Chapter 87

Chapter 87

◎ Meet in spring, part in summer, grieve in fall, forget in winter. ◎

Qi Yun texted Meng Qi, asking him, "Do you three have time tonight? I've made up my mind and want to treat you all to a meal before I leave."

He said "before I leave"...

It was obvious what his decision was.

The hand holding the pen suddenly went limp, and with a loud rip, a long ink streak tore across the notebook.

Meng Qi rubbed at it with the back of his hand, over and over, but the more he rubbed, the bigger the ink blotch grew, just like his mood right now—dark clouds hanging over his head, like a storm was about to break, his vision blurry, like he was lost in a fog.

Did Qi Yun in the original novel stubbornly choose this path too?

What was his ending?

Did he come back to finish school after it was all over? Was he hurt? Did he live to a ripe old age? Was there a bright future waiting for him?

...

Lost in thought, Meng Qi nearly rubbed a hole through his notebook.

Kuang Hui, sitting on his left, noticed something was off with Meng Qi and immediately leaned over the desk and whispered, "What's up? What happened?"

Dong Jiaming heard Kuang Hui and looked over at Meng Qi too, his eyes full of worry.

Meng Qi blinked hard, then handed his phone to Kuang Hui and Dong Jiaming for them to see.

It was a while before Kuang Hui spoke after taking the phone. He was still pretty calm, but his tone was a bit more serious than usual. He frowned and asked Meng Qi, "Mingming and I both have time. What about you?"

Of course he had time—even if he didn't, he'd make time. Not just because Qi Yun looked like Wang Boyuan, but also because Qi Yun was the first friend he'd made since coming here. For both reasons, he had to go.

Thinking this, Meng Qi sighed and said dejectedly, "Yeah, I'm free too."

"Since everyone's free, just reply to him and ask him where he wants to treat us, and we'll head straight there after class," Kuang Hui said, handing the phone back to Meng Qi. After a moment, he asked, "Should we get a gift?"

Parting always seems to come with gifts.

A farewell with a gift is a real farewell.

Meng Qi didn't want that. He hoped Qi Yun would come back safe and finish what he started with school. This time, he'd just pretend Qi Yun went home for summer break—once summer break was over, Qi Yun would be back.

A short goodbye doesn't need a gift, so he told Kuang Hui, "No gift needed, it's just a summer break, no need to make it so sad."

Kuang Hui hummed in agreement and didn't say anything else, turning back to focus on the lesson.

Qi Yun picked a pretty upscale Western restaurant to treat them at. He said he'd wanted to come and splurge for ages, but never had the time, and mainly couldn't bear to spend the money, so he never got the chance. Now that he was treating, he was going to have a proper feast.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I'd have brought you here long ago," Kuang Hui said, pushing the menu to Qi Yun, telling him to order. Of the people there, only Qi Yun had never been before; the others were regulars.

Qi Yun didn't refuse and naturally took the menu. As he flipped through it—as exquisite as a fashion magazine—he smiled and glanced up at Kuang Hui, saying sincerely, "Thanks for the opportunity, Brother Hui. I won't hold back then."

"Don't call me 'Brother Hui,' it sounds awkward. Just call me 'Brother,'" Kuang Hui said, leaning back and draping one arm over the back of Dong Jiaming's chair while resting the other on the table corner. His long fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, a roguish grin on his face as he tilted his chin toward Qi Yun.

Qi Yun glanced at him again, then smoothly corrected himself, "Thanks, Brother."

Kuang Hui was pleased and shamelessly replied, "You're welcome."

Meng Qi interrupted the warm, brotherly scene with a couple of "Hey, hey" sounds, kindly reminding Qi Yun, "Aren't you going to ask him what month his birthday is before calling him 'Brother'? Don't let him take advantage of you."

Though he didn't know Kuang Hui's exact birthday, Meng Qi remembered Qi Yun's—March 17th. That was an early month, so it was very possible that Kuang Hui should be calling Qi Yun "Brother" instead.

But Qi Yun said, "He looks more mature than me. Calling him 'Brother' isn't a loss for me."

That... didn't seem right...

In Meng Qi's view, Qi Yun looked far more mature than Kuang Hui. Confused, Meng Qi stared at Qi Yun, wondering where he'd gotten that mistaken idea.

Qi Yun didn't explain further. He smiled at Meng Qi, lowered his head, and continued flipping through the menu.

