Window words bloom
Yang Yu, Xida:
Thank you for always being by my side. Please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye, and please don't look for me. I will live a good life.
My story has already had a brilliant chapter, and I have no regrets. May you continue to shine brightly, and I will always be blessing you from afar.
Please pass the box on to Lingchuan.
May we all live the lives we desire.
—From Qiao Yuliu, all of you
...
Lingchuan also ran into Xida, who had been waiting for a long time, at the entrance of the studio.
The girl's eyes were red and swollen, and she held a dark blue box tightly in her hands.
Ling Chuan also took a few steps down the stairs: "Why isn't Qiao Qiao replying to my messages? What's wrong with her?"
The two have been exchanging messages frequently lately, but this morning he sent several messages and Qiao Yu didn't reply. He was just about to go find her.
Xida had been crying all morning, her nose was stuffy, and her voice was muffled: "Qiaoqiao asked me to give this to you..."
As Xida handed the gift box to Ling Chuanye, she couldn't help but burst into tears again.
Ling Chuan frowned deeply, feeling an indescribable bitterness in his heart.
Xiao Zhu and Kimi exchanged a deep look before going to comfort Xida.
The dark blue box was opened, and a gray paper airplane came into view.
Ling Chuan's breath hitched. When he saw the writing on it, he put down the gift box, skillfully unfolded the paper airplane, and saw Qiao Yujun's elegant handwriting among the folds.
"If that summer could have been longer, could we have said goodbye properly? But it's okay, this summer has come again, and I think we can say goodbye properly now."
Goodbye, Lingchuan.
May we shine brightly even without each other.
...
The letter in his hand was clenched tightly and wrinkled again. Ling Chuan closed his eyes, his eyes welling up with tears. He quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and asked Xi Da, "Where is Qiao Qiao?"
"She left. She said not to look for her..."
Ling Chuan frowned deeply and instructed the other two: "Cancel all the remaining work, pay the compensation as required, and issue a statement... I'm retiring from the entertainment industry."
Kimi was shocked: "Don't be ridiculous."
Xida, who was still crying, twitched her nose, which startled Xiaozhu as well.
Retiring from the entertainment industry?
Ling Chuan remained calm: "I didn't cause any trouble, I'm going to be with her..."
After saying that, he took the paper airplane and strode towards the G-Class parked not far away, got in, started the engine, and drove away.
Yun County.
It was nearly evening when Qiao Yu arrived at her grandmother's house.
The setting sun shone obliquely on the wooden gate of the courtyard. The gate was gently pushed open, and Jinbao wagged its tail and ran into the yard to frolic.
After her grandmother passed away, Qiao Yu asked her neighbor, Aunt Zhang, to help look after the house and Jinbao. A couple of years ago, she hired someone to renovate the old house, but she kept the layout from when her grandmother was alive, only doing some renovations.
The courtyard house features white walls and gray tiles, with a living room and dining room in the center, and two bedrooms on the east and west sides.
The curtains in the living room and bedroom were drawn, and the view stretched as far as the eye could see.
In the small courtyard of about 100 square meters, there is a small square vegetable garden on one side, which has been neglected for a long time and is overgrown with weeds.
A thin layer of dust had also settled on the tables and chairs in the pavilion on the other side.
Qiao Yu closed the wooden door and walked inside with her suitcase.
Jinbao, perhaps seeing that Qiaoyu hadn't been home for a long time, came over and obediently followed her to her room.
The door opened, revealing the same layout as always, with floral sheets and duvet covers. The room was much cleaner than the outside, and a little tidying up was all it took to get ready to rest.
Qiao Yu sat on the stool at the foot of the bed with red eyes, and Jinbao nestled at her feet, gently brushing the back of her feet with its little tail.
That July, after her grandmother passed away, only an empty courtyard remained. Qiao Yu rushed back after finishing her college entrance exams and could only look at her grandmother's photo and cry silently.
A few days later, he arrived, bringing Jinbao with him.
Jinbao was only three months old at that time.
It is a purebred Golden Retriever.
He said, "Grandma has passed away. Let Jinbao stay here with you."
