It was cold at night, and Xiang Yu wrapped her puffy coat tighter around herself. The sea breeze carried a hint of moisture and salt. It was very dark around, but the stars in the sky above were exceptionally clear. The surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of the waves. Both Xiang Yu and Lu Heng were still a bit uneasy because of what had just happened, so Xiang Yu walked beside Si Ping. Si Ping was somewhat helpless, "Am I a shield now?" "What shield?" Xiang Yu's voice lacked confidence. "Weren't you two fine earlier?" Si Ping muttered, then asked softly, "Is it because of the chicken soup Xiao Zhanyuan brought?" "What chicken soup?" Xiang Yu was a bit puzzled. "Isn't it Xiao Zhanyuan? He saw you weren't eating, so he went to the kitchen before dinner to prepare something for you. When he saw the chicken soup, he brought it to your room. Aren't you and Lu Heng upset because of the chicken soup?" "I didn't even know Xiao Zhanyuan came in to bring chicken soup," Xiang Yu said helplessly. "And Lu Heng and I aren't upset. It's just... just..." Xiang Yu couldn't continue. "Just what?" Si Ping pressed, "We can all see that something is off between you two." "It's nothing. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, may everything go smoothly," Xiang Yu refused to continue the conversation. Instead, she asked, "Are we buying fireworks tomorrow? And for New Year's Eve, what should we prepare?" "Yes, let's rest well today. Tomorrow we'll go sightseeing on the island, then go to the market to buy food, drinks, and fireworks. We'll celebrate New Year's Eve together, and the next morning we'll watch the sunrise together, welcoming the first sunrise of the new millennium."
Si Ping and Xiang Yu walked in front, chatting and murmuring to each other, making it quite lively. Lu Heng and Xiao Zhanyuan walked behind them without any communication, just walking silently. It was really cold to continue walking, so the four of them returned to their lodging. It was too early to sleep, so they decided to watch TV together in the living room. The movie channel was showing a romance film, "The Bodyguard," starring the black diva Whitney Houston. The song "I Will Always Love You," sung by Whitney Houston in the movie, was a huge hit and topped the Billboard singles chart for several weeks. One line from the song was particularly moving: "I will always love you, I hope life treats you kind, and I hope you have all you've dreamed of, and I wish you joy and happiness, but above all this, I wish you love." Xiang Yu felt she didn't really understand what love was. Even now, having lived two lives, she didn't feel she truly understood. She hoped Lu Heng would be happy, and she also hoped Xiao Zhanyuan would be happy, and of course, Si Ping as well. But she often felt confused. She thought she loved these people—her grandmother, Lu Heng, Si Ping, Han Xing, and Zhanyuan. These people were like twinkling stars giving her impoverished life something to embrace. But what was love? She was still puzzled.
Xiang Yu was a bit distracted, and since no one was talking, she felt drowsy. Her head unconsciously leaned against someone's shoulder, a very familiar and reassuring feeling. But before she could find a more comfortable position, a hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace with some force. Her head hit the person's chest, making her nose tingle. She looked up to see Lu Heng's tightly pressed lips. His arm was around her, holding her in his embrace. She turned to look and saw Shao Zhanyuan's ears turn red, while Si Ping, sitting on the other side, seemed oblivious and continued watching the movie intently. Xiang Yu didn't want to add any more confusion to today's events. She broke free from Lu Heng's embrace, softly apologized to everyone, said she was very tired, and went back to her room alone. She didn't notice Lu Heng behind her clenching his fists, his nails digging deeply into his palms.