Once We Lived in Nanjing

A week later.

Early in the morning, as usual, Bai Yang was pulled out of bed for morning exercises by Lian Qiao. When the two came downstairs, they saw a line of buses parked in a queue at the community plaza, ready to embark. There were over a hundred people, all dressed differently yet uniformly carrying their luggage, composed and silent.

"Oh..." Bai Yang was a bit surprised, "Who are all these people?"

Lian Qiao glanced at them, "Chinese People's Liberation Army Combat Forces, their mission has ended; they must be evacuating from the headquarters."

"Headquarters?" Bai Yang asked, "My home?"

"Your home is of course a headquarters, but the headquarters is not just your home." Lian Qiao responded, gesturing around, "All of these are part of the headquarters."

"Have they been here the whole time?"

"They've been here all along." Lian Qiao nodded.

"I really have never seen them before." Bai Yang was very surprised.

"What you haven't seen is still plentiful."

As Lian Qiao and Bai Yang passed by the formation, Bai Yang turned his head to look at these people standing rigidly with their eyes forward. Strangely enough, while technically these people have fought alongside him for a long time, today was the first time he saw them – and perhaps the only time in his life. Bai Yang didn't even know where they had been hiding for the past few months; they were like water in a sponge, silent and invisible until squeezed out suddenly.

The two ran around Crescent Lake and then leaned on the railings to rest.

"Was there any news on the radio last night?" Lian Qiao asked.

"No."

Bai Yang shook his head.

"Did she just disappear like that?" Lian Qiao asked.

"She just disappeared like that." Bai Yang said.

He looked at the lake, and despite long contemplation and incessant thought, Bai Yang couldn't understand why someone could disappear without a trace.

Like a soap bubble under the sun, barely touched, and it turns into air.

"Miss must still be alive," Lian Qiao said.

"Are you trying to say she lives on in our memory? Don't give me that cliché..." Bai Yang spoke sullenly, "I have come to accept the reality. When someone is gone, they are gone. How could there be a way to meet again?"

"No, I heard it from Director Zhao, didn't he stop that... that VVVLBI project?"

Speaking of VVVLBI, this unprecedented observational project in human history was halted at the last minute before its execution, the headquarters called their superior's superior urgently to indefinitely postpone the plan.

On the night of January 3, 2020, Earth continued orbiting as it had for the last 4.6 billion years, and the wheel of fate silently rolled over this ordinary spatial coordinate and moment in time. Nothing happened.

"Director Zhao said the future is no longer certain, and it's unclear what might happen thereafter." Lian Qiao continued, "From our perspective, as our origin point, what kind of light cone the world-line in the future will outline, only the future knows."

Lian Qiao turned her head to look at him, speaking earnestly.

"Do you really believe that, or are you just comforting me?" Bai Yang asked.

"I truly believe it." Lian Qiao nodded, then added, "Miss believed it too, that's why she was so brave."

"It is clearly us who pushed her." Bai Yang grimaced, "We stand dry onshore, all pretty words easy to say, it's not us who have to activate nuclear weapons, not us who have to go through the nuclear blast zone, nor us facing Swordman's pursuit... What have we done? Only offering spiritual support and encouragement. But who is the one suffering? Who is making the sacrifices?"

Lian Qiao fell silent for a while, then sighed.

"Do you regret it?"

"No." Bai Yang lowered his eyes, "I... I just feel very guilty."

"Then feel guilty. I won't convince you otherwise. Everyone in this world owes her, though she may not want it." Lian Qiao took a deep breath, "But Miss was so strong and cheerful, she would definitely want you to be happy when you think of her."

Lian Qiao turned her face towards the lake, humming a melodious tune.

"Have you heard this song before?"

"Yes," Bai Yang said.

"Wow, impressive, finally a song you know." Lian Qiao was a bit surprised. "It seems your music taste isn't that bad."

"It's just because this song isn't that old," Bai Yang rolled his eyes.

Lian Qiao stopped talking and continued humming her tune.

Bai Yang mentally filled in the lyrics.

"Because I dreamt of you leaving,

I woke up from crying,

Watching the night wind blow past the windowsill,

Can you feel my love?"

The park was getting crowded with morning exercisers, men and women passing by on the small path by the lake, and the air was crisp and piercing with faint sounds of a dog barking.

"How many have loved your youthful,

visage,

Knowing who would endure the years,

relentless changes,

How many have been in your life,

coming and going,

Knowing with you in my life,

I'll stay by your side."

"Oh right, there's something I need to tell you, today is the last day I'll be taking you for morning exercise, my mission here is complete, and I need to leave the headquarters. The order came down last night," Lian Qiao turned to Bai Yang, "My responsibilities have transferred, I'm rejoining my unit."

"Ah?" Bai Yang was stunned; the news came unexpectedly.

"Your special training is over, Comrade Bai Yang, you've performed very well, and as your instructor, I grant you the title of excellent student." Lian Qiao grinned, pinching Bai Yang's cheek, "What? Going to miss your sister?"

Bai Yang turned his head away.

"Mmm... going to miss you."

Lian Qiao hugged him tightly, "Every feast must end, Bai, I've been very happy working with you. Partings are inevitable, but they pave the way for reunions, just as the lady said, we will meet again."

She could feel Bai Yang's shoulders trembling slightly, so she gently patted his back.

"Don't cry, your sister has a soft heart, I can't bear to see tears, wipe them away."

"Mmm."

Lian Qiao stepped back, smiling, and placed her hands on his shoulders, gazing down slightly.

"Do you have any parting gifts for me?"

Bai Yang searched through his pockets and pulled out a warm coin, placing it in her palm.

"What's this?" Lian Qiao closely examined the pale yellow coin in her hand, engraved with numbers and letters. "If I'm not mistaken, this is a Morse code practice coin, right?"

"Yes, it's been with me for a long time," Bai Yang nodded, "I'm giving it to you."

"This gift is wonderful!" Lian Qiao beamed with joy, happily tucking it into her pocket. "I'll take good care of it!"

Lian Qiao was still so energetic and decisive. She came in a whirlwind and left just as swiftly. Bai Yang stood there, watching her walk further and further down the path. Lian Qiao walked a great distance, suddenly turned around, stood upright in the warm morning light, and saluted him with a radiant smile. Those who had once gathered will now scatter in all directions, possibly never to meet again in this life. With this thought, Bai Yang's eyes blurred with tears again.