A Moon and a Cicada - Chapter 2

The radio crackled and automatically skipped to another station. “Welcome to ‘Light and Shadow Stories.’ Let the years leave their mark as we meet again. Today’s film analysis features the 2016 Republican-era spy thriller ‘The Butterfly,’ directed by the famous Taiwanese director Zhou Se. The film tells the story of the patriotic youth Pei Ran, played by Hang Che…”

The red light at the intersection flickered. As Song Zhi watched the numbers on the countdown, her thoughts began to blur; she was exhausted.

Years ago, the concept of “smog” didn’t exist; people just called it heavy fog. It usually happened in winter, but environmental pollution had worsened lately. The distant buildings were being swallowed by the haze, and the streetlights looked like flashlights shining through a frosted lens.

How strange for late August, Song Zhi thought absently.

Indeed, it was strange. The intersection was eerily quiet. Song Zhi glanced at the right lane—she was the only car there. A chill ran down her spine.

With five seconds left on the countdown, she habitually flicked the turn signal.

The car accelerated into the turn. Just as she reached the center of the intersection, a sudden, blinding white light burst from her left. The piercing screech of brakes and a continuous, deafening horn tore through her eardrums.

Song Zhi felt herself hurled outward by a massive force. The airbag deployed, sending her into a dizzying spin. Her head felt heavy; her eyelids were leaden.

Time stood still. The entire world was reduced to her own heartbeat and heavy gasps. Through the haze, she saw a white coupe flipped upside down across from her, a dark red liquid spreading across the pavement.

Accompanied by the distinct wail of an ambulance, her final memory was the sight of a nurse’s feet running toward her.

“Wake up! Are you okay? Hey!” In the chaos, Song Zhi wanted to snap back, “Do I look okay?!” But her brain waves were already quitting. Like a television losing its signal, the horizontal line of light in her mind abruptly condensed into a single point.

I’m being written out of the story this young? Don’t! Payday is in two days!

The last time she had blacked out was three years ago.

June 2021. Why did she remember it so clearly? Because her apprentice, Li Pu—whom she had raised with blood, sweat, and tears—had finally landed a client independently and successfully filed the case in court.

They had a department dinner that night. A group of them sat around a long table, suit jackets tossed onto the tatami mats behind them. After three rounds of drinks, two male colleagues tied their ties around their heads like headbands, drumming on plates with chopsticks. The female colleagues were hunched over their phones, gossiping about celebrities and makeup.

Her little apprentice had grabbed Song Zhi’s sleeve, crying snotty tears of gratitude for the year and a half of “careful cultivation.”

Song Zhi had been moved; after all, this was her first student. But a second later, the kid used her own floral tie to blow her nose. Song Zhi awkwardly retracted the hand she was about to use to pat Li Pu’s shoulder.

The firm rarely treated them to dinner. Back then, Old Man Wang was even stingier than he was now. Everyone relished the relaxation. Colleagues toasted Song Zhi: “Great teachers produce brilliant students.”

Two years prior, despite Wang Huiteng’s objections, she had insisted on representing a female high school graduate in a sexual assault case against a classmate. Because she helped the girl gather evidence from various sources, she was threatened by the boy’s family, who had connections. They used online rumors to expose her. Later, the girl’s sudden retraction of her testimony in court put Song Zhi under immense psychological pressure and stalled the case.

In truth, these were troubles a common lawyer often faced, and Song Zhi didn’t let it get to her… until…

After that, she was never truly happy again. When it first happened, Wang Huiteng gave her two weeks off, but she returned after one, acting like a different person. She worked desperately, pulling overtime and taking on the petty cases she used to look down upon.

Wang Huiteng had raised a glass of sake to her that night. Amidst the drunken noise of her colleagues, she returned the toast. She hadn’t called him “Master” in a long time—not since the day in the office when she insisted on taking that case and asked him, “Can you please not let yourself fall into a money pit?” She would never forget the disappointed, silent look on his face as he turned away.

She eventually realized Wang Huiteng just wanted to protect her. If she didn’t call him Master, she wouldn’t. “Old Man Wang” was quite affectionate, wasn’t it?

As she thought of these things, the tension in Song Zhi’s mind eased. Her phone chimed with a bank notification—a repayment reminder. It used to just be her rent, which was manageable, but ever since she took on her parents’ mortgage, the sudden burden was suffocating. Taking more cases and getting more commissions was her only way out.

Just let go for once, she thought. I’m so tired.

When she woke up from that previous blackout, she was in her rental apartment. Li Pu, sprawled on the floor beside her, had scared the life out of her. She had scrambled to check under the covers to make sure she was fully dressed, only to realize—Li Pu is a girl, what am I worried about?

The panicked Song Zhi had met Li Pu’s groggy face. “Master, you’re so heavy… last night I really spent a lot of effort…”

Just like now, she opened her eyes to see Li Pu’s large, blinking eyes. “She’s awake! She’s awake! Master, how do you feel?”

Song Zhi’s head felt like it was splitting. So noisy.

A nurse flicked the IV tube. “It’s just low blood sugar. Once these two bottles are finished, she can leave tomorrow morning. Watch your eating habits.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Wang Huiteng, sitting on a nearby chair, uncrossed his legs and stood up, nodding to the doctor.

Li Pu stood by the bed, her gestures exaggerated. “Master! You scared me to death! How did you just faint? Good thing I felt uneasy when you didn’t come back from the archives!”

Song Zhi realized she was in a hospital. The car accident. She wasn’t dead. She moved her limbs—not paralyzed. She touched her head and face with her needle-free hand—no bandages, no disfigurement.

