Chapter 78: Courage

He agreed.

Upon reflection, he had never refused any of her requests since they first met. Back then, not only did he accommodate her impulsive ideas, but he also offered to pick her up from the TV station. She declined, saying it would save time if they met directly at the restaurant.

It was already 9:45 when she arrived at the restaurant.

He had chosen a Cantonese restaurant near her home for her convenience, though it took him over half an hour to drive there. Fortunately, the restaurant had a good reputation and ambiance—it wasn’t a waste of time. He sat by the window waiting for her, and she spotted him as soon as she entered.

…He really was handsome.

He had stood out in his student days, and now his mature and reserved demeanor made him even more captivating. The waitstaff and other diners couldn’t help but glance at him subtly—a familiar scene that felt long overdue.

“Have you been waiting long?”

She hurried to sit across from him, smoothing her slightly disheveled hair as she settled in.

“No, I just arrived,” he had changed into a different outfit from earlier, wearing a deep gray casual suit that accentuated his striking features. “Let’s see if we should add anything else.”

She wasn’t hungry at all—tonight’s meeting wasn’t about food. After glancing briefly at the menu he handed her, she said there was enough and no need to add more.

“I hope I didn’t disturb your rest…” she said apologetically, referring to her sudden invitation. “…It’s quite late.”

He had been pouring tea for her, but when he heard her words, he looked up and sighed softly.

“There’s no need to be so polite with me,” his expression carried the same sense of resignation as before. “How many times do I have to say it?”

Indeed, he had said it many times—at the beginning of their acquaintance, during the ambiguous phase, and when they had just started dating—he always told her not to be so formal with him.

A small happiness welled up in her heart. Perhaps beyond the simple sweetness, there was a quieter warmth. She bit her lip, trying not to smile, and simply murmured, “Oh.”

“What about you? Have you been busy lately?” she asked tentatively as he handed her the tea.

“Not too much,” he replied, his gaze soft on her. “I don’t have many classes scheduled this semester.”

“But Xiao Yao said you’ve been very busy,” she teased. “She couldn’t get an interview appointment with you before.”

This was clearly playful jealousy, wanting him to admit that he treated her differently. For others, he was “busy,” but for her, he was “free.”

He understood and noticed her unusually good mood tonight. A lover’s joy was always infectious, and the laughter in his eyes grew warmer.

“I didn’t know I’d see you,” he indulged her little whim, speaking honestly. “If I had known, I would have agreed.”

She was satisfied, and this time she truly smiled. Their gazes intertwined, and the slight awkwardness from earlier melted away unnoticed.

“What about tomorrow?” she asked again. “Do you have plans?”

Tomorrow was Saturday, so neither of them needed to work.

He raised an eyebrow, recalling that he had an appointment with an editor-in-chief of a publication. But her question clearly indicated she had something in mind, so he hesitated before replying, “No—why?”

At that moment, the waiter arrived, bringing the eight-treasure porridge and shrimp dumplings he had ordered. She stayed silent while the waiter served, waiting until he left before looking up at him shyly, her cheeks flushed as if wrestling with her thoughts.

He grew a bit nervous and asked again, “…Is something wrong?”

She shook her head, repeatedly scooping the porridge in her bowl with her spoon. After several moments, she finally looked up at him and asked hesitantly, “About what you mentioned this morning—meeting my parents… If you think it’s okay, would you like to come home with me tomorrow?”

He: “…”

This was completely unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated her suddenly saying this, and a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. He was so taken aback that he forgot to respond immediately.

She panicked, worried he might refuse, and quickly added, “If… if you think it’s not the right time yet, then…”

“Yes.”

He interrupted her, his eyes sparkling like stars, serene and radiant. Words were unnecessary; his beautiful eyes conveyed his delight.

“How will we go? By plane?”

“Have you bought the tickets?”

…How eager.

He didn’t even know where her hometown was—she had refused to tell him back when they were dating—but now, upon hearing her suggestion, he immediately began making arrangements. The warm porridge in his bowl couldn’t compare to the warmth in her heart.

“By train. There’s no airport near my hometown…” she murmured, her cheeks reddening further. “…We’ll go and return the same day. I have to work overtime on the weekend.”

The way she phrased it sounded as if she were squeezing in a quick visit to introduce him to her parents amidst her busy schedule.

He didn’t mind her impulsiveness and was already pulling out his phone to book tickets. His gentle tone as he inquired about timings stirred feelings in her that had been absent for years. Reuniting with him brought frequent waves of excitement and joy, reaffirming that he was irreplaceable in her life.

