January: The Final Wisdom
A thin layer of snow whitened Harmony Alley as Li Qingshan sat in his warm study, observing the young faces gathered in a circle for what they did not know was their final lesson from the Elder Uncle they had respected for so many years.
Chen Daming sat to his right, now fully in charge of daily coordination but still seeking wisdom from the mentor who had shaped his life. Around them, fifteen young leaders from the network—Li Qingshan's spiritual children who were now adults with their own responsibilities.
"My children," Li Qingshan began in a voice that was softer than usual, as if every word needed to be carefully preserved, "today I want to talk about... home."
A new understanding has just formed in my zhenjing. The fifteenth. The last one I will feel as Li Qingshan.
"Uncle," Chen Xiaomei—A-Ming's daughter who was now twenty-two years old—asked with genuine curiosity, "do you mean home as a place to live?"
Li Qingshan smiled with deep warmth. The perfect question to open up this understanding.
"Home, Xiaomei, is more than just a building or even a place. Home is... a feeling. A feeling of safety, being accepted, and being able to be your true self without masks or defenses."
He stood up slowly—a movement slightly hampered by his increasingly apparent "frailty"—and walked to the window that overlooked the familiar alley.
"Look at this Harmony Alley," he said, gazing outside. "For thirty years, this has been my home. Not because of its special buildings, but because... because it is here that I felt a true sense of belonging."
And in my zhenjing, the Understanding of Home resonated with a gentle but profound power. No burst of energy, no dramatic light—just a warm and deep realization of the meaning of truly belonging.
"But," Li Qingshan continued, turning back to face them, "the most important thing about a home is knowing when... when it is time to let others find their own home."
Chen Daming looked at him with a sudden and profound understanding. He knows. He has always known.
"Uncle," Daming said in a voice that was carefully controlled, "are you teaching us about... letting go?"
"I am teaching you about true love," Li Qingshan answered with gentleness. "True love does not hold on. True love... sets free. It sets people free to grow, to find their own path, to become who they are destined to be."
The Understanding of Home spread in a hundred-meter radius from where I stood, bringing a feeling of home, safety, and acceptance to everyone within its reach.
Outside the window, Li Qingshan could see Sister Lin watering plants in the yard—her movements suddenly becoming more relaxed, as if she were feeling a wave of unexplained comfort and belonging. Chen Wei in his workshop paused his work, looking around with an expression of deep contentment.
This is the gift of the Understanding of Home. To make everyone within the radius feel that they belong, that they are safe, that they are... home.
"Uncle," one of the young leaders asked with growing concern, "why does today's lesson feel like... a goodbye?"
Li Qingshan felt a familiar pang in his heart. Because it is goodbye, even though you don't realize it yet.
"Because," he said with as much honesty as he dared, "all true wisdom must be taught with the awareness that the teacher and student will eventually part ways. What is important is to ensure that the wisdom does not depend on the presence of any particular person."
February: The Secret Pilgrimage
Early morning, before dawn...
Li Qingshan left his house with quiet steps, wrapped in a heavy coat to protect him from the cold February air. In recent weeks, he had started a series of private pilgrimages—visiting all the places in Hexin that held special meaning, saying silent farewells to the locations that had been a part of his life as Li Qingshan.
First stop: a spot by the small river where he first sat with a young A-Ming, explaining inner balance and purpose in life. The tree that was once small had now grown tall, its branches reaching toward the stars that were slowly fading with the approaching dawn.
It was here that I learned what it means to be a father figure. It was here that I discovered the joy of watching someone grow from fear into confidence.
He placed a hand on the rough bark, feeling the life flowing within the tree that had witnessed so many conversations, so many moments of growth and understanding.
Thank you for being a witness, he whispered in his heart. Thank you for sheltering the conversations that changed lives.
The Understanding of Home pulsed gently, creating a feeling of home even in the solitude of the early morning. The birds in the tree stirred with an unusual calmness, as if sensing a presence that brought peace.
Next: the original site of the School of Harmony, the simple warehouse that had been transformed into the first classroom. The building was now much larger and more sophisticated, but the original corner was still intact.
Li Qingshan entered with the key that Chen Daming had given him, standing in the space where so many young minds had first encountered ideas about wisdom, service, and community responsibility.
It was here that I discovered that teaching is not about sharing knowledge, but about awakening the wisdom that already exists within others.
Final stop: the small library in Master Shen's house, where he had spent countless hours in his early years in Hexin, reading and reflecting, slowly developing the philosophy that would guide his community building efforts.
Master Shen, despite his advanced age, stirred when he heard gentle footsteps.
"Qingshan?" the elderly friend's voice called softly.
"Yes, Master. My apologies for disturbing you. I couldn't sleep."
"Come, sit. Old men who cannot sleep should keep each other company."
They sat in comfortable silence for long minutes, surrounded by the books that had nourished minds and spirits for decades.
"Qingshan," Master Shen said finally, "there is something different about you lately. It's as if... as if you are saying goodbye in ways that others don't notice."
