At that moment, all her memories flowed backward from the present.

On her birthday night, he carried her on his back and whispered, “Wen Shuangjing, make another wish.”

When she flew to Yihe to find him, after listening to her explain everything in the hotel room, he said with a solemn yet casual air, “I forgive you.”

Seeing the wound Che Xingde had inflicted on her, Sang Yan’s expression was heavy and helpless: “Can you consider my feelings?”

Further back.

The day they got together, Sang Yan suddenly appeared in the noodle shop. Under the grand curtain of rain, he looked at her with downcast eyes, his expression full of youthful sentiment: “After all these years, I still only like you.”

After Xiang Lang returned to the country, they played Truth or Dare after dinner. He drew a “truth” about “the city you last flew to,” and said “Yihe” without much emotion.

Earlier still.

Due to various accidents, Sang Yan inexplicably became her new roommate, which led to an argument between them. He stared at her, his tone devoid of warmth: “I didn’t expect you to think of me as such a devoted person.”

Until.

The day they first met at “Overtime” after their reunion. His expression was indifferent as he tossed a coat at her, yet introduced himself as if to a stranger: “I’m the owner of this bar, surname Sang.”

…

Meanwhile, Sang Yan entered the room carrying a bowl. Noticing the newspapers and miscellaneous items on the floor, as well as the photo in Wen Yifan’s hand, his expression froze slightly, but he showed no emotion about having his secrets pried into, only saying, “Why are you sitting on the floor again?”

Wen Yifan looked up at him.

Sang Yan walked to her side and extended his hand: “Get up quickly.”

Wen Yifan didn’t move, her voice barely audible: “Have you always been coming to Yihe to find me?”

“Mm,” Sang Yan admitted, “I told you before, didn’t I?”

“What?”

Sang Yan didn’t continue, instead taking a cushion from nearby and giving it to her: “Use this.” Then he handed her the bowl of brown sugar water, taking the photo from her hand: “Drink this first, it’ll get cold soon.”

Wen Yifan obediently accepted, holding the bowl with both hands and lowering her eyes, her eyelids gradually reddening. An intense sense of guilt and helplessness slowly pressed down on her, leaving her without the courage to even look at Sang Yan’s expression.

She wanted to ask, why didn’t you tell me when you came?

But then she remembered the words she had said.

Wen Yifan kept her head down, slowly saying, “Why did you come to find me…”

She had said such terrible things.

So many cruel words.

Sang Yan’s lips curved into a smile, his manner casual: “Didn’t I say, I told you before?”

Then he added: “Think about it yourself.”

Wen Yifan stared at the brown sugar water in the bowl, her mind gradually recalling what Sang Yan had said to her at the bus stop on the day Wen Liangzhe passed away.

— “I’m not very good with words, but no matter what, I’ll always be by your side.”

I’ll always be by your side.

Whether you know it or not.

Even if I’ve already said I won’t bother you anymore.

I’ll still keep my promise.

In places you can’t see.

Wen Yifan’s grip on the bowl gradually tightened, and she numbly took a sip of the brown sugar water. As she swallowed, tears also fell, splashing into the bowl. She bit her lip hard and took another sip.

Noticing her state, Sang Yan turned his head away, half-jokingly saying, “What, is it that hard to drink?”

“…”

“Wen Shuangjing, don’t cry, you hear me? What’s there to cry about?” Sang Yan no longer avoided the topic, reaching out to wipe her tears, “You didn’t cry even when big things happened before we got together, and now how many times have you cried? What does this make me?”

Wen Yifan remained silent, crying while drinking the brown sugar water.

Watching her like this, Sang Yan felt a mixture of heartache and an inexplicable urge to laugh: “Why do you look so aggrieved? If you don’t want to drink it, then don’t. Is it worth crying while drinking?”

Wen Yifan stopped, choking out: “I… I think I saw you at the graduation ceremony, but I thought you wouldn’t come… so I thought I was mistaken…”

“That’s pretty good,” Sang Yan said lightly, “If you had recognized me, I would have lost face.”

Wen Yifan’s tears fell one by one into the bowl, creating small splashes: “…I should have run over.”

Even if there was only the slightest possibility. She shouldn’t have ignored it.

While she was laughing and taking photos with her classmates, chatting happily, what kind of feelings must Sang Yan have had, standing far away on the other side of the crowd, then leaving alone?

