Chapter Sixty-three: The Mark of Reincarnation

Let us return to the old cat and her kittens. Normally, a mother cat can give birth to no more than ten kittens at a time. Of that litter, nine were her own, while eight others had been born to her mother—the even older black cat. There were six more, strays taken in by the manor’s gardeners. This old cat possessed a degree of maternal love surpassing that of ordinary animals; she treated all the kittens as her own, playing with them by day, curling around them at night, treating both her own and the adopted kittens with equal tenderness. Many times, as I gazed at them from my study window, I could sense the immense motherly love radiating from her. I thought, if more motherless kittens were sent to her, she would take them all in, loving and caring for each one. This was no longer a simple matter of animal instinct; her existence embodied the boundless compassion of Buddhist philosophy—a love for the world, for all beings, for all living creatures. It was this old cat that awakened in me the aspiration to seek the Buddha’s path.

Guan Wen suddenly understood why Baoling had spent so much time telling stories about the cats.

In truth, it was precisely because the cat’s actions had intersected with her own moment of awakening, leaving the deepest imprint upon her memory. Of course, in this context, “she” referred to the Princess of Chao Ge from the Kan Na family in days gone by.

I often wonder: among humans are the wise and the ordinary—do cats too have wise ones and ordinary ones among them? Many times, as soon as I close my eyes, the image of that old cat arises in my mind, as if she is forever watching me, reminding me to pursue the mysteries within my dreams. This time, the moment to resolve these questions has finally come.

Yes, what must come will come, Guan Wen said.

But I am still afraid—she truly was afraid, trembling all over.

Afraid of what? Guan Wen held her tightly, wishing he could open his chest and place her deep within his heart, warming her with his true affection.

I’m afraid that I will become someone else, and that person will no longer love you, and you will not love her. I’m afraid that our life together, just as it has begun, will come to an abrupt end. Guan Wen, that’s why I left two deep rows of bite marks on your shoulder—so that if one day we forget each other, at least those scars can bear witness that we once met. Baoling spoke through her tears.

Blood trickled down from Guan Wen’s shoulder; the wound did not hurt, but his heart ached faintly for Baoling’s weeping.

No, no matter what happens on our journey to Nepal, we will not be separated, Guan Wen said solemnly. He held her even tighter, listening to her increasingly rapid heartbeat, suddenly feeling that their hearts were tightly bound together—nothing could ever part them.

You do not know that, in my dream, the very same thing happened. Of course, it was the Princess of Chao Ge who did it—she once made a vow of life and death with someone else, biting deep marks into the other’s shoulder, praying for an unbroken bond in the next life, a love that would never be lost or forgotten. In truth, whether man or woman, everyone believes in the eternity of love when making passionate vows—that love can endure till the end of time, through countless lifetimes and tribulations; that when they meet again, they will recognize each other among thousands. Such wishes are beautiful, but dreams are fleeting. When the Princess of Chao Ge was reborn as me, I could not find him again. Likewise, if one day I regain the identity of the princess, I will not remember you, nor the bite mark on your shoulder…

Guan Wen had not considered the approaching journey to Nepal deeply enough, for he was not Baoling, and remained an utter outsider to the story of the Princess of Chao Ge’s rebirth. He had not realized that Baoling had already thought so far ahead; that she could foresee, upon returning to the Kan Na family’s summer palace in Nepal, her own memories merging with those of the princess.

If that were to happen, Baoling’s soul would cease to exist; her body would house the consciousness of another.

I will watch over you and prevent anything from happening, he could only say.

But those changes brought by the turning of the stars… no one can stop them, just like Master Tianjiu’s rainbow body or Feng He’s death—sudden as lightning, unpreventable, utterly beyond our power… Baoling’s sobs choked her further.

A shadow paused outside the door, then someone knocked: “Are you both alright?”

It was Gu Qingcheng’s voice, heavy with tangled sorrow and worry.

Guan Wen cleared his throat and replied, “We’re fine. Please give us a little more time.”

Gu Qingcheng leaned against the door, sighing long and deep. “Alright, we have all the time in the world today. Take your time and talk.”

Baoling slipped from Guan Wen’s embrace, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the traces of tears from her face.

Don’t worry, I will stay with you always, Guan Wen said.

No need. The moment Miss Gu spoke, your heart was thrown into confusion. Baoling poked Guan Wen’s chest with her finger. I can hear it—I can feel it.

Guan Wen gave a wry smile. Sorry, there’s so much going on for everyone right now, I can’t help but be distracted.

Baoling shook her head. Distractions are of different kinds. I can feel that Miss Gu has already taken root in your heart—she lingers, and you cannot let her go.

Guan Wen could not explain it, for it was true—Gu Qingcheng had already entered his heart, an undeniable fact. The Baoling before him and Gu Qingcheng at the door were like a lover holding a rose in his left hand and a lily in his right, unable to choose between them.

Baoling opened the door and walked straight out, meeting Gu Qingcheng’s gaze.

