Chapter 54

Gu Xinglian met me at a new place.

I always wondered if he had some ulterior motive, perhaps these locations held special significance for my past memories. He stood at the entrance of the flower shop, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

Before I could utter a sound, he noticed my arrival even before I did.

"I'm so sorry to ask you to meet again." He smiled, his eyes crinkling. "But I really have to see you, otherwise I'm afraid I'll never forgive myself, even if I die somewhere."

He handed me the flowers; it was a bunch of pink and white Phalaenopsis orchids.

I looked around with some curiosity. No one had given me flowers here yet. Gu Xinglian's habits were really frustrating.

He wore a bright smile, as if all the gloom had been washed away, yet he said that I couldn't bear to tell him even a bad word about such an unlucky thing.

"I'm leaving soon," he said sadly, his eyes never leaving my face. "Even though I've only been to a few places, I still want to relive those memories with you. Will that be too much trouble for you?"

Whether it's troublesome or not, it's all out in the open now. He's just being smug after getting the benefit; I'm afraid He Hua might suddenly appear behind him again.

"If I told you it was troublesome now, would you let me leave?"

"You're still the best." Gu Xinglian held my hand and naturally placed it on his forehead, murmuring, "That's why everyone likes you, everyone will like you. But they all like you."

I patted his head: "What's wrong with you? Being popular is not bad, but I'm not liked to that extent, am I? Are you talking about 'friends'?"

“Alright.” Gu Xinglian smiled in compromise, no longer continuing the topic. “I was talking about your friends. You must have a lot of friends, right? After all, you’ve always been very popular since you were little. I was standing outside and almost couldn’t join your conversation.”

“But I’ll always hold your hand,” I retorted. “Don’t talk like I’d abandon you. Every time I haven’t held your hand and made you stay, everyone knows we’re the best of friends in the world.”

I'm just playing the role of "Qinghe". You know that.

“Yes, after you made the announcement, you ignored me and got angry with me. You asked me why I didn’t stand by your side and whether you didn’t consider me your friend when you wanted to run away… Because you think that important relationships are mutual, you felt very sad when you saw my indifference and calmness. I felt very sad when I saw you sad. We’re not that old. You cried with your back to me, and I cried with my face to you.”

"It's normal for someone young to have trouble holding back their tears." I pouted. "You remember so clearly, are you trying to bring up old grudges with me?"

He shook his head helplessly: "How could I dare to bring up your past grievances? You have such a bad temper, you'll get upset if I even mention it."

"Stop talking, stop talking." I didn't want to talk about our childhood anymore. "You haven't even told me yet. You've only been back for a few days, why are you leaving so soon?"

"Yes, they were so anxious, they couldn't wait to get rid of me right away," Gu Xinglian said through gritted teeth, her attitude completely unwilling.

"Do you have any conflicts between you? You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." I'm not that gossipy.

Gu Xinglian was clearly a bit gossipy.

"It just doesn't like me, Qinghe. It's jealous of other people's relationships, jealous of what happened to them in the past, even though they had absolutely no connection to it from beginning to end. It's just a thief, guarding other people's gold and silver treasures, yelling when someone comes, and secretly spending them when no one's around. It's a creature that doesn't know how to cherish anything, yet it always loves to use a 'I'm doing this for our own good' tone." His tone became increasingly sarcastic and bitter. "Who wants to be associated with it? To know it is the worst luck in the world."

“If I delay even a second, they’ll say I’m breaking my promise and that I’ll definitely die a horrible death. It’s hard to imagine anyone in today’s society cursing someone over a mere disagreement. Qinghe, if you encounter someone like that, you must run away immediately. If they chase after you, just hit them. Don’t worry too much about saving face.”

It's an old grudge. I nodded in agreement. I couldn't control their conflict, nor could I; their positions were different, so this was the only way. But out of consideration for them, I still felt Gu Xinglian was more pitiful. I patted his hand reassuringly, trying my best to comfort him: "Okay, I'll listen to you. But this isn't the way to the bookstore, is it? Where are you taking me?"

When I'm with Gu Xinglian, it always seems like he's the one pulling me along.

“Let’s go to the neighborhood,” he said, his words muffled. “You’ll see the park and flowerbeds when you get there.” As he spoke, he reached for my hand again.

It couldn't be moved.

He first made a stiff gesture, not daring to turn around and look at me, then stood aside, head down, not daring to look at me.

I stood there, glaring at him, without moving. His hand slowly tried to retract, but then stopped abruptly in front of my wrist. He didn't glare back, but stubbornly looked back at me, waiting to see when I would stop glaring at him.

His eyes were pleading.

I silently brushed his hand away, increasingly unable to understand what he was thinking.

I gazed into his eyes, and this time he didn't cry. I couldn't bring myself to say things like "it was all for nothing," those words were too hurtful.

I don't know if the location of that neighborhood is dangerous. Are you trying to harm me? Are there any safety hazards? Why do you insist on going to a park that isn't completely public? I don't know if the location of that neighborhood is dangerous. Are you trying to harm me? Are there any safety hazards? Why do you insist on going to a park that isn't completely public? Have you not given up yet? I don't know if the location of that neighborhood is dangerous. Are you trying to harm me? Are there any safety hazards? Why do you insist on going to a park that isn't completely public?

A little creature hopped onto my fingertip and, just as I always stroke others, gently caressed me with its short, soft tentacles.

I heard my voice sound arrogant as I said, "Fine. Anyway, this is your last time before you leave."

Gu Xinglian's face was ashen, but he still forced himself to lead me away. He seemed deeply saddened by the indifference of his old friends. People who disrespect others never get a good outcome; perhaps I will too.

I understand him, I know what he did for a reason, and I understand his longing and his persistence.

But the truth is, there are things I want to stick to, which may be unfair to him, but they are things I cannot change.

I think his wishes used to be easily fulfilled, but after we reunited, he hardly achieved any of them. Now, he's finally paying back that sense of ease. The same goes for me.

But his luck was truly terrible. Perhaps some people didn't want him to fare well. Several jet-black arrows shot out from our side and behind, piercing his abdomen and grazing my neck. We didn't even have time to react when it happened.

He was stunned. The person who had just been smiling and talking to me suddenly turned pale and clutched his stomach.

Perhaps blood will flow down.