The warm morning sun cast beams of bright, clear light through the white curtains, illuminating the room. Gu Yu opened his eyes dizzily, reaching for the phone on his nightstand to check the time.
It was 6:37. Because he had slept so soundly the night before, he had woken up 30 minutes later than usual. He rubbed his bleary eyes and looked around the room, his mind blank for a moment before he remembered the events of the previous night.
He opened the bedroom door. The curtains in the living room were already drawn open, and the sunlight streaming in fell upon the woman’s pale, clean face. She took a sip of white congee and turned to smile at Gu Yu. “I just went downstairs to buy breakfast. Eat it while it’s hot.”
“Oh… okay.”
Gu Yu still hadn’t adjusted to the feeling of having another person in the house when he woke up. He walked over and sat down blankly. The bowl of lean meat congee on the table was still steaming. He took a sip, and a savory flavor washed over his taste buds.
“I originally wanted to make something myself, but unfortunately, there weren’t many ingredients in the kitchen. I’ll let Xiao Yu taste my cooking tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble. I’m fine with whatever.”
“That won’t do.” Yun Qianxin propped her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed directly on Gu Yu. Her voice carried a hint of reproach. “Xiao Yu, you haven’t been eating properly these past few years, have you? You’ve gotten so thin.”
“I… I eat well occasionally…”
Gu Yu avoided the woman’s eyes, feeling quite guilty. In his memory, the number of times he had actually sat down for three proper meals could be counted on one hand. Most of the time, he just sloppily made do.
“So? Since I’m back, I have to take good care of your diet. Back then, didn’t you used to come over to my house to eat all the time?”
“…… Alright, I’ll be in your care, Sister Qianxin.”
“It’s no trouble.”
The white congee in the bowl reached the bottom. Yun Qianxin set down her chopsticks and watched Gu Yu finish his congee and eat two buns before she gathered the dishes.
“Go wash up first. I’ll handle the dishes. I’ll drive you to school in a bit.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Gu Yu left the table and went into the bathroom. The splash of cold water on his face cleared his head significantly.
He remembered that in the past, Yun Qianxin would often come over to help with the cooking and lecture him. She was very good to him and treated him like a real younger brother. After many years apart, Gu Yu hadn’t expected the woman to still care for him so much and be so kind to him.
—
The street scene was still familiar. In front of the narrow school gate, students entered in groups of two or three while the security guard in his police-style uniform watched from the duty room.
However, this time, the scene Gu Yu witnessed was from behind a transparent car window. He had become one of those “wealthy students” who went to school in a private car of a brand he didn’t even recognize — flashy and eye-catching.
He wasn’t clear on Yun Qianxin’s background and rarely heard her mention her family matters, but it was obvious this older sister came from a well-off family. That dignified and elegant aura clearly belonged to someone from a wealthy household.
“I’m heading in then. Goodbye, Sister Qianxin.”
“Mhm, see you tonight.”
Gu Yu opened the door and stepped out of the car. Ignoring the occasional wandering gazes, he rushed toward his classroom.
At the entrance of Class 4, he stepped inside only to see an unfamiliar boy in his seat. There were many other fresh faces in the room as well. He suddenly remembered the classroom change, so he turned around and walked into Class 3.
Luo Ming had arrived earlier than him. She was chatting with the girl in the seat in front of her. She was as gentle as ever, someone people easily felt close to. Her beauty remained constant, enough to withstand the killing gloom of autumn and winter.
After Yun Qianxin asked that question last night, Gu Yu had found himself thinking of Luo Ming over and over again. The girl’s clear and gentle image was stuck in his mind. Seeing her again now, the budding throbbing in his heart became even more prominent.
He set down his backpack and sat, trying to calm himself as he looked through the homework he needed to hand in.
The words on Fang Ke’s lips suddenly stopped as she shifted the topic to Gu Yu. Her eyes sparkled, and she looked at him excitedly. “Gu Yu, Gu Yu! Who was that who dropped you off just now? Whose car was that?”
