Chapter 004 Cousin Situation - Independent Side Story: Waiting at 3 AM (Part 1)
#Main Characters: Yu Qingzhou, Shen Yun, Li Xiao
"Happy birthday!"
Yu Qingzhou blew out the candles amidst blessings, plunging the room into darkness.
He closed his eyes to make a wish, and just then, he heard that voice—
The scattered piano sounds were as if fingers were casually gliding across the keys, leaving behind a series of meaningless notes.
It was as if someone was whispering in my ear, "Happy birthday, Xiaozhou..."
My heart skipped a beat.
Before he could react, the light clicked on. His eyes, accustomed to the darkness, couldn't adjust to the sudden brightness and were stung painfully.
Through her vision obscured by physiological tears, Yu Qingzhou scanned each face present with suspicion and uncertainty.
--No.
The room was completely visible, and everyone present was smiling at him.
That voice clearly didn't belong to any of them, so... did he mishear?
"Qingzhou is an adult at 18."
"Qingzhou, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and cut the cake!"
"A light boat..."
"Qingzhou? Is something wrong?"
Meeting the concerned gaze of the inquirer, Yu Qingzhou shook her head and gave a slight smile, then casually picked up a plastic cake-cutting knife that was placed to the side.
The round cake was cut in half, and the red jam flowed out slowly, thick and rich.
Yu Qingzhou plated the cut cakes one by one. As the star of the birthday party, she didn't touch her own piece of cake. Instead, amidst the lively atmosphere, she turned to look out the window.
It was pitch black outside. He saw his own face reflected in the windowpane. The boy's face was pale and thin, like a ghost.
His heart skipped a beat again, and he was enveloped by an indescribable sense of unease.
...
"I can hear the piano music, and it just won't stop."
"They say it's an illusion, but I believe in myself."
"I had another dream. I dreamt of a cake, with exactly eighteen candles, and it was pitch black all around, but I knew he was there—"
“Chen Yun, I saw him.”
As she said this, Yu Qingzhou was calmly staring out the window.
The window was open, and a cool breeze blew in from outside, ruffling a lock of Yu Qingzhou's hair. The corner of the boy's clothes fluttered, and his thin body underneath looked as if it might be swept away by the wind at any moment.
Shen Yun followed the other person's gaze but saw nothing—because there was nothing there.
So Shen Yun walked over to the window, and with a swift motion, pulled the curtains shut, completely shutting out those non-existent things.
Yu Qingzhou then turned her gaze over. Her eyes were sunken, and her pale face showed deep fatigue. She didn't know how long it had been since she had a good night's sleep.
"That's your imagination. There are no ghosts in the world. Yu Qingzhou, you're just tired and need to rest." Shen Yun gently comforted her.
"No, Shen Yun. I... I'm perfectly clear-headed, it's precisely because I'm too clear-headed that..."
Yu Qingzhou showed a pained expression, his hands clenched together, his knuckles twisted into a knot: "Let's end it, I'm not sick."
Shen Yun stared into the other person's dim eyes, and after a long while sighed, "That's enough for today. As for next time—"
“Deep Rhythm—”
Yu Qingzhou interrupted the other person with a call, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.
Shen Yun sighed: "There's one last time, next week. I promised your aunt, so just consider it... just consider it a favor to you. After that, I won't force you to accept treatment anymore."
"……All right."
Shen Yun stood by the window, watching Yu Qingzhou leave.
The boy walked slowly, like a wandering ghost, leaving a long shadow behind him. Suddenly, the streetlight flickered.
Shen Yun was taken aback, because he seemed to have seen something, but... how could that be?
He must be too tired... He pinched his swollen temples. Maybe when the next treatment is over, he can openly admit his failure, and he can let Yu Qingzhou go and let himself go.
Before we knew it, the appointed time had arrived again.
Yu Qingzhou raised her hand and knocked on the door. Two knocks were heard, and a familiar response came from inside.
"Please come in."
Yu Qingzhou opened the door, and the afternoon sunlight streamed into the room through the large French windows. Yu Qingzhou subconsciously took a step back.
The curtains were slammed shut again.
"It's exactly three o'clock. You're right on time this time," Shen Yun praised, her formulaic smile practically perfect.
