Study abroad
On an early spring afternoon, Lin Weixi sat at her window-side desk in the editorial office, sorting out her itinerary for a photoshoot in Norway. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting streaks of light and dark across her desk. She had just finished marking the aurora viewing spot when the class group icon in the lower right corner of her computer suddenly started to flicker.
Opening the group chat, Zhou Xu sent a brief message: "Chen Wang will go to Princeton next Wednesday to study astrophysics as a graduate student."
The message was instantly followed by more than a dozen well wishes and sighs. Lin Weixi paused, her hand holding the mouse, the cursor flickering gently on the title "Norway Itinerary". She remembered the postcard she received last week, which Chen Wang had taken at the entrance of the institute. On the back was only written "Aurora Data Received". Now thinking about it, that might have been his implicit farewell.
The sycamore tree outside the window was sprouting new buds, its tender green swaying gently in the spring breeze. She unconsciously stroked the camera strap, still holding the lens cap Chen Wang had given her. Five years had passed, and the rubber edge was a bit worn.
Shen Siyu's private chat window popped up: "Wei Xi, did you see that?"
She replied with a nodding emoji.
"I heard it will take five years." Chen Siyu sent another message, followed by a sighing emoticon.
Lin Weixi closed the chat window and continued to sort through the photos. On the monitor unfolded a sample of the Northern Lights, green bands of light dancing in the deep blue night sky. She remembered that during her junior year, Chen Wang had shared a photo of the Princeton sky in an email, saying that the night sky there was particularly clear.
The editor-in-chief knocked on her partition as he passed by. "How are the preparations for the Norway shoot going?"
"Almost," she looked up. "We'll leave next week."
"It's the same day that Chen Wang went abroad." The editor-in-chief said casually and turned to go to the meeting room.
She was stunned for a moment before she realized she had posted her schedule on the bulletin board. The date, next Wednesday, circled in red, stood out.
After work, she went to her usual café. She sat in her usual window seat and ordered a cup of hot cocoa. The waiter, remembering her habit, added an extra spoonful of cream. Outside, people hurried by, each heading in their own direction.
The phone vibrated. Someone in the class group shared a photo of Chen Wang winning the award. He stood on the podium, holding the trophy in his hand, his smile brighter than the starry sky behind him. Lin Weixi enlarged the picture and noticed that he was still wearing the silver ring on his left ring finger - the prize for the high school physics competition.
She gently stirred the cream in her cup, thinking back to that afternoon in her senior year of high school. Chen Wang was at the blackboard, explaining the laws of celestial motion. Chalk dust fell on his shoulders, and the sun stained his eyelashes a pale gold. Back then, they'd thought those days would last forever, but they hadn't expected us to go our separate ways in the blink of an eye.
The TV in the cafe was broadcasting international news, and the host was reporting the progress of Sino-US academic exchanges in standard Mandarin. Lin Weixi looked at the flight information on the screen and suddenly realized that from now on, what separated them would not only be time, but also the entire Pacific Ocean.
Back home, she opened the box of souvenirs. On top was a photo she'd secretly taken of Chen Wang when he was admitted to University A. In it, he was reading in the library, his profile shimmering in the sunlight, his concentration striking. Back then, she'd thought University A was a long way off, but now she realized it was just the beginning.
She gently closed the box and began packing for Norway. She placed her camera, lens, tripod, and everything else into the suitcase. On the outermost layer, she placed the meteorite specimen—a gift from Chen Wang for her graduation.
Late at night, she clicked on Chen Wang's WeChat Moments. The latest update was a photo of the Princeton Library with the caption: "A New Beginning." She liked the post but didn't comment.
Outside the window, a crescent moon hung on the branches. She recalled the time they had walked together on moonlit nights like this after evening study in high school. He had said then that the moon's light was borrowed, yet it illuminated the entire night sky.
Now, they each chased their own light, one to the east, the other to the north, like two stars in different orbits.
In the early morning light, she received a confirmation email from the airline. The flight time showed 10:00 AM, the following Wednesday, the same time as Chen Wang's. She closed the page and circled the date on her calendar.
Five years is enough time for a person to grow and for some feelings to settle. Perhaps this is the best way. She wrote in her diary:
Some distance is for each other to become better versions of themselves. "
She closed her diary and continued packing. Inside her camera bag, she still had Chen Wang's note, which read, "I hope you have a bright future." The ink had faded, but the blessing was still clear.
This spring, they will all set off to new places, and let the unfinished stories of youth remain in the most beautiful time.
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