Coming on his own, seeing her on his own, then leaving on his own.

Wen Yifan felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on her chest: “Why have I done so many bad things to you?”

“What are you talking about? Haven’t we already made up about this? It’s all in the past,” Sang Yan took the bowl from her hands and casually placed it on the ground, “Or have you done something else to wrong me?”

“…”

Wen Yifan sniffled and thought about it seriously, but couldn’t think of anything else. She looked up at him, suddenly remembering something, and confessed: “I took advantage of you once.”

Sang Yan raised an eyebrow: “Doesn’t that happen every day?”

“…” Wen Yifan had been feeling quite negative, but now she felt like laughing a bit. She stared at him, unable to resist moving closer to hug him, “It was before we were together.”

Sang Yan raised his hand to hold her waist: “Hm?”

“I pretended to sleepwalk,” Wen Yifan said sincerely, “I hugged you once.”

“…”

“When was this?” Sang Yan’s expression froze for a moment, seeming incredulous. After a few seconds, he laughed, “Wait, you did something like that?”

Wen Yifan didn’t feel guilty at all, her voice still nasal: “Let’s just say I was using my rights in advance.”

“Weren’t you always acting so upright back then?” Sang Yan simply let her sit on his lap, saying slowly, “So behind the scenes, you had these kinds of thoughts.”

“…” Wen Yifan stared at him, very frankly, “Yes.”

Sang Yan chuckled softly, seeming to be in a very good mood, and leaned down to kiss her. He turned his head to look at the newspapers scattered on the floor and reminded her: “Go clean up, you’ve turned everything upside down, it’s a mess.”

Wen Yifan nodded but showed no intention of moving.

They stayed in that position quietly for a while.

Suddenly, Wen Yifan called out to him: “A’Yan.”

Sang Yan: “Hm?”

“I want to live six years longer than you.”

Sang Yan’s brow furrowed slightly: “Why?”

Wen Yifan’s eyes were still red as she said solemnly: “This way, I can love you for six more years.”

Then we’ll be even.

“…”

Sang Yan immediately understood and laughed, lowering his head: “Forget it, I still want to live a few more years.” After saying this, he pulled her body closer to him, meeting her gaze: “Let’s save it for the next life.”

Next life.

You can like me for six years first.

Then.

I’ll also make you, just like I am now.

Get your wish fulfilled.

–

The next day was Sunday.

Sang Yan didn’t have to work, and Wen Yifan happened to have a day off as well.

They woke up early, and the moving company arrived on time. After cleaning the house thoroughly and checking for any forgotten items, Wen Yifan left the keys on the shoe cabinet.

They left the shared apartment where they had lived together for two years.

Noticing her expression, Sang Yan asked, “What’s wrong?”

Wen Yifan answered honestly: “I’m a bit reluctant to leave.”

“What’s there to be reluctant about? Aren’t you still living with me?” Sang Yan ruffled her hair forcefully, saying lazily, “If you like it, we can decorate our future house the same way, can’t we?”

Wen Yifan’s slight melancholy dissipated, and she smiled, saying: “Then wouldn’t it be like we’re still sleeping in separate rooms now?”

“…” Sang Yan’s expression changed, and he moved his hand to pinch her cheek instead, “I shouldn’t have tried to comfort you.”

Sang Yan drove the car into the underground parking lot of Zhongnan Century City.

They arrived a bit earlier than the moving company.

After getting out of the car, Wen Yifan didn’t know the way, so Sang Yan held her hand the whole time. They entered the elevator and went up to the ninth floor. There were only two units on each floor of this building. He walked to Unit B and entered his fingerprint to open the door.

Sang Yan didn’t rush to go in, stopping in place and holding her hand, leisurely recording her fingerprint as well. Then he casually mentioned: “No one but us can enter.”

Wen Yifan nodded absent-mindedly, her gaze looking inside.

This apartment was slightly larger than their previous shared apartment. There was a small entrance garden just inside the door, then the kitchen, with the dining room opposite, and the living room further in.

The decoration style was modern, with warm tones, giving it a cozy feel.

Before she could finish looking around, Sang Yan interrupted her attention, leading her inside: “I’ll send you the door password on WeChat later. Just live here like before, we’ve just moved to a new place, nothing else has changed.”

Wen Yifan responded, continuing to observe the interior environment.

