"To live is to have ideals and a purpose, to strive for them regardless of the cost. As for whether the result of that struggle is success or happiness, they do not care. Some might think such people are fools, but if the world were without them, one wonders what it would become." — *The Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword*
The next morning, just as she was preparing to head out, Xia Yinuo received a news push on her phone: Malaysia Airlines reported losing contact with a passenger plane. Liang Juejun was already standing at the door; Xia Yinuo glanced at her phone and didn't give it much thought.
Upon arriving at the lab, she set to work on her experiments. By the time she emerged from the cell culture room, it was nearly lunchtime. Returning to the student office, she found Liu Yan and Wang Meng sighing in lament. Xia Yinuo casually asked what was wrong.
"Senior, didn't you see the news this morning?" Wang Meng sat at her computer, staring at the screen as she read aloud. "According to foreign media reports, Malaysia Airlines says a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing has lost contact. There were 239 people on board. The flight number is MH370."
"I just finished my experiment, haven't had a chance to look yet." Xia Yinuo stood by the sink washing her hands, then suddenly froze. "Wait! Kuala Lumpur to Beijing?"
Wang Meng nodded.
Xia Yinuo’s heart skipped a beat. Before she could even dry her hands, she darted to the computer.
The full text of the news report on the screen read:
*AFP reports that Malaysia Airlines stated Flight MH370 lost contact with the tower at 2:40 AM Beijing time. The flight took off from Kuala Lumpur at 12:41 AM and was scheduled to land in Beijing at 6:30 AM. There were 227 passengers on board, including two infants, and 12 crew members. Reporters learned from the Air Traffic Control Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China that the aircraft never established contact with Chinese control departments or entered China's air traffic control information zone. According to the Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Station, passenger information declared by the airline shows 239 people on board: 153 Chinese nationals, 74 foreigners, and 12 crew members. Malaysia Airlines updated its news release on its Facebook page, changing the wording to—incident.*
Xia Yinuo said nothing. She took the tissue Wang Meng handed her, dried her hands, glanced at the clock on the wall, and picked up her phone to call Gu Yizhi.
"Hello! Please do not hang up, the number you have dialed is busy. *The number you have dialed is busy. Please stay on the line.* Hello! Please do not hang up..."
Xia Yinuo hung up, thinking to herself: *At least it's not 'unavailable.'*
A few minutes later, Gu Yizhi called back, her voice sounding a bit weary. "Did you just call?"
Xia Yinuo breathed a sigh of relief. "I saw the news... Senior Gu, are you still in Kuala Lumpur?"
Gu Yizhi: "Yes. I’m flying straight to C City tonight."
Xia Yinuo: "As long as you're okay. I just wanted to check. I remember you mentioned having a friend from Beijing traveling with you."
Gu Yizhi sighed dejectedly. "I’m not going to Beijing, but that friend... was on the flight that disappeared."
Xia Yinuo was truly shocked. "What?"
Gu Yizhi’s voice was somber. "Even though we haven't known each other long and only interacted through work, still..."
At a time like this, nothing seemed appropriate to say. Xia Yinuo could only offer comfort: "No one knows what the situation is yet. Let's wait for more news."
Gu Yizhi: "I understand. I'll hang up for now. We'll talk when I get back."
Xia Yinuo: "Okay."
Two days later, Gu Yizhi asked to meet Xia Yinuo. The two sat in a cafe while Gu Yizhi’s Golden Retriever, Xiaobao, was getting a bath at the pet shop next door. Unusually, Gu Yizhi wasn't wearing a suit; she was in casual clothes, light makeup, and had even swapped her glasses for a more domestic pair. Leaning lazily against the sofa seat, she gave off a peculiar sense of approachability.
Gu Yizhi asked about Ke Dinghao’s start date. Xia Yinuo replied that Xiao Ke had just finished his school departure procedures and wanted to go on a graduation trip for a while before officially starting work.
Gu Yizhi: "What about you? How are the preparations for your defense going?"
Xia Yinuo: "Theoretically, I graduate in June, so I have to complete the defense by May at the latest. My thesis has already been sent for blind review, but the specific date for the defense hasn't been set yet."
Naturally, the conversation turned to the Malaysia Airlines incident. The search and rescue were still ongoing, but there had been no substantive progress. At this point in the conversation, both fell silent.
Outside the window, a drizzling rain fell, shrouding all of C City in a light mist, making everything look hazy. Gu Yizhi’s profile was very beautiful; unlike Liang Juejun’s cool composure, there was a sense of pride and stubbornness in the corners of Gu Yizhi’s eyes and brows. Xia Yinuo suspected that if they weren't here, Gu Yizhi might have lit a cigarette and sat there alone amidst the smoke.
