just do regular inspections and cleaning. The Empire didn’t want to care about this lighthouse at all. It didn’t matter if there was a lightkeeper or not, and whether the lighthouse could operate or not. I don’t know how Monroe convinced the person in charge to let me, a half-baked guy, take the job. This job is very easy and the salary is acceptable.]
[On March 9, 150, Monroe said goodbye to me. His old pickup truck is parked outside the beach and looks like it will fall apart at any time. I asked him where he was going, and he said he was going to the south for treatment. If he was cured, he would come back to guard the lighthouse and wait for the white dolphin.]
[I also asked him, if he paid for my tuition, would the money for treatment be enough? He waved his hand and told me not to worry about it, just guard the lighthouse and wait for him to come back.]
[I didn’t ask him what illness he had. He didn’t mention a word to me about it during the month we were together in the lighthouse. I just accepted that he didn’t want to talk about it, moreover, we were not close. After Monroe left, I cleaned up the room, went to the top floor, and looked at the sea through the glass, thinking that I would be alone in the future.]
The next entries were very concise, and Lu Tinghan quickly turned over page by page.
[On March 10, 150, I got up early and made a cup of coffee. The sky was clear and the sea breeze was salty.]
【……】
[On March 13th, it rained lightly, and the whole sea was gloomy. I don’t like the sea very much, it’s too dangerous and unpredictable, especially at this time.]
【……】
[On March 17th, I was wandering on the beach and met a fisherman named Andrew. Andrew asked me, where did Monroe go? I said that Monroe has left. He is my grandfather. Now I will come to guard the lighthouse, but I will only stay for three years.]
[Andrew seemed surprised. He handed me a cigarette, and we finished smoking while standing on the beach, talking about Monroe and the sea. Andrew also said that he thought Monroe would stay here for the rest of his life.]
[I laughed and said, I think so, too. But when he gets better, he will definitely come back. No one likes lighthouses more than him.]
[Andrew nodded in agreement. Before leaving, I couldn’t help asking, are there really white dolphins here? As soon as I asked the question, I knew it was a stupid question, because Andrew’s weathered face smiled.]
[He flicked his cigarette ash and said Monroe had asked him many times. He has been a fisherman for almost 50 years, and he has never seen any white dolphins or aurora borealis – this is not the Arctic circle!]
[I was embarrassed that I thought for a moment that Monroe was telling the truth. I quickly said, ‘yes, yes, yes, I also think it is fake,’ to cover it up.]
【……】
Shi Yuan and Lu Tinghan looked at each other for a moment.
The owner of the notes was obviously lazy. Many days he only wrote “Sunny, nothing happened”, and some days he didn’t even record it. Only on special days would he write more.
Shi Yuan saw that he was a person who liked to make coffee, he loved black coffee and had a cup every morning; he didn’t like the sea, but he liked birds and took pictures of their white wings with a camera; he went out to sea with Andrew on a sunny day, and the small fishing boat rode the wind and waves, watching the silver fish leaped up, shining with drops of water; he sat on the edge of the cliff and watched the wave smash on the reef, surrounded by a dead old tree.…
The notes turned page after page.
At the end of the second year, he wrote: [On November 17, 151, I received notice that Monroe passed away in the Fifth Empire Hospital. He left all his property to me in his will.]
Shi Yuan let out a soft “ah”.
In the following days, the note owner went through the formalities several times. A distant relative brought back Monroe’s ashes, and he sprinkled it into the sea, half in the ocean and half by the lighthouse.
Monroe’s inheritance was a lifetime savings, more than enough for him to go to school. But he kept the agreement and became the lightkeeper for another year.
At the end of the third year, he failed to get on the train to the university as he wished.
The war came.
Shi Yuan and Lu Tinghan came to the beach from the ancient battlefield.
One could imagine how dangerous this lighthouse was in wartime.
When the Alliance was at its peak, the air force was extremely terrifying, launching strong attacks even against sandstorms and torrential rains, while the Empire’s army never showed weakness. There was smoke everywhere and fighting continued, and the owner of the note was forced to leave and take refuge in the city.
Before leaving, he inspected the entire lighthouse.
“I hope you can keep the lights on,” he said so.
Although he didn’t believe Monroe.
