Liang He stood in stunned silence. It took three full seconds for him to grasp who Lu Xialan meant by "he" and what she meant by "gone."
His mouth remained slightly parted, poised to tell her the news of his uncle’s return, but now the words were stuck. Even if he spoke them, they had lost all meaning.
Lu Xialan looked at him and gave a cold, faint smile. That smile seemed to drain the last of her strength; her legs gave way, and she began to collapse toward the ground.
Liang He reacted instinctively, catching her by the arms. She was damp and freezing. Bracing herself against him, she tried to stand on trembling legs. She attempted to push him away twice, but when he didn't budge, she finally slumped into his chest and broke into a loud, jagged sob.
Liang He was at a loss for words. Perhaps he should have comforted her, but any words of solace died in his throat. What right did he have to comfort her? That man was the one who had caused his father’s death. Could he really say, "The dead cannot return, please accept my condolences"? Or should he cast everything aside and explain, "I went home to plead your case, and my uncle was already on his way back"?
The former, Liang He could not bring himself to say; the latter was already too late.
By now, people were poking their heads out of the upstairs windows, peering down curiously at the scene. But Lu Xialan showed no sign of stopping. Liang He gave her a gentle nudge. "Xialan? Xialan, stop crying."
Lu Xialan only buried her face deeper into his chest, refusing to look up.
"You're soaked," Liang He said. "Let me take you back."
Lu Xialan only continued to weep.
Liang He was out of options. She was drenched to the bone, and letting her cry here wasn't a solution. He thought of the young faculty dormitory, which was close to the graduate student housing. Half-coaxing and half-dragging her, he managed to get her to the empty room. He went to find Lu Xialan’s aunt—the manager of the faculty dorm—but her door was locked tight. After a moment’s thought, he headed straight for Qiu Yun’s dormitory.
Qiu Yun was currently mixing sugar water for Wang Chen. When she heard the dorm matron announce that "Teacher Liang He is downstairs looking for you," her hand gave an involuntary jerk.
Water splashed onto her hand, and her heart began to thrum in sync with the sting. *So soon? We only just parted.*
Unaware of the context, Wang Chen tried to reassure her. "It’s fine. Maybe Teacher Liang really does have something important to discuss. Don't be scared."
Qiu Yun glanced at her, wanting to smile but failing. Without a word, she set down the kettle and ran out like a gust of wind.
Wang Chen felt something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what.
Qiu Yun sprinted down the stairs, but as she reached the final flight, she slowed her pace, steadied her breathing, and walked out calmly. She had intended to act a bit coy, struggling to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, but the moment she stepped outside, she saw Liang He’s expression—anxious and grave. There were faint wet patches on his chest.
"Qiu Xiaoyun," Liang He said, stepping toward her. "Are you free right now?"
Qiu Yun instantly switched to her serious mode. She nodded and asked, "What’s wrong?"
"Find a set of your clean clothes," Liang He said, "and come with me."
***
Wang Chen had just taken a sip of the brown sugar water Qiu Yun had prepared. The warm liquid traveled from her mouth down to her stomach, bringing a touch of comfort. She was still savoring the sweetness when she heard a sudden clatter behind her. Turning around, she saw Qiu Yun return like a whirlwind, dash to the window, rip a short-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers off the curtain rod, shove them into a cloth bag, and vanish again like a gust of wind.
The entire process was so fluid and rapid that she hadn't even greeted Wang Chen.
Holding her warm cup, Wang Chen sat dazed for a long while. *What is going on? Is Xiao Yun clashing with Teacher Liang again?*
***
On the way, Liang He briefly explained the situation to Qiu Yun. When she heard that Liang He’s mother had called, Qiu Yun felt a surge of joy, but it was quickly dampened by the news Lu Xialan had delivered. Her footsteps slowed.
"That’s how it is," Liang He said with a bitter smile. "I think Xialan must have waited outside the dorm all night."
"Waited for you all night?" Qiu Yun’s eyes widened. "In that storm yesterday? She..."
"I think she came to beg me again, but..."
"Sigh," Qiu Yun couldn't help but exhale. "Perhaps this is just the will of heaven."
Hearing this, Liang He stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at Qiu Yun, yet his gaze seemed to pass through her. After a few seconds of unfocused silence, he suddenly looked up at the sky. The overcast weather had broken; the sun had finally revealed a long-awaited smile. The sky was a washed blue, dotted with faint clouds. Curious, Qiu Yun followed his gaze, shielding her eyes with her hand against the brilliant sunlight. Aside from the clearing weather, she saw nothing unusual. She looked at Liang He in confusion, but he had already lowered his gaze and started walking again. "Let’s go."
Following behind him, Qiu Yun couldn't resist asking, "What were you looking at just now?"
"You’re right," Liang He said. "Perhaps it is the will of heaven." He paused. "I think my father, up in heaven, knows by now as well."
So that was it. Qiu Yun asked tentatively, "Do you think Uncle Liang would hold a grudge over all this?"
