'SEE YOU MORNING' 031 Mood Balance

After several days of quiet time at home with Qin Wenjing, Li Haojun received another long-term business trip assignment. He had a faint feeling that the company's schedule was arranged to take his feelings into account. Every time before a long journey, he was given ample time to stay with his family. It was probably a people-oriented management style, and he thought it was for the best.
Kesiya had already made a trip here prior to this business tour. She had gathered basic information and learned about the client's intentions. This time, they needed to collect products from various manufacturing plants for cross-experiments, and the company arranged a dedicated field team and a special aircraft to provide door-to-door transport. The route was set as follows: first pick up Li Haojun and head to the production plant in George and Ellensburg to collect the scheduled supplies, then fly to Boise to meet Kesiya and load the relevant goods, before finally proceeding to the client's location.
It turned out to be a hectic day. Amid the cold morning mist, the helicopter landed on the opposite side of the road. After verifying the information, Li Haojun rushed out of his house. It was a traditional single-rotor helicopter with a slender fuselage and a spacious cockpit offering an excellent view, much like a high-speed sightseeing craft. The two pilots waved from behind the front windscreen.
He ducked to avoid the downwash and climbed into the rear seat, and the aircraft took off right away.
"Welcome aboard," Reginald Baker turned around and said to Li Haojun.
He was a sharp-looking young man with blond hair, a broad forehead, a pointed chin and small eyes.
"Thank you. I appreciate both of your help."
"It's our pleasure," replied the woman at the controls. She had short black bob hair and did not turn her head.
"This is Meiko Matsumoto," Reginald introduced her.
"Ethan Li. Nice to meet you both."
The morning passed in a tight and efficient manner. By ten o'clock, the helicopter had reached cruising altitude, heading toward Boise. The autumn air was crisp and clear under a cloudless sapphire sky. Li Haojun leaned his head against the seat headrest, gazing at the mountains and lands below to ease the fatigue from the early rush.
Around noon, the aircraft arrived near Eagle on the outskirts of Boise, ready to pick up Kesiya. As the helicopter descended, Li Haojun felt torn inside. He was unsure what stance to take when facing her again. Their relationship was clearly more than that of ordinary colleagues, yet he already had a partner. He could never devote as much time to Kesiya as he did to his lover, which often filled him with guilt over her sincere affection for him. He had even tried to convince himself that she might only be driven by the fleeting excitement of youth.
On the open ground in front of the Eagle factory, he caught sight of the familiar figure as the helicopter touched down. She wore a short off-white coat with wide sleeves lined with faux fox fur, and a headscarf wrapped around her hair. She paired the outfit with light blue jeans and sneakers, pulling a suitcase in her left hand and holding a box in her right.
He had been racking his brain for the right opening line all the way down, yet still had no idea when the helicopter landed. Li Haojun simply stepped out, exchanged a brief greeting with her, then took her suitcase and stowed it in the aircraft's cargo hold. When he returned to the cockpit, Kesiya had already taken the inner seat.
Li Haojun sat beside her and stole a glance at her eyes and expression. Just then, Reginald in the front row turned back to introduce himself. Li Haojun took the chance to make mutual introductions, then lowered his head to fasten his seat belt. He smiled and gestured, reminding Kesiya to do the same.
The box she carried turned out to contain takeaway meals, one portion for each person. After they finished eating, Kesiya talked about her previous visit to the client, a faint smile playing on her lips. Li Haojun listened intently, his eyes fixed on hers. He could not tell if the smile was just professional etiquette or the joy of reunion. With the two young pilots sitting up front, he could not bring up personal topics. He limited himself to asking about work details, trying to read her true feelings from her tone and expressions. Was she missing him? Had he brought her heartache? Yet her tone remained calm and her demeanor composed, leaving him confused and uneasy.
The helicopter flew from Boise toward Nevada in the afternoon. Bright sunlight streamed into the cockpit from the right side, dazzling in the high altitude. After discussing a few work matters, Li Haojun ran out of things to say. Kesiya kept to herself as well, making no idle chatter beyond work-related talk. He resorted to admiring the scenery unfolding far below. From time to time, their eyes met, and they could only respond to each other with a quiet smile.
Dusk had fallen by the time they reached their destination, a canyon deep in the desert. The place resembled a military base, though it was unclear whether it belonged to national troops or mercenaries. The helicopter landed on the tarmac, and golden sunset light spilled over the mountain ridges in the west, bathing half the valley. The aircraft departed after dropping them off. Once they completed the handover of supplies with the client, they were sent to a small town inn more than ten kilometers away. This was the first place connected to the outside world by proper roads. It was a two-story wooden motel, with a restaurant on the ground floor. Across the street stood a tavern, next to a 7-Eleven, a gas station and a barbershop. Hardly anyone lived here permanently; all the local businesses catered to people from the base who came into town on weekends.
They climbed the stairs to their rooms. As they walked, Li Haojun asked,
"I have been to this area before. Back then, I could not confirm if the people here were our clients, as all parties used code names for confidentiality. When you came last time, what sort of problems did you find they were facing?" He had avoided asking detailed questions on the plane to protect commercial secrets.
