These days, the temperature in Capital City getting colder.
Standing on the side of the road as she waited for her turn to cross, Su Ruan rubbed her hands together and blew some air to help her hand feel warm.
Every ten seconds, the girl was seen lifting her hand to check on the time. Then, a faint smile curled on her lips as she looked at her surroundings.
It was Christmas eve and all around her, Su Ruan could see couples walking around with big smiles on their faces. The mall was decorated with Christmas decorations and everyone seemed as if they were affected by this cheerful festivity.
Thinking about her best friend that she hasn't seen in a while, Su Ruan wished that the light would turn green a little faster so that she would arrive at the café sooner.
All of the sudden, the smile on her face disappeared.
Su Ruan looked up in urgency and she began to scan her surroundings with worry. Her instinct was telling her that she was being watched. However, after looking around for a while, she could not find out anything wrong.
That feeling gradually disappeared.
Taking a deep breath, Su Ruan quickly dismissed her wild thoughts. There were too many people around the city center. Perhaps, she had made a mistake. Perhaps, everything might be her imagination.
As the light turned green, Su Ruan jogged to cross the street.
She quickly arrived at the cafe where she was supposed to meet her best friend, Yu Zhi Yi. Entering the café, the staff quickly led her inside. As she was planning to catch up with Yu Zhi Yi, Su Ruan chose the inner seat away from the crowd.
Su Ruan ordered herself a cup of latte. She took out her phone to text Yu Zhi Yi that she had arrived and waited for the man to show up.
How many years since the last time that she had seen Yu Zhi Yi face to face?
Although they often talked on the phone and social media, Su Ruan was still missing this man a lot. Chatting through the phone and face to face was very different.
When he called her a while ago, Yu Zhi Yi had told her that he had an important announcement to make. Her heartbeat accelerated as she wondered just what kind of announcement he would tell her today.
Judging from the tone he used to speak to her, Su Ruan could sense that it was happy news.
She wondered if this news would be related to her.
As the thought came to her mind, Su Ruan patted her cheek as she reminded herself not to get carried away.
This was not the first time that she had hoped for Yu Zhi Yi to say confess to her. From the moment she realized her feelings towards Yu Zhi Yi, Su Ruan has been daydreaming about this scene.
For once, she hoped that the two of them would be in sync. For once, she hoped that Yu Zhi Yi would realize that the two of them made a good couple.
However, each time that she had daydreamed about this scene, she would only be disappointed.
The phone on her table buzzed. Su Ruan quickly reached for her phone, thinking that it was Yu Zhi Yi. A disappointed sigh escaped her when she saw Lin Qing's name.
She swiped her finger on the screen and pressed the phone to her ear. "Lin Qing."
The moment the call was connected, Lin Qing began to complain about how her parents made her go on blind dates.
They were now at the end of their twenties and their parents were eager to see them get settle down, get married, and have kids.
The two friends continued to chat about Lin Qing's dreadful blind date when Su Ruan noticed a familiar face entering the coffee shop. She watched as the man scanned all over the restaurant before their gaze met. Su Ruan waved her hand at him and watched him walk over.
As Lin Qing continued to vent her frustration, Su Ruan let out a cough to stop her. "Lin Qing, listen I have to go."
"What are you up to?"
"Zhi Yi is here."
There was a brief silence before Lin Qing spoke again. "Right. I almost forgot that you are meeting him today."
Su Ruan smiled as she watched her friend, Yu Zhi Yi approached the table.
"It was a rare occasion for the two of you to be together during Christmas Eve. The two of you have been friends for years and I know how much you like him. Su Ruan, why don't you take this chance to tell him how you feel?"
Su Ruan watched as Yu Zhi Yi pulled a chair and sat down across her.
Noticing that she was still on the phone, Yu Zhi Yi smiled before he waved his hand to the server and ordered a cup of black coffee."
Su Ruan turned to her left and whispered. "Can we discuss this matter later? This is really an inappropriate time to discuss this."
Once Lin Qing started to speak, it would be difficult to stop her.
"Right." Lin Qing sighed. "I'm sure that it would be difficult to speak about this when the subject in question is sitting right in front of you, huh?" Lin Qing laughed. "Alright. I got it. We'll talk later. But don't think that you can escape this conversation, Su Ruan."
Su Ruan ended the call and turned to look at the handsome man in front of her. "Sorry." She flashed him an apologetic look.
"Was that Lin Qing?"
Su Ruan nodded. "Zhi Yi, I haven't seen you for a long time. It seemed that you have gotten taller and handsome."
The man laughed.
The waiter came to deliver his cup of coffee before she walked away. "Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Su Ruan shook her head. "Not really. I only got here a few minutes before you. See. My coffee is still hot."
The two friends chatted and catch up with their latest news on each other.
Yu Zhi Yi was telling her about his life abroad when all of the sudden, Su Ruan raised her head and looked out the glass window.
Her eyes were scanning her surroundings.
Their table was a bit farther from the window but Su Ruan's instinct told her that someone was watching her. It was the same feeling as she had felt earlier.
"Su Ruan? What's wrong?"
She snapped out of her thoughts and turned o Yu Zhi Yi with a smile. "Nothing." Lifting her cup, Su Ruan took a mouthful of her drinks. "Right. Zhi I, you said that you have something to announce. It sounded important. What is it?"
His lips slowly bloomed into a smile, causing her heart to skip a beat. Su Ruan thought that she had never seen Yu Zhi Yi smiling so beautifully at her as he was now.
"Su Ruan." Yu Zhi Yi's paused. "I'm getting married."