Right then, Dad came out of the kitchen with a fruit platter. Hearing her words, he interrupted enthusiastically, “Sweetheart, if you like someone, you must tell Dad! Don’t worry about me being old-fashioned. If you bring a boyfriend home, I promise I’ll drink with him till we’re both drunk!”
His words made me laugh, but they also brought Chen Qiao Luo to mind.
While I was momentarily lost in thought, Auntie Shen playfully scolded, “Old Zhu, Yun Hao is still so young, and here you are encouraging her to date!”
“What’s wrong with that? My daughter is so beautiful. Why would it be strange for her to have a boyfriend?” Dad retorted, looking at Auntie Shen with defiance.
“Yun Hao is indeed beautiful, but at her age, shouldn’t studies be her priority?” Auntie Shen replied, a bit exasperated. “Look at you, always thinking about these trivial things!”
Seeing the two of them debating whether or not I should date made me chuckle. Over the years, I had never seen this side of my dad—so full of energy.
I didn’t say anything more, smiling as I stepped out of the house. Perhaps it was a good idea to give them a bit of space.
I wandered aimlessly down the streets, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the night market street that Chen Qiao Luo and I used to frequent. The crowds were just as lively as ever, as though nothing had changed. Yet, only I knew that what remained eternal was them, and what had truly changed was us.
I walked into the old shop we used to visit and sat down. The owner seemed to recognize me, calling out while busy with his work, “Didn’t Chen Qiao Luo come with you?”
I gave a bitter smile and shook my head. Looking around at the couples sitting together, I couldn’t help but think of him again, feeling all the more solitary in my solitude.
If he were still here, we’d probably be laughing over beers by now.
If he were still here, we’d definitely order a ridiculous amount of food and tease each other, calling ourselves reincarnated hungry ghosts.
If he were still here…
My eyes began to sting. I couldn’t tell if it was the smoke from the cooking oil, the ache of nostalgia, or the yearning for Chen Qiao Luo.
Perhaps people have an uncanny sense for being thought of. Just as I was lost in memories, Chen Qiao Luo suddenly appeared before me. Only this time, he wasn’t alone. His arm was entwined tightly with another hand. My gaze followed upwards and landed on a girl wearing heavy makeup, clinging to him closely.
Chen Qiao Luo didn’t seem to notice me. With his head slightly lowered, he spoke softly to her, making her laugh uncontrollably in no time.
It seemed like I was the only one hurting.
The thought stung. My nails dug deeply into my palm, but I didn’t seem to notice, my eyes fixed on them without wavering.
They walked up to the owner and exchanged a few words before Chen Qiao Luo turned and looked in my direction. The moment he saw me, his expression shifted, and his gaze darkened.
We stood five meters apart, staring at each other.
I couldn’t tell how much time had passed before he finally turned away, lowering his head and resuming his conversation with the girl, as if he hadn’t seen me at all.
In that moment, it felt as though the fortress in my heart crumbled to ruins. I bit my lower lip so hard that I only realized I had drawn blood when I tasted its metallic tang.
Chen Qiao Luo, seemingly unbothered by my presence, sat down with the girl not far from me.
Watching them together, so close and intimate, anger surged in me. I suddenly recalled Auntie Shen’s question from earlier that evening—whether I liked someone. The first person to come to mind wasn’t Gu Yu but Chen Qiao Luo.
It turned out that somewhere along the way, my feelings for him had changed.
I let out a bitter laugh, mocking myself for the mess I had brought upon myself.
As I watched them whispering sweetly, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Standing abruptly, I strode to their table.
They both froze in surprise at my approach. After a moment, Chen Qiao Luo recovered from his shock, giving me a cursory glance and asking, “Zhu Yun Hao, is there something you need?”
I ignored his question and instead pulled the girl up from beside him.
Startled, she shrieked, “Who are you?!”
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