See Chapter 4 (2)

She lowered her head as she descended the steps, and the two of them passed each other in a perpendicular direction

The weather is bad and this place is remote, with no sign of a taxi in sight. At this moment, Tong Xi finally understands that Mo Fei had planned to bring her here. She takes out her phone and opens the ride-hailing app, only to find that there are no cars nearby. What terrible luck she has.

In front of her relatives, Tong Xi did not show a trace of sadness; she merely made an excuse to go to the bathroom, where she splashed cold water on her eyes at the sink. The water flowed to her lips, leaving a slight salty taste. As she walked through the corridor, a fragrant scent filled the air, carrying a hint of laughter. She stood on the steps, looking up at the night sky, silently assuring her parents that she was doing just fine.

At the moment when she realized that this was neither an illusion nor a dream, Tong Xi stood up and left, her movements decisive and swift, without the slightest hesitation

It has been no more than three minutes since he left the private room, and even if he were to leave at this moment, he would not go very far

Regarding the matter of breaking up

Nie Xiu was faster than her, taking two steps forward to block her path with his hand. Tong Xi raised her hand to wave it without thinking, but the arm blocking her way did not move.

Before the words were finished, Tong Xi interrupted: "I want to listen to music for a while." The voice was light and airy, yet exceptionally firm

She did not understand why he went to such great lengths to have Mo Fei arrange this meeting. The idea of being friends after failing to become lovers was Mo Fei's style, not his, Nie Xiu. Like him, she was someone who believed in making decisive choices. Once they broke up, they were prepared to live their lives without any further contact.

Perhaps the estrangement of their first encounter had long foretold the outcome of their relationship

As she pushed open the car door, a rush of crisp air enveloped her, and Tong Xi felt as if she had awakened from a terrible nightmare. Upon entering the supermarket, the bustling crowd allowed her tense mood to finally relax

No need. Tong Xi quickly walked out of the private room, hurrying along, with a fire seemingly ignited in her heart, feeling inexplicably annoyed

Nie Xiu has been single for the past few years

She bought many items in preparation for her trip to Lushan Township the day after tomorrow. Daily necessities, biscuits, bread, juice, mineral water, and some toiletries, including a portion for Lu Kuan

The man standing in front of me has hardly changed, only becoming slightly thinner, which makes his features appear even more pronounced. His pupils are like ink, and when he looks at someone, there is a layer of light lurking beneath the calmness of his gaze

In winter, her hands and feet would turn cold, while he was just the opposite, holding her wrist tightly in his palm, warmth surging through her skin and spreading to her limbs and bones. The forgotten memories of the body were awakened... The first time holding hands, the first embrace, the first... Yet those once sweet memories now only evoked an indescribable sense of resistance.

Nie Xiu was unexpectedly waiting downstairs for her

One hundred yuan! Why tear it up? She was so heartbroken that she forgot her own sorrow. She watched helplessly as he tore that banknote into pieces, so small that they could not be reattached, and threw them into the trash can. Two small fragments fell to the ground, and he picked them up and tossed them in.

She is approximately 20 centimeters shorter than him, and even if she takes faster steps, she cannot catch up with his long legs

Tong Xi interrupted him: "I do not wish to discuss."

As a friend, Mo Fei truly could not bear it. After driving for more than ten minutes, it was estimated that Tong Xi's anger had subsided considerably. He began to cautiously speak a few good words on behalf of Nie Xiu, believing that any help, no matter how small, would be worthwhile.

Tong Xi did not want to reminisce with him, nor did she wish to discuss any topics related to the past. She was eager to leave, but Nie Xiu held onto her wrist firmly.

Nie Xiu knew that she was not speaking the truth, his Adam's apple moved slightly, yet he could not utter a single word. The strength of the apology was so shallow that it could not even make up for one ten-thousandth of the wound.

The voice on the phone was crisp, carrying a hint of chill. Mo Fei understood Tong Xi's temperament, and in helplessness, had no choice but to turn the car around and speed back.

It is unclear whether it is due to being designed by Mo Fei, or the sudden meeting with Nie Xiu, or perhaps the realization that one can be so easily swayed emotionally by his presence, losing composure.

"This place is not convenient for taking a taxi, I will take you back." Nie Xiu stood in front of her, using his back to shield her from the wind. This was his usual habit; during winter, whenever they were outdoors, he would always stand in the wind to protect her from it. However, no amount of tenderness could compare to the pain of that one sword at the moment of parting. The feeling of pain is always remembered longer and more vividly.

She instinctively moved a few steps to the side, avoiding the former "windbreak" and dialed Mo Fei's number

Tong Xi seemed to be oblivious, and after a while, it appeared that she heard him saying something, his voice faintly responding with a murmur.

Tong Xi was startled, thinking someone was robbing something. She looked up and was taken aback, stunned.

As I reached the bottom of the steps, the outside world had transformed into a vast expanse of white. The heavy snow fell in a flurry, as if it were pouring down all the snow that had accumulated over the past year.

Walking through the ancient and quaint corridor, Nie Xiu maintained a distance of one step behind her.

Hearing this long-overdue apology, Tong Xi felt a surge of emotions in her heart. Her tone was detached and indifferent, "It has been so long; I no longer care."

Tong Xi opened the car door, and as Mo Fei glanced at her expression, he immediately knew that the outcome was not good. He obediently pretended not to recognize Nie Xiu, not even greeting him, and took Tong Xi away.

I want to talk to you. " Nie Xiu's voice was serious and earnest, even carrying a hint of pleading, a demeanor she had never seen in her memories. He was always confident and proud, never bowing his head.

