Chapter 3: A Choice Revisited

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It had been two months since I last saw Shen Yichen.

Not that I was counting.

Life had settled into its usual rhythm—school, homework, the occasional sleepover at Qianrou’s house. The car ride incident had long passed, and I had convinced myself that it didn’t matter. Shen Yichen had gone back to university, back to his life in the city, where I didn’t exist.

It was better this way.

But sometimes, on quiet afternoons, when I sat alone in the library or walked home from school, I wondered—did he ever think about home? About Qianrou? About the quiet little neighborhood he had left behind?

Did he ever remember that there was a girl who once chased his shadow?

I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. It was foolish to think about things that didn’t matter.

"Xiaoyu!"

I blinked, looking up as Qianrou rushed over, excitement clear in her eyes.

"Guess what?"

I sighed. "You won the lottery?"

"Even better!" She grinned. "Gege is coming home this weekend!"

My breath caught.

Shen Yichen? Home?

For a second, I didn’t know how to react. He never came home unless absolutely necessary. In the past year, I could count on one hand the number of times he had returned.

"...Why?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Qianrou shrugged. "Mom said there’s some important business thing happening, so he has to be there. But the best part? He’s picking me up again on Friday! You should come with me!"

I hesitated.

Last time, I had made the decision to walk home. I thought it would make things easier, but instead, I had spent the next few days feeling an ache I couldn’t quite name.

Would it be any different this time?

"Come on, don’t say no!" Qianrou pleaded. "We barely see him! And I bet Gege won’t even mind. He probably forgot all about last time anyway."

That was exactly the problem.

Shen Yichen had forgotten, while I was still stuck remembering.

"...I’ll think about it," I finally said.

Qianrou pouted but let it go.

That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I found myself unable to sleep.

Would seeing him again change anything?

Or would it only remind me—once again—of how far apart our worlds really were?

---

Friday came faster than I expected.

Before I knew it, the school day had ended, and I was standing at the front gate with Qianrou.

"He should be here soon," she said, checking her phone. "Traffic’s bad, though. He just texted that he’s five minutes away."

I nodded, gripping the strap of my bag tightly.

I could still walk home. I could still avoid this.

But before I could decide, a sleek black car pulled up in front of us.

The moment the door opened, my heart stopped.

Shen Yichen stepped out, effortlessly refined in his white button-up and dark slacks. Two months. It had only been two months, yet somehow, he looked even more distant than before.

His sharp gaze swept over the students passing by, uninterested. Then, finally, he looked at us.

Or rather, at Qianrou.

"Get in," he said simply.

She grinned. "Gege, you’re early!"

I stood frozen, my pulse quickening. He hadn’t even acknowledged me.

"Xiaoyu’s coming too," Qianrou added, gesturing at me.

It was then—only then—that Shen Yichen’s gaze flickered in my direction.

His eyes met mine for a split second. Cold. Distant. Unbothered.

Then, just like last time, he turned away.

"Do whatever you want," he said, opening the car door for Qianrou.

I felt it again—that same painful twist in my chest.

I should’ve been used to it by now.