The bridge was neither stone nor wood; it was made of the collective sighs of a billion souls.
Below it, the River of Forgetfulness swirled like liquid starlight.
At the far end stood a small, unassuming pavilion where an old woman (Meng Po) stirred a massive cauldron.
Li Zhanxan started hurriedly from the edge of the bridge toward the young man with the camera, who was also moving closer toward him.
They stood five paces apart. For the first time in a thousand years, there was no crowd, no executioner, no social media barrier, and no "connection timed out" error.
"You," Zhanxan breathed. His voice sounded like the one from his first life – deep, authoritative, yet trembling.
Hei Yanshan stared at him.
The modern clothes they wore began to flicker, overlaid by ghostly images of silver armor and blood-stained robes. Yanshan’s eyes filled with tears.
He didn't ask how or why. He just knew the shape of the soul in front of him.
"It's you... it’s really you, the one I could never stop thinking about," Yanshan whispered, a sob breaking through.’
Zhanxan stepped forward, closing the gap. He reached out, his hand hovering near Yanshan’s face, terrified that the world would explode if he touched him. But it didn't. His fingers met warm skin.
"I told you to forget me," Zhanxan said, his forehead resting against Yanshan's. "I told you to have a better life. Why didn't you listen?"
"Because a life without you isn't better," Yanshan replied, clutching Zhanxan’s sleeves. "It’s just... empty."
***
At the end of the bridge...
Meng Po held out two bowls of steaming soup. "
Drink," she said, her voice like shifting gravel. "Forget the pain. Forget the plane. Forget the promise. Only those who forget can cross into the next cycle."
Zhanxan looked at the soup, then at Yanshan. He took both bowls from the old woman’s hands - and poured them slowly into the river below.
The bridge shook. The sky turned a violent shade of crimson.
"I will not forget," Zhanxan declared, his voice echoing through the underworld.
"I have spent countless lives forgetting. I would rather wander this mist as a ghost for eternity than lose the way he looks at me right now."
***
In the Heavenly Realm...
"The system is trying to process their re-entry!" Junior Official Chen shouted.
"But because Zhanxan spilled the soup, his soul-signature is rejecting the standard Beijing assignment.
It’s searching for a vessel that matches his new 'rebellious' frequency..."
"Where did it put him?" Wang gasped.
"Budapest, Hungary. A second-generation Chinese-Hungarian family. He’ll be born with the name Zhanxan Li, but he’ll grow up in the heart of Europe.
His 'Source Code' is still tied to the East, but his life will be in the West."
"And Yanshan?"
"Locked to Beijing. He’s going to be a photography prodigy.
The Red Thread is stretching across two continents, Wang! If Yanshan doesn't find a way to Hungary, the tension will tear them both apart!"
"Then we make sure he finds a way," Wang growled. "Authorize the 'International Excellence Scholarship' immediately!"
***
Back on the bridge, Zhanxan took Yanshan’s hand. Meng Po gestured to them – having received special authorization from the Department of Reincarnation– that they could cross the bridge this time without drinking the soup.
"They’re calling us," Zhanxan said, feeling the tug of a new life; a life where he wouldn't be a CEO, and Yanshan wouldn't be a lonely student.
"Will I find you?" Yanshan asked, his image starting to fade into white light.
"I'll be waiting," Zhanxan promised. "Look for the buildings. Look for the light. I'll make sure I'm impossible to miss."
They crossed the bridge filled with hope, trusting in a swift reunion.
But one thing had been left unsaid: their shared memories would only return the very moment their eyes met again. Until then, only a few fragmented dreams would serve as the fleeting signs guiding them toward one another.
***
Author's Note:
I highly recommend listening to the instrumental version of "Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last while reading this chapter.
When I was writing, I listened to it on repeat; I could literally picture the entire scene on the bridge so clearly...the way they walk toward each other and finally recognize one another, with this song playing in the background. ...
And okay, is it pathetic that I’m getting emotional over my own writing? :D But seriously, listen to it for the best experience!