From then on, Jinbao stayed in the courtyard and became its master. Every day, Aunt Zhang would take it back to the courtyard for a stroll, while Qiaoyu became a guest.
Whenever she has free time, she will come back once every two or three months to stay with Jinbao for a few days.
......
However, a year later, he left too, and now Lingchuan has returned, and they have separated again.
Only Jinbao remained, still waiting for her there.
Qiao Yu crouched down, hugging Jinbao tightly in her arms. Her eyes stung with tears, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
It seemed to sense Qiao Yu's sadness, and moved closer, its mouth opening and closing. Qiao Yu knew it was sobbing softly.
Having not seen each other for a long time, Qiao Yu and Jinbao composed themselves and started cleaning, working until it was completely dark.
I just sat down in the pavilion in the courtyard, with a bowl of instant noodles and a bowl of dog food.
They ate with great relish.
The night sky is dark tonight, obscured by large, dark clouds. The damp air carries the scent of earth; it's going to rain.
In the dead of night, large raindrops pounded down, lashing against the French windows.
The wall lamps in the courtyard were torn into fragmented spots of light by the rain, and the water flowing under the eaves became a transparent curtain, meandering down the steps into a stream.
Qiao Yu had just finished showering and came out in her pajamas when Jinbao, who was guarding the door, hurriedly wagged its tail and approached, barking "woof woof."
Although she couldn't hear, she could understand Jinbao's meaning, and Jinbao wagged its tail and ran out the door.
Qiao Yu had no choice but to follow. The one-meter-wide corridor outside the door was already mostly wet from the rain.
The air was filled with the sweet scent of rain.
Jinbao led Qiaoyu to the edge of the steps. If they went any further, they would get wet in the rain. Just as Jinbao was about to rush into the rain, Qiaoyu grabbed him from behind and waved her hand to signal him not to.
Jinbao paced anxiously in circles, while Qiao Yu, without much thought, turned around and headed back to her room.
Jinbao moved closer again and bit her pajama bottoms to stop her from leaving.
Noticing Jinbao's unusual behavior, Qiao Yu frowned.
Clever Jinbao understood Qiao Yu's question. Ignoring the fact that he was getting soaked, he jumped into the downpour and ran straight to the wooden gate of the courtyard, barking at the gate.
Qiao Yucai understood what it meant; there was someone outside the door, and Jinbao told her to go open it.
Who could it be? Could it be Aunt Zhang? Only Aunt Zhang can make Jinbao so happy.
Could something have happened to Aunt Zhang? But when she picked up Jinbao, she told her to contact her via WeChat if anything came up.
Thinking of this, and seeing Jinbao's reaction, the people outside the door probably weren't bad people.
Jinbao is very perceptive; it would never react this way when a stranger calls it.
Qiao Yu had no choice but to go back to the living room, grab a large umbrella, open it, and walk towards the door. The wooden door opened.
Qiao Yu was stunned.
In the darkness of night, amidst a downpour, a man stood outside the door holding an umbrella, raindrops pounding against its surface.
The wind whipped the edges of his black trench coat, revealing a dark shirt underneath.
His black leather shoes stepped into the puddles, splashing water droplets that had already soaked his trouser legs.
The black G-Class behind me still had its headlights on, two bright beams piercing through the thick rain curtain and casting long streaks of light on the ground.
Qiao Yu didn't know how long he had been standing in the rain. She had blocked the messages he sent her today and didn't know he would come.
If it weren't for Jinbao, he would have stood there all night.
Jinbao wagged its tail under Lingchuan's umbrella, and he squatted down to soothe Jinbao by stroking its fur.
It was obvious what they were talking about, but what surprised Qiao Yu was that Jinbao actually remembered him.
The rain was heavy, and Ling Chuan didn't get very close to Jin Bao. When he stood up again, his trench coat was mostly soaked.
Their eyes met, and Ling Chuan calmly raised an eyebrow, showing no sign of blame or doubt.
Qiao Yu looked away guiltily.
Perhaps sensing the stalemate between the two, Jinbao approached Qiaoyu again, wagging its tail and peering into the house.
Qiao Yu finally understood; the dog was asking her to invite Ling Chuan home as well.
