Chapter 56: If I Depart, There Will Be No Reunion

“It should work, I suppose. If you wish sincerely enough, your heart’s desire will come true,” Lin Shenlu said, standing to the side with a helpless sigh.

“This is the very first wish I’ve ever made at my wishing pool. It’s also my birthday wish, and my only wish…” Hailan Jing gently closed her beautiful eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly.

After a few seconds of silence, the fifty-cent coin slipped from Hailan Jing’s fingers into the water, sending up a small ripple.

“Lin Shenlu, thank you for making a wish with me. Thank you for appearing in my life and for accompanying me through this time. Now you can go… please, leave my world,” Hailan Jing said softly as she opened her eyes.

She dared not look at Lin Shenlu.

Lin Shenlu frowned deeply, at a loss for words.

“Your wish is for it to rain in Dali…”

“Go away…”

…

Lin Shenlu turned and walked away alone.

By the wishing pool, Hailan Jing was left by herself… she finally couldn’t hold on any longer.

She bent down, crouched by the pool, and wept in silence.

Lin Shenlu clenched her fist, then finally stepped back into the house.

An Muxi was already standing, waiting for her.

“Let’s go back and rest,” Lin Shenlu said.

But An Muxi didn’t move. Instead, she gazed out the window at Hailan Jing, crouched outside.

“Lu’er, have you made up your mind?” An Muxi asked.

“I have.”

“But I can’t give you any certainty about the future. I don’t want you to miss out on yours because of me,” An Muxi said, troubled.

“Enough, let’s not overthink it. Since I’ve chosen to wait for you, I’m committed. Whatever comes, I’ll accept.” Lin Shenlu’s voice was gentle.

She reached out and softly stroked An Muxi’s hair. “Just promise me you won’t suddenly disappear. Let me always be able to reach you.”

An Muxi nodded quietly, then handed Lin Shenlu the coat she’d left on the chair.

“Go give this to her. It’s cold out, she might catch a chill,” An Muxi murmured.

“I’m not a central heater—I can’t warm everyone. Let’s go,” Lin Shenlu said, taking a deep breath.

…

Late at night.

Another sleepless night for everyone.

Ye Yaochen and Xiao Ai tossed and turned, lost in their dreams.

Hailan Jing sat at the highest swing, gazing at the moon over Erhai Lake in silence.

Lin Shenlu leaned by the window, smoking.

An Muxi stood on the balcony, feeling the night breeze.

She quietly took out her phone and checked her ticket on the online travel app.

Her return flight was the morning after next.

She still hadn’t told Lin Shenlu.

This had been decided before the trip began. One week’s journey—her vacation would be over. Afterwards, life would return to its usual rhythm.

But how was she supposed to bring it up? An Muxi wondered.

What exactly did she feel for Lin Shenlu?

She didn’t dislike him emotionally; she didn’t resist him physically. These were subtle signals.

She could accept Lin Shenlu.

His gentleness, his thoughtfulness, his attention to detail—everything about him drew her in.

But was he suitable for her?

Should she let him drift back into the sea of strangers?

An Muxi was conflicted—deeply so.

This trip was already an unexpected detour. Meeting Lin Shenlu had been an even greater surprise.

Should she pretend nothing had happened once life resumed? Or try to make it work from afar?

Lin Shenlu had said he still had to travel to ten cities, to finish writing ten issues for Lonely Planet.

But as for herself—she couldn’t possibly follow him across rivers and mountains.

How could this relationship be sustained?

An Muxi stared at the return flight details on her screen, unconsciously tapping the back of her cerulean phone a few times.

She took a screenshot.

After a glance, she sent it directly to Lin Shenlu.

“Girl Kidnapper: ???”

“Girl Kidnapper: You’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”

“Girl Kidnapper: In such a hurry? When did you book the ticket?”

“Girl Kidnapper: Alright, I’ll take you to the airport.”

“Wind Before the Nightfall: I booked it before coming. Lu’er, I’m sorry I only just told you. I’ve been thinking for so long about how to say it.”

“Wind Before the Nightfall: That’s why I’ve hesitated. You’re a bird, I’m a fish—birds and fish travel different paths. Does this mean we’ll never meet again after this?”

“Wind Before the Nightfall: Lu’er, if that’s the case, will you still wait for me?”

After sending the message, An Muxi immediately turned off her phone and leaned against the balcony wall, bathed in moonlight.

She breathed slowly, eyes tightly shut.

She had no idea what kind of message she’d receive next.

With feelings, the more you invest, the more you risk getting hurt.

An Muxi didn’t dare to gamble anymore.

“Beep beep…”

An Muxi’s phone rang.

She didn’t dare to check it.

…

Lin Shenlu smoked and stared at the chat, looking at her last reply.

“Girl Kidnapper: Silly girl, I’ll always wait for you.”

Lin Shenlu felt the night was impossibly long.

…

Three in the morning.

An Muxi startled awake on the balcony, having dozed off in a haze.

She picked up her phone.

It was a message Lin Shenlu had sent her hours ago.

She gazed at the words, her heart stirred.

“Wind Before the Nightfall: Thank you, Lu’er. Good night.”

…

Early morning.

Today, Ye Yaochen was the first one up.

Lin Shenlu, that scoundrel, had truly handed off all responsibility—Ye Yaochen was left supervising the renovation of the Encounter Pool and the Time Pool.

The workers arrived early, and the Whale & Deer Hotel was soon echoing with the sounds of construction.

Fortunately, the project was simple. The original pool was excellent in both scale and style, and large enough—it only needed a few modifications and partitions to be ready.

By ten o’clock, crowds of tourists started pouring in—some taking photos, some checking in on social media, some drinking, some preparing to stay.

Especially early riser Mr. Bao, who wandered around with his camera, snapping photos of every pretty girl he saw.

Lin Shenlu returned from her morning run around eight-thirty, found a quiet corner, and began tapping away at her laptop.

Since writing the two-thousand-word opening, she’d gathered plenty of material for her piece on Dali—especially about the Santorini Utopia, the wishing pool message bottles, and her reunion with An Muxi. All needed to be fleshed out.

Lin Shenlu’s fingers danced over the keys—her day had begun in earnest.

An Muxi didn’t get up until nearly ten. The place she wanted to see most was, of course, the swing set that seemed to float between sea and sky.

Everyone was busy.

But no one had seen Hailan Jing.

The inn’s hostess had yet to appear. Normally, she’d be bustling about at this hour—but today, she was nowhere to be found.

From last night to this morning, no one had seen her.