Episode 5

> 我始终认为生死不算一回事，只是事情没做完，觉得遗憾而已。("In the end, I still believe that life and death does not matter. I only regret not finishing what I should have.")
>
> —郎静山 (Lang Jingshan), Quote in the episode title card

***Farewell*** (Chinese: 告别 *Gàobié*) is the fifth episode of the first season of Link Click.

## Synopsis

Cheng comes to understand why altering the basketball game had no effect on the timeline, as they were doomed to die anyway. Lu Guang tells Cheng that he cannot alter death, as it is an important node. Cheng ignores this and attempts to convince Chen's friends to flee their village to escape the Earthquake with little success. Cheng begs Lu Guang to allow him to save Chen's mother, and Lu Guang agrees. This agreement is not genuine, however, as the mother still dies. Cheng realizes Lu Guang knew this would happen and punches him in anger before collapsing to his knees and crying into Lu Guang's chest. Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang tell Qiao Ling that they will be taking a break from entering photos, then a police officer arrives and asks about the mystical business being conducted.

## Plot

The episode starts with a flashback of Lu Guang explaining to Cheng Xiaoshi how altering the events before a node won't affect the future as long as the node itself remains unchanged. It then cuts to the news reports about the earthquake and its casualties. The first broadcaster appears emotional, her voice wavers while speaking due to holding back tears during the report.

Cheng Xiaoshi has a distressed expression on his face after connecting the dots between what Lu Guang had told him beforehand and the nature of the mission. He speaks out loud to Lu Guang, angry at the fact that the people around him were doomed from the beginning. Lu Guang does not respond to him and remains standing in the studio quietly. Following this, Cheng Xiaoshi acts impulsively and asks Chen Xiao's mother not to go anywhere as he rushes outside while riding a bike with no explanation, confusing her. Lu Guang, now seated, finally speaks and reminds Cheng Xiaoshi that he is merely experiencing the past and is not able to save them as they are already dead and brings up how death is an aspect that cannot be changed no matter what he does. He then warns him that his own future could cease to exist if he is too reckless during a dive, causing Cheng Xiaoshi to freeze in place.

Chen Xiao's mother catches up to him and places her hand over his own. She notices how cold and shaky his hands are and expresses worry over it, asking him if he's sick. Cheng Xiaoshi assures her that he is fine, but she does not buy into it and instead focuses on trying to warm up his hand. Lu Guang asks him to let go during that moment, which he literally responds to by pulling his hand away from her. She then checks his temperature, still worried it might be a fever. Cheng Xiaoshi then interrupts her and says he has to tell Lu Hongbin something important. After letting her know that he won't take long and urging her to stop worrying, he takes off with the bike, leaving with no further explanation.

While riding the bike to Lu Hongbin's, he talks with Lu Guang. He tells him how the warmth of her hands felt so real despite being 'already dead'. Lu Guang, who appears to be stressing over Cheng Xiaoshi's actions, tells him to think revealing the earthquake through as it will cause panic and worsen the situation. Cheng Xiaoshi ignores him and strengthens his resolve and grip, paddling faster on the bike as he remembers his own mother singing him a lullaby before bed, gently stroking and patting his hand.

A while later, he arrives to the town where Lu Hongbin and his family reside. Lu Hongbin and his mother appear to have gotten into an argument after a disagreement, similar to the one Chen Xiao and his mother had. When Cheng Xiaoshi finds him, Lu Hongbin was sitting outside on a chair, protesting his mother. Due to the fuss, the neighbours gathered outside, gossiping amongst themselves. After catching his breath in a hurry, Cheng Xiaoshi tells Lu Hongbin that he should leave, but he is not taken seriously and instead his intentions are misunderstood by Lu Hongbin's mother. She reacts strongly, accusing him of putting ideas in Lu Hongbin's head regarding basketball, which she considers nonesense. He quickly corrects her and further explains that they are all in danger and need to leave but they still do not take him seriously. Lu Hongbin mistakenly thinks that Cheng Xiaoshi is talking about playing in the city and in the spur of the moment, Cheng Xiaoshi snaps and tells him the truth about the court being torn down. Upon hearing that, Lu Hongbin snaps back, gets off his seat and asks him to leave. Liu Meng steps in and holds her brother back from escalating the situation. Her intervention makes room for Cheng Xiaoshi to clear the misunderstanding. He finally reveals the details about the coming earthquake that will strike at eight thirty and asks Liu Meng to contact her father to stay with him for the night. The mother, still being present, hears this and is angered by the fact that Liu Meng has been talking to her father behind her back. Liu Meng tries explaining that she still hasn't decided whether or not to move into the city with him but she is cut off by her mother who grabs her by the hair. She harshly scolds her and says not to call her mother if she chooses that 'heartless jerk' over her. Lu Hongbin protects his sister by stepping in front of her and talking back to their mother.

