This is so dishonest!

Chapter 479 Childhood, Fairy Qingqing

Behind the door lies a world filled with warm sunshine and the faint smell of disinfectant.

Outside the window, the familiar chirping of cicadas and the joyful laughter of children playing and laughing intertwine to create the most beautiful symphony of a summer afternoon.

On the walls are colorful children's drawings, with a childlike style but full of boundless imagination.

The painting features a winged pig, a castle living in the clouds, and a rabbit driving a carrot car.

This is Linzhou City, the orphanage in the south of the city.

A place that holds countless broken childhood memories, yet is pieced back together with love and hope.

A little boy named Li Yuan was lying on a small, clean desk that reflected his image, diligently copying calligraphy.

His pen-holding posture was still a bit clumsy, but his expression was extremely focused.

He was Xuanqing's previous incarnation.

A soul as pure as crystal, untouched by any dust.

Li Yuan grew up in this orphanage.

He had never met his parents.

As far back as he can remember, this has been his home, and everyone here is his family.

He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, always one step ahead of his peers in both learning and play.

His personality is like the summer sun, optimistic and cheerful, as if the word "sorrow" never exists in his world.

His hearty laughter was the most frequently heard sound in the orphanage, and it could easily infect everyone around him.

In this small orphanage, he and a group of children with similar backgrounds lived carefree together under the careful care of the elderly director.

They are not related by blood, but they are closer than brothers and sisters.

The dean is a very interesting old man.

His hair was already gray, and his face was covered with wrinkles of time, but the eyes behind his reading glasses always shone with wisdom and love.

It was as if he possessed a treasure trove of stories that could never be fully told.

He would often bring out a creaking bamboo rocking chair and sit under the large, leafy banyan tree in the yard in the warm afternoon sun.

The children would bring their own little stools and surround him like a flock of chicks eagerly awaiting food.

"Today, we'll tell the story of the great god Pangu creating the world..."

"A long, long time ago, the world we lived in was a pitch-black chaos, like a giant egg..."

The dean's voice wasn't loud, but it had a unique rhythm that could easily transport the children into that bizarre and fantastical world.

He would talk about the grandeur of Pangu creating the world, the compassion of Nuwa creating humans from clay, the bravery of Houyi shooting down the suns, and how the underworld judges all the evildoers in the world.

Through these fantastical and captivating stories, he subtly weaves the simple truths of "punishing evil and promoting good," "upholding justice," and "sacrificing oneself for righteousness" into every plot point of the stories, like a gentle spring rain.

He skillfully planted seeds of "kindness," "courage," and "integrity" in the young and pure hearts of children, waiting for them to take root, sprout, and grow into towering trees one day in the future.

In the summer of the year Li Yuan turned nine, a once-in-a-century torrential rain swept through the entire city of Linzhou.

The continuous rain poured down like a burst dam in the Milky Way.

The city’s drainage system quickly became overwhelmed.

The floodwaters, like a wild beast unleashed, roared and ravaged the once peaceful city.

Vast areas were submerged by the turbid floodwaters; roads became rivers, and houses became isolated islands.

The orphanage in the south of the city, due to its low-lying location, was also not spared from the disaster.

Fortunately, the municipal meteorological department issued the highest-level red alert early on.

The local government also responded very quickly, organizing a large-scale evacuation of residents before the floodwaters actually arrived.

Under the guidance of the director and with the help of rescue workers, the children from the orphanage were safely transferred to a temporary resettlement area at higher elevation.

The makeshift sheds in the resettlement area were simple and noisy.

The air was thick with the smell of dampness, and everywhere you looked there were people hurrying by and the sounds of conversation rising and falling.

The director was worried that the children would be frightened by the sudden natural disaster and the unfamiliar environment.

So he pulled out his best trick and told the children those old stories that he had told countless times before, over and over again, in a voice that was gentler and more composed than usual.

The children, however, never tired of hearing about it.

Whenever the dean's familiar and gentle voice rang out in the corner, they would immediately quiet down, spontaneously forming a circle, their eyes shining with focused attention.

It's as if, as long as the dean's story is there, no matter where they are, they feel like they've returned to that safe and warm home.

Li Yuan was born more optimistic and resilient than other children.

As he watched the gloom gradually fade from his friends' faces, a brilliant idea came to him.

