The Three-Life Stone

Chapter 111 Beijing

Two years after graduating from university, Yu Le has been serving in the army for three years.

During his school days, he looked up at the rising national flag countless times and listened to the "March of the Volunteers" countless times, and his heart was extremely excited. In many days that followed, whether in the park, square or other places, where there were national flags, he would take a look at the tallest red flag in the middle, with a big star and four small stars on it.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China is a five-star red flag, which is the symbol and emblem of the People's Republic of China. The red color of the national flag of the People's Republic of China symbolizes revolution.

The five yellow five-pointed stars on the upper left corner of the flag. The big five-pointed star represents the Communist Party of China, and the four small five-pointed stars represent the four classes of the Chinese people when the People's Republic of China was founded: the working class, the peasant class, the urban petty bourgeoisie and the national bourgeoisie.

The five five-pointed stars on the flag and their relationship symbolize the great unity of the revolutionary people under the leadership of the Communist Party. The five-pointed stars are yellow in order to appear bright on the red ground, and each of the four small five-pointed stars has a point facing the center point of the big star, indicating unity around a center.

When he was in junior high school, his teacher told us that the color of the national flag was dyed red by the blood of countless soldiers, so every time he was in awe, he was also curious: Will the national flag fade? Even now that he wears the clothes assigned by the country, he still believes that it is dyed red by the blood of past soldiers, and he is now one of them.

In his third year of military service, Yu Le had his first chance to go home to visit his family. His superiors were generous and specially allowed him to go back early and stay for a few more days.

He was late for a high school reunion. When he arrived, everyone except Meng Nan was already there. Some classmates had already begun to echo the crowd and sigh about this celebrity from high school.

"Alas, what's the point of having such good grades? I still failed the college entrance examination."

"I really didn't see it when I was in high school. I even had a crush on him. You can only judge a person by his appearance."

"Hey, Yu Le still has a future. You two were best friends in high school. Did you realize that he is this kind of person?"

......

In response to these words, Yu Le always responded with "um, ah, oh" as if he was ignorant of the situation. These conversations turned into warm welcomes when someone noticed someone coming in at the door.

That young man is still as eye-catching as ever. He used to have a somewhat immature face and a shaggy hairdo, which gave him the air of a cool senior. Now, with his hair cut short and a hat on, his eyes are like deep lakes, his nose is straight with distinct lines, his lips are slightly upturned, and he always has a casual smile on his face.

If it weren't for his slightly thin body now, looking a little frail, people wouldn't seem to be able to tell much change.

A male classmate started to make a noise: "Hey, come on, everyone is here, you are the last one to arrive, fill up these three glasses of wine and drink, and this matter will be over."

The crowd started cheering.

Meng Nan smiled and declined: "No, no, I had a fever yesterday and just took cefuroxime today."

He just brushed aside the major operation that had taken place not long ago as if it were a cold or a fever, so everyone had to give up.

"Come on, have a cigarette." A male classmate took out a pack of cigarettes, smoked a few and scattered them among them, then politely declined Meng Nan.

"No, we just got married and I don't want to make her unhappy because of such a small matter."

Meng Nan originally didn't want to attend any class reunion. If it wasn't for the fact that he and Yu Le hadn't seen each other for a long time and could get together, he wouldn't want to come at all. He didn't care about these empty formalities at all. Whether to give face or not, it was enough for them to not hang around in front of him even if they talked about him behind his back.

The only glass of wine he offered was to Yu Le: "Is she okay? Don't let her wait too long. I've been through this before. If you don't understand something, just ask me. Don't act on impulse."

"Bang" the cups collided again, and both people had different changes.

Yu Le's lips curved slightly: "Thank you."

"Thank you." Meng Nan's lips curled up slightly.

This understanding does not require too many words.

Yu Le returned home and looked at Yu Zhaozhao: "Mom, I will be back before the New Year."

After a conversation, he returned to his room, tidied his clothes, and glanced at a cardboard box in the corner. Inside was a thousand paper cranes. For a thousand days and nights, he would fold one every day regardless of whether he was busy studying or not.

