Chapter 51

That day, Xu Li returned home after finishing filming.

Leng Yuxuan, wearing a black hoodie and carrying an old canvas bag, spotted Xu Sheng holding up an A4 sheet of paper that read: "LENYUXUAN".

He ran over, his throat dry: "Where...is she?" Xu Sheng pointed to the end of the exit: "The wheelchair check-in lane. She doesn't want you to see how she walks." Leng Yuxuan looked in the direction he was pointing.

Xu Li sat in a wheelchair, her left leg braced from knee to ankle with a white brace, and the tape from an IV catheter still on the back of her right hand.

She had lost a lot of weight, her long hair tucked behind her ears, revealing an overly defined jawline. But her eyes were still bright, like the light under the magnolia tree that year.

Their eyes met.

The world suddenly fell silent. Leng Yuxuan walked over step by step, each step feeling like walking on cotton. With the last step, he squatted down, one knee touching the ground, to meet her gaze.

“Xu Li, you’re tired, come with me.” Xu Li shook her head and reached out to touch the newly grown scar on his forehead—it was from when he was working as a deliveryman last winter and got scratched by a shelf.

"No," she said softly. "It's been so many days since we last met, we can get together."

On the plane back to Nancheng, Xu Li leaned against the window of the second-class seat, covered with Leng Yuxuan's school uniform jacket—the old blue and white jacket with the words "Nancheng No.1 Middle School" embroidered on the left chest.

As she slept, her head slid down little by little until it rested on Leng Yuxuan's shoulder. Leng Yuxuan stood stiffly, even his breathing was soft, as if afraid of breaking her. The train passed through fields of rapeseed flowers, and sunlight streamed in like honey.

He turned his head and saw that her eyelashes cast a small shadow on her cheek, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she were having a long dream that was finally over.

The rain had just stopped, and the muddy ground outside the film set was still glistening with water. Back in the dressing room, Xu Li changed her clothes; they were soaked with sweat, mixed with the fishy smell of fake blood. Stepping outside, she saw Leng Yuxuan's black SUV parked across the roadside in the distance, its headlights cutting two golden lines in the twilight.

"Finished work?" Leng Yuxuan leaned out and opened the passenger door, the smell of hot coffee from the convenience store wafting from his down jacket. Xu Li crumpled his mud-covered costume into a ball and tossed it into the trunk. As he sank into the seat, the leather cushion let out a weary sigh.

"The last cliff-jumping scene took eight takes." She unscrewed her thermos, and goji berries floated in the hot water. "The wires were so tight that my ribs are still numb."

Leng Yuxuan reached out and turned up the air conditioning temperature. His fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of her neck, and a small shiver immediately rose on that skin. Suddenly, the soundtrack of "Chungking Express" started playing from the car stereo—the end credits song they hadn't had time to watch when they parted ways in Hengdian last time.

"Old Zhou's BBQ has fresh beef tripe today." He turned the steering wheel with one hand, the wipers tracing a semi-circle on the windshield. "Or how about the porridge shop at the dock? You probably can't stomach any more greasy food right now."

Xu Li pressed his forehead against the cold car window, watching the streetlights being crushed into a flowing galaxy in the puddles. The longing he felt after three months apart suddenly materialized in the form of a new scar on his wrist, a remnant from the last explosion scene.

She reached out and touched it; the edges of the scab were already peeling up, like an old scale that refused to fall off. "Let's have some porridge first," she said, her voice mingling with the engine noise, "and then...to the rooftop where we first rehearsed our lines?"

Leng Yuxuan laughed, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously as the streetlights passed by. The off-road vehicle suddenly accelerated, and in the splashing water, Xu Li saw her reflection in the rearview mirror—the bloodstains from the play hadn't been completely removed, like withered roses climbing on her cheekbones.

When the car stopped in front of the congee shop, the roller shutter was already halfway down. The owner, Old Zhou, leaned out, his glasses fogged up by the steam: "I knew you two would come! This is the last pot of boat congee today. If it had been five minutes later, I would have eaten it myself."

