40. Goya's Paintings: Love and Death
◎Heavy Rain◎
The aftereffects of that chance encounter were so strong that even Liang Chuling herself was surprised, to the point that for several days in a row, she avoided all possible places near the school.
As for what she is afraid of, can she explain it clearly?
Is it fear of meeting Li Xun himself, or fear of meeting the Li Xun who loves someone else?
She said she didn't understand.
I felt a little breathless, as if the dam built over five years had been revealed to be fragile and vulnerable with just one glance.
Jinxi was exceptionally sensible in this matter, never mentioning Li Xun's name in front of Liang Chuling, and sending messages full of fun stories about the other band members during filming. She was so sensible that Liang Chuling had to subtly hint at it...
"How's your filming going lately?" she asked Jinxi, seemingly casually.
"It went quite smoothly, just a little tiring," Jinxi replied quickly, but didn't say anything more.
"Is the director demanding?" She almost typed out his full name, then quickly deleted it.
"Director Li is quite professional; his requirements are very detailed." The answer was still impeccable.
After several attempts, Liang Chuling was completely out of options and gave up, saying, "Take a few pictures of Li Xun for me, make sure they're good. Has his girlfriend arrived yet?"
After sending the message, her face flushed slightly, and she felt that her behavior was quite childish.
Jinxi was clearly taken aback by this direct question, and it took her a while to reply: "...Huh? Oh! Ah! So you wanted to ask him! You should have said so earlier! Wait!"
Jinxi is so single-minded; she believes whatever Liang Chuling says.
When Liang Chuling asked about "his girlfriend," Jin Xi naturally assumed that Li Xun really had a girlfriend and immediately identified her as the screenwriter from the production team.
There weren't many female staff members on the set... and even fewer who matched the age, making them easy to spot.
Taking advantage of the good afternoon light, Jinxi hid in a corner and secretly took a few profile shots of Li Xun, who was communicating with the photographer, and sent the clearest one over.
In the photo, Li Xun is wearing a black T-shirt, his hair is a bit long, and his profile is clearly defined; the photo is indeed quite good.
Women are not really suitable to be photographed without their consent, so Jinxi could only add, "Is his girlfriend the one who looks very gentle and speaks very standard Mandarin?"
Liang Chuling's mood had just improved after looking at the photo, but the question made her feel down again: "It should be."
Jinxi suddenly realized: "No wonder! His girlfriend seems to be on set every day, accompanying him while he works!"
Liang Chuling looked at the line of text but did not reply.
She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she insisted on getting to the bottom of things. When she got to the bottom of it, the expectation that she didn't even want to admit to herself was dashed, and what followed was an overwhelming feeling of discomfort.
She ate less than a bowl of rice that evening, and Aunt Zhang kept muttering, "Is it because the food wasn't to her liking today?"
The weather in Beijing has been extremely abnormal lately, like it's out of control, with a torrential downpour every two days.
Aunt Zhang muttered, "This is bizarre. I've lived in Beijing for most of my life and I've never seen so much rain in the summer. It's like the sky has been ripped open."
Liang Chuling was happy to stay home.
However, she was scheduled to perform in a national event for veterans and dignitaries, a performance of special significance that she had no choice but to attend. She also needed to rehearse at a designated venue beforehand. Fortunately, the weather was exceptionally cooperative during the rehearsals, with clear skies and sunshine.
Jinxi chatted with her on WeChat, saying, "In a few days, the director will lead the team to Fangshan to shoot on location. Our orchestra's principal violinist grew up in Fangshan, where he used to practice when he was a child."
Liang Chuling replied, "So you're alright now?"
Jinxi: "I'm fine. I didn't have any filming duties that day, so I came to visit you."
Liang Chuling looked at the chat background between herself and Jinxi on the screen—it was a picture Jinxi had finally taken three years ago of a peach blossom jellyfish floating leisurely in the river bend, transparent and dreamlike, indeed like a peach petal falling into the water.
