She Got Revenge on Her Ex-Girlfriend Through a Kiss Scene - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Beijing had already taken on the chill of early winter, but inside the Art Cinema of the China Film Archive, it was warm and welcoming. Every seat was filled for the 3rd-anniversary commemorative screening of the 4K restored version of Echoes.

Xi Jisheng and Lou Ningyu sat in the front row, their fingers interlaced beneath the seats. Three years had passed; they were long accustomed to public intimacy, but today felt exceptionally special—the screen was about to show the starting point of their journey back to each other.

The lights dimmed, and the screen flickered to life.

The story of Shen Su and Zhou Yin unfolded once more: the meeting at twenty, the separation at thirty, and the reunion at forty-nine and fifty. But this time, Xi Jisheng and Lou Ningyu watched from a completely different perspective. Three years ago, they were performing “loss.” Three years later, they were savoring “cherishing.”

When the film reached the bridge reunion scene, Xi Jisheng felt Lou Ningyu grip her hand tightly. She turned her head and, in the dim light, saw the glint of tears in Lou Ningyu’s eyes.

After two and a half hours, the lights came up. Thunderous applause erupted, lasting a full minute. The host took the stage: “Please welcome our two leading ladies—Xi Jisheng and Lou Ningyu!”

They stepped onto the stage, standing side by side under the spotlight. Three years had left their mark—a more composed aura, steadier gazes, and gentler smiles.

“Watching this film again three years later,” the host asked, “how do your feelings differ?”

Xi Jisheng spoke first, her voice soft. “Three years ago, my heart was full of the pain of ‘missing out.’ Shen Su’s coldness when she pushed Zhou Yin away, her cowardice during the reunion—every expression was real pain. But watching it now… what I see is ‘cherishing.’ It’s the fact that even after being apart for twenty years, they still kept a place for each other. That isn’t just love; it’s something deeper—a recognition of souls.”

The audience was silent, her voice echoing in the hall.

Lou Ningyu followed: “Three years ago, I hoped the audience would believe that love could span time, misunderstandings, and all obstacles. Now… I think we’ve proven that it is possible. It’s not a miracle from a movie; it’s a choice in reality.”

…

During the Q&A session, a girl in her early twenties stood up, the microphone trembling in her hand. “I… I also have a girlfriend. She’s in the audience today.” The camera panned to a girl with short hair, blushing and waving.

The girl took a deep breath. “We’ve been together for two years, but… we’re lost. Our parents don’t know, our friends know but don’t dare speak of it. Sometimes the future feels so far away, and we don’t know what to do.” Her voice choked. “I want to ask the two of you… how did you persist? How do you face the pressure?”

The room went quiet. All eyes were on the stage.

Xi Jisheng picked up the microphone, her gaze as gentle as if she were looking at her younger self. “First, I want to give you a hug.” She opened her arms in a hugging gesture. “Because I know how much courage it took to ask that question.”

The girl’s tears fell.

“My advice,” Xi Jisheng said clearly, “is to take it slow. Don’t rush to fight the whole world; just love each other well first. Nurture your relationship, make yourselves better and stronger. When you are strong enough, and when time has proven your sincerity and steadiness, the world will make way for you.”

She paused. “Ningyu and I were apart for seven years. In those seven years, we both grew—she became a better actor, and I learned to bear the weight of life. Only when we reunited did we dare say: ‘I’m ready, I can face the world with you.'”

Lou Ningyu took the mic: “Remember, love isn’t a burden; it’s power. Just like Shen Su and Zhou Yin—even when apart, they became better people. That way, when you reunite, you can say: ‘I am worthy of you.'”

…

Before the event ended, Wen Bixu stepped up. “I’d like to show everyone a short clip. It’s a final ‘Easter egg’ from my trilogy—some fragments of daily life I’ve recorded over the last three years.”

The screen lit up with raw, phone-recorded footage:

The Kitchen: Xi Jisheng in an apron, struggling to clean a fish. Lou Ningyu hugs her from behind, guiding her hand: “Like this, cut along the grain…”

The Sofa: Lou Ningyu asleep on Xi Jisheng’s lap, a script in her hand. Xi Jisheng gently brushes stray hair from Lou’s forehead.

The Airport: A montage of goodbyes and reunions. “Wear more layers in Qingdao,” Lou says. “Bring an umbrella for New York,” Xi replies. Then, the moment they meet at the gate, simply take each other’s luggage and walk side by side.

The final text appeared:

Love is an echo. It is the heartbeat at twenty-two receiving an answer at twenty-nine. It is seven years of waiting for a reunion in the eighth. It is having the courage to ask for—and to give—an ending with no regrets.

…

The next day, they quietly flew back to Yunnan. No team, no press—just the two of them and two suitcases. The ancient town where they filmed Echoes was still beautiful in autumn.

They walked hand-in-hand through the alleys, eventually reaching the library. The elderly librarian, now in her eighties, recognized them immediately. “Oh, it’s you two!”

“Grandma, you still remember us?” Xi Jisheng asked.

“How could I forget!” The old woman held Xi’s hand. “Back when you were filming, you came every day. One sat here, one sat there. You clearly wanted to talk but didn’t dare. I was so worried for you!”

Lou Ningyu laughed. “We really didn’t dare back then.”

“And now?” The woman looked at their joined hands. “You dare now?”

“We do,” Xi Jisheng nodded. “Very much so.”

The librarian pulled a wooden box from the counter and handed it to them. Inside was a yellowed photo she had taken herself during filming—the two of them in the same positions, but with younger, more hesitant faces. “I took this because I thought, this story isn’t over yet.”

…

As the sun began to set, Lou Ningyu said, “Jisheng, let’s act it out one more time.”

“What?”

“The bridge reunion.” Lou’s eyes sparkled. “But this time… let’s play ourselves.”

No cameras, no director, no script. Just two people on a stone bridge bathed in golden light. They stood at opposite ends. Xi Jisheng on the east, Lou Ningyu on the west.

They locked eyes across the thirty-meter distance. Then, they both stepped forward. There was no hesitation from Shen Su, no desperation from Zhou Yin. Just two people walking steadily toward each other.

In the center of the bridge, they stopped. Lou Ningyu reached out, and Xi Jisheng took her hand. Lou pulled her into a fierce embrace.

“Xi Jisheng,” Lou whispered into her ear, her voice thick with emotion. “The thing I regret least in this life is loving you.”

Xi Jisheng’s tears soaked into Lou’s shoulder. “Lou Ningyu, I want to find you in the next life, too.” She paused. “But let’s make it earlier. Let’s not wait seven years.”

Lou laughed through her tears. “Okay. I’ll look for you the moment I’m born. I’ll go to your crib and say, ‘Hey, I’m your wife.'”

“Won’t that scare my parents?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Xi Jisheng looked up at her. “We’re family sooner or later anyway.”

They held each other as the last of the sun vanished and the lanterns of the ancient town flickered to life. Dinner was the same meal they had at the wrap party three years ago—steam-pot chicken, flower cakes, and plum wine.

Xi Jisheng took a sip of wine and sighed. “Time goes by so fast.”

“But some things don’t change,” Lou Ningyu said, placing food on Xi’s plate. “Like how your face still gets red when you drink.”

“And how you still take care of me.”

They looked at each other and smiled. The story of Echoes had reached its final page, but their own story was only just beginning.

The End.