Qiu Yun slept until the sun was high in the sky.
Her dream had been heavy—so heavy she felt as if she had turned into a three-hundred-pound giant, sinking into the depths of the ocean. The dream was filled with a chaotic jumble of things: fragmented, messy, and overwhelming. It was like being in an underwater world, seeing countless strange and exotic creatures she couldn't name. The dream was a deep, saturated blue; at times, dappled light broke through, and at others, it seemed to snow beneath the waves. It was a confusing yet novel experience, a kaleidoscope of sights that vanished from her memory the moment she tried to grasp them.
The dormitory was empty. The blue curtains had been pulled back, allowing the brilliant sunlight to pour in. The last class of the morning must have ended, as the sounds of people bustling back and forth echoed from the hallway. A piece of paint was peeling from the ceiling, dangling precariously. Qiu Yun watched it for a moment, considering getting up to tear it off, when Wang Chen returned to the room carrying lunch.
Catching a whiff of the aroma, Qiu Yun scrambled up from her bed. "I smell meat today."
"Your nose is sharp," Wang Chen remarked, clearing a small space on a desk cluttered with the typical mess of a girls' dorm. "I ran into Teacher Liang at the cafeteria after getting my food. His family's nanny had come by to deliver his lunch—braised pork. He heard you had a headache and couldn't get up this morning, so he shared some with you."
"...Teacher... Teacher Liang?" Qiu Yun hadn't expected the first thing she heard upon waking to be about Liang He.
"Come on down, don't be a lazybones," Wang Chen called out to her.
"Oh." Qiu Yun slowly began to dress.
"Where did you go last night? You came back so late."
"I... I went to the library last night..."
"Doesn't the library close at nine-thirty?"
"And then... then I went back to Phoenix Street."
"Home?"
"Mm..." Qiu Yun gave a noncommittal hum as she climbed down from her bunk and grabbed her water cup, taking a long, deep gulp.
"Why go home so late? Is your grandfather back?"
"No... no."
"Oh. Well, let us know next time you're heading out. I waited up for you for ages," Wang Chen added.
It had been eleven o'clock by the time she returned to the dorm last night. Liu Yujin and Chang Huan were already asleep, but Wang Chen had still been awake. Qiu Yun had assumed she was reading one of Qiong Yao’s romance novels by flashlight; she hadn't realized she was waiting for her.
Qiu Yun walked over and gave Wang Chen a light squeeze. "Got it. Thanks, Da Chen."
Wang Chen smiled, then added, "You were snoring in your sleep last night."
"Huh?" Qiu Yun froze. "I snore?"
"Yeah," Wang Chen teased as she gathered some laundry from her bed. "It’s the first time I’ve heard a girl snore like that. What are you going to do when you get married if you snore like a sailor?"
Qiu Yun was both embarrassed and annoyed. "I never snore. I was just exhausted yesterday. Anyone can snore when they're tired, regardless of age or gender."
Wang Chen leaned in with her bundle of dirty clothes, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Honestly, Xiao Yun, where did you really go last night? Were you off seeing a sweetheart?"
"What are you talking about?" Qiu Yun pulled out her chopsticks, feigning composure. "I already told you. Stop imagining things."
"Ha, alright then." Wang Chen maintained her mysterious look. "I'm going to do the laundry. Oh, by the way, Teacher Liang’s exhibition was taken down this morning... It’s being sent off for the touring exhibition this afternoon..."
Wang Chen’s voice faded as she headed toward the washroom. Qiu Yun picked up a piece of braised pork with the perfect ratio of fat to lean meat and popped it into her mouth. Ah, wonderful... this was the taste of real meat... Wait, what did Wang Chen just say? Liang He’s exhibition? Taken down?
It was true. Liang He’s international gold-medal-winning painting had been on display in the university’s main building for two days, and it was being removed this afternoon to be shipped out for a tour. The notice had been posted on the school bulletin board on the first day, but Qiu Yun had only noticed it yesterday afternoon. She had planned to go see the famous masterpiece after class this morning, but she had slept right through it. Not only had she skipped class, but she had missed the exhibition entirely.
