The Early Spring

Shаng Zhi Taо finаllу lеаrned about Luаn Niаn's wild plan оn the morning оf thеir dераrturе.

A journеy spanning thirteen thousаnd kilоmetеrs alоng thе bоrdеr, evеntuаllу rеturning tо Bеijing.

"So we'll be оn thе roаd for thirty wholе days!" Shаng Zhi Taо suddеnlу grеw ехсited in the раssengеr sеаt. Luke bаrked оnсe: "What? I'm gоing оn a triр over ten thоusand kilometеrs lоng?"

"I оriginallу wanted to tаkе уou tо сhаsе thе Nоrthern Lights, but it's hаrd fоr us to gо abrоad. So," Luаn Nian shruggеd, "lеt's gо!"

"I lovе thе Nоrthеrn Lights, but I love being with уou even more. Sо, let's go!"

"Let's gо!"

Theу set оff undеr the mоrning glow. The highways in the northern region were clear, and it was early June, with everything thriving and lush greenery everywhere. Shang Zhi Tao was full of anticipation for the journey. She suddenly felt grateful that Luan Nian had asked her to make time for his crazy travel plan. After all, she was past the age of recklessness, yet here she was with the reckless Luan Nian.

"Then why don't we travel along the entire national border?" Shang Zhi Tao asked him. "I can arrange my work! Let's go for three months! Forget everything else!"

"There's plenty of time ahead." Luan Nian glanced at her sideways. "If you're willing, we can do this once every year. I'll keep you company to the very end."

Shang Zhi Tao loved it when Luan Nian said "keep you company to the very end," with his usual domineering fierceness and the sexiness he was unaware of.

"But I only brought my undergarments. I didn't bring anything else because I didn't know where we were going."

"Everything's in the trunk."

"All my clothes?" Shang Zhi Tao was puzzled.

"Yes." Luan Nian had chosen travel outfits for Shang Zhi Tao according to his own preferences. He was confident his taste would satisfy her—and if it didn't, she'd just have to hold it in.

Dr. Liang was always worried that he might make Shang Zhi Tao suffer. Before the trip, he reminded him: "Listen more to the girl's opinions. Don't be so stubborn and harsh when you speak."

"If Tao Tao gets tired or sick, you must take good care of her. Bring her back safely, just as you took her out safely."

"Also, be careful with protection. Getting pregnant before marriage is not advisable."

Luan Nian felt Dr. Liang was overly fond of Shang Zhi Tao, which he found strange. He teased Dr. Liang: "I'm your son."

Dr. Liang shook his head: "Your personality is too awful. Tao Tao is a healthy and wholesome person."

Their car sped along the highway. Luan Nian handed Shang Zhi Tao a hand-drawn route map—a map of China he had drawn himself, with circles marking the places they were going to visit, though without any labels. So Luan Nian could draw so well.

"Your handwriting is good. When we stop at the service area later, you can write the labels."

"Write what?"

"The day number, the date, and the corresponding location."

"So we'll have a travel map completed together?"

"Yes."

"Can we do this every time in the future?"

"Sure."

Had Luan Nian attended some romance training class? Shang Zhi Tao even found it strange. He had never been such a soft person before. If she had done something like this in the past, he would have even mocked her.

But this idea was truly wonderful. He could draw, she could write, and together they would complete a travel map.

When they reached the service area, the two walked in, found a table, and Luan Nian took out a box of colored markers. "Write away. Start with today's date. Each mark represents one day."Shang Zhi Tao wrote diligently, finally learning the entire route of their journey. She wondered how long Luan Nian had researched this—he must have memorized the map of the motherland by heart, right?

From Mohe in the far north to the Sino-Russian border city of Manzhouli, from the sacred Mongolian river Erguna to the Greater Khingan Range city of Arxan, from the winding Xilin River to the poplar forests of Ejina, from the dreamlike Koktokay to Kanas, from the Alashankou Pass to the Nalati Grasslands, from the exotic Kashgar to the uninhabited Ngari, from sacred mountains and holy lakes to Mount Everest Base Camp, from Shigatse to the pilgrimage destination Lhasa, and from Lhasa to the sunlit Nyingchi. This was the route Luan Nian had chosen, traversing mountains and seas, ultimately converging at the gate of time.

