50. *Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon*

◎As you please, as you please, as you please◎

When the plane landed in Doha, it was already 1 p.m. in Beijing. The flight from Doha to Beijing takes eight hours.

Liang Chuling calculated the time—if the next flight was on time, she could still get to Li Xun's house before midnight.

She was rushing towards the transfer counter when she heard an announcement: "Flight SK996 to Beijing is delayed due to weather conditions. Departure time to be determined."

A crowd had already gathered in front of the counter, mostly Asian, their faces filled with anxiety.

Some people called to change their tickets, some complained, and some tried to argue with the ground staff.

Liang Chuling squeezed through and asked, "How long will the delay be?"

The ground staff member, a blonde woman, looked apologetic: "It's impossible to say for sure right now. It might be delayed by up to five hours."

Standing in the crowd, Liang Chuling felt her blood slowly cooling down. The pendant in her pocket was hard and digging into her thigh.

She checked other routes: Doha to Shanghai, then transfer to Beijing? Or fly to Guangzhou? Or take the high-speed train from Guangzhou? No matter which route she chose, she wouldn't have enough time.

Liang Chuling stood in the center of the airport hall, surrounded by a constant flow of people speaking various languages. She felt lost and suddenly didn't know what to do.

Opening WeChat, I saw Li Xun's reply: "Okay. I'll wait for you."

Liang Chuling went to the service desk and asked again, "Is there any other way? Any flight that can get to Beijing tonight, any route is fine."

The staff checked and shook their heads: "Sorry, due to weather conditions, almost the entire Asian route is affected. You might want to wait and see; the weather changes quickly, perhaps..."

Perhaps. Liang Chuling hated that word.

Liang Chuling found a corner to sit down, feeling a little helpless. She had traveled across half the globe to go back, but had been stopped.

Fate can be ridiculously cruel at times.

Just as she was about to give up, the announcement came over the loudspeaker again: "Attention passengers traveling to Beijing, we have arranged a temporary aircraft and boarding is now beginning. Please proceed to gate B35."

The crowd stirred, and Liang Chuling suddenly stood up, grabbed her luggage, and ran.

A long queue had already formed at gate B35. She was at the end of the line, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. When it was her turn, the ground staff scanned her boarding pass and nodded: "Please hurry, the plane will be taking off soon."

Liang Chuling leaned against the window. When the flight attendant served meals, she shook her head and only asked for a glass of water.

An elderly woman sat next to her. Seeing her pale face, she asked softly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Liang Chuling shook her head: "I'm fine."

The old lady took out a box of chocolates from her bag: "Don't worry, have something sweet, don't fret."

After eating chocolate, her blood sugar spiked, and Liang Chuling finally allowed herself to close her eyes wearily.

She fell asleep.

In her dream, it was the sunset over the Vistula River. Li Xun stood by the river, picked up the pendant, and said, "Let me give it to you one more time." She took it, and the pendant suddenly turned into a butterfly and flew away. She chased after it, and the butterfly flew farther and farther away, over the ocean, over snow-capped mountains, and finally landed on a snowman.

When she woke up, the plane was descending, and outside the window was the Beijing night sky, pitch black, with city lights like scattered diamonds on the ground.

After landing and coming to a complete stop, Liang Chuling ran out of the cabin, across the jet bridge, into the terminal building, and into the arrival hall.

It was 10:20 PM, and she had one hour and forty minutes left, but when she went outside, she was shocked to see the queue for a car stretched as far as the eye could see. Ride-hailing services were also difficult to book; the system showed a queue of over two hundred people, with an estimated wait time of more than two hours. It was New Year's Eve, and cars were in high demand and short supply.

Standing at the end of the line, Liang Chuling's heart sank again. She had traveled nearly 10,000 kilometers, only to be stopped at the last 50 kilometers.

Suddenly someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Liang Chuling turned her head and saw a familiar yet unfamiliar face: long brown hair and bright eyes. It was Elena. Standing next to her was a tall, blond man. Both of them were wearing thick coats and dragging luggage.

"It's you, Liang Chuling?"

Liang Chuling nodded, somewhat bewildered.

Elena laughed: "What a coincidence, you're performing in Beijing?"

"No, I came back to find Li Xun."

"Now? New Year's Eve?"

