Chapter Fifty-Three: Wishing for a Fateful Encounter

After hearing my answer, Luo Qing fell silent and gazed into the distance, then drew her long, slender legs closer. Observing her movement, I gently rolled up the blanket and covered her legs. “Sorry,” I said.

Luo Qing turned her head toward me, puzzled, and without a word, raised her fist and punched me on the shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, at a loss.

“Don’t ever apologize in front of me again… No one owes me anything, and I won’t owe anyone either.” As she spoke, Luo Qing tilted her head upward, gazing at the beautiful stars shimmering in the darkness.

I nodded, casually opening the pack of cigarettes from the bag and handing one to her.

“Looking at the stars from here, it almost feels as if you could reach out and touch them,” Luo Qing said, taking the cigarette and tracing the air lightly with her hand.

“This place holds all of my reality—love or hate, it doesn’t matter. Whenever I come here, I forget everything else. I just want to sit quietly.” I lit my cigarette, watching the faint smoke rise slowly into the air, then fade away.

“Of course. If you can’t figure things out, just jump down and end it all,” Luo Qing joked, her laughter teasing as she reached out and beckoned to me.

I handed her the lighter and joined her in looking at the distant sky, searching for the “Big Dipper,” the only constellation I knew as a child.

The breeze swept through Luo Qing’s golden hair, making it ripple like waves of gold. She took a drag from her cigarette, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and then climbed lightly onto the railing, gazing thoughtfully into the distance.

“Yang Chen, aren’t you afraid to live alone?” Her voice was soft, but clear.

“No, there’s nothing to fear… Compared to the calm of darkness, I’m more afraid of people walking in the sunlight.” I glanced at her beautiful profile and asked instinctively, “Are you afraid of the dark?”

Luo Qing suddenly smiled. “Yes, I’m most afraid of being alone at night.”

“How did you make it through these years, then? There must have been many lonely nights.” My curiosity piqued, not just about her answer but about her past.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at me, her tone indifferent. “I used to be locked in a dark box alone. My grandmother told me that when you’re afraid, just get angry—the heat will chase away the fear.”

“A box?”

“Yes. The scariest place in the world.” A flicker of fear appeared in Luo Qing’s eyes as she unconsciously moved closer to me.

“Where was it?” Sensing her shift in emotion, I moved closer, until we were almost pressed together.

Luo Qing turned away, unwilling to say more.

I didn’t press her. I crushed out my cigarette and flicked the stub over the edge.

“Immoral!” Luo Qing, with a stub still left in her cigarette, seemed displeased when she saw me toss mine.

“It’s just a habit… not immoral,” I tried to explain.

She said nothing, inhaled deeply several times, then mimicked my gesture and flicked her own stub down.

I was speechless, wondering if this was her silent protest—or was it? Was she really protesting?

“I learned it from you!” Luo Qing coughed, the smoke catching in her throat, and glared at me.

“Couldn’t you learn something better from me?”

“Yang Chen…” Luo Qing looked at me earnestly, her beautiful eyes serious. “If you do something bad, I’ll do something bad too. Because, in my world, there’s no right or wrong—only people who are good to me and those who aren’t.”

I stared at Luo Qing, unsure what she meant—was it really just the literal meaning?

“So that’s your reason for tossing cigarette butts downstairs?” I teased, seeing her seriousness.

“I told you, I learned it from you!”

“Then at least do it properly! I always crush mine out before tossing them, okay?”

Luo Qing stared at me blankly, then leaned over the edge to check below, worried she might have caused trouble.

I tapped her head lightly, smiling. “It’s late, no one’s walking down there. Don’t worry, nothing will happen… Besides, from this height, the wind will have put it out long before it hits the ground.”

“You’re sure?” She rubbed the spot where I tapped her, sounding uncertain.

“Absolutely,” I replied confidently—though, honestly, I wasn’t sure at all.

Luo Qing relaxed, as if a burden had been lifted. Sometimes she seemed like a child—so pure, so adorable.

“Yang Chen!” Suddenly, Luo Qing seemed to recall something interesting and called out to me.

