Chapter 65 (Read as "Escape and Return"...)
In Xia Qingwan's peripheral vision, all she could see was the cigarette between his fingers, its red star flickering.
Just then, Lin Xiangyu's loud voice was heard, "Qingwan, where are you?"
Xia Qingwan turned her head back, “…Here.”
Lin Xiangyu approached and, seeing the situation, politely said, "Mr. Ye, you're here too."
Ye Peixiu nodded slightly.
Lin Xiangyu asked Xia Qingwan half-jokingly, "Should I go first? Do you two want to catch up?"
"No need. I'll go with you."
Xia Qingwan smiled at Ye Peixiu, "Goodbye, Mr. Ye."
Do you need me to deliver it to you?
"Need not."
These were the words spoken by Lin Xiangyu: "Then goodbye, Mr. Ye."
"good."
The two girls walked hand in hand down the veranda.
Ye Peixiu watched Xia Qingwan's figure gradually disappear into the distance, vanishing from under the hanging flower gate.
He stubbed out his cigarette on the standing ashtray next to him and lit another one.
-
As soon as they got in the car, Lin Xiangyu asked, "What did you talk about?"
"We didn't talk about anything."
Xia Qingwan fastened her seatbelt, seemingly calmly turned on her phone screen, and opened the navigation to check the road conditions.
"No traffic jams."
She said.
Lin Xiangyu, in the driver's seat, chuckled, "It's the middle of the night, how could there be a traffic jam? Wake up!"
"...I'm really fine."
"Alright, I'll believe you for now."
Lin Xiangyu did not press the matter further.
Sheng Junchi got married and has a child.
What about him?
Are you currently dating anyone? Or are you still single?
Well, none of this matters to her anymore.
There's no need to bother thinking about it.
The encounter under the veranda was too brief; she didn't even get a clear look at his face.
But... but, after so long, when they met again, he skipped the small talk and the reminiscing, and could still tell at a glance that she was intently smelling the flowers.
His attitude was as if he and she had never been apart.
That's true. After all, when they first met, he was very impolite to her. In all the years they've known each other, whether it was when they first met or when they met again after their breakup, he never exchanged pleasantries with her.
He always gets straight to the point; that's his consistent style. It doesn't necessarily mean he still cares about her.
Even if it was destined to have no outcome, she would rather he had already forgotten her.
-
She has been doing very well these past two years.
At least that's the part that outsiders can see.
That night, Ye Peixiu stood by the pond under the eaves of Ye Garden, smoking and deep in thought.
That Spring Festival, after parting ways with Shaoping, she graduated with her bachelor's degree, went on to graduate school, and traveled around with her advisor, doing research and publishing papers...
I didn't date, and I didn't have many friends; all I did was tedious reading and writing.
From his perspective, she seemed to have turned her life into a form of asceticism.
At first, I was afraid she would wait, yet I was also afraid she wouldn't. Now that things have come to this, there's nothing left to say.
Can he tell her about all his preparations and plans?
Can we coax her back?
Would she be willing to re-enter his vortex?
Perhaps, she has already forgotten him.
However, the atmosphere between them during that brief encounter under the veranda was genuine.
He could sense that she cared.
But he was also afraid that it was just his own delusion.
In the past two years, the factional frictions and power struggles in the local area have been even more intense than in the capital. He has weathered all the storms with unwavering determination.
Back in the capital, I unexpectedly ran into her. Everything seemed shattered, impossible to piece back together.
-
After the breakup, Xia Qingwan never dreamed of him again.
Perhaps because they met several times after the breakup, she didn't even feel any withdrawal symptoms.
After all, from the very beginning when they got together, she never imagined that they would have a long future together.
Xia Qingwan took a shower, applied a face mask, and then washed her hands after removing the mask.
Looking back now, she only cried for him once after the breakup.
That time, to celebrate Shi Xiaoyu's job change and receiving a doubled salary, Shi Xiaoyu came to the Xia family's old house and spent the night with her. The two watched a movie in the living room.
"One Day" (2011).
