Chapter 15 — I Won't Wait for You to Return

As twilight descended, the landlady carried a freshly crafted wooden sign out from the storage shed. She offered a warm smile, handing the heavy timber to me. I looked down, tracing the four words etched deeply into the grain: Do Not Wait for the Wind.

This was the name that Ha Nhan and I had conceived just a few days prior. For so long, we had been shackled by the habit of waiting. We waited for Co Trach Vu to finally earn his place under the stage lights. We waited for Chu Dien to complete his doctorate and secure his career. We waited for them to grant us a sliver of validation, a promise of a wedding, a vision of a shared future. But in the end, the realization finally took hold: some people were never meant to keep an appointment. They were simply people who had grown accustomed to making you wait.

I climbed the ladder while Ha Nhan stood below, steadying it with a firm grip. The wooden sign was soon secured firmly above the homestay entrance. A breeze swept in from the Erhai Lake, catching the blue and white tie-dyed fabrics hanging in the courtyard, causing them to flutter like layers of gentle, rolling waves. New guests were busy hanging laundry, some sat nestled in rattan chairs reading, while others gathered around A Luong to learn the art of roasting suckling pig. A Luong approached us, carrying a platter of crispy, golden meat he had just sliced. He set it down on the stone table and asked with a grin, "My two little mistresses, this pig has turned out spectacular today. What exactly are we celebrating?"

Ha Nhan grabbed a chilled can of beer, the tab snapping open with a sharp, satisfying pop. "We are celebrating the end of our blindness; our eyes are finally clear."

I picked up a can of my own and clinked it against hers. "And we are celebrating the fact that from now on, we only publicize our joy, never our sorrows."

The clear, ringing sound of our toast dissolved into the deepening twilight. In the distance, the majestic Cangshan mountains were bathed in a soft, golden hue by the setting sun. The Erhai breeze rushed past us once more, carrying the scent of sunshine, the fragrance of wildflowers, and the unmistakable breath of true freedom. This time, we would not wait for anyone. We had finally realized that we were the wind in our own lives.