When she finally let out a howl, the world seemed to piece itself back together. Sunlight still streamed through the window, casting a clear yellow glow on Xu Nuo’s face, melting the icy facade. It was Xu Nuo’s face, with her parents still together, her mother healthy in the countryside. Lai Hui didn’t want to look at her, only hating why it had to be her misfortune and not someone else’s. She collapsed onto the bed, crying her heart out. By noon, hunger set in; passing the school cafeteria, the usually unappetizing food seemed to have a tempting aroma. Students inside were laughing and chatting as if they were feasting on delicacies. She thought about eating before finding Jia Yi, but her feet wouldn’t lift. A leaf fell from a tree by the roadside, sinking in the air before hitting the ground, and her eyes welled up with tears of sorrow. She turned towards the school gate, thinking, “At a time like this, who cares about eating?” Jia Yi wasn’t at school, so she waited at their rental until the moon rose. As she was about to leave a note, she wrote his name and was overcome with frustration—here she was, her mother was ill, and he was nowhere to be seen. She crumpled the paper, unwilling to leave even a trace in that room, as if she knew what she was angry about, yet also didn’t.
With the only person she could rely on fallen, she couldn’t delay any longer. She took leave from school, called her boss to say she had an emergency and needed to return home. Zhou Yuqian didn’t say much, just thinking she was still an impetuous student, diligent when inspired, but otherwise seeking comfort.
