The End (2)

Su Qiuge turned on the lights and when she saw the interior decoration, she was slightly startled. This place was nearly identical to the apartment she lived in, even the layout was extremely similar. It felt as if.. as if he had built it based on his memories of her old place. She supported him as they walked into the living room, helping him lie down on the sofa. She looked around and then instinctively went to the position where her room should be.

When she opened the door, her eyes widened. If she didn’t know for certain that she was in a different part of the city, she would have thought she was looking at her room from high school. As she walked in, many of the decorations were exactly the same as in her room. On the desk, there was the black-covered notebook he had lent her before. And there was a small box. She looked down at that small box, her eyelashes trembling slightly. A tear fell onto the table.

She knew very well that inside that small box was the birthday gift she had given him—a small golden star. She remembered how long it took her to choose it. In the corner of the desk, there was a circle of expired lollipops, tied together with a pink rubber band adorned with stars. It was all her traces.

He was the opposite of her. She had hidden all his belongings in a storage box and pressed them under the bed to avoid them. But he had placed these things in such a conspicuous place.

Didn’t he feel a painful ache in his heart every time he looked at them? Wasn’t he tormenting himself alive?

Inside the box, there was also the soda can ring that she jokingly said was a ring for him on Christmas. It looked a bit rusty. She lowered her gaze and stared at that soda can ring, then, as if in a daze, she put it on her ring finger.

Just then, there was a loud thud from outside. Su Qiuge was startled and didn’t have time to take off the ring. She ran out immediately.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, she saw this scene. He seemed somewhat sober, waking up and rolling off the sofa to the floor. But he didn’t make a sound, instead, he silently propped himself up on the ground and looked up at her.

His gaze appeared somewhat hazy, his eyes seemed a bit red in the dim light.historical

He stared blankly in her direction for a while, then hoarsely said, “Qi-Qi.” As soon as the words fell, he reached out his hand towards her, his expression somewhat indistinct. He whispered, “Let’s not be separated anymore, okay?”

His voice was unusually soft, tinged with hoarseness. It could easily be blown away by the wind and snow outside. His lips appeared pale, his eyelashes trembled, and a low voice emanated from his throat, as if it had been suppressed for a long time. “Forgive me, please?”

She parted her lips and looked down at the person in front of her. She wanted to say that she had never blamed him. Perhaps it was the loss this time that made her realize that he was truly irreplaceable to her. From now on, she would no longer voluntarily give up on him in any situation.

Before she could answer, he stubbornly continued to look at her, “I can protect you now.” He can no longer let her envy anyone. He can prevent anyone from threatening or harming her. He can give her everything others desire.

So, can we go back to how things used to be?

She silently walked over to him, slowly squatted down, reached out her hand, and tremblingly caressed his face. His face felt somewhat cold, and when he looked at her, his expression was calm, with deep and clean eyebrows and eyes that resembled a tranquil sea surface, concealing turbulent undercurrents beneath. When she said “okay,” he grabbed her wrist as if he were a drowning person clinging to the last bit of driftwood, tightly gripping her hand.

In the next moment, he pressed her against the nearby white plush carpet, looking down at her from above. Su Qiuge tilted her head and met his gaze. His fingertips slowly brushed her lips, and after a moment of eye contact, he leaned in and kissed her.

He started by clumsily kissing her, with a hint of eagerness, his lips tracing from her chin to the corners of her mouth. His distinguished nose rubbed against her face, filled with the faint, clean scent emanating from her. A scent that intoxicated him.

At the same time, she lifted her hands, cupping his jaw. His tentative kiss became fierce like the wind and snow outside, as if gaining momentum after receiving her response. He held her hands tighter and tighter, exerting so much force that the veins in his arms became prominent.

She gazed up at him, using her eyes to depict his eyebrows and eyes. Watching as he gradually lost his composure, his cool features tinged with a rosy hue, appearing beautiful and enchanting. She stared at him for a while, then embraced him, silently responding to his forceful kiss with her own warmth.

In that moment, her gaze shifted to the tattoo on his arm, concealing scars. She gently brushed her fingers over the strokes of her initials, feeling the increasing flow of blood vessels beneath his lean arm. She sensed his breath becoming increasingly erratic, dissipating like mist.

Warm and scorching.

While experiencing his forceful kiss, she listened as he uttered her name crazily in her ear. “Qi-Qi.. Qi-Qi..” His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of alcohol. Something snapped in her mind, overwhelmed by the emotions he unleashed in that instant.

The deliberate calmness they had maintained over the past few days finally erupted between them.

He yearned for her.

He wanted to hear her voice, to embrace and kiss her, to miss everything about her.

He was on the verge of madness.

At this moment, he resembled a traveler who had wandered in the desert for an unknown number of days, exposed to the scorching sun for too long, using the last ounce of his strength to arrive here. She was his oasis and water source. She was his life. She was comfort, light, and a divine presence in his life.

And now, the divine presence whispered seductively in his ear—

“Xie Xinglin, I love you.”

The snow continued to fall outside, lightly tapping against the French windows. But inside, it was the opposite—a swirling, scorching air, rising warmth, almost unbearable.

His muscles tensed all over in response to her words, and he lowered his gaze, staring at her intently.

She looked up at him, lying on the white carpet, her black hair scattered around her. Her rosy complexion made her resemble the first dew-kissed rose of early spring—beautiful and fragile. Her gentle, captivating eyes were like water, capable of embracing everything with her delicate body. She slightly parted her lips, gazing at him with those tender, beautiful almond eyes. She extended her slender, fair hand and slowly embraced him. Then, she looked into his eyes, wearing an extremely innocent expression on her pure face, uttering words that could almost drive one to the brink of emotional collapse.

She repeated once again, “I love you.”

Regardless of any explanations, misunderstandings, or gaps between them, none of it mattered anymore. She only wanted to be with him now and keep him forever by her side.