**Day 363**
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvVGKFGwHa
After leaving Dublin, Tinjau never checked in with “LV” again.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFz8ybBByH
His one-year contract with “LV” is nearing its end. Bianca was prepared to deactivate his membership card if he didn’t return.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UWl8JkUCl
Two days before the membership expired, Tinjau showed up at his hometown “LV” branch, pushing open the heavy door with a smile at a stunned Bianca.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09bRLgejvt
“Hey, Bianca.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJS51DmZ0Vf
“Tinjau!!!” She vaulted the reception counter like an antelope, tackling him. “Why don’t you ever check in? Tons of people care about you and ask about you all the time!”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wirypleUh
“Oh? Really?” he asked innocently, infuriating her.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCSZqmSbNX
Besides Siupui and Jiwing, Puisam, Martha, and Vera often visited “LV” branches from time to time to inquire about his news.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdD8cdxJEnt
After the antics of “making Maria’s dreams come true”, Tinjau became a legend in “LV.” His story was hotly discussed on the official website of ‘LV’, spilling into mainstream online community and catching traditional media’s eye.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6oWDXknWX
He explained that he hadn’t been hiding intentionally. Living mostly in a tour van, tagging along with others, he’d crossed the U.S. in three months but rarely stepped out or engaged with media.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0cqjfhD4T
When he backpacking to Seattle, at Jimi Hendrix’s grave, he’d brawled with the guitarist of a rock band. By morning, they were buddies.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPHVOvFStu
“They all are Hong Kong movie fans—their band called ‘Infernal Affairs’ in Chinese characters. On the road, they made me recount HK films I’d seen,” he said. “They love gossip about stars like Louis Koo, Cecilia Cheung, Anthony Wong—they know them all.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj9XhxiWRr
With no set plans, Tinjau hitched along with that rock band for their tour, never thought that he will stay with them until the end of the tour.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6Q4t1D9Nl
“They let me do sax solos onstage sometimes. One member was the brass expert—he taught me a lot in that three month.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkxrleBGXa
After the tour ended and the band took a break, Tinjau traveled solo to several countries. One day, suddenly remembered his year was nearly up, he rushed back to return his card.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qBZRuw99F
“Bianca, one thing I want to confirm,” he said. “Am I qualified to choose the next holder of this ‘0713’ card?”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79ohKA3vv8
“Of course. Why? Found someone on your travels?”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHXWKPzPMG
“I have someone in mind… but not from the road.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAPBSXwebW
“Choosing a successor is every ‘LV’ cardholder’s final duty—and the toughest, since there’s only one spot,” Bianca said. “I’ll let you go today. Once you settle it, we must have a great chat all night long!”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeJEWITLtx
“Deal.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVqryNdwLB
“Tinjau, before you leave, one more question?”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFcDE4SuJD
“Sure.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhnSrsu82W
“Remember a year ago, when Siupui brought you here? You vented about urban life’s pressures, helplessness, constraints… You set out for freedom, right?”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0Ne1w6tnf
“Yeah.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHduDZMEUn
“Your journey’s over now. So, Tinjau, did you find freedom? Are you free?” Bianca asked.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRpy7tSQFa
Leaving “LV,” Tinjau realized he hadn’t turned on his phone in nearly six months. Switching back to local service, dozens of voicemails and texts flooded in.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZNM9HlUrh
Recent ones were from Siupui and friends. Many were from two major publishers, urging him to contact them—one boldly offering six months’ salary as an advance.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbcz3P8ma3
The oldest one was from Siuzik.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvx33xwODpC
The content was very brief, she told Tinjau that she had quit her job to study Buddhism in Lhasa, Tibet, for three months.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bkZDlyLZj
Calculating, Tinjau figured that was five months ago—she should be back. He called her, but no answer.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPtnucfST0
Calling her family, they said she’d joined some group there, extending her trip to a year. As of last week, she was still in Lhasa.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEeAgBReF6
Tinjau finally went “home.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfXWha8341
Not the house he’d lived in alone for five years, but the home where he’d spent over 20 years since birth, before he became independent.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfUQE3hdsa
It’s still a same old place. Mom still busy in the kitchen, Dad reading the newspaper with reading glasses.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlxQ1vkNp3
“Dad, I’ve got something important to ask.” Tinjau talked to his father.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp2ZghjGzq
His old man adjusted his glasses, surprised by this estranged son he hadn’t spoken to seriously in years.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDfeyXxFYa
“Dad, if I said, ‘I can help you drop all your burdens and fulfill your dream of backpacking,’ would you take the gamble and come with me now?” Tinjau asked.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYEx1ISJVu
From his clashes with Mr. Gorky, Tinjau realized he’d seen Mr. Gorky as a stand-in for his father.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwHVcAHKzi
Tinjau is not free because he cannot escape the giant shadow cast by his father in his heart.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCbobxjfpk
Unable to face him as an equal, he subconsciously felt like a child, a pawn controlled by his parents.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqBCtjOE3H
That was his “heart’s shackle.”
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdte4VuMza
Now, by selflessly sharing freedom with his father, Tinjau felt unshackled. He no longer needed to deliberately show anyone that he was an adult and no longer a child.
He no longer needed to prove to anyone that he has independent thinking, and he has the ability to control his own fate.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXRm33MpI5
He is free.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnW1bhoPz1
Yes, now Tinjau wanted to shout to the sky: * I’m finally free. *
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gpmRgigQj
**Day 367**
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ExU3KUW50
After telling his father about the whole thing (it was really hard to convince his father to believe in ‘LV’), Tinjau decided not to return to his old job.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenTv91iTmz
He signed with one of the publishers to write a book about his year with “LV” over the next six months.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKz4q85ZQwH
Even without the support of “LV,” Tinjau could now go anywhere, anytime.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNLL01x2fp
The list was endless.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx0UYzOwjW
Visiting Siupui and Jiwing’s new home in the Netherlands.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSEIxOppGg
Meeting Martha and Vera in Paris (no sleeping together, though).
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9PleadvPB
Puisam, so vital to him, growing her business in Dublin. Friends he’d met wandering Europe and the U.S.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHncYIE319
Checking on Maria—had she recovered? Returned to school? Still drawing? Had Mr. Gorky taken her to Egypt’s pyramids?
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWcr0seG59
Sneaking a peek at that receptionist he’d met in Ho Chi Minh City.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBW6I6a2gK
When returning his “0713” card, he’d kept Murakami’s *The Great Gatsby*, giving him an excuse to visit Japan and it would be fun to swap travel tales with the author.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6l9gdSUhI
After tying up loose ends and finished his travelogue, he might join “Club Med,” a international resort group Cristiano had mentioned, working his way around the world.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUUCrhkJby
There are many organizations in the world like “LV” and “Club Med,” helping free travelers chase dreams.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48P7YNLlRj
But before that, Tinjau has to go to Lhasa first.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRAvcR91xt
He’d promised a girl something before his journey began. That girl might still be waiting for him.
39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X8NHWcOH8
(*The End*)
ns216.73.216.82da2