A pair of soulmates wasted 20 years going around in circles. Finally, just when they were about to start a serious relationship, the female protagonist died.
This was Xia Qingwan's second time watching this movie. The first time, she found it absurd and angrily gave it one star. The second time, she was already in tears in the instant before the female lead was hit and killed by a car while riding her bicycle through the alley.
At that moment, her breath trembled, and she thought to herself, "Some things are just fate, there's nothing we can do about it."
There's no way around it.
Shi Xiaoyu, a carefree person, was swearing at the screen when she turned her head and saw her glistening face. She understood immediately, pulled her close, and patted her head.
Xia Qingwan buried her face in the crook of her neck, sobbing piercingly, "Xiaoyu, what should we do, what should we do?"
"I have no choice, I have no choice."
She kept repeating those two short sentences, crying uncontrollably and gasping for breath.
She cried until her brain was almost oxygen-deprived. She lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling, motionless.
Shi Xiaoyu brought her some warm water, but she wouldn't drink it.
In the middle of the night, Shi Xiaoyu got up to drink water and found that Shi Xiaoyu was still crying silently in bed.
The next morning, Xia Qingwan woke up with swollen eyes. Shi Xiaoyu asked her, "Are you alright? Do you need to ask for leave?"
She was washing her hands at the time, and simply said softly, "Shiyu, Shiyu, just like your name, is a temporary rain, it will all pass."
Now, she can ask herself honestly, is it all in the past?
Xia Qingwan washed her hands and looked up at herself in the mirror.
Her eyes were red.
"Is it all in the past?"
She didn't know.
All she knew was that at this moment, she was wondering why she hadn't gotten a good look at him earlier. She vaguely felt that he seemed to have some stubble and looked a little tired.
You should have looked at it more carefully. Why didn't you look at it properly?
We probably won't see each other again, but what if we do meet and he talks to her as casually as he does today, just like an old acquaintance or friend?
She couldn't guarantee she could catch up every time.
In particular, his transfer back to the capital also means that he should be getting married soon. In the future, when he stands next to the bride, chatting and laughing, greeting her like an old friend and introducing them to each other, what kind of expression should she make?
Perhaps she doesn't even need to face it.
As early as last semester, she had already discussed with her tutor that she would put aside all her work this summer and spend four months in Nairobi to take the PPL exam.
He went to the capital to get promoted and get married, while she continued on her original path.
Nairobi.
There was a vast land, wild animals, and a world without walls, where she would not remember an ordinary Mr. Ye.
-
In June, I completed the handover of all projects with my supervisor.
After completing all the formalities, just before setting off for Nairobi, Xia Qingwan received a call from Lin Xiangyu while packing her luggage to send it out.
As soon as the call connected, Lin Xiangyu said, "Qingwan."
Her voice sounded a little unusual, and Xia Qingwan asked in confusion, "Hmm? What's wrong?"
"I heard that Mr. Ye is getting married."
Xia Qingwan's mind went blank.
I only felt a burst of noise, which disturbed my body and mind, leaving me feeling lost and confused.
Amidst the chaos, Lin Xiangyu continued speaking, like a broken voice-over, "His uncle and father have chosen several for him, and he's already selected one. It seems they're already preparing for the wedding."
After a while.
After the noise, only a dull ache remained in her heart, as if another cut had been made on an old wound that had not yet healed. Although the blood was fresh, it was still an old wound. She didn't feel much turmoil in her heart, only a kind of habitual inertia, calm and at ease.
Xia Qingwan said, "...Congratulations to him."
Perhaps, all the tears were shed on Shi Xiaoyu's shoulder that night.
The continued despair was not doing her any good, so she shouldn't cry or continue to break down.
Xia Qingwan continued packing her luggage.
-
Time always flies when you're learning new things in a new country or city.
After landing in Nairobi, I checked into a hotel in the Westlands, went to the flight club I had contacted beforehand, and went through a series of procedures including medical examinations and language proficiency tests. Then I completed the procedures to obtain my PPL certification, and everything was settled.
For safety reasons, she doesn't go out at night.
