The night deepened, the moonlight and streetlights blending into a clear yet hazy glow. From the distant plane trees came the ceaseless chirping of unseen insects, as if they knew no fatigue.
In the quiet, only the girl’s soft sobs could be heard.
Lu Shinian stood frozen in place, not daring to move, letting the girl cry in front of her. No words of comfort seemed useful, so she could only awkwardly pat her back in helpless reassurance.
She had never seen Yu He cry before, nor had she ever imagined that Yu He’s tears could be so heartbreaking.
In these simple days of interaction, the Yu He of their youth had gradually become vivid and bright in her eyes, no longer just a name lingering in her memories.
She could laugh, blush, and care for those around her.
Even when life was hard, she never complained. She shone brilliantly in her own world, as if no one could dim her light.
In the future, she would become so strong that nothing could stand in her way.
But only now did Lu Shinian realize just how much suffering and how many tears lay behind Yu He, things she had never truly understood.
Perhaps the Yu He she knew was merely one-thousandth of what others could never glimpse.
And now, because of Yu He, because of her tears, Lu Shinian found herself inexplicably saddened too.
After what felt like an eternity, the crying slowly subsided.
Lu Shinian stopped patting and cautiously rested her hand on Yu He’s back. “Better?”
Suddenly, the light dimmed before her eyes. Lu Shinian felt the scorching warmth of Yu He’s palm covering her own, followed by a voice tinged with a faint nasal tone. “Don’t look at me.”
Lu Shinian paused for a few seconds before obediently closing her eyes. “I won’t.”
Feeling her compliance, Yu He took a quiet breath. Her cheeks, already flushed from crying, reddened even further. Gazing at the girl before her, an indescribable sense of embarrassment welled up in her chest. She pressed her lips together, lowered her hand, and turned to walk out of the alley.
The scent of Yu He faded from her presence. Lu Shinian opened her eyes, only to find her gone. Afraid she might have gone too far, she hurried after her.
Yu He hadn’t gone far, she was sitting on a bench beneath the plane trees.
Lu Shinian stopped in her tracks, silently watching her from behind for a moment before stepping toward the electric scooter.
The late-night streets were nearly empty, with only the occasional car speeding past.
Yu He lifted her gaze just as the other girl rode away on the scooter. She exhaled softly, but an inexplicable sadness rose in her chest.
This was the first time she had ever cried so freely in front of someone. All it had taken was Lu Shinian’s simple question, Does it hurt? and she had completely fallen apart. The pain in her skin, the despair in her heart, the suffocating weight in her chest, it had all surged up at once, stinging her eyes until her emotions spiraled out of control without warning.
She had snapped at her, but Lu Shinian hadn’t left.
She had cried, and Lu Shinian hadn’t told her to stop, she had simply let her be.
Perhaps it was precisely that indulgence that made her want to cry even more.
Why?
Yu He rarely dwelled on someone’s actions like this. She didn’t understand why Lu Shinian would want to get close to her, why she would say she liked her. After all, someone as flawed as her had nothing worth liking.
Perhaps, it was out of pity, just like when she handed her tissues outside the police station, feeling sorry for her. Lu Shinian was a compassionate person, she’d even help a stray cat on the street so in that sense, she wasn’t much different from a cat.
Yu He closed her eyes, still fighting back tears.
What was wrong with her today?
Just then, Lu Shinian, who had already left, came riding back on her bike. She stopped in front of Yu He, holding a bag of medicine. “You need to treat the wound, or it’ll get infected.”
Yu He froze, her eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty. “You went to buy medicine?”
“Of course.” Lu Shinian settled onto the seat, placing the bag between her legs as she unpacked the antiseptic and cotton swabs. “I passed a 24-hour pharmacy earlier. Your hand was bleeding, it needed attention.”
She dipped a cotton swab in the antiseptic and reached for Yu He’s injured hand.
Yu He pulled back slightly, but Lu Shinian held firm, speaking patiently, “Be good. If it gets infected, you won’t be able to write anymore. And I still want to copy your homework later.”
Yu He stayed silent but stopped resisting.
Holding her breath, Lu Shinian carefully applied the antiseptic before wrapping the wound with gauze. Suddenly, she smiled. “Want me to tie it into a bow?”
“No,” Yu He said.
“Alright then.” Not wanting Yu He to dwell on her thoughts, Lu Shinian changed the subject. “I checked the merry-go-round is for kids over three, so we’re perfect for it. Yu Jingjing and the others already rode it, but I waited for you. And the roller coaster? I didn’t go on that either. If you’re scared, we can skip it next time.”
She chuckled. “Actually, it’s me who’s scared. I saw a guy get off and puke his guts out into a trash can. It was horrifying. I have an image to maintain, you know.”
Yu He suddenly asked, “Do you pity me?”
Lu Shinian paused, looking up in surprise. “Pity you?”
“Yeah. Don’t you?” Yu He murmured, avoiding her gaze and staring down at the bandage instead.
Pity?
Lu Shinian nearly laughed in frustration, but seeing Yu He’s hesitant expression, her irritation faded. Maybe it was better to clear the air now, before misunderstandings festered.
Yu He had strong pride and a sensitive heart this needed careful handling.
“Listen up, Yu He,” Lu Shinian straightened, speaking earnestly. “I don’t pity you.”
“I’m not the kind of person who drowns in sympathy. Honestly, I can be pretty selfish. I’ve been sticking to you like glue for a reason, a simple one. You’re a good person, and I want to be your friend.”
“And don’t use the word ‘pity.’ We’re equals. There’s no need for pity. If anything, you should pity me, my grades are so bad I won’t even make it into a vocational college.”
She caught herself going off track and paused before continuing. “But if you really want to know why I treat you this way, then maybe it’s because”
“I care about you.”
Her clear voice, carried by the late summer moonlight, struck straight into Yu He’s heart.
She cared about her.
Unable to resist, Lu Shinian added, “If I ever cry, you’d care about me too, right?”
Yu He blinked silently, unsure how to begin.
Would she feel heartache?
The phone in her pocket vibrated. Lu Shinian lowered her head to pull it out, it was a text from her mother.
[Ms. Chai: It’s midnight. You’re not answering calls or texts. I know you’re doing this on purpose. Do you even see me as your mother anymore?]
[Ms. Chai: When you get home, we need to have a serious talk about this. I expect a reasonable explanation.]
[Ms. Chai: My trust in you is completely gone. From now on, if you tell me you want to go out, I won’t allow it.]
Lu Shinian frowned. She was definitely in for punishment when she got back, but she didn’t care.
“Are you going home now?” Yu He asked.
“Yeah, probably.” Lu Shinian stuffed her phone back into her pocket and continued bandaging.
She’s upset, Yu He thought quietly.
Once the bandaging was finished, Lu Shinian said, “Remember not to get it wet when you go back.”
“Mm.”
“I’m heading home. You should go back too, it’s not safe outside.”
“Mm.”
“See you at school.”
“Mm.”
Lu Shinian pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Yu He, your ears were really red earlier.”
“…..”