When I Meet the Moon - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Standing against the light, her silhouette was much more blurred. Though it was already time to head back, Fu Shize didn't want to break the tranquility of the moment.

His feelings for Yun Li hadn't come about all of a sudden.

The moment he accidentally saw her high school photo, he had recognized her—the high schooler who had built robots years ago.

It was just that he was no longer the person he used to be.

Nor had he paid much mind to their dramatic reunion. He couldn't treat someone he had once paid attention to as indifferently as a stranger, yet he wouldn't pursue that attention the way he did in his youth.

He saw right through her intentions from the very beginning.

At first, he had never considered the possibility.

He no longer had the strength to build a new bond.

Yet, she seemed determined to see things through with him to the very end.

Though she clearly feared socializing, she always managed to muster immense courage to keep moving forward.

Seeming soft on the outside, she was inexplicably strong.

Before he knew it, the balance in his heart had long since tilted heavily.

Upon learning that she was the one who had come to Xike University looking for him back then, his surging emotions were upended, leaving only a pervasive bitterness in their wake.

I am no longer the person you yearned for.

Even if it wasn't me, you would still be able to meet another partner who marches forward with the same courage as you.

Yet he could not accept that the reason she gave up was because she felt she was making a fool of herself.

When it was clearly he himself who lacked the courage to step forward.

She didn't deserve to suffer any grievance.

Since she still resolutely liked him after taking so many steps,

Then the remaining distance was for him to walk.

-

Fu Shize still hadn't moved.

His gaze wasn't burning, and Yun Li couldn't even read any other emotions in it; the only thing she could be certain of was that he had been watching her all along.

She lowered her head to glance at the cardboard drone in his hands.

Fu Shize had always been a very introverted person.

Even when he had been drinking, he wouldn't say many extra words.

Yet Yun Li loved the feeling of being with him like this; she herself wasn't a particularly boisterous person either.

Yun Li couldn't help wondering about her current attire and appearance—perhaps the strands of hair in front of her forehead were slightly blocking her eyes, and her hair had grown a bit longer and needed a trim.

While she stood in place letting her mind wander aimlessly, Fu Shize suddenly spoke up: "When I get back from Yihe, let's be together."

After taking that crucial step, he could no longer afford to back down.

His voice wasn't loud, lingering quietly in the dark.

Yun Li followed his gaze, momentarily speechless.

After quite a while, as if he had just remembered to ask for her opinion, he added, "Is that okay?"

When Yun Li remained silent, Fu Shize thought for a moment and continued, "I don't usually experience large emotional fluctuations, so you might feel like I lack emotions."

"I can tell you with certainty that I like you."

A trace of softness slipped into his tone.

"You might feel it's not enough right now, but there will be more in the future."

These few words smoothed away the sense of uncertainty in Yun Li's heart.

Leaving the grove last night and hearing the implication in Fu Shize's words, Yun Li's emotions had broken through her rationality. She chose not to dwell on his past rejections or his coldness, feeling simply that it was enough for him to have favorable feelings for her.

Throughout the entire day of their date, Yun Li had hidden the unease deep within her heart. Early on, when she dug up that old video from Xike University and saw the familiar youth inside, she had mostly felt a sense of surrealism.

Because that was a pursuit known only to her.

After the college entrance exams, she used to ride her bicycle for forty minutes every day to Xike University, waiting for over half a month until she finally caught the Unique exhibition, yet she never got to see the person she wanted to meet.

She hadn't gotten into Xike University, and when she covered up the photo in her room, the thought in her mind was that she would probably never have the chance to see him again.

To her, it had been a humble awakening of first love.

When the two of them met again and she pursued Fu Shize, her initial intention was simply to give it a try.

Even if she failed, it would merely return them to their previous state—

The state of strangers she had maintained for the seven years she had known him.

Even if their relationship didn't progress, there was no room for it to regress either.

That state wasn't particularly difficult to accept.

It was just that whenever she thought about it, something always felt missing, though it wasn't even worthy of being called a regret.

In truth, she had never thought it possible that he might like her. Much less had she ever dreamed she would hear these words from his own mouth.

Ever since Christmas Eve, she had harbored many misgivings.

He was a favored son of the heavens, after all; how could he possibly like her?

Yun Li couldn't find a reason why he would like her.

Even so, she didn't need a reason at this moment.

If he was willing to admit it, without requiring any explanation from him, Yun Li was willing to believe him.

Because her wish was very pure.

She simply wanted to be with him.

With damp eyes, Yun Li tried to make her tone sound matter-of-fact: "Can we not wait until you get back from Yihe?"

Can we be together right now?

Fu Shize gave a soft laugh: "You really like me."

No matter how deeply he buried his own heart, he couldn't bear to let the person before him endure the bitter trials of this solitary chase.

"Well, I chased you for a long time, as you know." Yun Li admitted; since he had just confessed, she no longer needed to coyly hide her feelings.

He thought for a moment, his tone earnest: "So it's unfair to you, and a bit hasty."

