А bаsketful of cоld wind рoured оver them. Тhе wеаthеr wаs bitterly сold, but it was the end of the уеar. Lоoking аrоund, thеrе werе сrоwds оf рeоple and еndlеss streаms of vehiclеs. Yet, standing in thе wind at this momеnt, Jiаng Du fеlt unusuаllу саlm instead.
Wеi Qingуue turnеd tо glаncе at hеr. Тhe two wеrе half а meter aрart, and with just that оnе lоok, it lаnded right in the nest оf hеr hеart. Оnlу thеn did Jiаng Du rеmеmber thаt shе should рrobаbly saу somеthing. Shе оpеnеd hеr mоuth, but the boy sрoke first:
"You're still so fоnd of meddling in othеr peоplе's businеss."
Jiang Du instаntly wilted to the ground. She lowered her head, her toes kicking at nonexistent little stones again and again.
"Let's go, I'll walk you to the bus stop." Wei Qingyue tightened his scarf, looking around twice as if trying to figure out the direction.
The two walked toward the bus stop. Jiang Du wore an old woolen hat that caused static, strands of hair sticking to her face. She really wanted to tell Wei Qingyue that she knew how to take the bus, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she quietly followed behind him as if he were a signpost.
Wei Qingyue turned around and laughed, his expression distant yet close. He said, "Following behind me like a captive."
Captive? Upon hearing this word, Jiang Du's heart was instantly and inexplicably submerged in it. I am your captive, Wei Qingyue. She felt a dull, heavy ache in her chest, almost wanting to burst into tears. She thought, I was so worried about you, truly afraid your father would hit you again. How can you still joke around with me so carelessly?
At this thought, her eyes felt corroded by her emotions. Jiang Du's lips trembled a few times, but nothing came out.
"Do you have coins?" Seeing her silent, Wei Qingyue asked again.
Jiang Du finally looked up: "Yes, I have a bunch of coins. Do you need them for the bus?" Thinking Wei Qingyue had no change, she took off her gloves and reached into her down jacket pocket.
Wei Qingyue smiled: "That day on Christmas, why didn't you pick something? I was ready to pay for you."
Jiang Du's movements slowly stopped. She forced herself to say, "I explained already, I don't like celebrating Christmas."
"Is that so? I forgot about that," he waved his hand, "I don't need coins, don't take them out. I was just asking if you had change for the bus."
Jiang Du had no choice but to put the coins back.
Walking like this to the bus stop, Wei Qingyue suddenly said, "Earlier, you didn't need to step in for me." His voice was low, like winter clouds. "Once Wei Zhendong decides on something, he doesn't care about reasons."
Jiang Du's chest felt terribly blocked: "I don't understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"I don't understand hitting someone without a reason. You..." Jiang Du hesitated, "could you go stay with your grandparents?"
"My legal guardian is Wei Zhendong. He doesn't like me, and others might not like me much either. I can't be bothered to trouble them." Wei Qingyue exhaled heavy puffs of white mist, his hands in his pockets, his messy hair flying past his eyebrows.
"Today, I actually turned down Zhang Xiaoqiang. I usually don't join in such festivities. But Wei Zhendong wanted to take me to a dinner gathering. I didn't want to go, so I came here instead," Wei Qingyue's lips twisted into a self-mocking smile. "Who knew I'd run into him on the street? He must wish he could whip me to death with his belt."
Wei Zhendong had used a belt before. When he hit him, he grabbed whatever was at hand.Speaking of these matters, Wei Qingyue’s tone was as casual as if he were chatting about someone else’s trivial affairs. Jiang Du really wanted to say, why don’t you come to my house instead? When she realized she actually had such an absurd yet genuine thought, she startled herself.
But how awkward this kind of situation was—Wei Qingyue had just casually told her about it. Perhaps it was simply because she had already witnessed his embarrassing moment; to some extent, they could share this secret.
Jiang Du’s throat felt bitter. She weighed her words carefully and said, “Then, once you get into university and stay far away from him, you’ll be able to completely break free from your dad after you start working.”
“My mom just left yesterday,” Wei Qingyue said, but he wore a smile, looking quite relaxed. “It’s been almost three years since I last saw her.”
Hearing this, Jiang Du felt happy for him too. “You must have missed your mom a lot. Finally, you got to see her.”
“I didn’t miss her,” Wei Qingyue replied bluntly. “I was happy she came because it gave me a chance to discuss studying abroad with her in person. There might be some things I need her help with in the early stages. Are you surprised?” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t even miss my own mother. It’s just a matter of needing something from her—that’s all there is to it.”
…
Jiang Du’s expression gradually stiffened. She shook her head vaguely, unsure what she was trying to convey with that gesture.
But Wei Qingyue suddenly gave her a faint smile. “You’ve been very kind to me, more caring than my own parents.”
Huh? Jiang Du’s entire face froze at his words. Which organ was she supposed to breathe with again?