Gu Yizhi suddenly spoke. "Have you ever seen *Trainspotting*?"
Xia Yinuo snapped back to reality. "Hmm? Oh, yes, I have."
"Sometimes I think, just like the movie says, we choose life, choose a job, choose a career, choose a family, choose a fucking big television," Gu Yizhi laughed self-deprecatingly at her own profanity before continuing, "choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage payments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suit on hire purchase... We choose a future, thinking we're getting stronger, paying our way through everything..."
Xia Yinuo caught sight of a raindrop hitting the ground outside, splashing into a tiny flower of water. She smiled at Gu Yizhi like a clear spring.
Gu Yizhi sighed somewhat helplessly. "Sometimes I want to ask myself: Have we been walking for so long that we've forgotten the path we came from? Have we gone so far that we've forgotten our original intention? Have we moved so fast that we've missed the scenery of the flowers blooming through the seasons? Perhaps in life, everything except life and death is a trivial matter. So what are we living for? What are we striving for?"
Xia Yinuo’s tone was very calm. "Life is an accident, but death is an inevitability. That’s why we need so much strength, so much pride, or so much love—to believe that human actions have value, to believe that life triumphs over death."
The rain grew heavier. Looking into the distance was like looking through a gray curtain, everything a hazy blur. Gu Yizhi lowered her head to stir her coffee. After a long while, she looked up. "You’re right. The world is unpredictable; you never know which moment of parting will become an eternal farewell. Life is so short; it should be treated with tolerance and kindness, while we constantly seek and cultivate courage."
Xia Yinuo: "Exactly. That’s why no matter what troubles you encounter, don't make things hard for yourself. Everything will pass. Look at this rain—it’s all misty now, but after it stops, the air will be fresh and the view will be exceptionally bright. A single rain can wash away the dust and filth of this city."
Hearing this, Gu Yizhi broke into a smile. "Hey, you're so young. Where did you learn to act all old and wise?"
Xia Yinuo laughed. "Didn't you bring it up?"
"Emotions can overflow sometimes. Anyway, I have nothing better to do right now."
"Senior Gu, what was your undergraduate major? It probably wasn't basic medicine or clinical, right?"
"Biotechnology. After graduation, I entered the School of Basic Medicine for certain reasons and followed Professor Tang." Gu Yizhi paused, then smiled. "Actually, you can probably guess. That 'certain reason' was Lin Shen."
Xia Yinuo raised an eyebrow and sat up straight. "Oh, I see."
Gu Yizhi took a sip of coffee. "Xiao Xia, have you ever tried it? Being brave and fearless, even blindly impulsive, for the sake of love? Lin Shen and I were together for so many years. Even though it's all in the past now, I have never regretted it, nor do I hold any resentment."
Xia Yinuo shifted the topic. "Senior Gu, how old is your Xiaobao?"
Gu Yizhi: "Eight. Why?"
Xia Yinuo: "I mentioned to you before that I have a pet turtle. I've had it for almost six years."
Gu Yizhi: "And?"
Xia Yinuo: "And... I plan to keep raising it forever..."
Gu Yizhi: "That joke is a bit 'cold.'"
Xia Yinuo shrugged.
Gu Yizhi laughed. "Junior Sister, you don't need to change the subject out of concern. Lin Shen and I knew each other for over a decade. We started raising Xiaobao together back then. Later, when we went abroad, Xiaobao was left with a friend. After returning to the country, I brought him back."
Xia Yinuo nodded and said, "Oh, I almost forgot to answer your question. I have tried it."
Gu Yizhi: "Hmm?"
"Tried gathering my courage for the sake of love," Xia Yinuo tilted her head and asked playfully, "President Gu, the company doesn't interfere in employees' private lives and respects every employee's privacy, right?"
Gu Yizhi was stunned for a moment before answering, "That’s for certain."
Xia Yinuo: "Do you remember one night a while ago, we ran into each other at the cinema entrance?"
Gu Yizhi: "Oh, I remember. You and your friend, Miss Liang, right? I was in a hurry to meet someone that day too."
Xia Yinuo cleared her throat. "Miss Liang isn't just a friend. She’s... my girlfriend."
Gu Yizhi raised her eyebrows, letting out a long, undulating "Oh—" before smiling knowingly. "So that's how it is!"
Xia Yinuo’s smile was open and radiant. "So, does what President Gu said just now still count?"
Gu Yizhi clapped and laughed. "Of course!"
Xia Yinuo curled her lips. "Thank you!"
Once she finally stopped laughing, Gu Yizhi said seriously, "I should be the one thanking you. Compared to you, the courage and sacrifice of ordinary people probably don't amount to much."
"It's the same," Xia Yinuo said breezily.
