At the time, Long Qi was still helping Dong Xi with gauze. The one who responded to that girl was Dong Xi’s classmate, her voice somewhat timid but still reasonable, speaking a bit louder: “But it was the senior who hit someone. Senior, is it reasonable for you to come up and demand an explanation?”

“Yo,” the girl replied, “we’re from the same department. Hey, don’t get all cozy with me, I don’t know you! Tell that woman to come out!”

“Enough, enough,” someone pulled her, “you’ve had too much to drink, say less.”

“Why should I have to hold back when his hand is bleeding!”

“The girl is also injured. Enough, enough, stop making a scene.” There were still some sober and reasonable people, but that girl had a hot temper and wouldn’t listen.

“Are you coming out or not!”

As she spoke, she pushed forward through people. Dong Xi’s classmates were too weak to stop her. The chaos between footsteps affected the innermost layer. Long Qi was already at the critical point of exploding. After her shoulder was bumped, she couldn’t suppress it anymore. She threw the medicine bottle and bandage in her hand to Zhang Muyi, stood up, and upon turning around faced that girl. Dong Xi’s classmate was still timidly trying to reason, but she grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it against the table corner. All around came a circle of startled screams. Glass shards scattered across the floor. She gripped the broken bottle, asking slowly and gently: “What do you want to do?”

There was no exclamatory tone. It wasn’t really asking “what do you want to do” in that sense, but rather an extremely low-pressure personal threat. The girl became afraid now. Long Qi hadn’t even moved, but she was already stumbling backward in confusion. Boiling, restless, guilty conscience. There was discussion and gasping sounds, but all were suppressed by the bone-chillingly cold delinquent aura emanating from Long Qi at this moment. Instead, Zhang Muyi pressed down on Long Qi’s hand holding the broken bottle, advising her to restrain herself a bit.

People around recognized her.

Perhaps they’d heard of her violent temper, perhaps they were shocked by this display of power. People completely backed down. Friends pulled each other back to the outer circle. But what arose simultaneously was the increasingly obvious sound of photographing and recording all around. Click, click. More and more. Lin Hui ran over at this moment saying the car had been called. Long Qi released the bottle. The shattering sound again scared back a crowd of people. She went to help Dong Xi.

“Let me.” Zhang Muyi said.

As soon as his words fell, he lifted Dong Xi’s entire person, bypassing the crowd toward the taxi at the entrance. Lin Hui helped open the car door. When Long Qi walked out, a large pile of phone cameras and discussion voices still cautiously captured her, as if hoping she could be a bit fiercer, a bit more explosive.

She got into the front seat of the car expressionlessly.

“Lin Hui…” Before Lin Hui got in the car, Dong Xi called her, voice light and weak. “You don’t need to accompany me. Go back to the dorm. Luo Xin and the others didn’t bring keys.”

During Lin Hui’s hesitation, Long Qi said: “You go back. We’ll contact you later.”

She finally nodded and closed the car door.

Dong Xi’s wound needed stitches. Five stitches.

Whether it would leave a scar was still unknown. Whether there would be aftereffects was also still unknown. Zhang Muyi accompanied Dong Xi, while Long Qi sat on the waiting chairs in the corridor. She wore a mask, looking at her phone. Videos of the restaurant incident had already spread online, with text commentary saying “Finally believe the rumors that Long Qi used to be a delinquent girl. Hurt our people, won’t admit it and even smashed a bottle.”

Comment and share numbers went from hundreds to thousands, trending toward ten thousand. Lao Ping sent her a message telling her not to leave through the hospital’s front entrance. Reporters had already gradually heard the news and were gradually arriving. Go through the underground parking garage. The car would pick her up there.

Staring at the phone screen for a long time, as if returning to that moment in senior year when Dong Xi fell into a cheating scandal because of her. Some things always cycle. Some things are destined. A breath sighed out weakly through the mask. She typed on the screen, replying to Lao Ping: Park the car at the front entrance. I’ll leave through the front.

Before leaving, she glanced at the examination room. She couldn’t see Dong Xi, only saw the vague silhouettes behind the screen and Zhang Muyi blocked by half the screen. Zhang Muyi was gazing at Dong Xi, with only her in his eyes. It wasn’t until Long Qi made slight movement leaving that he glanced outside.

