American Perspectives: Cotton Rose Hibiscus Pt. 1 ("Ashes of Love" Ep. 17)

 

 

***The intent of The Flower Realm by 사극 Paradise is to support women and men in rejecting the culture of pornography, and to live a life of integrity without manipulative intent.***

 

"Ashes of Love" is a Xianxia drama based on the novel "Heavy Sweetness. Ash-Like Frost," by Dian Xian.  The writing presented here is based on observations from the television show "Ashes of Love."  Dialogue credit goes to the English subtitle translaters from the "Gone with the Shirt Team" at Viki.com.  

 

 

 

 

 

Lin Xiu lays out several delicious looking treats on Jin Mi's table.

 

"Mi'er quickly taste it," says Lin Xiu.  "I personally made these.  Eat them while they're hot."

 

Jin Mi smiles uncomfortably.

 

"Don't be afraid," says Lin Xiu.  "Everyone knows that everything I make isn't delicious, but my fresh flower cake is still acceptable."

 

At this point, Jin Mi's smile appears to be pasted on.

 

Lin Xiu is the first to take a bite.  "Mmm.  Taste it."

 

Jin Mi nods uncomfortably.  She reaches for a green flower cake, and cautiously allows herself a taste.  "Mmm!  It is indeed delicious."

 

Lin Xiu smiles.

 

"Auntie Lin Xiu, never thought that your fresh flower cake could be this delicious.  It's way better than mine."

 

"You and your mother are very much alike.  Both love to eat fresh flower cake so much.  But your personalities are totally different.  Your mother is a water lily, like a cold wind and sad dew.  While you are a cotton rose hibiscus, resisting the cold frost and enjoying yourself to the fullest."

 

"Auntie Lin Xiu, tell me about my mother.  I dare not ask my father.  I'm afraid he'll get sad if I ask him."

 

"Since your mother got discovered by your father, a lot of things have become destined."

 

 

 

 

 

 

A young Luo Lin walks through the flowery forest, lantern in hand.  He takes notice of a flower tree with a broken branch.  He lifts the branch and ties a strip of white cloth around it to reconnect it to the tree.  The cloth glows, and the pieces begin to connect.

 

He continues to walk along the trail when he hears the sounds of a baby crying.

 

He turns around and sees a sleeping baby girl next to a flower bush.  He carefully picks her up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Grand Teacher!  Grand Teacher!"  Luo Lin runs inside Doumu's home.  "Grand Teacher."

 

"Why are you in a panic?"  Doumu asks.

 

"I discovered this baby in the mountain forest.  I earnestly ask Grand Teacher to save her life."

 

Doumu pulls back the blanket covering the baby.  She touches her Buddhist prayer beads.  "This isn't some little baby.  She is a lotus petal in front of Deity's seat who mistakenly entered the cycle of karma and reincarnation, and whose light is to be extinguished.  But through the gap of lights, she erroneously fell into our Three Islands and Ten Continents.  Her primordial spirit has been set to die out.  If we are to recover her soul...Luo Lin, you are benevolent to all living things.  You should know that all living things follow the law of nature.  Their fates are set by the heavens.  Going against it is creating sin and its consequences."

 

Luo Lin drops to his knees.  What kind of force would be so cruel to allow a baby to die?  "Grand Teacher, if her primordial spirit can be recovered, I'm willing to bear the consequences."

 

Doumu shakes her head and sighs.  You're too benevolent for your own good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What happened afterwards?"  Jin Mi asks.

 

Lin Xiu smiles.  "Afterwards, the three of us practiced immortal techniques in Three Islands and Ten Continents together.  Grand Teacher ordered me to control the wind, Luo Lin to manage the water, Zi Fen to cast flowers.  During idle hours, under the moonlit sky, your mother controlled the flowers, I drove the wind, and your father called the snow.  That is what you truly call the 'Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon.'"

