Quick Travel to the Clouds

The cicadas' chirping in the height of summer seemed to play a celebratory symphony in Yun Chu's ears. The scorching sun blazed on the asphalt road, and the air was filled with the joy of freedom and running towards lovers.

Yun Chu's heart was still immersed in the sweet anticipation brought by the text message she had just sent—"Exams are over, summer vacation is officially here. Now, it's time to run to you."—every cell in her body seemed to be calling out Chi Jingchen's name.

She dragged her suitcase, her steps so light they were almost jogging. The tree-lined paths of the campus rushed past her, and his smiling face appeared before her eyes.

However, this journey towards his loved one was abruptly halted by the sudden ringing of his cell phone.

Instead of the expected reply, the screen displayed the name of Luo Yunshuang's agent, Sister Zhao.

A strange premonition made her excited heart skip a beat. Yun Chu, slightly out of breath, stopped under the scorching shade of the tree and swiped to answer the call: "Hello, Sister Zhao?"

Immediately, Sister Zhao's signature warm, enthusiastic, and decisive voice came from the other end of the phone, shattering the tranquility and anticipation of the summer afternoon like a lit firecracker:

"Chu Chu! Great news! Fantastic news! Your chance has come!" Sister Zhao's excitement almost overflowed from the receiver. "Remember your previous live stream about your lives? The response was fantastic, so real and heartwarming! Well, the production team of 'The Palm and the Back of the Hand' has their eye on you!"

"The Palm and the Back of the Hand"? Yun Chu vaguely remembered the name; it seemed to be a newly planned variety show. Before she could think about it further, Sister Zhao's rapid-fire introduction came over her:

"This time it's really big!" Sister Zhao's voice rose several octaves, filled with the excitement of "witnessing a miracle," "A variety show specifically about sibling relationships!"

"The name itself is very meaningful, 'Both the palm and the back of the hand are flesh,' you can tell what the theme is just by hearing it! It's an absolutely top-tier production, a full twelve episodes! It will take a whole month to film!"

After hearing this for a month, Yun Chu felt the air become a bit more oppressive.

Completely oblivious to her silence, Sister Zhao continued to paint an enticing picture: "We'll be going to six cities! Carefully selected treasure troves of scenery and delicious food!"

"We filmed for three days in each city, with different themes. Some were about extreme challenges, some about nostalgic memories, and some about exploring the roots of food. It was a rich and varied experience with family interactions!"

She paused briefly, her voice brimming with the confidence of someone who already foresaw the ratings explosion: "The guest lineup is absolutely amazing! A golden duo! They invited four pairs of brothers and sisters in total!"

Sister Zhao knew them all like the back of her hand:

"Singer Li Siqi brings along her artistically inclined older brother Li Wenkai, a collision between musicians and 'ordinary people'!"

"There's that bickering celebrity brother and sister duo who dominate half of the trending topics—Zhang Yihang and his fiery and straightforward sister Zhang Man. They're traffic magnets and generate tons of buzz!"

"And then there are those twin brothers whose looks are absolutely stunning—Bai Muchen and Bai Muze. Just standing there, they're a sight to behold!"

At this point, Sister Zhao's tone suddenly turned incredibly warm and affirmative, "Finally, there are the most heartwarming and healing sisters—Luo Yunshuang and Luo Yunchu! You two!"

"How about it, Chu Chu?" Sister Zhao finally gave her a chance to catch her breath, but her tone was full of unquestionable anticipation. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"This is an important step for Yunshuang's career, and it's also a rare shared experience and record of your sisterly bond! The production team is top-notch, and the resources are excellent!"

Yun Chu stood in the dappled sunlight under the trees, with her classmates behind her, dragging their luggage and laughing as they headed towards freedom, the wheels of their suitcases making a rumbling sound on the ground.

The screen of her phone was still on the message she had just sent, a message that leaped towards her lover in every word.

The planned sweet vacation and long-awaited reunion were shattered by the impact of enthusiastic phrases like "palm and back of hand" and "golden partners".

The sound of cicadas chirping, the clatter of suitcases, Sister Zhao's excited voice... everything seemed to come from a distant place.

All that remained was the cold touch of the phone in his palm and the heavy sense of bewilderment and loss in his chest, a feeling that "plans can't keep up with changes."

The wind rustled through the leaves, bringing a slight chill, but it couldn't dispel the sudden gloom in my heart.

"Sister Zhao, let me think about it for a moment, I'll call you back later." Yun Chu hung up the phone before she finished speaking.

On one side is her older sister, and on the other is her lover.

This made it extremely difficult for Yun Chu to make a decision.

Yun Chu sent a message to Chi Jingchen.

About twenty minutes later, he called.

"Yun Chu, go." Although Chi Jingchen really wanted Yun Chu to come and keep him company, she knew how important Luo Yunshuang was to Yun Chu.

Moreover, he knew that Yun Chu liked to eat delicious food, and now he had the perfect opportunity to travel to different cities to sample their culinary delights.

Yun Chu chatted with Chi Jingchen for more than ten minutes before he went back to filming.

Yun Chu returned Sister Zhao's call, and when she got home, she received a message from Sister Zhao.

She said she would depart in four days for the first filming city. As for her sister, she still had two days left in filming, and she would then travel directly from the filming location to the variety show filming city.

2 AM on the third day of the holiday

Yun Chu fell into a deep sleep surrounded by her suitcase, forgetting to even turn off the bedside lamp.

Bathed in warm yellow light, she curled up into a small ball, her fingertips still resting on the spread-out variety show schedule—the blue title of the first stop, "Qingdao: A Rendezvous with the Ocean," reflected slightly on the page.

Suddenly, the soft sound of a key turning came from the entryway. (It was a spare key given to them by Yun Chu, and Chi Jingchen had already confirmed that Yun Chu was home alone.)

The person in the dream seemed to sense something, their eyelashes fluttered twice, but they couldn't wake up.

Until the cool night breeze, carrying the salty scent of the sea, drifted into the bedroom, a hand with calloused skin gently brushed away the stray hairs from her cheek.

Yun Chu suddenly opened her eyes.

Against the light, Chi Jingchen stood like a silhouette bathed in moonlight by the door frame.

He was still wearing the crisp military uniform that the crew wore, the epaulets gleaming coldly in the dim light, his cuffs stained with the grayish-white wall paint left over from the film set.

His cheeks were noticeably thinner, and the stubble on his chin made the bloodshot veins in his eyes look even more menacing. But the eyes that looked at her were like a deep pool tempered with starlight, so hot that Yun Chu's heart clenched painfully.

"Jingchen?" She propped herself up on her arms, her voice soft and sweet from just waking up, yet also hoarse with disbelief. "Didn't you say there was an explosion scene tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, the man had already pressed one knee onto the edge of the bed.

The coolness of the night dew rushed towards him, mixed with the familiar scent of cedar on his body, but even more intense was the weariness that seemed to seep from his very bones after a long journey.

He said nothing, but simply stretched out his arms and pulled the person into his embrace with an almost pious force.

Yun Chu's cheek bumped against his cold epaulettes, and he used his hand to protect the back of her head.

It turns out that when people are exhausted to the extreme, an embrace is a silent collapse.