Along this journey, they would pass through mountain grasslands, cross uninhabited areas and snowy lakes, where roads would lead to more roads, and mountains would stretch beyond more mountains.

For Shang Zhi Tao, this trip was a monumental feat in her life.

As she wrote down the timeline, Shang Zhi Tao asked Luan Nian, "Have you been planning this for a long time?"

"What do you think?" Luan Nian laughed at her silly question. Of course, he had planned it for a long time.

"Then why didn’t you let me help plan it?" Shang Zhi Tao asked him.

Luan Nian couldn’t answer her directly. I couldn’t let you participate because this is the honeymoon trip I’m giving you.

The map was truly beautiful. After finishing, Shang Zhi Tao picked it up to admire it, unable to put it down. She really wanted to show it off: "Can you take a photo of me? I’ll hold the map, and you can take the picture. I want to post it on my social media."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I drew it, so you have to take the photo with me."

Luan Nian set up a tripod. He leaned casually against the car while Shang Zhi Tao held the enormous map with both hands. Luke sat in front of them. Shang Zhi Tao smiled at the camera, and Luan Nian smiled at Shang Zhi Tao. It looked just like a travel advertisement photo.

Shang Zhi Tao posted on her social media: "With Mr. Luan, traversing mountains and rivers."

Luan Nian glanced at it and posted one too—or rather, he copied Shang Zhi Tao’s: "With Ms. Shang, traversing mountains and rivers."

Everyone knew what this post meant.

It meant they had publicly announced their relationship to everyone, leaving no room for retreat. Neither of them wanted to retreat anyway—this was perfect.

Loving and being loved openly and proudly.

Jiang Lan sent Luan Nian a message: "So it’s finally settled?"

"Completely," Luan Nian replied.

"Then I’m going to be heartbroken. I’ll never get to sleep with you in this lifetime," Jiang Lan joked. The two had become good friends, and Jiang Lan spoke without restraint.

"Not in the next lifetime either. Shang Zhi Tao has claimed me."

Luan Nian stubbornly believed that he and Shang Zhi Tao could have another lifetime together, and another after that. He thought that as someone so set in his ways, switching partners would be too much trouble. It was better to promise her eternity.

Luan Nian shuddered, feeling overly sentimental.

Chen Kuan Nian tossed the photo into the group chat, joking, "I can already picture Mr. Luan’s 30 days of non-stop action."

"Not necessarily. After all, he’s not that young anymore. His body might not be able to handle it," Tan Mian added sarcastically.

Luan Nian only tagged Chen Kuan Nian: "Remember to supervise the construction site every day."

"If I don’t go, I’m a turtle, okay?"

Luan Nian felt reassured.

His friends might talk nonsense, but they were reliable when it came to getting things done. Just as he was about to put away his phone, he saw Zang Yao’s reply: "Congratulations on holding your lover’s hand halfway through life."Then looking at Lumi: Oh my! This girl looks so familiar, isn't this my Taotao? Oh, so Luke has a crush on my Taotao!

What nonsense. Luan Nian cursed Lumi in his heart.

Everyone put away their phones, looked at each other, then at Luke: "Ready to set off?"

"Ready to set off!"

Luke barked: Let's go!

Luan Nian put on his sunglasses and tossed a pair to Shang Zhi Tao as well. Only after she put them on did she realize they were a couple's set. Feeling a bit sweet inside, she teased him: "Who was it that said using couple items was the tackiest thing ever?"

Luan Nian took off his sunglasses and gave her a deep look before putting them back on, refusing to admit he had ever said such a thing.

"So, are there any other surprises on this trip?"

"Every day," Luan Nian said.

He had poured all his thoughts into this journey, hoping that Shang Zhi Tao would look back on it with happiness one day, and also wanting her to win in moments of comparison—though he knew Shang Zhi Tao didn't really care for such things.

The two of them headed toward Mohe.

The northern skies were vast, the earth expansive, the black soil stretching endlessly to meet the mountains. The grand scenery stirred the soul. Shang Zhi Tao sat in the passenger seat, snacking. Luan Nian scoffed at her snacks: "How old are you, still eating this stuff?"

"What is that? It's all gutter oil."

"Eating one bag of chips would take you three hours of swimming to burn off."

