Stars Fall Into The Sea, Love Never Fades Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Fragments of Memories and the Tenderness of Reality

After seeing Qi’s notebook and voice recorder, Ah Zhi often looked through the words late at night, listening to Qi’s voice, and recalling every bit of the two of them together.Those details that he had forgotten, those tenderness that he had ignored, gradually became clear in the fragments of memories, like movie scenes, playing repeatedly in his mind.

That night, Azhi worked overtime until late at night. When he returned to the villa, it was almost early morning.He sat tiredly on the sofa without turning on the light, letting the darkness envelope him.The smell of cedar around him lingered around him, as if Qi was quietly accompanying him.

“Qi, I saw a dessert shop today, which is very similar to the one we used to go to.” He spoke softly, with a hint of nostalgia in his voice, “I remembered that you used to like to eat mango pancakes. You would eat two of them every time, and you would feed me diced mangoes. The mangoes at that time seemed to be much sweeter than now.”

The smell of cedar beside him swayed slightly, as if Qi was nodding in response.A gentle smile appeared on A Zhi’s lips and he continued: “Do you still remember our first date? We went to an art exhibition, and you stood in front of a starry sky painting and looked at it for a long, long time. I asked you why you liked this painting, and you said, ‘Because the stars are beautiful, just like our future.’ At that time, I laughed and said you were pretentious, but now that I think about it, you are right. Our future can be as beautiful as the stars.”

Tears fell silently, and Ah Zhi’s voice was choked with sobs: “It’s all my fault. I ruined our future with my own hands. If I hadn’t been so busy, if I hadn’t been so indifferent, if I could have spent more time with you, we should have been married by now, and maybe we would have had a lovely child and lived a happy life.”

“Azhi…” Qi’s voice came softly, with a hint of distress, “I don’t blame you…it’s all over…”

“How can you not blame me?” Azhi shook his head, “If it weren’t for me, you would still be alive and well, continue to paint, and realize more dreams. Qi, I really regret that I didn’t make good use of the time we spent together.”

He closed his eyes, and a sweet scene of the two of them together emerged in his mind: Qi was cooking for him in the kitchen, and the oil fumes made him cough, but he still smiled and said, “Ah Zhi, you’ll be fine soon”; Qi brought him an umbrella on a rainy day, half of his body was soaked, but he still tilted the umbrella towards him; when he was sick, Qi stayed by his side, staying up all night, constantly wiping his sweat and giving him water…

Every scene was like a gentle knife, gently cutting a gash in his heart, with endless nostalgia in the pain.He knew that these memories would accompany him throughout his life, becoming the most precious treasure in his life and a regret that he could never make up for.

“Qi, I still remember the first time you drew a picture for me.” Ah Zhi’s voice had a hint of smile. “You drew a picture of me when I was working and said I was most handsome when I was working hard. I laughed at you at the time because your drawing was not good-looking, but you seriously said, ‘In my heart, you are the most handsome’. Thinking about it now, that painting is the best gift I have ever received.”

The smell of cedar around him became particularly gentle, as if Qi was smiling in response to him.Ah Zhi could feel that Qi’s soul was standing beside him, looking at him with eyes full of love and attachment.

“Qi, do you know? I go to see my aunt every day now. She is in good health, but sometimes she misses you.” Ah Zhi continued, “I will often tell her about our past, interesting stories about you when you were a child, and the sweet times we had together. Every time Auntie listens, she will laugh and cry, saying, ‘It’s worth it for Xiao Qi to meet you in this life.'”

“Auntie… is very good…” Qi’s voice was filled with relief, “Thank you… for taking care of her…”

“You’re welcome, this is what I should do.” Ah Zhi said, “Take care of Auntie just like I take care of you. I will let her enjoy her old age in peace and won’t let her be alone anymore.”

He stood up, walked to the study, turned on the computer, and found the previous photos and videos of the two of them.The two people in the photo are laughing so happily, and the two people in the video are playing and laughing, full of laughter.Ah Zhi looked at these and tears fell again.

“Qi, look, how happy we were before.” He said to the void, “If I could turn back time, I really want to go back to the past, to the time when we first met, and start over, love you well, and accompany you well.”

“Azhi…” Qi’s voice contained a hint of hesitation, “Cherish…now…”

Azhi was stunned for a moment, then nodded.He knew that Qi was right, time could not be turned back, the past was past, all he could do was to cherish the present, live well with Qi’s love.

He turned off the computer, returned to the living room, and sat on the sofa.The smell of cedar around him lingered around him, and a warm feeling enveloped him, as if Qi was gently hugging him.Ah Zhi stretched out his hand and hugged Void tightly, as if hugging Qi’s body.

“Qi, I will cherish what I have now.” He said softly, “I will work hard, take good care of my aunt, and take good care of myself. I will take your love with me to see the world and complete your unfinished dream. I will let you know that your love is not in vain and your efforts have not been let down.”

“Well…” Qi’s voice was gentle but firm, “I… will accompany you…”

Ah Zhi leaned in “Qi”‘s arms, closed his eyes, with a gentle smile on his lips.Although Qi was no longer there, and although there was a distance of life and death between them, this bond that spanned life and death made him feel unprecedented warmth and strength.

There was silence in the villa late at night.Ah Zhi gradually fell asleep in “Qi”‘s arms, with wet tears still remaining on his face, but with a trace of a satisfied smile on his lips.Qi’s soul hugged him tightly, his eyes full of love and reluctance.

He knew that his soul could not stay in the world forever and would leave one day.But he couldn’t bear to let Ah Zhi live alone in this world.He could only try his best to spend more time with Ah Zhi in the limited time and give her more comfort and strength.

When it was almost dawn, Ah Zhi slowly opened his eyes.The warmth and cedar smell around him still existed, as if Qi was still holding him.He gently pushed Qi’s arms away, stood up, walked to the window, and opened the curtains.Sunlight poured into the living room, lighting up the entire room.

A new day has begun.Ah Zhi looked at the sunshine outside the window, his eyes full of hope.He knew that there was still a long way to go, and it would take time to heal his regrets, but he was no longer confused or desperate.Because he knew that Qi would always be with him, within three meters, watching him and encouraging him, forever.

He will take Qi’s love and companionship, bravely face everything in the future, keep the memories between them in his heart forever, live well, and live up to Qi’s love and the rest of his life.