The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Less than five minutes after Wang Jie sent a message to Zhou Yanruo, he saw Zhou Yanruo skipping and jumping at the entrance of the alley.

"It's so hot, let's go."

"Then why did you come all this way?"

Seeing Zhou Yanruo's flushed face and sweat-drenched appearance, Wang Jie stood up, handed her a tissue, and said softly, "Take your time, there's still plenty of time, no need to rush."

"I was just worried you'd get impatient waiting. Besides, it's better to go early so the sun won't get even stronger later." Zhou Yanruo took the tissue, wiped the sweat from her forehead haphazardly, and then said with a smile.

"Have you two had enough? We haven't even started filming an art film yet, and you two are already acting. Are you pretending I don't exist?" Jian Zheng said, pursing his lips.

"What are you doing here?" Zhou Yanruo only then noticed that Jian Zheng was sitting on a small stool, looking up with his mouth pursed into a V-shape.

“Why can’t I stay here? I’m here to see Wang Jie.” Jian Zheng stood up and said, “I’m the production assistant that Wang Jie invited.”

"Tch, a production assistant? How come you're so capable?"

"Can we go now?" Wang Jie urged them to leave as he saw the two were about to start arguing again.

As usual, Wang Jie and Jian Zheng rode bicycles, with Zhou Yanruo on the back of Wang Jie's bike.

The three of them chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at the school.

As soon as I turned into the tree-lined path in front of the school, I saw Cheng Zhi and Xue Jiang driving a video camera by the roadside.

They thought they had arrived early, but to their surprise, Cheng Zhi and Xue Jiang were already there.

“You’ve all arrived.” Zhou Yanruo jumped off the back of the bicycle and walked to Cheng Zhi and Xue Jiang’s side.

"We just arrived too." Xue Jiang helped Cheng Zhi with the tripod, then turned to see Zhou Yanruo running over. "Why are you wearing a denim t-shirt?"

"I brought a skirt, but it's too hot today and I'm afraid I'll sweat if I wear it. If the skirt gets wrinkled, it won't hold its shape. I'll go change now." Zhou Yanruo said, carrying a paper bag. "Wang Jie, I brought you some clothes. You should change too."

"I need to change my clothes, but no need, what I'm wearing is fine."

Wang Jie was wearing a blue and white striped t-shirt, blue cargo pants, and white sneakers.

“I’ve already bought it. It was originally a gift for you, but it’s perfect for today.” Zhou Yanruo leaned closer to Wang Jie and whispered, “Let’s go change into it. We can take some photos and keep it as a souvenir.”

"Alright, I'll do as you say." Wang Jie smiled and nodded as he looked at Zhou Yanruo's expectant eyes.

The two stepped into the campus together. Zhou Yanruo handed the paper bag in her hand to Wang Jie and said softly, "I'm going to the dance studio. You go to the restroom to change your clothes."

Wang Jie opened the paper bag, revealing a light taro-colored shirt and a pair of white casual pants. As he changed, he joked, "Won't people say I'm too artsy if I wear this?" Though he said that, he felt a sweet warmth in his heart.

Zhou Yanruo is usually carefree, but this time she was very thoughtful and meticulous. It seems that she carefully selected the color and material of the clothes.

“You have fair skin, this color will definitely look good on you. I’m so jealous that I couldn’t get a tan all summer.” Zhou Yanruo said playfully, feigning displeasure.

Wang Jie felt a little embarrassed by what he was being said and replied in a low voice, "It's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be."

A short while later, the two changed their clothes and met at the school gate.

"It suits me quite well. Looks like I have a good eye." Zhou Yanruo looked Wang Jie up and down, her eyes lighting up as she said.

"Isn't this color a bit too exaggerated, making it seem particularly pretentious? I probably won't have the chance to wear it out again, which is a bit of a waste."

"You look great in this outfit! Don't always wear white shirts and black pants."

The two walked side by side down the tree-lined path, talking as they went.

Xue Jiang was spreading fallen leaves on the road when she looked up and saw Wang Jie and Zhou Yanruo walking side by side. She couldn't help but exclaim, "You two look like you stepped out of a painting! You're a match made in heaven!"

Jian Zheng was helping Cheng Zhi set up the reflector when he heard Xue Jiang's praise and couldn't help but turn around. He saw Wang Jie with fair skin, whose attire today accentuated his scholarly air with a touch of aloof nobility; while Zhou Yanruo wore a light purple dress and white mid-heeled T-strap shoes, appearing both ladylike and gentle. The two standing together were like a beautiful painting, a feast for the eyes.

Cheng Zhi reacted quickly, raised his camera, and pressed the shutter button.

