第一章

“I have to go. There's no time left.”

After saying that, Gu Yuanzhou went to pull the suitcase beside him.

Lin Qinghe looked up and stared at him. She couldn't believe what she had heard.

Today, Gu Yuanzhou had asked her out. He said he had something important to tell her. Lin Qinghe thought he wanted to talk about marriage.

They had been together for three years. Recently, Lin Qinghe had started thinking about marriage. So before meeting him today, she felt a little nervous and a little expectant.

But Gu Yuanzhou said he was going to work in the United States.

What’s worse, his plane would take off in a few hours.

He wasn't here to discuss it with her. He was just here to tell her that he was leaving soon.

Gu Yuanzhou didn't say 'break up.' But Lin Qinghe already understood.

They were sitting in an underground café. There were no windows, and the lighting was dim. The air smelled of coffee.

Gu Yuanzhou looked down at his watch.

Lin Qinghe saw it. She felt that Gu Yuanzhou was only thinking about the plane now and didn't want to talk to her properly anymore.

“Can you explain properly?” she asked.

Gu Yuanzhou didn't answer immediately. He lowered his head and touched his right eyebrow with his finger. Lin Qinghe knew that this was what he always did when he didn't know what to say.

But this time, she couldn't wait.

“Do you think I'm too troublesome?” she said.

“I don't,” Gu Yuanzhou said softly.

“That's what you think.”

Gu Yuanzhou was silent.

Lin Qinghe became even angrier.

Actually, she had many questions she wanted to ask.

Why did he only tell her such an important thing now? Why hadn't he asked for her opinion?

But she was too angry. She didn't say any of these words properly.

Gu Yuanzhou looked at his watch again.

Lin Qinghe saw it too. She felt even more that he just wanted to leave quickly.

She picked up her coffee and took a sip. The coffee had gone cold and didn't taste good. She put the cup back on the table with a loud clink.

Gu Yuanzhou was startled. He looked at her as if he finally wanted to explain seriously.

“I have to...”

“Then go,” Lin Qinghe said.

She regretted it as soon as she said it.

That wasn't what she meant.

What she wanted to say was: don't go. She wanted Gu Yuanzhou to talk with her again. She also wanted to know what was on his mind.

But what came out was only one sentence: 'You go.'

Gu Yuanzhou looked at her. He seemed unsure of what to do either.

“Don't you have no time left?” Lin Qinghe said, lowering her head.

Gu Yuanzhou stood up.

Lin Qinghe panicked inside. She hoped he would sit down again. She hoped he would say he still had something to say.

But Gu Yuanzhou walked to the counter and said to the waiter, 'Excuse me, the bill please.'

Lin Qinghe pressed down on the bill on the table.

“I want to sit a little longer.”

She wanted to pay herself. But Gu Yuanzhou had already taken the bill away.

“Together,” he said.

He paid and then turned his head to glance at Lin Qinghe.

That glance was very sad. But Lin Qinghe kept her head down and didn't speak. She didn't want to cry, nor did she want to beg him to stay.

The bell at the door rang.

Gu Yuanzhou dragged his suitcase and left the café.

Lin Qinghe sat still. The cold coffee was still in front of her.

Only then did she realize that it was she who had let him go. Probably, he had really wanted to explain just now.

A week later, Lin Qinghe returned to this café.

“This is what happened a week ago.”

After saying that, she lay down on the table. She didn't touch the coffee in front of her. She looked very regretful and very tired.