"Yes, it's his birthday today."

Elena's expression shifted from surprise to understanding, then to a smile. The man next to her smiled too and said, "Romantic."

Elena asked, "How are you going to get there now? By taxi?"

"I can't get a ride," Liang Chuling said honestly. "The queues are too long, and even ride-hailing services take two hours."

Elena glanced at her watch, then at the man beside her. The man nodded. Elena said, "We've called a car, we'll be there soon. We'll give you a ride."

"Really!? That's great!" Liang Chuling didn't care about being polite or modest at this moment, nor did she bother to pretend to refuse. She really, really wanted to make it to Li Xun's birthday!

Elena nodded: "Where are you going? I'll add an address online."

Liang Chuling gave the name of Li Xun's residential area and asked again how long it would take for the car to arrive.

Elena raised an eyebrow: "So you're in such a hurry? By the way, why didn't Li Xun come to pick you up? Does he know you came back to see him?"

Liang Chuling shook her head and said it was a surprise.

"A surprise? Are you going to confess your feelings?"

Liang Chuling paused for a moment, then nodded.

Elena laughed out loud: "That's great! He'll be ecstatic. Hey, the car's here, let's go!"

She pulled Liang Chuling and walked out, the man following behind, shaking his head with a smile.

The car was parked on the side of the road. Elena gestured for her boyfriend to go to the passenger seat, then opened the back door, helped Liang Chuling in first, and then got in herself. She said to the driver, "Hello, I added an address. Please go here first."

Looking at the airport lights rushing past outside the window, Liang Chuling moved a little closer and said, "Elena, thank you!"

"Don't mention it. It's only natural to reciprocate. You also said you'd take me to hear folk music, remember?"

"I remember. I'll be there tomorrow..."

"Let's leave it for tomorrow," Elena interrupted her. "Tomorrow is for the two of you. I never thought I'd live to see a day when you like him too."

Liang Chuling didn't quite understand what that meant and stared blankly at Elena: "I've liked him before."

Elena's expression shifted from relaxed to confused: "You don't hate him?"

"Why should I hate him?" Liang Chuling was even more confused than she was.

“But Li Xun said—” Elena carefully chose her words, “that you discovered his cunning and made you mistakenly believe that you liked him.”

Liang Chuling opened her mouth, the dazzling lights outside the window reflecting the shock and bewilderment that quickly filled her eyes: "Huh?"

Elena carefully observed her expression: "We were drinking together once, and he drank a bit too much. He said he missed you a lot. I asked him why he didn't go to see you, and he said it was because he was too greedy. At first, he thought that as long as you were happy, that was all that mattered. He only wanted to give you love, and it didn't matter whether you loved him or not. But later, his desires grew. He wanted your life to be all about him, he wanted you to be inseparable from him, and he wanted you to love him. But because of this, he hurt you, and he messed everything up."

The heater vents hissed, and the car was so warm it felt stuffy. Liang Chuling felt short of breath, so she rolled down the window, and a blast of cold air hit her face.

The street scene in Beijing on a winter night is not complicated; in fact, it is a very simple city.

Huge LED screens on the exterior walls of overpasses, office buildings, and shopping malls are waiting for the New Year's Eve countdown.

Everything is in flux, except for Liang Chuling, who is stuck at a certain point in the past, unable to move.

"Are you alright?" Elena asked with concern.

Liang Chuling shook her head: "He's mistaken. I really like him, I really love him."

Elena啧了一声：“李寻那个人，有时候聪明得过分，有时候又笨得让人想揍他。”

The car drove onto the highway, then slowed down—traffic jam. On New Year's Eve, the traffic heading into the city crawled along, red taillights forming a continuous line.

Liang Chuling looked at the navigation and saw the estimated arrival time: 0:15.

"Sir, where is the nearest subway station?" she suddenly asked.

The driver gave her a station name. Liang Chuling said to Elena, "I'll get off there. I don't know how long the traffic will last, so taking the subway is faster."

Elena glanced at her and nodded: "Okay. Good luck!"

The car struggled to move to the vicinity of the subway station. Liang Chuling got out and waved to Elena, saying, "Thank you! I'll contact you later!"

"Go quickly!" Elena shouted from inside the car.