Yun Li didn't understand the meaning behind his words. She was the one who had pursued him in the first place, so she directly denied his statement: "We are both of one heart; it's not unfair, nor is it hasty."

"So—" Before Yun Li could finish, Fu Shize spoke up.

"Let me say it."

He closed the distance between them.

"It's still a bit embarrassing to let you hear these words."

"But anything I want to tell you, I will say it right by your ear."

—"I like you."

—"Will you be with me?"

Yun Li's eyes flushed red, yet the corners of her lips curved upward: "You know I won't refuse."

Holding the cardboard drone in one hand, Fu Shize hesitated for a long time before reaching out to gently tousle Yun Li's hair, his fingers stroking her soft locks.

Then, that hand moved forward, resting against Yun Li's face. His palm, warm and dry, seemed intent on transmitting all its heat over.

Seeing him lower his gaze with an unreadable expression on his face, Yun Li asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"

"I was wondering, on that day at Xike University—"

Fu Shize gazed at her face, "Was your face frozen stiff?"

Yun Li didn't quite remember which day he was talking about; she only felt a surge of nervousness.

The atmosphere grew exquisitely romantic to the extreme.

Just when Yun Li thought he was going to make his next move.

Fu Shize withdrew his hand instead, turning his face away: "I should head back first."

The sudden drop in temperature on her face left Yun Li feeling a sense of loss. Letting out a soft "Ah," she replied, "Okay."

Noticing her mood, Fu Shize added, "I'll come tomorrow too."

Yun Li curved her lips into a smile: "Then I'll see you tomorrow."

Not long after Fu Shize left, Yun Li received a message from him.

Fu Shize: [What time are your classes tomorrow?]

Yun Li glanced at her schedule: [Eight o'clock.]

Yun Li: [Be careful on the road.]

Fu Shize: [Mn]

Suddenly remembering the item in her bag, Yun Li immediately went to fish it out.

The box was small and exquisite. Like someone cradling a precious treasure, Yun Li carefully opened it.

Inside lay a pair of pearl earrings.

Suspended beneath a simple metal chain was a smooth, pure white pearl.

It felt like a perfect match for her.

-

The next day, just as Yun Li woke up, she received a message from Fu Shize: [Awake?]

Yun Li was still very sleepy, having been too excited to fall asleep the night before, but she still replied: [Awake.]

After sending the message, feeling that she might have sounded a bit too cold, she added another one: [Good morning ^^]

Before she even got out of bed, she heard a soft knock at the door.

Surprised that someone would knock at this hour, Yun Li climbed out of bed, walked over to the door, and didn't open it immediately.

The knocking didn't continue.

Tiptoeing over, she peered through the peephole and saw Fu Shize standing at the doorway holding a bag.

All her sleepiness instantly vanished. She hurriedly opened the door and said delightedly, "Why are you here!"

Suddenly remembering she hadn't washed her face yet, she bolted back toward the bathroom, leaving behind a sentence: "Just sit in the living room for a moment!"

Fu Shize placed the bag on the coffee table, taking out the bread and milk inside. He took one for himself, sat on the sofa, and chewed slowly.

Not wanting to keep him waiting too long, Yun Li quickly tidied herself up in a flurry.

Walking out to the living room and seeing the bread and milk on the table, she pointed at them and asked, "Are these for me?"

"Mn."

Nervously, Yun Li walked over and sat down beside him. Fu Shize naturally helped her open the chocolate milk, inserted the straw, and then unwrapped the bread for her.

Picking up the chocolate milk, Yun Li smiled bashfully: "This is the brand I like to drink."

Then, she tentatively probed: "Did you know?"

Resting his arm on the sofa armrest and propping his chin in his hand, Fu Shize turned his head to look at her: "If you're asking whether I've been secretly paying attention to you."

"Then my answer is."

"Yes."

Yun Li found it incredible; how could he say such a heart-fluttering, face-warming thing in such a calm tone? Speechless, she turned her face to the other side.

Lowering his gaze and watching her turn away to hide her smile, Fu Shize couldn't help curving the corners of his eyes on his own accord.

"Eat slowly. Once you're done, I'll take you to school."

"Okay." Remembering his itinerary, Yun Li asked, "Weren't you supposed to go on a business trip today?"

Fu Shize casually replied, "I'll drop you off first, then head to the airport."

Yun Li: "So you came all this way just to see me again?"

Fu Shize: "Mn."

After finishing her breakfast, Yun Li dawdled on the sofa for a little longer before finally packing her things and heading out.

Walking along the path together, Yun Li asked again, "Were you really specially here to see me?"

Fu Shize answered once more: "There was no other reason." Seeming not to understand her question, he added, "Why?"

"I just feel," Yun Li looked down at the ground and whispered, "like you really like me too."

Fu Shize walked Yun Li all the way to the entrance of her classroom.

Stopping a short distance away from the door, Fu Shize took a set of car keys from his pocket and handed them to Yun Li.

Taking them, Yun Li asked in bewilderment, "Why are you giving me your keys?”