All the Time* he’d dreamed of seeing her again—it was happening now, but was utterly unlike anything he’d imagined. A feeling he could not describe, his mind blank, his heart dazed.
As they walked down the long hallway, the whole world seemed to have changed: it had grown tiny and distant, like something seen through a telescope the wrong way around.
He was surprised to find that the sky was still bright. Manzhen was looking quite gaunt, but fortunately her squarish face would keep its shape no matter how thin she grew. Also helpful was the fact that her appearance had changed somewhat; otherwise, he’d be dreaming again.
“So here we are,” she was saying. “How long has it been?”
“I had no idea that you were in Shanghai.”
“I thought you were in Nanking.”
Their words were swallowed by the stillness around them, and they fell silent again.
He should say something, but nothing came to him. He hoped she would speak, but she didn't. They stood there, facing one another. Maybe she wanted him to kiss her. But if he did, what then?
He’d spent days wondering whether to seek her out, and decided not to. What, if anything, had changed since then? Fundamental truth is unyielding, like a mountain. He felt a pricking in his eyes as the tears came, and his throat was full. He stared hard at her. Her lips were trembling.
“Shijun.” Her voice shook too.
He said nothing, waiting for her to continue, his throat so tight he couldn't speak.
A long moment passed. “Shijun, we can’t go back.”
He knew it was true, but the words shook him to the core. Her head was already on his shoulder. She was in his arms.
重逢的情景他想过多少回了，等到真发生了，跟想的完全不一样，说不上来的不是味儿，心里老是恍恍惚惚的。走到弄堂里，天地全非，又小又远，像倒看望远镜一样。
使他诧异的是外面天色还很亮。她憔悴多了，幸而她那种微方的脸型，再瘦些也不会怎么走样。也幸而她不是跟从前一模一样，要不然一定是梦中相见，不是真的。
曼桢笑道："真是，多少年不见了？"
世钧道："我都不知道你在上海。"
曼桢道："我本来也当你在南京。"
说的话全被四周奇异的寂静吞了下去，两人也就沉默下来了。
他想随便说句话也就岔过去了，偏什么都想不起来。希望她说句话，可是她也没说什么。两人就这么站着，对看着。也许她也要他吻她。但是吻了又怎么样？
前几天想来想去还是不去找她，现在不也还是一样的情形？所谓"铁打的事实"，就像"铁案如山"。他眼睛里一阵刺痛，是有眼泪，喉咙也堵住了。他不由自主地盯着她看。她的嘴唇在颤抖。
曼桢道："世钧。"她的声音也在颤抖。世钧没作声，等着她说下去，自己根本哽住了没法开口。曼桢半晌方道："世钧，我们回不去了。"他知道这是真话，听见了也还是一样震动。她的头已经在他肩膀上。他抱着她。
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