All the necessary furniture was already there, but overall it still felt empty, with bare tabletops and cabinets. There was also a musty smell from long disuse, though it seemed someone had come to clean, as everything looked tidy.

They sat down on the sofa.

Wen Yifan asked casually: “Which room will I sleep in?”

Sang Yan leaned back in his chair, speaking slowly: “Sleep wherever you want.”

Wen Yifan looked at him.

“You can sleep in the bathroom or kitchen if you like. I’m not picky. No matter where,” Sang Yan tilted his head, his words full of implication, “I’ll keep you company.”

“…”

Wen Yifan felt she still had some principles: “Doesn’t this count as living together before marriage?”

“So what?” Sang Yan’s expression was arrogant as he mimicked her words from last night, “It’s going to happen sooner or later anyway, why can’t I use my rights in advance?”

“…”

Just then, the moving company arrived.

Sang Yan went to open the door and let them in, while Wen Yifan also stood up, intending to take a look at the master bedroom. She felt there was no need to dwell on this issue anymore, and it felt like protesting too much.

The master bedroom was the innermost room.

Wen Yifan opened the door and went in.

The decor leaned towards a girlish style, with light pink walls, a white bed, and a small dressing table beside it. By the window was a desk for her to work at, with a bookshelf next to it.

The floor was covered with a light-colored carpet.

This was Sang Yan’s house.

Yet the master bedroom was decorated in a girl’s style.

Soon after, Sang Yan followed her in.

Wen Yifan turned her head: “When did you finish decorating this house?”

“The year before last,” Sang Yan said casually, “But this room was redecorated recently.”

Wen Yifan looked around the room again: “Then why is it pink?”

“It’s for you,” Sang Yan said, “Just in case you didn’t want to sleep with me.”

“So are you going to sleep in this room with me?” Wen Yifan’s lips curved up, holding back a laugh as she said, “Then you’d be a big man with a very girlish heart.”

“…”

Outside, the sounds of workers moving luggage could be heard.

Sang Yan went out again to communicate with them.

Wen Yifan stayed in the room for a while, then walked to the window to open it for ventilation. After some time, just as she was about to go to the living room to check, her phone in her pocket rang.

She took out her phone and looked down at the lit screen.

Sang Yan: [Password 150102]

Wen Yifan looked at it for a moment, pretending not to understand: [Do the numbers have any meaning?]

After a few seconds.

Sang Yan: [?]

Sang Yan: [Your boyfriend’s birthday.]

Wen Yifan: [Is that all?]

The two continued to communicate via WeChat, one in the living room and one in the bedroom.

Sang Yan sent a voice message: “Think about it carefully.”

In the room, Wen Yifan could hear his displeased tone from outside.

Wen Yifan’s eyes curved downwards, immediately soothing him: [Oh, it’s the day we got together.]

Indeed, she thought again.

The day luck descended upon her.

–

The first-instance judgment in Che Xingde’s case came down in September. For the crimes of intentional homicide and rape, he was sentenced to death with multiple convictions. Che Yanqin was sentenced to three years in prison for helping Che Xingde destroy evidence.

The follow-up report on this case, which Wen Yifan was responsible for, also came to a complete end here.

And from this moment on, these two people completely disappeared from her life.

September 22nd this year was the centennial celebration of Nanwu No.1 High School.

Two weeks in advance, Wen Yifan learned about this from Zhong Siqiao. But she wasn’t very interested and didn’t know if she could make time to attend, so she gave an ambiguous answer.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Siqiao was particularly insistent that she must come together.

She even asked her to bring Sang Yan.

Wen Yifan had no choice but to apply for leave from her supervisor in advance and mentioned this to Sang Yan. He asked what it was about, didn’t say much else, and quickly agreed.

On the day of the school celebration.

They set off for Nanwu No.1 High School in the afternoon, meeting Zhong Siqiao and other high school classmates at the entrance. Wen Yifan couldn’t remember many people, only finding them vaguely familiar, but unable to recall their names.

Seeing the two of them together, many people’s first reaction was that they had been dating since high school until now.

Wen Yifan heard this but didn’t refute it.

Nanwu No.1 High School’s celebration was on a large scale, and the campus was crowded at this time. Walking along, there were various exhibitions everywhere, introducing the school’s history and various notable figures.

After wandering around for a while.

Wen Yifan and Sang Yan inadvertently became separated from the others.

The summer temperature was high, and the sunlight was intense, like a giant steamer. With the dense crowd, it seemed to amplify the sultriness, becoming unbearable after a while.