When Long Qi had walked five steps away, Zhang Muyi called her from the doorway. She didn’t turn around. Zhang Muyi asked her why she wasn’t waiting for Dong Xi to get better before leaving together.

“I have urgent business. Can’t wait.” Because if we leave together, you won’t be able to leave.

Zhang Muyi said: “Wait a moment.”

He re-entered the examination room. A few seconds later, he came out with paper and pen, quickly writing down a string of numbers on the paper and handing it to her: “This is my phone number. Regarding the restaurant incident, if you need parties involved to clarify, contact me anytime.”

He paused, then continued: “If you want to know about Dong Xi’s condition, you can also contact me.”

So this was the boy Dong Xi was willing to communicate with.

This was the boy that after enduring Jin Yiken’s abandonment, Bai Aiting’s humiliation, Long Qi’s betrayal, public slander, seeing through human hearts and worldliness, after “closing the country” for a year, Dong Xi reopened herself to accept—a boy who wasn’t dazzling or impressive or handsome, but was meticulous and reliable in handling matters.

Long Qi looked at him, took his paper, and put it in her pocket.

She was convinced.

At eleven at night, Lao Ping contacted the restaurant to obtain that day’s surveillance footage. On this matter he didn’t reproach Long Qi at all. Instead he said: “Good thing.”

“Good how?”

“I’ve watched the surveillance,” Lao Ping said. “You’re in the right on this. Any clear-eyed person can tell with one look.”

“Then let’s release it.”

“Will release it, but not now.” Lao Ping’s tone on the phone was relaxed and casual. “We need to handle this matter like this.”

Long Qi later patiently listened for ten minutes. Lao Ping’s meaning was to borrow momentum to fan the flames before reversing—first let public opinion continue fermenting, let them curse, let them argue, the fiercer the better. During this period her exposure rate would rise extremely rapidly. Wait until public criticism of Long Qi collapsed to the extreme, then release the complete surveillance video that any clear-eyed person could distinguish right from wrong. Long Qi’s positioning was already ambiguous. This way, it would solidify her image of being generous and loyal.

The public would also feel guilt.

At that time, this wave of guilt would explode into a fan base. Long Qi’s image transformation from perpetrator to victim would also gain her tremendous national favorability, and even her previous nightclub incident could be understood and forgiven together.

Lao Ping’s plan was quite sharp, but Long Qi didn’t agree.

“You’ll suffer some grievances, it’s also quite risky, but the benefits outweigh the harm. Those kids who shaded you will also taste the backlash in the end.” Lao Ping said.

“It’s not about grievances,” she replied. “I just helped a friend today. If my image can’t be salvaged tonight, tomorrow her thing will probably be ruined. It’s a pretty good thing, charity-related. Just don’t blow this up. Handle it however it should be handled.”

“Moreover,” she said, “I don’t want that person in England to know about this.”

Under Long Qi’s insistence, though Lao Ping had ten thousand enemy strategies, in the end they all transformed into gentle fingers, simply releasing the surveillance. The matter happened vigorously that night and ended painlessly that same night. Fans and reputation did rise a bit in the end. The biggest beneficiary was probably Zhongyu University’s Art Week promotion, which really did ride Long Qi’s trending topic to the hot search, gaining attention beyond expectations.

For a week after that, Long Qi didn’t contact Dong Xi or Lin Hui.

The thing she wanted to confirm already had a perfect answer. No need to entangle further, lest it fall into an awkward situation of lingering attachment.

That Saturday there was a music festival at the seaside. Ban Wei had a main stage. Long Qi was invited by him to play and liven up the scene. Ban Wei was very loyal. Though the song he promised her wasn’t finished, he adapted two of his famous songs into female vocals for her to lead. She supported him with a casual attitude, but didn’t expect the live response to be enthusiastic. Ban Wei, already someone who easily got hyped, became even more hyped, returning for encores several times.

When the show ended it was already very late, past ten. Staff were clearing the backstage. Ban Wei had people buy alcohol, hooking his arm around Long Qi’s shoulders calling her Elder Long, telling her to have a few drinks with him tonight.

Long Qi was sending messages to Jin Yiken at the time. At this hour in England it was afternoon. She suddenly especially missed him. She took a photo of the empty stage after the show and sent it to him.

