Fourteen years later
Fourteen years later, Chen Xing has been living in a sanatorium for almost a year. He was hospitalized not long after returning to Xinghai City from abroad. Now his health is deteriorating and his mind is in a trance, sometimes lucid and sometimes confused.
She just didn't want to wake up, didn't want to face it, and lived in her own imaginary world. In that world were the two people who loved her the most. How could she bear to let go of their hands again?
Shi Nannan brought sunflowers to see Chen Xing every day, but one of the flowers in the ward was missing every day.
Shi Nannan walked into the ward and saw Chen Xing sitting at the table by the window, arranging the flowers in the vase.
Shi Nannan walked over with a smile and said, "Xingxing, let me do it."
Shi Nannan took the scissors from Chen Xing's hand and sat on the other side to replace the sunflowers with new ones.
Chen Xing looked at the golden, beautiful sunflowers in bloom in front of her. Her eyes froze. When she turned around, she seemed to see Wen Yu standing downstairs, holding a sunflower in his hand and greeting her with a smile.
Shi Nannan put the vase in order and asked, "Xingxing, what did you see? You are smiling so happily."
Chen Xing had a faint smile on her face. Looking out the window at the empty yard downstairs, she said, "It's Wen Yu. He's greeting me, holding the sunflower I gave him this morning."
When Shi Nannan heard what Chen Xing said, she looked out the window and saw nothing. She turned to look at Chen Xing's happy smile, and her eyes were suddenly filled with tears.
Shi Nannan wiped her eyes and said gently to Chen Xing, "Xingxing, how old is your birthday this year?"
Wen Yu left with Sunflower in front of Chen Xing. She looked at his suddenly disappearing back and couldn't come back to her senses for a long time.
When Chen Xing looked at Shi Nannan, the smile on her face was gone, replaced by heavy sadness.
Chen Xing said, "Nannan, have you forgotten? I just turned 32. You, Shen Xuyang, and Wen Yu gave me a big birthday surprise. I even forgot my birthday, but he remembers it every year."
Chen Xing fiddled with the flowers on the table and said, "Oh, by the way, my brother is here too. He makes the longevity noodles every year, and the taste never changes."
Shi Nannan listened to Chen Xing's words, she turned her head and tried to digest the emotions that were surging up.
Chen Xing still remembers her own age, but the two people she was talking about are no longer around. However, she seems to see them every day, and even the scenes when she talks about them are so real.
Chen Xing's illness became more and more serious. Not only did she become thinner and thinner, but she also looked visibly empty. Even her mental state was like living in a fantasy world.
Shi Nannan never expected that this day would come so soon. Such a result was something that no one they had hidden from had anticipated.
Shi Nannan blinked and saw Chen Xing holding a drawing board and drawing. It was still a picture in black and white with no color.
Chen Xing paints the same picture almost every day. There are only two people, but it has four seasons, day and night exist at the same time, and the background is chaotic yet clear, so people can know what the painting is about at a glance.
Chen Xing suddenly stopped drawing and looked at the two people she had just finished drawing. She said with some dissatisfaction, "Nannan, why do I feel like something is missing?"
Shi Nannan walked over and took a look. She had seen this painting countless times. She was the one who collected the scraps that Chen Xing threw away every day. She didn't understand what kind of inspiration Chen Xing was looking for.
Before Shi Nannan could say anything, Chen Xing suddenly tore up the piece of drawing paper, crumpled it up, and threw it on the ground. Then came silent tears, which fell drop by drop on the blank drawing paper. It was so sudden...
Chen Xing was clearly still struggling with the characters in the painting just a second ago, but the moment she saw the person she drew, she couldn't help crying.
Shi Nannan said, "Xingxing, what's wrong with you? Are you having heart pain again? I'll go get you some medicine."
Chen Xing said in a cold and calm tone, "No need. I just remembered something and felt a little sad."
After hearing what Chen Xing said, Shi Nannan sat back down in the chair opposite Chen Xing and asked, "What did you remember?"
Chen Xing wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, but his vision was still blurry, but his mind had already returned to the past.
Chen Xing said: "When I graduated from college, if I knew that would be the last time I saw him, I would never have said that to him."
Shi Nannan knew what it was about as soon as she heard it. It was September ten years ago. Chen Xing had just graduated two months ago and was working as an illustrator in a good company in Beijing.