The fight further escalates as the mother now considers them both traitorous because of their dreams to move into the city in the future, while Cheng Xiaoshi watches helplessly from the side. Lu Guang reaches out to him, informing him again that whatever he does will cause further conflict, which makes the past unpredictable. He is reminded that his actions are futile as their fates are already sealed, but the consequences of his impulses could cost the lives of the innocent. The small crowd outside then starts questioning the authenticity of Cheng Xiaoshi's claims, finding reasons to believe him. Lu Hongbin's attention is then redirected to Cheng Xiaoshi, calling him insane for causing such a stir. Cheng Xiaoshi then spirals into a panic as he struggles to find a reasonable explanation for what he said, while Lu Guang silently watches. He makes one up about a magazine writing about an ancient prophecy, which gets laughed off. Defeated, Cheng Xiaoshi rushes back to Chen Xiao's house. He cries out of despair while riding the bike back, still wanting to save them. Lu Guang tells him that what has happened cannot be controlled and that he should hold his high and look forward. Cheng Xiaoshi begs Lu Guang to at least let him save one person: 'his' mother. Lu Guang hesitates before seemingly agreeing, offering to be his guide. Cheng Xiaoshi thanks him.

Cheng Xiaoshi warns Chen Xiao's mother about the earthquake and tries convincing her to take the necessary safety percautions, even if it's a false warning. She doesn't refuse and goes to pack their belongings, to which Cheng Xiaoshi urges is unnecessary. Lu Guang informs Cheng Xiaoshi of the earthquake triggering landslides that buried most of the town and reccomended taking shelter indoors as it is more dangerous outside. He also mentions that Chen Xiao was in the dining room at the time of the earthquake and was able to escape.

Back at the town, Liu Meng asks her brother if he is still angry since he was still sitting outside but he says he was just enjoying watching the beautiful sunset. Liu Meng hands him a bowl of food prepared by their mother and despite insisting that he is fine, he still takes the bowl and eats the food. He asks her what Chen Xiao thinks of her moving into the city to study and she responds by saying that she does not care what he thinks. Confused, Lu Hongbin pursues the matter further, but she shuts him down by saying that it is almost eight thirty and that if he cannot finish all of his homework by then, he shouldn't come to her. He recalls Cheng Xiaoshi's warning about the earthquake while looking up at the sky, asksing Liu Meng if there will actually be an earthquake tonight.

As the time nears, Cheng Xiaoshi tells Chen Xiao's mother to leave everything and focus on safety. She calmly tells him that she is almost finished. Lu Guangs also urges them to find cover now before it is too late. Cheng Xiaoshi hurridly grabs their belongings and heads to the dining room with Chen Xiao's mother. There is a silence at first, which causes Chen Xiao's mother to think that Cheng Xiaoshi was just kidding about there being an earthquake, which causes him to doubt himself and ask Lu Guang for affirmation, but Lu Guang stays silent. Chen Xiao's mother suddenly remembers something important but Cheng Xiaoshi offers to grab it in her stead.

As the clock hits the thirty minute mark, the ground begins to shake and the town's residents panic to find shelter and eachother. Chen Xiao's mother calls out to him and he tells her not to move from her place. After the earthquake hits, Cheng Xiaoshi wakes up to find himself under the rubble, with Chen Xiao's mother holding him tightly. She wanely asks if he is alright; he responds that he is fine and asks about her too. She says that she is okay but is a little tired and wants to rest for a bit. Cheng Xiaoshi begins tearing up, Lu Guang notices and tells him that if it's too much for him, he can leave the photo, but Cheng Xiaoshi just continues crying silently. Chen Xiao's mother holds his hand and reassures him that she is here for him and that as long as she's here, he doesn't need to worry. He holds her hand back as his tears pour down. She then continues to talk to him about how she's not able to do a lot, how she has a bad temper and memory, how she could only make food Chen Xiao and his father liked to eat and about how she never read much so she couldn't teach Chen Xiao anything. The only thing she knew how to do was support the two she loved the most, so they could do what they wanted.

