The Breeze Won't Carry Me Across

A great fire destroyed everything. Liang Chan was left like a duckweed with nowhere to turn. Her only relative in the world was far away in Germany and entrusted her to a friend back home. The first time Liang Chan met Shao Linfeng, he came out of his study in house slippers, wearing a loose shirt and black trousers. A cigarette rested between his fingers. His long, deep-set eyes were a beautiful amber, and when he smiled, his gentle warmth reminded her of the blue-gray sky over Yicheng after the rain. That was Liang Chan’s favorite color of sky. Later, after moving into Shao Linfeng’s home, she learned that beneath his gentle exterior lay a cold, merciless heart. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say he had no heart at all. He treated her well, but that was only because he was repaying a favor. Liang Chan wrote in her diary: Shao Linfeng is amazing. He can do anything, except love me. No one in this world loves me. Once Liang Chan had grown strong enough to spread her wings, she fled to a world without Shao Linfeng. She became even quieter and more taciturn. Even when a basketball hit her and left her head spinning, she didn’t make a sound. And so she met Jiang Qishu, who was just as gentle and warmhearted. Jiang Qishu was different from Shao Linfeng. Shao Linfeng was the wind, drifting far away, impossible for her to catch no matter how hard she tried. Jiang Qishu was a tree. No matter how the seasons changed, he would always be there, watching over her and sheltering her. One day, Jiang Qishu said, “Liang Chan, you said no one in the world loves you. I love you.” “So, will you be with me?”