Nine Hundred Twenty Four Kilometres Apart

05.29.1937

Nanjing*

The wind from afar blew gently, the scent of Yangtze* river embracing them and Lu Bixing shivered unconsciously. His curly hairs were messed beyond fixing, all the hairstyle he did now seemed nothing but a waste of time.

"Dalian*? Ah, Dalian."

He repeated the name quite a few times as if carving the name into his heart deeply.

Lin Jingheng said nothing and stared at the other, not moving his gaze even for a second.

The thick glass sitting on Lu Bixing's nose kept slipping down and Bixing kept pushing it up. He realised the breeze couldn't cool him down, he was sweating, sweating profusely.

Jingheng extended his hand and touched the other slightly. Lu Bixing immediately grasped his hand.

"Don't worry. Don't be afraid. I will soon apply for military enrollment."

Lin Jingheng was still silent as ever. His grey eyes still radiating the same coldness and firmness.

Looking at him being fearless as ever, Bixing calmed down by a bit.

Isn't it just a few kilometres? I can still come and find you.

Lu Bixing patted his hands and pulled them closer to his lips, kissing them gently.

The warmth from the lips sipped through the tip of Jingheng's slender fingers to the most inner part of his heart.

"Lin, when I look at you, I seem to have this illusion that you're some unknown immortal and even if the mountain Tai* falls on your shoulder, you can go on. But when I look into your eyes and," he put his palm against the other's chest, feeling the loud heartbeat, "when I feel this familiar vibration, I feel like I should hide you in my arms and neve--"

Lin pulled him into his arms not letting him utter another word.

Bixing felt his head hit the other's shoulder and tears started pouring without any warning, dirtying Lin's perfectly ironed shirt.

Jingheng felt like someone was cutting through his heart with a blunt knife, every teardrop ripping apart his flesh bit by bit.

This torn flesh, will it still be able to go on without you by my side?

The breeze was warm, your hug was warmer. I carried the warmth with me far in the cold Dalian, alone by myself.

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06. 06. 1937

Nanjing

Lu Bixing was a graduated medical college student. He originally wanted to follow Jingheng to be a military doctor but due to his health condition, he couldn't follow him to the cold Dalian.

Bixing had planned to hold himself back as much as possible and didn't want to send too many letters. He thought he could wait for the telephone call to arrive but ultimately he failed and sent his first love letter to his lover that day.

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06. 29. 1937

Dalian

Lin Jingheng sat upright on the hard floor, not even leaning onto the wall behind him. His hands were still full of blood from the earlier mission. Yet he held the letter that arrived that day with much caution, not wanting to even wrinkle it slightly.