It really is...
When their eyes met again, Ling Chuan smiled leisurely.
It rained all night long, and only stopped when the sky gradually began to lighten.
Ling Chuan got up and opened the door, where Jinbao wagged its tail to welcome him.
"It's so good that you still remember me."
He rubbed Jinbao's head, and the others crowded around his trouser leg to curry favor.
The door to Qiao Yu's room across the hall was tightly closed, and the curtains were drawn tightly shut.
"Jinbao, Qiaoqiao told me to leave at dawn, so I have to find a way to stay, right?"
Jinbao seemed to understand what he said and circled around him.
A few golden rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds before Qiao Yu opened the door.
The air is filled with the moist scent of grass and trees; take a deep breath and a cool, sweet fragrance fills your lungs.
The weeds in the small vegetable garden are gone, revealing the yellowish-brown soil.
Wisps of smoke rose from the chimney above the kitchen.
Qiao Yu frowned and walked towards the kitchen.
Jinbao stood guard at the door like a sentinel, and when he saw her coming, he ran to the living room.
Ling Chuan was also wearing her floral apron, her tall figure standing out awkwardly in the small kitchen.
But his busy figure complemented everything else perfectly.
I was washing bright red tomatoes in my hands, and a fragrant aroma wafted from the pot.
This made Qiao Yu's stomach rumble. She had come home late last night and there was no food at home, so she had to eat instant noodles.
The counter is now filled with fresh fruits and vegetables by the man.
He was the one who seemed to be the master of the house, while she felt like an outsider. Qiao Yu gritted her teeth and raised her hand to knock on the kitchen door.
Ling Chuan then came to his senses.
He curved his lips into a smile, raised his chin slightly, and pointed to the dining table behind Qiao Yu.
Picking up the prepared vegetable salad and bread rolls, I walked over and placed them in the center of the table.
Then he turned back to get something.
Qiao Yu could only sit down blankly, her stomach rumbling with cravings.
Lingchuan brought over two more cups of hot milk and some cutlery before sitting down.
He pushed the milk bread roll towards Qiao Yu.
Qiao Yu didn't look at him. She lowered her eyes, took a sip of milk, and continued eating her bread roll.
A casual glance revealed him drinking milk with a slight smile playing on his lips.
After dinner, once Ling Chuan had finished cleaning up the kitchen and come out, Qiao Yu was doing yoga in the courtyard, with Jin Bao lying next to her.
A soft golden light spilled into the courtyard, creating a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.
Upon hearing Ling Chuanye's footsteps, Jinbao jumped up and ran off wagging its tail.
A man and a dog appeared in front of Qiao Yu. Qiao Yu first glared at the dog, then looked up at Ling Chuan.
The man's figure was silhouetted against the light, his expression indifferent, yet even in this calm gaze, Qiao Yu felt a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe.
He shouldn't have come.
After a few seconds of silence, Qiao Yu raised her hand and gestured.
[You can leave now.]
Ling Chuan's eyelashes trembled slightly. "[Can I stay?]"
I just want to be here alone.
Ling Chuan lowered his eyes, nodded with difficulty, and turned to leave.
Jinbao followed him to the door again, and sat down there.
The wooden door opened and closed, and Ling Chuan's figure disappeared behind the door. Qiao Yu pursed her lips and lowered her eyes.
In the quiet courtyard, Qiao Yu couldn't hear a sound; only the scene before her eyes made her feel real.
Raindrops pelted down from the eaves of the pavilion, creating puddles that spread out in concentric circles.
A few drops of water still clung to the leaves, refracting the sunlight into tiny dappled patterns.
Jinbao stood obediently at the door, sometimes lying down, sometimes sitting, and sometimes circling around the door.
The midday sun grew intense, and the puddles in the courtyard gradually receded, leaving only a few shallow watermarks.
When Qiao Yu cooked for herself, she discovered that Ling Chuan had also filled the refrigerator to the brim.
But deep down, she felt empty.
Jinbao wouldn't go inside to eat, so Qiaoyu had to put the dog food at the door. It ate a few bites and then stopped, its mouth opening and closing as if it were whimpering.