“A neighbor, an older sister a few years older than me,” Gu Yu replied.
“An older sister?” Luo Ming was drawn into the conversation, her tone carrying a hint of surprise. “Gu Yu, you have a neighbor who’s an older sister?”
“Yeah. She lived across from me when I was in elementary school. She moved away later and just came back yesterday.”
“Are you two very close?” Luo Ming continued to ask, her expression calm and indifferent as if they were just making small talk.
“I suppose so. She took care of me a lot in the past.”
The loud bell for class interrupted their conversation. Following a chaotic rustle of turning pages, the messy sound of students reciting texts and memorizing English vocabulary filled the air.
Gu Yu held up his English book and flipped to the vocabulary list on the last few pages. His gaze inadvertently drifted toward Luo Ming. Her book was spread out on the desk, and she was leaning forward, reciting in a low voice. Her dainty, fair ear was visible where she had tucked her hair behind it, revealing her beautiful profile.
He had never had any thoughts related to romance before. He had assumed his feelings for Luo Ming were just a standard, appropriate level of goodwill. It wasn’t until he was touched by the word “like” last night that he was pushed to the brink. The throbbing grew wildly, spiraling out of control.
Gu Yu tried to deny that he liked Luo Ming, but his inner nature fiercely fought back, forcing him to admit it.
He tried his best to find an excuse, telling himself it was only because Luo Ming was pretty, excellent, and they had a good relationship; it was only natural for this kind of goodwill to arise. It was pure and normal. But the other him attacked him, ‘Then why didn’t you feel this way about Sister Qianxin?’
Gu Yu eventually gave up his struggle. His mind was in a mess. He stared at the girl’s face until he slowly calmed down. His vocal cords vibrated unconsciously, and the syllables escaping his mouth formed her name. “Luo Ming…”
“What is it?”
The sound of students reciting was very loud, yet Luo Ming still heard him. She turned her head and looked at him in confusion, her eyes clear and bright.
“It’s… it’s nothing.”
Gu Yu retracted his gaze as if escaping, hiding his face behind the pages of his book so Luo Ming couldn’t see him.
He suddenly felt like a sneaky little thief, or a deserter on the battlefield about to face military law — someone who couldn’t show his face.
The bell signaling the end of class rang 20 minutes later. Gu Yu put down his book and collapsed onto the desk, burying his face in the crook of his arm to pretend he was catching up on sleep.
“Gu Yu.”
Hearing that voice as clear as a wind chime calling his name, Gu Yu looked up blankly. Luo Ming was sitting facing him, holding her water bottle. She blinked, her thick eyelashes fluttering up and down.
“…Mhm? What’s wrong?” Gu Yu asked, confused.
“I need to get out.”
“Oh, oh, right.”
He moved his chair forward, squeezing out a gap large enough for Luo Ming to pass through. Her faint fragrance immediately brushed past his nose.
Luo Ming returned a few minutes later. Gu Yu was still leaning on his desk, staring blankly at Luo Ming’s empty seat. He didn’t notice the girl standing behind him until a slightly cool, soft palm patted his face.
The touch felt so comfortable that he was actually a bit reluctant to let it go.
Gu Yu stood up to let Luo Ming return to her seat. He suppressed his heartbeat bit by bit, his face still clouded with a touch of gloom.
Luo Ming set down her water bottle and glanced at him. “What’s wrong with you? Your energy is so low this morning. Did you not sleep well again last night?”
“No…” Gu Yu thought about it and found no better excuse, so he just went along with it. “Yeah, I didn’t sleep well. I’m still a little sleepy.”
“Because of that neighbor sister of yours?”
“No, no… I just didn’t sleep well…”
“Then sleep during the long break. Class is about to start.”
As Luo Ming spoke, she patted his head. The intimate gesture took Gu Yu by surprise. He thought about how Yun Qianxin had also patted his head like this last night, but… this feeling was completely different.