The invitation came suddenly, almost like a twist of fate.— Would you like to have a coffee? — asked Zhou Yichen, his voice low but steady.
Su Yue blinked, surprised. She looked around, as if the invitation could have been directed at someone else. The campus was buzzing with life: freshmen laughing in lively groups, upperclassmen handing out colorful flyers, and the breeze carried the scent of autumn mixed with freshly brewed coffee.
She hesitated. Her heart told her there was no time for distractions, but there was something in his eyes — a mix of memory and certainty — that made her simply nod.— All right.
They walked side by side to the makeshift café set up by the upperclassmen, where wooden tables filled a shaded corner of the courtyard. The sweet aroma of simple cakes and the warmth of freshly served coffee softened the chaos of the first day of classes. They sat by the window, where the light filtered through the golden leaves of the trees.
For a moment, silence wrapped around them. Yichen fiddled with the rim of his cup, while Su Yue watched people passing outside. Then he broke the pause:— You don't remember me, do you?
She frowned.— Have we met before?
A faint smile appeared on his lips.— Science Fair, two years ago. You were the one who saved my experiment, when everything was about to go wrong.
Su Yue blinked, surprised. The scene came back in flashes: the crowded gymnasium, the stuck valve, the quick whisper that gave the solution.— It was you… — she murmured, covering her mouth with her hand. — I… almost forgot.
— I never forgot. — Yichen replied without hesitation.
The confession lingered in the air like soft music. And little by little, conversation began to grow.
They asked where they were from. She spoke of the modest neighborhood where she grew up, of the narrow streets, of the small market where every face was familiar. He spoke of the larger city, the brightly lit classrooms, and the wide hallways that felt more cold than grand.
They laughed at their differences: she, used to carrying heavy grocery bags; he, used to imported books and quiet libraries. The difference didn't push them apart — on the contrary, it felt like two notes of the same melody, sounding better together.
They spoke of their courses.— Medicine. — said Su Yue, firmly. — I want to take care of people. But above all… I want to be able to take care of my mother. She has always been by my side, and I want to be by hers.
Yichen listened in silence, impressed by the simplicity that sounded greater than any speech. When he answered, his voice came softer, almost like a secret:— Engineering. It's the path I chose… or that was chosen for me. I still don't know if it's destiny or obligation. But I want to believe I'll find meaning in it.
Su Yue raised her eyes, meeting his directly.— Maybe the meaning comes later. Sometimes you only discover it while walking.
The conversation flowed. From coffee they moved on to books, demanding teachers, dreams still undefined. Time passed, and when they noticed, the sun was already descending on the horizon, tinting the campus in shades of gold and copper.
They walked together through the tree-lined paths, dry leaves crunching beneath their feet. The breeze carried a slight chill, but the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable — it was a space where every word seemed to belong.
In front of the girls' dormitory, Su Yue gave thanks.— Thank you for the coffee… and for the conversation.
— I should be the one thanking you. — said Yichen, with a steady gaze that seemed to promise more meetings.
It was then that a cheerful voice cut through the moment.— Wow! Already found a boyfriend? — teased Meixiu, waving from the window with a wide smile.
Su Yue's face burned instantly.— It's not like that! — she answered quickly, gesturing, while Yichen only raised an eyebrow, amused by the scene.— I don't have time for those things. — she added, half to her friend, half to herself.
But when she closed the door behind her, leaning against the wood for a moment, she realized her heart was still racing. As if the invisible thread that tied them had just made another knot — firm, discreet, impossible to undo.
That night, lying in her new dorm bed, Su Yue stared at the white ceiling and thought about the day. For her, it had only been a normal beginning: enrollment, papers, an unexpected conversation. But she liked the feeling that someone had remembered her — someone who, amidst the crowd, had kept her presence from two years ago. She smiled to herself before falling asleep.
In another room, Zhou Yichen closed the curtains, the old trophy still on the table. He lay down, and instead of reviewing formulas or goals, he let himself remember her eyes. "Finally, I found you," he thought again, like a silent promise. The idea of winning her over didn't feel like haste, but like destiny.
And as they both fell asleep in different corners of the campus, unknowingly, the invisible thread that tied them stretched once more, preparing to endure even the gray mornings of the military training that would soon begin.