Personality – “He came to visit relatives for half a month and said less than ten sentences to us in total. Isn’t that terrifying?”
Intelligence – “My fellow villager’s third aunt’s daughter went to the same university as him. She got into Z University’s medical school at fifteen, and her IQ is rumored to be 180, ladies…”
Family background—"His uncle is our chief of staff, and his father is the dean of Z University's medical school. If it weren't for that incredibly handsome face, ladies, he'd be a gold-card VIP you'd have to look for even with a third wheel..."
The girls in the performing arts troupe are described as having an ever-strong spirit.
Ah Heng burst out laughing, his laughter so thick it made the landscape seem to darken, and he staggered from side to side.
Suddenly, everyone noticed something, looked behind her, and coughed violently, as if their throats had been choked.
Ah Heng turned around, her smile still lingering, only to see the male protagonist of their rumored affair.
He looked down at her coldly for a long time, his face covered in bright, small pimples.
"Your email." He handed her an email, turned around, and left.
Ah Heng felt guilty, thinking that she shouldn't have let others distract her and make fun of someone she didn't know very well.
How inhumane...
"Xiaobai, I'm sorry..." she called out, her voice filled with sincere apology.
The man had walked with an arrogant stride, but after calling out "Little White," he seemed to have instantly acquired wheels of fire and vanished in a cloud of dust. Ah Heng had a strange feeling that the sleeves of his green military uniform had almost been flung off.
Wow, it really is terrifying! >_<
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She receives an email every five days from Vienna.
The first letter depicted snow-covered mountain peaks, glistening and pure. The boy, dressed in ski gear, slightly bent over, made a peace sign, and wore sunglasses. She was certain of his radiant face. He wrote these words: "Aheng, this is the snow I give you, from Vienna." His voice and smile seemed so vivid in her mind.
The second letter was written in a golden concert hall, with instruments gleaming and solemn reliefs depicting men and women, elegant and refined. He was not in the photo, only a glimpse of a white suit was visible, adding a subtle fragrance to the picture. Every stroke of the pen was delicate and earnest—"Aheng, come home, I will play the piano for you."
The third letter depicts a grape trellis entwined with vines, layer upon layer, stretching to an unseen end. A single dewdrop is clearly visible, and in the distance, a blurred focal point, beneath the trellis, lies a group of young figures. One of them, bathed in sunlight, shines so brightly it stings her eyes. This letter, written in hasty but excited handwriting, reads: "Aheng, I secretly drank some of the wine here, a sixty-year-old vintage from the state and federal government."
The fourth letter depicts an exquisite and beautiful palace, shimmering with gold, connected to the water, its surface sparkling. At that time, it was night, and New Year's fireworks were set off. The clock struck twelve clearly. He pointed at the clock, shouted something to the camera, but she could only see it in the frozen text: "Aheng, Happy New Year, you've grown another year older."
The fifth letter: The sky over Vienna was a deep, clear blue, with a baby-like warmth and cunning, simple and pure. He said, "Aheng, when I get home, the first thing I want to see is you."
Then, rubbing her eyes, she looked at her father, almost in tears—"Dad, when are we going home? When are we going home..."
The year was 2000, the end of one century and the beginning of another.
Chapter 43
When Aheng returned to City B, it was already past the eighth day of the lunar new year.
Wen's father asked her to go home and stay for a few days. She thought about it and shook her head, just like a child holding a rattle.
He ruffled her hair and smiled—"After all, you're still just a child."
Ah Heng sniffed and arched her eyebrows – “Dad, look, it’s still colder at home than in the south.”
He chuckled and pretended to be clueless, not wanting to delve into his father's implied meaning.
Two or three days after arriving home, Ah Heng was busy doing housework. She had been away for the entire holiday, and a layer of dust had already accumulated in the house.
I paid my respects to my grandfather for the New Year, and kowtowed several times in a serious manner, which amused the old man and made my pockets much fuller.
There's a saying, what was it again? Oh, right, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure, especially since your family's treasure is at the level of a treasure trove.
After telling her grandfather this while clutching her New Year's money, the old man laughed and scolded, "Yunyi, look at this shameless child, are you going to discipline her or not!"
Her mother smiled, pretending to be angry and about to hit her, but when her hand landed on her face, it only landed lightly, without causing any pain or itching. This small act of pampering made Ah Heng inexplicably happy for a long time.
After waiting for several days, Yan hope did not call back, and his return date was uncertain.
She remembered the twelfth day of the first lunar month very clearly. She had never disliked anything in her life, and her mindset was never extreme. But from that day on, she had developed an extreme aversion to the number twelve.
She received a package with the address 08-69, City B. The electronic text was neat and legible.
Still, from Vienna.
On the cover, the sender is listed as "Yan hope".
Ah Heng smiled, thinking that the old man had probably made some new discovery. He opened it and found a pink hardcover photo album, which was Yan hope's favorite color, extremely pale, bright and gentle.
