Knowing full well

That unfinished dream left Bai Yixia yearning.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time, unable to fall asleep again, but ended up with a dry mouth.

The sheer curtains blocked out the light, and the glow of the streetlights in the neighborhood was dim and indistinct, unable to illuminate Bai Yixia's expression.

It felt like the night four years ago was about to repeat itself, but this time there was no homework for her to vent her frustrations on.

Bai Yixia sighed softly, sat up, put on her coat, and went to pour herself a glass of water.

My gaze followed the kitchen door, passed through the living room, and landed on the balcony.

Compared to the lush flowers and plants on Zhou Qingchi's balcony, Bai Yixia's home appeared much simpler. There were a few pretty potted plants borrowed from next door, two easels leaning against one side, and a large space filled with withered grapevines.

The cold water went down her throat, and it felt like her internal organs were being chilled. Bai Yixia put down the water glass, but she became even more awake. Instead of going back to her room, she walked uncontrollably toward the balcony.

The door opened to reveal the autumn night wind. Bai Yixia pulled her coat tighter around herself and glanced sideways at the balcony next door.

Zhou Qingchi was certainly not there. The magnolia blossoms had long since faded, their branches and leaves trembling in the wind. Only a few chrysanthemums were in full bloom on the balcony.

"I've been dreaming too much," Bai Yixia cursed herself inwardly, but instead of going back inside, she leaned on the balcony and looked at the empty balcony opposite. In a daze, she imagined Zhou Qingchi carrying a small watering can, slowly watering the flowers and plants.

"Really..." Bai Yixia let out a soft breath, feeling a bit cold from the wind. Just as she was about to go back inside, she glanced downstairs and froze in place.

They lived on the third floor and could clearly see the layout downstairs.

A lone figure sat on a wooden chair diagonally opposite the building, his back slightly hunched, his back coldly turned to the floor. The dim light from the nearby streetlamp only accentuated his loneliness.

Suddenly, Bai Yixia felt a lingering sadness in her heart.

Looking at the empty balcony of the Zhou family home, I thought Zhou Qingchi would never be sad about this again.

Four years ago, he was sixteen, still a teenager. So why should he think that Zhou Qingchi, now twenty, is mature enough?

He was very sad.

Bai Yixia stared at him for a few seconds, then quietly and quickly returned to her room, changed into a thick coat, and hurried downstairs.

The wind wasn't strong downstairs, but the dew was heavy at night, making it especially cold and damp.

Bai Yixia shrank her neck into her fluffy coat. She stood at the door, having come downstairs abruptly, but didn't know how to talk to Zhou Qingchi.

Is it to comfort or to make fun of?

Would Zhou Qingchi be willing to see me at this time?

Bai Yixia's dream at night reminded her of the sudden stirrings of her heart during puberty.

Because I like you, my heartache for you is even more pronounced.

The leaves rustled, and occasionally a few were blown down, rolling away from Bai Yixia's feet.

Perhaps Zhou Qingchi needs comfort and a bit of teasing. But Bai Yixia shouldn't be thinking about these things.

She pursed her lips, and an idea popped into her mind.

Bai Yixia tiptoed toward Zhou Qingchi, who had been sitting there for who knows how long, and seemed to emanate a chill from his body.

Bai Yixia strolled up behind him, stopped on his right, and gently patted his left shoulder.

The old-fashioned way of scaring people is all about catching them off guard.

Fortunately, Zhou Qingchi was never afraid of these things. But people are always startled by sudden noises.

As Bai Yixia thought about it, she patted his shoulder and bent down to get closer to him from the right.

"ha!--"

Bai Yixia was the one who was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.

Zhou Qingchi, seemingly unaffected by any misleading information, turned his head to the right.

Bai Yixia bent down and leaned closer, her eyes wide with surprise, her nose touching Zhou Qingchi's.

Their breaths mingled, and wisps of white mist rose from their lips.

The distance was too close, and Bai Yixia was frozen in place by Zhou Qingchi's unexpected reaction. She blinked slowly, her eyes reflecting Zhou Qingchi's lonely image.

The person in front of me looked calm and composed, as if he had expected this to happen.

Bai Yixia's hand, which was gripping the hem of her dress, clenched unnaturally. She wanted to look away, but Zhou Qingchi seemed different now.

After realizing her feelings, Bai Yixia rarely stared directly at Zhou Qingchi anymore, especially not at his gaze or his eyes.

Because of eye contact, she was always afraid that her feelings for him would be "unconcealable," as people often say.

But in reality, Zhou Qingchi's gaze wasn't scary at all, and she had long since given up on hiding anything.

Then she saw that Zhou Qingchi's eyes held nothing else; he was just looking at her calmly and seriously.

Just like the past twenty years, it is gentle yet scorching.

In an instant, Bai Yixia's heart opened up.

Her breath tickled her face, and Bai Yixia finally turned her head away a beat late, her ears burning hot in the cold night.

"Ah." She uttered in a daze, as someone tugged at her sleeve.

Zhou Qingchi's voice was low and hoarse, "Xia Xia."

Since things had already turned out this way, Bai Yixia smiled with relief, plopped down next to Zhou Qingchi, and looked at him reproachfully: "What happened? How did you know I was going to use a feint?"

The dim light cast a hazy glow on Zhou Qingchi, making her hair appear soft and warm, but her facial features were hidden in the shadows of her hair, making it difficult to discern her expression.

Bai Yixia looked at him with a hint of curiosity, "You heard me?"

Zhou Qingchi seemed to lose all his coldness the moment he saw her, and the sharp edges of his face melted away. "I know your footsteps all too well."

After they finished speaking, they suddenly fell silent.

