Afterword

Thank you for journeying with us on this translation project! Anks and I (shl) and the other translators have enjoyed giving you the opportunity to read Ding Mo’s work, although it wasn’t always a pleasant read – psychopathic killers and blood galore, anyone? 

4 items in this ‘Afterword’! Firstly, Ding Mo’s author’s note, then a note on how we felt working on this translation project from Clue (Translator), Anks (Editor), and shl (Translator). Please feel free to tell us how you felt about the novel, too! 

Do keep safe and well, everyone! May we next meet in happier times. 

Join us on Discord (link to the right) to discuss the novel or just to hang out.

Ding Mo’s Note

Everyone:

And so it ends. From now on, there will be no more stories about Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao, and no short stories will be written.

It is not easy to write a sequel, and it is even more difficult to write one in a different style. Up till today, there are still people asking why it is necessary to write a sequel to Close Your Eyes. However, in the course of writing, I became more and more convinced that Pristine Darkness had to be written. Just like a light-hearted arc needs the remaining heavier strokes to complete it, just like the reverse side of happiness and sweet love features tears that shock the spirit. If there’s no. 2, no. 1 becomes even more complete. Thus, Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao’s story and lives are now complete and well-rounded. This most probably has to do with me as the author; at different stages of writing, I have different demands on my writing. It’s just that the length of time between the two stories is somewhat long, it’s been 3 years since I finished writing Close Your Eyes1. I wanted to continue the story to the greatest extent, yet also hoped that it would be an entirely different story. I have tried my best. You guys have had a tough time, too. I think that it’s difficult for many ‘younger sisters’ to have the plot line as the most important element of the story. After all, without delight, the crucial feature of ‘mutual teasing and provocation’ would also be lacking. However, the number of subscribers has remained steady; I thank you all for your deep love and support.

Winter is here. I’m sorry that this time of renewal has come so quickly, so I am not able to accompany you in passing the winter season. However, maybe a new story will come with the spring blossoms? Maybe, a story whose ‘adorable meter’ is off the charts? After all, I took almost a year to write Pristine Darkness with it’s dark plot, and I am almost unable to repress the stirrings of love that are threatening to burst forth within my heart —

Let me give you early wishes for a happy new year. We will meet again in 2017.

— from an evergreen tree in the Internet literary circle: Lao Hei Tu (lt. Old Black Earth 老黑土)