Seven in the evening.

Half an hour into evening self-study, the sky darkened faster than in midsummer. Lights along the perimeter wall lit up one by one. Dong Xi sat on an A-frame wooden ladder, using a paintbrush to fill in the last color block at the top of the wall. Her hands and sides were covered in paint, as was her linen apron. Her waist-length black hair was loosely tied back. Her navy blue long dress hung beside the ladder. The wind blew gently. The air was filled with the smell of acrylic paint.

“Aren’t you afraid of being called during evening self-study roll call?”

She looked down.

Zhang Muyi stood beside the wooden ladder. Because her turning would cause the ladder to sway slightly, he proactively steadied it with one hand. His other hand held a takeout bag from Haiyan Milk Green tea shop, and a DSLR camera hung around his neck.

“I told my advisor,” she answered. “He’s quite accommodating to students in the painting group.”

“Want something to drink?”

She didn’t nod, didn’t come down, and didn’t reach out.

“How did Senior know?”

He understood well, smiling as he replied, “Haiyan Milk Green? I saw it on your campus homepage. Figured you wouldn’t change your taste so quickly.”

The paintbrush dipped into some paint. She replied, “I liked it before, it’s just okay now.”

“Then I’m embarrassed.”

“Senior can drink it. I’m not thirsty.”

Zhang Muyi didn’t say more. Dong Xi continued painting, not minding whether he stayed or left. About half a minute later, the sound of a camera shutter came from behind. She turned her head. Zhang Muyi was holding up his camera photographing her. After shooting, he looked down to check the photos. While checking, he said, “It’s fine, you don’t need to mind me. I’ll take a few shots to post on the school’s Weibo for publicity. Maybe it’ll have some effect.”

Then he looked at his watch and said to her, “It’s getting dark too. Why don’t we call it a day and come eat with me?”

“I already ate.”

“I know. You ate bread. The wrapper and the remaining half of the bread are still sticking out of your bag.”

Dong Xi followed his gaze to look at the bag hanging on the wooden ladder. Zhang Muyi continued, “I know one of the girls in your group took ten days off, causing these ten days’ workload to all fall on you. You don’t want to fall behind schedule, but you also can’t race against time to the point of neglecting your health. It’s already been ten days. You should relax. Go eat?”

“I’m not refusing to eat, my appetite is just small.” She responded, also putting away the paintbrush and color palette, slowly walking down while holding the ladder’s handle. “It’s getting dark, I should return to the dorm.”

The senior didn’t insist.

He walked her to the bottom of the girls’ dormitory building, gave her some brotherly instructions, didn’t linger much, and left appropriately.

When she returned to the dorm, the voices were more complicated than usual. Girls from the neighboring dorm were visiting. Dong Xi gently closed the door. No one noticed her enter. They were gathered around someone’s desk, the laptop screen’s light shining on each of their faces. They were looking at something, completely absorbed. With each photo that switched on the screen, they let out exclamations with each mouse click.

“So envious…”

“This one is so great…”

Passing by them, she glimpsed the screen and saw Lin Hui’s profile page and a daily photo recently uploaded by Lin Hui. Her roommates right-clicked and saved each photo. When they scrolled to some two-person photos, a wave of “wow”s rose and fell from the group of girls. Dong Xi put her painting tools in the cabinet and asked, “Are you all showering?”

“We’ll shower later.”

“Oh right! Dong Xi, don’t shower yet either.” Just as one girl finished speaking, the roommate sitting at the desk turned around, parting the crowd to look at her. “Lin Hui said when she gets back she’ll treat us all to a late-night snack. She just got off the plane an hour ago, probably almost at the school gate now. Shower after eating the snack.”

After the roommate finished speaking, she continued looking at photos. The girls also quickly shifted their gaze back. But just as the words fell, the sound of rolling luggage wheels approached from far to near at the dorm entrance. Dong Xi looked toward the door. Lin Hui’s figure appeared, dragging a suitcase.

She looked travel-worn but fresh and beautiful, pulling her suitcase with one hand and replying to messages on her phone with the other. As she entered, she knocked with her knuckles, “I’m back.”

“Lin Hui!”

Before the grand welcome声 could finish, she first took a moment to look up, “Sorry everyone, for being absent ten days. You all worked hard.”

“It’s fine, Lin Hui.”

