Chapter 3

Morning light slipped through my curtains in thin, quiet lines, tracing across the desk where last night's open book still rested.
I blinked at the clock. A little past nine.

I let out a soft breath.
No school today—no alarm, no rushing, no crowds.
Just a peaceful weekend morning, the kind I rarely allowed myself to slow down for.
For a moment, I considered staying in bed and finishing the book I'd left halfway through.

But then Liu Cheng's message echoed in my mind:

"Come by tomorrow. You haven't visited in ages. My parents were asking about you."

I rubbed my face and sat up.
Yeah... I couldn't ignore that.

Stepping out of my room, I followed the familiar scent drifting through the hallway.
When I reached the kitchen, Mom was already there, quietly humming as she stirred a pan.

She turned at the sound of my footsteps and smiled gently.
"Morning, Yuan'er. You're up."

"Morning, Mom," I replied.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, please."

A few minutes later, I sat at the dining table as she set a plate in front of me—eggs, stir-fried greens, rice.
She wiped her hands, poured herself tea, and sat across from me.
For a while, the only sounds were the soft clink of chopsticks and the gentle simmering from the stove.

Then she spoke, her voice calm as always.
"How's school lately? Are you doing all right? Making friends?"

"Everything's normal," I said with a small nod.

She hesitated, then asked quietly,
"What about... a girl you like, maybe?"

I shook my head, feeling a flicker of warmth in my cheeks but keeping my tone flat.
"No. I don't think anyone at school would be interested in me."

She smiled—thoughtful, not teasing.
"You're a good boy, Yuan'er. When the time is right, someone will see that. But for now, focus on what makes you happy."

"I will," I said softly.

A moment passed before I added,
"I'm going to Cheng's place later. His parents said I don't visit enough."

"That's nice," she said, her eyes softening. "It's good to spend time with your friends. Give my regards to his family."

"I will."

Her gaze drifted toward my plate.
"Eat slowly. You always rush through breakfast."

I let out a faint, embarrassed smile.
"I won't."

Morning light brightened the kitchen, spilling across the table like warm water.
I ate in silence, wrapped in a calm that didn't ask anything of me—
an ordinary, gentle moment that would linger longer in memory than it had lasted in time.

******

By the time I left home, the sun was already high, its warmth pressing gently against my skin.
Cicadas hummed lazily from somewhere in the trees—
the kind of sound that made it obvious summer was getting closer.

I adjusted the strap of my bag and headed down the familiar streets toward Liu Cheng's neighborhood.
My plan was simple: stop by the bookstore, then go straight to his house.
The staff had told me yesterday that the new release I'd been waiting for would arrive today.

The shop wasn't far—just a quiet little place tucked between a café and a stationery store.
When I pushed the door open, a soft chime rang above me.
A cool wave of air washed over my face, carrying the faint scent of paper and ink.
After the heat outside, it felt like a blessing.

A young staff member was crouched beside a lower shelf, arranging books.
I approached him politely.

"Excuse me," I said, keeping my voice low but clear. "Yesterday someone mentioned that the new Misty Horizon volume would arrive today. Do you know where it's placed?"

He looked up, smiled, and nodded.
"Ah, yes. It came in this morning. This way."

I followed him to the far end of the fiction section, where rows of colorful spines shimmered under the soft lights.

"Here you go," he said, pointing. "We just unpacked these."

"Thank you," I replied with a small nod.

As I reached out to pick up a copy, a soft voice beside me spoke.

"Oh... you read Misty Horizon too?"

I turned slightly.

A girl stood a few steps away, a book in hand.
Short dark hair tied loosely to the side, an open, curious expression—
and a uniform that definitely looked familiar.

I hesitated for a moment.
She looked like someone from my year... but I couldn't place her immediately.

"Ah... yeah," I answered quietly. "I like this author's writing."

She smiled.
"Me too. His stories feel calm but deep. I didn't expect someone from our class to read this kind of novel."

So she was a classmate.

"You're... from our class?" I asked, unsure.

She nodded, amusement flickering in her eyes.
"Yes. I'm Ye Ling."

"Ye Ling..." I repeated, finally placing her face.
She usually sat a few rows ahead—quiet, but not withdrawn like me.
Just... calm.

I offered a small, polite smile.
"I see. I'm Tang Yuan."

"I know," she said with a light laugh. "You always read during breaks. I guess this kind of book suits you."

