Stars Fall Into The Sea, Love Never Fades Chapter 51

Chapter 48: Broken mountains and rivers and facing each other across the shore

In the summer of the 27th year of the Republic of China, Peiping fell.

Shen Zhi led his workers to blow up the last city defenses, traveled south, and joined the anti-Japanese guerrillas.Before leaving, he and Lin Qi hurriedly said goodbye at the train station.

“Wait for me,” Shen Zhi hugged Lin Qi tightly, his voice hoarse, “When I defeat the Japanese army, I will come back to you, and we will go to the beach together.”

Lin Qi’s tears fell on Shen Zhi’s gown, leaving a wet mark: “I’ll wait for you. Shen Zhi, you must come back alive. I’ll wait for you in Peking.”

The train whistled and left. Lin Qi stood on the platform and watched the train go away until it disappeared from sight.In his hand, he held tightly a copper star pendant left by Shen Zhi. It was bought by Shen Zhi when he was studying abroad and he always wore it.

In the following years, the war spread across the country.Lin Qi did not stay in Peiping, but moved south with the teachers and students of the Art College to continue his anti-Japanese propaganda work.His paintbrush has become the sharpest weapon. His paintings depicting the broken mountains and rivers and the displacement of the people have awakened the patriotic feelings of countless people.

He would often take out the pendant left by Shen Zhi in the dead of night and look at the painting of the starry sky by the sea.He didn’t know where Shen Zhi was or if he was still alive. He could only pray over and over in his heart, praying that the war would end soon and that they could reunite soon.

And Shen Zhi, in the guerrillas, experienced countless life and death tests.With his expertise as an architect, he participated in the design of multiple fortifications and was injured many times, but never gave up.There was also a small photo hidden in his arms, which was a portrait painted by Lin Qi. Behind the photo, there was written “Everything is fine, let’s continue our relationship.”

When the news of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War came, Lin Qi was holding a charity exhibition in a small town in the southwest.The moment he heard the news, he threw away the brush and burst into tears.He frantically inquired about Shen Zhi, but there was still no news.

He returned to Peiping, to the place where they had met.The notice board under the city gate has been replaced by the victory report of the Anti-Japanese War; the former city defense construction site is now in ruins; and the seaside they agreed on is still in the far south, waiting for their arrival.

Lin Qi opened a small studio in Peking and named it “Xingluo Studio”.He would sit in the studio every day, painting and waiting, expecting that familiar figure to suddenly appear at the door.

This wait is three years.