Chapter 27 Reintroducing Each Other

Uncertain how long he had slept, Lu Heyang was awakened by a song. He couldn't be mistaken; it was the favorite of young Lu Xun, called "In a World Without People."

As he opened his eyes in a daze, he saw nothing but an endless expanse of thick darkness outside the window. The air was filled with a rich aroma of food, and the sound of a food bag being torn echoed. A passenger across the aisle was complaining while eating his airplane meal, generously slathering butter on his bread before taking a bite.

"I ordered chicken rice for you," suddenly came a voice.

He turned to look to his right and was surprised to see Lu Xun. Oddly enough, he looked just like Lu Xun from his memories as a teenager—his face still youthful, wearing a white hoodie that covered his head, one ear plugged with headphones while the other hung loosely. The song was coming from the earbud in his ear.

Seeing Lu Heyang in a daze, Lu Xun tapped the food tray in front of him with his finger, casting a sideways glance, and pulled the earbud out. "Don't want to eat?"

"I've been throwing up since we boarded the plane; I have to eat whether I want to or not."

"Where are we going?" Lu Heyang asked.

Lu Xun smirked, unable to contain himself, and then burst out laughing. "Still confused after sleeping?"

He leaned forward to tap the back of the seat in front of him. "Hey, Mom, this guy's lost it."

The woman in front, with long black wavy hair, turned around in response. She smiled, her brow relaxing as her lips revealed a hint of white teeth. She reached out to touch Lu Heyang's forehead with her soft, warm hand, leaving a faint scent of cherry blossom hand cream.

"Yangyang, do you feel better?"

Heat rose in Lu Heyang's eyes as he greedily gazed at the woman, whose face was identical to Su Mei's.

"Sir."

"Sir?"

He felt a light tap on his shoulder and, suddenly blinded by a bright light, opened his eyes wide.

There was no Lu Xun on his right, nor Su Mei in front of him.

"Did you have a nightmare?" the flight attendant asked, leaning down to place a cup of hot tea in front of him, looking at the handsome man with a friendly gaze. His eyes glistened, as if filled with clear, blue ocean water.

"I'm fine." Lu Heyang wiped the sweat from his forehead, lifting the cup to mask the sorrow in his eyes, trying hard to suppress the pang in his chest. "Thank you."

During his second-year winter break, Lu Bingwen and his wife took him and Fu Xun to Sanya for a vacation. It was his first time flying, feeling dizzy and nauseous, with ear pain, and he started throwing up right after takeoff, filling two trash bags with vomit. Lu Xun had already disliked sitting next to him, and this made him even more irritated, frowning in silence.

When the plane finally stabilized, Lu Xun glanced out the window, released the middle armrest, and pretended to speak to the air. "Open your mouth, and your ears won't hurt as much."

After a while, he pushed half of his earbud into Lu Heyang's ear, his fingertips brushing against the hard ear bone and soft earlobe, causing Lu Heyang to tense up.

"What song is this?"

Lu Xun glanced at him. "In a World Without People."

Whether it was the music or the earplug, his symptoms eased a bit. Lu Heyang swallowed the bitter taste and, amid the roar of the airplane engine, drifted into a half-asleep state.

As he was about to fully sleep, he felt a gentle breeze on his face, his eyelids grew heavy, and a slight itch brushed against his eyelashes. He turned his head, found a more comfortable position, and fell completely asleep.

Forty minutes later, the plane began its descent.

Lu Heyang packed his documents into his bag, straightened his back, and moved his stiff body. Outside the window, he could see scattered lights piercing through the dark night.

After disembarking, he opened his newly purchased phone and activated his new SIM card. Gantang had already sent him the contact information for the rescue team. Taking a deep breath of the cool, damp air, he felt rejuvenated, as if reborn.

But once his senses sharpened, he noticed a gaze following him, even amidst the crowded shuttle bus, the presence felt thick against his back.

Dragging his luggage towards the exit, just as he was about to step out, he suddenly turned around and met the eyes of a tall man in a short-sleeved shirt and cargo pants, carrying a backpack. A windbreaker was tied around his waist, and he was chewing gum, freezing in place.

After a moment of surprise, the man stepped forward without reservation, extending his hand. "Hello, are you also heading to Luxian?"

Lu Heyang kept his hands in his pockets, not taking them out, and asked coolly, "Who are you?"

"My bad for being too forward." The man smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, tiny wrinkles appearing on his nose, making him look very sincere. "I saw you looking at materials about Luxian while passing your seat on the way to the bathroom. I thought we might be heading the same way." He extended his hand again. "Let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm Wen Jiyu, from 'The Feather of Light.' A journalist and photographer."

Lu Heyang's expression softened a bit as he shook his hand. The cold tips of his fingers were enveloped by the warm, dry palm.

"Hello."

Seeing that Lu Heyang hadn't introduced himself, Wen Jiyu didn't mind and continued, "So you are…?"

"Lu Heyang. A psychology teacher at Jia University."

"What do the characters in 'Heyang' mean?" Wen Jiyu gestured in the air with his hand.

"Lotus leaves in the slanting sunlight."

That serene quality matched the name perfectly. Wen Jiyu nodded knowingly. "You're going to Luxian for psychological assistance, right?"

Walking alongside Lu Heyang, he chewed a few times, blew a bubble with his gum, which popped with a sound. "Research shows that 20% of disaster survivors will suffer from mental disorders, so psychological reconstruction is very important."

Chewing gum while talking was impolite enough; blowing bubbles made it hard for Lu Heyang to hold any fondness for him. He glanced at Wen Jiyu's lips and flatly corrected him, "Actually, it's 23%."

Wen Jiyu seemed to sense Lu Heyang's mood, explaining, "I don't usually eat this, but my ears hurt too much on the plane."

Lu Heyang nodded, understanding. "I have that problem too."

"But…" Wen Jiyu looked up at the gloomy sky. "Open your mouth, and your ears won't hurt as much."