Leng Yuxuan jumped out first and went around to the passenger seat to hold an umbrella for Xu Li—in fact, the rain had stopped long ago, but the way the umbrella ribs snapped open was like some kind of tacit signal.

Xu Li stepped into the room, following his shadow. The laces of her canvas shoes had long since come undone, and mud splattered across the floor, leaving a series of crooked exclamation marks.

Old Zhou tossed his apron over his shoulder and stirred the clay pot with a large ladle, making a clattering sound: "Teacher Xu, is filming wrapped up today? I saw on Weibo that the scene where you jump off the cliff was covered in blood like it was free."

Xu Li shrank into the corner booth, the plastic menu obscuring half her face: "They mixed honey into the blood plasma, so my mouth is still sweet." She suddenly frowned as she spoke, pressing her tongue against her teeth, "...It seems like I really have a fake fang stuck on."

Leng Yuxuan reached out and pressed his index finger against her lower lip. The light bulb in the porridge shop cast an ambiguous warm orange light, making his eyelashes cast dappled shadows under his eyes. His fangs were deftly hooked out and landed with a "clink" in the white porcelain spoon.

"Next time, have the props team get you a gold one." His voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it, "so you won't bite people randomly again." When the porridge was served, the fish slices were just curled into translucent rolls. Xu Li blew on the first spoonful until it was scalding hot, but pushed it towards Leng Yuxuan first: "Haven't you always had a bad stomach?"

Old Zhou clicked his tongue behind the counter and deliberately turned the radio up to the maximum volume—it was a song request segment on CCTV-1, and the intro to a movie theme song had just started playing; it was the very song they had hummed off-key back in the Hengdian film studio.

Leng Yuxuan didn't touch the spoon. Instead, she took out a brown paper bag from her coat pocket and pushed it next to the porridge bowl.

"A wrap-up gift."

Xu Li wiped her porridge-stained fingers and opened a cassette tape—an old TDK from the 1990s, with the label written in blue ballpoint pen: "Xu Li, July 18, 2025, after the rain stopped."

“There’s an old tape recorder in the car.” Leng Yuxuan tapped the cassette case with the back of a spoon. “Playing this on the rooftop is more ceremonial than using a cell phone.” When they left, Lao Zhou insisted on giving them a black umbrella, with ribbons from last year’s New Year’s Eve still wrapped around the ribs.

"You two," the landlady peeked out from the kitchen, still holding a large ladle for porridge, "remember to bring your property certificate next time you come, and just propose to me right in front of me, so I don't have to watch this drama every time I see you."

As the off-road vehicle restarted, the cassette tape clicked into place. The prelude was the patter of rain, followed by Leng Yuxuan's voice—"...Today is your 97th day in Hengdian. After we got that cliff-jumping scene, the director yelled 'cut,' and you turned around and gave me a peace sign..."

"Let's go out for a get-together tonight, there are a lot of people there, I'm telling you."

Who are they?

"Lu Yi, Zhu Yu, Bai Chuan, Zhou Chen, Mu Mu."

"What? Mu Mu is back?"

"Yeah, I've been back for a few days now."

"I have to go."

Leng Yuxuan smiled and said, "Okay, let's go."

The restaurant is located in an alleyway on Huaihai Middle Road. The red brick walls are covered with ivy, and a tungsten filament lamp illuminates the private room with a dim and soft yellow light.

Pushing open the door, one finds the round table already mostly occupied—Lu Yi is the first to look up, twirling an empty beer mug in his hand: "Yo, the main character of the wrap party has finally arrived!"

Zhu Yu kicked the chair back to make room for the two of them, while Bai Chuan immediately raised his phone to take a group photo: "Quick, Xu Li, look at the camera—you haven't removed your makeup yet, the bloodstains are mixed with the blush."

Zhou Chen was ordering drinks, tapping the menu with his fingertips: "No honey water today, it has to be white wine."

At the very back, Mu Mu rushed over like a small cannonball and buried her head in Xu Li's arms: "Five years and four months! WeChat video doesn't count, I want the real person!" Her voice was crisp and clear, making Xu Li almost unable to breathe.

