The morning sun shone on the village as usual, but for Lin Yue and Chen Yu, this new day brought no relief. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling their faces and reflecting the weariness and confusion in their eyes. Lin Yue and Chen Yu sat by the small river at the edge of the village, the flowing water seemingly telling tales of the long years, yet unable to ease the turmoil in their hearts.
Lin Yue stared blankly at the river, a gentle breeze caressing her face, a few strands of hair dancing in the wind. She wore a simple white cotton shirt, the cuffs slightly wrinkled, marks from her repeated rubbing the night before. Her face was pale, her lips slightly pursed, her brows furrowed, as if bearing a heavy burden. Images of her parents anxiously searching for her and the sweet moments she shared with Chen Yu flashed through her mind, her heart a tangled mess. "Chen Yu, I didn't sleep well all night, constantly thinking about us. I really don't know what to choose," Lin Yue's voice was hoarse, filled with exhaustion and helplessness, breaking the morning silence.
Chen Yu sat beside Lin Yue, his posture still upright, but his eyes held an unprecedented sense of confusion. He wore a dark blue coarse cloth shirt, the collar slightly faded, a mark of time. His hands unconsciously clenched the grass beside him, his gaze fixed on the distant fields, his thoughts drifting far away. "Yue'er, what about me? I don't want to lose you, but I don't want to put you in a difficult position, and I don't want you to be separated from your parents." Chen Yu's tone was heavy, each word seemingly carrying the weight of his inner struggle. He turned to look at Lin Yue, his eyes filled with pain.
Lin Yue turned her head slightly to meet Chen Yu's gaze, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "We come from different eras, like an insurmountable chasm. Our love seems so fragile in the face of this reality." Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Her fingers were tightly clenched together, revealing her inner tension.
Chen Yu reached out and grasped Lin Yue's clasped hands. His hands were warm and strong, trying to offer her some comfort. "Yue'er, I know this is difficult, but we can't give up like this. Our love is real. We've been through so much together, from planting the new crops to the success of the cultural performance. Every memory is so precious." Chen Yu's eyes hardened. He tried to find strength in their memories, to make Lin Yue believe that their love could overcome everything.
Lin Yue felt the warmth of Chen Yu's hand, a surge of emotion welling up inside her, but she was quickly overwhelmed by deep worry. "But my parents... they must be frantic with worry right now. I can't be so selfish, only thinking about our love. Besides, even if we're together, how will we face the future? Our values and habits are so different, and these differences will constantly cause problems in the days to come." As Lin Yue spoke, tears finally welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto their tightly clasped hands.
Seeing Lin Yue's tears, Chen Yu felt a pang of pain in his heart. He gently wiped away her tears with his fingers, his eyes filled with heartache. "I know you're worried about these things, Yue'er. But we can try to understand and adapt to each other's differences. I'm willing to change for you, to learn your perspectives." Chen Yu's voice carried a hint of urgency; he didn't want to see Lin Yue in such pain.
Lin Yue shook her head slightly. "It's not that simple, Chen Yu. Some things are deeply ingrained, and we can't change them just because we want to. Besides, we can't ignore the differences between eras. There are so many things in my time that don't exist here. I'm afraid I'll gradually forget who I was originally, and I'm also afraid that these differences will create a rift between us." Lin Yue's eyes were filled with fear. She pulled her hand back and hugged her arms, as if that would make her feel safer.
Just then, an old man from the village passed by. He wore a worn-out black cotton coat, leaned on a cane, and walked slowly and heavily. His face was covered in wrinkles, each one a mark of time, telling tales of life's hardships. He saw Lin Yue and Chen Yu sitting by the river, a flicker of doubt in his eyes, and approached. "What's wrong with you two? Something doesn't seem right so early in the morning," the old man said, his voice hoarse and low, carrying a sense of world-weariness.
Lin Yue quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile: "Grandpa, we're fine, we're just chatting here." She didn't want the old man to worry, so she tried her best to hide her emotions. Her eyes darted around, avoiding direct eye contact with him.
The old man looked at Lin Yue, then at Chen Yu, and frowned slightly. "You two, don't try to hide it from me. I'm so old, I can see right through you. If you have any worries, just say them. Don't keep them bottled up inside. Maybe this old man can give you some advice." As he spoke, the old man sat down on a rock nearby, his eyes filled with concern.
Chen Yu looked at the old man, then at Lin Yue, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly said, "Grandpa, it's like this. Lin Yue and I are thinking about our future, but we have many difficulties. For example, we come from different places, have different lifestyles and ideas, and we don't know what to do." Chen Yu didn't mention that Lin Yue came from a different era; he felt that such a thing was too far-fetched and the old man probably wouldn't believe it.
The old man listened, nodded slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "Young man, love is not easy. When two people are together, there are bound to be bumps along the way. Since you have feelings for each other, you should cherish them. As for those difficulties, as long as you two work together, you can overcome them." The old man's eyes deepened, as if he were recalling his own love story from his youth.
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