What luck. I’m buying a lottery ticket tomorrow.

Looking at the patient’s strange movements, Li Pu and Wang Huiteng exchanged glances.

Song Zhi composed herself and looked at Wang Huiteng at the foot of the bed. She jumped! Old Man Wang’s hair? Why wasn’t he bald?! He actually looked younger!

“Old Man Wang… did the iron tree bloom? I went on a five-day business trip and you got a hair transplant?” she asked weakly.

Wang Huiteng was baffled. “What tree? What bloom? What hair?”

Song Zhi turned to the person by the bed, her eyes filled with disdain. “Li Pu, why did you cut your hair again? And didn’t I tell you not to wear those childish floral ties?”

“Master, my hair is already a buzz cut, how could I cut it more? You… what’s wrong?” The apprentice reached out to feel Song Zhi’s forehead to see if she had a fever.

Song Zhi flicked her head away. “Tsk. No respect for your elders.”

“Did you submit the trip report?” Song Zhi sat up, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“What report?” Li Pu grew more confused.

Song Zhi snapped, “The one for Fujian Sida Construction!”

“What are you talking about? Boss! I—I—I think my Master hit her head when she fainted!” Li Pu stuttered, looking between Song Zhi and Wang Huiteng in disbelief. Suddenly struck by a thought, she waved her arms and ran out. “Doctor! Doctor!”

Song Zhi was speechless. Four years and still so reckless. Though, cutting her hair really did make her look like she used to when she first started her apprenticeship. Since they saw each other every day, she hadn’t noticed the gradual aging, but this “sudden” image change was striking.

Wang Huiteng had a complex look in his eyes. He pulled up a chair and sat next to Song Zhi, his fingers interlaced. He clearly had something to say.

Song Zhi waited for him to speak.

“Song Zhi, I know that incident was a huge blow to you, but life must go on. Li Pu… the kid’s name is a bit unreliable, and her style is a bit too trendy, but she has drive and ideals, just like you when you first arrived. If you’re really unhappy with her…”

“That happened so many years ago. Besides, what does that have to do with Li Pu?” It had been four years; Song Zhi had accepted the reality, even if she would never forgive herself.

Wang Huiteng recalled that six months ago, Song Zhi was still calling him Master. If it weren’t for that case…

Sigh. Now she just called him Old Man Wang.

Li Pu really couldn’t compare to Song Zhi; at least Song Zhi had been exceptional during her internship. But not everyone was a Song Zhi. Compared to the other graduates he’d interviewed, Li Pu met his passing grade. He gripped his hands, sensing Song Zhi’s aura was off today—maybe she was just cranky from being sick.

He decided to be blunt. If one more person quit, the firm would be down five interns.

“Weren’t you being a bit too harsh just now to a brand-new apprentice? An intern?”

“She’s been at the firm for four years. How long does it take to write a report?” In work, Song Zhi couldn’t tolerate a single grain of sand in her eye.

“She’s only been here for a month.”

“…”

“You didn’t…” Lawyer Wang stood up, rubbing his chin. “You didn’t actually break your brain, did you?”

“Doctor, Doctor! Quickly, look at my Master! Something is wrong with her head!” Li Pu dragged a doctor back into the room.

“There’s something wrong with your head!” Song Zhi snapped. She and Li Pu never stood on ceremony.

The doctor performed a routine check and declared there were no major issues. Li Pu and Wang Huiteng stood there helplessly, wondering what had triggered Song Zhi.

Then, Song Zhi saw the iPhone XS on her pillow. It was a gift from her father for her birthday in 2018! But it had been stolen on the subway on her way to court shortly after he passed away.

She had nearly collapsed back then, spending an entire night running between the subway security and the local police station to check surveillance footage. Even the officers had eventually lost their patience with her.

Song Zhi closed her eyes, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath and entered the familiar passcode. The lock screen—a family photo—came into view. The knot in her chest finally loosened. She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she opened WeChat.

It was all there. The chat history with her father. Her eyes reddened as she scrolled through the interface. Thank god. These were the only memories she had left of him.

The two people by the bed were now completely lost. What was on that phone that made Song Zhi cry? Wang Huiteng gestured for Li Pu to follow him out.

Once the door was closed, Li Pu tried to peek back in through the crack. She was worried. Wang Huiteng didn’t treat her like a typical girl; he grabbed her collar and hauled her into the hallway.

He glanced at the door and lowered his voice. “Your Master has likely been through a shock. For the next two days, you follow Lawyer Long’s team and learn from them.”

“Huh?” Li Pu reflexively covered her mouth as if expecting a blow.

“What ‘huh’?” Wang Huiteng huffed, resting his hands on his hips.

Li Pu thought for a second. “Lawyer Wang, you aren’t reassigning me to him, are you? ‘A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime!'”

Wang Huiteng glared at her. She weakly added, “…or mother.”

The lawyer found the kid amusing. He tilted his head. “She’s so mean to you, and you still want to stay?”

“Master is just sick. Besides, I don’t like Lawyer Long. I’m not going.”

She was loyal. The “Old Fox” narrowed his eyes, deciding on a different tactic. He leaned in close to the young woman.

“Why are you so thick-headed? If your Master isn’t around, aren’t you afraid Long Bin will steal all her clients?”

Realization dawned on her. “You mean…?”

“Exactly what you think.”

“Oh! I get it! I’ll head back to the office right now and keep a death watch!”

Straightening her tie, Li Pu ducked back inside to say a quick goodbye to the stunned Song Zhi before rushing off to the firm.