Chapter 29 A Thousand Paper Cranes Each One His Heart…

Chapter 29: A Thousand Paper Cranes, Each One His Heart…

Yu Kui finished tidying up and went downstairs, just as Qin You emerged from the house, carrying an exquisitely wrapped gift bag.

He glanced at Yu Kui, instinctively shifting the gift behind his back.

Yu Kui paused only for a moment before walking past him. She knew the gift wasn't for her, nor for Aunt Qin—so who was it for?

Thinking of his unusual behavior since last autumn, her fingers slowly clenched. Was it for another girl?

Had he… already fallen for someone else?

This realization sent sharp pangs through her heart, and her face paled.

They used to go to school together every day back then—how could he like someone else? Was it a girl from their class, or…

Yu Kui couldn't help but speculate. The doubts plaguing her, the decade-long bond they shared—it all made her feel like a trapped animal in a cage, finding a moment's respite only by obsessing over every detail.

Was this the reason?

Because he had someone he liked now, he would cast her aside without hesitation?

Yu Kui almost laughed bitterly at the thought, but what followed was a profound sadness.

If that were truly the reason, then she really should keep her distance.

Yu Kui struggled to maintain her composure, but as she boarded the bus to the library, she lowered her head and tears began to fall.

She took deep breaths, telling herself it wasn't a big deal—Qin You was free to like anyone in the world. She couldn't let it consume her.

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Yet, she still felt suffocated. It wasn't until the bus announcement indicated the library stop that she disembarked in a daze.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing her standing by the roadside like a lost child, Xie Xingzhi quickly approached, frowning. “Did something happen? Or are you not feeling well?”

Yu Kui seemed not to hear him, lost in her own world.

“Hey,” Xie Xingzhi reached out and touched her shoulder. “What’s going on with you?” But as he looked down, he noticed her reddened eyes. His expression shifted slightly, his lips parting before he casually tugged at her sleeve. “If we don’t go in soon, we won’t get a seat.”

The two found a spot in a corner and sat down. Xie Xingzhi, seeing the dampness at the corners of her eyes, took a tissue from his bag and handed it to her. Yu Kui didn’t take it; she seemed completely detached.

Xie Xingzhi sighed helplessly and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. “Did you argue with your parents or… are you heartbroken?”

The last three words made Yu Kui’s eyelashes tremble slightly, but she remained silent, refusing to speak.

Even if she and Qin You had grown so distant they were practically strangers, she wouldn't voice the feelings she kept hidden.

Xie Xingzhi had never seen her like this before—like a fish stranded on the shore, or plants deprived of sunlight, so disheartened and silent.

He didn’t disturb her. Instead, he went downstairs to the hot drink machine and bought her a milk tea. “When you’re sad, have something sweet. It’ll make you feel better.”

Yu Kui finally reacted at his words. She glanced at Xie Xingzhi and slowly took the milk tea.

Xie Xingzhi quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon after, Yu Kui took out her homework sheets from her bag and began working, suddenly transforming back into her usual energetic self—as if Xie Xingzhi hadn’t seen her tears at all.

Yu Kui showed no desire to confide in him, and Xie Xingzhi didn’t press further. At lunch, he suggested going for hot pot.

“You’ve been studying so much you’re turning into a bookworm,” he said teasingly. “After hot pot, we can go to the arcade or the zoo… there are plenty of fun places to go.”

Normally, Yu Kui would have refused, prioritizing her studies above all else.

But now, she needed a distraction.

“Let’s go,” she channeled her sadness into an appetite for hot pot and quickly packed her bag. “Let’s go now.”

Xie Xingzhi was surprised for a moment before quickly catching up to her. “You…”

“I’m fine,” Yu Kui said softly. “You don’t need to worry so much about how I feel.”

“Aren’t we friends?” Xie Xingzhi replied. “If you’re unhappy, of course I’m going to care.”

Yu Kui stopped walking and watched the crowd coming and going at the entrance, her nose beginning to tingle again. “Thank you.”

She lowered her eyelashes, not letting Xie Xingzhi see the tears gathering in her eyes.

“What are you thanking me for?” The boy stuffed a tissue into her hand. “If you keep crying, you’ll turn into a little mess with tear-streaked cheeks.”

Xie Xingzhi chose a broth-based hot pot restaurant and placed the menu in front of Yu Kui. “Order whatever you want. Xie's treating today.”

The rich aroma in the air awakened Yu Kui’s previously faint appetite. She ordered a few dishes she wanted and pushed the menu back. “I’m done.”

Xie Xingzhi glanced at it and added a few more items. “Today, you focus on eating well. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Yu Kui wanted to say thank you again, but remembering what he’d said earlier, she simply felt touched.

Once the hot pot arrived, Xie Xingzhi first cooked some seafood and placed it in her bowl, then started cooking the beef and other ingredients.

The delicious food slowly pushed the distracting thoughts from Yu Kui’s mind. She ate two bowlfuls and finally began to feel better.

“I’m full,” she said, shaking her head gently as Xie Xingzhi tried to add more food to her plate. “You should eat more.”