"Thank you." Yu Qingzhou sat down in the sofa chair, placing her hands on her knees.
Shen Yun could tell he was nervous.
"Doctor, may I ask—"
"Just call me Chen Yun."
The young man interrupted him softly, his beautiful black eyes fixed intently on Yu Qingzhou. The excessive gentleness made the latter slightly distracted, and he shrank back, instinctively lowering his head to avoid the gaze.
“Okay, doctor… um, I mean Shen Yun.”
"How have you been lately?"
I think so.
"Sleep is also acceptable?"
"It'll be alright, I think..."
"But you don't look well."
"this……"
Yu Qingzhou hesitated before replying, "Perhaps it was when we arrived—"
"I hope you weren't stuck in traffic for too long." Shen Yun chuckled softly.
"No, doctor—Chen Yun, I...I'm a little tired, but not for these reasons. I didn't delay for long, I think."
Yu Qingzhou looked down at his palms. His hands were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, which were very suitable for the piano... the piano.
Yu Qingzhou's body trembled slightly.
He seemed to hear the sound of a piano again.
"An illusion," he murmured, shaking his head.
"You saw him again, didn't you?" asked Chen Yun's voice.
"it?"
Yu Qingzhou slowly raised his head, his brows furrowing slightly, his eyes filled with confusion. An unexpected reaction. Shen Yun stared at the bewildered Yu Qingzhou until the other lowered his eyes again.
"You didn't see him, or have you forgotten him?" Shen Yun asked in a low voice, the latter half of which even he himself did not believe.
However……
"I don't know what you're talking about, Chen Yun. I don't understand. Are you saying I saw something or forgot something—"
The scattered music suddenly rang in her ears, and Yu Qingzhou sat up abruptly, revealing an uneasy expression.
“That voice!” he cried out.
Shen Yun couldn't help but ask, "What was that sound?"
"It sounds like a piano, a piano... someone is playing the piano." Yu Qingzhou repeated, his breathing becoming rapid, his fingers trembling as he gripped his knees tightly... He was terrified.
—Has it gotten worse?
His deep gaze darkened.
"You misheard. It's the sound of a watch. Listen carefully, click, click, the watch is ticking, right?"
"No, no, I—"
"Yes, listen carefully, click, click..."
A thin chain suspended a metal pocket watch, which swayed slowly in front of my eyes.
Click, click...
The second hand moved precisely.
Click, click...
People should also be like clocks—
【Why……】
Because—sizzle—because—sizzle—
Click, click, click...
Because—
Click!
Yu Qingzhou's breath hitched.
Plop, something dripped onto the back of my hand, and warm liquid welled up from my eyes, I couldn't stop it.
He looked up at the young man with a somewhat blank expression: "Chen Yun, what's wrong with me?"
“You’ve been crying,” the young man said, extending his hand.
Yu Qingzhou blinked blankly, letting the other person wipe away his tears. He saw pity, sorrow... and some emotion that perhaps even the young man himself was unaware of in the other person's eyes.
Yu Qingzhou sniffed and asked softly, "Shen Yun, what time is it now?"
The young man was somewhat surprised: "3:59, exactly one hour."
“No, it’s 3 o’clock, it’s 3 o’clock,” Yu Qingzhou murmured.
Shen Yun had already walked to the window.
"What did you say?" he asked, turning around.
Yu Qingzhou shook his head, then suddenly smiled. The young man was taken aback; this Yu Qingzhou was the boy who lived on in his memory.
Shen Yun reached out and pulled back the curtains. Dusk had not yet arrived, but the sunlight had already dimmed.
The crimson light of dawn was strikingly similar to that evening. His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively searched for Yu Qingzhou: "...?"
"Yu Qingzhou?"
No one responded.
The spacious room was quiet. Shen Yun slowly walked to the sofa chair, leaned down and looked at Yu Qingzhou, who had her eyes closed. Really, she was like a child who cried and then fell asleep.
His hand gently traced his outline, finally resting on the other's soft lips.
“I know, it’s 3 o’clock,” he said, in a dreamlike voice.
Knock knock knock.
The door opened with a sound, and the young woman at the door opened her mouth in surprise, but Shen Yun stopped her with a look.
“He’s asleep.” Shen Yun’s expression was gentle and captivated.
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