１４

  Winter snow melts, red sun gentle breeze.

  The door was never opened again. In such weather, one should be out having fun. Sorrow on a cloudy day is just sorrow, but sorrow on a sunny day is painful. My master said I wished all the people outside were dead.

  I say, actually anyone can know the future. Isn't the future just everyone being dead?

  Master said no, death is a result, not the future, the future is the result before death.

  I said outside there are so many people, almost half of them have died. Anyway, everyone will die. Even if we save them, they'll still die. What if the disease is transmitted inside? We'll all die together. If we save them and they live, they'll still die in the end. Master, don't be sad anymore.

  Master stared at me and said: "If you think so, you would have died early. You can't think like this, the more you think, the more you believe."

  Outside the gate, there was only a faint moan and no other signs of life. We continued to throw mantou over the high wall every day as usual. The temple's stored food could only last for three days; after that, everyone would have nothing to eat.

  I never thought a famine and an epidemic could last so long. Can you imagine such a gentle breeze, outside the wall should be plum blossoms everywhere.