The glow of sunset spilled gently across a cloudless sky.
Ji Yu stirred awake on the sofa.
Tang Li hadn't called, only shared his location every few hours—each time farther and farther away.
Her mother and sister had messaged too, saying they would celebrate tonight and that she wasn't allowed to cook.
Ji Yu lifted her phone again, staring at the ever-growing distance on the map, and suddenly remembered the rare tears in Tang Li's eyes.
If it was just leaving, why would he cry?
Wasn't farewell, in this age, cheap and casual?
Goodbye. See you. Later. Take care.
Distance hardly mattered anymore—if one wanted to meet, one still could, anytime.
Bathed in golden light from the setting sun, Ji Yu picked up her guitar, sat on the balcony, and strummed softly.
If… if Tang Li's tears weren't just a surge of sentiment, not merely the reluctance between friends…
Could they have been something deeper—something warmer than even kinship?
Splash—
Down below, the garden fountain erupted right on time, six o'clock every day. Water arced into the air, catching the last rays of gold, dancing again and again in a beautiful, repetitive performance.
Arpeggios flowed endlessly from her fingertips.
Her mind wandered, but her muscle memory carried the melody forward. She stared at the horizon, lost in thought.
"Ji Yu? Ji Yu!"
"Ah—ah?! Jie, you're back already?"
Ji Yu's sister snatched the guitar from her, lightly chopping her head with the side of her hand. Under the halo of sunset, Ji Yu's slightly taller sister gently took her peeling fingertips and led her back indoors.
"What were you thinking? Mom and I have been home for ages and you're still stuck on those same chords—I'm sick of hearing them."
Ji Yu sighed, tucked the guitar back into its case, and answered,
"Nothing. Just… why are you two back so early today?"
"Hehe, not telling you. Mom, don't you dare spoil it either! We'll surprise her later."
The sky deepened into black, ushering in another bright night.
From kitchen to living room, laughter filled the house. That half-closed door couldn't contain the cheerful voices of mother and daughter.
Watching their smiles, Ji Yu's gloom eased, her own lips curving upward. Curiosity lingered—why were they so joyful tonight? But she kept the question to herself.
Stars began to dot the sky. Dishes on the table still steamed, as the three gathered in the living room with the TV on for background noise, laughing as her mother and sister announced their promotions.
The world accepts everything from above without question. And so, as the moon rose and spilled silver light onto the night, the faces beneath it also shifted—shining with smiles as radiant as the stars.
—Ding-ling.
Ji Yu's phone buzzed. A message from Tang Li:
> "Ji Yu, I've arrived in Shanghai. I don't know where you are right now, but maybe… you could look up at the sky tonight."
The pause in his words tugged at her heart. She slipped into her slippers and ran to the balcony. Her mother and sister, curious, followed.
Stars scattered silently across the night sky. Trees rustled softly along the roadside below. Ji Yu lowered her gaze to check again—Tang Li had sent a sixty-second voice message.
She pressed it to her ear. For long stretches, there was only the sound of his calm breathing.
Beside her, Ji Yu's sister lifted her cocktail with mock solemnity, clinking it against the faraway moon before downing it in one gulp.
With the rhythm of his breath in her ear, Ji Yu lifted her gaze toward the dark expanse above.
"…The moon is truly beautiful tonight."
Her gentle blue eyes reflected the glow of stardust.
In the lecture hall, Ji Yu sat in Mo Yachen's chair, gripping a microphone and carefully reading the speech she had typed herself.
It was a work plan for the new semester's student council. Mo Yachen had been absent last-minute, leaving her no choice but to step in.
Thanks to him, Ji Yu's relationships with the council members were strong. No one objected when she stood in for him, critiquing and commending each department.
If Ji Yu became the next president, it would hardly surprise anyone. After all, Mo Yachen's own election had been the most one-sided in Yuyang University's history. And now, his girlfriend—already an office member, mentored by him—was on her way to becoming a strong leader herself.
"Phew~~~"
Ji Yu flopped onto Mo Yachen's lap, exhaling.
"Now I see—this job isn't easy at all. And why'd you put so many sarcastic jabs in the speech? Couldn't you have glossed over them?"
She opened her mouth to complain further—only for two long fingers to pop a morsel into her mouth.
She blinked, startled, wanting to spit it out. But before she could, another piece was shoved in.
"Hehe~~"
Mo Yachen smirked. When she swallowed at last, he asked, "Tasty?"
Sweet, but also a little sour. Ji Yu glanced at the strawberries on the table. As soon as she realized what she'd eaten, he plucked another, stripped the leaves, and held it to her lips again.
"Careful what you say. That speech was your writing. You're the one who roasted them."
Ji Yu pursed her lips, refusing to open. Her blue eyes turned frosty. The smile faded from his face. Just as she thought of a way to tease him back, he suddenly stood and took two steps back.
"Alright, something serious. I'll be very busy for a while. So busy I might not even call you every day."
Tick… tick…
Heat pressed down in the silent office. And with it, that old familiar uncertainty.
Ji Yu had grown used to his constant "urgent matters." Still, she felt obliged to ask—half in earnest, half in complaint:
"What is it this time?"
"My mother is hosting a solo art exhibition for me. The venue's already booked."
"Ah… a solo exhibition? You're really that good at painting, huh?"
He chuckled.
"Silly girl. All art students can hold solo shows at graduation. It's not as grand as your little head makes it out to be."