Qiu Xing’s motion of wiping his hair stopped abruptly. He stared in shock as Lin Yiran presented a pair of rings before him.

Lin Yiran held the ring box steadily, facing Qiu Xing. She didn’t say anything more.

Qiu Xing remained silent for a moment, looking into Lin Yiran’s eyes.

Lin Yiran met his gaze, her eyes filled with persistence, determination, and courage.

Then Qiu Xing put down his towel, tossing it on the nearby table.

He used the back of his hand to push away Lin Yiran’s hand.

“How old are you anyway?” Qiu Xing’s push wasn’t forceful, just enough to move the rings aside.

“Twenty-five,” Lin Yiran looked at him and said, “My college classmates already have children.”

“Have you even graduated? And you want to get married.” Qiu Xing turned away, “Stop being impulsive.”

Lin Yiran ignored his words and directly asked from behind him: “You’re unwilling, aren’t you?”

Qiu Xing didn’t deny it.

Before coming, Lin Yiran hadn’t expected certain success. She had acted on pure impulse, feeling she had to come. She knew Qiu Xing was stubborn. Forget marriage—he had never even agreed to dating.

She was gambling, with only a fifty percent chance of winning.

Although she knew there was a fifty percent chance of failure, when Qiu Xing rejected her, she still couldn’t help feeling sad.

The step she had taken alone, risking everything, hadn’t been caught by Qiu Xing.

Lin Yiran didn’t ask for his reasons. Regardless of what they might be, at this moment, Lin Yiran truly felt that Qiu Xing genuinely didn’t want to be with her.

The room fell into a suffocating silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The crisp sound of the ring box closing, neither loud nor soft, pierced through the room clearly into one’s ears.

Lin Yiran didn’t persist. She bent down and put it back in her bag.

Then she shouldered her bag, picked up her phone, and prepared to leave.

Qiu Xing heard her movements and turned around to see her leaving. “Where are you going?” he asked.

Lin Yiran appeared very calm and said, “Back to school. I have things to do tomorrow.”

“Now?” Qiu Xing glanced outside and asked uncertainly.

Lin Yiran nodded.

Qiu Xing raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, “Can I take you in the morning?”

“No need, I’m going back now,” Lin Yiran refused, “You’re busy.”

Lin Yiran opened the door and left. Qiu Xing grabbed his car keys and followed her out.

Although she said she didn’t need Qiu Xing to drive her and told him to mind his own business, Qiu Xing still took her to the station.

“Let me know when you arrive,” Qiu Xing said.

Lin Yiran responded with an “Mm.”

She never showed anger, nor did she pursue Qiu Xing to force him to agree. She calmly accepted his rejection.

Neither of them spoke during the journey. A faint awkwardness and stiffness permeated the car.

“Qiu Xing.”

Before getting out of the car, Lin Yiran said to him: “Because of my parents, I don’t yearn for marriage at all. I even feel repulsed by it.

“So it’s not that I’m desperate to form a family, nor is it that if you want me to find someone better, I can just pick someone to live with. From beginning to end, only you make me feel safe. Because it’s you, I don’t feel repulsed or afraid.”

She looked at Qiu Xing, without any sharp emotions, and said to him: “All my imaginations about the future are only directed at you. You’ve been good to me, I know that. You paid off my debt without telling me, I know that too.”

Qiu Xing immediately looked at her.

Lin Yiran didn’t need Qiu Xing to respond. She turned her head to look ahead and continued: “Every time I want to keep you, I have to use all my strength. The first time I used an exchange, the second time I used tears. This time I’ve offered the rest of my life, and if I still can’t keep you, I have no other chips left. I have nothing else to offer.”

Qiu Xing frowned slightly but didn’t speak.

Lin Yiran didn’t shed tears, her eyes weren’t even red. She sat there and said to him: “But Qiu Xing, I can’t always beg you not to leave me. Every time you reject me, I feel a little sad.”

She didn’t give Qiu Xing time to respond. She sighed softly and said: “I’m leaving.”

*

All along, Lin Yiran’s feelings for Qiu Xing were never just one kind.

Besides the affection she dared to admit, there was also trust, gratitude, and many others.

So she always respected all of Qiu Xing’s decisions. Last time when Qiu Xing said it was over, Lin Yiran, though upset, still accepted it. She was grateful for everything Qiu Xing had done for her, thankful that he had helped her out of her predicament and accompanied her through the most difficult times.

Without Qiu Xing, there wouldn’t be the composed person she is today.

