Back To The 80s-Chapter 616: Extra Story One: You Are My Lifelong Pursuit (Qin Li Jin Cheng) _1
Many people didn’t understand Qin Li’s persistence, even Xiaobei sometimes found it hard to comprehend. She felt Qin Li was always in pursuit, such love was exhausting. It was only until the tragic news of Jin Cheng’s sacrifice came that Xiaobei realized the nature of a certain kind of love: love ingrained in the marrow of bones; love that was unexpressed, but had already blossomed into harmony between two hearts.
Jin Cheng had a prolonged dream in which he returned to the moment when he first met Qin Li.
He dreamt of their journey to Capital City in search of Jin Jiadong, and sharing a hotpot together - their first taste of spicy mustard.
With tears and snot streaming down her face, Qin Li laughed and said, "Jin Cheng, the hotpot is so delicious, we’re coming back for it. Once we’re grown up, maybe we should just live in the Capital City and eat this every day."
Jin Cheng laughed and nodded: "Sure, but don’t wail about missing your mutton soup back home."
Jin Cheng never expected that his reckless tongue would have consequences. Despite their fruitless search for Jin Jiadong, they received the dreadful news of Jiadong’s sacrifice.
At that stage, Jin Cheng determined to seek vengeance, donned a military uniform, and set out to avenge his elder brother.
Zhuang Shuxian resorted to a death threat, leaving him no choice but to concede. However, he then ran into Shen Heng.
Shen Heng warned, "It’s a harsh, incomprehensible path, full of solitude. Not even your family or your lover can know if you decide to go through with it, no one would call you a hero."
Jin Cheng hesitated for a moment, wondering if his constant tag-along, Qin Li, would hate him if she could never know.
Upon seeing the indecision flash in Jin Cheng’s eyes, Shen Heng stated, "You’re too young; becoming a hero isn’t easy and you’ll lose a lot."
Jin Cheng, youthful and stubborn, with a tint of determination on his naive face, retorted, "I’m not scared!"
"Then come with me," said Shen Heng.
After a pause, Jin Cheng inquired, "Could you wait for a moment? I’d like to go back and see something...."
Shen Heng nodded, "Okay, I’ll be waiting for you at the pavilion up ahead."
Jin Cheng raced back to the small inn where Qin Li and his parents were staying.
Through the window, he saw his mother by the bedside, clutching a picture of his elder brother, wiping away her tears. A sudden pang of sorrow overwhelmed his heart.
Spotting Qin Li curled up asleep on the narrow bed, with tear-streaked cheeks, his heart wrenched. He knew she must have been worried sick and cried herself to sleep because she couldn’t find him.
For a moment, Jin Cheng regretted agreeing to Shen Heng’s proposal. He realized his family couldn’t lose him. But, being a seventeen-year-old boy, he thought he needed to stand by his pledge. He bit his lips, turned away, and tears welled up in his eyes.
In the days that followed, Jin Cheng endured brutal training and torment. He kept reminding himself that he had to become stronger to protect the people precious to him.
However, the reality turned out far from what he envisaged. Harder training was followed by perilous covert missions. Every brush with death made him realize that he couldn’t put Qin Li through the constant fear and heartbreak of his job.
During a mission in the Tibetan Area, taking on the cover of a devout Buddhist, Jin Cheng found himself praying fervently at Dazhao Temple: praying for the health and longevity of his parents; praying for the safety and happiness of his girl, Qin Li; praying that if there is a next life, he will protect Qin Li throughout.
The last mission was to return to their hometown. When he received the assignment, his heart felt a complex mixture of happiness, fear, and trepidation about facing Qin Li.
"Jin Cheng?! You’re back?" Qin Li, seeing Jin Cheng after a three-year absence, exclaimed in surprise.
Jin Cheng suppressed the urge to touch Qin Li’s head, and joked with a grin, "Little girl, you’ve grown so tall. Have you been sneaking snacks?"
Qin Li stared at Jin Cheng in disbelief, then broke into laughter, "Jin Cheng, you haven’t changed – still as irritating as always."
Worried that he might lose control if they continued their chat, Jin Cheng waved his hand dismissively and stated impatiently, "You’re still as annoying as when we were kids". Then, without a backward glance, he entered the housing compound.
Qin Li’s eyes filled with tears, she bit her lip hard to stop herself from crying.
Qin Li noticed a change in Jin Cheng - he seemed like a stranger to her. She watched as he, donned in a loud, floral shirt, carelessly sauntered out, whistling a tune and jovially greeting the familiar faces he encountered.
Zhang Yufen, came back from purchasing groceries, angry and hugely disappointed. She said to Qin Li, "Look at Jin Cheng, how much he has changed! He must’ve picked up bad habits while away. He’s become a hooligan." She went on to add, seeing Qin Li’s dazed expression, "You should stay away from him. Hanging out with this kind of riffraff will be a laughing stock. Others will talk behind our backs. They are already murmuring about the suspicions of what Jin Cheng has might have done during his time away. Just look at the thick chain hanging around his neck."
Qin Li remained silent, fixed on the window sill, and kept blinking to stop her tears from falling.
Noticing Qin Li’s silence, Zhang Yufen couldn’t help but voice her annoyance, "Did you hear what I just said? Enough with the carefree attitude, you’re a young lady and you should be aware of how others might perceive this."
Qin Li got up lazily and trudged back into her room without uttering a single word.
Zhang Yufen sighed in dismay, figuring that they would have been a perfect match if Jin Cheng hadn’t become so unruly.
When Jin Cheng emerged from the building, he could sense intensifying stares fixated on him from above. His heart ached, but he simply paused momentarily, and with a whistle, continued on his way.
Unfortunately, Qin Li was unaware that Jin Cheng’s whistle was not a meaningless tune, but a love song from country E, known as "Flower in the Snow".
As days went by, Qin Li worked things out: no matter how much Jin Cheng had changed, he was still her Jin Cheng.
The colder Jin Cheng acted towards Qin Li, the more fiercely she pursued him.
Jin Cheng increasingly felt disconnected from his humanity, whereas Zhuang Shuxian, looking at her son with his little ponytail, wildly colored shirt, and tight bell-bottoms, said angrily, "Look at yourself. What are you wearing? Can’t you dress more decently?"
Jin Cheng jokingly replied, "This is called being trendy, mama. You wouldn’t understand!"
Zhuang Shuxian grumbled, "I might not get it, but I do know that that Qin Li girl next door is seeing someone. I heard it’s a university student! In contrast, you’re just loafing around here. What happened to you and Qin Li? Weren’t you two close when you were young?"
Jin Cheng felt a tight knot in his chest, his face, however, still radiated a laid-back smile. He said, "A university student is interested in her? Whoever marries her is in for a crazy ride!"
Zhuang Shuxian stared at Jin Cheng and said discontentedly, "When you used to get any tasty food, you would sneakily share it with Qin Li. I thought you planned to woo her with your culinary skills!"
Jin Cheng stretched his arms high over his head, to mask his look of disappointment, and yawned, "I’m sleepy. I need to take a nap. I didn’t sleep well last night".
Zhuang Shuxian frustratingly hit the coffee table, "Where on earth were you last night? Can’t you find a decent job? Should I ask your father to find you a steady job? If you continue like this, you’ll be ruined."
Jin Cheng nonchalantly rose from the sofa, walked into his room, and shut the door behind him. His face instantly crumpled into a pained expression.