I gave her a questioning look, prompting her to speak.

“Well… can you teach me to play guitar someday?” Luo Qing feigned nonchalance, gazing into the distance as she made her request.

“Sure! But you have to like music. Can you do that?” This was hardly a request, but I stated my only condition.

“Of course!” Luo Qing seemed delighted with my quick response. Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she nodded.

“So beautiful…” I murmured, entranced by Luo Qing’s radiant smile.

“What?” She didn’t catch my muttered words.

“Nothing.”

I took out a can of beer and handed one to Luo Qing. Popping mine open, I took a long drink.

“Hey!” Luo Qing protested, popping her own can open.

Now what? Smoking was immoral, and drinking is too?

“Can’t you wait for me?” She took a quick sip.

“Oh, sorry. Come on, Lady Luo, let’s toast!” I raised my beer toward her.

Luo Qing reluctantly clinked cans with me. “You need a reason to drink! Say a reason first!”

So many demands… I paused, then blurted out, “Happy birthday, Miss Luo!”

“Insincere!” Luo Qing angrily set her beer down, refusing to toast again. I just laughed, unconcerned, and raised my beer to drink.

Suddenly, Luo Qing grew angry, her delicate hand pointing at me as she shouted, “If you dare drink, I’ll jump off!”

I froze, beer in hand. Was she joking? I hesitated, unable to read her character. Normally, such words would just be bluster, but Lady Luo was not a normal person…

I hurriedly set the beer down, coaxing, “Calm down, Lady—I'm just a little nobody, don't get mad, it's not worth it… If you don't forgive me, I'll jump off myself!”

Who could tell real from fake? Bluffing, anyway.

Luo Qing watched me, her expression serious, then covered her mouth and laughed. She playfully punched my chest. “Who wants you to jump, silly!”

Seeing her anger turn to laughter, I smiled, waving my beer in front of her. “Since you want a reason, you choose one.”

“Hmm…” Luo Qing picked up her beer, thought for a moment, then said, “To celebrate our fated meeting!”

Her words made my heart tingle, as if some long-lost emotion stirred within me. Fated meeting—such simple words, yet how many joys and sorrows are contained within them? In the inn of life, people come and go—who is a guest, who stays?

Noticing I hadn’t toasted, Luo Qing moved closer and lightly tapped her can against mine, then tilted her head back and drank.

Her gesture drew me back to reality, so I hurried to follow her lead, taking a big sip and reaching for another cigarette.

Before I could light it, Luo Qing snatched it away and flicked the unlit cigarette over the edge!

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m helping your future girlfriend keep you in check! Big smoker!” she said, making a silly face at me.

I was defeated—what logic was this? If she used that reasoning, I’d have nothing left, all my hobbies banned.

“Fine, no smoking. Drinking it is!” I raised my beer. “Here’s to our fated meeting!”

“Idiot!” Luo Qing cursed, but still clinked her can with mine.

Soon, five cans disappeared between us—I had three, she two. After drinking, Luo Qing’s cheeks were flushed, clearly tipsy.

“Yang Chen!” Her speech was slightly slurred, but still smooth; she seemed fine.

“Come here, let me lean on you for a while!”

She hardly needed to ask—before the words left her lips, she had already pulled me close, resting against my chest with her eyes closed.

To make her more comfortable, I didn’t dare move, carefully tucking in her clothing and wrapping the blanket more snugly to keep her warm.

After a while, feeling stiff, I shifted slightly, only to find that Luo Qing had fallen asleep…

I gently supported her, laying her head on my lap so she’d have a pillow and sleep more comfortably, without straining myself.

Through the railing, I gazed at the city, now almost completely swallowed by darkness. With careful movements, I lit another cigarette, my heart filled with mixed emotions. I cherished these days—especially those with Luo Qing. Somewhere along the way, I had grown addicted to these lively, spirited days.

Looking down at the sleeping Luo Qing, her words echoed in my mind: “fated meeting.” If… just if… destiny were real, I hoped it could always be like this. Thank you for letting me meet you…