The farewell dinner was held on the last day of the trip.

As the cruise ship passed through the Aegean Sea, Ming Chi successfully re-mastered swimming and diving.

In fact, it wasn’t that difficult—the first thing to overcome was the instinctive unease of being submerged in seawater. Once this problem was solved, the little mister learned everything quite quickly.

As for how exactly the problem was overcome, even Butler Ming wasn’t entirely sure. One would probably have to ask the tune that flowed from Ming Chi’s guitar on the deck that night, amidst the bright lights of the shore.

Modern people looking for romance would always think of this place. It wasn’t just a scheme cooked up by travel agencies; the islands in the Aegean Sea were indeed very beautiful.

The windmills on the hills turned slowly in the evening breeze, dotted with vibrant flowers. The houses were all painted snow-white, and the domes of the churches were a lively azure blue.

When the sky slowly darkened, the lights would come on. Those warm-toned lights, in the twilight that enveloped everything, were like clusters of bonfires, and the walls were cast in a warm yellow or orange-red.

Whenever the cruise route passed through here, very few people were willing to miss the sunset. The setting sun poured brilliant red and gold onto the sea surface. The wind stirred up sparkling waves, like layers of golden fish scales painted on the water. The distant islands and volcanoes were outlined with exceptional clarity.

When the dazzling light of the sun was completely hidden in the water and the sky began to turn a soft, deep navy blue, Ming Chi was pulled out of the water by Mr. Shadow, climbed the gangway, and jumped steadily onto the deck.

Ming Chi shook the water from his hair and quickly dried himself with a large towel.

At the strong suggestion of the young guitarists, outside of working hours, Ming Chi had also changed into a loose T-shirt and shorts and was invited to join their shipboard band.

But much to Xiang Luan’s regret, even so, Ming Chi still hadn’t tanned as dark as they had. When he sat by the ship’s rail in the evening breeze with his guitar, he still didn’t look like a wandering street musician at all.

The sunsets along the Aegean Sea route were quite beautiful every day. After admiring them, the guests were reluctant to return to their rooms. They would stay on the deck, enjoying the breeze and chatting, watching the lights on the shore light up one after another. At this time, they would hear the sound of a guitar.

Sometimes it was several guitars playing together, and these times were usually quite lively and bustling. Someone would always be tempted to show off their skills, and the several guitars could create the effect of plucked string and percussion instruments together.

At other times, there was only one guitar—occasionally, someone would sing softly, and at these times, it had to be as quiet as possible. Those songs wouldn’t have overly polished melodies. They were strummed and sung casually, and perhaps would only be sung this one time. Even the guitarist himself might not remember the score.

But it was just so comfortable and pleasant. Those tunes were all gentle, and listening to them made people relaxed and happy. Occasionally, they would quickly incorporate a bit of the local music style. At these times, looking at the particularly distinctive island architecture, the feeling would become even more vivid.

As for the local music style of these past few days… Dean Xun, video-calling his wife alone in his large open-plan room, had already made it very clear.

This was the Aegean Sea.

When the ship docked here, the two of them had forgotten their wallets when they went ashore. Ming Chi had pulled Mr. Shadow to a square and blended in with the local street musicians.

The busking plan was quite successful. Ming Chi had only temporarily learned a few local phrases the night before. Paired with the simple drawings in his sketchbook, he had quickly integrated in just a few minutes. He was grabbed by an enthusiastic folk artist and was handed an oud that looked quite like an emoji.

The principle of plucked string instruments is similar. Ming Chi took some time to learn how to play it and also learned a few basic tunes from the locals. He was immediately pulled into a band in front of a tavern and played a song with them.

Greece and Turkey had had many disputes over this sea, but their musical styles still converged here. There was both a distant mystery and a bright, melodious quality. Those charming and passionate tunes were quite lively, and the grace notes led the melody upwards layer by layer, as if continuously injecting an inexhaustible, abundant vitality.

The tavern’s patrons were very supportive. Ming Chi not only earned enough money for a meal but also bought a very beautiful hand drum for Mr. Shadow before returning to the ship.

The cowhide drumhead was sturdy and thick, producing a clear sound from the center and a crisp sound from the edge when struck. The goblet-shaped, deep red body was quite elegant. Even as a decoration, it had a very exotic charm.

Mr. Ming had just successfully made filled bread and soon developed an interest in learning the hand drum as well.

On the terrace of their living room, besides the faint smell of turpentine, the indistinct sounds of guitar and drum gradually began to appear.

Ming Chi completely mastered diving in Malta.

