"After every feeding, the baby should be held upright for 20 to 30 minutes;"You should feed the baby before they are extremely hungry...""..."
Ren Jie's voice echoed softly in the room as she preached, and Shen Du and the others listened attentively, occasionally taking out prepared paper and pens to jot down what they deemed important.
Shang Jianyao maintained his initial position, focusing intently on Ren Jie, though his eyes seemed to lose focus at times.
After about 20 to 30 minutes, Ren Jie paused, scanning the room before saying:
"That's all for today."Everything shared today is the teaching of the divine."
"Praise Your Mercy!" Before anyone else could speak, Shang Jianyao raised his arms, mimicking the act of gently rocking a baby, appearing quite eager.
"..."
The others were stunned for a moment, but eventually followed suit, holding their arms in a similar position, elbows bent, gently rocking as they echoed, "Praise Your Mercy!"
Ren Jie opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped. She glanced at the old electronic watch on her wrist and said:
"It's getting late, we must return home before the streetlights come on."The final ritual is the Eucharist."
With that, she and a woman named Li entered the inner room. Less than a minute later, they emerged, one carrying various utensils—small bowls, large bowls, plastic lunch boxes, and porcelain spoons—while the other held a large cylindrical container filled with a dark substance.
A rich, fragrant aroma quickly wafted into Shang Jianyao's nose, making him instinctively wipe his mouth with his right hand.It was the smell of sesame and sugar mixed together!Such items, including ordinary snacks, cost 60 contribution points per pound—more expensive than pork!As for higher-end items, they could cost as much as 720 points per pound. Shang Jianyao's breakfast typically cost only 8 to 10 points.
Soon, Li began distributing the utensils, while Ren Jie, holding a semi-transparent plastic container and a soup spoon, began serving the dark food into the bowls and lunch boxes of the followers, one scoop per person.
Each time she served, she would say:
"This is today's Eucharist, black sesame paste."
The recipients would solemnly respond:"Praise Your Mercy!"
As a new member, Shang Jianyao was the last to receive his portion, and the scoop was quite large, nearly filling his small bowl.
"This is today's Eucharist, black sesame paste," Ren Jie repeated.
Shang Jianyao responded devoutly,"Praise Your Mercy!"
Ren Jie, distributing the Eucharist, was somewhat like the embodiment of the "Keeper of Time," so "You" referred to the Keeper, not Ren Jie herself.
Li observed Shang Jianyao's expression and smiled, asking,"Are you touched?"
"Very touched!" Shang Jianyao replied, holding the bowl in one hand and wiping his mouth with the back of his other hand.
Ren Jie and Li said nothing more, returning to the bedside to finish distributing the remaining black sesame paste. With her head slightly bowed, Ren Jie spoke in a low voice:"Praise Your Mercy."
The others echoed the words before beginning to enjoy the Eucharist.
The paste seemed to have been prepared earlier and was slightly cool, but this did not affect its taste. It was rich, sweet, with the unique flavor of sesame.
Shang Jianyao took a cautious taste, then paused briefly, before scooping the paste quickly into his mouth.When, when, when—he didn't even leave any stuck to the sides of the bowl, scraping it clean.
After finishing, he looked around, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
When the Eucharist ceremony ended, everyone praised the Keeper of Time for the twelfth month, returned their utensils to Li and Ren Jie, and queued up.
When it was Shang Jianyao's turn, Li smiled and asked,"It's your first gathering. How do you feel?"
Shang Jianyao answered seriously,"It was delicious."
Li's expression froze for a moment before she asked,"Do you have any suggestions for us?"Don't hesitate, now that you've joined the sect, we are all family. There's nothing you can't say."
Shang Jianyao thought for a moment before replying,"More Eucharist next time."
"…Anything else?" Li forced a smile.
Shang Jianyao's gaze shifted slightly,"Brush your teeth beforehand."
Li couldn't help but cough lightly."You may leave now. Shang Jianyao, stay. The 'Guide' has something to say to you."
Shen Du and the others left in succession, and Li, along with her husband, took the utensils and entered the inner room.
Ren Jie approached Shang Jianyao, her smile gentle as she said,"You've just joined the sect, and you need to quickly master the prayers."Don't worry, it's all very simple. My Lord, the Keeper, is the true deity of time and doesn't care about formalities. There are no rigid rituals."