Leng Yuxuan draped her coat over the back of the chair and pulled out a chair for Xu Li. The dishes were served extremely quickly—drunken crab, braised pork with bamboo shoots, and wine-infused scallions, all of which she had mentioned before filming wrapped.

Mu Mu pressed against her left arm, venting about everything from Xiaohongshu to the mosquitoes in Hengdian, the conversation sparking a flurry of activity; Lu Yi and Zhu Yu were drinking each other across half a table, while Bai Chuan filmed a short video, saying he wanted to edit a "top celebrities collectively losing their minds" scene.

Halfway through the meal, Xu Li's phone vibrated in her bag. The screen lit up—the words "Nanyou" appeared in large letters.

She instinctively gasped for breath, and Leng Yuxuan caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye; the tip of his chopsticks froze in mid-air. He swiped to answer, but before he could even bring the call to his ear, Nan You's voice was like a bucket of ice water being poured over him:

"Xu Li! Where have you been again?!" came the barrage of questions.

"The whole crew was waiting for you to re-record one line, but the assistant director said you weren't answering the phone, leaving over a hundred people on set waiting in vain! Do you think you can just stand everyone up now that you're famous—" The private room was too quiet, and everyone heard it.

Mu Mu's laughter caught in her throat, turning into a short "Alright, alright, we'll be back in a bit! Bye."

Before the other end could react, Xu Li hung up.

Lu Yi gently set down his wine glass, the glass clinking softly against the wooden table. Xu Li moved her phone away, waiting for the storm to pass, before simply saying, "I'm leaving."

She stood up, picked up her coat from the back of the chair and hugged it to her chest again, the blood-stained cuff brushing against Leng Yuxuan's hand.

"I have to go back to Hengdian." The voice wasn't loud, but everyone at the table could hear the tremor in it.

Mu Mu subconsciously grabbed her wrist: "You've only eaten half..."

Xu Li smiled at her, but the corners of her mouth were a little stiff: "I'll make it up next time."

Leng Yuxuan had already taken out his car keys, the metal flashing under the light: "I'll give you a ride."

“No need.” She pressed his hand down, her palm icy cold. “Nan You has sent a car to wait at the hotel entrance.” As she turned around, the corridor lights outside the private room flickered on and off, like a film reel skipping through frames.

Leng Yuxuan watched her figure disappear around the corner, the warmth of her touch still lingering on his fingertips. The round table was silent, save for the drunken crab shells gently swirling in the air conditioning.

Bai Chuan was the first to regain his voice, and he chuckled awkwardly, "...Well, shall we continue drinking?"

No one answered.

Mu Mu lowered her head and poked at the grains of rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, muttering softly, "Hengdian is 300 kilometers away from Shanghai..."

Leng Yuxuan suddenly stood up, the chair leg scraping against the floor with a screeching sound: "I'm going out for a smoke." Actually, his cigarette pack was already empty.

The wind at the alley entrance carried the scent of moss after the rain. He stood under the streetlight and watched as the taillights of a black minivan lit up in the distance, turning out of the alley like a drop of ink merging into the night.

There was an unread WeChat message on my phone, saved as "Xu Li"—【Don't come after me, I owe Nan You.】

Leng Yuxuan turned off the screen and exhaled a puff of white mist. The ivy above her head rustled, as if someone had swallowed back unfinished dialogue.

When Leng Yuxuan returned to the private room, the round table was empty. The drunken crab shells had been taken away by the waiter, leaving only a lone crab claw lying on the turntable, like a broken finger. Mu Mu's bag was still hanging on the back of her chair, but she was nowhere to be seen; Lu Yi's coat was draped over the sofa armrest, and his phone screen was lit up, stuck on the ride-hailing app interface.

Bai Chuan strolled back from the restroom, his mouth still damp with toothpaste: "Everyone's gone. Mu Mu cried, and Zhou Chen took her home; Lu Yi and Zhu Yu went to continue the party, saying they weren't in the mood to drink with you anymore."

He looked up and saw Leng Yuxuan clutching the empty cigarette pack in her hand, the metal casing deformed from her grip. "...You really aren't going to go after her?" Leng Yuxuan didn't answer, but instead showed Bai Chuan her phone screen—

Don't chase after me. I owe Nanyou.