There was nothing she could do. It felt as if that painting was deliberately avoiding her; everyone else could see it, yet she somehow couldn't. She let out a heavy sigh and took a large bite of the braised pork. As she ate, her mind involuntarily drifted back to the events of the previous night.
To be honest, the way she felt this morning was very much like a hangover: headache, numb hands, dry mouth, and a general sense of weakness. But in reality, she had only had a tiny bit of red wine—at most, the depth of a pinky knuckle. Even if this nineteen-year-old Qiu Xiaoyun had never touched alcohol before, that shouldn't have been enough to get her drunk. Yet Qiu Yun felt as though she had spent the night dancing wildly with a bottle in hand. She was exhausted, and even after eating, she felt the pull of sleep again.
Deciding to give in, she didn't even bother washing her lunch box before crawling back into her still-warm bed.
As for the details of the previous night, she was too lazy to recall them—and in truth, she couldn't remember a thing.
But Liang He remembered everything clearly.
He remembered that the night sky had been a deep, crystalline blue; the wind had been gentle, and the air had been faintly sweet, carrying an intoxicating scent. He hadn't drunk much, and he certainly wasn't drunk, so his memory of the night was vivid.
The bicycle repairman, a man named Master Ma, had been running a stall by the school’s east gate for years. He had been rambling to Liang He for a while without receiving a response. Looking up, he saw that the young man was staring blankly at the distant branches, which were just beginning to sprout tender green buds.
Seeing that expression, Master Ma chuckled to himself and suddenly remarked, "Spring is finally here..."
"Ah..." Liang He heard that. He turned back and asked, "What did you say?"
Master Ma pointed his wrench toward the distance. "I said, the earth is returning to life... the leaves are budding... and people... they're starting to look more spirited."
Liang He didn't catch the subtext and simply nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes. Spring is here."
Master Ma lowered his head to continue the repairs. "How did you manage to do this to your bike? The pedal on one side is completely bent. That’s a very difficult way to break a bike."
Liang He replied, "I wasn't careful while riding last night. I probably hit a rock. I went flying, and the bike took a hit too."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Liang He said.
"I wasn't asking about you."
"Oh, everyone is fine... Hey, Master Ma, you..."
Master Ma grinned like a cat that had caught a canary, the wrinkles on his face deepening. "I’ve been repairing bikes at this east gate for how many years now?"
Liang He hurriedly tried to explain, "It’s not like that..."
Master Ma didn't let him finish, looking at him with a knowing smile. "Then what is it like?"
Liang He found himself at a loss for words. "It’s just..."
Master Ma burst into laughter, ignoring Liang He’s desperate attempts to smooth things over. He stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and said, "Alright, I’ve straightened the pedal for you." He studied the bike for a few seconds more. "How about I add a back seat for you?"
Liang He blinked, then couldn't help but laugh as well. "Master Ma, you really..."
"I’m having a promotion today. Ten percent off for you," Master Ma said.
Liang He was amused. "Master Ma, your marketing skills are too good. Being a repairman at the east gate is a waste of your talent."
Master Ma looked humble. "I’m serving the people; there’s no such thing as waste. Take my advice—add a back seat. It’s convenient."
Liang He hesitated. There was a bike with a back seat right next to him, and he felt a momentary urge to agree. But then, a flash of insight hit him, and he shook his head. "Actually, never mind."
"Why not?" Master Ma asked.
"No need. I won't use it. Thanks anyway."
Master Ma shook his head with a smile. "You rascal..."
Liang He tested the pedals and hopped onto the bike with an agile movement. "I'm off, Master Ma. See you."
Humming a tune, Liang He rode all the way to the graduate dormitory. He came to a stop with one foot on the ground, the crossbar of the bike gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight.
He thought to himself: *If I add a back seat, who would sit on the crossbar?*
A smile tugged at the corners of Liang He’s mouth. He looked up to see someone standing gracefully in front of him. "What are you smiling about, Liang He?"
Lu Xialan was wearing a pink sweater and dark trousers. She had caught his smile perfectly.