She had never complained about Qiu Xing’s decisions, nor did she want to bind him with anything.

But this time, Lin Yiran wasn’t so magnanimous.

She had to admit that this time she was hurt. The courage and sincerity she had presented to Qiu Xing had been pushed away by him.

Lin Yiran pettily blamed Qiu Xing. While telling herself this wasn’t right, she would occasionally think angrily, fine, if he doesn’t want it.

The night she returned to school, Qiu Xing sent her a message asking: [Arrived?]

Lin Yiran replied: [Yes.]

After that, they didn’t contact each other again.

Unlike before when they were just busy, this time they completely lost contact. Lin Yiran didn’t send Qiu Xing any messages, and Qiu Xing didn’t transfer any more money to her.

As time passed, Lin Yiran began to feel uncertain.

She wasn’t confident she could change Qiu Xing’s mind, and suddenly she wasn’t sure if keeping Qiu Xing time after time was really what Qiu Xing wanted.

The rings were locked in her drawer, a beautiful pair of wedding rings, shut away in darkness.

*

All the procedures for buying the house were completed, and the keys had been handed over to her. Lin Yiran’s mood was different now from then, and she didn’t have money to renovate, so it just remained empty.

When she thought Qiu Xing would remain silent for a few more months and then they would quietly end things and go their separate ways, Qiu Xing came to find her on a rainy day.

This made Lin Yiran both surprised and hopeful, but this time not only did it fail to change the outcome, it actually hastened the end of their relationship.

That day was her teacher’s birthday. Lin Yiran had dinner at her teacher’s home and was returning to school afterwards.

It had been drizzling all day. Lin Yiran got out of the taxi with her senior classmate, wearing a man’s raincoat. She and her senior shared an umbrella, and to protect her, half of his body got soaked.

Her senior was elegant and handsome, refined and cultured. When Lin Yiran almost lost her balance, he steadied her by the shoulder, telling her to be careful.

Lin Yiran smiled at him and said, “Thank you.”

When they got out of the taxi, Qiu Xing’s car was parked one space behind them.

Usually, Lin Yiran could spot him at first glance. Whenever Qiu Xing appeared near her, Lin Yiran could find him immediately, as if she had a radar.

This time, Lin Yiran only saw Qiu Xing’s message after returning to her dormitory. After a while, she walked out with an umbrella, no longer wearing the raincoat from earlier.

The little house had been unoccupied for some time, making it feel empty when they entered.

Lin Yiran opened the door, took her slippers, and passed Qiu Xing’s to him.

Qiu Xing silently changed his shoes, then went straight to wash his hands.

He had a sour face, so naturally Lin Yiran couldn’t smile either. Originally, she had been excited when she saw Qiu Xing’s message, but after half a day, the small flames in Lin Yiran’s heart had been extinguished.

“Did you need something?” Lin Yiran tentatively asked Qiu Xing.

Qiu Xing sat on the sofa and said, “No.”

The slight probing and expectation in Lin Yiran’s heart disappeared, and her expression became cold and distant. She asked, “Then why did you come?”

Qiu Xing looked up at her, raising an eyebrow: “Do I need a reason to come?”

“What else?” Lin Yiran also raised an eyebrow, and because she wasn’t used to it, it appeared sarcastic and provocative.

Qiu Xing retorted: “Time’s up?”

Since he brought this up, Lin Yiran had nothing more to say, stung into silence.

She sat at the other end of the sofa, her nose feeling sour, but she suppressed it.

They each sat at one end of the sofa, neither looking at the other. Lin Yiran faced away, her chin tightly set.

Outside, the light rain continued to patter, the raindrops striking the window, creating a restless feeling inside.

After a while, Lin Yiran couldn’t stand it anymore. She turned back, clearing her throat.

“You…”

Lin Yiran started but changed her approach, saying: “I brought the rings.”

Qiu Xing’s expression didn’t change at all: “Find someone else to wear them.”

Lin Yiran looked at him in shock and asked: “Who should I find?”

“Don’t know,” Qiu Xing said indifferently, “Whoever you’ve been discussing love with, ask them to wear it.”

Lin Yiran’s eyes widened in confusion as she stared at Qiu Xing: “Who have I been discussing with?”

Again, Qiu Xing said: “Don’t know.”

Lin Yiran stared at Qiu Xing in bewilderment, not understanding what he was saying.

Qiu Xing let out a laugh and suddenly said: “On one hand, you say everything is only for me, then you turn around and can discuss love with others. You’ve figured me out.”