The seawater here was warm and clear, with a large number of coral reefs distributed underwater, and countless schools of fish inhabited them.

The colors of the coral reefs were vibrant and dazzling, a feast for the eyes. Soft sea anemones swayed gently with the ocean currents, like a mysterious garden growing at the bottom of the sea.

The underwater caves were quite mysterious. The caves here were not very deep, so light could penetrate from the water’s surface, appearing particularly beautiful and magnificent in the azure seawater.

The schools of fish would constantly follow the divers, already accustomed to the fish food and breadcrumbs in the divers’ hands. When the schools of fish passed through the beams of light in the water, it was as if they were slowly leading the divers into another world.

Ming Chi encountered a very friendly bottlenose dolphin in the sea. He and Mr. Shadow quickly became familiar with the dolphin and went to see the sunken ships and plane wreckage sleeping at the bottom of the sea together. In the nearby waters north of Malta, they visited the famous Imperial Eagle shipwreck. The statue of Christ at the bow was already completely covered in seaweed, silently opening its arms, facing the vast and deep sea, as if embracing a period of past time sealed at the bottom of the sea…

On the last day of this journey, Mr. Ming and the Ming family’s little mister hosted a very formal farewell dinner for their friends.

Although all their friends had already met Mr. Ming, at the dinner party, Ming Chi still very seriously held Mr. Shadow’s hand and introduced Ming Weiting to everyone.

Ming Chi’s leg had completely recovered and he no longer needed a cane.

He had changed into the seaman’s uniform of the ship. The wave-white shirt was neatly tied with a tie, and the sea-blue uniform was crisp and stylish, making the Ming family’s little mister look dashing and heroic, yet his gaze was still bright and calm.

Fang Hang held down Xiang Luan, whose eyes were red and who couldn’t help but lower his head and pout. He stood up and solemnly thanked Mr. Ming one last time, then gave Ming Chi a tight hug.

They knew better than anyone that this was a farewell. The duration, of course, would not be forever—but for at least the next three to five years, or even longer, no one would be able to see Ming Chi again.

Many people would see a gifted musician. Not only could he play the guitar, but he could also play many local instruments. He could communicate with a sketchbook and drawings, and would join wandering street bands to play together.

Music is never limited by language. No matter where, it will attract many passersby and tourists. There will be children pulling their parents along, bouncing and listening. There will be couples or lovers holding hands in the sound of music. There will be an old lady passing by who will break off a flower and gently place it on the guitar strings.

Many people will also, when visiting a gallery or art exhibition, encounter a very talented young man, accompanying an old gentleman well past his eighties in appreciating works and discussing design.

Snorkeling and surfing enthusiasts will meet a novice who never seems to tan, looks gentle and scholarly, but is completely fearless, dedicatedly and tirelessly honing his moves.

The novice surfer will have someone protecting him by his side. At the gallery and art exhibition, the young man will also definitely have someone accompanying him. As for the young musician who mixes into street bands everywhere, his solos will always have the beat of a hand drum. It doesn’t matter if the beat isn’t very steady; the guitar will always cooperate smoothly and naturally.

Or perhaps it won’t be that hard to find him—when the weather gets colder and it’s not so suitable to continue traveling at sea, and the cruise route happens not to be heading to the southern hemisphere, perhaps someone will go out to buy groceries and inadvertently run into two figures.

Those two figures will be walking home together, to one of the myriad lights of a thousand homes, where a warm-colored light will soon be lit.

…

As for how long this “longer” would be, that would depend on when Ming Chi had accumulated enough sailing experience, when he had finished visiting every corner of the world he wanted to go to, and when he had thoroughly had his fill of fun.

“Go and have fun,” Fang Hang said to Ming Chi. “Go and live your life, the life you should have lived long ago.”

“We will all be fine too. We’ll wait for you to come back.”

Fang Hang paused and looked at Xiang Luan, who was hugging a beer and sniffling.

The young guitarists had never really thought about this. It was only today that they realized Ming Chi was really leaving. They all had their heads down, their eyes red, and said nothing. They hadn’t been this quiet in days.

“They’re tanned like charcoal. They’re all going to get hammered by their manager when they get back.”

Fang Hang suppressed a laugh and said in a low voice, “When you come back, you can pay a surprise visit to the company and give those kids a big shock.”

Ming Chi’s eyes curved into a smile. He extended his arms and hugged him back just as tightly.

…

They said a lot of things that night, made many farewells, and perhaps made more promises than farewells.

That night, the little mister also drank a little more than usual.