Ancient legend has it that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes can be granted a wish.

He didn't notice when Sui Rou left. He thought a lot during the few months without hearing from her. Why was she allowed to take leave and stay in the high school district, why did she have a nosebleed for no apparent reason, and why there was no information at all in the first few months.

How could it be simply because of the dry weather and parental discipline? He didn't know the details, he only prayed sincerely every day while holding a square piece of paper and folded it into a thousand paper cranes, hoping that the legend was true.

Later he received news from Suirou, at a different time, more or less. She didn't say anything and he didn't ask. Regardless of whether the idea was true or whether Suirou was normal now, he hoped to fold a thousand paper cranes to bring happiness to his beloved girl.

The plane drew a magpie bridge in the sky heading to Beijing.

On the streets of Beijing, Sui Rou passed by a small grocery store where a song was playing.

It never snows in the city where I live

Memories are filled with cold feelings

The peak season of longing, neon lights sweep across the noisy streets

Drive happiness far away

Lovers who are alone are most afraid of holidays

I can only celebrate alone and get as drunk as possible

No one I loved stayed with me

Loneliness accompanies me through the night

Merry Merry Christmas

A Lonely Lonely Christmas

I want to bless someone but don't know who to give it to. Love is tied up in a knot between us.

A Lonely Lonely Christmas

Merry Merry Christmas

Who can I send the card to? My heart is broken like the paper scraps on the street

What does seven years mean?

In the eyes of the ancients, "seven" is the end of a cycle in the universe. There are seven days in a week, twenty-one days can form a habit, and a piece of paper can only be folded in half seven times.

Tao gave birth to one, one gave birth to two, two gave birth to three, three gave birth to all things, and every seven there must be change. There were so many changes in "seven", so many that she would be so emotional when she heard a familiar song on the street.

I've heard about the seven-year itch between couples. During these seven years of separation, facing the cold phone, can they still feel each other's warmth? Do they still miss each other as before? Has a more suitable person appeared by her/his side? Can they go back to the way they were before?

On those lonely and sleepless nights, did the in-time comfort from the mobile phone play a role...

She couldn't help it. She didn't know if Yu Le was asleep at this time. She dialed the number that she knew by heart: "Hello."

"Hey."

"I miss you."

"Really? I missed you, too."

Sui Rou's voice was choked with sobs. She moved the phone away from her, and then moved closer after her emotions calmed down. She didn't dare to speak. She didn't know if she was useless. She just wanted to hear Yu Le's voice.

"Why aren't you talking? Are you sad because no one is spending the holidays with you?"

Suirou's eyes blurred again. She had gone through so many holidays like this. She thought Yule wouldn't think about this. The voice on the other end of the phone came again: "How do you know that no one will spend the holidays with you if you don't look back?"

Suirou turned around and saw Yu Le wearing a green military coat and a military cap. He was standing on the streets of Beijing holding a black umbrella. The thick and warm coat did not cover his strong and handsome face. His big stature was particularly eye-catching in the place without obstacles. She was a little unresponsive, and the man had come to her side.

Their umbrellas fell together, and they hugged and kissed each other on the streets of Beijing.

Snowflakes gradually fell on the hats of the two people. Yu Le took off their hats and shook them, then put them on again and picked up the black umbrella. Sui Rou put away the other umbrella and held it in her hand.

"HELLO." A woman came over to say hello.

"Oh, yeah, hello." Sui Rou recovered from her joy and looked at the woman who greeted her, not knowing what to do.

The woman spoke fluent Mandarin: "It's like this, I just noticed you from the coffee shop over there, and witnessed you and your lover chasing love across places, between soldiers and their wives, and I couldn't help but take a picture of your kiss just now. My friend works at a magazine, and your photo is so beautiful, can we use it to introduce it?"

The two smiled at each other. Suirou was surprised that everything that had just happened was recorded. She and Yule could recall it again in the future. She laughed heartily: "Of course, can you keep the negatives for us as a souvenir?"