The lines on one’s palms will inevitably change with time,But what about the person you love?Do you still love him now?
It was the final year of high school, and the entire senior-grade building was shrouded in an intense atmosphere. Sometimes, standing outside the classroom, I could even smell the faint scent of fresh ink from test papers wafting through the entire building. Time seemed to be slipping by even faster.
Lately, I occasionally went out for meals with Chen Qiao Luo and had also run into Lei Zi several times. His gaze, as unsettling as it had been from the start, always made me uncomfortable. I tried my best to keep my distance, but whenever Chen Qiao Luo wasn’t around, Lei Zi would inch closer, sometimes even touching me inappropriately.
I wasn’t the type of timid girl who would tolerate this. If he dared to get near me, I would definitely make him regret it. But to my surprise, Lei Zi only seemed to grow bolder with every rejection. Somehow, he even managed to get my phone number, likely by tricking Chen Qiao Luo, and started texting me to invite me out.
I ignored all his messages, yet his stares became increasingly greedy whenever we met. My disgust for him deepened. I often thought about telling Chen Qiao Luo how Lei Zi was treating me, but every time the words reached my lips, I swallowed them back down.
I wasn’t sure if Chen Qiao Luo would believe me or, even if he did, if he would confront Lei Zi for my sake. It was then that I realized I no longer trusted Chen Qiao Luo unconditionally as I once did. A rift had formed between us, a chasm that seemed impossible to bridge.
One evening at the end of October, I received a text from Chen Qiao Luo. I was already in bed, ready to sleep, but his message asked me to meet him at the Wheatfield Bar. Though puzzled, I decided to go.
By the time I arrived at the bar, it was almost ten o’clock. Unlike the quietness outside, this street was ablaze with neon lights and a lively crowd.
I entered the bar, immediately noticing how different it was from the cozy, nostalgic atmosphere of “Old Times Blues.” This place was more like the Spider Cave from Journey to the West, filled with girls swaying their hips everywhere. I frowned in distaste, unable to understand why Chen Qiao Luo would ask me to meet in such a place.
I pulled out my phone and texted him, asking where he was. His reply came quickly, directing me to a private room at the back. After making my way through the crowd, the noise gradually faded as I reached the quieter section.
When I got to the room, I knocked on the door, but there was no response. After hesitating for a moment, I pushed the door open, only to find it empty. Just as I was wondering what Chen Qiao Luo was up to, someone suddenly emerged from the shadows by the door. Before I could react, he pulled me inside and slammed the door shut.
It was only then that I saw his face—it was Lei Zi.
Fear surged from the depths of my heart, overwhelming me in an instant. He threw me onto the sofa. The room was dim, with only the faint light from a TV wall nearby. His face moved closer to mine, his expression twisted with lewdness.
“I’ve invited you out so many times, and you’ve ignored me. Well, what now? You’ve still ended up in my hands,” he sneered.
My back ached from the impact, but the unease in my heart far outweighed the physical pain. It dawned on me then that the text message hadn’t come from Chen Qiao Luo. Whether Lei Zi had stolen his phone or if Chen Qiao Luo was complicit, I didn’t know. If it was the latter, I must have been blind to trust him.
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