Across the street, the subway station entrance was teeming with people, a huge crowd of young people coming out to celebrate the New Year.

Liang Chuling looked at the red light across the street for 99 seconds, then glanced at the time on her phone.

11 o'clock.

She looked around and saw that the traffic was sparse. She gritted her teeth and was about to rush through when an old woman selling flowers on a tricycle next to her stopped her and said with a smile, "Don't rush, you can make it."

Liang Chuling had just crossed the street when her phone rang. It was Jin Xi, her voice filled with surprise and joy: "Liang Chuling? I can't believe my eyes, it really is you? You're back in China?"

Liang Chuling immediately looked around: "Where are you?"

"Look to your right! Yes!"

An electric scooter with a windshield squeezed through the crowd and stopped in front of Liang Chuling. The rider lifted the helmet visor, revealing Jin Xi's excited face: "Why did you suddenly come back without telling me! Want to go out for New Year's Eve together? Hey, are these flowers for me?"

"I'll bring you an even prettier one next time! I need to find Li Xun now, or I'll be too late! Do you have a helmet? Can you give me a ride?" Liang Chuling was so anxious she wanted to jump.

Without saying a word, Jinxi pulled another half-helmet from the basket: "Come on up! Hold me tight!"

Liang Chuling grabbed the helmet and put it on, then straddled the back seat with both hands and feet. The electric scooter carried the two of them, weaving through the gaps in the stagnant traffic and along the edge of the sidewalk.

A cold wind whistled across her face as Jinxi excitedly shouted, "I'll show you the shortcut! Aren't I a racing god? Aren't I cool?!"

Electric vehicles skillfully bypass the most congested sections of the main road.

Liang Chuling watched the time on her phone tick by, 11:15.

"Is it too late?" Jinxi shouted from the front.

"I don't know!" Liang Chuling's voice was carried away by the wind.

They were forced to return to the main road at the next intersection, nearly ten kilometers away from Li Xun's home.

At 11:45, they turned into the neighborhood where Li Xun lived, where the streets were much quieter.

At 11:50, Jinxi said anxiously, "Almost there! That's the neighborhood ahead!"

At 11:52, Liang Chuling arrived at the entrance of the residential area. The security guard recognized her and let her in directly.

At 11:55, she rushed into the building and pressed the elevator button.

At 11:56, the elevator doors opened, she went in, the elevator went up, and the numbers on the elevator displayed.

At 11:57, she ran to Li Xun's door and knocked.

-

"Liang Chuling, Happy New Year! I'm the first person to wish you a Happy New Year again."

Li Xun stepped back a little to steady his breathing, then insisted on saying those words to Liang Chuling, which made Liang Chuling so angry that she wanted to laugh and bumped her forehead against his shoulder!

Li Xun placed the bouquet in the entryway and then noticed something wrapped inside. He glanced at Liang Chuling, who gestured for him to take it. Li Xun pulled it out and found it was the gourd pendant.

Liang Chuling's voice was excited: "You must have noticed that I haven't been wearing this pendant anymore, right? But you've never asked me about it."

Li Xun didn't speak. He had indeed noticed it and had thought about asking, but he was afraid the answer would be one he didn't want to hear.

Liang Chuling told him the story of the pendant.

Looking at the pendant that had been lost and found, and then at her travel-worn appearance, all logic temporarily broke down: "So, did you come back because of the pendant, or because of me?"

Liang Chuling closed his fingers, letting the pendant be encased in his palm, while his hand was encased in hers: "Of course it's because of you, Li Xun, I love you."

From childhood to adulthood, the words her mother always said were, "Baby, Mom will always love you." Motherly love is so rare; it's just that one sentence over and over again, but Liang Chuling has always kept it in her heart.

Therefore, it is clear that the power of language is indeed a great force.

But then she thought of how Liang's father always said, "Dad loves you the most, I love you the most," and he would even say the same thing to all his lovers in public. But Liang's father's love was so fake.

Therefore, whether language has great power depends on who uses it.

"So when I say 'I love you' to you now, it's not about you, it's about me. Li Xun, do you understand? I love you, but it's me who loves you." Liang Chuling smiled, tears welling in her eyes. "Li Xun, I love you, I want to be with you."