Unlike his previous single photos, this is still somewhat in line with his style.
She once thought that as long as she carefully took care of every step Yan hope took and paid attention to the traces left in his life due to some sins, even if the ending was unpredictable, it would be enough to resist the source of his heartbreak.
So she kept telling him—Yanxi, this world is nothing, nothing is a big deal, you know?
I've lived in this world for so long, and I've experienced what I consider to be some difficult setbacks. Sometimes I really want to cry, but I've never given up on my belief in the inherent goodness of humanity. So, whenever I'm sad and upset, I meet some wonderful people, and my hostility towards others is washed away. Naturally, I come to believe that this world is a place where we can live ordinary lives and have warmth in our hearts. So, it's not a big deal, right, Yanxi?
Therefore, when you are afraid of pain, you always feel that things are not as bad as you imagine, and you always think that if Yan hope were more rational and more mature, that would be so much better.
I've always held onto this thought...
However, when she flipped through the photo album, every picture, every scene, made her want to shatter the world completely.
Yan Xi, pinned down by a group of men, his lower body covered in blood, his eyes wide open and empty, a smile still lingering on his lips, unable to shed a tear, his face still so childlike, Yan Xi, only fifteen years old…
This is the truth, the truth!!
Her eyes were bloodshot, and her whole body was ice-cold. For the first time, she knew what despair felt like.
The pain was excruciating, yet there wasn't a single wound.
Yan hope, Yan hope...
She called his name, her eyes burning with pain. She covered them, her fingers digging into the photo album, the ink staining her face, almost bleeding. Finally, she collapsed to the floor and wept bitterly.
Yan hope...
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Later, when Yan hope was unconscious, A Heng would often hold his hand and smile at him—Yan hope, how could you be so stupid as to actually lose yourself?
Is Vienna really that far away?
Everything seemed to have been meticulously planned. Immediately after receiving the photo album, I received a phone call from overseas. Siwan's voice was almost out of control—"Aheng, hurry to the airport, hurry to the airport and check!"
She clutched the glaring pink photo album in her hand, her voice hoarse to the extreme—what happened?
Siwan fell silent for a moment, then Da Yi's voice came from the other end—"Damn it! Wen Siwan, what the hell are you shaking for…"
The rustling sound of someone grabbing the microphone.
Then, Xin Dayi's clear voice came through the microphone.
Ah Heng, listen carefully. Yan Xi received the delivery receipt and suddenly went crazy, running away. We've been searching for him in Vienna for almost a day, but haven't found him. Now we suspect he might have gone back to China. You need to go to the airport right now!
Ah Heng's eyes hurt again. He listened to the sound of electricity slowly passing by, crackling, tiny sparks, and the grand, desolate extinguishing.
When he hung up the phone, Da Yi was cursing and swearing. His voice was so distant that it was hard to hear clearly, but it sounded like he was extremely angry.
That one sentence, only that one sentence.
You damn old bitch, don't let me catch you red-handed!
Immediately following was a busy signal.
Suddenly, she remembered something.
Is it that woman?
Ah Heng took a deep breath and stood up unsteadily.
No sadness, no crying, no weakness, Wen Heng, you're not allowed to do any of that right now!!!
She was waiting.
I stood at the airport for a full eight hours without moving an inch.
People come and go, each footstep approaching and then receding into the distance.
She opened her eyes wide and smiled; a smile is best.
If you see Yan hope, you should say – welcome home.
Then I carefully treasured it and kept it at home.
No matter how many bad people he has, she can help him drive them away. If he wants to back down and is unwilling to face them, then as long as he is still willing to allow her to exist, this world can consist of only the two of them.
Yan hope, is this alright?
I won't scold you for not eating properly because you play games day and night, I won't complain that you're picky about food because you only eat ribs and drink chocolate milk, and I won't hit you with a pillow because you always teach me to swear...
Yan hope, is this alright?
Finally, the clock struck midnight.
All the flights from Vienna returned, but none brought her boy back.
There was a deathly silence all around.
The smooth, pale blue marble bowed its head, revealing even the scattered white boarding passes in a lonely, clear way.
I got home in the early hours of the morning.
The moment I opened the door, the room was still clean and tidy, but something seemed to have changed.
The photo albums that were originally scattered on the floor were put back on the table.
Clean, gentle pink, the most vicious curse in the world.
But it was placed back on the desktop and closed quietly.
"Yan hope!" Her expression shifted, her heart pounded, and she shouted.
The voice was already hoarse beyond recognition, sounding unusually broken in the floating air.
The room was completely silent.
Yan hope came back...
She knew of his existence, touched the air he once breathed, yet felt even more sorrowful.
Such a departure, such another loss, is far more unbearable than the shattered expectations at the airport.
Because she knew that if Yan hope left again, he would never return.