Possibly noticing her condition, Sang Yan glanced at the teaching building not far away: “Let’s go back to the classroom and take a look.”

Wen Yifan nodded.

The two entered the teaching building and went up the stairs.

It had been a long time since they’d been back, but it seemed not much had changed from before, only some places had been renovated. Wen Yifan didn’t talk to Sang Yan, just observed the surroundings, as if aligning them with her memories one by one.

The crowd gradually thinned out, looking empty, like the campus after school.

Neither Wen Yifan nor Sang Yan mentioned it, but they tacitly stopped on the fourth floor. Walking forward, through the corridor in front, turning left, towards the inner area.

She saw the familiar school water dispenser.

It was where Wen Yifan first met Sang Yan.

Wen Yifan suddenly felt this feeling was quite magical and turned to look at him: “Senior.”

Sang Yan turned his head, eyebrows slightly raised.

Wen Yifan smiled: “Do you know how to get to Class 17 of the first year?”

“I do, junior,” Sang Yan played along, drawing his words in an annoying tone, “Go straight ahead and turn right.”

This time, unlike when the two of them went to the classroom one after another in the past.

Wen Yifan continued to hold his hand, walking side by side. Following her memory, she turned right and walked to the innermost classroom. Amazingly, after all this time, the class sign still read “Class 17, First Year.”

The classroom door was open, with desks neatly arranged inside, their surfaces bare of anything.

Like an old classroom that had just been emptied.

Wen Yifan walked in and sat in the position where they had been desk mates, front and back. Sang Yan also sat behind her. For a moment, it was as if time had returned to that summer eleven years ago.

As soon as she sat down, Wen Yifan noticed something in her peripheral vision, and her eyes immediately lowered.

She saw that the entire drawer was filled with roses.

Her gaze froze.

A guess gradually formed in her mind.

Wen Yifan held her breath and reached in to pull out a rose.

At this moment, Wen Yifan felt Sang Yan’s leg move forward, hooking under her chair, giving it a light bump. The gesture was mischievous and bold, just like any time in the past.

She turned her head.

She saw Sang Yan leaning back in his chair, his expression spirited, just like years ago. He tilted his chin up slightly, the corner of his mouth pulling into a smile, revealing the shallow dimple on his right cheek, and suddenly said: “Wen Shuangjing, I’ll give you a promise.”

Wen Yifan stammered: “Huh?”

“After being with me,” Sang Yan’s eyes were dark, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, “all your wishes will come true.”

“…”

Wen Yifan’s gaze dropped, only now noticing the ring box on the desk. She stared blankly at the silver ring inside, feeling that although this was something they had mentioned before when it happened, it still felt surprising.

She held a rose in one hand, raising the other as if wanting to touch the ring.

In the next moment, Sang Yan grabbed her hand, holding it steady.

“Wen Shuangjing, will you marry me?”

Wen Yifan met his gaze, her eyes inexplicably starting to sting. She stared at his rare nervous expression, gradually overlapping with the young man from the past, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Yes, I only want to marry you.”

Sang Yan smiled along with her, slowly sliding the ring onto her ring finger, and pushing it up.

As if to tie her entire life to him from this moment on.

— “After being with me, all your wishes will come true.”

Yes.

You’ve fulfilled another one of my wishes.

Outside, the sunlight was dazzling, pouring in generously. The classroom was quiet and empty, cicadas calling loudly, bringing a thick summer atmosphere tinged with the flavor of youth.

The man before her seemed unchanged from beginning to end.

Wen Yifan inexplicably recalled a scene from long ago.

She couldn’t remember which afternoon it was.

That day was also clear and bright like today, the air sultry and long. Wen Yifan sat in her seat, flipping through Jeanette Winterson’s “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,” when a sentence moved her heart.

She felt that she also hoped to meet such a person.

Wen Yifan took out her notebook from the drawer, opened the pen cap, and carefully wrote: “I long for someone to love me fiercely till death, understanding that love is as strong as death–“

Before she could finish writing, Wen Yifan’s body was suddenly bumped from the side. Caught off guard, the pen tip dragged heavily across the notebook, then pulled back, smudging onto the arm of the person beside her.

The apology hadn’t left Wen Yifan’s lips before she instinctively looked up.

At that moment.

She met Sang Yan’s gaze.

— End of Main Text —