Qiao Qingyu realized Ming Sheng was serious, even though she hadn’t caught his eye when he said those words. The room felt inexplicably stifling. She lowered her head, her gaze lingering on the full clay pot of porridge, picked up her spoon, and wordlessly finished eating.
After consuming the large bowl of warm porridge, sweat beaded on her forehead. Looking up, she once again fell into Ming Sheng’s clear, bottomless eyes.
“Stop looking at me.”
The coldness in her voice hurt Ming Sheng. He blinked, his expression becoming extremely unnatural, mixing embarrassment with a hint of shock. Two seconds later, he turned his head away, presenting Qiao Qingyu with his proud, handsome profile.
“I know you’re serious,” Qiao Qingyu took a quiet breath, “but I want you to know that doing this is meaningless.”
Ming Sheng glanced at her quickly, continuing to look away, though his chin lowered slightly, shadows of defeat crossing his face.
Qiao Qingyu had never seen him wear such an expression, and her heart immediately tightened: “I mean, I already know you’re an upright and reliable person.”
Afraid it sounded too perfunctory, she hastily added: “And very helpful.”
“I’m not helping you because I’m helpful,” Ming Sheng said, “it’s because I like you.”
Qiao Qingyu felt a tingle from her scalp to her fingertips.
“You can reject me a second time, it’s fine,” Ming Sheng waved his hand, appearing unconcerned, “but how I choose to act is my business, you have no right to decide for me.”
He leaned in closer, his determined gaze striking straight into Qiao Qingyu’s heart: “I’m going with you, and that’s final.”
Later, lying back in bed listening to the rain outside the window, the wide-awake Qiao Qingyu felt as if she were standing at the edge of a black hole. On the other side of that hole were Ming Sheng’s eyes. She realized struggling was futile; she would inevitably be completely drawn in, even if it meant being shattered to pieces.
Now her mind was filled only with Ming Sheng’s image, the urgency of escape completely forgotten. Again and again, she recalled his gaze, his words, his proud yet wounded expression. Accompanied by the gentle sound of rain outside, she felt like a small boat, drifting intoxicatedly in those eyes deeper than the sea.
She couldn’t help but think of a distant future. A modest house, with floor-to-ceiling wooden bookshelves, sunlight streaming through clean windows onto comfortable fabric sofas. A vase of fresh daisies on the dining table, their golden centers like tiny suns that would never set. Sitting at the table, her gaze would end when Ming Sheng sat across from her, just as his gaze would surely end with her.
The rain grew heavier. Outside the room came a “click” as Ming Sheng turned off the floor lamp in the living room.
Wide awake, Qiao Qingyu wondered if Ming Sheng would go right to sleep after returning to his room. Or would he, like her, listen to the rain while thinking of the other?
She somewhat regretted her earlier timidity—when Ming Sheng had asked if she wanted to use the internet, she had shaken her head. Was it embarrassment at being alone with him in his room, or fear of seeing news about herself online? Perhaps both. Am I so cowardly, she thought, unable to face either emotions or reality?
The bed was against the wall, and Qiao Qingyu stretched out her left arm, her fingertips touching the cool surface. Ming Sheng was just on the other side. He probably couldn’t sleep either, right? What was he doing at this moment?
She could already anticipate how she would face Ming Sheng next. Perhaps, without him even speaking, just meeting those eyes would make her surrender, revealing all her plans. She couldn’t bear to see disappointment climb those soul-stirring features again. Maybe she could be even more reckless, desperately merging emotion and reality—letting Ming Sheng lead her by his injured hand, taking her anywhere, no matter where.
After tossing and turning for a long while, Qiao Qingyu noticed the rain outside had stopped. She closed her eyes trying to sleep, but caught the sound of soft knocking.
Thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.
Someone was knocking on the heavy iron door in the living room. Qiao Qingyu’s first thought was that she had been seen by the family across the hall, and she sat up in fright.
Thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. The knocking sounded steady and calm, not at all urgent.
Ming Sheng made no sound.
Qiao Qingyu quickly got out of bed, dressed herself, and carefully made the bed. The knocking continued. She walked toward the door with resignation, vowing that no matter what, she couldn’t let her family barge in and make trouble. She had to leave before Ming Sheng woke up.
As her hand reached for the doorknob, there was a sudden “squeak” from outside—Ming Sheng had rushed to the iron door.
He moved like the wind, immediately opening the iron door with another “squeak.”
Qiao Qingyu stood frozen, hand still on the cold doorknob.
“Come in.” Ming Sheng didn’t sound surprised at all.
