William Carter turned back once more as he walked through the gate, but still couldn’t spot Little Emily Harris in the crowd. He felt somewhat disappointed, but then thought to himself, if his relationship with Little Emily Harris ended here, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. If this barely-begun romance continued, it would be extremely unfair to Little Emily Harris. What right did he have to make a girl who had never tasted love wait for him from the very start?

William Carter didn’t know that Little Emily Harris was actually hiding in the distance, secretly watching him. When William Carter’s figure disappeared at the check-in, Little Emily Harris began to cry. She wept so heartbreakingly and so loudly that she drew the attention of everyone around her. She regretted not appearing in front of William Carter.

A white handkerchief was handed over. Little Emily Harris looked up to see Grace Parker gazing at her with reddened eyes. Brian Cooper whispered, “This is Dayu’s mother, this is Dayu’s... girlfriend!” Little Emily Harris blushed, but didn’t deny it. Grace Parker gently put her arm around Little Emily Harris’s shoulders. “With such a wonderful girl waiting for him in Beijing, William Carter will definitely come back...”

Chapter Four: [Come to Taipei in Winter to See the Rain]

The plane was flying at eight thousand feet. William Carter gazed out the cabin window at the distant clouds. His mood had completely calmed; the sorrow of parting he’d felt earlier had long since vanished, replaced by anticipation and longing for a new and exciting life ahead. Henry Bennett asked the flight attendant for drinks and handed a glass of orange juice to William Carter. “Have you ever flown before?” William Carter shook his head. “I’m just a poor peasant, how would I ever have the chance!”

Henry Bennett smiled and said, “When I was your age, I hadn’t flown either. My home was right next to Keelung Airport, and every day I watched planes take off and land over my head. Back then, my biggest wish was that one day I could sit inside a plane and see the sea of clouds.”

He took a sip of coffee. “For that goal, I started shining shoes at the street corner, selling newspapers—just about anything I could do to earn money, I tried. But I still couldn’t scrape together enough for a plane ticket. I even thought about sneaking onto the landing gear for a free ride…”

The memories made his voice a little wistful. “But before I could even get close to a plane, I was spotted by airport staff, and my dream ended right there!”

“Didn’t expect you had a tough childhood too. What happened after that?” William Carter was clearly interested in Henry Bennett’s story.

“After that, I used the money I earned to go to school. When I got my lawyer’s license for the first time, I knew all my previous efforts had finally paid off!” Henry Bennett put down his cup and leaned back comfortably in his seat. “From watching planes to riding in them, from economy class to business class, I finally fulfilled my childhood dream.”

“Very few people can pursue their goals so persistently, like you!”

“But some people are just born not needing to work for it!” Henry Bennett paused. “For example... today is your first time flying, and tomorrow you might own a plane of your own…”

William Carter smiled noncommittally, turning his gaze back out the window. Everything still felt so distant to him; he couldn’t tell if he was living in reality or in a dream.

After a brief stop at Hong Kong Airport, William Carter and his group continued their flight from Hong Kong to Taipei. The novelty of his first flight had worn off, and James Carter felt a bit tired. He asked the flight attendant for a blanket, leaned back in his seat, and fell asleep. In the depths of sleep, he was startled awake by an announcement, realizing the plane was about to land. Looking out the small round window by his seat, he saw the sky had already darkened. The distant clouds rolled in the sunset, a gentle golden hue, yet on closer look, they were still and tranquil, making it hard to imagine the plane was flying so fast. The clouds beneath the wings were bluish-white, drifting dreamily backward. At five in the afternoon, the plane landed on Taipei soil right on time.

From that moment, Henry Bennett’s expression became unusually grave; his trademark smile had vanished without a trace. The Taipei weather was not as warm as William Carter had imagined. Cold drizzle mixed with the bleak winter wind, seeping into his collar through every gap.

The exit was crowded with people waiting to pick up arrivals. Looking at them, William Carter couldn’t see any difference between them and himself—after all, they shared the same roots and ancestors, and what the ancestors left behind could never be erased. The soft voice of a female announcer came over the speakers, but it always seemed less crisp and clear than the Beijing airport’s.

A dozen burly men in black suits surrounded two elderly men at the center of the gate. One was fat and unusually short—at most 1.6 meters tall; the other was thin and over 1.8 meters. Both were in their sixties, wearing long robes of soft, finely crafted fabric.

If he’d seen such elders in Beijing, William Carter would have thought they were actors in a play. Henry Bennett was already walking toward the two old men, his eyes full of reverence.

“Hello, Mr. Zuo! Hello, Mr. Guo!” He bowed a full ninety degrees.

From the moment William Carter appeared at the gate, the short, fat old man’s gaze had never left him. “Is he Dinghan’s son?”

“Yes! Mr. Zuo, you have a sharp eye!” Henry Bennett’s voice was full of flattery.