BSG - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Yun Youqing and Shen Wenxin went to the newly opened night market—a cultural and creative street. Being a new spot, it was especially crowded, bustling with life beneath the brilliant lights.

The two bought coffees and strolled as they sipped. Yun Youqing was in her element browsing such a place, as if entering paradise. An entire street full of little trinkets—she had absolutely no resistance. At this moment, she was dragging Shen Wenxin along, lingering in front of stands selling all sorts of little items.

"This is so cute! Oh my god, this one's cute, too!! Wow, this design is so interesting!!!" It seemed nothing was off-limits in her eyes. "Ahhh, this little squirrel is so adorable! It can even stand up! Wenxin, look, quick!"

She pulled Shen Wenxin over to demonstrate making the squirrel stand upright, and even asked Shen Wenxin with sparkling eyes if it was cute.

Shen Wenxin said, "Cute." She reached out to touch it. "Feels nice, too."

Yun Youqing decisively clapped her hands. "Okay, we're buying it!" She cheerfully browsed and bought. She wanted this one, she wanted that one, too. Before long, her hands were completely full.

With so many things making it cumbersome to carry, they went back to near Shen Wenxin's car, opened the back seat, and put the items inside.

Standing by the car door, Shen Wenxin suddenly laughed. "Why buy so much? Are you trying to fill up that wooden shelf at your place?"

Yun Youqing shook her head, pointing at a blue gift bag. "For my friend." She said guiltily, "I didn't go to her concert. I feel a bit guilty about it, so I bought a bunch of gifts for her."

"Concert?" Shen Wenxin asked casually. "Whose?"

"Tao Fangran," Yun Youqing's reply carried a hint of pride. Tao Fangran was so impressive; she felt proud by association. "You probably know her. I heard her family has had business dealings with yours before."

Shen Wenxin nodded. "Mm, I know of her." The Tao family's second young miss, she knew. Outstanding musical talent, shot to fame upon debut—also a very impressive person. So she and Yun Youqing were close friends, too. Shen Wenxin quietly watched the person before her, face alight with a brilliant smile. That made sense. One liked singing, the other liked painting. Both in creative arts, kindred spirits naturally find each other.

"We were university classmates and have been friends ever since."

"It shows. You two are very close."

"Mm-hmm!"

"Then why didn't you go to her concert?"

Yun Youqing scratched her cheek, embarrassed. "Because I was going through that breakup then... didn't really have the heart to go out..."

Shen Wenxin raised an eyebrow in understanding.

Yun Youqing continued, "Then I had things of my own to take care of, like organizing the art exhibition. And now that the weather's cold, she's worried about me catching a cold, so she told me not to come." She hunched her shoulders slightly. "I do get cold easily." Most importantly, she now had someone she liked. Tao Fangran had hoped she could grasp her happiness and embrace the future. Although that chance was already gone. The universe wasn't kind to her, making the person she liked a straight girl, of all people.

The person she liked said, "That ex of yours must have done quite a number on you."

Yun Youqing said, "Yeah."

Closing the car door, they walked along the riverside promenade nearby. The hot drinks radiated warmth in their hands. Yun Youqing, greedy for that warmth, wrapped both hands around her cup.

"Tell me about it," Shen Wenxin took a sip of her hot coffee and said calmly. "Tell me what happened between you and your ex." That person had hurt Yun Youqing and even left Yun Youqing always looking pitiful whenever the past was brought up. So, she was curious. She wanted to know—as a friend. "It's fine if you're not comfortable talking about it. I was being presumptuous." Shen Wenxin added this. It was Yun Youqing's private matter, her wound. If Yun Youqing didn't want to share, no one could force her. That was basic respect.

Yun Youqing smiled. "There's nothing I can't talk about, really." She placed both hands on the riverbank railing, her gaze drifting into the distance. "After all, it's been so long."

Shen Wenxin stood beside her, leaning her waist against the railing, watching her intently.

Yun Youqing slowly began, "She was a senior I knew from university, a year above me. I met her at a school club. At first, I thought she was quite aloof, but as I got to know her, I found she was very gentle. Every time she taught me something, she spoke softly and carefully. I just thought she was wonderful, truly wonderful, pure and flawless like the moon. One thing led to another, and I fell for her. To my great surprise, she also liked women."

