Time has folded inward; the mountains have fallen forward into the sea and the winter has faded into summer. Time has passed as it should for everyone else, but I live inside that fold, at the deepest crevice. Here it is dark and expansive; here, time doesn’t pass but feels eternal. Here, I wait for her, for a return that may never happen.

Reincarnated into the modern era, Li Qian found himself born into one of the four great families of Shanghai. The Li, Yuan, Ling, and Song families dominated Shanghai in the past many years, and they all had children born around the same age. Though his old memories were lost, and his surroundings had changed drastically, his vision of one thing remained vivid—the innocent and pure face of the woman he had loved with a depth that transcended time.

As Li Qian navigated the modern world and relationships with his childhood friends, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was missing from his life. At the young age of twenty-two, he took over as CEO of the Li Group, but a

sense of longing gnawed at his soul. In his dreams, he saw vague flashes of battlefields and ancient palaces; amid it all, he saw her.

“Chen Fan,” Li Qian called his secretary over.

“Yes, Young Master?”

“I dreamt of her again.”

Chen Fan held his breath at these words.  It’s been months since the boss had mentioned her; why now?

“I want you to contact Master Yao again and have him do another reading.  Tomorrow, no, today, if

possible.  And bring me the manuscripts from the library; I want to see them again.”

Chen Fan hesitated, even though he knew it could cost him his neck.  The Young Master had pinned his hopes on

these before, only to be disappointed.  “Ah, that…”

Li Qian gazed at him with frosty eyes and snapped, “What’s the delay? Go, now!”

“Right away, Young Master.” Chen Fan bowed and backed quickly out of the office.

The Young Master seemed profoundly serious this time; his drawn brows and fierce temperament sent Chen Fan’s heart racing.  He was used to an extreme level of stress in his position, but his boss’s demeanor today was a high-pressure system, crushing everything in its way.

Hours later, and with years off his life, Chen Fan had managed to deliver Master Yao to the boardroom.  Sweat

dripped down his neck as he led Li Qian down the hallway.

“Young Master,” he bowed and ushered him toward the door.

Li Qian slowed his steps.  He’d felt a rising level of panic all day as if something more precious than life was

slipping away from him.  The harder he tried to grasp the image in his mind, the quicker it fell through his fingers.  Suddenly, a clear gong rang through his mind.  ‘This is your last chance to find her.’  The thought was as clear as a

mountain stream, rushing through his mind with crystalline clarity.

With a dreadful moment of expectation, Li Qian stepped through the door.

“Master Yao, it is an honor to seek your guidance today. I’ve come for the last time to seek answers that have eluded me.”

Master Yao had sat at the boardroom table and laid out an incense bundle and his divination tools. His eyes were wise and perceptive, and he quirked a corner of his mouth when he saw Li Qian’s flustered appearance.

“Not quite the environment I’m used to, Young Master Li, but I can see the desperation rising in your soul. Speak, and let the energies guide us towards the truth.”

Li Qian took a seat and leaned forward.  “Master Yao, you know I have been searching for a girl.  She’s only a face in my mind. I don’t even know if she’s real, but I’m certain her soul is calling for me.”

“I feel,” he hesitated, worry squeezing his heart, “I feel that this is my last chance to find her.  I must find

her!  Can you help me, Master?”

Li Qian had never begged, not in this life, but he was as close to begging now as he’d ever been.  This impending

sense of doom was closing in on him, suffocating him slowly but surely.

Master Yao nodded thoughtfully, his wise eyes taking in Li Qian from head to heart.  His fingers traced the intricate

patterns on a well-worn divination coin.

“I can see you and this young lady have an intertwined fate, young man. You are correct that the gods are granting you this last chance.  Your soul’s desperation is spanning time, and I believe hers may finally answer.  I’ll

call the light, and let us unravel the threads of destiny together.”

Master Yao closed his eyes and flipped the coin high into the fragrant air.

Li Qian watched anxiously as the coin spun and fell heavily to the table.  It didn’t roll or bounce; it just

thudded down with an ominous peal.  Moments passed before Li Qian finally asked, “What do you see, Master

Yao?”