Then he moved around for many years, his notes were intermittent, and there were large gaps in the timeline. It could be seen from a few words that he joined the city’s logistics brigade, responsible for carrying supplies and assisting the army. The war lasted for a long time, and his father became seriously ill. He spent his savings and Monroe’s inheritance, became penniless, and had to go borrow money.
When the war ended, his father’s condition improved and went to retire to a small house in the country.
A few months later, Princess Alicia was born. The queen died in childbirth. The entire Empire was filled with sorrow and joy. Everyone wrote blessings and condolences for them. They were written on small cards and strung up and hung outside the door of the house, and when the wind blew, they flew up.
The note read: [I also wrote my best wishes to the princess and hung it outside the dormitory. Now is an era of peace, the princess is growing up day by day, the economy is booming, and everyone feels that life is beautiful.]
[I completely gave up college, I have no money, and I am getting older. Overall, I am also doing well, and I might be able to buy a small house in a few more years of work.]
[But I always feel that something is wrong, as if something is missing, my heart is empty, and alcohol and tobacco can’t fill it up. My life remained the same, and I ran around for two more years, continued to work as a transport worker, and often got drunk. One day when I came back from the bar, I slumped in bed and had a dream.]
[I dreamed of a lighthouse.]
[It was still lit up on the beach, waiting for me to go back.]
[Without this dream, I wouldn’t have thought of it. It haunted me like a spell, and I couldn’t forget it.]
[I decided to resign after half a month. I went back to the beach and saw the Ketuya Lighthouse. Its lights had long been out, but the tower was intact. I stood in front of it for 10 minutes and decided that I wanted to return to this place.]
[Why? Maybe, I just like it here.]
Then, Shi Yuan saw that the man worked hard for a long time and restored the power to the lighthouse. He returned to the lighthouse again and continued to guard it. Every night, the bright yellow light leaped over the sea and went far away.
He has lived here for many years.
When he went to the town to purchase supplies, he met Gina. Gina liked the sea and the lighthouse. They got married and watched the sea together.
He told Gina the story of Monroe.
He said: “Everyone told me that it is impossible to have such a white dolphin, and it is impossible to have an aurora.” He looked at the black sea, “… Even if there is, the lighthouse has not been lit for 10 years, and it may have run aground long ago. “
Gina leaned against the window, the wind blowing her red hair. She smiled and said, “I believe this story.”
“You even believe in fairy tales,” he raised his eyebrows.
“I just simply believe so,” Gina took a deep breath of the sea air, “your grandfather said that the white dolphin doesn’t belong here, so where did it come from? I’ve never heard of a dolphin that brings the aurora borealis.”
“Who knows – that’s why I said it’s not possible!”
“Maybe one day you’ll see it too.”
“Why?”
Gina laughed again, “Just think of it as a woman’s intuition!” She supported her head with one hand, “It must be terrified and must be eager to go home.”
“…Shi Yuan.”
“…Shi Yuan!”
“Hmm?” Shi Yuan snapped back to his senses.
He was so engrossed in reading that he didn’t hear Lu Tinghan calling him.
Lu Tinghan said, “We have been away for too long, we have to go back.” He touched Shi Yuan’s head, “Take the notebook away and read it when we go back.”
“Okay,” Shi Yuan said.
They got off the lighthouse.
He said he would go back and read it again, but Shi Yuan couldn’t stop at all. When the rain stopped, he grabbed Lu Tinghan with one hand and followed him, and continued reading with the notebook in the other.
The owner of the notebook kept the lighthouse for another seven years and never saw a white dolphin.
He and Gina had a daughter. The child was too young and needed to be taken care of. Gina discussed with him and asked him not to stay in the lighthouse for the time being.
He agreed.
Before leaving, he stayed in the tower cabin for the last night. There was heavy fog that night, the waves kept rolling, and the light of the lighthouse walked through it like a sharp sword. He sat by the window and looked out, the waves were so violent that they subverted the whole world.
Until he saw a ray of light floating through the sea.
It was gorgeous, haloing the water and the sky in an unpredictable way.
Aurora Borealis.
His eyes widened suddenly, and after carefully identifying it for a few minutes, he was sure he had seen it right. His heart jumped to his throat, and he rushed down the lighthouse and ran towards the ship!
He had a boat for sailing, which he bought from Andrew. He jumped onto the deck, started the motor, and drove towards the aurora in spite of everything.
What Monroe said was true! He thought, there really is an aurora borealis!