"You eat that junk too?"

Shang Zhi Tao shook her head: "I'm not listening, I'm not listening, turtle chanting sutras."

Then she tore open a spicy strip, tidied it up, and offered it to him. Luan Nian refused, but she glared: "Hurry up!"

He reluctantly took a bite. Surprisingly, it tasted quite good. Seeing his expression, Shang Zhi Tao knew he probably liked it, so she tidied up another small piece and carefully placed it in his mouth. She knew Luan Nian well—he hated getting food on his lips, finding it dirty. So particular.

"Is it okay?" Shang Zhi Tao asked him.

"Passable."

Shang Zhi Tao pouted. The old man was just being stubborn!

"What are we eating when we get to Mohe today?" Shang Zhi Tao asked. "If only we could go to Yanbian, it's like a mini-Korea, the food there is so good."

"Yanbian is always an option. For tonight, just look it up now."

"Got it!"

Shang Zhi Tao took out her phone to check what to eat. The screen was filled with iron pot stews, so she put her phone away: "Iron pot stew."

"Alright. Goose?"

"Yes!"

Discussing things amicably, in harmony.

Dr. Liang called to ask them: "You've set off?"

"Yes."

"Alright, be safe. Send my regards to Taotao."

"She's right here."

"Dr. Liang, I'm here, thank you."

Dr. Liang laughed on the other end of the line, then said after a moment: "Luan Nian mentioned before that you're working on your health. I found an expert for you. When you have time, come to Beijing and I'll take you to see them. But no matter how you adjust, make sure you get enough rest, okay?"

"Alright, thank you, Dr. Liang."

"Don't thank me. Enjoy your vacation, have fun and be happy. If Luan Nian bullies you, just bully him back."

Shang Zhi Tao burst out laughing: "Okay! I'll bully him right now!"

Luan Nian scoffed and hung up the phone, turning to glare at Shang Zhi Tao: "Try bullying me?"

"Hmph!"Shang Zhitao didn't realize what Luan Nian meant by "a surprise every day" until she opened her eyes the next morning. Each day, the clothes they wore had been carefully selected. After putting hers on and looking at Luan Nian, she realized they were wearing matching outfits. Not the common kind found in stores, but ones made from the same fabric, with thoughtful details at the cuffs, collars, or seams—subtle yet truly beautiful.

Standing in front of the mirror, they looked at each other, appearing exactly like a young married couple. Shang Zhitao was overjoyed: "You secretly had these custom-made! And my outfit fits so perfectly! How did you know my measurements?"

"I've touched you so many times..." Luan Nian glanced at her. He knew her measurements intimately—they had been measured countless times by his lips and hands.

"You're so shameless!"

Luan Nian ignored her and continued their journey.

On the border road from Manzhouli to Erguna, the early summer grass had just begun to grow wildly, changing day by day. Luan Nian parked the car in front of a boundary stone and said to Shang Zhitao, "Let's take a commemorative photo." The deeply hidden romanticism in Luan Nian's nature was at play again. A collection of boundary stones and markers would form an album, filled with stories to tell in the future. Moreover, the custom-made outfits had a touch of couple travel photography style—a journey of fifteen thousand miles, grand enough to be spectacular.

They spent a long time setting up a tripod in front of the small boundary stone. Luke played on his own, blocked by an iron fence, barking at a foreign hunting dog on the other side: "Come here! I'm not afraid of you!"

The hunting dogs on the grassland were fierce. One growled low and took a step forward. Luke tucked his tail and ran to Luan Nian's side: "Woof! It's bullying me!"

"Didn't you provoke it first? Serves you right." Luan Nian ignored him, got into the car, and flipped through the photos. The backdrop was vast, and they both looked great—the photos turned out beautifully.

"Will we have lots and lots of photos together from now on?" Shang Zhitao asked him.

"Lots and lots."

Shang Zhitao felt a slight sting in her nose. Sometimes she regretted that they had so few photos together. Luan Nian regretted it even more. The drone footage of them from years ago had been replayed countless times by him. After being together for so long, they only had that one video and a set of photos as proof of their time together. It felt far too sparse.

"I have a surprise for you too," Shang Zhitao said.

"What surprise?"

"I think you can look forward to it."