Shen Wenxin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you confess to her directly?" Yun Youqing was a very proactive person. Once she confirmed someone's orientation aligned with hers, she would be utterly frank—just like she'd been with her.

But Yun Youqing shook her head. "No." She looked at Shen Wenxin. "My senior also had someone she liked."

Shen Wenxin raised an eyebrow.

Yun Youqing smiled warmly. "I saw her as my white moonlight, and she had her own white moonlight." The universe spared no one.

Shen Wenxin asked again, "Did she end up with her white moonlight?"

"Also no." Yun Youqing spread her hands. "During university, neither of us could date our white moonlights. After graduation, we went our separate ways." Separate ways, and yet they shared such a past.

Shen Wenxin asked, "You met again later?"

Yun Youqing smiled. "Yeah." Like an illusory dream, her white moonlight senior appeared in her life once more. That day, they had coincidentally visited the same museum exhibition. Amidst the vast river of history, amidst all living beings, they reunited. They looked at each other, discovering each was still the same as before. No one had changed. Because they had both changed contact details, they re-added each other. Online, they chatted about the past, about the little moments from university. They also talked about the present, about each other's recent lives.

Two lives that had crossed and diverged intersected once more. Yun Youqing, who had originally let go of the moon in her heart, was stirred again during their interactions. Those feelings for the moon fluttered to life once more. But this time, the moonlight shone on her.

"We dated for a year. A very loving, very happy year." The night breeze lifted Yun Youqing's hair at her temples. The chill seeped into her skin, and she unconsciously hugged herself. But this time, the smile on her face disappeared. "I thought we'd be together for much longer, not just a year." She lifted her head to look at the cold, clear moon in the sky. Thinking of that day, she still felt puzzled, still lost and at a loss. "But one day, she suddenly told me she wanted to break up. I asked why. She said, 'No reason. I just don't like you anymore.'"

"Wow..." Yun Youqing finally laughed. A laugh full of self-mockery. "What a ridiculous reason. Just the day before, we were laughing and talking, falling asleep in each other's arms. Then I open my eyes and she doesn't like me anymore? Is she playing a child's game..." She still couldn't comprehend it, though the heartbreak wasn't as sharp anymore. She just couldn't figure out why things had turned out this way.

She lifted her head and drank the coffee in one go, drawing a close to the story, ending it with a flourish. "She was determined to leave, I couldn't keep her, and then we were done. That's it!" Many things only became clear in hindsight, like why she couldn't hold onto her. Was it really just because that was her personality, to leave resolutely, and no one could ever stop her? Maybe not. Perhaps, as her ex had said, she didn't like her, or at least... didn't like her that much.

At that moment, a hand landed on her head and stroked it gently, twice. Her gaze followed the arm up. Shen Wenxin was looking at her, with a mix of sympathy and helplessness. "If she left, then so be it," Shen Wenxin said. "She didn't know how to cherish you. So, don't want her anymore." Shen Wenxin had zero goodwill toward this ex of Yun Youqing's. How could someone treat their girlfriend like this? And because of her, Yun Youqing had become so insecure.

Shen Wenxin tucked the wind-tousled hair behind Yun Youqing's ear, gently stroking her soft hair. Her actions were gentle, her tone gentle. "Someone like that doesn't deserve your affection. You deserve the best." These words—Tao Fangran had said them before. But hearing them again, especially from Shen Wenxin, still moved Yun Youqing, still made her happy.

She hadn't misjudged. Shen Wenxin was a truly good person.

Yun Youqing's eyes slowly curved, a bright and tender smile blooming. She held Shen Wenxin's hand. "Thank you." She shuffled a step closer, closing the distance. She reached out, embraced her, burying her face in the crook of her neck. "Thank you..." Revealing her softest side once more.

Shen Wenxin sighed silently, holding her coffee in one hand, stroking Yun Youqing's head with the other. She couldn't do anything about her. "Saying thank you once is enough."

Yun Youqing said, "I know." Then smiled, hugging her even tighter, squirming restlessly in her arms. "But right now, I just want to say it many times—thank you, thank you, thank you!" Like a chirpy little sparrow.

Shen Wenxin truly felt she could do nothing about her and just patted her head, saying nothing.

A moment later, Shen Wenxin suddenly came to her senses. She looked at the dark, long hair of the person in her arms. Did I just give her another chance to push her luck?

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