Old lovers1

1

Li Jianxin had just seen off a client at the airport when, while waiting for his ride, he absentmindedly scrolled through his social media feed and stumbled upon a new post from Zhou Lisha.

The photo captured a misty drizzle, the light filtering through in hues of blue and white. Zhou Lisha wore a cheongsam and held an oil-paper umbrella, instantly reminding Li Jianxin of Maggie Cheung’s iconic silhouette from the recently released film *In the Mood for Love*.

Zhou Lisha rarely posted. The last time she had shared anything was two years ago—or was it longer? Li Jianxin couldn’t quite remember.

He quickly tapped the "like" button under her post, then, after a moment’s hesitation, added a cheeky emoji.

Li Jianxin and Zhou Lisha had been college classmates. Back then, she used to post frequently, her fresh, elegant face often lighting up his feed. But over the ten years since graduation, they had gradually drifted apart, and he had seen fewer and fewer updates from her.

He hadn’t expected Zhou Lisha to reply so quickly. *"Thanks for the like!"*

*"Haven’t seen you post in a while. Traveling?"* Li Jianxin zoomed in on her photo and spotted the words *Lijiang Ancient Town* in the background.

*"Just needed a change of scenery. Feeling a bit down."*

*"Oh? You’re in Lijiang?"*

*"Yeah, why?"*

Li Jianxin quickly calculated his next move. *"What a coincidence—I’m in Lijiang too!"*

*"Seriously?"*

*"Send me your location. I’ll meet you in two hours."*

Zhou Lisha responded with a skeptical emoji, but after a brief pause, she sent her location anyway.

The moment he received it, Li Jianxin turned on his heel and marched straight back into the airport, heading for the ticket counter to book the next flight to Lijiang.

As the plane took off, with an hour and a half left until arrival, Li Jianxin finally had time to reflect—was this impulsive?

Memories of their four years together in college resurfaced. He had liked Zhou Lisha all that time, yet some words had remained buried deep, never spoken.

He thought back to the first time they’d met.

It had been ten years ago, during freshman-year military training in the sweltering summer heat.

Under the blazing sun, the students marched in strict formation across the field, their movements precise. Zhou Lisha, as a class monitor, was responsible for supervising the drills. Then, she turned and spotted the slouching figure at the very back of the line—a tall, careless boy whose lazy posture stood out like a sore thumb in the otherwise disciplined ranks.

*"Li Jianxin, what are you doing? Counting ants on the ground?"*

Li Jianxin had merely shrugged, unfazed. *"It’s just marching. It’s not like we’re going to war. Why so serious?"*

A frosty glint flashed in Zhou Lisha’s eyes. *"That’s not the point. Training is about discipline and teamwork. How can you not take it seriously?"*

Annoyed, Li Jianxin shot back, *"I’m not bothering anyone. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Acting like you’re some high-ranking officer."*

The entire class watched the two of them, the air thick with tension.

Their standoff ended with Li Jianxin being punished—ordered to stand at attention for the rest of the afternoon.

The next day, during a break, Zhou Lisha handed out water bottles to their classmates.

Halfway through, the crowd around her suddenly dispersed.

She looked up to see everyone gathered around a nearby tricycle, where Li Jianxin sat eating an ice cream, his gaze deliberately challenging as it met hers.

*"This is my treat for everyone! Line up, no pushing!"*

Zhou Lisha scoffed. *"Childish."*

Every student got an ice cream—except her. Li Jianxin grinned triumphantly, as if to say, *Yes, I am childish. So what?*

Somehow, Li Jianxin managed to doze off during the short flight. When he woke, the plane had already landed in Lijiang.

Rubbing his face, he muttered to himself, *"Will she call me childish again?"*

2

Stepping out of the airport, Li Jianxin received another message from Zhou Lisha—she was traveling alone, just to clear her head.

The revelation made him jump on the spot.

*Why would Zhou Lisha come to Lijiang alone?* It wasn’t until he was in the taxi headed to her hotel that the question fully struck him.

From what he remembered, Zhou Lisha was the type who carried textbooks even to the bathroom—every minute of her life had a purpose. Maybe she had changed over the years, but people didn’t just randomly travel alone to places like this for no reason, did they?

In college, Zhou Lisha had been the department’s top student, winning scholarships every year, the center of attention wherever she went. She had devoted herself entirely to her studies—law school, grad school, then straight into a law firm. Her path had been clear: a high-achieving career woman.

Li Jianxin, on the other hand, had been her polar opposite—the class’s most notorious slacker, the only one in their department to leave college without a degree. After graduation, he had dabbled in startups, rising and falling without ever finding his footing. Now, well into his thirties, he was still drifting, living off his parents’ wealth.

It had been nearly six years since they’d last met. Would Zhou Lisha still be as radiant as before? And if she wasn’t alone—if someone else was with her—how would he explain his sudden appearance?

Li Jianxin was sick of his life—playing the useless heir in his father’s company, enduring the condescending looks from everyone around him.

His career wasn’t what he wanted. His relationships weren’t what he wanted. Even his marriage wasn’t what he wanted. He felt like a joke, but there was no one he could talk to about it. Scrolling through his contacts, he realized no one would understand. No one even knew it was his 33rd birthday in two days.

But there was this nagging urge to confide in someone. So when he saw Zhou Lisha’s post and realized she was traveling alone, he felt an unexpected thrill.

They had been close in college—why hadn’t they ended up together? In every friendship that could’ve been more, the reasons for not being together were always as numerous as the reasons for being together. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

The closest they’d ever come was during winter break of their senior year, at a class hotpot dinner. Everyone had been singing and laughing, sweating from the excitement. Li Jianxin, having drunk a little too much, stumbled into an alley outside the restaurant and threw up against the wall. When he turned, a tissue was handed to him.

Under the cold moonlight, Zhou Lisha leaned against the wall, a faint smirk on her lips, watching him with amusement. The moonlight caught in her eyes, shimmering like water, making her look ethereally beautiful.

Drunk and reckless, Li Jianxin braced his arms against the wall on either side of her, trapping her in his embrace.

He expected her to shriek or duck under his arm and run. But she did neither—just stared back at him, defiant. Provoked, Li Jianxin leaned in until their noses almost touched. The sharp scent of mint and a hint of alcohol filled the space between them.

Zhou Lisha’s breath hitched, her eyes fluttering shut.

*"What are you two doing?"* A classmate’s voice shattered the moment.

Blushing furiously, Zhou Lisha slipped out of his hold. They walked back in silence, the cool night air dissipating the tension between them.

Li Jianxin sighed. That had been the closest they’d ever been.

That winter, he had picked up the phone countless times, wanting to ask her out—maybe even suggest a trip together. But he never dialed.

When the new semester began, rumors spread about Zhou Lisha and a department head.

Maybe it was fate. In a way, Li Jianxin’s failure to graduate was tied to her.

When Li Jianxin snapped out of his memories, the taxi had already pulled up to her hotel.