Her tone wasn't teasing—just observing.
Still, her attention made me a little uneasy, and I scratched the back of my neck.

"Maybe. I just like stories that make you think."

"Same here," she said, glancing at the book she held.

A brief silence settled between us.
Not awkward—just unfamiliar.

Remembering Cheng was waiting, I said,
"I should get going. My friend's expecting me."

Ye Ling smiled lightly.
"All right. See you at school, then."

"Yeah. See you."

I paid for the book and stepped back into the warm sunlight.
The air felt heavier than before, but I barely noticed—
my thoughts were still drifting somewhere between the cool quiet of the bookstore
and the unexpected conversation I'd just had.

******

The sun hung high and bright, the afternoon air thick with the warmth of early summer.
I walked slowly down the main street, a small paper bag swinging from my hand.
Inside was a neatly boxed cake I'd picked up from a sweets shop—nothing fancy, but polite enough as a visit gift.

I checked my phone and typed a short message to Liu Cheng:

I'm on my way. I should be there soon.

No reply.
Not surprising. Cheng was never reliable with his phone.

By the time I reached the Liu residence, the difference between our homes was impossible to ignore.

Their front gate stood tall and perfectly maintained.
The hedges were trimmed with precise care.
Wind chimes swayed softly on the porch, their gentle tones drifting through the warm air.

Compared to my modest place, this house looked like something from a magazine.

I pressed the doorbell.

After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing a familiar woman—graceful, kind-eyed, and unmistakably surprised.

"Ah... Yuan'er? Is that you?"

I straightened a little and nodded.
"Good afternoon, Auntie. Cheng told me to come over today, but... maybe he forgot to mention it?"

Mrs. Liu blinked once, then sighed with a helpless smile.
"That boy... always forgetting things."

She stepped aside.
"Come in, come in. He went out with his sister earlier, but they should be back soon. You can wait for them."

"Thank you, Auntie," I said politely as I stepped into the cool, neatly arranged living room.

A faint floral fragrance mixed with something sweet—perhaps pastries—hung softly in the air.

"Oh, and this—" I lifted the paper bag slightly.
"—I bought it on the way. Just something small."

Mrs. Liu waved her hand, but her smile was warm.
"You didn't need to bring anything, dear. But thank you, that's very kind of you."

She accepted the cake with gentle hands and set it on the table.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll bring you some tea."

When she disappeared into the kitchen, I sat quietly on the sofa.
The subtle ticking of a wall clock echoed through the room.
My eyes wandered to the shelves—rows of framed photos showing Cheng and his sister in school uniforms, both smiling brightly with their parents standing proudly behind them.

I let out a slow breath and leaned back.

Their house feels different...
brighter somehow.

But the warmth in Mrs. Liu's voice made the place feel less overwhelming—
more like a home than a mansion.

******

The quiet of the Liu family's living room felt soothing.
I sat on the sofa with a warm cup of tea between my hands while Mrs. Liu chatted with me in her gentle, unhurried way.
The faint scent of flowers blended with the aroma of fresh tea leaves—comforting, familiar, almost like a quiet reminder that I was welcome here.

Just then, the front door opened.

"We're back!"

Two voices echoed from the entrance.
A moment later, Liu Cheng stepped inside with his arms full of shopping bags, and his younger sister Liu Yun trailed behind him.

The moment Cheng spotted me sitting calmly in the living room, he froze mid-step, eyes widening.

"Ah— right..." he muttered as realization hit him.

Mrs. Liu turned toward him with a soft sigh, though her tone remained warm.
"Cheng, didn't I tell you to let me know if you were bringing someone home?"

Cheng scratched his cheek, laughing awkwardly.
"Haha... yeah, about that... I kind of forgot. I wasn't even sure Yuan would actually come."

Mrs. Liu shook her head, smiling helplessly.
"You boys never change."

Before Cheng could say anything else, Liu Yun's eyes lit up the moment she saw me.

"Yuan gege!" she cried, practically bouncing on her feet.

She set her shopping bag down and rushed over, wrapping her arms around me without hesitation.
"You really came! It's been forever! I missed you!"

I smiled, embarrassed but genuinely fond of her.
"Haha, I missed you too, Yun."

I reached out and gently ruffled her hair, earning a delighted giggle.