Am I interrupting your conversation? Gu Qingcheng asked hesitantly.

Outside, the sky had turned somber and dark, the distant Niseri Mountains shrouded in gray mist.

Not at all, we’re done talking. Miss Gu, I have always admired and envied you. This time, you have won completely. Baoling brushed past Gu Qingcheng’s shoulder and walked straight out into the courtyard.

Gao Xiang scratched his head, completely bewildered, but loyally followed after Baoling to fulfill his duty as a friend.

What did she say? What does she mean? Gu Qingcheng asked.

On the other side of the courtyard, Xiao Huo and Kaler tactfully went into the north room, closing the door behind them to leave the space to Guan Wen and Gu Qingcheng.

Guan Wen stared after Baoling’s departing figure, unconsciously raising his hand to touch his left shoulder. In truth, it was his right shoulder that Baoling had bitten; the wound there was completely numb.

What’s wrong? You both seem strange today. Gu Qingcheng looked at him in puzzlement.

Baoling’s figure had already vanished around the gateway, but Guan Wen’s gaze remained fixed, his eyes empty, as if he had lost something.

Hey, what’s wrong with you? Lost your soul? Gu Qingcheng waved her hand in front of his face.

Guan Wen muttered to himself, “A bite mark? The sign left before reincarnation? Could it be that I…”

Suddenly, he grabbed Gu Qingcheng’s hand, pulled her into the room, and closed the door forcefully behind them.

What are you doing? Gu Qingcheng was startled, thinking he’d gone mad.

Help me, look at my shoulder! Guan Wen fumbled off his jacket and sweater, even pulling off his undershirt, standing bare-chested before Gu Qingcheng.

Gu Qingcheng gasped and pointed at the wound on his right shoulder. “There’s a wound here—a bite mark? I see now, it was Baoling who just gave you that!”

Her expression clouded over, her eyes suddenly dim.

Guan Wen called out anxiously, “No, not here. I want you to look at my left shoulder—is there a faint mark there, one that looks like a bite? Is there? Is there?”

He was so frantic it was as if his soul had left him, his body just a shell.

Gu Qingcheng moved to his left side, rose on tiptoe and looked, then nodded. “Yes, there is a bite mark. Judging by the shape of the teeth, it looks like a woman’s, but the mark is very faint—it must be at least ten years old.”

Guan Wen drew a deep breath, feeling his heart racing like ten thousand horses drumming on a battlefield.

Are you alright? You look so pale. Gu Qingcheng steadied him and forced him into a chair, then gently massaged the acupoint at the back of his neck to calm his emotions.

She said—the Princess of Chao Ge once left a bite mark on a man’s shoulder. And the scar on my shoulder has been there since birth. This isn’t a coincidence, it can’t be a coincidence—it can’t be… Qingcheng, help me think this through. I have a bite mark on my shoulder; I was chosen by my master, spent years drawing those Tibetan mandalas, then came to the Zhashilunbu Monastery on Mount Niseri in Shigatse, where the high monks gave me the mission to exorcise demons—tell me, can all this really be coincidence? Or is there some connection between my previous life and Baoling’s previous life? Tell me, why am I here? Why did Baoling bite my shoulder just now…

Guan Wen’s mind was in utter chaos, a thousand tangled thoughts spinning in his head, making it feel as if it would split apart. The scars on both shoulders must be connected somehow, but how could it be explained?

Don’t panic, let’s take it slowly. Gu Qingcheng pressed down on his shoulders with both hands.

The veins on Guan Wen’s forehead throbbed, his cheeks flushed, his whole body burning as if thrown into a furnace, his eyes nearly bursting.

Could I be part of the Princess of Chao Ge’s story? Was I the one she bit in her previous life? Or did what Baoling just did somehow reverse through time and appear in the era of the princess? But who am I? How could I exist in the worlds of both the princess and Baoling, separated by centuries? No, no, I have to find Baoling and ask—my head is about to explode, let me go, let me go… Guan Wen struggled, but could not free himself from Gu Qingcheng’s grip.

Guan Wen, stop now. Don’t say another word, just stop! Gu Qingcheng took a small silver round box from her pocket, pressed a switch, and a green, olive-shaped pill popped out of a tiny opening on the side.

She gripped his jaw, popped the pill into his mouth, then massaged his jaw and throat until the pill slid down.

A cooling, snow-lotus fragrance filled his senses. Within seconds, Guan Wen felt his body relax utterly, all confusion swept from his mind, replaced by an uplifting energy.

How do you feel? Gu Qingcheng gazed at him intently.

Much better, thank you. Guan Wen exhaled, feeling restored in body and soul.

Gu Qingcheng let go, wiped the cold sweat from her face, and gave a bitter smile. “That was close. You almost lost yourself just now.”

Guan Wen bent down to pick up his clothes, pulling on the wound on his right shoulder, which stung sharply. That spot would surely leave a scar—no matter how much medicine was applied, it would remain for a lifetime.