Lan Hai’s life had settled into a quiet and predictable routine.
In the blink of an eye, the wheel of time turned once more, and five long years quietly slipped away.
Now eighteen years old, Lan Hai had grown into a disciplined, mature, and serious young man.
Every day followed the same unwavering rhythm.
From sunrise until dusk, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to preparing for the college entrance examinations.
Once night fell, he would make his way to his mother’s small street food stall, helping her until the very last customer had left.
Though their life remained simple, it was peaceful.
And to Lan Hai…
that peaceful life was more precious than anything else.
One afternoon, the familiar atmosphere of the food stall became unusually lively.
Mu Chen, Feng Hui, Qin Shen, and Xia Qinue had all come to visit.
It had been quite some time since the five of them had gathered together, and their reunion instantly filled the little stall with warmth, laughter, and lively conversation.
They spent the entire day reminiscing about their childhood, laughing over embarrassing stories, teasing one another, and reliving countless memories that had never faded with time.
For a few precious hours, it felt as though nothing in the world had changed.
Before anyone realized it, the golden sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, and night quietly blanketed the city.
Seeing how late it had become, everyone prepared to head home.
At that moment, Mu Chen quietly walked over to Xia Qinue.
After making sure no one else was close enough to overhear them, he lowered his voice and asked,
“Qinue… how much longer are you planning to keep your feelings buried inside your heart? If you really love Lan Hai, why don’t you tell him? I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life regretting the words you never found the courage to say.”
Qinue lowered her eyes.
A trace of nervousness crossed her beautiful face as she softly replied,
“I know, Mu Chen… but I’m scared. What… what if he rejects me?”
Mu Chen smiled helplessly before gently patting her shoulder.
“Come on. At least give yourself a chance. Lan Hai is one of the kindest and most honest people I’ve ever met. Besides…”
A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“…the two of you look perfect together.”
After a brief pause, he added,
“If you want, I can talk to him for you.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Xia Qinue’s cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
“N-No! Absolutely not!” she stammered in panic.
“I… I’ll tell him myself.”
Just then, a familiar voice sounded from behind them.
“What are you two whispering about?”
Both of them instinctively turned around.
Lan Hai had wandered over and was now standing beside them, looking at the pair with narrowed eyes filled with curiosity.
For a brief moment, Qinue’s heart nearly stopped beating.
Fortunately, Mu Chen reacted instantly.
With a completely natural smile, he casually wrapped an arm around Lan Hai’s shoulder and laughed.
“Nothing important. We were just talking about something personal.”
Lan Hai looked at the two of them suspiciously for another moment before simply shrugging.
“I see.”
Only then did Qinue finally let out the breath she had been holding.
After calming herself, she gathered every ounce of courage she possessed.
Looking directly into Lan Hai’s eyes, she spoke in an unusually gentle voice.
“Lan Hai… would you go for a walk with me?”
Lan Hai smiled without the slightest hesitation.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
After saying goodbye to the others, the two of them slowly walked away from the food stall and disappeared into the quiet embrace of the night.
Neither of them realized…
…that this quiet walk would become the last peaceful memory they would ever share before fate cruelly tore their worlds apart forever.
It was now 11:30 p.m.
The streets were completely deserted, and a cool night breeze drifted through the silent air.
A short distance behind them, Xia Qinue’s luxury car followed at a slow pace, maintaining a respectful distance while ensuring her safety.
Neither of them spoke.
They simply walked side by side beneath the star-filled sky, allowing the silence between them to deepen with every step.
Unable to bear the silence any longer, Qinue finally came to a stop.
She drew a deep breath, clenched her trembling hands into tight fists, and turned to face Lan Hai.
“Lan Hai… there’s something very important I want to tell you.”
Lan Hai looked at her with his usual calm expression and offered a faint smile.
“Go ahead, Qinue. I’m listening.”
Her heart pounded so violently that every beat echoed in her ears.
For years, she had buried those feelings deep within herself, never daring to let them surface.
Tonight, however, she refused to run from them any longer.
Gathering every ounce of courage she possessed, she lifted her eyes to meet his and softly whispered,
“I love you.”
Those three simple words broke the silence of the night.
Lan Hai stood frozen.
His pupils contracted slightly, his breathing caught for an instant, and his mind went completely blank.
For a single heartbeat, the entire world seemed to fall silent.
Neither of them uttered another word.
Even the cold night breeze seemed to pause for that single moment.
After what felt like an eternity, Lan Hai finally lowered his gaze.
His expression remained calm, yet beneath that composed exterior, countless emotions threatened to tear him apart.
“Qinue… you’re beautiful, kind, and you’ve always stood beside me through every hardship I’ve faced. But… we can never be together. I know how you feel. In fact… I’ve known for a long time. But our worlds are completely different.”
Every word cut into Qinue like a blade.
She didn’t argue.
She didn’t question him.
She simply stood there, silently enduring an agony that threatened to shatter her.
She fought desperately to hold back her tears, refusing to cry in front of the person she loved most.
