Always Home

On a weekend in early August, Song Cong received a message from Qi Qi: "When are you coming home? Let's all get together."

He sent over his schedule and waited a long time before Qi Qi replied, "Got it."

The conversation ended abruptly.

In truth, this was their first contact since the breakup.

The pain had long since faded. Song Cong figured it was probably their busy lives that had accelerated everything—intensive coursework ended, hospital internships began immediately, and he knew Qi Qi had been fully focused on preparing to study abroad. Like two trains running side by side, they moved forward without interfering, each on their own track.

Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing.

Around noon, Jing Qichi called to ask if he was still at school. When Song Cong confirmed, his friend immediately issued an order: "Meet at the cafeteria where we ate last time in half an hour. Bring your meal card."

The busy man rarely had time to meet, yet his freeloading skills had only sharpened.

Setting down his phone, Song Cong leisurely read a few more pages of his book. By the time he closed it, the timing was just right. He grabbed his car keys and headed out.

When he arrived at the cafeteria entrance, Song Cong was genuinely startled. He barely parked his bike before striding forward. "Huan’er! What are you doing here?"

"Surprised?" Huan’er grinned. Seeing the two of them about to hug, Jing Qichi quickly grabbed her hand. "Lao Song, read the room."

"Huh?" Song Cong’s momentary confusion gave way to understanding. He pointed at each of them in turn. "You even kept it from me?"

Truthfully, it wasn’t much of a surprise. He had known Jing Qichi’s feelings even before the man himself had fully realized them. As for Huan’er… well, it seemed inevitable, just a matter of sooner or later.

"I wanted to tell you in person," Huan’er said with a sweet smile. "Actually, it hasn’t been long—just since graduation day..."

"Alright, alright." Jing Qichi, suddenly embarrassed, cut her off. "Let’s eat first."

The three of them entered the cafeteria together. Song Cong asked, "When did you get here?"

"Yesterday." Huan’er couldn’t suppress a yawn. "I came straight from my school. I can only stay for a week before heading back."

"That soon?"

"I’ve been working on a project with my advisor, you know. I had to beg just to get this week off." At this, she suddenly remembered a professional question. "Oh, right! I saw Professor Li Guangyi from your school just published a paper on Aquaporin antibodies. He’s a faculty member in your department, right?"

A heavyweight in research—Song Cong had heard of him. He nodded. "Yeah. I attended one of his lectures before. His focus is mainly on cardiovascular pharmacology and renal physiology."

"That’s amazing!" Huan’er’s eyes sparkled as she fired off questions. "Can anyone attend his lectures? Is he giving any soon? Do you know the topic?"

"Oh, I remember—he also talked about multi-target drug design strategies."

"Multi-target? Which specific direction?"

"Can you two take a break?" Jing Qichi gestured toward the cafeteria lady behind the counter, who was holding a ladle and waiting for their orders. "Sorry about them."

The lady waved her ladle with the air of someone who had seen it all. "Talk it out first, then eat."

Huan’er raised a thumb in mock seriousness. "A good horse needs a good saddle, a prestigious school needs a prestigious cafeteria lady."

Even students a few steps away burst into laughter.

She always had a way of unexpectedly becoming everyone’s mood lifter.

After ordering and finding seats, Song Cong suddenly said, "Qi Qi messaged me today. She suggested getting together."

Huan’er and Jing Qichi exchanged a glance before looking back at him. "On the way here, Qi Qi asked me too. Did you… know she’s leaving?""Yeah." Song Cong gave a bitter smile. "How could I not know?"

Even though Qi Qi had never mentioned it.

Huan'er paused briefly. "Qi's flying to the UK next Saturday. Qi Chi's been working overtime lately, so I'm heading back to campus Saturday morning. You... She said since you can't make it back either, we won't have a gathering."

Their once-close group had scattered, each living their own lives. Those days when a simple phone call would have them cycling to each other's doorsteps were long gone.

Song Cong responded with a quiet "Mm." When he'd texted his return date, Qi Qi must have known they wouldn't meet—yet she'd said nothing. If... if she'd told him about next Saturday's departure, Song Cong thought he would have tried to swap shifts, even if it meant rushing back on a weekday evening and returning the next day. Qi Qi didn't want him to go through such trouble.

It was as if... as if she already knew. In that relationship that had ended, they'd both made too many compromises for each other.

"There's always so much to sort out before leaving," Huan'er said, noticing Song Cong's low spirits and trying to comfort him. "Even I, with all my free time, have to check her schedule. Qi says she's booked solid—she's even squeezing in two days to visit her grandparents."

"We'll meet again when there's a chance." Song Cong forced a smile and gestured with his chin. "Try the food here."

Huan'er picked up a piece of fish-flavored eggplant and took a bite. The taste made her exclaim, "Wow! It's like the twin of Third Hospital's cafeteria eggplant!"

Jing Qichi twisted open a drink for her and set it by her tray. "Told you you'd love it."

That sweet-sour flavor with a hint of spice was a shared memory for all three of them.

"My dad said the cafeteria got a new chef," Song Cong mentioned between bites. "The old head chef left to open a restaurant. Hospital staff get 10% off if they show their faces."