She pulled back, lifting a small bag in her hands.
"Look, Yuan gege! We bought new games today! You'll play with us later, right?"

I chuckled.
"Sure—if you promise not to bully me too much."

Behind her, Cheng groaned dramatically as he dropped the shopping bags onto a chair.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, Yuan. She's been practicing nonstop just to crush everyone."

"Hey!" Yun puffed her cheeks, glaring at him.
"You're just jealous because I beat you last time!"

Their bickering filled the room with warmth, and Mrs. Liu's soft laughter floated from the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready soon, so don't get too noisy," she called out.

"Yes, Mom!" the siblings replied in perfect unison.

I smiled quietly as I watched them—the teasing, the easy laughter, the natural closeness of a family that somehow always managed to make space for me.

It's always lively here...
A small warmth rose in my chest.
I guess I kind of missed this.

******

The living room echoed with cheerful noise—rapid button clicks, bright electronic jingles, and Liu Yun's triumphant voice filling every corner.

"Yuan gege, you're too slow! See? I win again!"

Her laughter burst out as her character danced across the screen in victory.

I smiled wryly and handed the controller back.
"You're definitely better than me, Yun. I can't keep up."

On the sofa, Liu Cheng lounged with a manga spread open, one leg crossed lazily.
"Told you," he said without looking up. "She's ruthless. I'm pretty sure she enjoys crushing people."

"I just don't like losing," Yun retorted, puffing her cheeks before grinning.
"You'll get better, Yuan gege. We can play again next time!"

I chuckled.
"I'll... try to practice before then."

For a while, the three of us stayed like that—
Yun laughing nonstop, Cheng tossing comments between manga pages,
and me quietly soaking in the warmth of their home.

The noise, the teasing, the simple liveliness...
it all settled into me slowly, like gentle sunlight.

At some point, Cheng put his book aside and stretched.
"Hey, Yuan," he said lazily, "did you check the class schedule? First day back on Monday—PE in the morning."

I blinked.
"Oh? No, I didn't notice. What are we doing?"

He shrugged.
"No idea. Probably ball games or running laps. I'm hoping for something easy. Running under the sun sounds miserable."

I gave a soft laugh.
"I'll take whatever they give us. It's just the first day."

Cheng smirked.
"Says the guy who'd rather stay indoors reading. You're going to melt out there."

"I'll survive."

"You should come play basketball with me sometime," he continued. "It's not bad once you get used to it."

I only smiled.
I didn't hate sports—just crowds. Noisy places. Too many eyes.

Before long, the smell of dinner drifted in from the kitchen.
Mrs. Liu peeked into the living room with her gentle smile.

"Yuan'er, would you like to stay for dinner? There's more than enough."

I shook my head politely.
"Thank you, Auntie, but my mom's cooking tonight. I should head home soon."

Yun turned instantly, eyes wide.
"Eeh? Yuan gege, stay for dinner! Please?"

I reached out and patted her head.
"Maybe next time, Yun. I promise."

She deflated—
then brightened again the moment she heard promise.
"You have to keep it, okay?"

"I will," I said with a small laugh.

From the couch, Cheng groaned dramatically.
"You're closer to him than to your own brother."

Yun stuck her tongue out.
"Maybe because he's nicer than you."

Mrs. Liu chuckled softly.
"Alright, both of you. That's enough.
Yuan'er, thank you for visiting today. Come again when you have time."

I stood and bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Auntie. I will."

Outside, the air had cooled.
The sun was nearly gone—
the streets washed in soft orange melting into evening blue.

By the time I reached the main road, the streetlights flicked on, and the town eased into its night rhythm—
people heading home, a few just beginning their evening.

I texted my mom:

Me: I'm on my way.
Mom: Alright, be careful.

I slipped my phone into my pocket and kept walking.
The city glowed gently—signs, windows, street lamps guiding my path.

A few blocks later, a vending machine beside a small park caught my eye.
My throat felt dry, so I stepped toward it.

"Hm... tea or soda?" I murmured to myself as I scanned the labels.

I reached for a coin—

Footsteps approached from the side.

Someone else had come to use the machine.

I glanced over, just enough to catch a familiar silhouette.

Long black hair.
Straight posture.
That calm, distant aura—

My hand froze mid-motion.

"...Zhao Yiyi?" I breathed.

She turned slightly, the pale vending machine light reflecting in her calm eyes.