Chapter 80: The End

Once Qi Yu believed in fate.
Between people—deep or shallow “fate”—seemed to hint at every joy and parting. Meet because fate arrived. Leave because fate ended. As if all were written—no escaping the arrangement.
Until someone told her: effort makes things happen. Fate isn’t smoke. Like a thread in each hand—it doesn’t snap from nowhere. It tears as you walk back to back. But if you chase and can’t bear to let go—if both grip tight—maybe that’s fate enough.
Qi Yu thought later—relationships are strange. Any deliberate or extra move looks cheap next to instinct you can’t stop. People have seven feelings and six desires—reason above want is normal. But love can’t always be caged. Love is feeling outside order.
After that night—everything natural, flowing.
Late July—Qi Yu’s lease ended. No renewal. She moved into Jiang Ya’s apartment bit by bit. They began living together.
Love found again makes you careful. Early cohabitation—cautious—space for each other. Less fever, more quiet steadiness. Talk shifted from romantic ideals to daily life.
September—when things steadied—Qi Yu took Jiang Ya to the Qi family for the first time.
She remembered clearly. Gift boxes in hand—even braced, stepping in Jiang Ya was nervous. Usually eloquent—almost wrong titles.
Qi Li and Qi Wenping were warmer than expected—as if Jiang Ya were the daughter and niece they’d always wanted. Hands held, questions, afraid she’d tired on the road. Qi Xuan most excited—bouncing—almost telling the whole school—until Qi Yu and Jiang Ya knocked sense into her and she shut up.
October—Qi Yu suggested a road trip to Nanhe, the neighboring city. Planned a year ago—after the split they thought the plan dead—now the regret paid off. Nanhe night—cool moon, sea wind—they walked the beach in the crowd, hands tight, step by step forward.
Days flowed silent as water till winter came quiet.
Before Christmas—Nanliu No.1 Middle’s centennial—one day open to all, alumni invited to celebrate.
Winter morning—bitter wind. Weekend—few pedestrians in coats, sparse traffic. Inside the school field—from above—a sea of heads, voices like tide—heat the cold couldn’t blow away.
Opening ceremony ~10 AM. Alumni and new students packed the field airtight.
Qi Yu and Jiang Ya came early—ran into Li Tong soon—three people became a class cluster laughing. Not many—most had been at the wedding—familiar enough.
Li Tong in the center talking—laughter merging with the crowd—noisy to Qi Yu and Jiang Ya on the side, whispering their own talk.
Until a man broke the picture.
“Hello.” Behind Jiang Ya—both startled—everyone looked.
“Hello.” Jiang Ya smiled polite, sized him up—suit. Stranger—no name in memory.
Same confusion around. Li Tong first: “Hey—you… what’s your name? I don’t recognize you?”
Man apologetic smile: “Oh no—I’m not your class.”
Then looked at Jiang Ya—clear purpose. “I’m looking for… you—are you Jiang Ya?”
“She is. What do you need?” Jiang Ya hadn’t spoken—Qi Yu answered first.
Qi Yu stood straight—man half a head taller—she looked up—but hostility in her eyes made him falter, blank a moment.
He recovered, kind: “Nothing big… can I talk to her alone?”
Everyone’s gossip eyes—half smiles.
Qi Yu frowned, unhappy, glanced at Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya smiled back—then at the man, smile gone: “Sorry—I don’t know you. Say it here.”
“Say it here…” He touched his nose, awkward, long pause, cleared throat: “You… might not remember. Next class over. Senior year—I wrote you a love letter.”
Explanation done—laughter more pointed—eyes between them—only Qi Yu—colder than the wind.
Jiang Ya looked at him, cool, polite smile at the lips: “Sorry. I really don’t remember. So what do you want?”
Man stammered: “Uh… nothing big. Ran into you today—felt like fate. Can I add your contact? If… if it’s inconvenient…”
“Mm. Inconvenient.” Jiang Ya cut him before he finished.
Man blank—then urgent: “Why? No bad intent—just want to know you—so many years… we’re classmates…”
He watched her face, hesitant: “You… you already have someone?”
Qi Yu’s chest tightened—like everyone—eyes on Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya seemed frozen—didn’t answer at once.
Qi Yu watched two seconds—looked away, lashes down, eyes dim.
Next second—Jiang Ya took her hand. Not only Qi Yu—everyone stared.
Under all those eyes Jiang Ya lifted their joined hands to the man, serious: “Yes. I have a girlfriend. And she’s right in front of you.”
Qi Yu stared—Jiang Ya didn’t blink at the man. He couldn’t believe it—stammered nothing—finally scratched his head, acted casual, left under everyone’s eyes.
After—the crowd still stunned. Li Tong worst—mouth open at their still-linked hands—remembered every time she’d been third wheel—regret, eyes closed, palm on forehead.
After the ceremony Qi Yu and Jiang Ya didn’t stay long. Near the gate—Li Tong catching up fast.
Used to wedge between them—paused—moved to Qi Yu’s side.
Qi Yu watched, helpless smile. “What are you doing?”
