I tend to fall in love with moments

I suppose I am a person of many affections. My heart holds many “figures,” like the landscapes of the four seasons—each with its own light, from south to north. Every encounter is like a journey, leaving behind a different scent and warmth.

There is one figure, like the spring rain of Jiangnan. Fine, dense rain falls between the cobblestone lanes, carrying the fresh sweetness of plums. A smile hides in crescent-shaped eyes, a voice soft and light, fading away with the rhythmic oars of a black-canopied boat. In the damp morning light, the air mingles with the scent of lilacs—a tenderness deep enough to sink one’s entire heart into.

There is also a smile, like the high plateau of western Sichuan. The sunlight is fierce, the wind clear and bright. A figure riding across the meadows, lifted by the wind, braids flying in the air. Such brightness and frankness are dazzling. Affection here is like a lake beneath snow-capped mountains—clear, pure, with an undeniable warmth.

And there is a pair of eyes, like dusk in Dunhuang. Deep and mysterious, like the gaze of a celestial apsara from the cave murals. Wind carries the sound of bells, sand glitters in the light. Seen from afar, it is like a poem written in the gold of time.

I have also met a gentleness like the morning mist of Xiangxi. Quietly enveloping the banks of the Tuo River, mist rising, everything falling into stillness. A steady presence brings peace to the heart—a softness that can be felt without a single word being spoken.

There is a certain spiritedness, like the landscape of Guilin. Green hills smile along both banks of the Li River, bamboo rafts drifting slowly. Amidst shimmering waterlight, a soft sigh is enough to ripple across the lake of the heart. That tenderness is not showy, yet it can stir you for a long time.

There are also nights, like the wine lanes of Lijiang. Lanterns sway, zither music drifts, the wind carries the scent of barley. A figure leaning on the bridge sways gently, the singing a little tipsy, a little lonely. The moon that night was bright as a dream.

There has been springtime, like the flower fields of Wuyuan. Endless stretches of golden rapeseed blossoms. The wind lifts a coat hem, sunlight falls on strands of hair, and the whole world softens. It turns out spring truly lets you smell sweetness.

I have also met a morning, like the lake at Kanas. Cold and quiet interwoven, mist not yet dispersed, mountain shadows floating. The water’s surface reflects a faint smile, like an unspoken secret. That kind of quiet makes you reluctant to disturb it.

There has been an evening, like the water ripples of Venice. Pigeons circle in the sky, light and shadow tremble on the water. That romance carries a sense of distance, like an unfinished song—beautiful in an unreal way.

And there have been farewells, like the cherry blossoms of Kyoto. Courteous and complete, graceful in bearing. Amidst the lingering scent of tea, a slight tremor in the fingers betrays emotion. A brief meeting like a blossom’s fleeting bloom, yet enough to be remembered.

“Just as I met different people” The rain of Jiangnan taught me gentleness, the sunlight of western Sichuan taught me passion, the sand of Dunhuang taught me vastness, the mist of Xiangxi taught me stillness, the water of Guilin taught me softness, the nights of Lijiang taught me romance, the spring of Wuyuan taught me to cherish, the dawn of Kanas taught me composure, the wind of Venice taught me freedom, the cherry blossoms of Kyoto taught me farewell.

Some say I am too sentimental. But I think—this world is so vast, someone must leave a trace of heartbeat in every scene. Every stay lets me see another color of life.

If you ask me which I love most— It’s like asking: Do you love the fine rain of Jiangnan, or the fierce sun of the plateau? Do you love the starry sky of Dunhuang, or the moon of Lijiang? I cannot answer.

Those scenes are the unfinished poems in my heart. And in this life, I suppose I will keep walking, keep meeting, keep finding in a certain smile yet another world that stirs my heart.