Chapter 24
As evening fell, Qiu Yayu stood on her balcony, watching the clouds on the horizon dyed orange-pink by the setting sun. Her heart fluttered like a little bird, filled with both excitement and a strange sense of unease.
The suitcase was already packed and stood by the door. On the top shelf, carefully placed, was the gift she had prepared all summer—a camera case wrapped in light blue starry sky paper. She could even imagine the brilliance that would flash in Lü Xiaoyan's usually calm eyes when she opened it.
She and Lü Xiaoyan had originally planned to return to school together the next morning. However, she received a call from her roommate Shen Yuqi in the afternoon, saying that there was a problem with the recruitment plan for the radio station in the new semester, and she needed to come to school early the next morning for a meeting to discuss it.
"Anyway, your home is only a two-hour drive from the school, why don't you come back tonight? I can pick up your great Lu after the meeting tomorrow!" Shen Yuqi said with a smile on the other end of the phone.
Qiu Yayu hesitated for a moment. She liked the feeling of riding back to school with Lü Xiaoyan, the feeling that the journey's destination was each other. But she was also very dedicated to her work at the radio station.
“Okay,” she finally agreed, “I’ll go back tonight.”
After hanging up the phone, she immediately sent a message to Lü Xiaoyan:
"Senior! Something came up~ The broadcasting station has a meeting tomorrow morning, so I have to go back tonight! See you at school tomorrow! (≧▽≦)"
She thought that by the time he saw the message, she'd probably already be on her way, giving him a little "surprise." She even mischievously wondered if he'd get a little anxious waiting for her downstairs at his dorm the next morning? And then she'd suddenly appear...
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile.
"Xiaoya, have you packed everything? Be careful on the bus tonight, and remember to call home when you get to school." Her mother's voice came from the kitchen, filled with worry and concern.
"I know, Mom! I'm all grown up now!" Qiu Yayu replied loudly, feeling a warm glow inside.
She gave the luggage one last check, her gaze landing on the camera case, her fingers gently tracing the smooth wrapping paper. Soon, it can be sent out tomorrow.
After dinner, it was already dark. Her father drove her to the long-distance bus station. The late summer night air carried a slight, almost imperceptible chill.
"Dad, just drop me off here. I can go in by myself." At the station entrance, Qiu Yayu took the suitcase.
"Be careful on the road, keep an eye on your luggage, and keep your phone on." Her father patted her shoulder, as reliable as ever.
"Okay! Dad, drive carefully on your way back." Qiu Yayu waved and dragged her suitcase into the brightly lit station.
She bought a ticket for the next train back to City A, departing at 8 PM sharp. The waiting room wasn't crowded, so she found a seat and took out her phone. Lü Xiaoyan hadn't replied to her message yet. He was probably busy, or hadn't seen it. She didn't mind, her heart filled with anticipation as she imagined seeing him the next day.
"Passengers traveling to City A, please proceed to gate 3 for ticket inspection and boarding..."
The announcement came on, and Qiu Yayu stood up, pulling her suitcase, and followed the sparse crowd toward the ticket gate. The wheels of her suitcase made a rhythmic gurgling sound on the ground, as if accompanying her lighthearted mood.
She boarded the bus and found a window seat. She placed her backpack and the precious camera case on the empty seat inside and fastened her seatbelt. Outside the window, the city lights rushed past, gradually thinning out, replaced by the deep darkness of the night along the highway and the occasional passing rest area with its illuminated signs.
She took out her earphones, played some upbeat music, and looked at the blurry night view outside the window, but her thoughts had already flown to school and to tomorrow.
She thought of the familiar chemical smell in the darkroom, of Lü Xiaoyan's focused profile under the red light, and of the surprise and joy he might feel when he received the gift, even if it was just for a moment... Thinking of this, she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
The car cruised smoothly along the highway, like a ship sailing at night. Qiu Yayu yawned slightly; she hadn't slept well last night because of her excitement, and now, with the rhythmic sound of the car, drowsiness gradually crept in. She adjusted her position, hugged her backpack, and closed her eyes.
Once she gets to school, she must first let her parents and Lü Xiaoyan know she arrived safely. Then she'll have a good night's sleep, so she can go to the meeting tomorrow refreshed, and then...
With these small, heartwarming plans in mind, she drifted off to sleep.
Little did she know that this would be the last peaceful dream she would ever have.
Unbeknownst to her, the phone screen went dark quietly after she fell asleep, and the battery eventually ran out.
Unbeknownst to her, while she slept, the car was steadily driving towards a "tomorrow" she could never reach.
Unbeknownst to her, in her backpack, next to her train ticket home, lay a letter she had written to Lü Xiaoyan, a letter she could never send. The letter began with her delicate, hopeful handwriting:
"Lü Xiaoyan, by the time you read this letter, you should have already received your birthday present, right? This camera is like the way I look into your eyes..."
The night was deep, and the bus, with its headlights on, streaked through the darkness like a shooting star, heading towards that predetermined, cruel destination.
On this late summer night, Qiu Yayu, filled with the sweetest anticipation of reunion, walked towards the final chapter of her life.
---
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
