Life of Bāo - Chapter 38 & Epilogue
May 12, 2040 and May 12, 2048
Welcome. You have arrived at the final chapter and Epilogue. In Chapter 38, Bao spends the day with Ai.
Everything is connected.
Chapter 38
May 12, 2040 (32nd Anniversary of Sichuan Earthquake)
“Ai, wake up. We have a very busy day ahead of us.” Bāo pushed on the bed and opened the curtains wide. The sun brightened the room. “First, we will visit my old teacher, then have a lunch of your favorite Zhong dumplings at Long Chao Shuo and finish with a special surprise.”
Ai threw the covers off her head. “What special surprise?”
Bāo said, “I can only tell you it is for you, your mommy, and me.”
Ai sat up in bed and said, “Tell me more.”
“I can’t, or it wouldn't be a surprise.”
Bāo sat at the kitchen table with Yan. They drank green tea and waited on Ai. Yan announced, “Happy birthday Bāo.” Bāo’s real birthday was January 8th, but Yan always remembered this day, and Bāo appreciated the gesture.
“Thank you, Yan.”
“Ai walked into the kitchen, “There you are, sleepyhead. What do you want, cereal or stuffed buns and boiled eggs?”
“Cereal!”
“Of course.” Yan set down a glass of orange juice in front of Ai. Ai ate a few spoonfuls of cereal before pushing the bowl away. “Well, at least drink this orange juice so mommy can feel better.” Yan said to Bāo, “What time will you be back? I have to go to the grocery store today. I can pick something up for dinner.”
“Nothing special. We may be late,” as he winked at Ai.
One hour later, Bāo and Ai stood at the door of Master Zhao’s residence. Bāo asked, “Do you want to ring the bell?”
Ai excitedly said, “Yes.”
Bāo lifted Ai into the air by her waist so she could ring the bell. It sounded the same as the day Ping Lu rang it all those years earlier.
Ai suggested, “Maybe they are not here.”
“Patience, little one.”
Master Zhao opened the door. “Oh, it's my favorite student and a young ninja.”
Ai laughed, “I'm not a ninja.”
“Surely not, since I can see you. Are you in high school yet?”
“No, I'm only nine years old.”
“Nine! You are pretty big for nine. Do you think you could hide like a ninja?”
“Yes!” Ai ran into the training hall and looked for a good hiding place.”
Bāo bowed three times and asked, “How have you been?”
“Let's just say I won't be doing any flying sidekicks anytime soon.” Master Zhao found Ai hiding behind a table. He told Ai, “You must do better than that to hide from me.” He gestured to Bāo to help him move a table. They moved it into the center of the training hall. Master Zhao Took out an ink bottle and a brush from the cupboard. He then placed rice paper on the table and called Ai, “Come here, little ninja. I want to show you something.” He proceeded to draw a horse with only three masterful brushstrokes. He turned to Ai and said, “Sit here and see if you can copy that. I have something to discuss with your father in the kitchen.”
Bāo and Master Zhao sat at the table drinking green tea. Master Zhao shared the poor prognosis he had received from his doctor. Bāo was shocked and asked, “Are they sure?”
Master Zhao confirmed, “Unfortunately, yes. But I have time, five to eight years.” He continued, “A lifetime.” He reached for a book on the table; it was the photo of him and the turtle shell oracle he had discovered after university. He opened it and took out a picture of Lou Song Jian’Guo, his master and mentor. “Please light incense for him. He was so important to me -” He paused and continued “- and you? Do you see how things are connected? You, me, Yan, Juān, your mother Jing, Mei, Syaoran, Ai, and now another Ai, the gold bracelet, the monastery, and the earthquake.” The Lord of the universe has a plan. The tragedies brought some triumphs. We couldn't see it at the moment. Everything is connected.”
***
Late afternoon came swiftly. Ai ate her favorite dumplings at Chau Shou, followed by ice cream at BiDe Western restaurant. After a short walk from the restaurant, Bāo announced, “Here we are.”
Ai didn't see anything special and said, “Where?”
Bāo looked up at the sign, “Little Wolf Mountain Outfitters.”
Bāo opened the door, a buzzer automatically sounded, and a dog barked loudly. It was the ugliest dog you could imagine. It had brown and white spotted fur and was a mixed breed. The top of its head had a bald patch, with a few strands of long white hair sticking out.
“Stop!” an elderly man bellowed. Another dog, a large, round grey bulldog, lumbered around the display cabinet and sat down in front of Ai.
Ai knelt and petted the dog. His short-cropped tail wagged, moving his whole back end with it. “He's so cute. How old is he?”
Syaoran folded his newspaper. An empty can fell with a “clang” behind the counter. “I'm not sure. When I found him, he was already old. That was five years ago. He looked at Bāo and, sounding gruff, asked, “What do you want?”
I'm glad he hasn't lost his charm. Bāo said, “I want to surprise my wife and daughter with a mountain climb.