As for Kuang Hui, with Qi Yun's acknowledgment, he was practically gloating, chuckling quietly to himself, his tail nearly wagging with pride. "Hear that? That's the voice of the people! Don't underestimate me—I've got the talent for being a big brother! Little Meng, call me 'Brother' now. And you too, Little Mingming. From now on, I've got your backs—no one's going to bully you."

Meng Qi: ...

That line would only carry weight if it came from Ren Suiyi.

Dong Jiaming's response was similar to Meng Qi's—he reached over and gave Kuang Hui a light slap on the back of the head, scolding him for being silly.

Kuang Hui snorted, looking defiantly at Meng Qi and then at Dong Jiaming, then declared in a theatrical tone, "Fine, don't call me then. I'll just be Qi Yun's big brother. When I step up to protect him someday, don't come crying or getting jealous."

Why would they be jealous? Meng Qi was perfectly fine with it.

Dong Jiaming didn't seem jealous either. He just shook his head and smiled at Kuang Hui, as if watching a child throwing a tantrum.

After the playful banter, when the four of them finally settled down, even though the hall was full of people, Meng Qi felt an eerie silence. It was so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat—thump, thump, thump—making his breathing tight. After opening his mouth several times, he finally mustered the courage to ask the question weighing on his mind, "Can you still change it?"

Qi Yun was visibly startled, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "No, I can't. It can't be changed, and there's no chance left."

"How can there be no chance?" Meng Qi and Kuang Hui asked in unison. Dong Jiaming also frowned, looking at Qi Yun with confusion.

Meng Qi, thinking further, pressed on, "Did Brother Wu force you?"

Qi Yun quickly explained, "It's not really about Brother Wu. It's my dad—he went gambling again. One game, and he easily gambled away the hope I'd barely managed to see."

So that was it. It wasn't too bad yet. Meng Qi let out a sigh of relief, because where there's a person, there's a chance. He wanted to tell Qi Yun that hope still existed—at least he had money now, and money meant a glimmer of hope.

But Qi Yun didn't give Meng Qi a chance to speak. Before Meng Qi could say anything, Qi Yun had already firmly decided his fate.

"If they don't go in, I can't get out. I have no choice. I didn't think about this before because I had neither the opportunity nor the ability to put them away. Now that both the opportunity and the ability are right in front of me, I have no reason to refuse. I have to seize them."

Ren Suiwu had indeed come to see Qi Yun just before his shift ended.

"Because something unexpected happened on their end, his superior urgently canceled his leave and ordered him to return to duty immediately. On that basis, the time he gave me to consider was compressed, so he broke the agreement and came to find me early," Qi Yun explained.

Kuang Hui pursed his lips, likely already convinced that Ren Suiwu was a man of his word, and his impression of the man took a hit.

Meng Qi and Dong Jiaming didn't say anything. Meng Qi felt that military orders were like a mountain, and Ren Suiwu's actions could be understood. He didn't know what Dong Jiaming thought, but it probably didn't matter.

So none of them interrupted Qi Yun, listening intently as he continued.

"At the same time, I got a call from my dad. He said he was unlucky and got trapped again, and he wanted me to find a way to get him 500,000 within three days, or else I wouldn't have a father anymore."

Three days, 500,000—was he treating Qi Yun like a money-printing machine?

Meng Qi's fingers twitched, and he was about to speak, but Kuang Hui had already muttered, "Someone like that doesn't deserve to be a parent..."

It was exactly what he wanted to say. He was about to agree, but Dong Jiaming firmly gripped Kuang Hui's arm, stopping him from going further, and signaled with his eyes for Kuang Hui to look at Qi Yun's expression.

A faint smile lingered on Qi Yun's lips, clearly not angry at Kuang Hui, but his face couldn't hide a trace of melancholy. After all, who wouldn't want a heroic father? Yet such a father wasn't his to choose. So he sighed, like a dead tree, and said, "No matter how rotten he is, he's still my family, a living person. I can't just turn my back on him."

Meng Qi finally seized the chance, grabbing Qi Yun's clasped hands tight to give him strength. "Don't worry, I've got five hundred thousand..."

Qi Yun cut him off mid-sentence. "It's not about the money. Actually, five hundred grand's not even a problem anymore, because before I texted you, Ren Suiwu sent me some cash. He also promised that if I agree to get into this mess, I don't have to pay it back. If I successfully help him complete the mission, he'll even put in a word with his bosses for a commendation..."