She changed her mind: "I'll come to your house instead, and we can see the jellyfish."
--
Plans can't keep up with changes. On the day Li Xun's team went to Fangshan to film, the sky turned gloomy at noon, and then a torrential downpour began without any sign of stopping.
The rain was so dense that visibility was almost zero, and thunder rumbled.
Liang Chuling was trapped at home, listening to the rain outside the window, but at first she didn't pay much attention.
It wasn't until my phone started receiving a continuous stream of orange and red rainstorm warnings from the weather station, and news feeds began to show messages like "Heavy rain hits many parts of Beijing" and "Severe flooding in some sections of the road," that I finally stopped using it.
By evening, videos of the dangerous situation began to circulate on social media, showing cars submerged in water in low-lying areas and sections of road collapsed.
Liang Chuling's heart began to race, and her eyelids started to twitch wildly.
Northern cities lack experience in dealing with extreme rainstorms, putting enormous pressure on their drainage systems.
As night fell, the rain not only did not lessen, but instead intensified.
News focus began to concentrate on the area most severely affected by the disaster – Fangshan District.
News of a surge in casualties piled up one after another.
Liang Chuling couldn't sit still any longer.
She paced back and forth in the living room, her anxiety almost overwhelming her. She first called Li Chi, but he was on another call.
After hesitating for a moment, I sent a message on WeChat: "Teacher Li Chi, has Li Xun returned?"
A few minutes later, Li Chi called back: "Li Xun and his crew are in Fangshan, trapped by the torrential rain. Communication is intermittent. I got through half an hour ago, and they said they're temporarily safe in a farmhouse on higher ground, but the roads are blocked, and the water is still rising, making it difficult for the rescue team to get in anytime soon. I just tried calling again but couldn't get through. I'm telling you this because I don't want to mislead you, but please don't worry too much..."
Liang Chuling said okay, she wasn't in a hurry, but her hand holding the phone was trembling.
Liang Chuling knocked on her mother's door: "Mom, could you please contact your husband and ask about the rescue situation in Fangshan? Or is there any way to contact the rescue team that went there? Ask about the specific situation of Li Xun's film crew?"
Her hands were trembling, and her voice was trembling too.
Ms. Ma was startled by her appearance and quickly opened the door, holding her cold hand: "Don't panic, tell me slowly, who's in Fangshan? Li Xun?"
Liang Chuling nodded vigorously: "He's stuck in Fangshan while filming, Mom, can you ask that uncle for me?"
Faced with the fear of potential loss, the carefully maintained distance crumbled, revealing the true anxieties beneath.
The sound of rain resembled a heartbeat, but it wasn't Liang Chuling's heartbeat.
Ms. Ma was talking to that uncle on her phone, and every expression on Ms. Ma's face during the call touched Liang Chuling's heart.
“Yes, yes, yes, it’s a very important friend of my daughter’s. She’s having her picture taken in Fangshan, and we can’t get in touch with her now…” Ms. Ma said, glancing back at Liang Chuling with concern. “They’ve already sent them? The People’s Liberation Army and the medical team have gone? Your team is about to set off too? Good, good, you must be careful!”
After hanging up the phone, Madam Ma came back and held Liang Chuling's hand again: "Baby, don't worry too much. Rescue teams have already gone there and set off. They are experienced and everything will be alright."
Liang Chuling grabbed her mother's hand tightly and said, "I want to go too. Can I come with you? I'll wait in a safe place, okay?"
"Nonsense!" Ms. Ma sternly retorted. "That place is so dangerous right now. Roads are cut off, and flash floods and mudslides are possible. Rescue is a professional matter. Why are you going there to cause trouble and add to their burden? Just stay home and wait. We'll let you know as soon as we have any news."
Liang Chuling understood the reasoning, but she still couldn't sit still.
Time crawled by, and Liang Chuling was afraid of missing any message or phone call.
