章節 9: Chapter 9: The Journey Begins
The day finally came. Qin Li stood at the bustling international airport in S City, her luggage in hand, ready to leave everything behind. She clutched her boarding pass tightly as she stared out through the large floor-to-ceiling windows at the planes scattered across the tarmac. The sight stirred a complex swirl of emotions.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her phone and dialed home. Her father answered.
"Qin Li, your mom's asking why you skipped the blind date," his tone was a mix of confusion and mild irritation.
Qin Li hadn't told anyone about her plans to leave the country—except for Dani. To her parents, her departure was still a secret.
"Dad," she began softly, "take care of yourself, alright? Cut down on the smoking. You need to get your blood sugar checked; it's way too high. If you're not careful, it'll clog your arteries."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, bewildered.
Qin Li ignored the question. "And Mom," she continued, "remind her to take her medication for high blood pressure. And keep an eye on her thyroid issues. She's at a high risk of flare-ups with menopause."
Guilt began to creep in, mixing with sorrow. No matter how flawed or demanding her parents had been, they had raised her for 28 years. Memories of her mother trudging through the snow to carry her to the hospital when she was ill resurfaced. Life was rarely black and white; even in their most frustrating moments, there were flashes of love and care.
"Where are you?" her father asked, his voice tinged with unease.
"I'm at the airport," she replied.
"What are you doing at the airport?" he demanded.
"I'm leaving," she said simply. "Don't try to find me. You won't be able to."
Her father's voice sharpened, but before he could respond, her mother grabbed the phone.
"You ungrateful girl!" her mother screeched. "Are you trying to kill me with worry? Get back here this instant!"
"Mom, I'm sorry," Qin Li said, her voice breaking slightly. "I've been a terrible daughter. Just pretend I was never born."
Her mother's tone shifted, a mixture of anger and panic. "What do you mean, never born? Do you know how much effort it took to raise you? Where are you going? Are you trying to cut ties with us?"
When Qin Li didn't answer, her mother's desperation grew. "Li, you wouldn't dare. Tell me you're not serious."
In the background, she could hear her father muttering, "This is all your fault, old woman. I told you to stop pushing her. Now look what's happened—she's leaving because of you."
"Shut up, old man!" her mother snapped. Then, turning her attention back to the phone, she pleaded, "Come back, Li. No more blind dates. I promise."
For a moment, Qin Li's heart wavered. It was the first time her mother had spoken to her without that commanding edge, replacing it with a fragile vulnerability. But she knew her mother too well. She'd seen this pattern before: brief calm followed by the inevitable return of pressure and demands.
"You still have my brother," Qin Li said softly.
"Li! Don't do this! Don't go!" her mother shouted, her voice cracking.
Qin Li couldn't take it anymore. With a trembling hand, she pressed the disconnect button, silencing her mother's voice. Then she removed her SIM card, snapped it in half, and threw it into a nearby trash bin.
Her eyes stung, but she blinked the tears away.
Her life had reached rock bottom—a failed marriage, unsupportive parents, an unrewarding career. She had nothing left but this one chance to start over.
The boarding call echoed through the terminal, snapping her out of her thoughts. As she turned to head to the gate, she walked straight into someone, scattering her passport, boarding pass, and phone across the floor.
"Sorry," came a smooth, magnetic male voice in perfect Mandarin.
Qin Li barely glanced up. "It's fine," she muttered, crouching down to retrieve her belongings.
The man crouched down too, as if to help, but Qin Li was faster, scooping everything up before he could assist. She kept her head low, her reddened eyes hidden from view.
He stood, watching her for a moment before extending a handkerchief.
Qin Li hesitated, staring at the neatly folded fabric. She didn't take it. "Thank you," she murmured, avoiding eye contact, and hurried away.
Embarrassment gnawed at her as she boarded the plane. Being seen crying by a stranger felt childish, and she quickened her pace, eager to leave the incident—and everything else—behind.
After boarding the plane, the little incident was quickly forgotten. The journey from S City to Munich was over ten hours long, and it was Qin Li's first time on such a lengthy flight.
The stale cabin air was getting to her, causing a dull ache in her head. To make matters worse, a child seated behind her had taken to incessantly kicking the back of her seat.
Qin Li could no longer tolerate it. She shot up from her seat, turned to face the row behind her, and snapped, "Whose child is this? Can you control them? They've been kicking my seat nonstop—I can't get any rest!"
The child's mother, sitting next to him, yanked him closer and scolded, "Alright, that's enough. See? You've made her angry."
The kid finally quieted down, and Qin Li sat back down, exhaling slowly. Then she heard the mother mutter under her breath, "Three-year-olds don't know better. And this is a public space. If she wants peace and quiet, why didn't she book first class?"
Qin Li closed her eyes and pretended not to hear.