"And if you fail?" Meng Qi asked.

"Did you get him to write a pledge?" Kuang Hui asked.

Those two questions came back-to-back, lightening the atmosphere a bit. Qi Yun laughed first, then answered Meng Qi, "If I fail, I fail—no big deal." Then he turned to Kuang Hui, "He's the Ren family's eldest son; there's no need for a pledge, right?"

"Since when are all rich people trustworthy? That's not necessarily true." Kuang Hui pursed his lips, arguing back.

"Even if he goes back on his word, whatever. It's better for me to owe him than for my dad to owe others. I can pay him back bit by bit—should be fine. But my dad's situation can't wait; even a day's delay might cost him his life." Qi Yun laid it out for Kuang Hui, half-joking.

With that, Kuang Hui dropped it and turned to Meng Qi for an in. "Among us, you're the only one who can still talk to Brother Wu. If he ever tries to renege, you have to help my brother, don't be a lapdog for the rich and powerful."

"Kuang Hui!" Dong Jiaming cut in quick, scared he'd say something even crazier. Kuang Hui immediately shut up, glanced at Dong Jiaming, then turned back to Meng Qi, zipping his lips.

Blunt as it was, the point stood. Even if Kuang Hui hadn't reminded him, if he was still around by then, he'd definitely help Qi Yun demand an explanation from Ren Suiwu. The fear was that by then, he might not be...

Everyone there was sharp as a tack; Meng Qi didn't want them reading his mind. So he smiled at Dong Jiaming, telling him to chill, then turned to Kuang Hui and promised, "Don't worry, I'm justice incarnate. When the time comes, I'll make my move."

The meal was a bittersweet affair.

Though everyone was smiling, honestly, their smiles were worse than crying. In the end, perhaps faking smiles got too tiring, or they all realized their smiles were meaningless, so they all went quiet without a word, finishing the meal amid the crisp clinking of plates and cups.

When it came time to pay, no one rushed to cover Qi Yun's bill, even though the big, bold 3,780 yuan on the bill was quite eye-catching.

The walk back was equally silent. The four of them seemed accustomed to this quiet; no one felt awkward. When they spotted something interesting, they'd nudge each other's shoulders, using their eyes to point it out instead of words, then exchange a knowing smile, like a silent movie—pretty fun, actually.

Qi Yun broke the silence first, kicking a small stone away before turning to Meng Qi with a smile. "Can you sing that song from the welcome party again? For some reason, I really want to hear it now."

Meng Qi's breath caught. He instinctively looked up at the sky to avoid Qi Yun's gaze, then replied lightly, "I haven't sung it in so long, I've forgotten the lyrics. How about another one? I've recently composed a new piece—you can be the judge."

Thank goodness he knew "Chinaberry."

Qi Yun nodded understandingly, saying it was fine, and expressed great anticipation for Meng Qi's new work. He even pulled Kuang Hui and Dong Jiaming to clap and cheer for Meng Qi.

Meng Qi gazed at the road ahead fading into darkness, cleared his throat, and said, "I'll make a fool of myself, then."

"Not a fool—you're the universe's number one handsome guy," Kuang Hui teased.

Meng Qi, who had been feeling awkward, was successfully amused by Kuang Hui. He clasped his hands behind his head, tilted his face at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the crescent moon, trying to relax. Then, under the expectant eyes of the three beside him, he began to hum:

"The scent of memory, why won't it fade,

"The purple of memory, slowly becoming my lucky color,

"The you in memory, you, the hand I can't hold, the lips I can't kiss, like poison, I slowly sink,

"Chinaberry, I,

"Chinaberry love, you,

"Met in spring,

"Parted in summer,

"Grieved in autumn,

"Forgotten in winter..."

"Author's Note"

Influenza A, ugh—it's managed to strike down every spark of inspiration that tries to surface. Frustrating...

The flowers of the chinaberry tree are incredibly fragrant, but I haven't smelled them in years. Now the streets are lined with plane trees, and chinaberry trees are nowhere to be seen—probably because they're also called "short-lived trees"... I miss them so much.

On May 5, 2025, I visited a park with a friend, and there were so many chinaberry trees on both sides of the road! Oh my, what a coincidence—I hadn't seen one in over a decade. Marking this moment here [cheers]