Li Xun hugged Liang Chuling without saying a word.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Are we considered a couple now?" Liang Chuling asked nervously.

"Our little genius braved the wind and snow to come back, gave me flowers and a kiss at the last minute of my birthday, and even made such a long, heartfelt confession. If I dared to say it didn't count, wouldn't I be asking for a beating?" His voice was muffled.

Liang Chuling was both amused and on the verge of tears by his antics, her expression eventually becoming somewhat distorted. She nodded and then shook her head, unsure of what she was trying to express.

"Yes!" she finally said definitively, as if stamping her approval.

Li Xun then said, "Hello, girlfriend."

Liang Chuling blushed...

After confessing her feelings, she finally seemed to dare to relax, her shoulders slumping: "I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

Li Xun almost laughed out loud again and nodded: "There are dumplings."

"Cook it!" Liang Chuling took off her heavy down jacket, revealing a wrinkled sweater underneath. She then kicked off her snow boots, stepping barefoot onto the floor, and walked familiarly into the living room. Chestnut jumped down from the TV cabinet, drawing Liang Chuling's attention to the movie playing: the colors of a Los Angeles sunset, the sound of jazz piano, and it was "La La Land" again.

She suddenly turned her head and glared at Li Xun: "Are you mocking me?"

Li Xun had just hung up her clothes and was about to lean over and kiss her frostbitten ears when he was stunned by her words: "Huh? What are you mocking me for?"

"You're mocking me for not understanding it back then! You film students just love to mock others for not understanding this or that!"

Li Xun was amused by the attack, and the more he laughed, the more uncontrollably he became. When he finally managed to stop laughing, he reached out to pull her, but Liang Chuling dodged him again.

Liang Chuling was even angrier, "Now I understand! People who love each other may separate because of ideals, reality, or timing! Now I understand!"

Li Xun stopped laughing, leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth: "You'd be better off not understanding."

Separation is a natural phenomenon in the world, but not in ours.

He didn't want her to understand because he didn't want to be separated from her. That movie was someone else's story, but their script—he rejected that ending.

Li Xun filled a glass bottle with water, arranged the bouquet, and put it back in its nest to sleep before heading into the kitchen. Liang Chuling had already turned on the stove and boiled water; frozen dumplings need to be put into cold water, so she had already tossed the dumplings in.

After throwing it away, he leaned against the kitchen counter and looked at Li Xun.

The kitchen lights were warm, illuminating Liang Chuling's excited face.

"I'll show you something too." After saying that, Li Xun pointed to a potted plant in the corner of the kitchen counter.

"What is this?" Liang Chuling asked.

"Pothos. I grew one for you in the US before, but I couldn't bring it back. Now I'm growing a new one for you."

Liang Chuling asked in confusion, "Why did you suddenly start raising this?"

Li Xun looked at her and said, "It's not just that I suddenly started raising this; I also suddenly booked a plane ticket to Japan for tomorrow."

"What's wrong?" Liang Chuling asked, her mouth agape.

Li Xun paused for a few seconds before speaking: "Many viewers felt uneasy about the train station that was the last scene in EVA. I saw your post on WeChat Moments, and you also expressed your regret."

"But actually I've been there once. If you keep going up from that platform, you'll find that there are stairs connecting the two platforms, so you can go to the other platform from either side."

“They will all meet again. Their stories will also be another beginning. I plan to go there and film it for you.”

Standing under the warm yellow light in the kitchen, Liang Chuling looked at Li Xun's face and understood what he hadn't finished saying—if she didn't come back tonight, he would fly to Japan tomorrow, go to that station, take a picture of the route that led to the other side, and tell her: we will always have a way to go.

He gently touched her face: "So you came back."

Liang Chuling looked at him, wanting to smile, but couldn't manage it: "On the way back, I kept thinking about what would happen if I missed it. The journey was so bumpy and difficult, but I made it in time."

The world truly opened a path for me because I so desperately wanted to see you.

Fate can be surprisingly generous.

"Li Xun, I have something else to say."

Li Xun leaned against the doorframe and nodded: "Okay. Go ahead."

The water began to bubble and make a sound, like applause.

Liang Chuling is about to step onto the most important stage.

"Five years ago, I said you were hurting me..." Liang Chuling only said this much before covering her eyes and crying so hard she could barely stand.

