Chinese Emotional Chronicle: Intense Love

Author: Yu Hui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: In the vast sea of humanity, meeting a stranger is a rare. And meeting and knowing each other in a foreign land is even more delightful. During the summer vacation of my junior year, I went to Dunhuang with a few classmates. I envy the us back then—full of passion, bold and fearless, living entirely for our dreams. After several twists and turns, we finally stood before the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, and until now, I can hardly forget the scene I witnessed. The legendary Feitian, with their long sleeves and ethereal dance, were almost intoxicating. I don’t know how long I stood there, but I felt as if I had entered the palace of art, hearing rhythmic, stirring music and seeing the graceful movements of the Feitian dancers. In a daze, someone beside me said, “The Feitian were originally a composite of Indra, the god of music, and Apsaras, the goddess of dance, from ancient Indian mythology. One was skilled in singing, the other in dancing, inseparable, harmonious, like loving spouses. Later, they were absorbed into Buddhism and became two of the (Eight Great Nāgas) deities.” I turned around in astonishment to see him—a boy my age, with thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a sparkling gaze full of wisdom and vitality. He seemed very knowledgeable about Dunhuang, like a guide, vividly explaining various legends about it. He told me he had always loved Dunhuang and its culture, so he had read a lot about it. This trip, finally being able to visit Dunhuang in person, had made him incredibly excited. We quickly became familiar. His name was Wenqing, a graduate student at a university in Beijing, and he loved traveling. By the Moon Spring, we even took a group photo. The sunset had dyed our faces crimson. From her wallet, Liu Si took out a photo of herself, full of student-like charm, with a radiant smile. Against the backdrop of the Singing Sands Mountain and the Moon Spring, the two of us looked very harmonious.
After returning to school, I received a letter from Wenqing and our group photo very soon. His smiling face and bright eyes seemed to appear right before me. From then on, his face, his smile, kept filling my mind, occasionally appearing before my eyes. I finally realized that missing someone could be so sweet yet so bitter. We communicated our admiration and longing through letters. In his letters, he would always include a bright red maple leaf, saying it was dyed red by his longing. One afternoon after class, the campus was bathed in bright sunlight. I stretched lazily and walked back to my dorm. Suddenly, my gaze froze. Standing at the dorm entrance was a tall, graceful man, his eyes half-closed, his smile so radiant it seemed to dim the sunlight. I blinked, thinking it was a hallucination. He walked up to me and affectionately patted my head, saying, “Silly girl, you weren’t dreaming!” “How could you be here?” I asked in surprise. “I came to see you because I miss you!” he replied. During the days we spent in Hangzhou, we had a lot of fun, leaving behind traces of our laughter by the West Lake and near the Leifeng Pagoda. He once told me, “If I were the White Snake, and you were Xu Xian, I would fight against Fa Hai to the very end, even if it meant dying together rather than living apart.” Looking at his determined gaze, I felt warm and reassured.
Then, Liu Si took out an exquisite photo album from her bag, filled with photos of her and Wenqing, all set against the backdrop of the West Lake. Next to each photo were short, witty captions written in charcoal, making me laugh. Liu Si said those captions were all written by Wenqing. For example, next to a photo of her eating, it said, “Look at that little glutton!”
After graduating from university, Wenqing was sent abroad for two years. He found me and said in a low voice, “I’m leaving for two years. Will you miss me?” I lowered my head and didn’t speak. When it was time to part, he grabbed my hand and said, “If you say one word, I won’t go.” Tears streamed down my face. I wanted to say, “I don’t want you to go,” but the words that came out were, “Go, and I’ll wait for you.” Perhaps, by not stopping him, I would lose him forever. But I didn’t want my attachment to make him regret giving up this opportunity.
When I went to the airport to see him off, he quietly slipped me an envelope, heavy with something inside. When I got home and opened it, I found it filled with bright red maple leaves, burning like fire. He left a note saying, “Every maple leaf is a piece of my longing for you. When you count all my longing, it will be my return.” Holding them, I couldn’t help but cry. In truth, true love naturally withstands the tests of time and distance. We agreed to meet online at fixed times, and his words remained as passionate as ever, not a bit diminished. Even though we couldn’t meet in person, we felt as if we were always together, thanks to his reminders and his warmth. We knew each other’s thoughts and feelings, and such a bond could never be broken by distance.
Every time we parted online, he would say, “I love you.” I could imagine his gentle expression and tender gaze. Counting the days until he returned, spring came and went. In the waiting, I grew, and in the waiting, our love grew stronger. Finally, he was about to come back, and my heart, every cell in my body, was filled with joy. I couldn’t help but tell everyone around me, “He’s coming back.” I wanted to share my happiness with everyone. My love, you are coming home.
At this point, she shone with a dazzling light, her eyes clear, her lips rosy, as if lost in immense happiness. Listening to her story, I was so happy for her. Yes, true love can withstand all hardships and trials. It means two people being together forever, like two evergreen vines entwined on a cliff, growing together, flourishing together, enduring the storms together, and basking in the warmth of sunlight.
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