Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The ship to France departed, leaving behind a sense of meaningful liberation.
Since the last farewell with Shaoyi, she had kept herself exceptionally busy, as if those overflowing trivial matters could fill the emptiness within her. She slowly waved goodbye to her father, the long white tassels on her qipao swaying slightly, exuding a quiet fragrance.
Cheng Yi held her hand, aware that his daughter wanted to escape this place and understood the pain in her heart at that moment. He moved his hand holding the pipe and after a long pause, spoke softly, "Su'er, I hope your study abroad is not just an escape; you need to find yourself."
Her delicate fingertips trembled slightly, almost losing grip on the suitcase. After a moment of contemplation, she replied softly, "Don't worry, Dad."
She waved her hand and walked towards the cabin of the ship. Taking one last look at Shanghai, she felt that deep within its splendor lay only loneliness; as she ventured deeper, it was all desolation. This journey was known only to her father, meant to evade her helplessness regarding Shangguan Shaoyi and to leave behind Xiao Zuo's deep affection for her.
The endless seamless sky stretched out before her.
After months of travel and many different landscapes, she finally stepped into another country—France.
As she drove towards the campus, a sense of joy unexpectedly filled her heart—a feeling she hadn't experienced since parting with Shaoyi.
The dormitory supervisor was somewhat plump but appeared kind-hearted, with golden hair and blue eyes as pure as the sky. She smiled gently as Su'er took the textbooks from her hands and turned to enter her room.
The window was half-open; it lacked the extravagance of home but had a touch of simplicity. There was a common living room and several plain white beds—simple yet beautiful. The fatigue from days of travel surged forth at that moment; she rubbed her swollen eyes and lay down straight, sinking into a sea of white.
She slept so soundly that when she woke up, it was already dusk.
Her stomach grumbled unconsciously. She intended to call for wind music but realized that in a foreign land, she could only rely on herself. The corners of her lips slowly lifted into a faint smile as she stood up and pushed the door open to step outside.
The campus was vast, and her sense of direction was extremely poor; she truly couldn't find where the cafeteria was. As she walked around, she unexpectedly found herself back at the school gate.
She smiled self-deprecatingly, intending to turn away but froze in place, her Water-colored Eyes unconsciously swirling.
"What's wrong, don't you recognize me?" The lean yet tall figure unexpectedly appeared before her, revealing a warm smile like sunshine.
"Brother Zuo Wei." Her nose tinged with bitterness, nearly bringing her to tears. She took a few steps toward Xiao Zuo Wei, burying herself in his embrace and murmuring softly, "You... how did you come here?"
"Because you are here." He gently patted her back, helping to ease some of her emotions. Once she calmed down, he smiled and said, "So, would you like me to show you around? I traveled all over Europe during my studies."
The corners of her Lips Corners lifted into a faint smile as she linked her arm with his and nodded vigorously.
Xiao Zuo Wei's eyes sparkled. Cheng Mo Su thought of her past self when she saw him—stubborn and brave, willing to love and fight. But too many events had happened that made her grow up, smoothing out the edges of her former self, while Brother Zuo Wei remained unchanged, carrying an undeniable determination as he walked his own path.
Suddenly, she felt envious of him and deeply respected him.
He brought her to a café and slowly came to a stop.
"Xiao Su, the coffee here is really good, and the owner is very friendly." His face wore the same familiar smile.
She nodded and casually ordered a cup of coffee, her Water-colored Eyes fixed on him. "Brother Zuo Wei, you really didn't have to come; you don't have to do this for me..."
Bitterly shaking her head, he said, "I lost you once due to my negligence; I won't let that happen again."
She smiled faintly and shook her head. Her long Eyelashes trembled slightly as her lost heart slowly pieced itself together. Her Rose-Colored Lips parted slightly. "But right now, I'm not planning to accept anyone."
"Even Shao Yi?"
"Including Shaoyi."
He smiled gently, "I know Shaoyi's personality well. Once he sets his mind on something, he won't give up. He will come looking for you sooner or later. You deliberately ran away abroad to make it harder for him to find you, didn't you?"
"Yes, but why are you here? What makes you different from him?"
He smiled slightly and adjusted her Qipao collar, smoothing her loosely tied black hair. "Naturally different. Once Shaoyi has hope, he won't let go. As for me, even if there is no hope, I will keep waiting."
She paused slightly, lowering her Eyes to the exquisite fruit platter on the table, avoiding his gaze. "Brother Zuwei, I won't be with Shaoyi. But I also won't be with you; I can't forget him. Wouldn't it be unfair to you if I were with you?"
He was taken aback for a moment, then smiled gently. He looked at her, his Water Eyes clear and his Eyelashes like fans. Her thoughts were delicate and gentle. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Xiao Su, people can change."
"Is that so..." She tilted her head slightly, a smile on her face, but her slightly furrowed brows revealed her contemplation. After a brief silence, she turned to look at him and changed the subject. "Brother Zuwei, how is the work at the newspaper going?"
He chuckled softly. "I've arranged everything. Actually, there's not much for me to do there; it's just publishing various news articles."
"Does that include sensationalist fake news?" Her gaze drifted off into the distance as if recalling something.
"No, that's from other newspapers. Our newspaper doesn't do that; we only publish real and credible news."
"Aren't you worried about low sales?" She teased lightly, her smile like water.
He also smiled quietly, but his eyes were firm. "The world is tough right now; every newspaper is in fierce competition and it's already hard to survive. The daily wages are pitifully low. Since that's the case, we might as well focus on real news—no sensationalism, no noise."
In such difficult times, how can one move forward without courage? She nodded quietly, her beautiful face reflecting soft light in her eyes. He couldn't help but be captivated and smiled lightly. "Let's not talk about this anymore; classes start tomorrow. Let me take you to get familiar with the environment."
"Is it the environment of the school?"
"No." He smiled mysteriously, taking her hand and leading her out the door. The two of them did not call for a car or say a word, simply walking side by side on the streets of France. He disregarded the gazes of others, weaving through the crowd with her. Initially, she felt a bit flustered, but as they walked, a feeling called "curiosity" replaced her anxiety. Various buildings filled her view, creating a picturesque scene.
"Brother Zuo Wei." She grew tired and pointed to a shop not far away, seemingly run by Chinese people. "I'm so tired; let's eat something and take a break."
He nodded, looking at her watery eyes. "It might not be as good as what we have at home."
She shook her head, her bright eyes and white teeth forming a sweet smile. "It's okay; I've never eaten at a small shop before. Let's give it a try."
He ordered two servings of Sugar Porridge. She smiled and sat down while he blew on the porridge to cool it down. She slowly took the spoon and began to eat, her light smile resembling that of a child. The porridge, slightly sweet and with a hint of magic, tempted her to keep eating.
Afterward, they strolled by the lake, fed the pigeons, and watched a movie.
"How does it feel? Is this world different from what you imagined?"
"Mm." Her water-colored eyes sparkled slightly. "It's very different." She stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixed intently on Xiao Zuo Wei. "Even though my legs are sore from walking so much, the occasional light rain and the carefully made snacks make me incredibly happy. It feels like I’m experiencing a different flavor—a taste of truly living."
Her voice grew softer. He smiled gently and pulled her into his embrace. This time she did not resist but leaned against him, feeling a different kind of warmth. Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, hiding the light that gradually overflowed from her eyes.
Comment 0 Comment Count