Lin Haiyin wrote in the last story of "Old Things in the South of the City": Dad's flowers have fallen, and I am no longer a child.

At that time, she was 13 years old.

Because of the death of his father, his childhood dream was suddenly shattered. From then on, he shouldered the responsibilities of an adult, and was no longer carefree and naïve.

Death is a profound life lesson, and childhood is a romantic dream.

I remember watching fairy tale movies and children's films when I was a child, all of which were warm and healing, joyful and lively. It wasn't until "Bridge to Wonderland" that I discovered for the first time that there was a shadow of death in my childhood. Understand that life is impermanent, and growth is in an instant.

01

The film tells the story of a boy and a girl's friendship. The girl helps the boy open his heart, but dies unexpectedly.

Jesse has many sisters, and the whole family lives on his father's meager salary, and the family relationship is strained, and they worry about trivial things every day.

Because he was the only boy in the family. So I can only wear the pink shoes left over by my sisters, shabby clothes. Contracted most of the housework, and had to endure the cynicism of his sisters and the neglect of his parents. I was bullied by a fat girl in the upper grade on the campus bus.

At school, isolated by other boys. The head teacher is rigid and serious, and only the music teacher is beautiful and enthusiastic. It was only during music class that Jesse was able to smile a little shyly.

Jesse actually has a sensitive heart, he likes to draw, fantasize, with aura in his eyes, and is a bit of a literary boy. But he seems out of place with others and stumbles everywhere in real life, which dooms him to be an unhappy and melancholy boy.

Until one day, Leslie appeared.

This girl who transferred to another school has short shoulder-length blond hair. With cold eyes, he was a maverick, and he dared to race against the boys on the first day, and he won all the boys.

But it didn't make Jesse very comfortable, because he was also good at running, and his father had rare expectations for him in this matter, but he didn't win the championship.

Seeing his father's tenderness towards his sister, this preference and gap led him to be even more repulsive to real life. He also directed this resentment to Leslie, and did not have a good face for her. But who knew that this girl was still his new neighbor.

02

Life is destined to start differently.

Leslie is an attentive girl. Only she found that Jesse silently liked the music teacher, and praised Jesse's delicate and rich drawings and was very talented. And her imaginative compositions made Jesse feel relatable.

Two unique souls, destined to be attracted.

Every day after school, they leave their school bags behind and run and play in the forest meadows.

One day, they found a long rope, and the reserved Jesse, encouraged by Leslie, tried to take the plunge and grabbed the long rope and swung across the stream. Flying on a long rope was the first time he experienced the feeling of freedom.

On the other side of the creek, there is a secret land that no one has. Using imaginative language, Les describes a fantastical forest kingdom. It is filled with sentinels that symbolize the power of evil, and when the wind blows, it is the people of their kingdom who are calling.

She's really a wonderful person. The two are immersed in a world that is both real and fantastic. Since then, this has become their secret fantasy territory.

They built huts together, fought against the evil forces, overlooked thousands of miles of rivers and lakes, and spent a very pleasant time.

03

However, the reality is still a chicken feather. Fantasy doesn't make any difference in reality. Jesse lets go of the animals that destroy the crops and loses the keys, and is scolded by his father. The school bully not only bullied himself but also his young sister, but he could only endure it and did not dare to resist.

Weakness in reality creates a huge gap.

He took his anger out on Leslie, sarcastically mocking her unrealistic fantasies. Until the arrival of the puppy PT, they return to the fantasy kingdom, a giant who looks like a school bully always bullies them, and the puppy finds the giant's weakness to defeat him.

So they are inspired, find the weakness of the school bully, and write her a love letter in imitation of the school grass, making her the laughing stock of everyone.

When Jesse comes to Leslie's house to help, he discovers that the family is a casual and optimistic family, dancing and painting. Jesse is infected, and as the sun sets, the boy and girl lean against the golden wall, talking happily.

He finally understands that life can be full of romance and innocence and fun.

Jesse gradually opens up his closed heart, and life seems to start to change from the crowd.

In the secret forest, they still go on an adventure with ups and downs.

In reality, she was noticed by her favorite music teacher and accidentally picked up Jesse's drawing book, which made her praise his drawing. The school bully hides in the toilet and cries, and only Leslie enlightens her regardless of her past suspicions and defuses the conflict between them.

04

Until one day, surprises and accidents come at the same time.

On this day, Jesse suddenly received a call from his music teacher inviting him to see an art exhibition. As he passed by Leslie's house, Jesse had a selfish desire to be alone with his music teacher and had a happy day with him.

Who knew that when he returned home, his family looked at him very solemnly. His father told him that when Leslie was crossing the creek alone, the rope broke and he drowned. Death is too sudden, too distant, too unreal. Especially for a child, Jesse is reluctant to accept this fact.

Reality, again made him collapse, doubtful.

It is known that Leslie's death was a blow to Jesse. His father hugged the injured Jesse tightly, and his sister stayed by his side. The school bully who once bullied him saw him being bullied by others and stood up to help him get ahead. It turns out that Leslie really existed, and her brief arrival has changed everyone around her.

Jesse finally pulled himself together.

He began to do carpentry with his own hands, building a bridge over the creek. Then he led his little sister to the bridge to Wonderland. Tell her about this wonderful country, and convey the fantasy of the world, the longing for life, and the insistence on innocence to the little sister's heart.

Gao Xiaosong said: "Fairy tales, let us grow up with these beautiful visions, even after all kinds of hardships and hardships, because we have those beautiful visions of childhood in our hearts, there are still many beautiful things in life." "Leslie is like an angel who makes dreams, brings miracles and goodness, and is carried away by heaven. But she will always be in Jesse's heart, in the hearts of her parents and classmates.

05

Compared to Leslie's dazzling, Jesse has always been ordinary, low-key, melancholy, and sensitive.

Whether it's discovering a secret forest, fighting back against school bullying, or admitting his talent for drawing and loving the secrets of his music teacher, he seems to be restrained.

If Leslie had been by his side, there would have been someone to guide and help him every time something happened. He may slowly become more lively and cheerful. But he will never be alone, find the change of reality, and have the power to influence others, Jesse is always contradictory between reality and fantasy, and Leslie is already living the perfect life he expects.

Her appearance made Jesse see the possibility of reunification.

Her disappearance made Jesse understand brokenness and growth.

There are people who come and go in our lives and don't stay forever. But the swallow flew by, and the sound of wings cutting through the air was heard in the sky. Their most complete death allows us to always remember the traces of their existence, and the energy they had to bear. The meaning they taught us was profound, but no matter what, the heart was never again a child.

In the case of children, to express the theme of both growth and death.