The iron door closed. Footsteps moved to the sofa and sat down softly.
“I saw the light on across the hall through the door crack earlier, so I knew you were back,” came a very gentle girl’s voice. “Still adjusting to the time difference? You must be exhausted after flying for over ten hours?”
It was Wang Mumu. Qiao Qingyu silently let out a breath.
“It’s fine.” From his voice, Ming Sheng was sitting in a chair by the dining table.
“To be honest, my parents were fighting again tonight,” Wang Mumu seemed to be smiling bitterly, her voice resigned yet strong and compelling. “They haven’t had a peaceful moment these past few days during the New Year. My father’s crazy, and my mother cries every day.”
“I saw the wine bottles on the ground.”
Wang Mumu sighed: “Sheng, you know, this is my first time leaving home in the middle of the night.”
“If I were you, I would have left long ago.”
“I’m different from you,” Wang Mumu said softly, “I’m a girl. When I was about to leave just now, my mother was crying in bed, saying it’s not proper for a girl to be out late at night… but I still ran away.”
“Not really,” Ming Sheng said, “you’re just outside your home. Are you planning to go somewhere else? Or will you head back after sitting for a while?”
“For me, leaving home at night and knocking on a boy’s door alone is already a very brave act,” Wang Mumu’s voice was barely audible, “although we’re very familiar, still, men and women are different now, we’re not children anymore.”
Ming Sheng remained silent.
“But I’m not nervous at all, your home is the most familiar to me, right? When I was little and my parents were busy, Grandfather often invited me over for meals, and after coming so many times I felt embarrassed and started helping grandfather clean. I’m very familiar with every corner here, I even used to clean your room.”
“Yes,” Ming Sheng agreed, “being so familiar, what is there to be nervous about?”
“Of course, I’m nervous about leaving home for the first time,” Wang Mumu seemed to be pouting, “to tell you the truth, it was Qiao Qingyu from your class who gave me courage. After knowing what she did, I thought, wow, she’s so brave, I want to be like her. So, I texted you asking if I could come. When you got my text, were you surprised?”
“Not really.”
“You came back last night, right?” Wang Mumu asked with a laugh, “Honestly, I was quite surprised, I thought you’d finish adjusting to the time difference at Qinghu Manor before coming to visit, I didn’t expect…”
“Sister Mumu,” Ming Sheng interrupted Wang Mumu with slight impatience, “did you come over just because you had nowhere else to go, or do you want me to help with something? If you need help, just say it directly, I’ll help if I can.”
“Oh,” Wang Mumu seemed somewhat embarrassed, “No, I know it’s not appropriate, but I don’t want to go home tonight… Weren’t you always sleeping in the big room? Can I stay in the small room? I won’t sleep, I’ll just use the internet until dawn.”
There was no immediate response from Ming Sheng.
“If it’s not convenient, I’ll just sit on the living room sofa, you go ahead and sleep,” Wang Mumu said, “When it’s dawn, I’ll go to a classmate’s house. It’s too dark now, and it’s wet and cold outside, I’m afraid to go out.”
“Sister Mumu,” Ming Sheng’s voice was somewhat solemn, as if after careful consideration, “Qiao Qingyu is here.”
“Ah?!”
“She’s already asleep, in the big room,” Ming Sheng explained further, “So, tonight I’m sleeping in the small room.”
“Oh…”
“She doesn’t want her parents to find her, so,” Ming Sheng paused, “you must keep this secret.”
“Her parents are very worried about her,” Wang Mumu’s voice held a rare urgency, “Their family has been in chaos for several days. How can she bear to just leave like this? Did she come to ask for your help? Why did you agree?”
“I found her myself and brought her back,” Ming Sheng answered seriously, “She had nowhere to go, brought nothing with her, and she had a fever.”
“You’re too kind, Sheng. She hurt you, yet you return evil with kindness… She’s truly fortunate to know you.”
“Sister Mumu,” Ming Sheng took a deep breath, “I like her.”
As if the confession was about herself, Qiao Qingyu nervously covered her chest behind the door. She hadn’t expected Ming Sheng to be so frank. But thinking again, perhaps this was how good friends should be. Ming Sheng wasn’t a reserved person to begin with, being uninhibited in front of a trusted childhood friend was normal. It was herself who lacked friends and didn’t know how to open her heart to others.
After several seconds of dead silence, Wang Mumu spoke, her voice still extremely gentle: “Actually, I kind of guessed it I know you so well… You think she’s different from others, right?”
“Of course.”