Luan Nian's curiosity was piqued by Shang Zhitao. One night, halfway through their journey, Shang Zhitao suddenly craved fruit. The fruits in Kashgar's old city were, of course, delicious, with almost no flaws except for the late sunset. Luan Nian went out for half an hour. When he returned and pushed open the hotel room door, he found the room dark. He called out, "Shang Zhitao."

"Close the door."

Shang Zhitao said.

Luan Nian closed the door, and a dim nightlight lit up the room. A steel pole stretched from the floor to the ceiling.

Shang Zhitao walked out from one side, approached Luan Nian, placed one hand on his chest and the other on his collar, and led him forward.

Luan Nian's gaze fell on her attire: a black tube top paired with flat-front pants, revealing a snow-white waist, and knee-high stockings.

Shang Zhitao looked utterly alluring.

This was the kind of surprise Luan Nian wanted every day. His eyes gradually took on a predatory glint. Before he could make a move, Shang Zhitao pushed him onto the bed, her lips pressed against his: "The performance below is to reward you for the hardships of the journey." Mimicking his tone, she added, "Take it!"When she accompanied Shang Zhi Shu in learning pole dancing, it was just a whim. Pole dancing isn't easy to master, but fortunately, her body was flexible, though she still ended up with bruises all over. At the time, she thought she was crazy—why learn this? But when she saw Luan Nian's gaze, she understood: learning this was quite useful. What man is truly a gentleman?

She didn't learn it for Luan Nian; what she truly wanted to please was herself. Every woman probably has such rebellious moments, discarding the traditional views of the world. When dancing on the pole, one can feel infinitely close to freedom. At this moment, she liked Luan Nian's gaze like this. When lovers are together, they can't pretend to be aloof every day. There must be moments like these, moments of indulgence and loss of control that belong only to the two of them.

The music was suggestive, the air was enchanting, and Shang Zhi Tao mounted the pole. She danced in the air, her long hair swirling along with her movements. Her eyes met Luan Nian's—his gaze held light and fire, as if he wanted to burn her to ashes.

When she leaned back, her waist pressed against the pole, she saw Luan Nian stand up. Slowly, he began to remove his own clothes, his eyes lingering on her body before finally locking onto hers. As he walked toward her slowly, Shang Zhi Tao flipped herself upright. Luan Nian's hand landed on her waist, pulling her away from the pole in one swift motion. She protested, "I haven't finished dancing…"

Luan Nian tossed her onto the bed, covering her with his entire body. "You can dance again tomorrow."

A wildfire raged within him, and Shang Zhi Tao, the one who ignited it, couldn't escape responsibility. He wanted to burn her slowly—no, not slowly. He had to do it now. Luan Nian was urgent, even a little rough, trapping Shang Zhi Tao in his world, making her burn alongside him in this wildfire.

Shang Zhi Tao refused to surrender just like that. Pressing her lips to his, she said, "Today, I'm in charge." With force, she pushed him down and flipped on top of him, pressing Luan Nian's raised head back down. "Take it slow."

The sky in Kashgar darkens late and brightens late—it was still early. What was the rush?

The battle lines were drawn long, with no intention of stopping. Perhaps Shang Zhi Tao's performance was too unforgettable; whenever Luan Nian closed his eyes, he saw her dancing on the pole. She had always been like this—with an innocent face, yet unrestrained when no one was around. Knowing how to read the mood, she was truly one of a kind.

When it finally ended, the true night of Kashgar had arrived. Luan Nian pointed at the pole. "How did you conjure that?"

"Portable, easy to assemble and disassemble. It fits in a small case, ready to go whenever."

"How did I not see it?"

"Hidden under the equipment you prepared…" Shang Zhi Tao said with a hint of pride. "How else could I surprise you?"

"I like your unyielding spirit. Keep it up." Luan Nian kissed her cheek, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

=====

As their car neared Lhasa, Shang Zhi Tao's mind was filled with memories of that year. They had left on a whim, during the best season of their lives. Later, once or twice, she had felt the urge to return to Tibet alone, but various matters had prevented her from doing so.

She had never imagined returning to Tibet, especially with Luan Nian.

So many years had passed along this journey. When she thought about it carefully, life doesn't offer many decades.

Shang Zhi Tao was overwhelmed with emotions. As the car entered Lhasa, her eyes finally reddened.