"They only mentioned issues with quality control. That is why they have ordered identical products sourced from different regions this time."
"I see. We will wait for them to arrange a formal meeting and assess the situation then." Li Haojun held out the key to the second room to Kesiya, but she did not move forward.
"May I come to your room a little later?" Kesiya asked in a steady voice.
"Of course." Li Haojun slowly pushed open his door. Deep down, he felt a surge of anticipation, yet he dared not indulge his desire. He feared letting down the woman standing before him, as well as the one waiting for him at home.
The room was simple, reminiscent of small-town lodgings from the late last century. There were two single wooden beds with a nightstand between them. To the right of the door was a compact kitchen area fitted with a toaster and a coffee maker, leading further to a bathroom with a shower. A three-bladed ceiling fan hung overhead, stationary as the season no longer called for its use. He opened the window, which faced the back street. Stillness reigned everywhere in the town.
"Sit down and rest for a while," Li Haojun gestured toward the bed.
Kesiya walked over and flopped down onto the mattress. Soon she turned on her side against the wall, resting her head on the pillow and gazing at Li Haojun without saying a word.
Li Haojun's body ached all over after the long day, and he longed to lie down too. He hesitated to suggest they both rest, nor did it feel right to lie on the other bed and talk across the room. Instead, he sat down beside her and looked on quietly. It felt like ages since they had parted, and he missed her terribly.
"Aren't you tired? You can lie down. I don't mind."
"Alright." He relaxed his weary body and sank into the soft bed.
"Do you miss me?" Kesiya looked at him and asked softly.
Li Haojun turned to face her with a gentle smile. He said nothing, but gently took her hand. Memories flashed through his mind one after another: her silhouette in the moonlight, her thoughtful support, the moment she turned and left beneath the airport sunshine.
Kesiya pushed herself away from the wall. She placed one hand on his chest, rested one leg across his body, and nestled close to Li Haojun. She pressed her cheek against his neck and whispered,
"I miss you."
"I miss you too. But I cannot spend much time with you. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. This is enough." She let out a soft laugh. "Am I easy to please?"
"Yes." Li Haojun shifted his position and put an arm around her waist.
"Do you love me more, or my sister?"
Li Haojun sighed. It was the same question the two sisters had both asked him. With Kesiya beside him now, he found his affection for her just as strong as what he felt for Malaya. The feeling was strange, for his fondness for her seemed to have grown deeper. He answered,
"I love you both."
"Which one do you love more, her or me?"
"I love you equally. I once thought she was more mischievous. I cannot explain why, but now I care for you both just the same."
"Perhaps it is just the passage of time. We will have more moments together."
"But it does not feel fair. When I am with her, you are alone. How do you get through those days?"
"I keep busy studying. I learn about the factory equipment and related professional knowledge."
"I see." Li Haojun patted her back lightly, feeling a weight lift from his heart, and a smile spread across his face.
"I have always worried that this relationship would hurt you. I suppose there is no need to fret, at least not for now?"
"I know exactly what I am doing. You have nothing to worry about."
"Are you always this steady emotionally? Do you ever feel vulnerable?"
"Aren't you vulnerable too?"
Li Haojun grinned, unsure if it was a bitter or amused smile. "True. It seems neither of us has an emotional shield. Right now, you are here, and I cannot help thinking of someone else. Would that bother you?"
"No. This is the outcome of the argument between her and me."
"Why? Was it jealousy?"
"No. I do not get jealous when you grow close to her. She thinks this arrangement will make things smoother."
"I understand. Still, leaving one person all alone feels a little cruel."
Kesiya smiled faintly.
"Have you forgotten about her? The one waiting for you at home is also alone."
Li Haojun let out a self-deprecating laugh. When the conversation turned to feelings rather than engineering work, he realized she and her sister were equally perceptive. Such was the sensitivity of women, he thought. After a long silence, he could not help asking again,
"Am I truly worth all of this from you?"
Kesiya shifted her body upward, hooked one arm around his shoulder, and leaned close to his ear to speak in a whisper.
"Do you believe in fate? I remember a little child. After his afternoon nap, he went out to play on a stretch of land. Poplar leaves drifted down all around him, glinting like scattered gold and jade above the yellow earth. He ran freely across the solid ground. Dense poplar trees grew tall on that land, and the small lonely figure wandered among the dappled trunks that held the traces of fleeting years. He would look up at the towering branches swaying in the wind. Beyond the leaves lay a bright blue sky dotted with pure white clouds. When the breeze blew, the woods filled with rustling sounds. Time moved so slowly back then, as if it would never end."
Li Haojun could not fully grasp what she was trying to say. He stroked her shoulder gently, not knowing how to step into her world and comfort her.
A crescent moon hung in the sky, casting silvery light over the land, illuminating the distant rolling mountains and the bushes and white sand nearby. The moonlight streamed through the aged wooden window frame, falling on the wooden nightstand. Light reflected off the mirror, catching the worn telephone directory and a pencil, silent witnesses to the passing of time. A tungsten desk lamp with a large round lampshade stood there, holding countless memories within its glow.
A shaft of moonlight slanted across Li Haojun's chest and fell upon Kesiya's waist, bearing witness to the meeting of two sincere hearts.