As more and more news about the disaster in Fangshan appeared online, the pictures and videos were shocking, and her heart sank lower and lower.
In Fangshan, the reality was more severe than imagined. The floodwaters were raging, and the surface was littered with debris and broken trees. Rescue boats made several attempts but were unable to safely approach the farmhouse where Li Xun's film crew was located.
It was already late at night, and the torrential rain showed no signs of stopping. The water level was still slowly rising, and the crisis was far from over.
The rescue team decided to take a more risky approach, sending several members with ropes and rescue equipment to wade through the water and climb to create a more stable traction channel.
Li Xun watched those orange-red figures move through the surging water, his heart pounding in his chest. When one of the team members was accidentally swept away by the underwater current, Li Xun and several other crew members stepped forward.
"Let us help secure the rope; many hands make light work!" Working together with the rescue team, they used their bodies as additional fulcrums in chest-deep floodwaters to pass and secure the rescue rope, helping to build this lifeline.
Transfer begins. Priority will be given to the elderly, women, and those who are unwell.
When it was Huang Xiao's turn, she was so scared and exhausted that she slipped while climbing the wet and slippery temporary passage and fell backward screaming.
Li Xun, who was closest, rushed over, grabbed her arm, and pushed her toward the rescuers.
The recoil, combined with tripping over a rock carried by the current, caused Li Xun to lose his balance, fall backward, and be swept away by the raging flood.
"Director!" Exclamations arose from all sides.
The muddy floodwaters rushed into Li Xun's mouth and nose, pulling him violently. His vision blurred, and all he could hear was the roar of the water. He tried to struggle, but human strength seemed insignificant in the face of nature's fury.
In the instant his consciousness began to fade, he felt a tightness around his waist as a rescue rope with a buoy was thrown over and entangled him. Two orange-red figures leaped into the water and grabbed him.
When Li Xun was pulled onto the inflatable boat, he had choked on water and was coughing violently. His body was ice-cold, but he was still conscious. The rescue team performed basic first aid and confirmed that there were no serious external injuries, but the water inhalation and hypothermia needed to be treated as soon as possible.
The subsequent transfer was completed under intense pressure. All personnel safely boarded the rescue vehicles that had come to pick them up. Li Xun was wrapped in a thermal blanket, receiving oxygen, and the vehicle was driven to the nearest hospital equipped to receive him.
It was already past midnight when we arrived at the hospital, and the emergency room was packed with people who had been injured or evacuated due to the disaster.
Li Xun was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia and hypothermia, and needed to be hospitalized.
The process was quick; half an hour later he was lying in a hospital bed with an IV drip in his hand, exhausted, but finally out of danger.
The uncle that Ms. Ma contacted remembered her instructions after handing over the work and called back.
The phone was answered, and Liang Chuling's anxious question came through: "How is it? Uncle? Have you found him? Is he safe?"
The uncle paused for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed. After all, he was dating someone's mother... He was afraid of appearing too distant or formal when talking to his girlfriend's daughter, but he was also afraid of being too intimate and overstepping the bounds.
But the situation was urgent, so he quickly said, "It's Chu Ling! We found her! We found her! She's been rescued and is in the hospital now..."
"Who's in the hospital? Are they badly injured?"
"It's the director, that young man surnamed Li. He accidentally fell into the water while rescuing someone and choked on some water. The doctor said it's nothing serious, so don't worry too much." The uncle tried to downplay the situation, but he couldn't lie.
"Which hospital?! Is he awake yet? He..."
Huang Xiao, who had just settled the crew members nearby, happened to walk over and asked, "Hello, is this a call from Director Li's friend? Director Li's situation has stabilized. Should I let them know?"
Uncle was just wondering what to say! Just in time, Yu arrived and immediately handed him the phone: "Alright, alright, you know him well, you can say it."
