My friends were visibly taken aback by my actions. They stood silently nearby, observing me, their gazes shifting to Chu Qingci, waiting for his response.
Hearing my voice, Chu Qingci turned his head, his eyes locking with mine in a direct and intense stare. He didn't say a word, merely looked at me briefly before turning away again.
I remained motionless, standing in place. Although he ignored me, I wasn't discouraged.
There was still hope. So what if he disliked talking to others? Engaging with people was something I excelled at.
Perhaps embarrassed by how Chu Qingci had dismissed me, Bian Li pulled me aside.
"What's going on with him? He's acting so aloof," she muttered, her expression puzzled as she glanced at him. She wasn't the only one staring; Zhou Zi and Yun Jing were also watching him closely.
Chu Qingci seemed to have overheard Bian Li's words. He turned in our direction, his gaze sweeping over us briefly before he stood up and walked away.
I didn't respond, only offering them a faint smile.
The day passed in a blur, and as the school bell rang to mark the end of classes, I turned to look behind me, only to find Chu Qingci's seat already empty. Quickly gathering my belongings, I prepared to leave. Normally, I would head home with Bian Li and the others, but this time, spurred by thoughts of Chu Qingci, I left without explanation.
Bian Li, seeing me hurry out with my backpack, called after me, but I moved too quickly, disappearing from her sight.
"What's gotten into her today?" she wondered aloud, glancing at Zhou Zi and Yun Jing, who looked equally perplexed.
I walked briskly toward the bus stop on my way home, receiving a message from Bian Li along the way:
"Be careful on your way back. See you tomorrow!"
It seemed they had noticed something off about me today and sent the message to reassure me. I replied with a quick "Got it," then checked the time: 5:30. Calculating that the bus would arrive around 5:40, I put my phone away and continued toward the stop.
About a hundred meters from the bus stop, I caught sight of a familiar figure. Slowing my pace, I glanced at the time again—it was still early—so I walked at a normal pace toward the stop.
As I approached Chu Qingci, he seemed to sense my presence but didn't look at me or react in any way, absorbed in his phone.
Standing beside him, I said nothing, pretending to watch for the bus while stealing occasional glances at him.
After about two minutes, the bus finally arrived. Though there were many people at the stop, only the two of us boarded. Since he was ahead of me, I waited for him to get on first, but to my surprise, he didn't move. Instead, he looked at me, his gaze sharp as if trying to decipher something.
Flustered under his scrutiny, I quickly averted my eyes and stepped onto the bus. Behind me, I heard him chuckle softly, the sound barely audible but enough to make my ears burn.
Turning slightly, I saw him following me onto the bus, his head slightly lowered, a faint smile on his lips.
I walked toward an empty seat, aware of his presence behind me. When I sat down, he passed by the open seats in front of me and chose one behind me instead.
The bus wasn't crowded, but I didn't try to strike up a conversation. Instead, I gazed out the window, watching the scenery blur past.
Suddenly, it began to drizzle. The sight of raindrops streaking the glass brought back memories of the day I arrived in this world.
My thoughts drifted to that moment, stepping out of the taxi and the driver's parting words:
"Miss, the road ahead is long and treacherous. Take care."
Why had he said that? How could he have known I would end up here?
The wind picked up, blowing raindrops against my face. The chill snapped me back to the present. I wiped my face and listened to the bus's automated announcement:
"Yunhai Road."
The name felt familiar, though I couldn't recall where I'd heard it before. Just then, a noise behind me jolted a memory, but before I could piece it together, my mind went blank.
When I tried to follow Chu Qingci off the bus, I found myself unable to move. It was as if an invisible hand held me in place.
I could only watch helplessly as his figure disappeared into the rain. Once the bus began moving again, my body finally relaxed, but an overwhelming despair settled over me.
I wanted to tell the driver I'd missed my stop, but as I opened my mouth, an unseen force seemed to grip my throat, silencing me. It was like being trapped in an endless abyss, devoid of light or hope.
The determination to reach out to Chu Qingci that had burned within me now flickered weakly. I didn't understand why this was happening or what it meant.
"Wangbei Station," the announcement echoed, snapping me out of my turbulent thoughts.