Through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see the 184-meter-tall GTC office building, the second tallest building in Kenya, which was invested and developed by a Chinese company.
Even from a distance, being able to see the industrial products of our motherland within our field of vision makes us feel a sense of familiarity.
Every day was filled with busyness and novelty. Xia Qingwan felt a long-lost sense of anticipation. While learning the theoretical knowledge of piloting a small plane, she repeatedly simulated the situation of piloting the plane alone in her mind.
She didn't know how many times she had read the original English version of "Westward in the Night".
Piloting a small plane alone, he performs rescues, night flights, emergency landings, circling maneuvers, and tracks animal migrations...
All that could be seen was the vast expanse of sky and earth.
So invigorated and excited, Xia Qingwan felt as if she had regained control of her life.
-
That morning, after getting up and having breakfast, Xia Qingwan took the elevator downstairs to the flying club.
In the hotel lobby, I brushed past a group of Chinese people, all dressed in suits and skirts with badges pinned to their chests, chatting as they walked.
She remembered the design of the badge.
Back then, in the living room of Ye Garden, she inadvertently flipped through a publication issued internally by his company. It featured a news photo of Ye Peixiu speaking on the podium with his hands supporting the table. At that time, he was wearing a badge like that on his collar.
It's not surprising, given that their group has a branch here and their personnel and business dealings are quite common.
It shouldn't be taken to heart, nor is it necessary.
The sky outside is clear and blue.
Xia Qingwan was waiting for a car at the hotel entrance when a minivan pulled up and stopped not far from her.
The car doors were pushed open from all sides, and several people got out.
Xia Qingwan stepped aside, and at that moment she heard a familiar yet unfamiliar voice, "Miss Xia."
Looking up, Wang Jingzi, who had just gotten out of the van, greeted her with a smile.
Meeting an old friend in a foreign land, Xia Qingwan was pleasantly surprised. "Mr. Wang, what a coincidence! Are you here on a business trip?"
“No,” Wang Jingzi smiled, “I was transferred here at the beginning of the year and I’m working at the Nairobi branch now.”
Time was tight, and there wasn't much time for catching up. The car she had called had already arrived. Xia Qingwan opened the car door and turned to Wang Jingzi, saying, "I have to rush to the club. I have a flight lesson today. Shall we talk another day?"
"Okay, you're busy, see you another day. I happen to be staying at the same hotel, so it'll be convenient for us to meet."
Once in the car, Xia Qingwan cleared her mind and focused her attention on the upcoming class.
Today was an experiential class following the theory lesson.
She will observe and learn the basic operations of piloting a small aircraft under the guidance of a flight instructor.
Upon arriving at the flying club, we met up with the instructor and followed him out of the indoor area to the club's dedicated small aircraft training area.
The instructor then explained the key points to pay attention to on the plane to her one last time.
The bright, dazzling sunlight illuminated everything, as if it had also suddenly lit up the long-standing damp and dark corners of her heart.
Holding onto the handrail, I stepped onto the plane and settled into my seat in the back.
The plane takes off.
For the first time, she truly experienced everything described in "Westward in the Night".
The sky and the earth unfold before my eyes, vast and boundless.
So quiet, yet so turbulent.
Everything on the ground went silent, growing fainter and fainter, farther and farther away, except for the roar of small planes.
The roar shot straight to the top of my head, taking over all my senses and bringing a destructive pleasure.
Xia Qingwan's heart was pounding. Her eyes darted this way and that, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. She also had to keep track of the flight instructor's instructions. In a short time, her eyes and ears received a massive amount of information; she was almost overloaded, her adrenaline surging.
A dozen minutes later.
In a state of extreme excitement and calm, Xia Qingwan completed her first flight as a trainee.
The plane slowly descended.
The ground is getting closer.
We're closer now.
In the more intimate view of the small plane, Xia Qingwan experienced the meaning of the sky and the earth for the first time—
They allow any flight and landing, again and again, tirelessly accommodating all human escapes and returns.
As they landed, amidst a deafening roar, Xia Qingwan was almost moved to tears by this purest, most primal, and wildest experience.