Jing Qichi chimed in, "Guess we'll need to bring one of them along to get the discount."

"Hey," Huan'er pinched his chin, "with a face as pretty as yours, you'd get discounts anywhere."

"Flatterer." Despite his words, Jing Qichi's pleased expression was unmistakable.

Song Cong waved a hand dismissively. "You two, eat up and scram."

Huan'er clicked her tongue. "Oh no, he's gotten too fancy for us now."

Jing Qichi played along with their melodramatic reunion skit. "I told you not to come into the city. After all this hardship, we end up with nothing."

"Can't blame anyone else. Let's just pack two more meals and leave."

Song Cong burst out laughing. "You're still thinking about takeout after eating all this?"

It was a rare meetup on a leisurely weekend. After the meal, the three moved to a corner to chat. Song Cong asked where Huan'er was staying. She pointed at Jing Qichi. "Crash-landed at their place last night. I'm staying with Du Man in her dorm tonight."

Jing Qichi quickly added, "She took my room. I stayed with Qiu Yang."

"Who asked for details?" Song Cong raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I'll snitch when I go home?"

Huan'er blushed.

Jing Qichi shrugged. "Afraid you'll give us the birds-and-bees talk." Noticing Huan'er's embarrassment, he changed the subject. "Have you been in touch with Du Man lately?"

"Occasionally." Song Cong said. "She's been wanting to take the grad entrance exam for our school, but she can't avoid her internship this year. The pressure's getting to her."

"No wonder." Huan'er sighed. "When we talked the other day, she was crying the whole time. Song Cong, you should help her more if you can."This little girl, having set her sights on postgraduate studies, seemed to be reverting to her high school habits—her social media remained untouched for ages, messages took three days to get a reply, and whenever asked where she was, the answer was either the library or the study room. Before Huan'er arrived, the two had a phone call, but Du Man burst into tears after just a few words. That day, her supervisor had scolded her harshly in front of everyone—"The hospital doesn’t keep slackers. Either do your job or get out." The reason? She had been doing postgraduate exam prep in the department and missed a colleague’s call. Du Man sobbed uncontrollably on the other end, "I’m studying for my master's to broaden my path, Huan'er. I really want to be a good doctor. Ever since I chose this path, I’ve never stopped thinking about it."

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Huan'er completely understood her friend’s struggle.

Du Man’s shining dream had led her down a lonely and arduous road.

"If they're classmates, I’ll do my best to help." Thinking this, Song Cong added, "I never knew Du Man was like this before."

"Like what?"

"Just... a bit stubborn, principled." Song Cong recalled their limited interactions. "Probably the most persistent one among the people around us."

"You transferred later," Jing Qichi chimed in. "You weren’t even classmates for a full year. How much could you really know?"

"True," Song Cong nodded. "People reveal themselves the more you interact."

"Can you believe Xinyan went back to take the civil service exam?" Huan'er propped her chin on her hands. "That girl who was always on the move."

She changed boyfriends so often no one could keep track, juggled fan clubs, travel, and student activities effortlessly, and posted graduation photos twice in nine-grid collages on social media. If anyone lived life to the fullest in those four years, it was Liao Xinyan.

Huan'er was half-afraid she’d pass the exam and turn the Tianhe financial system upside down.

Unexpectedly, both Jing Qichi and Song Cong shrugged. "Not surprising."

"Xinyan’s been a class leader all along," Song Cong counted on his fingers. "Junior high league secretary, high school class monitor, college faculty president..."

Jing Qichi continued, "Future March 8th Red Banner Award-winning, capable female leader—who’s more suited for this path than her?"

Huan'er was convinced. It suddenly struck her—Liao Xinyan had known early on what she wanted or needed to do. Those four years seemed more like a planned, deliberate self-indulgence.

Like the clock striking midnight, characters returning to their places, the fairy tale abruptly ending.

People certain about their lives rarely feel regret or frustration, because it’s a life they’ve chosen earnestly.

The cafeteria window closed and reopened. In the empty space, someone hummed Ai Pia Jia E Ya ( Love Fight Will Win ).

"Losing heart may bring sighs,

Falling low may bring fear,

But never lose hope,

Drowning in drink each day,

Soulless like a scarecrow.

Life is like waves on the sea,

Sometimes up, sometimes down,

Good luck or bad,

You must still carry on.

Three parts fate,

Seven parts fight,

Love fight will win."

Perhaps it was a Fujianese cook—the Minnan pronunciation was flawless.

The three listened quietly until the song ended. Huan'er stood up. "Let’s go. If we’re late, Manman will be waiting."

Jing Qichi took Huan'er, while Song Cong rode on the outside. In the clear sky, a crescent moon suddenly appeared.

Just like on those high school nights walking home after evening self-study—gentle breezes, passing strangers, and words only they understood.

Time took away some sorrows but brought new troubles, gave them heart-fluttering love yet left behind invaluable companions.For them, the eight years they've known each other cannot be described in just a few words.

The only thing they're certain of is that in the many eight-year periods to come, the other will always be present in their lives, just like that moon in the sky.