Dragon Slayer:The King’s Return

Lin Nian walked along the riverside path in the afternoon, the ground covered with dandelions that hadn't fully bloomed yet. The drooping white flowers swayed in the breeze, occasionally scattering some white fluff that drifted down into the river, reflecting the sunset. After leaving the Regal Hotel, Lin Xian went to the café to handle her resignation and salary matters, leaving Lin Nian to wander alone in the CBD area. Mandy had offered to drive him, but he refused, wanting to walk home by himself for the first time in a while.

Actually, when he said he was walking home, Lin Nian had taken the subway after leaving the hotel. The real reason he declined Mandy's offer was that he had seen a red Ferrari in front of the hotel and didn't want to be driven through the neighborhood in a nice car with a good-looking girl by his side. It felt like he was selling out as a young man who should be relying on his own charm, rather than flaunting someone else's wealth.

However, he wasn't entirely lying when he said he wanted to walk home. After getting off the subway a few stations away from his house, he decided to walk the remaining distance. He took his time, walking from noon until dusk, before finally reaching the familiar river.

This riverside route was one Lin Nian had walked many times before, but today, for the first time, he paid attention to the surroundings—the riverbank's foxtail grass, the dandelions, a few scattered trees, and across the river, the tall office buildings whose glass windows reflected the harsh sunlight. Occasionally, a few people could be seen opening their windows and sipping Starbucks coffee while looking out at the CBD, seemingly pondering their futures.

People often say that when you're about to leave a place, you begin to notice its beauty—everything from the grand buildings to the smallest blades of grass. Lin Nian had lived in this city for 16 years, it was where he had grown up, but now he was about to leave for a school on the other side of the world, a place called Cassel Academy.

At this moment, Lin Nian wasn't feeling particularly sentimental. He didn't have the urge to pluck any dandelions and make a wish, as one might expect from someone saying goodbye to a place. Perhaps it was the natural vigor of youth—when young people bid farewell, they don't typically look back nostalgically; instead, they face forward with hope for what lies ahead.

Lin Nian was no exception. Soon, a plane ticket would take him to that faraway place called Cassel Academy. Was he excited? Maybe.

As he observed the surroundings of the street he had walked down for years, Lin Nian didn't feel any particular sorrow. It was as if he had never truly settled here—more like a traveler who had briefly stopped in this coastal city and now was leaving. Everything felt natural, as if it had been predestined.

Oddly enough, Lin Nian felt a sense of familiarity. It was as if this scene had happened before, with him leaving his hometown, embarking on a long journey, and being accompanied by someone.

It was strange—he had been born and raised here, yet it felt as though he had never experienced a journey that began on a whim. Lin Nian shook his head, dismissing the thought. As the sun dipped below the horizon, he remembered a line from One Hundred Years of Solitude—"If no one is buried here, then you don't belong to this place."

Perhaps Lin Nian's memories of this city were made up of trivial matters, without anything particularly deep. The only thing he truly cherished was his bond with Lin Xian, who had always been by his side.

People often say that the sky of youth is limitless, and the hearts of young people are always flying toward the unknown. But people are also afraid of heights, so they need something to tether them down.

Now that Lin Xian, the tether at the other end of his metaphorical kite string, would also be leaving with him, what reason did Lin Nian have to feel nostalgic about the city or the people in it, as Mandy had suggested? When it came to farewells and partings, he realized that he was quite indifferent. As he watched the sun set completely, Lin Nian thought to himself.

He decided not to think about it anymore and quickened his pace. After all, he was still going to have hot pot for dinner tonight.

Lin Nian finished walking along the river and didn't continue on his way home. Instead, at the end of the path, he took a bus to the subway station, then rode several kilometers out of his way to another station.

As he stepped out of the subway station, the cold wind whipped into his collar. Lin Nian tightened his coat and looked up. The pollution from the city seemed to have blocked out both the stars and the moon tonight, but the streetlights gave off a glow that resembled the moon.

Holding his phone in one hand and kicking leaves along the road with the other, Lin Nian glanced at the class group chat on his iPhone. New messages popped up one after another, all talking about the hot pot dinner: "Have you arrived yet?" "How far are you?" "Ah, I'm right behind you!"

With the organizational skills of Su Xiaoqiang, the leadership of Zhao Menghua, and the influence of Chen Wenwen, the three most influential members of the class, the dinner was obviously well coordinated. Tonight, it seemed everyone who could make it would attend, except for those who lived far away or had other commitments.

Lin Nian sniffed the air and swore he could smell the hot pot seasoning through the phone screen. The weather tonight was perfect for it—the combination of spicy hot pot and the chilly late spring air felt like it could swallow up both spring and summer in one big gulp.

In the end, Lin Nian decided to attend the gathering. At least having hot pot as a farewell dinner was much better than the awkward farewell ceremonies that used to be held for classmates who transferred schools. Back then, when the class representatives stood up to give speeches, it felt almost like a somber eulogy. Lin Nian had even come close to joining in on the moment of silence.

After thinking it through, he figured the hot pot dinner would be the best occasion to say goodbye. Everyone would be eating and singing, and it wouldn't feel strange if he suddenly stood up and said farewell. As he watched his classmates chat in the group chat, Lin Nian couldn't help but feel a sense of reality.

It turned out that he still had a "social circle" in this city. Isn't life just a collection of the various joys and sorrows that happen in these small and big circles?

Before he was 16, Lin Nian's life had been made up of this coastal city, the orphanage, and the rented apartment. It didn't seem like a legendary story, but when he thought about it, it was full of flavor.

"How much longer?" Lu Mingfei's message popped up on QQ, punctual as always, like a phone alarm, reminding Lin Nian it was time.

"I'm on my way, still about four or five streets away," Lin Nian replied, looking up at the street signs.

"Four or five streets? Did you walk here? Aren't your feet sore?"

"Want to massage them for me?"

"Hurry up! The food can't be served until everyone's here."

"You guys eat first, if I'm late, I'll wash the dishes for you. I'm a professional dish washer."

"You're cruel." Lu Mingfei stopped texting, but at least he knew Lin Nian wasn't ditching him, so he was at ease.

Lin Nian put his iPhone away and rubbed his temples. Did Lu Mingfei think he actually wanted to walk? The taxi fare started at 10 yuan, and traveling four or five streets with traffic lights would surely make the meter jump. He couldn't possibly justify paying for that. Who would want to freeze their way across town if they could take a cab?

It seemed the heavens heard Lin Nian's unspoken wish because a beautiful girl and a nice car soon appeared beside him.

A car horn sounded beside him, and the headlights cast a long shadow across the road. When the black Mercedes-Benz stopped next to him, Lin Nian turned his head in surprise. The rear window rolled down to reveal a stunningly beautiful girl with an elegant yet aloof demeanor. At that moment, her face was filled with surprise at the unexpected encounter.

"Lin Nian? Is that really you?"

"Su Xiaoqiang? What a coincidence," Lin Nian replied, equally surprised.

He looked at her clear, shining eyes, illuminated by the white streetlights.

(End of chapter)