"Luan Nian, can you pull over for a moment?"

Luan Nian stopped the car, and neither of them spoke. The car was quiet. Shang Zhi Tao let out a sob, took off her sunglasses, and wiped her tears.She felt she had grown strong enough, crying rarely in recent years. She pursued the meaning of life, overlooking all the pain along the way, and repeatedly consoled herself that it was merely a necessary path everyone must walk.

Yet she had regrets, because she had loved someone in her best years, only to love without gaining.

Shang Zhi Tao gazed at Lhasa before her, the Potala Palace not far away. Back when she came here on pilgrimage, she had made a wish for both of them to live a hundred years, and if possible, to walk a little further together on life’s journey—she didn’t even dare hope for forever.

Luan Nian took her hand, finally removed his sunglasses, wiped the corner of his eye with a fingertip, his eyes red.

If time could turn back, Luan Nian knew he would do better than he had then. Not letting it drift from his twenties to his thirties, wasting those precious ten years. He was deeply sorry that Shang Zhi Tao had met him when he was so flawed.

They walked along Barkhor Street, with Luke. That photography studio was still there. Standing across the street, they saw their photo already hanging inside. Luan Nian had taken one copy back then; the clever owner gave him the negatives and kept a copy for himself, thinking they would never return.

In the photo, they were smiling brightly, in the prime of their lives, under Tibet’s sunlight, their faces clear and radiant.

The studio owner came out to see off customers, noticed them standing across the street, paused for a moment, then reached out in welcome. He even said to passersby, “Look! My models are here! They’re still together!”

The owner had seen countless comings and goings, gatherings and partings. People coming to take photos would often point at that picture: “We want one like this.”

While getting makeup done, they would ask, “Are these two models?”

“No. They were a young couple traveling here.”

“Are they still together? Married? Have children?”

The owner never knew how to answer: “Perhaps.”

This time, they asked the owner to take their photo again. When he asked what they would wear, Luan Nian said, “Just what we have on.”

He had custom-made over twenty sets of travel outfits; the ones they wore that day in Lhasa were the most formal. He also fetched a custom-made white veil crown from the car, adorned with osmanthus bud designs, like trees sprouting blossoms in early spring. Under Shang Zhi Tao’s warm gaze, he gently placed it on her head and whispered, “Let’s keep the spring light in Lhasa, okay?”

“Okay.”

The moment the owner pressed the shutter, Shang Zhi Tao and Luan Nian glanced at each other—a look filled with deep affection and enduring bond.

This time, the owner didn’t charge them, only saying, “May I place this photo next to that one?”

“Yes.”

“And when you have children, could you come back once more? Right here, I’ll take another set for your family, complete and whole.”

“Okay.”

From then on, when people stood on the bustling Barkhor Street and looked toward this studio, they would see the story of two people, remembered by time itself.

====

On the night before their journey ended and they returned to Beijing, Shang Zhi Tao received a call from Lin Chun’er.

“Tao Tao, is Luan Nian with you?”

“He went out to take a call, said he’d be a while. I don’t know what he’s up to—he’s being mysterious.”

“That’s good.” Lin Chun’er chuckled and said, “Tao Tao, I want to send you a video. Watch it yourself, and don’t let Luan Nian know you’ve seen it, okay?”

“Okay.”Friends all felt it wasn't easy for the two of them to have come this far over so many years, worrying that Shang Zhi Tao's heart might not yet be fully stirred, fearing Luan Nian's efforts might ultimately come to nothing. So Lin Chun'er came up with this idea, saying, "What's the use of keeping that video in your phones except to laugh at Luan Nian? Send it to the person who most deserves to see it."

Shang Zhi Tao opened the video and first saw the aurora.

During their wedding trip to Lhasa that New Year, Luan Nian had said to her, "Let's go see the aurora together next year?"

Later they separated, and Luan Nian went chasing the aurora with friends.

The aurora was truly beautiful, ethereal between heaven and earth. Shang Zhi Tao heard several men talking, along with the sound of clinking wine glasses. As the camera turned, she saw Luan Nian.

He was on the phone.

The person filming asked him, "Who are you calling?"

Luan Nian seemed drunk, his eyes and the tip of his nose flushed red, his words slurred: "Calling the one I love."