Li Xun felt both sorry for her and amused. He quickly went over, hugged her, and kissed her, saying, "It's alright, it's okay. I didn't blame you. Don't cry. Let's not talk about this anymore, okay?"

Liang Chuling shook her head desperately: "I have to say it. Five years ago, I said you were hurting me. I know how much those words hurt you. Don't try to comfort me anymore, really, I have to say it, I was so awful back then..."

Because she knew how much Li Xun valued her, and knew that "harming Liang Chuling" could be a fatal blow to him.

Li Xun didn't speak, but gently stroked her back. The sound of boiling water and her sobs came from the kitchen. Liang Chuling cried for a long time, until she was exhausted and could only sob.

She lifted her head from his shoulder: "Actually, I'm a little scared."

Li Xun ran his thumb across her wet cheek: "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid I don't love you well enough, afraid that I will still hurt you in the end, and that I will still make you feel uneasy."

Li Xun bent down, bringing his gaze to hers, their noses almost touching, and kissed her eyes. Liang Chuling could see her disheveled reflection in his pupils, and the smile in his eyes.

"I didn't want to say it, I was afraid it would be too cheesy, really," he said.

"Ah?" Liang Chuling's eyes were blurry with tears.

Li Xun discovered that Liang Chuling stopped crying when he kissed her eyes, so he kissed her after every sentence he spoke. Liang Chuling's eyes stopped being red, but her face started to turn red.

At first, Li Xun really couldn't understand what he had done or would do to hurt Liang Chuling.

Later he understood that at that time, Liang Chuling felt that everything around her was out of control except for Li Xun, but Li Xun was not innocent, because his existence itself was also harmful to Liang Chuling.

His presence reminds her of her vulnerable self, and she doesn't want to be like that.

Five years ago, Liang Chuling wanted to push away everything that was out of control.

How sorry, at that time, the only person Liang Chuling could push away was Li Xun.

How fortunate, the only person Liang Chuling can hold onto now is Li Xun.

Li Xun hugged you tightly: "Actually, I'm very selfish. Whether it was five years ago or now, when I reach out to hold you or hug you, it's only because I want to hold you when you need me, and I want to hug you when you're scared."

"This is just my choice. And you can push it away anytime, just like you did five years ago."

"I'll let you like what you want, let you imagine what you want, let you leave, let you come back, let you sway. I'll let you do as you please."

“You will always have this right, Liang Chuling, because I love you.”

So don't be afraid.

Because I love you, whatever your love may be, it is the best.

Because that love comes from you.

But Liang Chuling stubbornly asked, "What do you love about me?"

Li Xun didn't know how to answer. There was a reason why he fell in love with a work. He found the structure, metaphors, and emotional development. Logic was a clear path, and rationality was a reliable candlelight.

But the feeling of falling in love with someone is often like encountering a ghost in broad daylight.

He was walking down the street in broad daylight when suddenly something from nowhere bumped into him, shattering his soul and leaving him unable to return to the state he was in before the collision.

Many people like to idealize the people they like, imagining them as perfect.

But Li Xun wasn't like that with Liang Chuling. He cared about her, so he saw her, and he saw all her personality flaws.

But I still love her, love her talent, love her clumsiness, love her courage, love her timidity, love her clarity, love her turbidity.

But those are all components of the "ghost," not the "collision" itself.

Love is that inexplicable moment of impact, and the subsequent willing chaos that follows.

"There's no reason, I just love you." Li Xun squeezed her fingers.

The dumplings in the pot were bubbling violently, and white steam was rising.

Li Xun let go of her and turned to turn off the stove. His heartfelt words just now were not as important as these words: "The dumplings are cooked."

Liang Chuling stood there, watching him pick up a slotted spoon and scoop the dumplings into a plate. The scene was so ordinary, yet it felt breathtaking because of what she had just heard.

He carried two plates of dumplings to the dining table and put them down. He turned around and saw her still standing there in a daze. He smiled and said, "Come and eat first. Aren't you hungry?"

Liang Chuling walked over and sat down. Li Xun handed her chopsticks and sat down opposite her.

After finishing her meal, Liang Chuling wanted to play with Li Zi, but Li Xun saw that Liang Chuling had yawned more than a dozen times while eating and was now walking unsteadily, so he went over and picked her up in his arms.