Like a little adult, he stood up and shouted to everyone, "Just listening to stories isn't enough! Let's have a singing contest! Singing can make people feel better!"

He looked around and suggested, "How about we sing the song 'Where is the Road Ahead?' that the dean taught us?"

"Good! Good!"

The children immediately responded cheerfully, instantly dispelling the dull atmosphere.

So Li Yuan cleared his throat in a very professional manner, and like a little conductor, waved his arms and started singing.

His pronunciation wasn't standard, and it had a strong childlike quality, but it was full of infectious joy.

"You pick the eggs, I sign the sesame seeds, we welcome the Japanese chef, and serve porridge and shrimp."

"The tart is flat and the bumpy road is smooth, the orange is overturned, the bean curd is fried and fresh, the oil touches the rice, and the squid is overturned."

"Spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy~~"

"Winged rice, spring loach and frozen shrimp."

"One taste of the intestines reveals a flavor profile of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy."

"May I ask where the braising sauce is? The braising sauce is in the shrimp."

Soon, this song, "Where is the Road Ahead," which had been drastically altered and filled with the aromas of various delicacies, spread like wildfire throughout the entire resettlement area.

All the children learned the song with great joy.

The children's innocent and joyful emotions were like rays of warm sunshine, piercing through the gloomy clouds brought by the natural disaster and diluting the sorrow and anxiety that filled the air.

Even adults who were originally full of anxiety couldn't help but smile when they heard this song, temporarily forgetting the troubles of their flooded homes.

Sometimes, when they have nothing to do, they'll hum along softly with the children.

The day after Linzhou was hit by the disaster, a reporter carrying a heavy camera on his shoulder and wearing a name tag came to interview the old dean.

During a break in the interview, he happened to see Li Yuan, who was intently copying something down at a small table made from disaster relief supply boxes.

He walked over curiously, wanting to see what the child was doing.

On the slightly rough paper, lines of writing were made with a short pencil.

Although the handwriting wasn't exactly neat, it was written very clearly.

It is the complete lyrics of that heavily modified version of "Where is the Road Ahead".

The veteran reporter named Luo Chuan was deeply moved as he looked at the lyrics, which were both unfamiliar and familiar.

Li Yuan felt someone staring at him, and he looked up somewhat embarrassed.

When he saw Luo Chuan's focused yet complex gaze, his tender little face flushed bright red, like a ripe apple.

He quickly stretched out his little hand and covered the paper with the lyrics written on it as if protecting a precious treasure.

He said somewhat embarrassedly in a low voice, "I...I know my handwriting isn't very good, please...please don't take pictures."

He glanced at the camera on Luo Chuan's shoulder and became even more nervous. "If I get on TV, the whole country will laugh at me."

Looking at the shy yet adorable little boy in front of him, Luo Chuan couldn't help but smile.

He put down the camera he was about to use to record something and said gently, "Okay, I won't take any pictures. I promise."

"Then... let's pinky swear." Li Yuan was still a little worried, but he bravely extended his chubby little finger.

“Okay, let’s pinky swear.” Luo Chuan found it very amusing and smiled as he extended his little finger, hooking it together with the other little finger.

"Pinky promise, for a hundred years, no take-backs! Whoever breaks it is a little puppy!"

After receiving this ceremonial promise, Li Yuan finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

He felt relieved and continued to bury himself in his writing, practicing each stroke more diligently.

"Did you write these interesting lyrics yourself?" Luo Chuan asked him curiously.

Li Yuan shook his head without hesitation and answered crisply, "It wasn't me who wrote it, it was our dean who wrote it."

Upon hearing this, Luo Chuan nodded knowingly.

That makes sense. How could such a young child possibly come up with lyrics like that?
Li Yuan neatly rewrote the lyrics again, and then blew the pencil dust off the paper with satisfaction.

He looked up and, seeing that the reporter was still there, blinked his bright eyes curiously and asked:
"Our dean said that journalists are storytellers. Is that true?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Chuan smiled and replied, "It's true."

He crouched down so that he could look Li Yuan in the eye.

"Your dean tells stories to you lovely children."

"And we tell stories to everyone in the world."

Li Yuan then asked, "Are the stories you tell the same as the stories our dean tells?"