She has been in Beijing for four years and has finally gained a foothold in this big city where there is no shortage of talent.
But that year, her heart disease seemed to be reaching its end. Chen Xing often felt heart pain while working, but she could still control it with medication. She knew in her heart that her life was already in countdown.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the countdown to a new life.
Shi Nannan asked, "What happened on that road you and he were walking on that day? What did you say to him that you regretted?"
Chen Xing's mind was clear, but when she thought of that day, she couldn't control her tears and felt that even breathing was painful.
Chen Xing recalled that day as the most special day in her four years of living in Beijing, but it was also the beginning of her regret.
That day, she walked out of the company after get off work as usual, but when she saw the scene in front of her, she was stunned for a moment and stopped.
Shi Nannan saw Chen Xing running over with a smile, pulled her and said, "Xingxing, we're here to see you. Are you surprised or not?"
Chen Xing looked at Wen Yu, who was sitting in a wheelchair not far away, with a look of surprise. At that moment, she felt an indescribable feeling in her heart. They had not seen each other for four years.
I never thought that we would meet again on the most ordinary day. You suddenly appeared in front of me, and I couldn't believe it was really you.
They hadn't seen each other for a long time, but they couldn't contain their excitement when they met again. Chen Xing's hand holding the bag tightened unconsciously.
Chen Xing was pulled by Shi Nannan to approach Wen Yu without saying a word. Shen Xuyang greeted him, "Chen Xing, I haven't seen you for two months. You seem different again."
Shen Xuyang and Chen Xing studied at the same university, but in different colleges. They rarely met each other, but Shen Xuyang took a lot of care of her. At the graduation ceremony, he gave her flowers and took photos.
But the person who actually sent the flowers was someone else, and in the end, the photos of her wearing her bachelor's gown appeared among the relics he left behind.
After graduation, Chen Xing truly entered society. Without any connections or background, she could only work hard and make progress. She finally realized that human nature is multifaceted, and her simplicity and innocence were long gone.
Chen Xing still didn't say anything, but shifted his gaze to Wen Yu sitting in a wheelchair. His legs were covered with a blanket, and his upper body looked a lot thinner. His cheekbones became more prominent, making him look a little more haggard and even a little old.
He was only 23 years old at that time, and had just entered society from college. Why was he devastated like this? It was so heartbreaking.
Chen Xing's eyes turned red for a moment, and he opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
Wen Yu spoke first: "Long time no see, Chen Xing!"
Chen Xing said in a hoarse voice, "Long time no see, Wen Yu!"
Wen Yu smiled. His smile was still sunny, but without the youthful boldness. Like fallen leaves in autumn, there was a hint of sadness in it.
"Do I look a little disheveled? Have I changed a lot from the way you remember me?"
When Chen Xing heard Wen Yu's question, she smiled and replied, "No, you haven't changed."
It was not known how much Wen Yu could understand of Chen Xing's few brief words, but she wanted to express implicitly that in her heart, he had never changed. He was still the young man who shone brightly in the sun and could compete with the sun and the moon.
Shen Xuyang interjected, "Wen Yu injured his leg a few days ago and has been lying in bed for several months. He came to Beijing for medical treatment these days and wanted to see an old friend."
After hearing what Shen Xuyang said, Chen Xing nodded, and the doubt in her eyes was less. At that time, she really thought that Wen Yu had become so thin just because of his leg injury. If she had thought more about it, she would have discovered that he had done so many things without telling her.
Shi Nannan suddenly suggested, "Xingxing, why don't you push Wen Yu for a walk? I remember there's a Wutong Avenue nearby, and the Wutong trees are at their most beautiful in September."
Chen Xing looked at Wen Yu's expectant eyes and nodded, "Okay."
At that time, Chen Xing didn't understand why everything happened so suddenly and yet so reasonably, as if the four of them had never been separated, and when they got together again, they still had the same harmony and beauty as before.
It was not until later that she found out everything. It turned out that they were all helping with the acting, and she was the only one who was kept in the dark.
Who could she blame? It seemed like she should blame herself because she was too stupid.
There is a most beautiful street in Beijing. When autumn comes, the plane trees on both sides of the road are covered with golden leaves. The leaves in September are still green, but it is still very beautiful.
Chen Xing pushed Wen Yu and walked slowly on this Wutong Avenue. The Wutong leaves were even more dazzling under the street lights at night.