The phone was then handed to Huang Xiao. Her voice was gentle: "Hello, this is Director Li's colleague. Don't worry, Director Li has already completed his examination. He has aspiration pneumonia and hypothermia. He needs to be hospitalized for observation for a few days, but he is not in any danger and his mental state is fine."
No subtle sound could escape Liang Chuling's ears. She recognized the timbre and tone as belonging to the woman who had been with Li Xun at the entrance of the affiliated high school's music room that day.
It turned out that his girlfriend was taking care of him and even answering the phone for him to let him know he was safe.
A myriad of emotions welled up in Liang Chuling's heart at that moment: lingering fear, relief, and also disgust.
I dislike Li Xun.
She vividly remembered Li Xun's reprimand after her impulsive actions with Zhou Xu. His lectures on sacrifice and responsibility still echoed in her ears. But now it was his turn. For his cherished girlfriend, hadn't he also disregarded his own safety and nearly lost his life?
Double standards.
hypocritical.
Or is it that love can truly transform a person into someone they once didn't identify with?
She felt a mix of emotions; she had spent the entire night worrying and unable to sleep, and it was all just meddling in other people's business.
While others have girlfriends to take care of them, this guy is singing and dancing about his past.
"Okay, I understand. Thank you for telling me about the situation." Liang Chuling's voice regained its calmness and became very polite. "Goodbye then."
She didn't ask any more questions about Li Xun and hung up the phone.
The sky outside the window was already bright, but the downpour had not stopped, only it had changed from a violent storm to a steady drizzle.
Looking at the water streaks winding down the glass, Liang Chuling felt as if all her strength had been drained away by this long rain.
From the moment she received the news yesterday evening until now, her nerves had been on edge all night. Now, as she suddenly relaxed, all that remained was endless exhaustion and a profound sense of emptiness and bewilderment.
A little while later, Li Chi called.
Her voice was reassuring: "Chu Ling, Li Xun is fine now. The doctor said he needs to be observed for a few days. Thank you to your mother for helping to contact him last night, and thank you too."
"It's alright, it's alright, as long as everyone is safe," Liang Chuling replied.
Li Chi paused for a moment, then, considering Liang Chuling's tendency to get emotional and worried about the still bad weather outside making travel difficult, he added, "The hospital here is crowded and chaotic, so you should rest well. You don't need to come see him; he's fine, don't worry."
Li Chi's intention was to be considerate, fearing that Liang Chuling would feel bad seeing Li Xun's sickly appearance, and also worried that it would be unsafe for her to go out in the rain.
But to Liang Chuling, whose mind was in turmoil, these words took on a different meaning: Li Xun had someone taking care of him, and Teacher Li Chi was afraid that if she went over, the three of them would feel awkward and the scene would be unpleasant. He was subtly reminding her to keep her distance.
She said in as calm a tone as possible, "Okay, Mr. Li, I understand. You should also take care of yourself and get some rest."
After hanging up the phone, Liang Chuling covered her head with a blanket. The darkness and soft embrace made her feel a little better.
I'm tired. That's enough.
[Author's Note]
1. Ms. Huang Xiao is a very nice person, please don't misunderstand beforehand~
2. No matter who fell at that time, Li Xun would have saved them. This wasn't impulsiveness, sacrifice, or heroism; it was simply because Li Xun was a good person. Chu Ling understood this, of course, but her personal feelings for Li Xun were too strong, so she tried to change the subject.
I don't believe a bad person can become a good person because of love. Therefore, Li Xun, who is kind, safe, and responsible, certainly wouldn't only have these good qualities towards Chu Ling, but would be kind to all (good) people. However, he would be the kindest to Chu Ling. I believe love can only inspire, not create something from nothing. (Perhaps because my understanding of love is shallow), so I apologize to readers who enjoy reading about stark personality contrasts; you can exit now.
There won't be any more angst later on. In fact, these two can't really be angsty, and I don't like writing angst anyway.
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