Chapter 4| The Evening Breeze on the Playground

Saturday afternoon.

Shen Zhiyi stood at the school gate, still somewhat dazed.

The iron gate had been renovated, the security guard's booth had been moved, and a row of newly planted plane trees stood at the entrance.

But when she looked up and saw the familiar school sign, memories flooded back in an instant.

“Regretting coming?”

A familiar voice came from behind.

She turned around.

Lu Chenzhou, wearing a simple white shirt, sleeves casually rolled up, looked less sharp in the business world and more youthful.

“How did you convince the security guard?”

“My alumni card.” He waved the card in his hand, “I invested in the new gymnasium and got an honorary alumni status.”

She chuckled softly.

“The power of capital.”

“Only for you.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

—

The playground was still the same.

The synthetic track had been renovated, and the lawn was greener.

Several students were playing basketball, and laughter drifted from afar.

A breeze blew by, carrying the scent of sunshine and fresh grass.

She stood by the track, suddenly lost in thought.

“You waited for me here back then,” he whispered.

She didn’t deny it.

“Until it got dark.”

“Yes.”

“And you cried.”

She looked at him sharply.

“How did you know?”

He chuckled softly.

“Because I waited here later too.”

“I saw some wet tissues next to the trash can.”

“That was your usual brand.”

Her heart tightened.

He remembered every detail from ten years ago clearly.

“Lu Chenzhou.”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you being too persistent?”

“Only for you.”

He said it naturally.

Like breathing.

——

They slowly walked to the teaching building.

At the end of the third-floor corridor was the former Senior 3 (2) class.

The door was open, and students were studying inside.

They stood outside the door, not going in. “You sit by the window,” he said.

“You sit in the back.”

“Because of your good eyesight?”

“Because I can see you.”

Her ears instantly burned.

“Were you this good with words even back then?”

“Not back then.”

He looked at her.

“Back then I would only steal glances.”

Sunlight slanted in through the window.

Dust motes floated in the light.

She suddenly felt that time hadn't passed.

The seventeen-year-old boy and girl seemed to still be sitting in the classroom.

“You know what?”

He suddenly spoke.

“The day before the college entrance exam, you fell asleep.”

“I wrote a sentence in your notebook.”

She froze.

“What?”

“‘Go to farther places in the future.’”

She was stunned.

She always remembered that sentence.

But she thought she had written it herself.

"It was you?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd think I was meddling."

She suddenly felt a tightness in her throat.

"You've always been like this."

"Like what?"

"You never say anything."

He was silent for a second.

"Not anymore."

—

Evening.

They sat on the bleachers of the playground.

The sun slowly set.

The evening breeze was gentle.

Just like many years ago.

"If we hadn't missed each other that day," she suddenly asked.

"What would you have said?"

He looked at the distant horizon.

A few seconds of silence.

Then he turned to look at her.

"I would have said."

"Shen Zhiyi, I like you."

The air was quiet.

Her heart began to race.

"And now?"

She asked.

Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

His gaze was gentle.

"I like you even more now."

The wind ruffled her hair.

He reached out and smoothed her hair.

His fingertips touched her ear.

He paused for a moment.

In that instant, time seemed to slow down.

She didn't pull away.

She just looked at him.

The distance was dangerously close.

He asked softly:

"Is it okay?"

"What?"

"To hug you."

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her heart was pounding.

Reason told her to stay calm.

But her emotions had already crossed the line.

She nodded gently.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

It wasn't an impulsive embrace.

It was a restrained and gentle closeness.

His chin rested gently on the top of her head.

"Ten years," he said.

"I've finally held you."

She closed her eyes.

The evening breeze blew.

The laughter of students on the playground was distant and indistinct.

At this moment.

She suddenly understood.

It wasn't that he was pursuing her.

It was that they had finally reached the same timeline.

She spoke softly.

"Lu Chenzhou."

"Hmm?"

"If I said, I like you too."

His body stiffened slightly.

His breathing became heavy.

"What did you say?"

She looked up.

Looking at him.

"I said, I also—"

Her phone suddenly rang.

The shrill ringtone interrupted everything.

She was startled.

It was that unfamiliar number.

The one from yesterday.

She looked at Lu Chenzhou.

His eyes still held lingering emotions.

"Answer it?" he asked.

She hesitated for a second.

She pressed answer.

The voice on the other end of the line was deep and cold.

"Shen Zhiyi, do you think Lu Chenzhou is like this now because he loves you?"

Her heart sank.

"What do you mean?"

The other person chuckled. "You really have no idea why Chenzhou Capital suddenly changed its business model back then?"

The evening breeze suddenly turned cold.

She looked up at the man beside her.

He was looking at her.

His gaze was clear and gentle.

But the words on the other end of the phone were like a pebble.

Thrown into the still water of a lake.