Shang Jianyao nodded to show he was listening.
Ren Jie slowed her speech:"We don't have fixed prayer times, but we often choose the time right after waking in the morning to thank the Keeper for allowing us to still be alive."We place great importance on the birth of babies and the passing of the dead, so our formal ceremonies, or rather religious rituals, are held when a newborn reaches one month old or when a dead person is buried. Regular teachings, however, are not time-specific."On the first day of the twelfth month, there is a grand ceremony to welcome the arrival of my Lord the Keeper, and on the last day of the twelfth month, another grand ceremony, wishing for the Keeper to open the door to a new world."
She continued,"The proper gestures you've already learned, just imitate the action of holding and gently rocking a baby. As for the language, there are three main phrases:
For death or passing, say 'All will return to the Keeper.'
For life's nobility and my Lord's grace, say 'Praise Your Mercy.'
For new life, you may say 'Newborn as the sun' or 'Life is the most important.'"
"That's basically it. As for the Eucharist, it's always different. Sometimes it's black sesame paste, sometimes milk, juice, soy milk, broth, vegetable soup, or yogurt. Hehe, did you notice the commonality?"Shang Jianyao thought for a moment,"They're all delicious."
"..." Ren Jie kept smiling, "They're all liquids or near-liquids, as such foods are the primary offerings for new life and those about to depart."
Before Shang Jianyao could reply, Ren Jie pointed to the door:"Alright, you can go back now."
Shang Jianyao glanced back, hesitated, then asked,"Aunt Ren, how many Keepers of Time are there?"
"Once normal people understand the concept of the Keepers, they'd assume there are twelve, but it's not quite that simple." Ren Jie smiled. "There are thirteen Keepers, one of whom represents the leap month. Hehe, in places where leap months aren't acknowledged, He symbolizes the entire year."
"And His title is?" Shang Jianyao asked.
Ren Jie shook her head:"I'm not sure. We worship the Keeper of Time, not the other Keepers."
Shang Jianyao didn't ask further, turning to leave Room A-35.
With the help of a flashlight, he retraced his steps to B-196. Each time he neared an intersection, he followed Shen Du's example, switching off the flashlight and pressing against the wall.
Arriving at his room, Shang Jianyao approached the sink, grabbed the almost empty tube of toothpaste, and with much effort, managed to squeeze out a small amount onto his sparsely-haired toothbrush.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he noticed that the ceiling hadn't brightened yet, so he sat at the wooden table, leaning back in the chair, closing his eyes.
He rubbed his temples for a moment before letting his hands fall.
...
In the vast hall above, filled with "stars," Shang Jianyao's figure appeared.
First, he glanced at the nearby cold, dark metallic walls, then lifted his head to gaze at the sky.
The countless dazzling points of light resembled stars in a textbook, forming one galaxy after another, and these galaxies made up several river systems.
These "galaxies" had boundaries, but they weren't sharply defined.
Shang Jianyao had already counted how many "galaxies" were present. Now, he began to count again:
"One, two, three... eleven, twelve, thirteen."Thirteen..."
He fell silent, his figure slowly fading, disappearing into the starry expanse of the hall.
...
After waiting a while, Shang Jianyao saw the outside suddenly brighten.
The daylight bulbs on the street ceiling all lit up at the same time.
The underground building was now welcoming the dawn.
Still wearing the dark green thick cotton coat, he grabbed his plastic lunch box and left his room, heading toward District C.
Destination: "Material Supply Market."
Along the way, Shang Jianyao encountered Long Yuehong, who lived not far away. Clearly, she had gotten up early and wasn't waiting in line for the public restroom.
"Today, they're going to announce the distribution results..." Long Yuehong deliberately waited for Shang Jianyao along this path, seeking someone to share the anxiety within her.
"Yes," Shang Jianyaolooked ahead and saw a woman gently soothing a crying baby at the door of a room. His expression changed instantly, as if deep in thought, yet there was a hint of confusion.
Long Yuehong glanced at him, then continued walking beside him, asking, "What's wrong with you? Did you have a nightmare last night?"
Shang Jianyao remained silent for two seconds before replying, "I'm doubting life."