In the dark night, the yellow-green leaves of the sycamore trees are eye-catching and uniquely beautiful, like an extremely romantic encounter.
Shi Nannan and Shen Xuyang always kept a distance from them, giving Wen Yu the last time, the last time to be alone with Chen Xing.
After walking for a while, Wen Yu slowly said, "Chen Xing, how are you...really?"
It was hard to describe the feeling when Chen Xing and Wen Yu met again and were alone together. She had changed a lot in the past four years, but she had always been moving in the direction she wanted to go. It was just that being alone made her feel a little lonely, but she had gotten used to it.
Now, she and Wen Yu had an ordinary and dull short reunion, just chatting. The sad past that she had tried hard to forget seemed to have faded at this moment and was not so profound. Perhaps this was the best way for them to get along.
Chen Xing said: "I'm doing well. I found a good job right after graduation. Although it's not what I wanted most, at least I can support myself. I still feel a sense of accomplishment."
Chen Xing's original intention of studying art was to become a painter who could leave behind paintings that would be admired by future generations, rather than sitting in an office constantly revising and modifying pictures.
"What about you?" Chen Xing asked.
Wen Yu did not answer immediately. He was silent for a long time before saying, "I...I'm fine too."
It was just a few ambiguous words, but they carried an unusually heavy weight.
Wen Yu asked again: "What are your plans for the future?"
Chen Xing paused before answering, "Well, if time permits, I want to save money for two years and then go abroad for graduate studies to continue my education. I still want to be a painter."
This is the goal that Chen Xing has always insisted on. She just deviated from the track for a short time. If her condition stabilizes, she will continue to return to the planned path.
Wen Yu asked: "Time?"
Chen Xing didn't say it explicitly, but Wen Yu already knew it. He knew her physical condition better than she did.
Chen Xing said, "Yes, it takes time. There's a lot of preparation required to study abroad. You can't just go whenever you want."
Wen Yu smiled faintly and said, "Well, you will go. There is still plenty of time."
At that time, Chen Xing didn't understand what Wen Yu said. Many years later, she realized that the time he was talking about was the time he gave her.
This journey seems long, but it has finally come to an end. It is time to say goodbye again, and this time we will never see each other again.
When they were taking the last few steps, Wen Yu suddenly asked, "Chen Xing, do you still like me?"
When Chen Xing heard this, he obviously paused for a moment and then slowed down.
Chen Xing said nonchalantly, "I don't like it anymore. I haven't liked it for a long time."
She was afraid that Wen Yu wouldn't believe her, so she added, "Just pretend that nothing happened in the past. We... are still friends."
After hearing this, Wen Yu tried to hold on a little harder with his hands hidden under the blanket, but he could no longer hold on. All that was left was the bitterness buried in his heart. This time he wanted to be a little crueler and not let her find out. He still loved her deeply, day after day, loving her deeply and unforgettably.
It is said that the love in one's eyes cannot be hidden, but the way Wen Yu loves Chen Xing can be seen by everyone except her.
Wen Yu relaxed his whole body gently, his handsome eyebrows relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on his face. Only he knew that it was a regret, a regret that he could not hear her say that she loved him before she died.
When Chen Xing thought of this, she was already in tears. Shi Nannan kept wiping Chen Xing's tears, but they could never be wiped away.
Chen Xing said with a look of vicissitudes of life: "I regret it... I regret lying to him and saying that I don't like him anymore..."
"Actually, I've always liked him. I like him so much that no one else can enter my heart except him. I really love him!"
Shi Nannan hugged the sad Chen Xing, and she also became sad. She liked such a good person when she was young, how could she find someone better than him.
Chen Xing's love for Wen Yu continued to deepen after she realized it. After all, he was the salvation of her life, the guide that led her to a wider world, and it was he who made her future, but she failed to hold his hand tightly.
Shi Nannan said: "Xingxing, I know, I know you love him, maybe Wen Yu knows it too?"
When Chen Xing heard Shi Nannan's words, she thought of what he once said to her, "Your lies can't hide from my eyes."
Chen Xing suddenly smiled, but tears were still in her eyes. "Yes, he knew. He should know that I was lying to him. He knew..."
Chen Xing's words, which she herself was not confident of, were used to convince herself, hoping that Wen Yu could see it, but she was not sure whether he really knew.
They met in September and parted in September.
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