And so evening came again. Jinbao was still guarding the door. Qiao Yu thought that Jinbao probably wanted to go out for a stroll.
As dusk fell, the county town was bathed in the orange glow of the sunset. Qiao Yu took out a dog leash and put it on Jinbao, then put on a mask and opened the gate.
The black G-Class was still parked on the side of the road, with the front window open. Ling Chuan was sitting in the passenger seat, arms crossed, adjusting himself into a comfortable position, and turning his head to look over.
Qiao Yu: "..."
The moment Jinbao saw Ling Chuanye, she wandered around her feet even more happily.
Seeing the two of them standing there in a daze, Ling Chuan finally got out of the car.
Qiao Yu took a deep breath. "Why haven't you left yet?"
[You said you missed someone, so I won't bother you; I'll stay outside.]
Qiao Yu glared at him, and he knew perfectly well what she meant.
Ling Chuan wasn't annoyed at all; in fact, he smiled and started playing with Jin Bao.
On the sparsely populated path, Qiao Yu led Jinbao ahead, while Ling Chuan followed a meter behind with his hands in his pockets, always maintaining that distance.
Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Qiao Yu followed in Ling Chuanye's shadow. When she walked slowly, he slowed down as well.
When the two-person comedy troupe returned to the entrance of the courtyard, Ling Chuan also stopped beside the car.
Qiao Yu paused for a moment, then opened the door and went inside without turning around.
Jinbao reluctantly turned its head to look back, but Qiao Yu forcibly pulled it inside.
The door was tightly shut, and Ling Chuan's expression also turned indifferent, his brows furrowed and his eyes lowered.
His phone vibrated, and he swiped to answer it.
"Ling Chuan, how is Qiao Qiao?" It was Yang Yu.
After Qiao Yu left yesterday, they all wanted to come and find her, but Ling Chuan refused, saying that he could go by himself and that Qiao Qiao would feel uncomfortable if there were too many people.
He didn't hear Ling Chuanye's reply: "Ling Chuanye, I'm asking you a question. How is Qiao Qiao? If you're not okay, come back. I'll go find Qiao Qiao."
Ling Chuan leaned against the car door, rubbing his temples in annoyance before speaking: "She's fine, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her."
Yang Yu was relieved. "Okay, thank you for your help."
Lingchuan was about to hang up when Kimi's urgent voice came from the other end of the phone, so he put the phone back to his ear.
"Just tell me, please, please. Oh dear, how can you not retire from the industry? I'll just post that you're on vacation recently, okay?"
Ling Chuan didn't reply.
"Ah Ye, didn't you say before about Qiao Yu's situation that she would recover? You two should just take a vacation and enjoy your time together. We'll discuss the matter of her retiring from the entertainment industry later."
Kimi, not receiving a reply from Ling Chuan, took it as a yes and hurriedly added, "Fine, if you won't say, then so be it. Don't worry, I'll take care of things in Haicheng. I'll make sure Qiao Yu's contract termination is handled perfectly."
The sound of the phone being hung up came from the receiver, and Ling Chuan curled his lips into a smile.
He lifted his eyelids; the courtyard gate remained tightly shut, and he could faintly hear Jinbao pacing around inside, sobbing softly.
The sky darkened quickly; the heat from the street hadn't dissipated before it was once again enveloped in the gray twilight.
A cool breeze blew by, clouds drifted in, and large raindrops began to fall again without warning.
Qiao Yu stood by the French windows, where rainwater once again soaked the glass, forming several streams that flowed down rapidly.
She tried to pull Jinbao away several times, but Jinbao remained at the gate and wouldn't come back, as if to tell Qiao Yu that Lingchuan was also waiting for her outside the gate in the same way.
Its once fluffy fur clung tightly to its body, its tail drooped down, dripping water, and it shook off a string of water droplets with every step it took.
It shook its ears, but only splashed more rain into its eyes, so it could only squint and let out a pitiful whimper.
It huddled against the door, trying to use it to shield itself from the torrential rain.
Qiao Yu closed her eyes, thinking of the man who was almost soaking wet standing outside the door last night. She still took the umbrella, opened it, and walked towards the courtyard gate.
......
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