Just…

…She loved him so much.

Their late-night snack dragged on until nearly eleven o’clock, and by the time they left, the streets were deserted.

Of course, he insisted on walking her home. They walked quietly hand in hand, she at 29 and he turning 32 in a few days. Somehow, they still felt as pure and innocent as they had in their student days.

It wasn’t enough to drop her off at the building entrance—he accompanied her while she waited for the elevator. Even after entering the elevator, he stayed with her, ensuring she was safely delivered to her doorstep. Spring nights held such charm—even a small hallway could overflow with romance.

“Then I’ll come pick you up tomorrow…”

He leaned down to whisper to her, his voice so soft that the motion-sensor lights didn’t even turn on. But she thought this volume was perfect—any louder would shatter the beautiful dream.

“…Alright.”

Even a nod was lingering and tender. Their fingers remained entwined, and the gentle moonlight filtered through the windows, casting its glow on them. Though their shadows were distinct, they seemed inseparable.

Ultimately, he couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her. He was calmer than last night, but his heart raced just as fast. She, too, was breathless under his kiss, her increasingly heavy breathing betraying her lack of resistance to him.

“…Can’t you come back with me?” he tempted her, bolder than seven years ago. “It’ll be convenient for us to go to the station together tomorrow.”

She was tempted but gently shook her head, nestling into his embrace. “I really have to work overtime…”

She needed to finalize the optimized promotional video proposal before Monday. If she went with him, nothing would get done.

He sighed and kissed her deeper, only releasing her reluctantly so she could retrieve her keys to unlock the door. She, too, was reluctant to let him go, lingering as she entered. Perhaps because the atmosphere that night was so enchanting, she made a bold decision she rarely would have dared.

“Wait a moment…”

She whispered softly into his ear.

“…I’ll get something for you.”

Her words were vague, her breath intimate, leading him to momentarily think she was teasing him—perhaps she’d fetch a change of clothes and then go home with him. To his surprise, when she emerged, she held a small, neatly wrapped box, resembling a gift whose contents were unclear.

“What’s this?”

He was surprised.

She didn’t answer immediately, clutching the box tightly despite intending to give it to him. The soft moonlight illuminated her eyes, revealing her nervousness and hesitation.

“…Xiao Xi?”

His gentle comfort was there, but courage required her own effort. It took immense strength for her to overcome her strange mental barrier and open the small box that had been tucked away in a corner for so long.

—It was a watch.

No gold, no diamonds—just a pretty ceramic bracelet, a minimalist and slightly outdated design that gleamed faintly under the moonlight.

“This…” her hands trembled. “…It’s for you.”

He wouldn’t know how, years ago, she had rushed excitedly into a luxury store with her first big paycheck to buy it. How she had brought it to the airport, filled with anticipation and nervousness, intending to give it to him as he disembarked. But when she saw the more expensive, elegant watch already on his wrist, it became a gift she could never give. Over the seven years following their breakup, it had lain in a drawer, a secret she couldn’t speak of and a wound she couldn’t touch.

She wouldn’t share these details with him, but he sensed the unusual tension in her voice and the worn appearance of the gift, prompting him to naturally ponder its origins.

“Is this for me?”

“When did you buy it?”

“…From before?”

She didn’t answer, her eyes silently reddening. Her quiet sorrow pierced his heart, and all he wanted to do was pull her tightly into his arms. But this only made her sadder. Perhaps being comforted made her more vulnerable, and the emotions she had suppressed for years found an outlet. Words she didn’t need to say spilled forth.

“I bought it for you during your exchange year. I intended to give it to you…”

“But then you bought a better one, and this one felt too cheap… I couldn’t bring myself to give it…”

With that, she burst into tears, inexplicably more fragile than seven years ago. Her muddled explanation was enough for him to deduce the full story. He could imagine the girl in his arms enduring loneliness and sadness in places he had never known.

“How foolish…”

He was at a loss. Since their reunion, this feeling of his heart being squeezed tightly had occurred frequently. He couldn’t ease the pain or the bitterness, just as he couldn’t heal the wounds she had carried for so many years.

She felt the fluctuations in his emotions, his usually steady breathing now irregular. This subtle resonance comforted her, emboldening her to ask, “…Do you like it?”

Do you like this belated, imperfect gift?

Do you like this timid, imperfect me?

He didn’t answer but kissed her deeply once more. Perhaps the end of sweetness was always tinged with sorrow. They kept circling through this pattern, constantly discovering new facets of love that surprised them.

“I like it…”

He answered her in the tender, melancholic moonlight.

“…I’ll always like it.”