Legend of ChenYue

Ning Kong could not believe her ears when she heard her friend's words.

'Did she just say lover's bridge or did I hear it wrong.'

She cleared her throat and asked,

"Ahem.. Shishi, Did you just mention lover's bridge.. "

"Yeah"

"The famous lover's bridge of Whispering Pinnacle mountains. Are you going there?"

"Hmm.. What's wrong?"

"You are asking me, what's wrong? Haven't you heard about it?

The Lover's Bridge of Whispering Pinnacle mountains.

According to a famous legend, in a small village situated on Whispering Pinnacle mountains, there lived a beautiful, orphan girl, Yue Lixue. People of the village used to despise her. Since, her mother had died on the day she was born and father died a few years later, they used to consider her as someone who brought bad luck. She was a pure soul and used to sell handmade toys in nearby villages to keep body and soul together.

One day, Chen Chaoxiang, the famous trader came to explore the Whispering Pinnacle mountains and fell in love with her at first sight, when he saw the innocent-looking and beautiful Yue Lixue, who was relaxing after a tired day, while soaking her legs in the small river which flows under the bridge. Since then, he pursued her and finally, she reciprocated his love.

The villagers were against their relationship as love of an unmarried couple was considered shameless during those times. Chen Chaoxiang decided to take her to his town. But the village head had already announced the punishment for them to be publicly beheaded. Both of them ran for their life until they reached the bridge.

There, an old woman appeared and told them that as long as one of them dies, she will make sure to protect the other one. Without any hesitation, both of them, were ready to embrace death and asked for the other one to be safe. The woman turned out to be the Goddess of Love and gave them a magic blanket. She said that she was both pleased to see their care for each other and proud of their true love. She told them, that as long as they wear that blanket around their shoulders, they won't be seen and can safely reach the town. She blessed them and disappeared.

As the sun was already setting, they sat on a raised platform near the bridge line. With the blanket around their shoulders, they sat holding each other close and soon fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. The villagers reached there but could not see anyone. They gritted their teeth as they returned back after a journey which turned out to be futile. Thus, the couple safely reached the town the next day. They got married and lived happily ever after.

Since then, that bridge came to be known as Lover's Bridge or YueChen Bridge. It is said that when two people who truly love each other, cross the bridge and watch the sunset together, the Goddess of Love blesses them and they stay together for forever.

Also, the ones who are yet to find their better half, they cross the bridge in hope of a blissful love life. Goddess of Love bestows her grace upon them.

So, now that you know the reason for my surprised reaction. Will you please bother to tell me your reason to go there. Have you got someone you love or you finally wish to have someone you love?" Ning Kong plugged in her earpiece and kept her phone on the side table as she was tired of holding it and relaxed herself on her bed.

"I...I didn't know it had any such legend associated with it. I just wanted to visit it for fun. Now that I have come here, I was trying to explore and found this place on my itinerary list."

"So, do you want to go there?" Ning Kong knew her friend very well. She knew that her friend yearned for true love though she never said so.

"I w...won't. But..."

"Hey! Stop denying it already. I know you like the back of my hand. If you ask me, I think you should go there. I truly wish for you to find someone you truly love. You can let go of the past and embrace the present as it comes. You will find your true happiness and feel safe and complete. You have always been excellent and handled everything alone. I want you to feel the security and happiness of sharing your life with someone. If you still don't want to go, I won't force you. After all, you will get what's destined for you even if you do not go to the bridge. It is just the belief of people in that legend and God which makes their prayers come true. You can at least visit for the sake of sight-seeing."

Ning Kong's office phone rang.

"Alright...B-bye... Shishi.. Hope you enjoy your day. Gotta go.. A client's calling." She sighed as she looked at her office phone.

"Oh..ok then...Work's important.. B-bye..LOVE YOU(*).. I'll call you once I'm back." Bai Shihan said as she reluctantly hung up.

'Hope you can soon find someone to say this(*) to.' Ning Kong thought to herself.

Driver Chen called Bai Shihan as she was done with her phone call. She had not mentioned lover's bridge when she was planning her tour. She had thought of visiting it, if she had some spare time left after visiting the other places. Now, she wanted to visit the lover's bridge. But she did not tell this to Driver Chen.

Driver Chen had been her father's driver ever since she was born. He was also like a father to her. She thought that if he too knows of the legend and the belief related to the bridge, he would probably stop her or think that she is secretly in a relationship. To evade all such possibilities, she decided to sneak out. Just as she used to do during her childhood.