Liang He had never considered the question. Prompted by Qiu Yun, he realized that in all these years, he seemed to have overlooked something. He looked momentarily lost. "I... I don't know. My father was an exceptionally kind and simple man. He was obsessed with his research and never cared for petty grievances. But I think... kindness isn't the same as weakness, and simplicity isn't the same as stupidity. He was a mortal man, after all—a husband and a father. He should have had a happy family and a successful career... but... there’s no point in saying these things now."
Qiu Yun chewed on Liang He’s words. She wondered how she would react in his place. If Sima Feng had been killed in prison, what would she do? Would she report it and seek legal justice, or would she demand a life for a life, blood for blood? She didn't dare imagine it. Even Chen Liping’s betrayal had felt unbearable; she couldn't fathom losing someone forever. It turned out that "empathy" was a deceptive word; no one could truly feel another's pain. Yet, strangely, despite knowing so little about Liang He’s father, she had a gut feeling that he had long since stopped caring about these things. As Liang He said, he was kind and simple, which meant he was likely wise and perceptive—able to see further and let go more easily than others. Because the hardest thing in life isn't forgetting, but forgiving.
Following her train of thought, she said, "Maybe if you let it go, he can truly let it go too."
Liang He turned to look at Qiu Yun again, his gaze deep and meaningful. That simple sentence stirred ripples in his heart.
Unsettled by his gaze and fearing she had overstepped, Qiu Yun quickly corrected herself. "I’m just talking nonsense. Don't mind me."
"No," Liang He said slowly. "You are quite right."
***
By the time they reached the young faculty dormitory, Lu Xialan had stopped crying. She was hunched over a desk, writing something. When she saw Liang He and Qiu Yun arrive together—specifically when she saw Qiu Yun—her eyes filled with surprise and shock.
Liang He explained, "I asked Qiu Xiaoyun to bring you a change of clothes. Change into them quickly."
Lu Xialan lowered her eyes. "Why her?"
"What?" Her voice was so low Liang He didn't catch it. Seeing her remain still, he added, "No matter what has happened, your health comes first."
Lu Xialan kept her head down, unmoved. The three of them stood in silence for a few seconds. Just as Qiu Yun began to feel the crushing awkwardness of the situation, Lu Xialan finally spoke as if conceding. "I’ll change. You go outside."
Qiu Yun heard Liang He let out a faint sigh of relief. She set the clothes down and was about to turn and leave with him when Lu Xialan said, "Qiu Xiaoyun, stay and help me."
Qiu Yun looked at Liang He. He gave her a nod, his eyes saying *Please help her*, so she stayed and closed the door.
Lu Xialan watched the door slowly shut, locking the sunlight completely outside.
Qiu Yun spoke tentatively, "These two pieces of clothing..."
Before she could finish, Lu Xialan asked, "You know everything, don't you?"
Qiu Yun studied her expression, hesitating slightly. In those few seconds, Lu Xialan’s gaze met hers without flinching. Unable to avoid it, Qiu Yun gave a simple reply. "Yes."
"He told you?"
Qiu Yun gave another "Yes."
At the second confirmation, a thin mist began to cloud Lu Xialan’s eyes. She stared at Qiu Yun in silence for several seconds, her large eyes looking particularly pitiful. She said nothing more, and Qiu Yun remained silent. Then, she turned back to the desk, picked up the pen, and continued writing.
She wrote with frantic speed. Qiu Yun watched as her handwriting shifted from hurried block characters to a cursive scrawl, finally becoming symbols as illegible as a doctor’s prescription. It was as if someone were rushing her, or perhaps her thoughts were moving too fast and her hand was a mere bottleneck. Soon, she had filled an entire sheet of stationery. Finally, her pen came to a sharp halt, and she stood up.
She looked at Qiu Yun, who knew she had something to say. Lu Xialan took a deep breath, folded the paper twice, and placed it on the desk, pinning it down with the fountain pen. "I won't change," she said softly. "Please give this paper to Liang He for me."
With that, she headed straight for the door. Qiu Yun called out to her, "Aren't you going to give it to him yourself?"
She turned back and shook her head. "What do you think?"
"Liang He’s uncle is actually already on his way back," Qiu Yun said. "Liang He doesn't owe you anything."
Lu Xialan gave a faint smile as tears rolled down her cheeks.
The door opened, and sunlight flooded back in.
Liang He was waiting in the corridor. Hearing the movement, he stepped forward quickly. Seeing Lu Xialan still in her wet clothes, he frowned. "Xialan..."
"I’m leaving, Liang He," Lu Xialan cut him off. "There are many things to handle at home. Don't worry, and there’s no need to see me off."
Liang He wanted to say more, but Lu Xialan gave him no chance. She hurried down the stairs without looking back and vanished in an instant.
Qiu Yun stepped out of the room and saw Liang He standing by the door. His expression was complex, but he did not chase after her.
Not a single step.
She handed the letter to Liang He. "Should I... go see her off for you?"
Liang He took the letter and declined. "No need. Heaven has already made the best arrangement."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 何成燕 | He Chengyan | Liang He's mother. |
| 司马峰 | Sima Feng | Qiu Yun's father. |
| 陈丽萍 | Chen Liping | A person who betrayed Qiu Yun's family. |