“I think so too,” Wang Mumu smiled, “I quite like her as well. She’s beautiful but not vulgar, and although she’s quiet and keeps to herself, she must be a wonderful person.”
With these words, the air in the room suddenly became less tense, while Qiao Qingyu, eavesdropping behind the door, was moved almost to tears.
“It’s just that she doesn’t accept me,” Ming Sheng sounded more relaxed too, “but that’s just a matter of time, she’ll accept me one day.”
“I think so too,” Wang Mumu laughed, “How could any girl not accept you? Unless she’s blind!”
Ming Sheng chuckled a couple of times.
“Mm, I’m really happy that you would tell me who you like,” Wang Mumu was still laughing, “It shows you’re still willing to confide in me.”
“I wasn’t planning to hide it from anyone.”
“In that case, I’ll go home today, I won’t say more,” Wang Mumu stood up, “After talking with you, I’m feeling much better.”
Ming Sheng didn’t ask questions or try to make her stay, instead proactively opened the iron door and saw Wang Mumu out.
On a rainy day, Qiao Qingyu was awakened in her warm bed by the gentle sound of piano music. After listening for a moment, she realized this warm and peaceful piano sound came from the living room on the other side of the wall. She had never seen Ming Sheng play the piano, and even now in her mind, she could only imagine his light yet powerful hands moving over the black and white keys. At one point, the bass became tight and sorrowful, while the treble was smooth yet resolute like an angel in the clouds parting the dark clouds and extending arms toward herself stuck in the mire. Qiao Qingyu stopped dressing, her eyes unexpectedly welling with tears from indescribable emotion.
When she opened the door, the last note still lingered in the room. Ming Sheng lowered his hands from the keys, pursed his lips, and looked at Qiao Qingyu, a shy yet proud smile spreading across his face.
“Can’t listen for free.” He said, extending his right hand straight out before Qiao Qingyu’s eyes.
Qiao Qingyu put her hand in her down jacket pocket.
This action made Ming Sheng laugh: “You’re going to pay?”
In the pocket was something cold yet beautiful, the only sparkling thing on Qiao Qingyu’s person, something she absolutely couldn’t lose. When she gently placed it in Ming Sheng’s palm, Qiao Qingyu felt as if she were entrusting herself to him.
She turned her head, avoiding his eager gaze, and hurriedly walked toward the bathroom.
“I was just joking, Qiao Qingyu.”
“I know,” Qiao Qingyu’s ears burned hot, “It’s a gift for you.”
The rain never stopped. Qiao Qingyu’s gesture of giving the pearl hairpin was like a thunderclap, stunning Ming Sheng temporarily speechless. The air was thick with ambiguity. During lunch, both remained silent, yet there were more knowing glances exchanged—mainly because Qiao Qingyu no longer simply avoided those burning eyes across from her. Ming Sheng seemed ready to smile at any moment. Each time his sparkling eyes cast over, waves of sweetness surged in Qiao Qingyu’s heart.
After lunch, Ming Sheng said he needed to get something from Qinghu Manor, and Qiao Qingyu knew it must be related to their departure.
“Don’t go to the kitchen, don’t open the curtains, don’t open the door for anyone,” Ming Sheng instructed before leaving, “Wait for me to return.”
His study door wasn’t closed, and although Qiao Qingyu very much wanted to, she ultimately didn’t dare to turn on the computer. At this point, she thought, just leave everything behind. With Ming Sheng, the mess behind her and the obstacles ahead seemed surmountable. Her mind was filled only with the vague idea of “escaping with Ming Sheng,” completely losing the ability to think. Yes, having Ming Sheng was enough—he understood her predicament, and he was capable of anything.
Standing before the bookshelf, Qiao Qingyu pulled out that old copy of “Norwegian Wood” again. The tasteless cover was still jarring, she tried hard to ignore it. With Ming Sheng gone, her heart had cracked open, and she believed the straightforward yet melancholic youth in the book would fill this crack. She was tired of those safe world classics. She wanted love.
Sitting down on the bed with the book, Qiao Qingyu opened to the first page of the main text. This was her most enjoyable moment—sitting on a dry, warm bed reading a long-desired book while it rained outside. But now the rustling rain outside distracted her. Her thoughts kept drifting toward the window, Ming Sheng’s shadow covering the pages. It felt like countless blades of grass were sprouting in her heart, making it itch.
She suddenly realized it was raining and not snowing, indicating the weather wasn’t so cold anymore.
So, the soft and lingering silk-like precipitation outside must be spring rain, right?