Syaoran said, “There is a list for short day climbs on the wall. Your daughter looks like she should be able to handle it.”
Bāo surveyed the choices and the prices. Some faded photos of groups from different climbs, young and old, hung on the same wall. A small group of four with yellow headbands smiled at the camera.“Now, here's a happy group.”
From behind the counter, Syaoran questioned, “Which one?”
“The group of four wearing yellow headbands, three teens, and a serious-looking man.”
Syaoran suddenly remembered and said, “Oh them,” as if they stood out from the other groups.
Bāo persistent, “Tell me about them.”
Syaoran scratched the stubble on his face and said, “I can't. It's a secret.” Then he walked over to the fridge under the back counter. He removed a beer can and scornfully said, “This is what I can tell you. I have never guided a more inexperienced group of misfits on a dangerous climb. Ever!”
Bāo continued to look at the picture and smiled. Does he recognize me? Maybe not. I do look very different. Older. He looked back to the list of day trips and thought, Here's one, Mount Qing Cheng. He returned to the counter and said, “Let's try Mount Qing Chang.”
“That's a good choice. Easy for your little girl.” He reached under the counter, removed a form, and said, “We need to get some information. Just a few questions. What's your name?”
“Kang Bāo”
“Occupation?”
“Professor and Archaeologist.”
“Employment?”
“Chengdu University.”
Syaoran thought, Where have I heard that name before? He continued, “How many times have you climbed?”
Bāo replied, “Once, unless you count practice, then twice.”
Syaoran again scanned his memory, asking himself why he seemed familiar. He continued, “Your wife's name?”
“Yan.”
“Occupation?”
“Professor and Archaeologist.”
I know who this is. To be sure, there is only one right answer to my next question. He asked, “Where did you do your one mountain climb?”
“Mount Hua.”
Syaoran kept his head down, tilted it slightly, lifted his eyebrow to look at Bāo, and said, “Then you know the secret.” It wasn't a question it was a statement of fact.
“Yes, I do know the secret. Ai, honey, this is Syaoran, and seventeen years ago, he saved my life.”
As he walked around the display cabinet, Syaoran said, “It was nothing. I just opened a door.” He stood before Bāo and Ai and said, “Well, I’ll be—Do you know your dad was a hero?”
Bāo remembered the stories about Syaoran’s wartime decorations and said, “There is only one hero in this room.”
They hugged each other and spent an hour reminiscing. Bāo purchased the day trip for his family. “I can't tell Yan now, but I can't wait until she sees you on our surprise day trip.”
“That makes two of us.”
Bāo opened the door. The buzzer sounded, and the dog started barking. On the sidewalk, they could hear, “Would you two stop!”
Ai asked, “Was he always so grouchy?”
Epilogue
May 12, 2048 (40th Anniversary of Sichuan Earthquake)
Ai arrived home from her date. She called out, “Mom.”
“We're in the family room, honey.”
Ai walked into the family room, where her parents were watching a popular crime show on television.“Happy birthday, Dad. This package was on the porch. Maybe it’s a present,” she said.
Yan asked, “From who?”
Ai looked at the return address and said, “A lawyer.” She handed Yan the FedEx box.
Yan said, “Bāo, this is addressed to you.”
Curious, Bāo turned off the television and opened the box. The box contained a business envelope and another box with a wax seal. Bāo opened the envelope and read, “It's from Cia, Hu, and Shen Law Partners.
“Dear Mr. Kang,
We represent the estate of Zhao Sun Feng. The following two properties have been willed to you: 1) His residence and all its contents. 2) The enclosed box, with a security seal. Please contact our firm to sign the required paperwork for the property transfer.
Sincerely,
Shen Jiang, Attorney”
Bāo broke the seal and opened the box. It contained a sealed 5x7 envelope, a folded letter, and two bound books.
Dear Bāo,
I did not have a family. You, Yan, and Juān my family. Are we all not orphans in some mystical way? I can now reveal to you and Yan that I never placed the books from the tomb on the table in the courtyard. I used their covers to wrap old volumes, placed them on the table, and covered them with white cloths. My intuition informed me that the government would interfere. I was correct. The authorities saw the covers and did not bother to look further. I am sure that the books were burned immediately.
I have included photos taken in the cave at Mount Hua. The two books enclosed are the originals with my translations. You and Yan will know the proper time to release these to the world. I love you with all my heart. Remember, we are all connected.
Your Friend, Venerable Zhao Sun Feng
Setting the letter aside, they opened the 5x7 envelope. It contained the photographs from the cave on Mount Hua. Bāo stared at the photo, recalling the inscriptions on the tomb. Sayoran picked up his dogs at the monastery. He brought the photos, and Master Zhao asked if he could take them. I had forgotten about these.
Yan and Bāo, with tears in their eyes and joy in their hearts, looked at the opening page of each book.
The Writings of Thomas
These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down. …
The Yijun Journal
“I, Prince Yijun, sought refuge on a mountain in my 27th year. I was born into the ruling class of the Wei Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms. …