A very cautious amount, probably only the equivalent of a glass of light rum, but it was still enough to make Ming Chi drowsy and muddled. He was led back to his room by Mr. Shadow with his eyes closed all the way.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in the double chaise lounge on the terrace.

Someone was holding his back steadily, letting him lean on his shoulder. They weren’t in a hurry to do anything, just resting and enjoying the breeze here.

The evening wind was gentle and quiet. The cruise ship had already sent off its last passenger. The moonlight shone on the water’s surface, which was so smooth it was without a single ripple. This was a route that included a return trip. They docked back at the familiar port. The light of the clock tower was right opposite, its hands slowly moving forward, almost reaching a new day.

This was the first time Ming Chi had come home from the sea.

He had had a very long dream. Many different things had happened in the dream, but all roads led to Rome, and they had also come home on this day. The dream had felt very real and very long. It was only when he woke up that he realized it had only been a few dozen minutes.

Ming Chi thought about this dream, looked at the night view in the distance for a while, and noticed the person beside him move his arm, then turned his gaze.

Mr. Shadow opened his eyes and met his gaze.

Ming Weiting didn’t speak immediately. He just tightened his arms and gently touched the top of Ming Chi’s head, which was resting on his arm.

He took Ming Chi’s hand and they went back to the room together. Because Ming Chi was very sleepy, they didn’t do anything, just rested in the chaise lounge for a while.

Ming Weiting hadn’t been sleepy originally, but the person beside him was sleeping warmly, his breathing steady and even. Emptying his mind and admiring the night view here, he had unknowingly fallen asleep too.

Ming Chi looked at him seriously, raised his hand, and gently touched Mr. Shadow’s eyes.

“I had a dream,” Ming Weiting lowered his head, bringing his eyelashes to his fingertips. “I dreamed—”

Ming Chi pursed his lips. “You dreamed of the bonfire party that night, where we were both beaten up by Auntie.”

Ming Weiting was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud, also holding his hand and pulling the little mister tighter into his embrace. He said in a low voice, “Perhaps it wasn’t a dream.”

Ming Chi guessed what he was about to say and cooperated by asking, “What was it?”

Ming Weiting touched the little mister’s ear to show his gratitude, organized his words, and then answered, “It was us.”

Even the most rational and scientific Mr. Ming was completely willing to endorse this view at this time.

What they had dreamed of was perhaps one of the world lines among the three thousand worlds—in that world line, he had gotten off the ship, he and Ming Chi had chatted together, stayed up all night together, made plans to travel the world together, and were beaten up by Auntie together.

In that world line, many developments were different, but no matter how many differences there were, there was one fixed point that would not change.

They would go home together, watch the outline of the distant city as the cruise ship docked, watch the hands on the clock tower move forward unhurriedly, and walk into a new day.

Ming Chi touched the pendant hidden under his collar.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled it very slowly from his chest.

In that dream, they had also gotten off the ship together.

Because there was something very urgent to do after getting off the ship, so urgent that he couldn’t drink much and had no time to rest.

He had held all the postcards, photos, souvenirs, and gifts he had collected along the way, pulled Mr. Shadow’s hand, and ran all the way home.

When he pushed open the door, Auntie had also just returned from a trip to the grasslands, wearing a straw hat, a little tanned, her suitcase also full of gifts, souvenirs, photos, and postcards.

Auntie had her arms crossed and looked up, smiling as she looked towards the door.

…

Perhaps this point was also the same.

Ming Chi looked up.

He had learned to use a sextant and an astrolabe on the ship and could already recognize the stars very well. He found the one his aunt had pointed out to him at a glance.

That star was no brighter than the stars next to it, but it was not dim at all. Auntie had told him that as long as you found the right method, you could find your way home at night by looking at the stars.

Mr. Shadow took his hand, fumbled in his pocket with his other hand, and took out a kaleidoscope for him.

Ming Chi was stunned for a moment. Seeing the special toy for children in his hand, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and also very seriously aimed the kaleidoscope at that star like a telescope.

In the colorful field of vision, the star was in the only light-transmitting center, slowly blinking at him.

The clock tower sounded a long, melodious chime. The midnight bell made the shadow cast by the hands return to its place. The weary traveler rested for a while, waiting for a new journey.

Ming Chi had written many songs on this trip. But in every place he went, among the songs he would regularly play, he would still regularly add the entire song “Two Tigers.”

He played it very fluently and completely. Every time he finished, the wind would gently touch his ear.

“A new day,” Ming Chi raised his hand and gently touched the light of that star. “Mom.”