Receiving nearly one hundred percent forgiveness, she remained focused on her phone, raising her index finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. Then in the quiet atmosphere, she held the phone to her lips and said softly, “I’ve arrived at the dorm, Qiqi. Thank you for your guidance and care these ten days. Let’s eat together when you return to China.”

The voice message was sent with a “whoosh” notification sound. One could feel the air around getting restless. The entire dorm fell silent. Lin Hui didn’t lock her screen, staring at it, continuing to stare. In less than ten seconds, with a buzz, the phone vibrated. The light from the screen lit up Lin Hui’s eyes. Sounds of chair legs scraping in eager anticipation came from the group of girls.

The other party replied with a text message.

No one knew what the reply said.

But Lin Hui’s lips curved into a slight smile. Two seconds later, she locked the screen.

She tilted her head toward the door, “Alright, let’s go. I’ll treat you all to late-night snacks. Anything you want to eat is fine.”

Dong Xi was taking shower supplies from the cabinet. Groups of two or three girls chattered past her. Not until everyone gathered at the door did her immobility become noticeable.

“Dong Xi?”

She was walking toward the balcony. Hearing the call, she turned.

“Come with us.”

“You all go. I just ate.”

“Drinking something is fine too. Come together, come on.”

“I still have some things to rush through tonight. You all go. I’m fine.”

Lin Hui stared at her for a second. Her emotions were still in that WeChat conversation from just now. Her mood was good no matter what, but this good feeling was also mixed with just a tiny bit of sensitivity and awkwardness. But in half a second, it was fleeting, immediately covered by the gentle smile on her face, “Then we’re leaving.”

“Lin Hui.” Dong Xi called her.

The girls rushed out. Only she remained at the doorframe, slowing her steps at being called. Dong Xi said, “I really can’t go because I have things to do. Don’t overthink it. Welcome back.”

Lin Hui’s face showed no change.

As if she hadn’t overthought it to begin with, she still smiled, holding the doorframe. After her eyebrows jumped a few times, she asked tentatively, “Then can I ask you something?”

“Mm?”

“You went to the same high school as Long Qi before, right? Do you know about her and her boyfriend back then?”

***

After the Los Angeles trip ended, she spent another two weeks in Hokkaido. Photos were taken and sent to China for selection, production, and layout as they went. By the time Long Qi returned to China, Lao Ping had already rushed people to produce several photobook samples. Immediately after, he had Long Qi adjust her condition to prepare to join the crew. A film role she’d auditioned for previously had been secured. Filming would begin in early December—a suspense action film, a man’s drama, with quite a few veteran powerhouse actors. Her role was a touch of red among the green—a female stowaway with a solitary personality and bloodthirsty violence, very impactful. The director had taken a liking to that energy in Long Qi. A few days ago, they’d finally finalized the casting. But before filming began, she needed to undergo some physical training and martial arts guidance. Lao Ping took it very seriously. Her soul hadn’t even returned yet, but he was already rushing to have her meet the instructor and train physically.

After four consecutive days of this, Long Qi collapsed once from overexertion in the training room. When Lao Ping rushed over in a flurry, she was on an IV drip, eyes downcast, feet propped on a low table parallel to the chair, playing games without saying a word, her whole body radiating a gloomy aura. Hao Shuai said she hadn’t spoken a complete sentence and hadn’t returned his phone after taking it. (Her phone had been managed by Lao Ping during the photo shoot, and after returning to China, he’d forgotten to return it to her.)

Lao Ping immediately pulled out a phone from his assistant’s bag, offering it with both hands, “Don’t be angry. I’ve been keeping your phone charged all along. I’ll give you another half day off.”

She still didn’t speak, taking the phone, unlocking it. The screen light illuminated her face. She opened Lin Hui’s chat window, glanced at it, then shot Lao Ping a look.

“I replied casually,” Lao Ping said.

“Give me a photobook sample.”

“What for?”

“You already replied to her saying we’d eat together. I can’t back out now, can I? Didn’t you say you’d give me half a day off?”

Long Qi’s voice remained cold, ready to explode at any moment. Lao Ping immediately nodded and called his assistant, “Fine, fine, fine, give it to her, give it to her. Call Old Zhang too. The car is hers this afternoon.”

Old Zhang was Lao Ping’s driver.

An hour later, Old Zhang parked the car at Zhongyu University’s west gate. It was November, entering autumn, a rainy day. The sky was gray and heavy.