A red exclamation mark at the end, like a seal. Bai Chuan clicked his tongue, then suddenly remembered something and pulled a crumpled note from his pocket: "Mu Mu asked me to give this to you, saying that Xu Li put it in her hand before getting on the bus."

The note was in Xu Li's handwriting, hasty yet neat: There's a second cassette tape in the rooftop tape recorder. If you're not here by midnight tonight, turn it over to side A.

Leng Yuxuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he grabbed his coat and rushed out. Bai Chuan shouted after him, "Car keys! You've been drinking—" The only answer was the roar of an engine at the alley entrance. The black SUV seemed to have been torn open by the night, its taillights disappearing in the blink of an eye at the end of Huaihai Road. ...Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, 1:07 AM.

Leng Yuxuan rolled down all the car windows, the wind whipping against her face like knives. The dashboard showed a speed of 180 km/h, and the navigation system's female voice mechanically repeated: "300 kilometers ahead, estimated travel time 3 hours and 20 minutes."

He held the steering wheel with one hand and took the cassette tape from the storage compartment with the other—the TDK casing had a matte, old plastic sheen under the light, and the words "Xu Li · 2025.7.18 After the rain stopped" on the label were smudged by the sweat on his fingertips.

When he refueled for the last time at the service area, the cashier gave him a second look: "Dude, heading towards Hengdian? A minivan just passed by, and the girl in the passenger seat looked deathly pale, like she was in a horror movie."

Leng Yuxuan didn't answer, but slammed the gas card on the counter, knocking over a row of oden paper cups as she turned around. ... Hengdian World Studios, West Gate of Ming and Qing Palace.

At 4:09 a.m., the sky began to lighten with a crab-shell blue hue. The black SUV screeched to a halt outside the studio after traversing the last stretch of gravel road. The studio entrance was still illuminated by a stark white tungsten filament light, like the gaping mouth of a beast.

Nan You's assistant jogged up to greet him: "Teacher Leng? What brings you here—" Leng Yuxuan pushed him aside and lifted the curtain. The set inside the studio still maintained the original "cliff" setting—foam rocks, green screen, and a half-broken wire rope.

Xu Li sat on a wooden crate next to the monitor, her costume jacket crumpled like crumpled tinfoil, makeup still on, dried blood scabs clinging to her cheekbones. She was chugging an iced Americano when she heard the noise; her eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't look up. Nan You stood beside the tracks, script tucked in her hand, her face colder than the lamplight: "Leng Yuxuan, this is the film crew—"

Those who frequently visit the film set all know him.

"Ten minutes, please." Leng Yuxuan's voice was hoarse and didn't sound like his own. Nan You narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them, and finally sneered: "Fine, ten minutes. It's just recording one more line. Take him away when you're done—so he won't cause any trouble here."

The crowd retreated outside the shed, leaving only the low hum of the machines.

Xu Li then looked up, her eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, but she smiled first: "How many points over the speed limit?"

Leng Yuxuan didn't answer. He took a cassette tape out of his pocket, walked to the tape recorder, and pushed it into the slot with a click. Side A was finished, and the tape head spun freely, making a hissing sound. He pressed the flip button, rewinding for thirty seconds, and then pressed play.

—First came the sound of the wind.

Then came Xu Li's voice, carrying the sound of the night rain from three months ago, as if it came from a very distant place:

"Leng Yuxuan, if I don't jump off that cliff well today... take me back to Shanghai, put me in your car, and drive to a deserted place."

Then he told me that you didn't actually drink the wine at the wrap party.

"...Actually, that's not what I wanted to say. We're not a good match. I've seen your feelings, but I'm an artist."

Click.

The tape has reached its end.

Xu Li's iced Americano fell to the ground with a thud, the brown liquid spilling over the broken wire at her feet. Leng Yuxuan knelt down on one knee to meet her gaze.

"Ten minutes are up." He said softly.

"No, I have something to do."

The first rays of dawn pierced through the gaps in the green curtain, like a belated sunrise suddenly appearing on the edge of a cliff.