“Long Qi.”

The screen had just displayed that the photo was sent successfully when there was a soft, sweet calling voice from behind. This voice lightly struck against her spine. Her thumb that was typing froze for a moment. She and Ban Wei both turned to look.

Dong Xi stood at the backstage entrance. Zhang Muyi was beside her accompanying her.

After the alcohol was bought, they spread a square cloth on the empty stage. Everyone sat on the ground. The night wind carried the coolness of entering autumn, blowing mercilessly. Long Qi wore little, wrapped in a blanket. Ban Wei and the band members poured drinks into each other getting individually hyped. Dong Xi sat on Long Qi’s right side. Her quietness in this commotion was always like a soul-fixing needle, fixing Long Qi’s emotions. Long Qi opened a can of alcohol, took a sip. Dong Xi said slowly: “The fundraiser was very successful.”

“Oh.”

“When sending supplies, we want to add your name to the donor list.” Zhang Muyi picked up the conversation.

“Oh, that’s good.”

The atmosphere seemed a bit cold. Long Qi took a second sip of alcohol, glancing at Dong Xi’s brow bone: “Does it still hurt there?”

“Doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“What did the doctor say? Will it scar?”

“The doctor said her healing ability is fairly…” “Whether it scars or not doesn’t matter.”

Zhang Muyi and Dong Xi’s replies sounded simultaneously. Zhang Muyi withdrew his voice first. He glanced at Dong Xi. Dong Xi’s hand gripped an unopened beer can, with no apparent intention of opening it. Her gaze was calm, tone without ripples.

Long Qi took a third sip of alcohol. This third sip directly poured the remaining beer into her stomach. She set the empty can aside and took a second beer can.

“Come come, bro, you come!” Ban Wei suddenly came over to pull people, immediately dragging Zhang Muyi into his crowd to compete in drinking. This side left Long Qi and Dong Xi. The night wind whistled and scraped. Long Qi’s cold still wasn’t better. While opening the beer can she sniffled. Her hair flew against the wind. She brushed her hair back, watching Ban Wei and them gang up on Zhang Muyi, hugging her knees.

Not looking at Dong Xi.

“Why are you always like this?”

Because of this sentence, Long Qi’s eyes lifted slightly. The aluminum can in her hand was squeezed making some sounds.

But that sentence had indeed come from Dong Xi’s mouth. Without Zhang Muyi’s company, she suddenly seemed to have some emotional fluctuation in her tone. Long Qi was still stunned. Dong Xi said a second sentence: “One moment warm to me, the next moment treating me like a stranger. Since getting to know you it’s been like this. Always, always, like this.”

She turned her head to look at her.

Dong Xi’s eyes were still those eyes, still soft, still weak, still without a trace of worldly air. But her tone was different, like a small venting after prolonged patience. Her brow also furrowed lightly due to emotional changes.

“I never know what attitude to take toward you. Get close to you, you distance yourself from me. Distance myself from you, you draw near to me. Between us there can never be a safe and fixed distance, is that right?”

Ban Wei’s side was noisy and chaotic. Zhang Muyi’s phone was suddenly thrown over at this moment. Long Qi caught it. Ban Wei popped his head out from the crowd: “He lost a round! Help keep his phone!”

Yet the atmosphere here remained frozen.

Dong Xi had stopped speaking, but she was waiting for her to speak, obviously waiting for her. Long Qi put the phone in her bag. She took a breath, replying: “Between us two indeed we can’t get along normally. You have your reasons. I have my causes.”

“Your cause is Jin Yiken, isn’t it?”

“Jin Yiken is not my cause, but he is your reason.”

“I do like him,” though Dong Xi’s temperament was quiet, she admitted when she had feelings. On this point she was even more decisive than Long Qi. “Jin Yiken was the only boy I liked in high school, also the only boy who made my heart flutter up to now. But he no longer likes me. Since feelings are broken they’re broken, past, I won’t keep it in my heart. So he doesn’t become the reason we can’t get along normally. Then what is your cause?”

“Do you want to get along normally with me?” Long Qi asked her back. “Get along normally with a woman who betrayed you, caused your college admission to fail, made you bear infamy, and also stole your boyfriend. Do you want that?”