She embraced this brand new experience with immense excitement.
A complete physical and mental experience.
At that moment, a figure appeared in the field of vision, near the small airport.
He was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, wearing sunglasses, and surrounded by a group of people.
He was looking up in the direction of her plane.
In this almost dreamlike moment, the image was like a bubble, unreal.
It felt like a dream.
A dream I once truly possessed, but has long since lost.
Perhaps, when people experience the peak, they will always glimpse their favorite dreams from their youth.
The exhilarating afterglow of the flight experience collided with the melancholy brought by that figure coming into view, the two canceling each other out, leaving her with an almost meditative sense of emptiness during the turbulent descent.
After getting off the plane, the flight instructor saw the direction Xia Qingwan was looking and said to her in English with a smile, "Those are representatives from your Chinese group. I heard they occasionally come to do business."
It is estimated that there is investment in the flying club.
Xia Qingwan withdrew her gaze, said goodbye to the flight instructor, returned to the flight club from another direction, retrieved her belongings, and took a taxi back to the hotel.
At first, she tried to control herself, not wanting to fall into any chaotic thoughts. But distant old dreams followed her escape and appeared in Nairobi.
She couldn't possibly... couldn't possibly remain indifferent.
After taking a shower and applying a face mask, Xia Qingwan leaned against the sink, picking at the edge with her fingers, and looked down at her toes.
It's perfectly reasonable that Wang Jingzi works here and Ye Peixiu comes here occasionally on business trips.
But shouldn't he be busy preparing for his wedding in the capital right now?
It's normal for him to delegate those trivial matters to his subordinates or family members, since his official duties are the most important.
I came here to start a new life, so why did I run into an old friend?
She had a very bad feeling about it.
She took out the tea bags that were neatly arranged in the drawer, brewed herself a cup, and sat by the window, looking at the tall building in the night sky.
-
In the two days that followed, she encountered Ye Peixiu several times at the hotel.
Sometimes, he would sit in his car outside the hotel, the door open, dressed in a suit and tie, listening intently as his secretary leaned over to report on his work. Other times, he would sit on the sofa in the hotel lobby, legs crossed, a laptop on his lap, staring intently at the screen as he typed.
When their eyes met, Ye Peixiu would politely nod to her.
She would smile at him, like a familiar yet unfamiliar old friend.
That's for the best; he and she can live in peace.
She felt a sense of loss and insecurity.
Having encountered Ye Peixiu twice at the hotel, Xia Qingwan was no longer surprised by his appearance.
On the third day, in the evening, Xia Qingwan returned to the hotel and bumped into him again at the hotel entrance. This time, they even spoke.
Ye Peixiu asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"
She smiled slightly and replied, "I've already eaten."
This answer was just a perfunctory excuse; having just left the flying club, she obviously hadn't had time to eat dinner yet.
However, there was no need to explain anything to him.
The first thing she did upon returning to her room was to order room service. After that, she showered and changed, then tried to calm herself down and study English in her hotel room.
When the doorbell rang, she assumed it was a waiter bringing food and went to open the door without any warning.
The door opened, and standing outside was Ye Peixiu.
She was caught off guard.
Composing himself, he gave a polite smile, "...Mr. Ye, it's so late—"
"Do you have any tea?"
His eyesight was impeccable, yet his tone was as polite as if he were meeting an old friend by chance.
-----------------------
A note from the author: A family member is hospitalized for surgery, which was quite sudden, so I'm asking for two days off. I've been very tired these past few days, only sleeping four hours a night, even more tired than I anticipated. I simply don't have the energy or a suitable environment to write. I know I can't produce anything ideal when I'm not in good condition, and I don't want to just do a shoddy job, so please give me some time. Thank you so much.
This story has indeed been in poor condition since its inception, and I've taken many breaks before. I'm truly grateful for everyone's understanding. If you're really in a hurry, you can drop it. I will never rush to finish a story just to wrap it up; I will definitely finish it properly. I'll update as much as I can in the next few days, so please don't worry.
After finishing this article, I will take a break from writing for a while. Thank you all for your support.
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