Love You For A Long Time

A light autumn rain was falling on the blanket of yellowed leaves that covered the sidewalk. The evening was advancing, and, with it, small groups of people crowded the neighborhood's streets. Some were hurrying for last shopping, some were rushing to the nearest subway, and others to the pubs. Adam was trying to navigate his way through this whirlwind of voices and hurried footsteps. He had just received some disturbing news, and the disorientation it caused was affecting his progress through the crowd. The long-awaited promotion had finally arrived, and he would be moving from simple editorial work to work in the field. But, unfortunately, this new assignment would take him away from his beloved city. That morning he had made a remarkable effort to keep his cool after finding out where he would be working when the boss told him of his destination. Instead, his attention had been drawn solely to one word. Beijing He would be working i

Needless to say, dating between the two was immediately forbidden by the influential Ming family. One of the most eminent families in China, they could not afford such a scandal. Even the thought that their eldest daughter had fallen in love with a black embassy employee was a source of shame for the entire family. Yet, despite the prohibitions and restrictions, the two lovers had found it difficult to stay away from each other; with a thousand subterfuge, they had managed to see each other. Finally, not even a month after their first meeting, the two decided to get married. As the wife of an English government official, Hui Ying had acquired the right to leave the country with her husband without incurring any repercussions, and so they did. Thirty years and three children later, they were still as much in love as the first day. The Carter family took advantage of every moment, each dish accompanied by an update on each member of the family: George would soon be tak

He would have to buy a few more furnishings and ornaments to make it more pleasant to live in. After placing all his belongings, he made a list for immediate purchases. Food shopping came first. Shuangjing was a residential neighborhood in Chaoyang District. It was located just a few minutes away from the Beijing Cbd (Nda. Beijing Central Business District), where the editorial office where he would be working was also located. It was a lively area, full of supermarkets and western-style restaurants. Moreover, its population included many ex-pats like himself. So he would fit right in, he thought. Given the proximity of the shops he needed, it didn't take him long to finish his errands. He still had most of the afternoon to spare. Since he already knew the city, he didn't need to visit it, so he decided to go to the newsroom to test the waters before the official start the next day. Taking advantage of the beautiful autumn day, he decided to go for a

In the years that followed, the Carter family returned to Beijing at least once a year. But fate had not allowed him to see the doll so often. He had managed to catch a glimpse of him at a few occasions or official receptions. Still, he had never been able to approach him because he always kept to himself, talking only to his siblings and parents. Then, finally, the right opportunity had presented itself. The right opportunity came to him during university. In those days, he was called Hēi Sé, the black, by everyone. That nickname had been given to him by one of his many high school adventures. She had explained that he deserved to be called because his soul was black, and not even a sliver of light could pass through it. His fame as a playboy and the echoes of the misdeeds he had committed together with his two companions in misfortune, Sun Wěi Qí and Hu Yún, had only fuelled the use of this nickname. His father, tired of rushing to clean up his messes aroun

Until one day, on his way back from his shopping trip, he had heard that annoying nickname again. "Xiao Wū Mù, you're hard to intercept without your little fan club," a wry voice had said behind him. To his surprise, the shopping bag he was holding had slipped from his hands, falling to the ground. Then, heedless of the cans rolling everywhere, he had turned to face the owner of that item. "You think you're funny? My name is Adam and not Xiao Wū Mù." He had rebelled. "I know! But I find that the name I gave you suits you better," Shàng Wèi had said confidently, approaching him. "You see, your skin is the shade of Macassar ebony, which is very precious and not easy to come by, kind of like you are." He had said with a caressing look. Adam had been incredulous; he had never heard such nonsense. It was clear he was pulling his leg. "You know there are different shades of colors in the world; we're not all made the same. The fact that you'