Chapter 54
His internship at Fashion Weekly was busy and fulfilling. Su Rui had just finished a set of location shoots and returned to his workstation when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Seeing the words "Ling Yao" pop up on the screen, he was slightly startled. It must have been late at night, and Ling Yao hadn't called at this time in a long time.
He quickly walked to the quiet stairwell and answered the phone. Before he could speak, Ling Yao's extremely excited and even slightly incoherent voice came from the other end. There was also some noise in the background, as if he had just finished an event:
"Su Rui! Su Rui! Did you hear that? This time... this time it seems to be real! It's really coming!"
Su Rui's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the phone: "What do you mean, really? Ling Yao, take your time."
"Debut! Debut!" Ling Yao's voice rose with excitement, even cracking a little. "We filmed the music video today! We wore our stage costumes! We took promotional photos! Lots of shots... The director said it was great... The company also said the schedule is set and won't change!"
He rambled on, his words as fast as jumping beans, as if he wanted to pour out all the anticipation and joy he had suppressed for so long. Su Rui could even imagine him dancing with joy and eyes shining on the other end of the phone. That was the long-lost Ling Yao, full of vitality.
"That's great! It's really great!" Su Rui was also infected by his emotions, her nose sore, and she almost shed tears. He knew too well what this news meant to Ling Yao. It was a ray of real light that finally shone through after countless disappointments and shattering memories.
"Su Rui," Ling Yao's voice suddenly lowered, with a deep, undisguised longing, "I miss you so much. I really want you to see it right now."
"I miss you too." Su Rui responded softly, her heart softening.
This call was like a shot in the arm, leaving Su Rui feeling uneasy. He almost immediately ran to his editor-in-chief to request a day off, using all his good relationships and the small privileges he'd earned from his previous "saving the day" to scrape out three days of vacation. Then, he quickly booked a ticket, packed his bags, and boarded another flight to Country J.
This time, his mood was no longer simply worry or heartache, but was filled with eagerness to share joy and great anticipation.
It was still in that secluded, familiar place—the almost abandoned park. When Su Rui arrived, it was already very late at night. The sky was filled with a rare, clear sky full of stars, like broken diamonds scattered in the velvety night sky.
Ling Yao was already waiting there. He looked much thinner, but his spirits were unusually high, his eyes gleaming with a light Su Rui hadn't seen in a long time. He was actually holding a bag from the convenience store.
"Haven't you eaten yet? I just finished practice too." Ling Yao pulled Su Rui to sit on the cold bench, took out two buckets of instant noodles from his bag, and then, like a magic trick, took out a thermos cup. "Eat quickly, it's still hot."
He soaked the instant noodles in hot water and covered them. Then they sat side by side under the starry sky, watching over the two steaming buckets of instant noodles as if they were some delicious delicacy.
The night breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of chill and playfully ruffling the ends of their hair. The aroma of instant noodles mingled with the chill air, bringing a strange, down-to-earth feeling of life.
"Look at that star, the brightest one." Ling Yao pointed to the sky, a smile in his voice. "Yeah, I see it." Su Rui followed his gaze. "Does it look like the color of the cheering lights?" Ling Yao suddenly asked, his tone full of longing for the future. Su Rui couldn't help but smile: "Yes."
The noodles were ready, and they opened the lid. The steaming white mist instantly blurred their vision. They lowered their heads and slurped the simple instant noodles, finding them more delicious than any other delicacies.
After finishing the noodles, his body warmed up. Under the night sky, the park was completely silent, with only the distinct sound of each other's breathing. Ling Yao put down the instant noodle bucket, turned around, and looked deeply at Su Rui. The starlight illuminated his well-defined profile and his eyes, which were filled with starlight and affection.
Su Rui also looked back at him, her heart beating rapidly in the silence.
Ling Yao slowly lowered his head, resting his forehead lightly against Su Rui's. Their noses almost touched, their warm breaths blending together, dispelling the chill of the winter night.
They didn't kiss, just quietly resting their foreheads together, eyes closed, feeling each other's presence. In this moment, there was no torment of the past, no anxiety about the future, no corporate oversight, no prying eyes from fans. Only the stars overhead, the gentle whisper of wind in their ears, the warmth of their palms, and the familiar, reassuring scent of breath in their nostrils.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment. All the waiting, all the grievances, all the struggles seemed to be just for the sake of reaching this ordinary yet extremely precious moment.
"It'll be fine, Ling Yao," Su Rui said softly, her voice trembling with certainty. "Yeah," Ling Yao replied softly, wrapping his arms around Su Rui's waist and holding her tighter.
This moment seems to last forever.
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