The movie I adore is called Where Life Meets Again. It runs for two hours.
Nestled in his arms, my head gently leaned against his shoulder. The moonlight outside filtered through the gaps of the locust tree, casting a shimmering glow on my shoulder, swaying rhythmically before softly caressing my cheek.
The film narrates the love story of the protagonists, who endure countless hardships to find happiness together. Their names feel oddly familiar to me: the heroine is Hui Nan, and the hero is Wang Bei.
I still remember arriving here and standing in the elevator at Hui Nan Station, lost in thought. The movie soon pulled me back from my wandering mind. It portrays how Hui Nan and Wang Bei met, fell in love, and built a deep bond during high school.
But tragedy struck Hui Nan shortly after. She endured a devastating event, leading to severe psychological trauma. At first, she showed no outward signs of distress. Yet, as time went on, her condition deteriorated, manifesting in incoherent speech, memory lapses, and even self-harm.
Wang Bei, realizing the severity of the situation, sought the help of a psychologist and brought Hui Nan for therapy. Initially, Hui Nan resisted fiercely, unable to acknowledge her declining state. She believed herself to be perfectly fine, apart from the memory gap concerning Wang Bei's death during their high school years. This denial made therapy challenging.
As time passed, Hui Nan's lucid moments became increasingly rare. Alarmed, Wang Bei contacted the psychologist again. Eventually, even Hui Nan began to sense her own decline, prompting her to agree to treatment. The psychologist devised a series of methods, experimenting with various approaches that unfortunately proved ineffective.
Finally, the doctor proposed a high-risk method: situational therapy through hypnosis. This technique aimed to transport Hui Nan back to the time before her trauma, gradually guiding her to confront those painful memories. Though the process carried the risk of re-traumatization, Hui Nan agreed after much deliberation.
On a serene, sunny day, the treatment began. During hypnosis, Wang Bei suggested participating in the situational therapy to support Hui Nan. The doctor, initially skeptical, conceded after persistent insistence. Miraculously, Wang Bei successfully entered the hypnotic scenario alongside Hui Nan.
They were transported back to their high school days, reliving their initial encounter and rekindling their bond. As the hypnotic timeline advanced, Wang Bei suddenly woke up, leaving Hui Nan to face the remaining challenges alone.
Under the doctor's external guidance, Hui Nan confronted her darkest memories, step by step overcoming her inner turmoil. Ultimately, she emerged stronger, breaking free from the shadows of her past. The story concluded with Hui Nan and Wang Bei finding happiness together.
As the credits rolled, I turned to Chu Qingci and murmured, "Wang Bei's devotion is incredible. To endure failure after failure, forgetting and waiting, never giving up after all these years. And Hui Nan—she suffered so much yet remained so brave. I'm so relieved she found her way out. Otherwise, it would've broken my heart."
My voice trembled, my eyes red and glistening with unshed tears. The story felt eerily familiar. Chu Qingci gazed down at me, his fingers brushing away the tears at the corner of my eyes before planting a gentle kiss on my cheek.
"Yes, it's a good thing they ended up together," he said softly, pausing before teasing, "Otherwise, my little crybaby would've been inconsolable." His lips curved in a faint, indulgent smile.
"Hey, stop teasing me!" I pouted, lightly patting his shoulder in mock annoyance.
The moon outside continued its ascent, signaling the lateness of the hour. I glanced at him and said, "It's time for me to go."
I stood, grabbed my bag, and headed toward the door. As I reached the threshold, Chu Qingci leaned in for a fleeting kiss. I embraced him briefly before stepping out into the yard. He watched me leave, closing the door after I disappeared beyond the gate.
As I walked toward the alley, I noticed a tall man staggering toward me, evidently drunk. Recognition jolted me—the man was Chu Qingci's foster father. Fear seized me, and I instinctively turned back to find Chu Qingci.
Before I could act, the man suddenly lunged at me. Just as I opened my mouth to scream for help, his large hand clamped over it, stifling my cries.
The summer night was hauntingly still as I let out muffled whimpers. His grip tightened around my arm, dragging me into the shadows of the alleyway.