“Alright.” Xie Xingzhi didn’t insist and finished the rest without any complaint.

When they stepped out of the hot pot restaurant, they both let out contented burps and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Should we go to the arcade?” Xie Xingzhi asked.

“Let’s go to the museum instead,” Yu Kui suggested. “We can learn more about history.”

Xie Xingzhi: “…”

Qin You had ordered flowers and went to a cake shop to make a fruit cake himself. By the time he finished, it was already noon.

He brought everything to the reserved restaurant and hadn’t waited long before Tao Jiang pushed the door open and walked in.

Today, she wore a white short down jacket that showed off the elegant pleated skirt underneath and her long, slender legs, giving her a youthful and energetic look.

She walked leisurely to Qin You’s side, glanced at the cake on the table, and gave a slight smile. “That’s thoughtful.”

Taking courage, Qin You presented her with the flowers and gift he’d been hiding behind his back. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” As Tao Jiang took the gift, she noticed it was rather heavy and wondered what he had given her. “Can I open it?”

“Sure.” Even though it was already the second time they were celebrating her birthday together, Qin You still felt a little nervous.

Tao Jiang, full of anticipation, opened the gift box, expecting something like skin care products, but instead, she was met with a large glass jar, as rotund as Buddha’s belly, filled with a vast number of blue paper cranes. The sheer number of them left her momentarily speechless.

“I folded these myself,” Qin You said softly, “exactly one thousand of them, using starry night paper and a luminous bottle. When you turn on the light inside, even if there are no stars at night, you can still see the stars and the Milky Way…”

A thousand paper cranes.

Who knows how much time it took to fold them all.

Most people would find the meaning behind it absolutely perfect and feel delighted.

But how much could these paper cranes possibly be worth? Tao Jiang thought to herself. The cranes and the bottle together couldn’t cost more than a hundred yuan. Compared to last year’s amethyst bracelet, this gift was simply unworthy of her.

She ran her fingers over the bottle and looked at Qin You, who was still rambling on, a clear mockery in her eyes.

“Paper cranes represent wishes and good luck. I hope you’ll never have any worries from now on and be happy every day.”

“Today is your eighteenth birthday,” Qin You, unaware of her reaction, continued to gaze at her tenderly, “I’m so happy to spend it with you. These paper cranes are my feelings for you. I hope we can be together for a long time. Whenever you miss me, you can turn them on. Just send me a message, and no matter where I am, I’ll come to you.”

Tao Jiang lowered her head, avoiding his intense gaze. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t care about his feelings at all—she only cared about the price of the gift and whether it met her standards.

Anyone can fold paper cranes; anyone can say pretty words. But its value left her deeply disappointed.

“Thank you,” she said, feigning surprise, “I really like this gift. I’ll definitely treasure it when I get back.”

She shut the box, showing no interest in opening the bottle.

Qin You still didn’t understand—for her, the only thing that proved sincerity was the price tag of a gift, not so-called meaning.

“As long as you like it.” Qin You felt a little sweet warmth in his heart and smiled. “You must be hungry. I’ll have the food served.”

“Sure.” Tao Jiang agreed verbally but no longer wanted to continue their date.

Qin You wanted to tell her more about folding the paper cranes, but Tao Jiang responded half-heartedly, “You’re really thoughtful. I’ve never received a handmade gift before. It’s really special.”

Qin You’s eyes and brows were full of smiles. “As long as you like it.”

Tao Jiang forced a smile and just focused on eating her steak, feeling very displeased.

After the meal, Qin You suggested going to see a movie. Tao Jiang claimed she needed to check her phone anxiously. “I’m sorry, my parents want me home early. They’re also celebrating my birthday.”

“It’s alright,” Qin You said immediately, “I’ll take you home.”

“No need,” Tao Jiang, her mood already spoiled by him, didn’t want to see him anymore. “I’ll take a taxi back. It’s cold today, you should go home early too.”

Qin You stepped forward, but Tao Jiang had already gotten into a cab and quickly disappeared from sight.

Qin You stood where he was, thinking that she would probably turn on the bottle’s light when she got home. When she discovered the surprise inside, she would surely be delighted.

Little did he know that once Tao Jiang returned home, she tossed the gift box into a cabinet to collect dust. She never completely opened it, even after they entered university.

But Qin You was satisfied with her reaction. Spending over three months, clumsily folding paper cranes night after night, was an experience he had never had before.

He walked home briskly, already looking forward to the time after high school graduation when he and Tao Jiang would truly be together.

By the time they left the museum, the sky was already darkening.

Xie Xingzhi accompanied Yu Kui to the bus stop. As they passed a boutique shop on the street, he tugged at her backpack strap. “Let’s go in and look around.”

Yu Kui didn’t need to buy anything, so she watched him browse. Before long, he pressed into her hands a sunflower keychain with a smiling face. “What do you think?”

“It’s nice.” Yu Kui rarely bought accessories but said sincerely, “I think it’s very cute.”

“I think so too.” Xie Xingzhi took the keychain to the checkout counter to pay, then hung it on Yu Kui’s backpack.

“You kind of look like it.”