"Ah!" she exclaimed.

Li Xun carried her towards the bedroom: "Rest first. You just flew tens of thousands of kilometers and need to adjust to the time difference."

Liang Chuling nestled in his arms, enveloped in a sense of belonging. Like a traveler on a long journey, she had finally arrived at a place where she could sleep peacefully.

The bedroom lights weren't on. Li Xun put her on the bed, pulled the blanket over her, and then took off his coat and lay down next to her.

The two faced each other sideways, looking at each other in the dim light.

Liang Chuling reached out and traced his features with her fingertips. Li Xun didn't move, letting her touch him.

"We'll stay together, okay?"

"Yes." Li Xun replied, then pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and encircling her completely. Liang Chuling curled up inside him, her forehead resting against his chin.

"Go to sleep." He patted her back, like he was coaxing a child.

"But I still have a lot to say," Liang Chuling mumbled with her eyes closed.

"We'll talk about it later; we have plenty of time."

Liang Chuling found a more comfortable position in his arms, her consciousness began to blur, and in her half-dreaming and half-awake state, she heard Li Xun's very low voice, like a whisper: "Liang Chuling, thank you for coming back."

She wanted to say "thank you for waiting for me," but her eyelids were too heavy, and she sank straight into a deep sleep.

Listening to her even breathing, Li Xun placed a kiss on the top of her head: "Goodnight, girlfriend."

Outside the window, the clock had already struck midnight, and the new year had long since begun.

But for them, time truly began to flow from this moment on, like the wind finally finding its direction, and the river finally recognizing that the wind was the one returning home.

Li Xun rested his chin on the top of Liang Chuling's head and closed his eyes.

He thought, "Fate is really strange sometimes."

It lets the wind wander, lets the river flow alone, letting them think they will never intersect on their respective paths, and then at some moment, it lets the wind bring seeds from afar to fall on the riverbank, letting the river remember the shape of the wind—not possession, but imprint.

This is how the pendant traveled across the ocean to be brought back.

Liang Chuling also returned through the wind and snow in the same way.

The first morning of the new year is about to arrive.

The wind stopped on the river.

The river remembered the shape of the wind.

From then on, wherever the wind blew, the river flowed.

--The End

All the seas in the world are connected, and so is true love.

If you want to see someone, the whole world will help you.

Because love is the only truth.

[Author's Note]

It's finished! Thank you all for your support along the way, and thank you for your interaction. I often feel like I'm so unworthy of your kindness!

(P.S.: I know that [name omitted]'s career has collapsed, but I still recommend listening to [name omitted]'s version of "Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon." It's the best version I've ever heard... It's serene, gentle, and persistent. It's definitely worth a listen!)

I actually started serializing this story after I finished writing it, but the total word count at the time was 120,000. I'm surprised that it became this long after being added to, deleted from, and revised.

I'm almost embarrassed to talk about what I plan to write next... because I'm the kind of person who never follows a plan and always likes to jump the gun and start a new book at the last minute! It's awful! The electric fan book is the same, and this one is too! I don't even know what I'll write next, I'm speechless with myself.

But I'm currently writing "What He Thought She Was" and it's really getting me hooked, hehe. I hope everyone will click on the "Writing Now" section and bookmark it! Thank you everyone!

Besides that, I want to rewrite the entire novel "Old Wounds Resurface" and upload it as soon as possible. This book had a really big impact on me, and I want to finish it properly. Maybe finishing this novel will mean I can truly heal from those wounds. In fact, even if I don't rewrite that book now, I still think about it, and when I do, I can't help but go to the toilet to vomit. I'm a bit fed up with this state. Since I can't escape it, since I can't run away, I've decided to try to deal with it.

But don't worry, that book won't be the same story as before, and I probably won't be stressed again. That book won't be available for purchase; I'll release the whole thing after I've finished revising it.

I also want to finish revising "Falling Flowers and Flowing Water" and bring it up.

That's all for now. I've said so much! Thank you everyone, and I wish you all a Happy New Year in advance!

I hope everyone can be brave enough to love and live well. I love you all. Words have great power; let's not say discouraging things to ourselves. We will all get better and better.