Tong Xi appeared like a jade figure sculpted from cold ice, her face devoid of color, silent and uncommunicative. As the car passed under the streetlights on the bridge, the snowflakes danced and swirled in the light, creating a dreamlike and ethereal scene. She bit her lip, reaffirming that this reunion was not a dream.

Nie Xiu lowered his head to look at her profile, his voice somewhat hoarse, "I am sorry, Qi Qi"

Mo Fei had just driven the car out of the gate when he saw Tong Xi's call. His scalp tightened; he initially wanted to ignore it, but the phone rang insistently. He had no choice but to brace himself and answer, speaking in a small and timid voice, "What is it, Tong Xi?"

Mo Fei felt a bit awkward and, with a forced smile, said: "Nie Xiu knows that you wouldn't meet him, so he had no choice but to ask me to arrange it. Please don't be angry."

Walking into the community with a heavy bag in hand, her boots crunched on the snow, making a squeaking sound. She was worried about slipping, keeping her head down the entire way, and did not notice a car parked in front of the building until, unexpectedly, the bag in her hand felt lighter.

Tong Xi put on the hood of her cashmere coat, completely covering her cheeks, blocking even the peripheral vision. It was not solely due to the cold; subconsciously, she did not want to see his profile, nor did she want him to see her face

Mo Fei turned on the car audio system, wisely maintaining silence throughout the journey, no longer mentioning the name Nie Xiu, but racking his brain in his mind to think of what other tricks he could employ

When he was about to leave, he lifted his head. It was only then that Tong Xi realized he was merely a youth; although tall, he appeared to be only two or three years older than her. His brows and eyes were exceptionally handsome, yet his expression was distant and unapproachable, like a cold moon shrouded in frost

Nie Xiu instead took the opportunity to grasp her wrist and called out "Qi Qi," her childhood name

She regretted that her reaction upon seeing Nie Xiu earlier had been somewhat excessive. She should have acted as if she had long forgotten the past, as the best strategy is for adults to overlook the minor grievances of others. Therefore, during their next encounter, she should remain calm and indifferent, treating him as a stranger. There is no need to fall out with him, nor to allow herself to become angry or agitated.

After struggling several times to no avail, she coldly looked at him and said: "Please let go."

I have nothing to discuss with you

That was her first birthday after returning to her home country. In the customs of Xizhen, the twelfth birthday is particularly significant. On the day of Qixi, her sister Tong Chunxiao reserved a luxurious private room at Xihu Spring, and her uncle and aunt specially traveled from Xizhen to T City. Her cousin, who had just started his job, used two months' worth of savings to buy her a gold bracelet, engraved with the six-syllable mantra in Sanskrit

Regarding the past, she did not wish to mention it, only wanting to forget. Even the person in front of her, she did not want to glance at again, turning her face to look at the vase on the table. A cluster of plum blossoms caught her eye, and she suddenly understood that the one who sent the flowers was indeed him

He studied finance and graduated to work in a bank, yet this does not hinder him from researching feng shui, destiny, and the I Ching. ... In "Dream of the Red Chamber," Qiao Jie’s birthday is on the Qixi Festival, while Tong Xi’s parents passed away in a car accident last year ... . ... Although he does not speak of it, he is quite worried about the fate of this little cousin, which is why he gave such a gift

The ground is already covered in white, and the car has driven over a thin layer of snow, coming to a stop by the side.

Even though Mo Fei was not present at the scene, he knew that this meeting would end in failure. Of course, this was all to be expected; it would not be easy to win back Tong Xi. After three years, not only had feelings faded, but it was also Nie Xiu who had initiated the breakup. The difficulty of reconciliation could be considered an extreme challenge

Such a reaction had long been anticipated by Nie Xiu. The ice of three feet does not form in a single day, and it cannot be melted overnight. Regardless of the urgency that felt like a mountain of knives and a sea of fire in his heart, he could only remind himself to take it slow. He released his grip and said softly, "I will take you back."

Indeed, Nie Xiu only saw Tong Xi for three minutes on this occasion. Even in the "wilderness," he was unable to secure the opportunity to send her home. It seems that in these fourteen days, restoring their relationship is impossible; the first day has already concluded, with progress at zero

Tong Xi walked straight down the steps, ignoring Nie Xiu beside her, just as she had when she first met him

Tong Xi remained silent all the way until the car was about to return to the residence. Upon seeing the entrance of Xingyuan Community from a distance, it was as if she had just awakened from a dream, and she said to Mo Fei: "Please drop me off at the supermarket entrance, I need to buy some things"

"If you do not come to take me back within three minutes, we will sever all ties from now on." After saying this, the call was disconnected

She spent half a day building up her mental fortitude, calming herself down, but in a moment of thought, she decided she did not want to have another encounter at all, not even a little. Moreover, given how humiliated he was tonight, according to his proud temperament, there would not be another time.

A brief silence, as if time and air have solidified into a massive iron block, pressing down on the heart and making it difficult to breathe

In previous years, her parents would celebrate Tong Xi's birthday by inviting classmates over for a lively little party at home, and the two young boys from the neighbor's house would also come over to sing for her while playing the accordion. Those days are gone and will not return.

Tong Xi originally just glanced unintentionally, but when she discovered that he was tearing a one-hundred-yuan bill, her gaze became fixed, as if watching his hand in slow motion. It was a very beautiful pair of hands, with long and well-proportioned joints. There was a black mole on the index finger of his right hand, which stood out particularly due to his fair skin. Coincidentally, she had one too. Her uncle said that a mole in this spot indicates intelligence and good academic performance.

In the midst of silence, she heard a faint sound, as if someone was tearing something. Turning her face to the direction of 9 o'clock, she saw a tall, slender young man standing in front of a trash can, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and khaki shorts