My Youth Began With Him

“Honey, maybe we should… abort our plan. I’ll go find you tonight.”

Qin Chu had been missing Huo Mian all day; the more he saw her, the more he missed her.

“No, or else all of our hard work would’ve been for nothing… just a few more days, Honey.”

Huo Mian really wanted to find the man behind the scenes…

Qin Chu looked at her with puppy-dog eyes.

They chatted for a while longer as she drove towards South Hill Manor; it was 9-something when she arrived.

Huo Mian took a hot shower and then climbed into bed.

She then took out a book, while the maid brought over some fruit and warm milk. The service was impeccable.

Just then, her phone began ringing again…

Upon seeing the number, Huo Mian immediately put down the book and picked up her phone.

“Zhixin.”

“Sis… are you sleeping?”

“Not yet, I was reading.”

“I knew you wouldn’t be asleep at this hour, haha.”

“How are you doing there, are you used to it?”

“Yup, things are great. The scenery here is amazing. If you have time, you should come here with my brother-in-law. I’ll take you guys out for food.”

“Sure.”

“Sis…”

“Yeah?”

“How… have you been?” Jing Zhixin asked carefully.

“I’ve been great.”

“Don’t lie to me… my old classmates already told me what happened back in C City. The media outlets have been reporting that you guys are getting divorced.”

“How much of an idiot are you to believe in what media outlets say?”

“But… where there’s smoke, there’s fire, right? Did something happen between you and my brother-in-law?”

“Nope, don’t worry about it.”

“Really?” Zhixin remained unbelieving.

“Really, my good brother, don’t worry about us.”

“Okay, thank goodness.”

Towards the end of their call, Zhixin suddenly said, “Sis, I’ve been dreaming about Yue a lot.”

“Really?” Their tones became grave at the mentioning of Huang Yue.

“Yeah, I keep dreaming that she’s looking at me from afar. But every time I walk towards her, she disappears into thin air, and I can’t even touch her…”

“Zhixin, people can’t arise from the dead, you have to accept that. Life is a one-way ticket, everyone has to get off sooner or later. She just fell in love with the scenery along the way and got off a little earlier than the rest of us. One day, the same thing will happen to us. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“I know, I’m just sad… I used to say to her that once I start working at my brother-in-law’s company, I would earn enough money to marry her. Then, we would go to Provence for our honeymoon. Too bad… these things will never come true.”

“I know you loved her, but you guys weren’t meant to be… Zhixin, she’s a part of who you are, but it’s all in the past. You don’t have to forget her, but you need to learn to let go, okay?”

“I will… okay, Sis, let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m heading out now, so you should get some sleep soon.”

“Okay.”

Huo Mian felt bad after she hung up the phone with Zhixin…

What happened with Huang Yue was too much for Zhixin to handle; it’ll be a while before he forgot her.

She didn’t want to inject him with chicken soup for the soul whenever they talked to each other.

However, she occasionally hoped that she could help him out of sadness…

Life was a process of obtaining and losing that everyone had to go through.

Her family and friends would all leave her one day.

Even if she was sad, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it…

Sometimes, she would recharge herself by reading some soothing literature.

Recently, she fell in love with a poem written by Tsangyang Gyatso, called A Moment Gone. Its verses went viral a while ago.

Huo Mian clicked open her Weibo and signed on. She posted,

“I closed my eyes and sat amidst the incense fog inside the temple and suddenly hear the mantras you used to recite.

That month, setting all the prayer wheels turning. Not to achieve transcendence, only to brush your fingertips.

That year, proning in the dust of the mountain road. Not to make obeisance, only to press into your warmth.

That life time, turning and turning, mountains, rivers stupas. Not to seek rebirth, but to meet you along the way.

That moment, hoisting the wind-horse banners. Not to beg for good fortune, only to welcome your return.

That day, raising the sacred boulder pile. Not to accumulate virtue, but to cast a stone in your heart’s pool.

A night gone, listened to Satsang. Not to be enlightened, but to find your scent.

A second gone, I flew up into the sky. Not to become an immortal, but to wish you a lifetime of happiness.

That day, that month, that year, that lifetime…

But that night, I forgot everything.

I threw away my faith, abandoned my Samsara.

Just for the rose crying in front of the Buddha, that lost its shine a long time ago.”

Huo Mian hadn’t uploaded on Weibo in a while. As soon as she uploaded this verse, her comments section blew up again.

This time, some cursed at her while others praised her. Upon seeing this update, Su Yu became excited.

He privately messaged her, “Huo Mian, do you believe in destiny?”