Chapter 1: Feather Bookmark in the Rain and Snow

Chapter 1: Feather Bookmark in the Rain and Snow

On an ordinary rainy day, the city also experienced its first snowfall after a long absence.

Chi Shu was walking alone on the lakeside path of the School of Literature, holding a transparent umbrella with a Chinese traditional style and cloud pattern.

As the saying goes, "Continuous drizzle meets flying snow, and the cold wind dances lightly as winter returns."

It's really very appropriate!

For a moment, Chi Shu felt extremely relaxed and at ease, silently appreciating the scenery as if he was strolling in a garden.

She particularly likes rainy days, and has thought carefully about why.

Maybe it’s because: the sky after the rain is clear, the air after the rain is fresh, the scenery after the rain is sparse, and the spiritual feeling after the rain is peaceful.

However, today, even though the weather was good and kindly added the romantic element of the first snow to Chi Shu, she suddenly felt that it might not be so peaceful.

Her footsteps suddenly stopped, and the pebbles under her feet seemed to knock on her heart at this moment.

Because on the other side of the rain, there was a person whom she was thinking about but could not express it to others, and he was walking slowly towards her.

——

It was also a rainy day when they first met.

At that time, he walked with her under the sycamore tree holding an umbrella.

The dense drizzle tied them together like a thread, and every Monday after that brought them further apart...

Chi Shu looked up wordlessly at Feng Yichen, who had already walked in front of her. For a moment, she felt the surroundings were silent, as if even the cold wind had stopped...

Until Feng Yichen's gentle voice drifted over with the falling rain and snow: "I came to the College of Arts specifically to look for you, but I didn't expect to meet you here."

Chi Shu came back to her senses and was about to blurt out "Long time no see" but was silenced by his words "I came specially to see you." She calmed down a bit before asking doubtfully, "You came specially to see me? Is there something wrong?"

Feng Yichen smiled gently: "I saw a gift that I think suits you, so I want to give it to you." As he said that, he handed Chi Shu an exquisite and unique gift box.

Chi Shu subconsciously raised his hand to take it.

I saw——

A piece of white silk is wrapped in exquisiteness, and the translucent ice crystals reflect the cloud patterns.

The gift box's translucent acrylic shell was surrounded by a soft light, and a delicately crafted white feather bookmark was pinned inside it; next to it was an equally finely crafted everlasting magnolia in pink and white.

However, this magnolia does not have any metal rings to bind it, as if they were added intentionally.

It is undeniable that this gift was very popular. Chi Shu was completely amazed: "Why did you suddenly give me such an expensive gift?"

Hearing this, Feng Yichen's smile deepened, and even his gaze became softer. He said in a gentle voice, "Because I think it has a good meaning and I thought you would like it, I gave it to you. I hope you can fly freely in the vast world of literature, absorb endless knowledge and wisdom, and possess endless strength and courage..."

He paused for a moment, his thumb unconsciously stroking the screen of his phone, as if worried that his next words would scare her. His voice was almost gentle, "Besides that, it also represents purity and holiness. It is what the human heart desires, and also... what the human heart yearns for."

Feng Yichen originally wanted to express his feelings more tactfully, but the situation at this moment was just right.

The joy of the person in front of him receiving this gift seemed to silently encourage him, causing his heart to surge in an instant, and he could hardly control himself and confessed his true feelings word by word:

"Chi Shu, this gift carries my love and affection. We've known each other for a long time, and four years in college is a long time. Are you willing to..."

Chi Shu was in a panic, and the gift box carrying his heartfelt wishes suddenly fell to the ground.

It was as if Feng Yichen's heart sank, causing his unfinished words of confession to come to an abrupt end.

The two of them half-knelt down at the same time in the curtain of rain and snow to pick up the gift box, their fingertips touching and their eyes meeting.

Chi Shu immediately stood up and took two steps back. The hem of her coat with embroidered jade and Yuanxi patterns hanging down beside her knees swayed back and forth in the cold wind due to her quick movement.

Feng Yichen picked up the gift box in silence, then stood up, took out a tissue from the pocket of his navy blue jacket, opened the package, and slowly wiped the water droplets on the gift box.

He looked seriously at Chi Shu's drooping brows, sighing inwardly. He then spoke softly and sincerely, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. But I carefully selected this gift, and I think it suits you very well. I hope you can accept it... Just consider it as fulfilling a wish of mine, okay?"

After saying these words, observing that Chi Shu's expression was no longer as nervous and helpless as before, Feng Yichen took a step closer, leaned over, gently took Chi Shu's hand, and gently placed the gift box in her palm.

But holding this gift box filled with love again, Chi Shu suddenly felt that this was not just a gift, but also Feng Yichen's pure and sincere heart.

Therefore, her fingertips and heart seemed to be suddenly burned, but she could only say in a trembling voice: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it..."

She wanted to say something to break the awkward atmosphere, but she couldn't utter a single word. Furthermore, returning the gift would be too much. So, she could only look up at Feng Yichen with an apologetic expression. For a moment, she felt her breath being choked by Feng Yichen's complex gaze, and her heart tightened by his hurt expression.

The surroundings were so quiet that even the sound of the wind disappeared quietly in such an atmosphere, but the rain and snow had not stopped yet.

Chi Shu suddenly realized that this atmosphere made her heart tremble, so she suddenly left as if escaping.

She fled in a hurry, so naturally she didn't notice Feng Yichen's hesitant look behind her.

Feng Yichen didn't even have time to react to what she had just said. As soon as he turned around, he saw her frail figure hurriedly walking in the light snow and drizzle. He stood there for a long time, and only then did he suddenly realize -

This winter is so cold that even the originally romantic and moving first snow scene seems so desolate at this moment.

Even though winter had just arrived, he just hoped it would pass quickly...

He didn't know how long it had passed before a bleak, cold wind blew over, brushing off the scattered snowflakes on his shoulders, and finally bringing his wandering mind back to where it was. However, he silently moved his feet in the direction he had come from, the direction Chi Shu had hurriedly left just now, his sore eyes slowly sweeping across the surrounding scenery -

——Three years of high school were not a long time, not enough for him to easily express certain emotions, nor enough for him to easily make certain promises, because at that time he did not have enough ability to take responsibility for the future.

——But three years of high school were not a short time. It was enough for him to see and know Chi Shu’s hesitation and embarrassment when it came to the so-called “love” due to certain reasons.

Besides, if they had not met by chance and relied on the opportunity he had secretly worked hard to obtain, he and Chi Shu would probably not even have had any intersection.

But now he can already openly express his love for her, but she still cannot give him the response he wants.

Thinking of this, Feng Yichen felt a dull pain in his heart, but he couldn't and had no place to vent these emotions, and he couldn't blame Chi Shu at all.

Because he understood her inner fragility and insecurity, and also understood why she was hesitant and confused.

Perhaps a few months is too short a time, so some of the deep memories from the past have not been gradually erased with the passage of time.

But the words that Feng Yichen failed to finish could only be temporarily dispersed one by one with the biting north wind.

Because Chi Shu fled and retreated in panic just because of those few words, Feng Yichen's heart was also disturbed by the situation just now. He couldn't help but think with some annoyance:

I just followed my heart and was so careless that I was so reckless... I wonder if she will retreat to the starting point timidly because of this... This confession may be too sudden for her.

Well, take your time.

However, Chi Shu on the other side was also the same as Feng Yichen——

I have mixed feelings and feel very confused.