Bai Yixia tugged at the thin fuzz on her coat, restlessly crumpling it into a small ball. In her open heart, little angels holding heart-shaped arrows flitted about. She pressed the little thing down without hesitation and asked, "Can't sleep again?"

The word "again" is too old; Bai Yixia doesn't know if Zhou Qingchi can still remember it.

But Zhou Qingchi rarely disappointed her. "Xia Xia understands me best."

Suddenly, the conversation started flowing.

"I never expected to see him again." Zhou Qingchi's voice was calm and unhurried, as if he had indeed grown up compared to four years ago.

Bai Yixia, thinking of Zhou Sheng's annoying attitude, added, "That's because he's annoying, like a stubborn plaster that you can't get rid of."

Zhou Qingchi was amused by her description, let out a series of laughs, and said in a more cheerful tone: "I really want to beat him up, even though he is my father in name only."

“But…” Zhou Qingchi hesitated for a moment, “I don’t know how to face him.”

"He's the one who made a mistake, the one who abandoned us, but why do I still think about him sometimes?"

Zhou Qingchi frowned. "I hate being related to him by blood, and I don't like imagining things about him."

"Hmm."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Qingchi's face was cupped in someone's hands. Bai Yixia moved very close, her small face serious as she carefully examined him.

Zhou Qingchi could feel that her fingertips were icy cold, wondering if it was because she had been standing outside for a long time.

The tip of her nose was also a little red.

That's strange.

Zhou Qingchi thought to himself, "Before, my heart felt like it was blocked by a stone, and even breathing felt difficult, but after seeing Bai Yixia, I felt much lighter than anything else."

I like her.

Zhou Qingchi closed his eyes briefly, then raised his hand and placed it on Bai Yixia's hand. "Your hands are so cold."

I like Xia.

The person in front of me only paused for a moment, but didn't pull their hand away. They just tilted their head and smiled like a kitten. "What? Who do you look like? You're clearly just like yourself."

Zhou Qingchi took her hand down, held it tightly, and smiled, also caught up in the moment. "Really?"

Bai Yixia nodded solemnly.

That's wonderful.

I like Bai Yixia.

Bai Yixia felt her fingers being warmed by the touch, and Zhou Qingchi's mood seemed to improve considerably. She didn't want to pull her hand away, but felt she had something very important to do.

The kiss in the dream was fake, but the uncontrollable embrace was real.

What did she say at that time?

"If you ever feel sad in the future, come and give me a hug."

"Don't be sad anymore."

Bai Yixia can't control Zhou Qingchi's feelings, nor can she stop those annoying people from appearing, but barring any unforeseen circumstances, she will stay by Zhou Qingchi's side.

She gently withdrew her hand, stood up, and stood in front of Zhou Qingchi, opening her arms. "Want a hug, Zhou Qingchi?"

When Bai Yixia pulled her hand away from his, Zhou Qingchi felt his heart skip a beat, and what surged up in an instant was fear.

When faced with her shameless father, Zhou Qingchi only felt anger and disgust, and occasionally felt a little confused, but never felt fear.

It was Bai Yixia's departure that frightened him.

He almost immediately tried to grab her back the moment she pulled her hand away.

But he stopped after only taking the first step, because he was more reluctant to see Bai Yixia's resistance than to be afraid of himself.

Zhou Qingchi was unable to extricate himself from imagining Bai Yixia's expression and actions in the next second.

Is it disbelief or disgust? Is it to walk away or stand there dumbfounded?

And then there's that one percent chance, that tiny bit he gleaned from her eyes, that's just his imagination.

It's a hug.

It was getting a bit chilly at night. Bai Yixia was wearing a white, fluffy loungewear set when she came out. The set was knee-length, and the two rabbit ears hanging down her back swayed with her movements.

She wasn't angry, nor did she show any sign of displeasure.

As always, it was as warm and comforting as the spring sun.

Her eyes are curved, and the corners of her mouth are curved too.

Zhou Qingchi stood up slowly, hugged Bai Yixia from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and slowly tightened his arms around her back.

The loungewear felt so comfortable that Zhou Qingchi was completely captivated by it.

At this moment, he should have closed his eyes, but Zhou Qingchi kept them open, staring blankly at the ground.

"I should give him a hug." Zhou Qingchi's voice was a little hoarse, and his vision blurred for a moment, but it was quickly cooled by the night breeze.

Nearly two months of separation and the hypocritical absence of his father had almost brought Zhou Qingchi to her knees.

He asked in a low voice, "This is what you promised me, right?"

Bai Yixia felt his embrace tightening, gently patted his back, and still smiled, "Yes, this is what I promised you."

The hug lasted for an unknown amount of time until someone returning home late turned on the lights in the hallway.

Only then did the two of them, as if waking from a drunken stupor, release each other.

In the dim light of the streetlights, they gazed at each other for a long time in the darkness.

Zhou Qingchi spoke first, "I have to go back to school first thing tomorrow morning."

Bai Yixia quickly replied, "Then I'll get up and see you off."

Zhou Qingchi shook his head in a good mood, "No need, there's not much time left, you should get some sleep."

He seemed to remember something, and his expression turned anxious. "Your hand! Does it still hurt? Did you hurt it?"

Bai Yixia looked at him amusedly, "I already said there was no problem. I didn't feel anything at all just now."

Zhou Qingchi was relieved. He took Bai Yixia's hand and held it in his palm. "There's only a little over a month left before winter break."

"Our holidays are very close together, right?"

Bai Yixia tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Yes."

"Can you contact me, Xia?" Zhou Qingchi asked softly. "Then I'll come pick you up and take you home when you're on holiday."

Click.

The long-neglected streetlights finally burned out, but Bai Yixia felt that everything before her eyes was bright.

"OK."