Subconsciously, however, Liang He suddenly thought of what Qiu Yun had said to him the night before.
"Xialan," Liang He said politely. "What brings you here?"
"What, I can't come by if there's nothing specific?" Lu Xialan laughed, stepping forward to pat his shoulder. "I don't know what to say about you. Are you getting more mature, or just more distant?"
"What do you mean?"
"You won such a major award, and you didn't even tell me. I had to hear it from your colleagues."
"Oh, the award," Liang He said dismissively as he turned to lock his bike. "It’s not that big of a deal. I was planning to tell you the next time we met."
Lu Xialan stared at the back of his dark head. She felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch his hair; those stiff strands must feel prickly to the touch. Just as she raised her hand, Liang He turned around. She smoothly transitioned the gesture into tucking a strand of her own hair behind her ear, asking casually, "Have you been busy lately?"
"Yeah, a bit," Liang He replied. Was he busy? It wasn't much different from his usual routine, but he didn't feel like saying he was "not busy."
"Oh..." Lu Xialan looked at him. "I’ve been a bit busy too."
They walked a few steps in silence. Liang He said, "Um... have you eaten? I was just heading to the cafeteria."
"Oh, sure." Lu Xialan’s eyes lit up. "Why don't we go out to eat? I just got paid today. I’ll treat you to a nice meal to celebrate!"
"No need. Your salary isn't that high. Besides, I have to discuss things with Old Man Chen tonight. Oh, right," Liang He remembered something. "Last time your aunt sent me those eggs... was that your idea?"
Lu Xialan stared at him blankly.
"Don't do that anymore. You know I can't really cook for myself at school. If I take them home, no one eats them."
"Is that what your mother said?"
"No, it’s what I’m saying. Xialan, really, don't do this."
A look of deep disappointment crossed Lu Xialan’s face, and she slowly lowered her head.
Liang He felt a pang of guilt and added, "My mother... you don't need to worry about her either. It’s not something you should have to do."
"I know your mother will never forgive my family."
Liang He was silent. In truth, he didn't want to bring up those matters again.
"Can we just act as if the previous generation never knew each other?" Lu Xialan lifted her face, looking at Liang He with yearning eyes.
Despite the sunny day, Liang He felt a cold gloom in his heart. It wasn't Lu Xialan’s fault; she was even his savior. As children, they could grow up together without a care in the world because their world was simple and they were ignorant. But as they grew older and entered the adult world, everyone knew that things would only get harder. Maintaining even a simple connection was already a difficult feat.
So, facing Lu Xialan’s question, Liang He wanted to comfort her, but the reality was that neither he nor Lu Xialan could truly do what she asked.
That day would come sooner or later.
If time continued to flow by so uneventfully, Sima Qiu Yun might have eventually forgotten who she really was and where she came from, perhaps truly becoming Qiu Xiaoyun. But a letter on Tuesday struck like a bolt of lightning across her calm life.
That afternoon after class, Qiu Yun returned to the dorm to wash a week’s worth of laundry. She was only on the second item when Wang Chen returned with her books and said, "Qiu Yun, there’s a letter for you."
Qiu Yun stopped what she was doing. "A letter for me?"
"Here, I put it on your desk. See for yourself."
Who would be writing to her? Filled with doubt, Qiu Yun wiped her hands and walked to the desk. She tore the envelope open to find a single sheet of paper inside.
She pulled it out. There was only one sentence:
*Come home this weekend. I know who you are.*
—Qiu Zhenghong.
The letter slipped from her fingertips as her mind went completely blank.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
邱正宏 | Qiu Zhenghong | Qiu Yun's father in the current timeline.
马师傅 | Master Ma | The bicycle repairman at the university's east gate.
红烧肉 | Braised pork | Specifically *hongshao rou*, a classic Chinese dish of braised pork belly.
琼瑶 | Qiong Yao | A famous writer of romance novels.
凤凰街 | Phoenix Street | The street where Qiu Yun's family home is located.
陈老头 | Old Man Chen | Likely referring to Liang He's mentor or a senior professor.