“I said before, it wasn’t that Huaning didn’t choose me, I chose Zhongyu. My college admission didn’t fail. And you didn’t betray me either. Jin Yiken only got together with you after breaking up with me.”

“No. I had relations with Jin Yiken before that. Jin Yiken broke up with you because I aborted a child for him.”

As if to let her see her most ugly side, Long Qi just said this sentence. The clamor from that direction didn’t affect the terrible silence here. Dong Xi made no movement, but Long Qi seemed to hear the sound of her shoulders collapsing. Dong Xi lowered her head. She was biting her own lip. Long Qi drank the second beer can.

When she took the third beer can preparing to pull the tab, Dong Xi said: “Then let’s not talk about Jin Yiken anymore.”

This was a nearly humble retreat.

Long Qi asked her: “Why do you make yourself so aggrieved?”

“I don’t know.”

Dong Xi gave an answer without an answer, but she didn’t hesitate, as if this was her genuine reaction, directly from her heart to her face, so that as soon as Long Qi asked this question, she answered. Answer meant question.

“I don’t know. I don’t really like how you ignore me. I considered you a friend. I can’t pretend you don’t exist, and can’t calmly accept your attitude toward me. I don’t know what the reason is. Do you know?”

She asked Long Qi back.

Long Qi’s eyes felt a bit sore.

She looked at such a Dong Xi. Dong Xi also looked at such a her. Then she poured a mouthful of alcohol into her mouth, facing the wind saying: “We’re both too young. Don’t know what we want, what we don’t want.”

“Then do you want to reconcile with me?”

Long Qi hugged her knees. The aluminum can was squeezed making creaking sounds.

Could they be friends?

She to Dong Xi, Dong Xi to her, both had their respective inner demons and entanglements, also had a naturally conflicting aura, so that whenever she relaxed slightly, whenever she had an illusion of a bright future, Dong Xi would inexplicably get involved in some incidents, be mentally slandered, be physically injured by mistake. So could they really be friends in peace, could they go back?

She looked at the crooked chairs below the stage. Dong Xi looked at her. Clamor, wind, emptiness after revelry, the metallic sound of aluminum cans colliding, the tumultuous three-plus years starting from first year of high school, every stolen glance, every sunset-filled moment, every disillusionment after each storm. When she approached, Dong Xi accepted. When she withdrew, Dong Xi also accepted. And this time Dong Xi took the first step toward her, seeking peace with her, asking her for a safe and stable distance for interaction. Long Qi looked at the floor without a word, contemplating.

After a long while, she looked toward Dong Xi.

But before words came out, Ban Wei suddenly rushed up.

Long Qi and Dong Xi’s eye contact was disrupted by Ban Wei’s abrupt commotion. He said: “Come come, they’re all done, you drink with me you drink with me…”

Pulling Long Qi away, the blanket on Long Qi’s body fell, dropping beside Dong Xi’s knees. Zhang Muyi sat back beside Dong Xi. He couldn’t withstand Ban Wei’s fierce pouring, drinking until his face was red and ears hot.

Long Qi entered Ban Wei’s circle. Her whole body was blocked by band members. She looked back, from the gaps between people’s shoulders looking out. Dong Xi wasn’t very lonely. Her expression was still the same expression from before Zhang Muyi left, pulling out a wet tissue, wiping his face for him.

That night, Long Qi drank a lot of alcohol.

Ban Wei was a drunk. Once he started drinking he had to get his fill. His skill at forcing drinks on people was on par with Jin Yiken. But this time Long Qi drank even more fiercely than Ban Wei. Perhaps she’d been stretched too taut for too long, wanted to get thoroughly drunk once. Or perhaps because Dong Xi was still there waiting for her answer, and she hadn’t figured out how to respond.

After six bottles she wasn’t right. She began not speaking to anyone. Her cheeks were burning. Ban Wei saw her state was approaching blackout, shouting for people to call Lao Ping: “I don’t know where your home is, auntie. You better catch your breath and tell me an address.”

“I know.” Dong Xi spoke, looking toward Long Qi’s direction. “I’ll send her back. Let her drink.”

The last sound Long Qi retained at the memory level that night was Dong Xi’s sentence. But Dong Xi didn’t actually send her back later.

She brought her to her own home.

