The house remained quiet over the weekend. From outside the window came the idle chatter of neighbors downstairs. A few elderly people often gathered under that large plane tree to talk about everything under the sun, spreading news they had heard or seen about various families.
The conversation naturally drifted toward the girl who had recently moved in. Several old women with good memories still recognized Yun Qianxin. They used her past there as fodder for conversation, occasionally sighing in wonder or confusion.
“I remember that girl; she was quite nice, polite, and pretty. She seemed to really like that boy, Xiao Yu. If they could become a couple, they would be quite a match,” an old man remarked while smoking a cigarette.
“You old codger, stop talking nonsense. Xiao Yu is still at the age for studying. It would be better in a few more years.”
“What do you all know? That girl clearly comes from a wealthy family. I don’t know what she was thinking, moving into our run-down neighborhood. If you ask me, Xiao Yu and her are not from the same social class.”
“Hmph, what do you know about young people these days? What era do you think this is…”
A few elderly people wrapped in heavy coats argued back and forth. The girl walked past them quietly, glancing at them once. Their words entered her ears, but her ink-like eyes remained calm and deep.
She entered the hallway and climbed the dim stairs, stopping in front of the boy’s door. She reached out and knocked.
“Luo Ming?”
Gu Yu was stunned for a moment after opening the door. He then politely stepped aside to let Luo Ming in. “Why are you here?”
“Doing homework alone was too boring, so I came to find you. Besides, there are a few problems I want to discuss with you, and I can help you with your *English*.”
The girl smiled as usual, acting gentle and proper, carrying a plastic bag and her schoolbag.
“Sure. I’m free anyway. Let’s do it together.”
Gu Yu closed the door. Joy wound through his heart, happy to see the girl he liked on such a dull and tedious day. Luo Ming’s smile always made him feel very comfortable.
“Should I change my shoes?”
“No need. Just come on in.”
Luo Ming stepped into the living room. By the window sat a small table he hadn’t seen the last time, with textbooks spread out on top. Outside the window were the cold, wind-swept streets.
Gu Yu moved a chair to the table and cleared the book-covered surface, making room for Luo Ming.
“I was just doing some problems. Let me finish my homework first.”
“Mhm, I haven’t finished mine either.”
Luo Ming set down her schoolbag and placed the plastic bag on the table. “By the way, these are the Shatang oranges I just bought. Want to try one?”
“Aren’t they expensive?”
“Not really. The fruit shop in front of my house happened to have a sale.”
Luo Ming took out an orange and peeled it, carefully removing the white pith before handing the fresh fruit to Gu Yu. “Try it and see if it’s sweet.”
“Thanks.”
Gu Yu took it and put it in his mouth. The sweet juice flowed from the fruit, coating his taste buds. “It’s very sweet. It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Luo Ming smiled at him. Her flowery smile was no less sweet than the citrus in his mouth, touching the boy’s youthful admiration. He couldn’t help but stare blankly.
“Then they’re all yours. Consider it a gift.”
“Thank you.”
Gu Yu expressed his gratitude and accepted the bag of Shatang oranges the girl handed over. He set them aside and pretended to focus on the homework in front of him to hide his racing heartbeat.
This time, while alone at home, Gu Yu spoke less. That unspeakable affection suddenly made him cautious and unable to relax. Only a few minutes ago, he had desperately wanted to see this exquisite and beautiful face, but now that she was actually here, he became awkward and nervous — so much so that he forgot the etiquette he usually maintained so well.
“Gu Yu…”
He heard Luo Ming suddenly call his name. He looked up at her blankly. “Hmm? What is it?”
“Does Sister Qianxin live in the room across the hall?”
“Yes. She often comes over to help me cook. She’s really good to me.”
“Is that so? You really are… lucky.”
“Yeah. Maybe this is… fate’s compensation for me?” Gu Yu gave a self-deprecating smile. Yun Qianxin’s care for him was indeed unexpected, and he was very grateful for this sister who had appeared out of nowhere.
“Am I one, too?”
“You? You… probably are… Why do you ask?”
Gu Yu stammered, unable to answer the question easily. Luo Ming was a true contradiction to him. This was the first time he had liked a girl so much, yet he lacked the courage to confess. She treated him as a friend, yet stayed dangerously close to him.
He had imagined their future. After the *Gaokao*, they would belong to two different worlds, and their contact would gradually fade away. The ending was visible at a glance, and it was painful. It was precisely to make it less painful that he had to restrain himself.
Whether it was Luo Ming or Yun Qianxin, they would both be passersby in his life. He wasn’t worthy of them. He would be satisfied just having them accompany him through this stretch of the road.
Thinking of this, Gu Yu’s eyelashes lowered slightly. He regretted using that metaphor. The so-called gift of fate actually referred to the encounters with Yun Qianxin, Luo Ming, and He Yu. They were beautiful enough, but they would eventually part ways.
“Then… do you hope that I can stay by your side forever?”
Luo Ming asked bluntly. She stopped writing and suddenly cupped Gu Yu’s face, stroking the boy’s lean cheeks. The smooth touch of his skin met her palms.
“Luo… Luo Ming? What are you…”
The gesture was too intimate. He didn’t know why Luo Ming was suddenly acting like this. The skin of her hands was smooth and delicate as she held his face, forcing him to meet those eyes that were as bright and exquisite as black obsidian.
“Gu Yu… can you… tell me?”
“We’ll have to part after the *Gaokao* anyway. You must know that, Luo Ming. Why ask?”
“What I’m asking is…” A drop of ink seemed to bloom in Luo Ming’s eyes, clouding them with a dark haze. She curled her lips into a smile, appearing incredibly charming and bewitching. “Do you want it? Regardless of whether it’s possible.”
“Of… of course. I definitely want to be with all of you.”
“Not ‘us’… Me.”
“I want that, too. You’re one of my best friends.”
Hearing the boy’s stumbling answer, the desire in Luo Ming’s heart spread wildly. An impulse pushed her to reach for Gu Yu’s neck. She stood up and walked in front of him, her fingertips grazing his eyelids.
“Luo Ming? What’s wrong?”
Gu Yu looked up at Luo Ming. That beautiful face was written with a touch of madness that left him at a loss. He struggled, trying to pull away from her grasp.
“Gu Yu…” She stared intently into the boy’s eyes. Those clear pupils were filled entirely with her reflection.
“Sorry, I got a little excited.”
The wild surge in her eyes vanished abruptly. Luo Ming let go and sat back in her chair. She gave him an apologetic smile and turned back to her book as if everything that had just happened was a hallucination.
“Oh… okay.”
Gu Yu was bewildered. He couldn’t understand the change in Luo Ming just now. It seemed like she wanted to do something crazy, yet she had stopped at the last second. He couldn’t figure it out, so he decided to act as if nothing had happened.
The cold wind rattled the window. The leaves of the plane tree outside had already fallen. A cold, white light passed through the bare branches, looking desolate and bleak. The atmosphere in the room turned quiet, and the girl relaxed her clenched palms.
A few bright red nail marks were bitten into her fair flesh, looking exceptionally piercing.