Chen Qiao Luo slowly leaned in, brushing his lips lightly against mine, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water.
When he pulled away, his gaze held mine with deep affection as he asked, “Zhu Yun Hao, I still love you. Can you give me a chance to take care of you?”
His confession caught me completely off guard, leaving me momentarily frozen.
Over these past two years, I had considered the possibility of something between us, but it always seemed so unlikely. I knew I still cared for him, but I never believed we could be together. Too much had happened; those events loomed between us like insurmountable walls.
Just when I thought there was no future for us, he spoke these words, and how could I not be moved?
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words seemed to dissolve before they could form.
The silence stretched in the cold air, heavy and unrelenting. After what felt like an eternity, Chen Qiao Luo sighed softly and said, “Let’s go. It’s getting late.”
On the way home, Chen Qiao Luo and I didn’t speak again. In silence, we reached the front door of my house.
As I watched him walk away step by step, a pang suddenly struck my heart, like an itch I couldn’t reach. Staring at his retreating figure, I called out, “Chen Qiao Luo.”
I saw him stop and turn around, looking at me with a hint of confusion.
Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to say, “I think we should give it a try. If, in the end, it still doesn’t work out, then neither of us will force it.”
I can’t even begin to describe how much bravery it took to say those words. For a moment, Chen Qiao Luo seemed frozen in place. Then, I saw his face break into an excited grin—just like the boy I had first met years ago.
He rushed back to me, throwing his arms around me in a tight embrace. His voice was filled with sincerity as he said, “This is wonderful… just wonderful.”
Chen Qiao Luo took a week off from school. During that time, we visited every interesting place in the city.
He hadn’t been back to City A for two years, and much had changed since then. The amusement park outing we had planned two years ago was finally fulfilled. As I sat in the Ferris wheel overlooking the city, the person I loved was right next to me.
Turning to look at him, I caught Chen Qiao Luo smiling tenderly at me.
On the evening before his departure, he stood at my doorstep and kissed my forehead. He said, “Yun Hao, this past week has been the happiest time I’ve had in so long. Six days ago, when you stood here and told me you wanted to give us a try, you have no idea how overjoyed I was.
“Tomorrow, I’ll be leaving. If you still want to continue with me, then come see me off. If you no longer want to be with me, then don’t come. That way, I’ll understand and disappear from your life.”
He gently ruffled my hair, smiled, and turned to leave.
Watching his silhouette fade away, I couldn’t help but feel tears welling up. I thought, how lucky I am to have met Chen Qiao Luo in this lifetime—how lucky to be loved by him with such devotion.
Chen Qiao Luo’s departure was scheduled for 11 a.m. By the previous night, I had already sorted out my feelings. I wanted to be with him. I wanted to walk this road with him for as long as possible.
The thought of seeing the joy on his face when he spotted me made me almost giddy.
But as I bent down to change my shoes after grabbing my keys, a sharp, searing pain ripped through my stomach. It felt like countless venomous snakes were gnawing at me.
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