她自己坐进了那架飞机

Qingyu's aviation school opens today, and half of Nancheng has crowded in.

Five new planes sit on the grass, and everyone says his wife, Fang Mulan, negotiated for them herself.

Sister-in-law has swallowed a lot on my brother's behalf.

I only wanted to honour someone's sincerity.

Sincerity is rare. Who would waste it?

The second young master has such a way with words. Go up on stage in a while and say a few for your brother.

I'm not going on stage. Today I only want to watch you.

Then drink less and watch more carefully.

I've always seen clearly.

The orphanage children have been dragged in to perform a number.

Every one of them stands rigid, without a sound.

The woman watching them is Nanny Sun.

Children this age, quiet as the dead.

Miss Fang is joking. The rules in the home are strict, so the children don't trouble our guests.

Strict enough that they aren't allowed to eat?

They might be sick on stage. They can eat afterwards.

Feed them now. If anyone asks, I'll answer for it.

Yes, yes. ...Might I ask, Miss Fang, haven't we met somewhere?

I don't often come to Nancheng. Nanny, go on ahead — the donation drive is starting.

Nanny Sun left. Only when Mulan turned around did she see Qingyi standing in the doorway.

You're following me.

These children struck me as odd, so I came to look.

Odd how?

The pastries have sat out for ages and no one dares touch them. This isn't raising children, it's keeping prisoners.

Since when did the second young master grow so soft-hearted?

Your face hasn't softened at all.

It's all arranged. The moment she steps out, follow her.

Understood. Finish it today, and don't disturb the front.

Miss Fang, where are you going?

I'm stepping out.

I've just ordered an opera, specially for you. It's about someone dead three years who comes back to life today.

I've no time for operas.

Tell me — can a person dead three years come back?

In an opera they can.

Ren Susu. Three years ago you left without leaving a single word?

Calling me that in front of all these people — are you trying to strand me here?

I only want you to sit down and watch the opera to the end.

One opera, and you think you'll hold me all afternoon. You're being childish.

Then go.

She didn't go. She listened to the singing on stage, and what she counted was how much time she had left.

Something's happened! Someone put a bomb on the old master Huo's plane!

Who told her to do it?

Nobody. She said she couldn't wait any longer.

We agreed we'd only touch Nanny Sun.

The old man deserves to die too.

He can't die. The moment he does, the trail goes cold.

Then what do we do? Susu, think of something.

Go out front and stay on the old man. Anyone who tries to get on that plane, you stop them.

The planes were my family's gift. Now I'm not allowed to sit in one?

Sir, the instructor only just took delivery of this one. She doesn't know it yet. The older plane is steadier.

Miss Fang worries too much. This one.

Then I'll fly it.

Can you even fly? Stop making trouble.

My brother taught me himself. What, the headmaster doesn't trust his own student?

This new machine hasn't been properly tested. If it goes down, nobody could carry that.

Since it's so dangerous, neither the old master nor the instructor should go up. Miss Fang, come up and try it with me?

You're threatening me.

Qingyi, have you had enough? Get down.

If Miss Fang won't, my brother comes with me. The two of us going down together would make a fine story.

Mulan looked at Qingyu, then at the plane.

She had one sentence that could stop him, and that sentence would not come out.

I'll go.

Susu!

Go and work. Someone has to stay with the old man. Don't worry.

The plane lifted off. The figures on the ground shrank one by one. Now no one could stop the two of them.

Why did it have to be this plane? And why did you have to force me up with you?

You promised me. There's nobody else now. Talk.

For one sentence, you took my entire day.

What did I take from you?

I'm not telling you.

Then we'll circle up here until the fuel runs out.

Three years ago... I was looking for Xiaolan.

Who?

She's the one who raised me. There's a mole on her left cheek.

She was in Beicheng?

In Yuyuan.

Yuyuan? The Huo family's compound.

I broke in three times, and every time they beat me out. The last time, a comrade dragged me away.

But in those days you were writing to me every day.

The letters weren't lies. I went to Beicheng to find her.

And then?

And then I ran into you in the street.

The person from the letters, standing there alive in front of me... those few days, I was truly happy.

When you say that, am I supposed to believe it?

Decide after you've heard it all. That winter you said the Huo family was giving a banquet and you had to bring someone, and you asked if I'd go with you.

You agreed very fast.

Because it was my only way into the Huo house.

When the day came, I said I wanted to walk in the garden, and I sent you off.

You were sent off so I could go to her.

There was one door between us. That was the closest I ever came to Xiaolan after I reached Beicheng.

And then?

And it was the last time.

The people below are still applauding, heads tilted back, waiting for the plane to come down.

The bomb is still on it, and no one has taken it off.

Qingyi doesn't know.