The taxi turned into the familiar mansion, familiar courtyard. As soon as you entered her home it was slippery wooden floors. Long Qi fell at the entrance. Dong Xi supported her from behind. Soon a second person came forward to help. Heard Dong Xi’s voice: “Auntie, let me. You go help me get a set of pajamas, make the bed in the bedroom.”

“Guest room or master bedroom?”

“My bedroom.”

“Ay, isn’t this the celebrity from the recent news?” The auntie muttered softly.

Long Qi said: “I need to remove makeup…”

But as soon as Dong Xi helped her to the sink, she started vomiting. After vomiting she drank half a cup of warm water, then fell again at the bathroom door. This fall pulled Dong Xi down. The sound of both their knees hitting the floor rang out simultaneously. Long Qi couldn’t get up after falling to the floor. Dong Xi without a word supported her back up again. One person, forcibly supported her all the way to the bedroom bed.

Long Qi’s body was very soft.

On her skin remained the coolness of being blown by night wind. There was alcohol smell, a trace of her own fragrance. Her body was cold, but her face was very hot. Her neck flushed wave after wave of red, as if showing some symptoms of allergic reaction after excessive alcohol intake. Dong Xi called her name. She didn’t respond. But she still knew she was on a bed, knew she was cold, pulling the blanket to cover herself, just like at her own home.

Dong Xi gently removed her jacket, pulled it out from under the blanket, hung it on a hanger, then got a towel soaked in cool water from the bathroom, wiping her face.

Her facial skin slowly cooled down. The red marks on her neck also gradually faded. Long Qi seemed to have some consciousness now, turning to face Dong Xi at the bed’s edge. Dong Xi had originally extended her arm to wipe for her. Now the distance suddenly became close. The movements of her hand paused slightly.

Long Qi’s hand extended from under the blanket, gripping her wrist.

“I want to reconcile with you…”

The bedroom door had already closed. The auntie went to rest. In the medium-sized bedroom, warm yellow bedside lamp light spilled on the blanket. When Long Qi said this sentence, it seemed as if she was conscious, yet also as if she wasn’t. Dong Xi quietly watched her, not speaking.

Long Qi then after saying this sentence, propped up her body. Dong Xi’s gaze patiently followed her, watching her approach herself. Long Qi’s hair hung down from her shoulders, falling into Dong Xi’s neck. Hair ends lightly pricked skin, extremely itchy for a moment. Dong Xi’s lashes trembled accordingly. After their silhouettes briefly overlapped then separated, Dong Xi’s body suddenly had no strength, falling backward, collapsing sitting on the carpet. But her hand was still gripped by Long Qi.

…

Long Qi was awakened by sunlight the next day.

This bedroom’s window was very large, unlike the room she usually slept in. Before reaching her biological clock wake-up time she was forcibly sunned awake. When she opened her eyes, sure enough, sunlight filled the floor. She propped up her body with her elbow, squinting as she scanned half a circle.

The room was composed of cream-white carpeting and bedding with natural wood furniture. On the wall hung artistic paintings of several Magnoliaceae plants. Vaguely heard a kitten meow. She followed the sound and lifted the blanket. A Scottish Fold cat poked its head out from beside her clothes, meowed once, quickly jumped off the bed, darted out of the room.

Going against the kitten darting out while entering the room at the same time was Dong Xi.

The injury on her brow bone was already not very obvious. Her neck was wrapped in a scarf. She wore a moon-white knit sweater. Her milk-white skin glowed in the sunlight. In her hands she held several folded sets of clothes, walking straight toward the room corner where an opened small suitcase was placed. She put the clothes in the case.

When she stood up, she saw Long Qi was awake.

Long Qi immediately understood what was going on.

Dong Xi continued turning her head to pack clothes, saying: “I need to go back to school. Did you sleep well?”

“What time is it now?”

“One twenty in the afternoon.”

Suddenly remembering there was an event at three, thinking of Lao Ping’s Meng Jiangnu-like face, she rapidly cursed Ban Wei who poured drinks for her yesterday in her heart, got out of bed: “Lend me the bathroom!”

After washing up and getting dressed properly, Dong Xi’s luggage was also nearly packed. She asked Long Qi: “How will you get there?”

“Lao Ping will pick me up, arriving in half an hour. You’re going back to school right? Drop you off on the way?”