Ten minutes later, the kicking resumed—worse than before. Each thud against the back of her seat felt like a hammer against her nerves. She gritted her teeth, unwilling to make a scene. Why argue with a three-year-old? she thought, convincing herself to endure it.
But the child seemed to take pleasure in his new game, his tiny feet delivering relentless blows. Qin Li couldn't take it anymore. She stood abruptly, planning to escape to the back for a drink of water.
Before she could leave, a man seated diagonally behind her also stood up. A German passenger with kind eyes and a calm demeanor approached her and said, "How about we switch seats?"
Qin Li blinked, surprised. Assuming they knew each other, and desperate for rest, she nodded quickly. "Thank you," she murmured, relieved.
She moved to his seat and, for the first time since the flight began, experienced blissful silence. Exhausted, she fell asleep almost instantly.
When Qin Li woke up, several hours had passed. She rubbed her eyes and glanced toward her old seat. The German man was sitting there, reclining his seat to its fullest extent, rendering the kicking child's efforts useless.
Why didn't I think of that? Qin Li thought, shaking her head.
Someone near her opened the window shade, flooding the cabin with sunlight. Outside, the scenery below revealed Europe's vast, green expanse. The flight attendants began serving breakfast, and Qin Li considered whether she should offer to switch back to her original seat. Before she could decide, the German man turned around and smiled warmly at her.
He was young—probably no older than thirty—with tousled brown hair and striking blue eyes. His features were sharp and classic, the kind of face that could easily fit into a movie poster. To Qin Li, who had grown up in Asia, most foreigners already seemed like supermodels as long as they weren't bald or overweight. This man, however, stood out even among them.
Why does he look familiar? she thought. Then it hit her: he was the same man who had handed her a handkerchief back at the terminal. The realization made her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she quickly averted her gaze.
Qin Li wasn't some naive teenager expecting an inflight romance. She was well past that stage of life and had no illusions about dramatic meet-cutes. She focused on her breakfast, then rested her eyes until the plane began its descent.
For the first time, Qin Li set foot on European soil, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Behind her, passengers murmured about the Black Forest, Germany's famed expanse of lush greenery. Qin Li, her curiosity piqued, turned to glance out the window. As the plane tilted, a breathtaking view of dense, emerald treetops spread across the horizon. The sight was nothing like her home in S City. In that moment, she truly understood—she had left behind everything familiar, including the place that had nurtured her and left her deeply scarred.
The plane landed at Munich Airport without a hitch. Navigating through customs and baggage claim was smoother than she expected. When she stepped into the arrivals hall, Dani was already waiting, striding toward her with her signature confidence. She pulled Qin Li into a bear hug.
"How was the trip? Did customs give you a hard time?" Dani asked, taking the suitcase from her.
"No, it went smoothly," Qin Li said, returning the hug.
Dani gave her a once-over, noting the dark circles under her eyes. "Didn't sleep well on the plane, huh?"
Qin Li inhaled deeply, her voice trembling slightly. "Dani, I made it. I escaped. Tell me this isn't a dream!"
Dani smiled, her tone both teasing and tender. "It's real, Li. You're free. Time to start fresh."
Dani's car was parked nearby—a sleek Mini Cooper. Qin Li raised an eyebrow and teased, "Looks like you've been doing well for yourself."
Dani waved dismissively. "Just scraping by."
"Scraping by and driving this?" Qin Li retorted.
"Second-hand," Dani admitted, grinning. "Didn't cost much."
As they drove, Qin Li gazed out at the foreign streets. "Is it true? Is life here really freer?"
"Absolutely," Dani said. "If nothing else, no one's going to hassle you about marriage."
At 28, Dani was also single—a fact that worried her parents to no end. Every time she returned to China, she was bombarded with blind dates. Qin Li could relate all too well.
After paying for parking, Dani slid back into the driver's seat, chuckling. "Oh, guess who I ran into just now? My neighbor. Turns out he was on your flight."
She said it casually, and Qin Li didn't give it much thought.
Dani's apartment was a modest two-bedroom, barely 50 square meters. Though cramped and cluttered, it had a cozy charm.
"Excuse the mess," Dani said sheepishly. "I didn't have time to clean. You can nap in my room while I sort this out."
Qin Li shook her head. "Once I find a place, I'll move out."
Dani's eyes widened in mock indignation. "Move out? Do you know how expensive rent is in Munich? This tiny apartment costs me 900 euros a month! Are you swimming in cash? If so, feel free to give me some."
"Then let me pay half the rent," Qin Li offered.
Dani waved her off. "Come on, I'm not asking for that."
"I insist," Qin Li said firmly. "I'd feel uncomfortable staying otherwise. My options are limited—I can't just magic up a student dorm on short notice."
Dani relented. "Fine, but you're only paying a third. Deal?"
"Deal. Thanks."
"Thank me by thriving in Germany," Dani quipped. "Make that scumbag and his little sidekick choke on envy!"
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票