Recently a cold front had arrived. The clothing styles of students entering and leaving the university had all changed, leaning toward autumn wear. But Long Qi still didn’t wear much—tank top collar, denim vest, leather boots. The only additions were a large, soft wool scarf and wide-brimmed fedora. Her hair had been dyed blue-gray again per the film’s styling requirements. She wore sunglasses but no mask, the thick scarf covering the lower half of her face.

When she got out of the car, it was still raining, and it looked like it would only get heavier. She messaged Lin Hui. Lin Hui quickly replied, saying she’d come right away. If Long Qi didn’t mind, she could go to her dorm to wait and take shelter from the rain. The dorm room door was unlocked.

Then she sent the dorm building address and room number.

Old Zhang asked if the car should wait here. She said you can go back.

Then she pulled down the fedora’s brim, crossed her arms, and entered the school gate. On the rainy campus roads, there weren’t many students. Everyone held umbrellas. The umbrella surfaces blocked each person’s face. No one could see anyone clearly.

On the way to the dorm building, she passed a lake—Zhongyu University’s famous Baizi Lake. A layer of water mist covered the lake surface. On the opposite shore stood a long wall, colorful and varied. At first glance, it looked like a mirage, but Long Qi couldn’t make out what was painted on it and didn’t pay much attention.

Lin Hui’s dorm was not only unlocked but also had no one inside.

It was a four-person dorm with a small living room, independent bathroom and balcony. She patted the moisture off her scarf and looked around. The dorm space was fairly large. Shoes, clothes, bedding, and study supplies were all neatly arranged. The air had that sweet scent characteristic of girls’ dorms mixed with a trace of paint. Instruments were placed in the corner. A board hung on the wall with various instant photos attached. The spaces between photos were decorated with cute little drawings. In the photos were various group shots of the girls from this dorm.

There were also photos of Dong Xi.

She was always the one who smiled the least.

Long Qi looked and coughed.

From outside the building came the distant sound of a class bell. The rain continued pattering. The girls’ dorm window wasn’t closed. Cool wind blew in waves. Her phone spun in her hand as she slowly walked between the four beds. Lin Hui’s bed should be the one on the left. Souvenirs brought back from Los Angeles hung on the bed rail. And Dong Xi’s bed…

A gust of fierce wind came through the window. Some rain splattered onto the balcony. On the desk of a bed next to the balcony, a paintbrush dropped to the floor with a thud.

She went to pick it up.

When placing the brush on the desk, she saw a stack of sketchbooks piled there. Long Qi wasn’t an expert, but the sketchbook cover was so familiar—she’d seen it many times on Dong Xi’s high school profile album. At that moment, she knew whose bed this was. She couldn’t help but reach for the sketchbook. At this time, a small box in the upper right corner of the desk was nudged and fell to the floor with a thud.

She looked down.

Dong Xi returned to the dorm alone.

Because her roommate remembered the door wasn’t locked and the window wasn’t closed, and she happened to need to come back to get something, she came alone with the key. When she turned the doorknob, it was as natural and gentle as the countless times she’d opened the door before. As soon as the door pushed open, the wind from the balcony window swept through the room and rushed into her neck. Then one quiet version of herself saw another quiet Long Qi.

The wind was a bit cold. Hair strands flew.

Light came from the balcony. Long Qi stood in the rain light, lower back leaning against the desk, holding an opened box in her hands, arms folded, looking at what was inside the box.

Wind sounds filled the air, howling by her ears.

Dong Xi’s hand slowly fell from the handle. Long Qi’s arms were exposed to the air. She wore so little. On the back of her hand was medical tape from an IV. The sound of the door opening didn’t disturb her, or rather she heard it but wasn’t in a hurry to turn her head. Dong Xi’s breathing quietly joined this private and silent space. Her chest rose and fell slightly. Not until the door knocked against the wall with a click did Long Qi turn her head.

She seemed to have anticipated she would come.

No surprise, no embarrassment at being discovered peeking at privacy, no subtle joy of a long-awaited reunion. When she turned her head, when she cast her gaze over, her brow still wrinkled slightly from the previous image that had entered her eyes. The content in her eyes was as deep as the sea. She looked at Dong Xi. Dong Xi looked at the box in her hands.

In that box was a string of peachwood ornaments.