35. Yesterday’s World

Fang Kaixuan suddenly had a moment of clarity. He realized that the crux of his previous struggle with whether he was old or not lay here.

He didn't answer, he just nodded.

"Can you escape? I can harbor you." Fang Kaixuan knew it was just a joke.

Who has the right to uproot another person and throw them, rootless and without foundation, into the vortex of another era?

To base it on love is far too selfish.

He couldn't help but laugh: "There's no need to escape. We don't condone violence and control; as long as it's voluntary, you can stay. However, a rational person wouldn't make that choice."

That's understandable. She wouldn't go back to an era without electricity, flush toilets, or smartphones.

“I always felt there was a bug in this matter,” Fang Kaixuan said.

"You are a smart person."

If anyone could travel back in time, treating it as a journey, then this secret couldn't be kept secret; how could no one know?

“Time travel comes at a huge cost,” he said softly. “It can cause irreversible damage to internal organs, the extent of which varies from person to person. In addition, there is no perfect solution to the grandfather paradox. Therefore, this technology has always been limited to a very small area, not because the technology is incapable, but because the ethical issues are unsolvable.”

"So you're still willing?"

"It's just my duty in this line of work."

Fang Kaixuan hesitated for a moment, but didn't ask what the price would be.

He seemed to see right through her thoughts, saying, "Macrophage mitochondria lose their ability to take up calcium ions, triggering chronic activation of the immune system, which leads to inflammatory aging."

“You’ll age faster,” he explained further. “Rapid aging is more terrifying than a shorter lifespan. Because you’ll gradually become older than your friends and loved ones, and thus be left behind by normal life. For example, if you, at thirty, were with me, at sixty, what would people think?”

Fang Kaixuan laughed, "They must think you must be a rich person."

He smiled too.

I wish I could stay drunk forever and never wake up. How wonderful it would be if I didn't have to return to reality.

All they could possibly possess was a fleeting summer, a dream. Then he returned to an era when drinking was considered decadent and love was seen as a waste.

The two remained silent as the car glided through the green mountains, the road ahead winding and turning as if it were endless.

How wonderful it would be if it were truly endless. How wonderful it would be if it were as simple as a fairy tale. In fairy tales, princesses can fall in love with beasts. How much more so for us, who are both human, only to have crossed paths in a crack in time and space.

Back in Antigua, a city with many beautiful courtyards, though not a bustling metropolis, they were immediately brought back to reality, immersed in the roar of motorcycles and the rickshaws blaring upbeat songs.

The noise that was originally annoying suddenly sounded friendly to Fang Kaixuan.

But the next second she realized that this might be too much for him, given that he came from that quiet, clean, temperature-controlled, sterile future.

They strolled along, and as they passed McDonald's, they smiled at each other. Fang Kaixuan still remembered that time he specially changed his flight to go back and meet him for hash browns. That was one of the most impulsive moments of Fang Kaixuan's life.

"Thank you. If it weren't for all you've done, we wouldn't have had the chance to meet again," he said sincerely.

"If you hadn't asked me to have coffee, we wouldn't be here." She simply held his hand and looked at the moon.

The moon that night was different from the one they had seen in the lake district. Without the lake water to highlight its almost harsh, interrogative brightness, the moon's gentle, yellowish glow was just like the description in "Half a Lifetime Romance," like a street lamp rising up, with a special human touch.

It inevitably brings to mind some mundane family matters and trivialities.

They sat on a bench in the city center square. The sky was a deep blue, and the mountains surrounding the city were an even deeper blue.

"Fortunately, in just one year, we've cooked together, traveled together, climbed mountains, and gone to the sea. We've done many things that couples never do in their entire lives. I have no regrets," Fang Kaixuan said, trying to sound magnanimous. But given the current situation, even if he wanted to joke, it would sound heavy.

“You don’t necessarily need to start giving your closing remarks right now,” he comforted her. But these words, to Fang Kaixuan, couldn’t replace her determination for a lasting relationship.

It's getting late, but I don't want to leave you for another second.

I don't want to leave you for a second, but it's getting late.

Fang Kaixuan stole this phrase to describe her current mood. For her, getting old was certainly sad, but it was a slow process, and with cosmetic procedures, she could maintain her current appearance for several years.

But his aging may happen in an instant.

Fang Kaixuan couldn't help but secretly observe him, to see if any strands of hair would suddenly turn white, or if the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes would suddenly deepen.

He easily sensed her intention and said with a smile, "It won't be as fast as in horror movies."

Fang Kaixuan blushed. She didn't want him to think that she considered him an oddball.

But he seemed completely unconcerned. He was emotionally stable, neither arrogant nor self-deprecating, open and sincere.