Lin Yiran asked in astonishment: “What exactly are you talking about?”

Qiu Xing felt one pocket, then the other, took out his phone, scrolled for a while, and tossed it over.

Lin Yiran picked it up and looked. On it was a screenshot of a friend circle post.

It was from her senior classmate a couple of days ago.

There were two pictures: one was a book he was reading on the high-speed train last time, and the other was the train window glass. In the reflection, you could vaguely see a long-haired girl sitting next to him, turning her head to look at the window. They seemed to be quietly gazing at each other through the glass and lens, creating an indescribable atmosphere.

The caption was: Remembering a lovely discussion about love.

Lin Yiran didn’t check her friend circle often; she hadn’t seen this post from her senior at all.

She looked up at Qiu Xing in bewilderment.

“Isn’t this you?” Qiu Xing asked, “Or you didn’t discuss?”

“I…” Lin Yiran didn’t know where to start.

They had been together for almost six years, and in those six years, there had been so many who pursued Lin Yiran, but Qiu Xing had never openly mentioned it. He acted as if he didn’t care about such things, never showing jealousy, appearing indifferent.

This time, he changed from his previous indifferent state, becoming harsh.

Beyond her surprise, Lin Yiran also noticed his change, feeling a contradictory sense of bewilderment and amusement, while simultaneously being angered by his use of the word “figured out,” her chest heaving up and down.

“You won’t be with me, so why do you care who I talk to and about what?”

After a few minutes, Lin Yiran said.

Qiu Xing nodded and said: “Right, it’s none of my business.”

Lin Yiran called to him: “Qiu Xing.”

Qiu Xing didn’t turn around.

Lin Yiran pressed her lips together and asked him: “You still don’t want to be with me, right?”

Qiu Xing didn’t speak, and Lin Yiran said: “This is the last time I’ll ask you. If you don’t want to, then forget it.”

With the recent coldness of being ignored, followed by Qiu Xing’s sharpness today, the usually good-tempered Lin Yiran was also provoked into showing emotion.

This indifferent tone was the first time Qiu Xing had heard it from her.

Qiu Xing said: “Then forget it.”

Lin Yiran’s eyes suddenly reddened.

“Fine,” she said.

Qiu Xing stood up, ready to leave.

“I’ll take you back to school,” Qiu Xing said.

Lin Yiran didn’t stand up, sitting there with her face raised as she said to him: “The time’s not up yet. I’ve taken so much money from you.”

Qiu Xing said: “It doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s end it here.”

Lin Yiran was stung by Qiu Xing’s “end it here,” feeling pain in her chest. She sniffled and said: “Then you can go.”

“Let me take you back,” Qiu Xing said again.

Lin Yiran stubbornly turned her face away: “I don’t need you to take me. I’ll find someone else to pick me up.”

“Fine,” Qiu Xing nodded, “Find someone good.”

“I can find someone, don’t worry about me,” Lin Yiran said, “Others have better tempers, look better, and are even Ph.D…”

She was about to say “Ph.D,” but Lin Yiran swallowed it back just as her lips formed the word, without making a sound.

But Qiu Xing understood. He was silent for a moment, then said “Fine” again, and this time he left.

*

Strictly speaking, this was their first argument.

Qiu Xing seemed to have a bad temper, but he never lost his temper—he was just a paper tiger. Lin Yiran was also someone without a temper, always gentle. Occasionally, one of them might get emotional, but the other could handle it, so they never fought.

This kind of confrontational dispute between the two had indeed never happened before.

Fighting means words against words, and it would be over if one of them softened afterwards.

But the bad thing this time was that it happened at an awkward period. The bond between them was about to expire, and the invisible line connecting them no longer worked.

If they didn’t transform into another type of relationship, there would be no reason to maintain their previous connection.

This argument pronounced the end of their relationship, even though Qiu Xing came on his initiative once more after this.

Although they remained intimate, they were both blocked by emotions, and they still ended.

*

Lin Yiran’s tears fell only after Qiu Xing closed the door.

With the sound of that door closing, Lin Yiran and Qiu Xing’s two three-year periods were cut off.

From then on, they had no relationship whatsoever. Lin Yiran was no longer Little Boat Lin, and Qiu Xing was no longer anyone’s Qiu Xing.

Lin Yiran, wearing Qiu Xing’s clothes, hugged her knees in loneliness and shed many tears.

Qiu Xing’s presence still surrounded her, but Qiu Xing said he wouldn’t return.

No one could keep Qiu Xing, and her house couldn’t lock in her love.