Luo Chuan had just finished interviewing the old dean, so he obviously already knew what kind of myths and legends he usually told. He thought for a moment, then patiently and solemnly answered in a way that the child could understand as much as possible:

"There are similarities, and there are differences."

"The stories we tell and the stories your dean tells share the same principles of 'punishing evil and promoting good' and 'pursuing the light'."

"The difference is that myths can be fictional, beautiful imaginations, or they can be false."

"But the stories we journalists write must be true."

Luo Chuan was worried that Li Yuan still wouldn't understand.

So he pointed to the busy rescue workers around him and the disaster victims temporarily living in the greenhouses, and gave examples:
"For example, right now, my colleagues and I are truthfully recording how severe the disaster has been in our Linzhou City."

"Also, I'm currently interviewing your orphanage to truthfully record your story."

"Then, we'll spread your story through newspapers and television, so that the whole country can pay attention to you."

"In this way, more kind-hearted people will lend a helping hand to help your orphanage with its post-disaster reconstruction work."

"This can really help you."

Li Yuan nodded as if he understood, his eyes shining with an unprecedented brightness.

He solemnly concluded in his own words:
"I understand! A journalist's job is to record real stories and then spread these true stories to help people!"

He puffed out his little chest and loudly announced his ideal:

"Then I want to be a reporter when I grow up!"

"I also want to record true stories and help more and more people!"

Looking at Li Yuan's youthful yet determined face, Luo Chuan smiled exceptionally brightly.

In the following days, Li Yuan often saw this reporter.

He also learned the other person's name—Luo Chuan.

Like the old dean, Luo Chuan is also a very good storyteller.

During his breaks, he would tell the children stories from the interviews he had personally experienced.

His stories didn't feature gods or ghosts, yet they were still full of thrills.

When the children heard him recount how he, all alone, disguised himself as a laborer and infiltrated those illegal factories that produced counterfeit and substandard food, it was as if they were witnessing him stepping into the legendary cave of the demon king. They were all incredibly nervous and didn't dare to breathe.

When the children hear how he outwitted those cunning and unscrupulous bosses and cleverly obtained evidence of their illegal activities, they burst into laughter and cheer for his ingenuity.

Finally, when they heard that the victims had been successfully rescued and that the unscrupulous bosses had received their due and just punishment and been taken away by the police, the children would clap excitedly and be extremely happy.

These vivid and thrilling true stories, told with great enthusiasm by Luo Chuan, left an indelible impression on young Li Yuan.

For the first time, he realized that there were heroes in the real world who were no less than those in myths.

Later, Luo Chuan wrote an excellent in-depth report based on his interviews in the disaster area of ​​Linzhou.

His writing on the part about the Linzhou orphanage was particularly profound and moving.

The children's modified version of "Where is the Road Ahead?", through his eloquent writing, not only made countless readers laugh out loud but also made them pay more attention to the children's situation.

Luo Chuan kept his promise to Li Yuan and did not use a camera to record the scene of the little boy diligently copying the lyrics.

However, he used more vivid and interesting words to perfectly recreate the lovely scene when the two met.

In addition, Luochuan also lovingly recorded the children's interesting stories full of childlike fun and hope in the resettlement area, such as how they used mud to sculpt their imagined homes and how they planted small sunflowers on the ruins.

Once published, this report, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, caused a huge social reaction.

This brought unprecedented attention to the Linzhou Orphanage, located in the disaster area.

The reconstruction of the Linzhou Orphanage proceeded exceptionally smoothly afterward.

The children not only have a brand new, more secure home.

Furthermore, he has received long-term support from many kind-hearted people in his life and studies.

Some children even left the orphanage because of this.

They were adopted by kind and loving families and gained real parents and a warm home.

Li Yuan was favored by many families who came to visit him because of his intelligence and optimism.

But facing those pairs of kind eyes, Li Yuan smiled and politely declined them.

He wanted to stay at the orphanage to help the elderly director and take care of the younger children.

Later, with his own efforts and the support of society, Li Yuan was admitted to a top university in China with excellent grades.

After graduating from university, he joined a newspaper and became a journalist.

There, he was pleasantly surprised to run into an old acquaintance he hadn't seen for many years—Editor-in-Chief Luo.

It was that same reporter from back then, Luo Chuan.