Li Tong looked between them, hesitant, still suspicious: “Hey… you two—for real?”
Qi Yu arched a brow. “Real how?”
“Ah… you just said—you… you…”
“We’re dating. Problem?” Jiang Ya looked at her warm. Beside Qi Yu—similar height—matching down jackets, black and white—fit without trying.
Qi Yu nodded too. “Yeah. Problem?”
Li Tong: “……”
Li Tong believed now.
Arm around Qi Yu’s shoulder, complaining: “How long? You hid it from me? What kind of friends are you?”
Qi Yu side-eye, hands in pockets, light laugh: “We didn’t hide. Every birthday we invited you. Thought you’d see.”
Li Tong: “You didn’t say—I didn’t dare guess! Honestly—in high school I thought you two were off. The way you looked at each other—not friends. My gut was right.”
“Come on—somewhere—I’ll treat—eat and talk—I’ve got things to say…”
“No.” Qi Yu flat refused.
Li Tong stopped, glanced at smiling Jiang Ya. “Why?”
“You skip the reunion and skip me?”
Qi Yu looked at her clueless face—turned, smiled, leaned in, each word a needle: “We have a date. You want to be the third wheel?”
“Sure.” Li Tong nodded immediate.
Ignored their looks—back between them, arms around both: “Fine by me. Tell me your love story—new material—I haven’t posted in ages…”
Qi Yu shoved her. “Get lost. I’m not your content.”
Li Tong: “Fine fine—just dinner. Not today, next time.”
Past the crossing—still arguing over a meal—Jiang Ya beside listening to childish jokes, sometimes couldn’t help laughing.
They walked the green road by the school—steps overlapping old ones—maybe touching marks from green years.
Time hurried. They were still the same.
.
Night.
After Li Tong they meant to go home—Jiang Ya changed plans last minute.
Before the car she kept secret—Qi Yu curious out the window—until the familiar old complex—Qi Yu understood.
Step by step up stained gray stairs—to the roof—looked up at the sky—moved.
Would the sky at eighteen look like this?
That confession night—they’d been on this rooftop.
Qi Yu followed Jiang Ya’s back to a corner—city lights below.
Smiled, side glance: “Why suddenly remember this place?”
Jiang Ya watched traffic, eyes like broken glass light, smiled: “Long time. Miss it a little.”
“Remember the first time we came—when was it?”
Qi Yu thought. “Sophomore year I think—out of the library, wandered here, found the roof. Childish—called it our secret base.”
“Later we came often—when I was down or you were… Oh—we wrote wishes on the wall. Wonder if they’re still there.”
“Hey—I’ll look…” Turned toward the dark—“I think this way—forgot which wall…”
“Qi Yu.” Two steps—Jiang Ya called.
Qi Yu turned—froze—
Jiang Ya held a ring box—a ring inside. Qi Yu blinked—recognized—the matching ring she’d once given Jiang Ya.
Surprise faded—dazed at Jiang Ya. “This ring… you… kept it?”
She remembered—the week after the split she’d lost hers somewhere… came back looking—never found it.
“Not the old one. I bought new.” Jiang Ya said.
Under Qi Yu’s eyes she took her hand—slow on the left ring finger. Stroked the band, warm small smile, murmured: “Old memory can’t be erased. We can always make a new start. New future.”
Moonlight—eyes soft on Qi Yu’s face. Sincere: “Remember that night at eighteen?”
Qi Yu nodded, eyes warm water. “Remember. How could I forget.”
“Then you came with a letter. I refused. So now…” Jiang Ya took the ringed left hand, locked tight. “Let eighteen-year-old me pay it back. Here—formally—my heart. Formal confession.”
“Qi Yu—from friends to cut off, seven years gone then chance again—from lovers to split—from rupture to peace… I won’t let go again. I’m sure of my heart. Sure of my love. Sure—in my world—you’re the only one.”
“Will you… accept the person in front of you—not perfect, many flaws—but only one true heart to give you?”
“Classmate Qi—will you accept my confession?”
Before she finished—Qi Yu’s eyes were already wet. She didn’t look away—from foolish youth to stumbling maturity—the one she’d wanted never changed.
“I will.” Eyes bright, deep and firm. Pulled Jiang Ya into her arms, whisper at her ear: “You know? Jiang Ya—you won long ago. From that night at eighteen—you’d already won.”
“My heart was yours. Even I can’t take it back.”
Jiang Ya stiff a beat—then held back hard, bright laugh: “And how am I not the same?”
“Qi Yu, thank you.” Thank you for loving me.
Lost time can’t be chased—but the memories ahead—I’ll fill with loving you.
Moon on their shoulders. Shadows at the wall root overlapped—like a circle finally closed. Jiang Ya kissed the tear from Qi Yu’s eye—last soft kiss at the corner of her eye—careful tenderness, treasure of found-again.
Night wind cold like eighteen—but couldn’t blow out the heat of the kiss now.
Heat spread lip to lip, along clasped fingers, into the seam where two rings met—warming ten years of late moonlight. Bodies pressed close—gaps once filled with regret, gently sealed at last.
**— The End —**