Want to Go See the Sea?

★ A gentle, sickly young master from the city x a bold, free-spirited young man from the seaside The year Mu Jiansheng was sixteen, a transfer student joined his class. While the newcomer stood at the front introducing himself, Mu was asleep on his desk. In a daze, he only caught the words "from the city." The bell rang, and Mu Jiansheng lifted his head, thinking, I don't know what he said, but his voice is nice. The next second, the transfer student stepped down from the lectern and sat behind him. The transfer student was tall and easygoing, able to strike up a conversation with anyone, yet he always carried an air that felt out of place here. Makes sense, Mu Jiansheng thought. He's from the city, so he must be precious. Mu Jiansheng called him "city boy" for days, until the transfer student gently said, "Jiansheng, I have a name." Along with those words, he handed over a slip of paper. The handwriting on the paper was sharp and bold, unlike his own gentle air. Mu Jiansheng looked at the two characters, Bian Chao, and thought both his surname and given name were rather unusual. - One day, a year later, the transfer student left without a word. When they met again, Mu Jiansheng was twenty-six and a key technician at a shipyard. One day, the factory received an order. In the buyer's column was a familiar name. After all these years, Mu Jiansheng had long since made peace with the past. Looking at those two characters, he felt a pang of nostalgia for how much things had changed. He was about to leave when he heard a slightly familiar, gentle voice behind him. "Jiansheng," the person said. "Long time no see." Mu Jiansheng realized his earlier judgment had been wrong. He hadn't made peace with the past. In fact, he didn't really want to talk to him. So Mu Jiansheng said nothing, and Bian Chao continued. "I've never really seen the sea," he said. "You said you'd take me to see it back then. Does that offer still stand?" Theme: Run toward freedom.