Master Yao opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the coin’s position. “The coin speaks of a path, a journey to a remote village nestled between mist-covered mountains. The village holds the key to your young lady’s whereabouts.”

Li Qian’s eyes widened eagerly.  “You’ve seen her, Master?  Tell me, where is she?”

Master Yao pulled a delicate scroll from his bag and unfurled it on the table. His gnarled fingers traced the lines on the worn map.  “Listen well, Li Qian. You must traverse the forest of ancient pines, where whispers of the past guide the way. Follow the river’s song until you reach a bridge leading to the village's heart.”  His finger tapped down firmly.  “There, beneath the blossoming plum tree, you shall find the answers you seek.”

“Thank you, Master Yao,” Li Qian stepped away from the table and bowed his head. “Your guidance has saved me.”

Master Yao nodded, his eyes twinkling with ancient knowledge.  ‘This young pup has suffered enough in his long life; I hope he can find some peace when he meets his love again,’ he thought.

He cleared his rheumy throat.  “Go now, Li Qian, and may the spirits watch over you on your quest. Remember, the

future is as fluid as the river – it bends and shifts, but with determination, one can navigate its currents.”

Li Qian hurried from the room, his heart alight with purpose, as Master Yao watched him with a knowing smile.

Later that night, a group of Shanghai’s elites gathered in a private room at

Jade Dynasty Lounge.

Inside, the walls were draped in sumptuous crimson silk and adorned with

vintage Chinese embroidery depicting ancient tales of prosperity and

wisdom.  Luminous red lanterns swayed

from the ceiling, casting a warm, ruby glow over the occupants.

Amid the low pulsing beat of the music, a random voice called, “A’Qian, you

really think you’ve found her this time?” The crowd quietened as they looked at

the man in question.

Li Qian raised his eyes to the speaker and replied with a cold, “En.”

Li Qian had never hidden his interests from his friends, and they were all

well aware of his yearning for a face from the past.

Yuan Ming raised a glass with a

sarcastic smirk.  “Look at you,

A’Qian.  You’ve been searching for a

ghost for so long I can hardly believe you still think she exists.”

Li Qian sharpened his eyes at his oldest friend but did not respond.  Yuan Ming sat back in his chair and sipped

from his glass.  He couldn’t help but

keep poking, not entirely understanding the feelings pricking his heart.

“Once you find your little fairy, what will the rest of us do, huh?” He

scoffed to the room at large.  “Your mind

has been set on her so long I worry your friends will fall to the wayside.”  He laughed lightly, avoiding eye contact with

the man across from him. Vaguely uncomfortable titters echoed from the other

occupants in the room.

The door to the private room stood ajar, and a slim shadow had halted just

before entering at hearing Yuan Ming’s words.  Ling Xue stood captivated as she waited for

the man’s reply.

Ling Xue had been friends with Li Qian and Yuan Ming from the start and was

considered the childhood sweetheart of Yuan Ming.  Her heart, however, had always been drawn to

the brooding, cold phoenix eyes of Li Qian, which seemed to hold ancient

secrets in their depths.  While she was

aware of his ‘dream girl,’ Ling Xue had never taken it to heart as she

considered her a fantasy never to appear.  Deep in her bones, she knew Li Qian would be hers if she stuck by his

side long enough.

As she waited motionless, her ebony hair cascading like a silken waterfall

down her back, she couldn’t help but narrow her almond eyes.  The longer he paused, the more her heart

quailed.

Unable to stand it any longer, she burst into the room.  Happy cries met her entrance, “Ah, Xue’er’s

finally here!”

She laughed and whirled to the couch where Li Qian was comfortably sipping

his wine.  Ling Xue had always been

confident with her looks and personality; what was there to worry about?  She took in Li Qian’s cold demeanor, and her

heart calmed.  She was a beautiful,

successful, and wealthy young woman; who was this little mystery girl to her?

“A’Qian, you came to my birthday party,” she smiled and sat, leaving at

least one cushion between them as Li Qian preferred.

