The world outside Qin Lan's window was shrouded in mist the next morning, the greyness reflecting the heaviness in her chest. She had hoped for clarity after her confrontation with Lu Yan, but the storm in her heart remained unabated.
As she sipped her coffee, staring at the skyline, her phone buzzed on the table. Qin Lan glanced at the screen and froze. The name flashing was one she hadn't expected—or wanted—to see: Song Rui.
Song Rui had been Lu Yan's best friend since university and someone who had once been a close confidant of Qin Lan as well. But that bond had fractured, much like everything else in her life, in the wake of her marriage.
Taking a deep breath, she answered the call.
"Qin Lan," Song Rui's voice was smooth but tinged with urgency. "I know I'm the last person you want to hear from, but I need to see you. It's important."
"I don't think there's anything left for us to talk about, Song Rui," Qin Lan replied, her tone sharp.
"It's about Lu Yan," he pressed. "And... it's something you need to know."
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A Secret Revealed
Against her better judgment, Qin Lan agreed to meet Song Rui at a quiet café downtown. She arrived early, her nerves making her fidget with the napkin in front of her. When Song Rui walked in, his usual self-assured demeanor seemed tempered by a shadow of unease.
"Thank you for coming," he said as he took the seat opposite her.
"Get to the point, Song Rui," Qin Lan said coldly. "What is it that I 'need to know'?"
He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the cup of coffee in front of him. "Do you remember the accident five years ago?"
Qin Lan stiffened. The accident he referred to had been a turning point in Lu Yan's life—an event shrouded in mystery and tied irrevocably to his white moonlight.
"What about it?" she asked cautiously.
Song Rui leaned forward, his voice dropping. "Lu Yan wasn't just a victim in that accident. He blames himself for what happened to her. He thinks... he thinks her death was his fault."
Qin Lan's heart sank. She had always known that Lu Yan carried the burden of his past, but this revelation added a new layer of complexity to their already tangled relationship.
"That's why he can't let go," Song Rui continued. "It's not just about love. It's guilt. He's punishing himself, and in the process... he's pushing you away."
For a moment, Qin Lan couldn't speak. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but the picture they formed was almost too painful to bear.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked finally.
"Because I've seen what it's doing to both of you," Song Rui said earnestly. "And because I know Lu Yan better than anyone. He's falling for you, Qin Lan. He just doesn't know how to let himself be happy."
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A Fractured Heart
The revelation left Qin Lan reeling. As she walked back to her apartment, Song Rui's words echoed in her mind. Could it be true? Was Lu Yan's coldness not a reflection of his feelings for her, but a shield against his own guilt and pain?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Lu Yan himself standing outside her apartment building. He was leaning against his car, his expression unreadable.
"Lu Yan?" she said hesitantly.
"I wanted to talk to you," he said, straightening. "Do you have a minute?"
Qin Lan nodded, though her heart was pounding. She led him upstairs, the silence between them stretching taut. Once inside, Lu Yan stood by the window, staring out at the city below.
"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday," he began. His voice was quiet, almost fragile. "You're right. I haven't been fair to you."
"Lu Yan—"
He held up a hand, cutting her off. "Let me finish. I've been carrying this... weight for so long that I didn't realize how much it was affecting the people around me. Especially you."
Qin Lan's throat tightened. She wanted to comfort him, to tell him it was okay, but she knew that would only undermine the importance of what he was saying.
"I don't know if I can ever let go of my past," he admitted, his gaze meeting hers. "But I don't want to keep hurting you. You deserve better than this... better than me."
The vulnerability in his voice shattered Qin Lan's defenses. She crossed the room and took his hand, her fingers trembling.
"You don't have to do this alone, Lu Yan," she said softly. "I'm here. I want to be here. But you have to let me in."
For a moment, he looked at her as if he couldn't believe her words. Then, slowly, he pulled her into an embrace.
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A Fragile Truce
That night, as they sat together on the couch, the distance between them seemed to shrink. They talked—truly talked—for the first time in months, sharing pieces of themselves that had long been hidden.
It wasn't a perfect resolution, but it was a start. And for the first time, Qin Lan felt a glimmer of hope that they might find their way back to each other.
End of Chapter 22
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