 

"Auntie Lin Xiu, you three grew up together, and that is quite enviable," says Jin Mi.  "But...why did my mother fall in love with Heavenly Emperor?  Father is clearly outstanding."

 

Sexual aggression and misogyny.  Duping women into thinking it's some big honor and a ticket to liberation and power,  Lin Xiu wants to say.  Instead, she smiles weakly and sighs.  "Our womanizing Heavenly Emperor knew to play his card well."  Of course he did.  This man has always been hideously unattractive.  There wouldn't have been any other way!  "That time, he was still the Second Prince.  One time, he entered Taixu Dreamland, saw Zi Fen, and was stunned by her.  He then developed love toward her."  Even I don't believe that, but now's not the time to have the talk with Jin Mi about the difference between love and lust.  "He vowed to find that woman.  Hence, he painstakingly searched the whole Six Realms for her.  Finally, in the Mortal World, he bumped into Zi Fen, who was watching an opera at that time.

 

"Afterwards, he learned that Zi Fen loved listening to highlights from operas.  He would then frequently invite her.  Every three to five days, he would invite Zi Fen to listen to them.  During the opera, they would watch as a pair.  Outside the opera, he would be very caring.  Zi Fen didn't have deep worldly experience to begin with.  She was quite naive.  Being together for such a long time, how could she not fall?  Loving because of fate.  Hating because of karma.  Hardly realizing that a deep love, but shallow fate is a nightmare."

 

Lin Xiu begins to sing in her opera voice.  "Auspicious hour and beautiful scenery, but can't do anything to the flowing of time."

 

Jin Mi enthusiastically claps her hands.  "Auntie Lin Xiu, never thought that you knew how to do opera singing, and it sounded so beautiful."

 

Lin Xiu laughs.  "Because your mother loved to listen to it.  After practicing for a long time, I got better at it.  The friendship and affection between your mother and I, isn't less than with your father and her."

 

Jin Mi holds Lin Xiu's hand.  "Auntie Lin Xiu, I know how you feel.  Before, I also had a good friend.  When she left, I was also in so much pain, so I understand what you're feeling.  But don't worry.  Although my mother isn't around anymore, I will keep you and father company every day from now on."

 

"Zi Fen and I were like real sisters.  From now on, you're my daughter."

 

"Yes."

 

"Oh, right, have you memorized the 'Without Appearances Heart Sutra'?"

 

Jin Mi pauses.  "I did."  She says sheepishly.

 

"Good.  Recite it to me tomorrow morning.  Today, just go to rest."

 

"Auntie Lin Xiu, take care."

 

Lin Xiu rises.  "Rest early."

 

"Yes."

 

After Lin Xiu leaves, Jin Mi hurriedly grabs a wooden scroll.  "Phoenix," she smiles.  "Before, I kept feeling that it was pure torment to be a page boy of Phoenix's.  Never thought that being father's daughter is also not easy.  Auntie Lin Xiu is usually so gentle, but with teaching immortal techniques, she's stricter than Phoenix."

 

"What?"  Luo Lin asks as he enters her home.  "Mi'er is complaining about me?"

 

Jin Mi greets her father at the doorway.  "Father, when did you arrive?"

 

Luo Lin chuckles.

 

"Father, have you ever thought that your daughter might not be a suitable cultivator?"

 

"Mi'er, I ask you to cultivate not to bring me prestige.  The path of cultivation is very hard, but it can temper your character.  I don't want you to become a flower in a greenhouse.  Currently, I'm by your side.  It's very refreshing to stay under a big tree.  But one day, I will die and return to nature.  It's impossible for me to forever protect you."

 

"Father, I don't want you to say things like that.  I don't want to listen to such words."

 

"An arduous and difficult trial can help convert a person to achieve greatness.  Only long durations of sharpening oneself, experiencing getting battered by wind, frost, and rain, can one get encouraged to become someone worthy.  What I ask you to cultivate is the ability to discern reason, cultivate self respect, self love, and self renewal.  In the future, you can lift your head between Heaven and Earth, be carefree as you move around, have no shame in facing great justice and your conscience, and no need to bend your waist in serving anyone.  Hope you can eventually understand my painstaking efforts."