She couldn't help but ask, "Back then, were all people so gentlemanly?"

"Some unhelpful emotions, such as jealousy and irritability, can be eliminated through surgery."

Fang Kaixuan curled his lip. What's the difference between this and mass-produced robots?

He seemed to see through her thoughts: "Everyone retains their individuality; there are still selfish, treacherous, and cunning people."

"Then I'm relieved."

“I’ve told you before, my personality isn’t considered mainstream.” His voice was somewhat lonely.

Fang Kaixuan quickly grabbed his hand, "Isn't this a coincidence? My love-struck mind, which breaks down easily, is considered unconventional in this day and age."

The two of them laughed.

Even though it's getting late.

Fang Kaixuan asked quietly, "How much time do we have left?"

He then realized: "You thought I was just going to leave and never come back?"

"Otherwise what?"

"Of course I'll come back again."

Fang Kaixuan did not answer. She simply took it as a sincere expression.

In the evening, the two went to a small restaurant for dinner. It served local food, but it suited their Chinese palates perfectly. The dishes included beef or chicken hot pot with corn, avocado, various vegetables, and even rice. The small restaurant, with only a few tables, was packed with people early on.

Fang Kaixuan thought to himself, rather inappropriately, "The Last Supper."

Of course, he didn't say it aloud.

Crying day and night won't change reality. So why not enjoy tonight?

As a result, she not only had a great appetite and ate the whole pot of beef bone soup, but also drank hot cocoa that was excessively sweet.

This place is famous for its coffee beans and chocolate, and the souvenir shops on the street are overflowing with coffee and cocoa products.

It was a pity that we didn't have time to visit the coffee plantation on this trip, because we lingered in the Lake District for too long, exceeding our planned itinerary.

But it was also the best arrangement. That was where they truly opened their hearts.

All the romantic encounters before that are nothing more than fleeting flings between a man and a woman. Only when you learn about the other person's unknown or even secret side can the relationship truly progress.

"Do you remember the first time you taught me that among truth, goodness, and beauty, 'truth' is the most important? Without truth, nothing else matters?"

He was somewhat ashamed: "I'm sorry, I wasn't very classy back then, I shouldn't have made such a definitive judgment."

"No, no, I'll answer you: the reason I'm not afraid at all is because you're so genuine. There are many people around me who are more like aliens from another time and space than you."

Besides coffee and cocoa, Guatemala is rich in jade, and there are many jade shops on the streets. Fang Kaixuan pulled him inside and saw a thin gold chain and a round gray-green jade pendant.

It was probably just gold-plated and not very expensive. She tried it on and was about to pay when he paid for it instead.

She didn't argue with him, but just smiled, "You've learned our etiquette so quickly? But these days, men don't offer to pay anymore."

"Actually, I quite like this."

In his time, men and women were completely equal, and paying for a female companion without permission would be considered discriminatory.

He originally deeply endorsed these values.

But at this moment, he longed to see her smiling face.

He knew perfectly well that her smile wasn't because of the small pendant. It was a hazy joy, not from the heart, but rather a gentle dizziness rising from the stomach.

Over a hundred years ago, the English phrase "butterflies flying in the stomach" was used to describe this indescribable pleasure.

This saying is outdated and no longer used, but he understood it at this moment.

Through this battle, Fang Kaixuan's weak and timid soul was elevated, and he was able to face even the inescapable separation with equanimity.

Fang Kaixuan saw that his expression was calm, the previous vulnerability and turmoil gone. For someone carrying such a heavy secret, finally being able to speak out was indeed a relief.

As night falls, the mountains are always exceptionally peaceful. Even the roar of motorcycles disappears into the quiet evening breeze, like a drop of water merging into the ocean.

"A long time ago, someone asked me what the most important quality a person can have was. At that time, I couldn't answer. He said it was to do what one knows to be impossible."

"Why?"

"Knowing what is possible is safe, it's calculated. Knowing what is impossible and still doing it is foolish, it's a pointless sacrifice. But in a world full of smart people, fools are adorable. Thank you for spending your limited time here with me."

"I will never forget you." He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "But why do you speak as if we will never see each other again?"

Fang Kaixuan was taken aback.

“What you just said, ‘To do something even when you know it’s impossible,’ is the greatest sincerity.” He paused. “Do you really think I’m just going to give up like this?”

Fang Kaixuan was stunned, and gently shook his head.

She asked herself, if she couldn't do it herself, why should she expect others to sacrifice?

“Listen to me,” he said in a very low voice, as if someone were watching him, “Of course we can meet again. Like this time. And last time too. Otherwise, why do you think I was able to come here this time?”

///

These few breathtaking images seem to instantly bring up all the foreshadowing and build-up in the preceding images.

Yandere male protagonist