“Don’t look at me like that. When someone is kind to another person, it could be out of familial affection, friendship, or love,” Wei Qingyue said, his expression shifting subtly at the word “love,” as if he found it distasteful. “Or maybe they’re just naturally warmhearted. You’re that kind of person, aren’t you, Jiang Du?”
His words made her feel a bit embarrassed. Jiang Du touched her scarf and said softly, “I’m not that warmhearted either.”
“That incident in Limin Lane—back then, I thought you were foolish, overestimating yourself. How could a girl be so nosy? Honestly, you left a very bad impression on me.” Wei Qingyue seemed to have opened the floodgates, swallowing the cold air as he spoke. He didn’t suggest leaving or ask which bus she was taking, just stood there, exhaling white puffs of breath as he talked to her.
The bus she needed to take, its green sign flashing at the front, slowly pulled up to the stop. Jiang Du just stared at it without moving. It was really cold; her face stung from the wind.
Wei Qingyue really had a way with words… Jiang Du buried half her face in her scarf, leaving only her eyes visible, watery and hesitant.
“I have a terrible temper, and I’m not good at accepting kindness from others. Don’t be surprised—if you were classmates with me for a few years like Zhang Xiaoqiang, you’d know.” As he spoke, Wei Qingyue reached out, grabbed her, and pushed her directly onto the bus. He followed her on, and the doors slowly closed behind them.
He fished out his wallet from his padded jacket, found a few coins, and dropped them into the fare box. Then, without hesitation, he tugged on Jiang Du’s sleeve and led her to the empty seats in the last row.
Everything happened too quickly. Before Jiang Du could react, Wei Qingyue was already sitting by the window.
She pulled her scarf down slightly and said in a fluster, “Is this your bus? Why did you drag me on?”
“Isn’t this the one you take?” Wei Qingyue retorted. “I’ll see you off. It’s getting dark; it’s not safe for you to go home alone.”So that's how it was, but how did he know? Jiang Du blinked. Wei Qingyue gave a slight tug at the corner of his mouth. "I guessed you'd take this bus, right?"
She nodded shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and said, "But if that's the case, you'll get home late."
"I'm in no hurry. Why rush home just to get a beating?" Wei Qingyue joked at his own expense. With a sudden brake, Jiang Du, who had been standing and hadn't yet sat down, stumbled forward onto the seat. Wei Qingyue swiftly grabbed her arm, holding her steady. He smiled and said, "Sit down."
Jiang Du glanced at him, embarrassed, then lowered her gaze and took her seat.
The bus lights were dim, casting a faint reflection of the boy's silhouette on the window. Wei Qingyue looked outside, then turned to glance at her. "It's not so bad now."
Jiang Du let out a confused "Huh?"
He was referring to what he had said before they boarded the bus. Only after Wei Qingyue explained did Jiang Du understand. She fidgeted nervously with her scarf, and her "Huh" softened into a flat tone.
Passengers came and went, leaving only the two of them sitting in the back row. For a moment, the world fell into a quiet stillness. Neon lights flashed past the window, occasionally brightening their eyes for a fleeting second.
Flickering on and off, like the moment between waking and dreaming. Every second felt more precious than sunlight. Jiang Du's hands clutched her scarf tightly—this was the closest she had ever been to Wei Qingyue.
As they neared her stop, she reluctantly stood up, holding onto the seatback, and said, "I should get off now."
As the bus doors opened, a rush of cold air swept in, wrapping around them.
"You," Jiang Du cleared her throat softly, "are you going to take the bus across the street?"
"No, I'll take a taxi back."
Wei Qingyue looked at her and smiled. "Do you have something else you want to say to me?"
Jiang Du's mind was a tangled mess. She shook her head, then nodded. "If your dad hits you, can you call the police?"
Wei Qingyue only smiled. The twilight was too deep for Jiang Du to understand what it meant.
"Go home. I'll see you off here," he said.
Jiang Du suddenly felt like crying. Lowering her head, she wanted to ask if he was about to go abroad, but she didn't dare. It was as if not saying it would keep it from happening. She nodded and said, "Okay."
"Oh, and Happy New Year." Wei Qingyue's voice was as gentle as cherry blossoms in spring. He rarely spoke in such a tone—soft and sudden, blooming beside Jiang Du's ear.
Jiang Du couldn't help but look up. Tears had already welled in her eyes as she forced a smile. "Happy New Year."
She had intended to watch him hail a taxi, but she couldn't stay a second longer. The moment she turned around, tears began to fall freely. Jiang Du no longer tried to hold them back. The world blurred in and out of focus. She thought she heard the sound of a car door closing behind her, but maybe she hadn't.
At that moment, it felt as if she were walking through the world alone. Ahead, lights stood tall and bright. All she wished for was that Wei Qingyue would find happiness soon, and forever.
OpenNovel