Jin Mi nods uncertainly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luo Lin exits Jin Mi's home and joins Lin Xiu on the patio.  The flowers look beautiful as the vibrant colors contrast against the night sky.

 

Lin Xiu is sitting on Jin Mi's swing, thinking of old times long past.

 

"What are you thinking about?  You seem so lost in thought," says Luo Lin.

 

"Remembering some past events with Zi Fen," Lin Xiu replies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Lin Xiu," says Zi Fen, sitting on the exact same swing.  "What kind of man do you like?"

 

"I've never thought of such things," Lin Xiu insists.

 

"You haven't?"  Zi Fen smiles.

 

"It's true.  Why would I lie to you?"

 

"Have you ever thought of marrying some kind of man, and being together with him for a lifetime?"  Zi Fen inquires.

 

"With you and senior accompanying me like this in this lifetime, that's enough."

 

Zi Fen grins wickedly.  "You like Senior, then."

 

Lin Xiu gasps in embarrassment.  "Don't spout nonsense."

 

Zi Fen giggles.  "Senior is like a bright wind and unusually handsome.  In terms of face and talent, he's one of the top men in the Heavenly Realm.  You don't like him?"

 

"What about you?  Do you like him?"

 

"I don't know," Zi Fen admits.  "Quickly push me.  Hurry!  Push me high up!"

 

Lin Xiu giggles.  "Coming!"  She gets behind Zi Fen.  "Be careful, then.  Don't fall off."

 

"Higher!  Higher!"

 

"I'm going to push."

 

Zi Fen flies out of the swing and trips over a rock.  Before she can face plant, Luo Lin grabs her wrist, and he keeps holding it as Zi Fen flies in a circle around him.

 

"Zi Fen!"  Lin Xiu yells.  It's not lost on her when Luo Lin and Zi Fen make eye contact.

 

Luo Lin tenderly smiles at Zi Fen.

 

Zi Fen's heart warms as she smiles back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Before, I even said that Mi'er and Zi Fen have different personalities," Lin Xiu acknowledges.  "But carefully recalling it, the two of them actually have a lot in common.  Being so long ago, I almost forgot.  ZI Fen sometimes would have naughty moments."

 

"Time goes by so fast," says Luo Lin.  "Too bad Zi Fen left too early.  Good thing, we still have these...happy memories."

 

********

 

Luo Lin happily plays his zither while Zi Fen and Lin Xiu practice their martial arts techniques.  Instead of swords, they use black tree branches.

 

He smiles as he watches the two women having fun.

 

Right on cue, Zi Fen and Lin Xiu lunge forward, pointing their branch swords at Luo Lin.

 

Zi Fen steps back and smiles.  Lin Xiu joins her, and they sychronize their movements.  They spin, and do their end pose.

 

*********

 

The three deities clink their red cups of wine at the picnic table.  Luo Lin looks over at Zi Fen, who smiles and self consciously lowers her eyes.

 

******

 

Lin Xiu walks up to Luo Lin with a pink flower in hand.  "Before, I kept naively thinking that the three of us could forever be together and never separate.  Live happily for a lifetime.  But the good thing is, she left us Mi'er."

 

"Nothing is constant in life," Luo Lin whispers.  "These thousands of years, I wasn't able to fulfill any of my paternal duties.  I truly feel guilt toward Mi'er."

 

Lin Xiu shakes her head.  She gently touches his hand.  "The future days are long.  We still have a lot of time to accompany Mi'er.  I believe that you will surely be a good father."

 

"For my daughter, I can give my everything.  Tomorrow, I'll take Mi'er to see grand teacher."

 

Lin Xiu smiles.

 

 

...To be continued...