Gu Yizhi propped up her chin. "Hey, Junior Sister, to be honest, I always felt you were holding something back from me before, that you weren't being entirely candid. You have a... strong self-protection trait!"
Xia Yinuo laughed in spite of herself. "Haha, so coming out counts as being candid? I am indeed a bit of a slow-burn person. But I feel that you, Senior Gu, are a trustworthy person."
"I wouldn't dare claim that! Actually, there's one thing I never told you. Before I met you in C City, I had seen you once before."
"You mean, we met before the school sports meet?"
Thinking about being completely ignored during their first encounter made Gu Yizhi feel a bit stifled. "Last year in Dalian, at the Regenerative Medicine annual conference. To be precise, I saw you. You little heartless thing didn't notice me at all."
Xia Yinuo slapped her forehead. "You were there too?!"
"Yes. I heard some of the things you said and thought you were very interesting. Later, finding out you were also Professor Tang’s student... it’s a kind of fate."
Xia Yinuo nodded in wonder.
A smile rose to the corners of Gu Yizhi’s mouth. "Anyway, thank you for your kindness and candor. I think our future interactions will be very pleasant. Why don't you report to the company immediately after your defense is over?"
*What?*
Xia Yinuo’s eyes welled up. "President Gu, this is the exploitative nature of the bourgeoisie!"
Gu Yizhi reached out to pinch Xia Yinuo’s face. "Junior Sister, is it really okay to challenge the boss's authority like this?"
***
The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring. Miss Cheng Wuyue—who longed for "May Day" and went by May—was wearing a proper sweatshirt on her upper body but ultra-short hot pants on her lower half as she dragged Xia Yinuo to the school gym.
Xia Yinuo couldn't bear to look. "Ahem, Miss Cheng, what's with those pants? It's only April. Aren't you cold?"
Miss Cheng replied happily, "It's a *badger game*."
Xia Yinuo broke into a cold sweat for Yan Wentian and asked, "How has your Chinese practice been going lately?"
May used the three magic phrases of the world: "Hello, thank you, goodbye!"
Xia Yinuo: "Please, something more than three characters!"
No problem; the blonde girl had a newly learned trump card: "I love you, I like you, let's be together!"
Xia Yinuo was amazed. "Where did you sign up for Chinese classes?!"
Miss Cheng pulled Xia Yinuo through the weightlifting area and stealthily slipped toward the hot yoga room where Yan Wentian taught, peeking through the door. Just then, a class ended, and students began filing out. Yan Wentian was bending over to pack up her things.
Seeing this, May grabbed Xia Yinuo’s shoulders, squeezed them tight, and gave her a determined look, as if she were a Japanese citizen saying, "*Onegaishimasu!*" Then, Miss Cheng turned tail and ran!
Yan Wentian had seen May long ago; she only lowered her head and smiled without exposing her. After packing her things, Yan Wentian stood up, wiped the sweat from her face with a white towel, and draped the towel casually over her shoulder.
Xia Yinuo stepped forward to greet her. "Teacher Yan!"
Yan Wentian was tall and lean with a well-defined figure and wheat-colored skin. Xia Yinuo thought to herself: *No wonder the blonde girl likes her!*
Yan Wentian smiled faintly and asked, "Is it just you today? Where is your Teacher Liang?"
Xia Yinuo blinked.
Yan Wentian turned to put her things in a locker, then looked back, teasing like an old friend, "What? I know all about it."
Xia Yinuo then said quite openly, "She’s been busy lately. Since I happen to be free, I accompanied May here."
Yan Wentian nodded.
Xia Yinuo struck while the iron was hot. "Are you free tonight? It's May’s birthday. We’re planning to have a simple dinner at home to celebrate. She really hopes you’ll come, but she was too shy to ask herself."
Yan Wentian: "Is that so? Sure!"
Later, when Xia Yinuo learned the reason why May wouldn't personally invite Yan Wentian for such a simple request, she was beyond words.
That afternoon, Xia Yinuo and May began preparing dinner early at May’s place. For a party queen to give up a wild celebration for a quiet night at home, combined with May’s solemn expression, was enough to show Yan Wentian’s weight in her heart. Considering that Yan Wentian likely paid attention to her diet, Xia Yinuo specifically reminded May to prepare some healthy, light food. Taking advantage of her height, the blonde girl hooked her arm around Xia Yinuo’s neck and praised her, saying her sweetheart was so thoughtful!
As dusk fell, Yan Wentian arrived at May’s house, presented a gift, and wished May a happy birthday. May said "Thank you" in halting Chinese. Yan Wentian laughed and said, "Even though my English isn't great, let's speak English. It'll be more normal."
