Jiang Xiu turned to him, eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt—but she found none.
A silence fell between them again, but this time, it was warmer.
Softer. Like something unspoken had passed between them.
Finally, Jiang Xiu gave a small nod.
"Thank you," she said again.
They sat quietly for a while.
The rustle of leaves overhead and the occasional sound of students in the distance were the only things filling the silence.
Gao Tian tried not to stare too long, but even in her stillness, he could tell—Jiang Xiu wasn't the same.
She was no longer hollow and absent-minded like before, but something about her had changed. Like a part of her had gone somewhere far, and hadn't quite found its way back.
He sighed, quietly.
Jiang Xiu eventually glanced at her watch, breaking the silence.
"We should go," she said gently. "We still need to get dinner."
She paused, then turned to him, offering a faint smile. "Do you want to eat with us?"
Gao Tian hesitated.
