When I met you, I thought your smile was like spring flowers in full bloom. In that instant, the wind laughed, but I cried.
—Mo Lian
Sunlight streamed through the sparse clouds, falling on Mo Lian's face.
Her slender, pale fingers traced a sorrowful arc before her eyes, obscuring her long, overlapping eyelashes, etched into her deep, dark eyes. And so, the sorrow of the entire sky poured down.
You once said that our meeting was the greatest fortune of your life; you also said you would take me to see the wandering stars, traversing unfamiliar cities; you also said you loved seeing my smile, because it held so much sorrow, and that you would cherish me carefully for a lifetime… But, after the fleeting glory of this world, where are you now, my beloved, doing well?
Xie Feng, the one I loved so deeply, I miss you. Mo Lian's
First Encounter
The first time Mo Lian met Xie Feng was when he was at his most embarrassed in front of her. And this was the proudest moment of Mo Lian's life.
That day, a gentle breeze and a light drizzle. What should have been a beautiful first encounter turned out to be anything but, filled with awkwardness.
Everyone rushed from the classroom to the playground as soon as class ended. Thus, Mo Lian and Xie Feng met for the first time.
Mo Lian quietly walked forward with the surging crowd, the occasional complaints of others about having to do exercises in this weather reaching her ears.
Her dark eyes were calm as still water, as if a world of loneliness had settled within them. This kind of drizzle was most likely to stir up the sorrow hidden deep in people's hearts.
Walking alone, surrounded by strangers, utterly alone amidst the noise, letting sadness soak her face with the rain. This feeling was quite nice.
Mo Lian forced a slight smile.
It was then that Mo Lian saw Xie Feng sprinting towards her from the opposite direction, a group of menacing-looking boys chasing after him. At that moment, Xie Feng turned back to look at his pursuers.
When Xie Feng turned back again, he was about to collide with Mo Lian.
Mo Lian, seeing the approaching danger, felt a pang of fear, yet her eyes still held a faint smile.
Xie Feng paused, then smiled gently at Mo Lian. But before the smile could fade, Xie Feng slipped and fell flat on his face.
Mo Lian's eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled faintly.
If it were only that, Mo Lian certainly wouldn't have had such a deep impression of Xie Feng afterward. And there wouldn't have been that unresolved love she felt for so many years.
Before the shock in her eyes had faded, Mo Lian saw Xie Feng smoothly roll over on the ground, landing in a surprisingly comfortable position. Less than a second later, Xie Feng turned to look at Mo Lian. Then, his ears turned red visibly. He quickly averted his gaze, looking behind him with a fierce glint in his eyes.
Mo Lian followed his gaze and saw that the group that had been chasing him had stopped and were looking at him awkwardly.
Xie Feng shouted authoritatively, "Don't run!" and then chased after her without looking back... This was Mo Lian's first encounter with Xie Feng, a comical one.
No one could have predicted its later outcome.
A few days later, Mo Lian finally learned who the person who had fallen in front of her that day was—Xie Feng, the school's star player and basketball captain. This
unexpected
meeting wouldn't have been enough to make Mo Lian develop any deeper feelings for Xie Feng, but life always seemed to bring them together inexplicably, in various situations and unexpected events. In the end, everyone had to admit that these two were truly destined for each other. True feelings are tested by time. So, although they never spoke, their numerous encounters had etched themselves into each other's hearts.
When Xie Feng smiled at Mo Lian, she saw the warm gaze of an angel.
Mo Lian thought her happiness in this life had finally settled, and that she would no longer need to worry about eternity or the vicissitudes of life.
Mo Lian gently pursed her lips, sunlight falling on her eyeshadow, brightening Xie Feng's entire world.
After they brushed past each other, Xie Feng realized he'd been so engrossed in his silly grin that he'd forgotten to ask the girl's name. Turning around, suppressing his pounding heart, he stammered, "Hey, what's your name?"
Mo Lian was startled, then overjoyed. Turning back, she looked at him playfully, "You want to know my name?"
Xie Feng nodded, his face slightly flushed.
"Hmm… if you remember to ask next time we meet, I'll tell you." Mo Lian turned and left, the wind gently lifting the hair behind her ear, freezing a beautiful moment.
The wind blew, scattering across the ground. Quietly.
Turning away, the setting sun blazed like a raging fire. Perhaps the next moment would burn the world into loneliness. But it had already been forgotten, in the youthful recklessness that people no longer wanted to mention.
Three chance encounters.
"Hello, my name is Xie Feng." For a fleeting moment, as his warm, sun-like smile bloomed on his lips, Mo Lian truly believed she had found lifelong happiness. So she playfully added, "My name is Mo Lian."
As those words lingered in Xie Feng's ears, he finally realized he was completely smitten. There was no escape.
But neither of them knew then that two hands joined together didn't necessarily signify happiness, for the world is full of troubles, and happiness is too fragile to withstand even the slightest loss.
A lifetime of youth, half a lifetime of aging.
More than friends, less than lovers. This was the most awkward position. Looking back, Mo Lian realized that she and Xie Feng were in this most ambiguous, inseparable position. At that moment, the hourglass of time had filtered out the last remaining warmth in their lives. The wind grew deeper.
Gold gilded the years, happiness lingered for a moment.
Holding a pale pink petal like a sunset in her hand, the supple touch felt like a lover's lingering affection, impossible to let go. Squinting, her vision blurred. Through the misty tears, memories danced wildly... He and I walked unsteadily along the cobblestone path in the warm morning breeze, under a sky faded to pale blue. Our white canvas shoes lightly kicked up the smooth pebbles as we walked, our laughter soft and gentle, yet the joy deep and profound. In the bustling corridor after class, occasional encounters, a knowing smile on our lips, a warm greeting, beautifully illuminating our youthful years. In the season of blooming and falling gardenias, legend says that lovers' longings would quietly intertwine in the sky. He accompanied me to collect petals, the tinkling of youthful wind chimes burying many of our most beautiful wishes in the innocent wind... At the ice cream shop on the corner of the campus, Winnie the Pooh sat quietly in an empty seat, the faint white steam concealing a lonely smile... until... when no one would ever return.
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