Feng Zhenghu: Outside the Invisible Wall, We Go Home

The early-summer sunlight pierced the terminal’s enormous glass curtain wall，refracting bright, slightly dazzling patches of light across the floor, polished like a mirror。At noon，I stood in the arrivals hall of Shanghai Pudong International Airport，my eyes fixed intently on the constantly changing characters on the flight information display, looking past the bustling crowd。

I was waiting for my wife’s NH919 flight。

In this seemingly ordinary moment of picking someone up，the silent storm we had experienced not long before was still surging，along with the warmth of a long-awaited reunion。

The Invisible Wall at Hongqiao Airport

Time goes back to March 17 this year。It should have been a morning filled with anticipation。

That day，we packed our bags and went to Hongqiao Airport，preparing to embark on a trip to Japan to visit relatives and sightsee。However，amid the bustle of check-in and border inspection，fate took an unexpected turn。

I was stopped。On one side of the customs channel，I was told that，because of instructions from the relevant competent department of the State Council，I had been barred from leaving the country。There was no specific reason，no further explanation，and this sudden turn of events was like a cold and invisible wall，erected squarely between me and the exit channel，while also abruptly cutting short the journey we had originally been certain to take。

Standing in the busy terminal，watching passengers all around me hurrying toward their respective destinations，our planned trip to Japan was forced to stop。The bewilderment，absurdity and helpless frustration felt in that moment were magnified without limit in the air。The warm journey we had carefully planned was coldly put on pause that morning。

Mountains and Seas at Either End of the Screen

Life had to go on，and the long-awaited visit to relatives should not be completely shelved。

Over the following month or more，after repeated discussions and struggles，my wife decided to set off alone to complete the trip to visit relatives and sightsee that was supposed to belong to the two of us。

Watching her push her luggage and walk alone toward the security checkpoint，I felt an indescribable sense of regret and bitterness。The journey we had originally planned to make side by side had become a solo trip for her。During that time，the geographical distance was shortened by radio waves，and we shared our lives from opposite ends of a screen——she sent me images of cherry blossoms in full bloom on the streets of Tokyo and the smiling faces of reunited relatives，while I stayed behind with the dust-covered routines of Shanghai。

Separated by distance，we exchanged warmth through a small screen。Now，she has finally ended this somewhat lonely journey and set out on her return trip as planned。

Stripping Away the Labels，Returning to the Ordinary

Looking back on these days，the sense of absurdity still follows me like a shadow。

As the most ordinary of ordinary people，we truly cannot understand that grand and abstract concept of “political sensitivity”，nor have we ever imagined tying our lives to such a complicated concept。In our simple understanding，going abroad and returning home are nothing more than the most ordinary crossings in daily life。

An ordinary citizen，whether walking along the familiar streets of Shanghai，moving through the bustling metropolis of Tokyo，or standing in any corner of the world，has the same desires at heart：simply to have a stable job，be able to travel freely，and quietly live out one’s days with one’s family。We do not want to bear those heavy and inexplicable labels，but only yearn for the right to move freely and the ordinary daily life of being able to reunite with our families at any time。

Through Customs，We Go Home

A commotion arose in the hall，and outside the barriers at the exit，the crowd began pressing forward。

My thoughts were pulled back to reality。The automatic doors at the exit opened and closed again and again，and that familiar figure finally appeared in my view。Watching her push her suitcase and walk lightly out of the customs channel，my heart，which had been suspended for more than a month，finally settled in that instant。

At the moment our eyes met，we smiled at each other。The stifled frustration of being unreasonably stopped，the anxiety of waiting alone，and the longing of being separated by distance all vanished in that knowing smile。

I quickly went to meet her and naturally took the luggage from her hand。

No matter how many absurd twists and turns the world may bring，and no matter when that invisible wall is torn down，as long as our family’s hands can still remain joined，the underlying color of life will remain warm and solid。

“Let’s go，”I said，“let’s go home。”

June 11, 2026