Yet emotions were never something anyone could truly control.
A single tear finally escaped, slowly tracing its way down her cheek.
The instant Lan Hai saw it, an unbearable pain gripped his chest.
Without thinking, he instinctively stepped forward, intending to wipe away her tear.
However…
Before his hand could reach her face, Qinue gently raised her own hand, stopping him.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
It was the same warm smile he had cherished for years, yet tonight it carried a sorrow that words could never describe.
“It’s alright… You don’t have to feel guilty. I respect your decision.”
She took one final step toward him, leaving only a small distance between them.
“But before I leave… there’s one last thing I’d like to tell you.”
Lan Hai remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
Qinue looked straight into his eyes and smiled bitterly.
“Lan Hai… you believe we belong to two different worlds, don’t you? But if you had asked me… just once… I would’ve abandoned my wealth, my family, and everything I own without a second thought just to stand beside you. I’m not in love with your money… I’m in love with your heart. As for everything else… may God guide you to the destination you’ve always been searching for.”
With those final words, she turned around and walked toward her waiting car without looking back.
The car door closed softly behind her.
Moments later, the vehicle disappeared into the endless darkness of the night.
Lan Hai remained standing exactly where she had left him.
His eyes never left the empty road ahead.
Only after the faint glow of the taillights vanished completely into the darkness did the invisible wall surrounding his heart finally crumble.
The composure he had fought so desperately to maintain shattered beyond repair, and tears silently streamed down his face.
Slowly, he lifted his head and looked toward the countless stars scattered across the endless sky.
His lips trembled before the words finally escaped.
“Qinue… how could I ever tell you… that I’ve loved you ever since we were children?”
In the silence of that lonely night, Lan Hai’s thoughts drifted back into the memories of the past.
He remembered his kindergarten days, when he was nothing more than a timid little boy.
Surrounded by three older children who delighted in bullying him, he had been too frightened to resist.
Then, out of nowhere, a tiny girl had stepped in front of him without the slightest hesitation, shielding him from those bullies.
That little girl was Xia Qinue.
On that very day, at such an innocent age, a quiet seed of love had taken root within Lan Hai’s heart.
Another memory soon surfaced.
It was during high school.
One afternoon, Lan Hai noticed several boys surrounding a girl.
Without thinking, he rushed forward to help, only to discover that the girl was none other than Xia Qinue.
Years later, when he walked into his new classroom on the very first day and found Qinue sitting at the desk directly behind him, he had almost been unable to contain his happiness.
However…
That happiness was short-lived.
Reality came crashing down upon him.
Lan Hai soon learned that Xia Qinue was no ordinary girl.
She was the Young Miss of the Xia Clan—the most powerful and influential family in the entire city.
One was merely the son of a woman who struggled every day to earn a living through her humble street food stall, while the other was a princess born into unimaginable wealth and status.
The distance separating their worlds was simply too great.
From that day onward, Lan Hai buried his feelings in the deepest corner of his heart, never allowing them to surface again.
Yet…
Could love truly remain hidden forever?
He knew she would secretly steal glances at him during class.
Because of that, he had quietly started carrying a small mirror inside his school bag, allowing him to catch glimpses of her beautiful face through its reflection without ever having to turn around.
The stream of memories slowly faded, pulling Lan Hai back to the cold reality of the night.
He wiped away the tears clinging to his face and slowly made his way home.
Everyone in this world longs for something.
Some pursue limitless wealth.
Others seek power capable of making the entire world kneel before them.
And some simply wish to spend their lives beside the one person they truly love.
Wealth can be earned.
Power can be attained.
But love…
No one can ever predict when it will arrive, in what form it will appear, or whether destiny will allow it to remain.
By the time Lan Hai reached home, he had already buried his heartache behind the familiar smile he always wore in front of his mother.
She was busy washing dishes beside their small food stall when she noticed him approaching.
Without saying a word, Lan Hai rolled up his sleeves and began helping her, just as he always did.
Before long, the usual playful banter between mother and son filled the quiet night.
Lan Xiuan shot him a sideways glance.
“Lan Hai, scrub those dishes properly. They’re still dirty.”
Lan Hai pouted dramatically.
“Mom! I’m helping you this late at night, and instead of thanking me, you’re scolding me?”
Lan Xiuan chuckled.
“That’s because without a good scolding, you never seem to do anything properly.”
Lan Hai sighed helplessly.
“Mom… don’t say that.”
Seeing his exaggerated expression, Lan Xiuan couldn’t help but laugh.
She scooped up a handful of water from the basin and playfully splashed it straight at him.
Lan Hai jumped back in surprise.
“Mom! What are you doing?!”
Not willing to admit defeat, he immediately splashed water back at her.
Within moments, the small courtyard echoed with the carefree laughter of mother and son as they chased one another around like children.
No matter how much pain, sorrow, or hardship a person carries throughout life…
The moment they return to their mother’s side, even if only for a little while, those burdens seem to disappear.
Perhaps that is why…
Having a mother is one of the greatest blessings life can ever offer.