The outmaneuvered Miss Cheng, completely unaware of the jab, smiled flirtatiously. *Look, the person I like is so considerate!*
Liang Juejun also brought back a birthday cake for May when she finished work. At the dining table, Xia Yinuo pointed to the vegetable salad and whole-wheat bread. "Teacher Yan, May specifically prepared these healthy foods for you. Do you have a special diet for your yoga practice?"
Yan Wentian smiled. "Actually, I eat everything; I just pay relative attention to my starch intake. I used to major in Physical Education and Aerobics. I usually teach aerobics electives to undergraduates. Yoga is just a personal interest, and the club happens to have some extra hours."
May looked at Liang Juejun anxiously, but Liang Juejun had a hidden smile in her eyes and didn't translate.
May picked up a small notebook by her side and said with effort, "Spicy diced chicken, delicious!" After speaking, she gave a thumbs up and, looking quite earnest, used public chopsticks to tremblingly serve Yan Wentian a piece of chicken.
Liang Juejun switched to English and said, "This is the first Chinese dish May learned to cook, specifically for you."
Yan Wentian was gracious, saying it was very delicious.
Learning that Xia Yinuo was about to graduate, Yan Wentian asked what field she planned to enter. Xia Yinuo explained and added at the end, "After that, I plan to open a coffee shop on North Street."
Yan Wentian: "You like coffee?"
"I hardly ever drink coffee, but Claire likes it." Xia Yinuo squeezed Liang Juejun’s hand under the table and said, "Because my mother works at the C University Affiliated Hospital, I’ve lived around here almost my whole life—over twenty years. Although the faculty housing area went through demolition and reconstruction, it’s always been here. North Street is right between the school and the faculty area; the environment is great, and I’ve always loved it. In the future, even if we move somewhere else, I’ll still have an excuse to linger here, won't I?"
May cried out "Romantic!" exaggeratedly. Liang Juejun lowered her head and smiled, a tender warmth blooming in her heart.
After finishing the meal, May prepared to clear the table. Yan Wentian stood up politely, but May quickly pressed her back down, saying, "It's okay, you rest, I'll do it."
Xia Yinuo stood up, winked at May, and deliberately walked around the table. She leaned down and kissed Liang Juejun on the cheek, her voice so sweet it could practically drip honey. "I’m going to help in the kitchen. You stay and chat with Teacher Yan."
Liang Juejun nodded.
Seeing Yan Wentian’s amused expression, Liang Juejun wasn't embarrassed. She said calmly, "May is very happy that you could come today."
Yan Wentian: "I hope so."
Liang Juejun: "Wentian, if I may ask, how do you view May?"
A faint smile played on Yan Wentian’s lips. "Actually, I envy people like her. She’s so blind that she has nothing left but courage."
Indeed, not everyone can have the word "Courage" etched upon their heart. At the crossroads of fate, courage often determines whether a fleeting glance leads to holding hands or passing by.
Yan Wentian continued, "To be honest, when she first approached me, I didn't think of it that way. I just thought she was a warm person. After I slowly began to see the signs, I sometimes wondered: she doesn't even know what kind of person I am. She knows nothing about me—my interests, my joys and sorrows, even my sexual orientation. On what basis does she say she likes me?"
Liang Juejun: "Isn't that the way? But sometimes, groundless affection is exactly what fate is. No one is entirely fearless; May has her shyness and weaknesses too. Otherwise, Xiao Xia and I wouldn't be here tonight."
Yan Wentian glanced toward the kitchen and said, "I understand. Let's give each other some time. I showed up here tonight too, didn't I?"
No wonder Xia Yinuo had praised Teacher Yan more than once in private for being a savvy person. Liang Juejun nodded understandingly.
Yan Wentian’s smile, however, became meaningful. "Xiao Xia is quite something too!"
Liang Juejun raised an eyebrow.
Yan Wentian burst out laughing. "Ha, don't be nervous. I didn't mean it that way!"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
MH370 | MH370 | Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared on March 8, 2014.
《猜火车》 | *Trainspotting* | A 1996 British film directed by Danny Boyle.
《多情剑客无情剑》 | *The Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword* | A famous wuxia novel by Gu Long.
小宝 | Xiaobao | Gu Yizhi's Golden Retriever. Literally "Little Treasure."
林深 | Lin Shen | A person from Gu Yizhi's past.
奥奈噶意西妈苏 | Onegaishimasu | Transliteration of the Japanese "Please" (お願いします).
晏闻天 | Yan Wentian | The yoga/aerobics teacher May is interested in.
勇 | Courage / Brave | The theme of the chapter; also refers to the "brave" character on Qing dynasty soldier uniforms.
冷笑话 | Cold joke | A pun or a joke that isn't particularly funny or is intentionally lame.