> So, Xiao Xiao, if you want to play basketball, go play. Go to the city too. Don't blame mom for being selfish. Just the thought of you leaving is unbearable. Old memories of you come back whenever I close my eyes.
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She then sings him the same lullaby that his own mother sung for him when he was little, reminding him of the night she left him. That day, young Cheng Xiaoshi asked his mother to stay by his side; to not leave him in the dark. His mother called him brave in response while assuring him that she is by his side. He then sees the memories of young Chen Xiao being comforted by his mother similarly as her hand's motion weakens before completely stopping. He calls for her but gets no response. He breaks down, uncontrollably crying, admitting that he is scared; really scared, begging her not to leave him all alone.

Because of his cries, the rescue team was able to locate him and help him out of the rubble, yelling for Chen Xiao's mother to wake up. Chen Xiao's father then arrives as they take them out of the rubble, fighting through the personnel to see his family as he was mistaken for press. After being placed on a stretcher, Cheng Xiaoshi still insists that Chen Xiao's mother was alive and still needed rescuing. The rescue team quietly shake their heads after confirming her passing, but Cheng Xiaoshi remains in denial, begging them to save her. We see a glimpse of Chen Xiao's mother, surrounded by a bright light, speaking to her husband and son:

> Just leave already. Goodbye, my dear.
>
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Cheng Xiaoshi returns from the dive, standing face-to-face with Lu Guang. Lu Guang begins with apologizing to Cheng Xiaoshi, placing his hand on his shoulder, but Cheng Xiaoshi angrily asks Lu Guang why he lied to him; why he left her for dead. Lu Guang replies calmly that they must keep time intact. Cheng Xiaoshi punches Lu Guang, who accepted the hit with no resistance. He is pushed back enough due to the impact of the hit to fall onto the couch. Cheng Xiaoshi falls to his knees and breaks down crying. Lu Guang quickly gets up and comforts him, Cheng Xiaoshi grabs his shoulder tightly as he cries, asking him what the point of delivering those messages was if he couldn't save them. Back at the studio, Lu Guang begins by calling Cheng Xiaoshi an idiot, reminding him that he has often told him to leave the past be, because they cannot change it; to not ask questions as the future is always changing because of them.

Chen Xiao and his father were paying respect to Chen Xiao's mother at her grave. The father expresses regret for not making it sooner that day, thinking about if things would have turned out differently if he had. Chen Xiao's father hands him his old camera that he found while cleaning, thinking it was buried under the ruins of the earthquake. Chen Xiao then visits the photo studio and asks if the film of the camera can be developed. Cheng Xiaoshi agrees to have a look and asks him what type of film it is. Chen Xiao explains that the film is in the camera, but the camera itself is a bit damaged. It is then revealed that the important item Chen Xiao's mother remembered was in fact, the camera.

## Trivia

* The title card appears the second latest in this episode out of all the episodes in season 1, appearing over 17 minutes into the episode.
* The events of episodes 3, 4 and 5 of Link Click are based off the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, the 18th deadliest earthquake of all time. That earthquake claimed at least 69,000 lives and injured 374,176 people and of 2008, 18,222 were still listed as missing. The rural areas were the ones most affected by the earthquake, with an estimated 68,638 dead in Sichuan province alone.
	+ The date in the donghua also corresponds to the earthquake - 12 May 2008. With the only thing that doesn't match up being the time that is hit (8.30pm VS the original 2.28pm). However, the time is a reference to another earthquake that occured in the same year, in the same region on 30 August, also knows as the Panzhihua Earthquake.
	+ The broadcaster crying is a direct callback to when the scene first broke on Sichuan local news. Many broadcasters were trying to choke back their tears as they reported the magnitude and the death toll of the earthquake.
* The pose that Cheng Xiaoshi and the client's mother end up trapped in may also be a reference to a photo of a mother protecting her daughter that went viral after the Panzhihua Earthquake. When the rescuers found their bodies, the mother, chopsticks still in hand, was hugging her child so tightly that their corpses were found in that pose.
* Similarly, the father of this family was the only one that escaped the earthquake because he had been working in the city, and only came back in time to see them pull his wife and daughter's corpse out of the rubble - paralleling how Chen Xiao's father returns in the donghua.
* The messages that Cheng Xiaoshi delivered on Chen Xiao's behalf appeared to him in a dream, as seen during the ending of the episode.
* The ending theme for this episode is What Time Taught Me instead of the usual ending theme, OverThink.

## References

1. ↑ *Link Click* Donghua: Episode 4 — Confess