With a bitter smile, he continued. “That year, my dad was working at a construction site where Gu Yu’s father was the supervisor. The project took two years, and during that time, the developers kept delaying payments with one excuse after another. The workers finally snapped and went to confront them. It turned into a brawl—rough men arguing with fists—and no one expected it to end in tragedy.”
He paused, staring into the distance. “After my dad went to prison, I saw my mom secretly taking money to the family of the man he killed. One day, I followed her and found out. Over the years, her health deteriorated, and she couldn’t work as much anymore. At the same time, Gu Yu’s mother’s condition worsened too.
“I had no choice. Paying compensation is our responsibility. If my mom can’t do it anymore, it falls to me. The sins of the father should be repaid by the son—that’s how the world works.”
I didn’t know how to respond. All I could do was sit in silence and drink with him.
So this was why he skipped classes to work. I had misjudged him all this time.
Guilt washed over me as the alcohol began to take effect. Half-closing my eyes, I leaned back against the steps behind me. After a long pause, I murmured, “Chen Qiao Luo, you shouldn’t blame yourself so much.”
I closed my eyes, letting the sunlight fall on my face. Behind my eyelids, everything was bathed in a fiery red.
Chen Qiao Luo didn’t say another word. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, a shadow suddenly blocked the sun. Before I could open my eyes to see what was happening, I felt something cold and soft brush against my lips.
Then his voice followed.
“Zhu Yun Hao, thank you.”
Startled by his unexpected action, my heart skipped a beat. Panicking, I decided to pretend I was asleep. Yet a whirlwind of thoughts surged through my mind, refusing to settle.
I didn’t know how long I kept up the act, but eventually, after the initial shock subsided, I rubbed my eyes as though I had just woken up and mumbled, “Oh, did I fall asleep?”
Across from me, Chen Qiao Luo, as if unaware I had been pretending, glanced at his phone and said, “I’ll walk you home. It’s already past seven.”
“Okay.”
I stood up from the steps, ready to head down, when his voice stopped me once more.
“Yun Hao,” he said, “no one in this world willingly becomes a bad person. I know what my dad did back then was wrong, but it wasn’t intentional. His mistake shattered two families, and he’s already paid for it with his life and freedom. But I don’t hate him. He’s my dad—the person I love most in this world. I can’t change the past, but what I can do is take responsibility for his actions and try my best to make up for them.”
I turned to look at him. In the dim light of the fading day, his face was indistinct, blurred by the encroaching darkness.
My heart felt like it was being engulfed by an invisible wave, crashing silently over me. After a long pause, I finally said, “Chen Qiao Luo, you should apply to college. Only if you go to college will you have the hope and ability to truly help Gu Yu’s family.”
He didn’t reply.
Even in the shadows, I could sense the sadness radiating from him. I wanted to reach out and hug him, to comfort him, but I held myself back.
Some people, I thought, must grow on their own. Whether it’s him or me, in the end, we all have to walk forward alone, facing an unpredictable future by ourselves.
Ever since learning about Gu Yu and Chen Qiao Luo’s connection, I began visiting the hospital more often to help take care of Gu Yu’s mom. I wasn’t sure if I was doing it for myself or for Chen Qiao Luo.
As for the kiss that evening, I could only treat it as a fleeting, unreal dream—something even my memories dared not linger on.
The school’s summer classes lasted for a month and then came to an end. During that time, it seemed like my words had reached him—Chen Qiao Luo didn’t skip a single class. Occasionally, I’d run into Gu Yu at school, and his attitude toward me was noticeably warmer than before.
In August, I started working part-time at a restaurant with Chen Qiao Luo. I knew he needed money, so I decided to accompany him. When he told me it wasn’t necessary, I waved it off with a lighthearted joke and refused to take no for an answer.
After that summer break, everything seemed to shift. It felt like I had grown up in ways I hadn’t expected, especially after hearing the stories of Chen Qiao Luo and Gu Yu. Their pride and resentment stemmed from the heavy burdens they each carried.
Watching them, I came to understand responsibility in a new light.
All I could hope for was that, when today’s sun finally set, tomorrow would bring better days for all of us.
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