“There’s something at school at two. Need to arrive early. No need.”

Long Qi was sending her location address to Lao Ping. At this moment her head still ached. Her brow remained lightly furrowed. She looked up at Dong Xi: “Did I have any impolite behavior yesterday? Did I cause trouble?”

“No.”

“Your parents?”

“Not home this week.”

“Yesterday you carried me back alone?”

“The auntie at home helped.”

Through several rounds of questions and answers, Dong Xi’s tone was very calm. Long Qi finally asked: “Did I say anything strange yesterday?”

After this sentence, Dong Xi paused.

Because of this pause, Long Qi glanced at her. As soon as her gaze landed on her, Dong Xi answered: “You said you want to reconcile with me. Is that strange?”

…

So the relationship with Dong Xi was just reconciled so suddenly.

November winds were not very gentle, thoroughly cold. Long Qi leaned under the bus stop advertisement sign at the Langzhu Mansion exit, phone spinning in her hand, chewing gum in her mouth, mind replaying Dong Xi’s words.

Dong Xi had left half an hour ago.

Under what circumstances had she said those two words “reconcile”?

Just as she was thinking carefully, suddenly another scene flashed back in her mind. It seemed yesterday she had put something in her bag and forgot to take it out. She opened the bag, reached her hand in to feel, and sure enough touched Zhang Muyi’s phone.

Oh, forgot to return it to him.

Then remembered another matter.

Remembered that yesterday she’d sent Jin Yiken photos and messages, but afterward never received a response. She slid open her phone screen, typed, sending a sentence: Are you dead?

Zhongyu University, women’s dormitory apartment building.

In the long, light-and-shadow overlapping corridor, there were some students gradually returning to school. Luggage wheel sounds echoed. Key inserted into the lock core, twisted twice, door lock opened. A girl from the next dorm happened to come out, greeting: “Oh Dong Xi, you came quite early today.”

“Mm.”

“I was just about to go to the supermarket. Is it that cold outside? Need to wear a scarf?”

“I have a cold.”

“Oh oh, that’s it. Hurry back to the dorm and rest.”

The girl walked past from behind. Dong Xi turned the doorknob. The dormitory empty of people, lighting dim, with sounds of outsiders moving in the corridor, wind sounds from outside the window, and the wheel sounds of her suitcase moving on the floor.

After the curtains were pulled open, the floor finally had some light. She stood in the cool daylight, setting up a standing mirror on the desk.

All her hair was tangled in the scarf. Her hand gently smoothed the hair ends out, then moved down to the collar, untying a knot in the scarf, slowly pulling. The scarf slid across her neck, smoothly falling.

She placed the scarf on the desk.

Then looked at herself in the mirror.

Looking at the overly pale complexion there, and exposed on her neck at this moment, two red marks like they’d been branded by fire.

Her chest rose and fell lightly.

Movement came from the doorway. A roommate entered. Dong Xi unhurriedly re-wrapped the scarf. She didn’t turn back. Pushing down the mirror she began organizing books. When placing books on the shelf, she casually picked up the small box at the original position. But the box’s weight different from usual made her frown. Lighter. She instinctively opened it, then saw inside what should have been lying there, a peach wood ornament…

Gone.

…

Long Qi still couldn’t remember how much alcohol she drank yesterday.

Also couldn’t remember when she started blacking out, or how she organized language to say reconciliation words to Dong Xi. The phone still spun round and round in her palm. Gum still being chewed. On her body was the lazy, roguish air after a hangover, so that surrounding pedestrians only dared to glance at her, didn’t dare photograph her.

Wind blew and blew, blowing in a message. Phone vibrated, screen lit up. She looked down to glance.

Then all the restless movements between her fingers stopped.

Gum also stopped being chewed. The roguish air also imperceptibly withdrew. She gazed at the screen. Her palm unknowingly broke into sweat.

Lao Ping’s car just arrived, honking at her. She ignored it. In her chest a ball of fire began burning, burning until her whole body broke into cold sweat. Lao Ping called her twice in succession. She didn’t respond.

Because Jin Yiken had replied to her with four characters.

These four characters didn’t directly answer her question, also didn’t explain any reason. As usual like his normal too-lazy-to-type virtue. Just four characters.

—Just got off the plane, babe.