"I want to share the aurora with her."

Shang Zhi Tao heard Luan Nian mumble her name: "Shang Zhi Tao, I came to see the aurora. It's so beautiful."

"It's very cold here, especially cold, colder than Ice City."

"The aurora is too beautiful. We promised to see it together, but you disappeared. It's okay, I came to see it. Now I'm telling you about it..."

As Luan Nian spoke, he broke into sobs, tears and snot streaming down his face. He wiped them away with his hand, all traces of his usual composure and elegance gone: "The aurora is especially beautiful, so beautiful it doesn't seem real. Ethereal and vast, like a dream."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for so many things. I hope you live well. In your lifetime, you must come and chase the aurora once."

"I miss you. I miss you so much. I'm not drunk, I really miss you."

"I love you. I want you to know."

"I also want you to know that, in those years, I gave my true heart."

"I know I'm terrible, I don't deserve to be loved. I'm prepared to grow old alone. I hope you marry a truly wonderful person, with children around your knees, and live a happy life."

"You must come see the aurora once. The aurora is especially beautiful. Really."

He rambled on and on, dialing the number over and over, saying the same words again and again. At the end of the video, someone snatched his phone away, and the voice on the line said, "The number you have dialed is not in service."

Shang Zhi Tao was in tears. Back then, when she left him, she endured heart-wrenching pain. Countless nights she sat by the window, watching the strong winds of Ice City blow down withered branches, missing him again and again. In the years when they both believed they were unworthy of love, they came close to it. But they missed their chance.

"Tao Tao, what I want to tell you is that after parting and meeting again, it's already so difficult. We all hope the two of you can grow old together." Lin Chun'er sent her a message. Shang Zhi Tao replied, "Okay."

====

Luan Nian drove the car up the mountain. Shang Zhi Tao asked him, "Aren't we going home to drop off our luggage?"

"We haven't reached the end of the journey yet."

The end of the journey was the garden Luan Nian had built for Shang Zhi Tao.

The green trees and wild grass by the mountainside danced in the summer breeze. Dappled sunlight fell on their faces, shadows flickering past like dreams woven by time.

Luan Nian stopped the car: "Let's go."

That day, they wore the last set of clothes Luan Nian had custom-made for this trip. Shang Zhi Tao was in a simple white dress, while he wore a white shirt and white pants. Holding her hand, he walked slowly forward, turning into a small path that revealed a whole new world.

The rose garden was filled with fragrance. Starting from her feet, a bluestone path stretched out, flanked by radiant hand-painted portraits on both sides of the garden, leading all the way to a sunroom.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Shang Zhi Tao had never seen such a beautiful place. She loved flowers, but once misunderstood him for giving flowers to someone else, feeling jealous in her twenties. He knew, and finally built her a garden.

Luan Nian pointed to the side, where an inconspicuous plaque was tied to the fence, reading: "Shang Zhi Tao's Time and Space Museum."

Luan Nian shed his usual nonchalance and spoke to her very seriously: "Welcome to Shang Zhi Tao's Time and Space Museum. I am the senior guide of the museum, Luan Nian."

First, let us travel to 2010, the first year Ms. Shang Zhi Tao came to Beijing.The large-scale hand-painted mural depicts Shang Zhi Tao waiting for a bus in the late-night Beijing, surrounded by dazzling lights, yet everything seemed unrelated to her. All the paintings were personally drawn by Luan Nian, then enlarged proportionally for production. He allowed no flaws.

This year, Ms. Shang Zhi Tao came to work at Lingmei. She was filled with curiosity and panic toward this unfamiliar city, holding reverence for everything. She left early and returned late, dedicating all her time to work. Unfortunately, she encountered a boss who tried to persuade her to quit every day. That boss was a bit of a jerk.

When Luan Nian mentioned this, Shang Zhi Tao laughed out loud.

But that boss fell in love with her, though he was unaware of it. His route home was clearly different, yet he would always detour to the building to "coincidentally" run into her and send her home.

From 2010 to 2021, each hand-painted mural depicted Shang Zhi Tao from that year, with her hairstyle and clothing exactly as they were at the time. These large-scale paintings dragged her into memories.