A sharp perception, even in his advanced age.
"Maybe," Li Qingshan admitted, "I am learning to appreciate what I have while I still have it."
"Wisdom that comes with age. Or with an approaching... transition."
He knows. Without words, he knows.
"Master," Li Qingshan said with deep gratitude, "thank you for... for being my intellectual companion for so many years. For sharing your love of learning and keeping alive the spirit of inquiry."
Master Shen reached over and placed a weathered hand on Li Qingshan's shoulder.
"And thank you for bringing meaning to my final years. For showing that knowledge serves its highest purpose when it is used for community service."
A moment of perfect understanding. No need for an explicit goodbye.
March: The Private Conversations
Mid-March, a warm afternoon with early spring flowers beginning to bloom...
Li Qingshan sat with Sister Lin in the garden behind his house, sharing tea and watching the bees busy with the new blossoms. The Understanding of Home made the space feel especially peaceful, as if the entire garden were a protected and nurturing sanctuary.
"Lin," he said with an unusual directness, "I need to tell you something important."
Sister Lin set down her teacup with careful attention, sensing the seriousness in his tone.
"The spiritual journey I mentioned... it will be soon. Sooner than I originally planned."
"How soon?"
"Maybe... a few weeks. Possibly earlier."
Sister Lin nodded with a calmness that surprised him, though sadness was evident in her eyes.
"I have been mentally preparing for this. There have been signs—the way you've spent your time recently, the attention you've given to details, the care with which you handle your interactions."
"Is there any... concern or advice you want to share?"
Sister Lin considered the question with the thoughtfulness that had characterized their friendship for decades.
"Just one thing. Promise me that this departure is a choice that comes from your heart, not from an obligation or a sense of duty to others' expectations."
A question that cuts to the core of the decision.
"Lin," Li Qingshan said with complete honesty, "this is a call from something deeper than duty or obligation. This is... the next step in a journey that began long before I came to Hexin."
"And the community? Are you confident that we're ready?"
"More than ready. I am proud—and a little amazed—by how independently everyone functions. The network is strong, the leadership is mature, the systems are sustainable."
Sister Lin smiled with a mixture of pride and sadness. "Then I will not try to persuade you to stay. I will just... cherish the remaining time and help with the preparations for a smooth transition."
The same evening, with Chen Wei in his workshop...
"Wei," Li Qingshan said, watching his friend carefully shaping a piece of wood for a children's toy, "there is something I need to share."
Chen Wei continued working but indicated his attention with a slight nod.
"The spiritual pilgrimage I mentioned will happen soon. Very soon."
The tools paused in Chen Wei's hands for a brief moment, then continued with a steady rhythm.
"How soon?"
"Weeks. Maybe less."
A long silence, filled only with the sound of careful woodworking.
"Qingshan," Chen Wei said finally, "I knew this conversation would come eventually. I just... hoped for more time."
"In your heart, do you think the community is ready?"
"Honestly? The community has been ready for some time. I think you're the one who needed to be ready to... let go."
A profound and accurate insight.
"Wei, what I will miss most is... the simplicity of this friendship. Working side by side, sharing concerns about practical matters, knowing that there's someone who understands the value of honest work."
Chen Wei set down his tools and turned to face Li Qingshan directly.
"And what I will miss most is having someone to consult with who always helps clarify what's really important versus what just seems urgent."
They sat in comfortable silence, both understanding that some farewells happen in a shared quiet, not in words.
Late evening, a private conversation with Chen Daming...
"Daming," Li Qingshan said in the study that had been the center of so much planning and coordination, "the time has come for the final transfer of responsibilities."
Chen Daming, who had grown from an observant child into a wise leader, nodded with a readiness that was mixed with an emotional weight.
"Uncle, I am prepared for this. But I... I will miss the guidance that comes from decades of experience."
"Daming, you have a wisdom that comes from understanding principles, not just from following examples. That's what makes me confident that the leadership will not only continue, but will evolve in ways that are appropriate for changing circumstances."
"Uncle," Daming said in a thoughtful voice, "there is a final question I need to ask."
"Anything."
"This departure—is there a possibility that it's... permanent?"
A question that goes to the heart of a reality I cannot fully share.
Li Qingshan looked into the distance, considering how to answer with honesty without revealing the truth about his immortal nature.
"Daming, in life there are journeys that... do not have predetermined endpoints. I cannot promise a return, because I do not know where the path will lead."
Chen Daming absorbed this with a maturity that impressed even an experienced observer like Li Qingshan.
"Then I will honor the trust you have placed in me by leading with integrity, continuing to develop wisdom, and ensuring that the vision we built together continues to serve the community in the years to come."
"A perfect answer. I could not ask for anything more."
The Understanding of Home pulsed with warmth, filling the space with a feeling of home, belonging, and love that transcends physical presence or absence.
Soon, very soon, the time will come for the final goodbye. But tonight, surrounded by the feeling of home that will always exist in my heart regardless of physical location, Li Qingshan felt at peace with his decision to move toward the next phase in his infinite journey.