At that moment, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew. They stood under the dappled shadows of the trees, facing Xue Jiang and Cheng Zhi's camera, capturing this beautiful moment.

Xue Jiang walked over with a smile, already in director's mode, and stood in front of Wang Jie and Zhou Yanruo to start talking about the scene: "You've read the script, and you've memorized the lines, right?"

Zhou Yanruo nudged Xue Jiang and said, "Hehe, you're making it sound so real."

"Be serious, this is our first project, we need to take it seriously."

Wang Jie replied with a serious expression, "I've memorized all my lines, we can begin."

“You didn’t have many lines, and I said them all,” Zhou Yanruo said with a pout. “I expressed all the emotions; you were just a beautiful background character.”

"It needs to be coordinated with eye contact and body language," Wang Jie said with a doting expression.

Xue Jiang raised her hand and made a "stop" gesture, saying seriously, "Stop, stop, you two have already gotten into character, save your performance for the camera."

Then she turned to Cheng Zhi and Jian Zheng and said, "We can begin."

Jian Zheng ran over, holding a clapperboard, and held it up in front of Zhou Yanruo and Wang Jie. The clapperboard read: Scene 1, Shot 1, "Gone, Yet to Come," Director: Xue Jiang, Cinematographer: Cheng Zhi.

Xue Jiang shouted, "Action!"

Jian Zheng quickly raised the clapperboard and snapped it shut with a "click," then jumped out of the frame. Afterward, he picked up a reflector and crouched down at the cameraman's feet.

Wang Jie found it amusing and was about to laugh out loud when he saw that Zhou Yanruo had already completely immersed herself in the role.

Qi Lianyi stood quietly before Shao Hanyi, her deep, bright eyes seemingly containing a vast starry sky, filled with complex emotions that rippled outwards like waves. Her short hair swayed gently in the wind, like the Milky Way under the night sky, scattering endless tenderness and reluctance.

Shao Hanyi gazed at her, his heart surging with indescribable emotions. His eyes were deep and resolute, as if they could pierce through the mists of time and see what their future would look like. He reached out, wanting to embrace Qi Lianyi tightly, yet fearing that this embrace would become an obstacle to her progress.

"I'm leaving. Tell me, what will I become? What will we become?" Qi Lianyi's voice was soft and trembling, as if carrying a trace of unease and confusion. Her eyes were slightly red, and crystal tears trembled gently on her long eyelashes, like morning dew, shimmering with a fragile light.

Shao Hanyi took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. He knew that at this moment, he needed to give Qi Lianyi strength and courage so that she could bravely face the challenges of the future.

"Who can predict the future? But I firmly believe that as long as we stay true to our original aspirations and bravely pursue our dreams, we will surely shine even more brilliantly." His voice was deep and firm, like an ancient pine tree in the mountains, standing tall in the wind and rain.

Hearing his words, Qi Lianyi's unease seemed to subside slightly. She raised her head and looked into Shao Hanyi's eyes, where she found the familiar firmness and warmth. She gently bit her lower lip, trying to swallow back the tears that were about to well up.

"But I will miss it, I will be sad..." Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was expressing her inner fragility and reluctance.

Shao Hanyi reached out, wanting to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. His hand paused in mid-air for a moment, then slowly lowered. He understood that what Qi Lianyi needed at this moment was not comfort, but encouragement and support.

“Everyone has their own path to walk. I firmly believe that wherever you go, you will be the brightest star.” He said with a smile, his eyes full of trust and pride.

Upon hearing this, Qi Lianyi felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She knew that no matter how uncertain the future might be, with Shao Hanyi's encouragement and support, she would be able to face it bravely.

She buried her face in Shao Hanyi's chest, her voice tinged with a sob: "Hanyi, do you know? Every time I see you, I have an indescribable feeling, like reluctance, like confusion, but more than anything, it's anticipation for the future. You have to wait for me, you'll wait for me to come back, right?"

Shao Hanyi hugged her tightly, as if trying to meld her into his very bones. He nodded deeply and said, "I will wait for you in the future. Only by believing in the future can we have a brighter future."

Their hearts were intertwined, and at that moment, the uncertainty of the future seemed less important. They knew that as long as they had love and dreams in their hearts, they could bravely face any challenge.

Watching his two good friends' heartfelt performance, Jian Zheng was filled with emotion: Before long, everyone would be leaving, each embarking on their own future. This scene perfectly captured the sentiment he most wanted to convey at parting: 'Only by believing in the future can we achieve a brighter future.'

The title, "Gone, Yet to Come," seems too melancholic. Even if we're aiming for an artistic tone, we can't just make people depressed.

……