She saw the completion of her first project at Lingmei, her first promotion, her trembling when her car broke down on a mountain road, her dragging a suitcase through four cities in a week, sometimes waking up unsure which city she was in; she saw herself going alone to the northwest, enduring loneliness there to finish a project; she saw herself studying languages with a teacher by Houhai Lake, on the Great Wall, and on campus, the thick vocabulary books in her hands replaced one after another; she saw two-month-old Luke scratching her bed, wanting to sleep beside her and accompany her through the lonely long nights; she also saw the year Sun Yuanzhu left, standing outside his company building, weeping uncontrollably before the white cloth; she saw herself singing on stage, with colleagues waving glow sticks below and shouting "I love you"; she saw the train leaving Beijing, sending Luan Nian her last message, then forgetting each other in the vast world.

She saw herself climbing onto an overpass, her body swaying once in the air, trembling like a sieve when she came down; she saw herself drinking at a banquet, a male client placing his hand on her back, and her picking up a wine bottle to smash it on his head; she saw herself leaving a venue late at night, being followed, fleeing in panic while gripping scissors in her bag.

She saw herself staying up late studying formulas, charging recklessly into new fields; she saw the office grow from just two people to nearly seventy.

She saw the first photo of Luan Nian and her together on Barkhor Street, and finally, Luan Nian standing beside her.

Luan Nian built this Time-Space Museum. He was nitpicky and perfectionistic, personally drawing the blueprints and selecting the materials. He spent countless hours here, demanding that his work maintain beauty under any lighting or sensory changes. He also wanted this museum to withstand wind and sun, to remain here forever. He demanded that every flower in the garden bloom according to his wishes, because this was the garden he presented to his beloved. He created dreams in this garden. The Time-Space Museum contained Shang Zhi Tao’s past and would also hold her future.

Someone like Luan Nian, stubborn and unwavering, would never look back.

Some laughed at him for being foolish, spending a fortune to build something so useless. They said that once the money was gone and the person left, the Time-Space Museum would become ruins, the flowers in the garden would wither, and everything would vanish in an instant.

Luan Nian said, "You don’t understand."

Money can be earned again, but the person cannot leave. They must be entangled for a lifetime.Luan Nian had never spoken so many words in his entire life. He spoke of Shang Zhi Tao’s years, one after another—the humble, fearful, steadfast, brave, clever, kind, mischievous, and obedient Shang Zhi Tao—all existed in his words and in his heart. Finally, he led her to the end of the museum.

Everything displayed inside was familiar to Shang Zhi Tao.

The hand and footprints from her birth, her first little outfit, her first pair of shoes, her first calligraphy written with a brush, her first award certificate, her first bicycle, her first Walkman, her first school uniform, the first contract she signed at Lamy, the first note she left on Luan Nian’s pillow, her wish list.

Luan Nian placed the key in her hand. "My love, this is the museum I built for you. I hope it can hold all the beautiful dreams of your life."

Shang Zhi Tao gripped the key, holding Luan Nian’s heartfelt intentions. Friends and dearest family had, at some point, gathered around them, forming a small circle. Luan Nian didn’t want his proposal to be in front of a large crowd; he didn’t want to place Shang Zhi Tao on a moral pedestal. He only wished for their sincere friends and closest family to be present—that was enough.

Luke came running over, his fur damp, a small plaque hanging from his neck that read: "Marry Dad." Luan Nian crouched down and took the ring box from the backpack on Luke’s back. He looked at it for a long time before finally standing up and asking Ms. Shang Zhi Tao to allow him a place in the Museum of Time and Space.

With reddened eyes, he said, "Shang Zhi Tao, marry me."

Shang Zhi Tao’s tears flowed endlessly. The sunroom was bathed in sunlight, the light covering their bodies and faces, making everything feel infinitely pure at that moment.

She wiped the tears from her face and finally nodded, saying, "Yes."

Luan Nian embraced her—the twenty-two-year-old her and the thirty-three-year-old her.

They would grow old one day, for time never favors anyone excessively.

But they were not afraid, because they knew that this time, they would not part.

Never again.

Their love had endured the harsh winter, welcomed the clear early spring that belonged to them, and finally arrived at the blazing summer, entering the most passionate time of their lives.

This passion would never fade.

May you, I, and all of us be well.

(The End)