"Li Yuan, I never imagined you would actually become a reporter." When Luo Chuan saw Li Yuan, his face was filled with joy and relief.

That same day, he invited Li Yuan to have a meal.

At the dinner table, Editor-in-Chief Luo looked at the young man in front of him, who had shed his childishness and become spirited and clear-eyed, and gave him a very pertinent piece of advice.

"Xiao Yuan, as a journalist, especially one who wants to write in-depth articles that may touch on the interests of certain people, I suggest that you should get yourself one or two pen names."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled, "Using pseudonyms? Editor-in-chief, isn't writing articles like this considered fabrication? Shouldn't we be striving for authenticity?"

Upon hearing this, Editor-in-Chief Luo smiled, shook his head, and took a sip of wine.

"Who told you to use a pseudonym to fabricate evidence? I told you to use a pseudonym so that you could use different identities and different perspectives to speak out on the same issue and create a united public opinion."

"Moreover, it is also a form of self-protection."

The editor-in-chief gave Li Yuan a meaningful look as he finished speaking.

"Later, when you get into a debate with someone, you'll understand the importance of using pseudonyms."

Li Yuan thought about it and felt that what the editor-in-chief said made a lot of sense.

So he chose his first pen name, which would later become his most famous one – [Xuanqing].

Upon seeing this, Luo Chuan raised his eyebrows slightly and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Belief is the cold golden bones of an immortal, whose beard and eyebrows transformed into Xuanqing overnight."

He looked at Li Yuan teasingly, "What, are you trying to become an ethereal fairy who doesn't eat the food of this world?"

"Not bad, not bad, you've completely mastered the essence of using multiple accounts."

He patted Li Yuan on the shoulder, "They even switched the genders, so they can hide it better and be less likely to be discovered."

Li Yuan shook his head and explained earnestly, "It's not the fairy Xuan Qing."

"It is the Xuanqing Emperor of Fengdu in the Northern Yin, who is in charge of the underworld, judges good and evil, and allows the souls of the dead to rest in peace."

"Although the myths are fictional, the underlying messages are positive."

He looked at Luo Chuan with a firm gaze, "After all, the duty of the underworld is to punish evil and uphold justice, and to judge all injustices in the world!"

Upon hearing this, Editor-in-Chief Luo was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

Looking at Li Yuan in front of him, he felt as if he were seeing himself more than ten years ago, when he had just entered the news industry and was also full of ideals and passion.

In their subsequent work, Luo Chuan often looked after Li Yuan like a kind older brother.

Li Yuan not only wrote increasingly sharp articles with incisive viewpoints, but he also learned many essential skills as an undercover reporter from Luo Chuan.

Li Yuan displayed astonishing talent in this area.

He can pretend to be anything and be it perfectly.

Thus, with the support and protection of Editor-in-Chief Luo, Li Yuan began to delve into various industries and all sorts of unknown dark areas, conducting dangerous and arduous investigations.

He exposed the inside story of many horrific and heinous events.

At the same time, Li Yuan also created many alternate accounts and engaged in fierce debates online with those trolls who were trying to whitewash the crimes.

Among them, the account 【玄卿】 is the most successful.

Li Yuan often uses this account to cleverly craft satirical mythological tales about complex social phenomena.

He vehemently criticized the rats hiding in the dark corners, leaving them utterly humiliated.

As a result, Li Yuan's account gained a resounding title online—"The Venomous Tongue Fairy".

His fans jokingly refer to themselves as "disciples of the Xuanmen sect" and call Li Yuan "Teacher A Xuan".

They even came up with a catchy "mysterious sect" slogan: "Mystery cannot change right and wrong, but you can change fate."

The original meaning of this slogan is that Teacher Ah Xuan never argues with you about right and wrong, but only scolds you in the story and then kills you off.

As it was passed down, this phrase became a slogan for making wishes.

As a result, people who need to make wishes, such as those in the fishing area, gacha area, bird watching area, and academic area, often go to [Xuanqing]'s comment section to interact.

This has led to the creation of works such as "The Poisonous Tongue Fairy's Precious Proclamation", "The Qingqing Fairy's Memorial", and "The New Ritual of Praying for Blessings in the Mysterious Sect".

This incident made Editor-in-Chief Luo laugh at Li Yuan for several days.

I always use this joke to tease him during meetings.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)