Li Qian finally turned his head to the pretty woman just sitting down.  The ice in his eyes melted slightly, and he

replied, “Of course, I couldn’t miss your twenty-fourth birthday party.”

That was all, but Ling Xue beamed in satisfaction.  Her attention turned to the other friends in

the room as someone turned the music up.  Knowing he was here was enough for Ling Xue to relax and enjoy her

party.

Li Qian stayed just long enough to give Ling Xue face, but his heart was

focused on his upcoming trip.  His

friendship with Yuan Ming and Ling Xue was legendary in their circle; they’d

practically been raised together from diapers.  Although Yuan Ming’s initially gentle personality had seemed to veer

towards the slightly competitive and jealous side lately, Li Qian brushed it

off as growing pains and familial pressures.

He was also well aware of Yuan Ming’s sticky relationship with Ling Xue;

however, she seemed unwilling to commit to him.  Yuan Ming’s eyes were always on Ling Xue, while Ling Xue couldn’t tear

her eyes from Li Qian.  From their early

years, Li Qian saw right through the warm and wandering gaze that invited him

to make a move, and he was vigilant to keep a respectful distance from her

because of it.

Let them sort out their own relationship, and Yuan Ming to hold onto her if

he dared.  Li Qian had other dreams to

fulfill.

When he finally made his exit, Yuan Ming followed him out into the

street.  “A’Qian, you’re really going to

go find her?”  He pulled him back by the

shoulder, seemingly frustrated but unable to fully vent at his best friend.

Li Qian furrowed his brows.  “Why are

you upset about this?  You know I’ve been

looking for her for years, and now that I finally have a lead, I’m going to

take it.”

Li Qian turned away but was held back by Yuan Ming’s grip on his arm.  “I hope you find her this time,” he rasped

forcefully.  He took a deep breath.  “Then maybe you can let Xue’er go.”

“What?”  Li Qian was shocked.  When had he ever ‘kept’ Ling Xue?  “What are you talking about?  Ling Xue and I have never had any close

contact with each other, certainly nothing that would intimate what you’re

referring to.”

Yuan Ming’s heart was gloomy.  In

fact, this was the truth.  Li Qian had

never given Ling Xue any hints he was interested, yet she wouldn’t take her

eyes off him.  Him!  Why had they been born in the same year?  This was the secret thorn that Yuan Ming

could never escape.  Every time he moved,

it pricked him deeper.

 Li Qian - the shining light of their

generation - was more successful, talented, and better-looking than the rest of

them.  Every parent idolized him; why

aren’t you as bright, quick, and strong?  Yuan Ming just had to swallow it all down, paste a smile on his face,

and work harder to stay within sight of Li Qian’s tall and powerful

figure.  There was nothing worse than

having a best friend who was also your biggest competition.

“Forget it,” he dropped his hand.  “Sorry, A’Qian, maybe I’ve had too much to drink.”

Li Qian gazed at his friend thoughtfully and offered a rare insight.

“A’Ming, life often presents us with opportunities and challenges, and both

add to our growth and understanding.  With Ling Xue, eh, perhaps she will never be yours to have.  You can’t control who she loves any more than

I can control who I love.”

Li Qian stepped toward the car that was waiting for him.  “But to be clear, A’Ming?  Even without this person that rests in my

heart, I wouldn’t choose Ling Xue.”

He paused and reiterated, “I won’t ever choose Ling Xue, even if this trip

doesn’t have the desired results.  I hope

you can finally find the courage to make your move.  And if it’s not successful, I hope you can

move on and see that you have your own power and journey to embrace.”

“Just like Junhui did.”  This was a

nail in the coffin.

As Li Qian strode away, Yuan Ming’s knees nearly buckled.  He’d seen through everything Yuan Ming tried

to hide for the last twenty-five years – all the jealousy, guilt, and longing

that filled his heart.

Yuan Ming watched heavily in the darkness as Li Qian’s car pulled away, a

little fire beginning to flicker in the depths of his soul.