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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Qianqian She wanted to leave, but she longed for a bed to sleep in, rather than a corner of the subway or train station. She decided to enjoy one night of sleep in a bed. In the middle of the night, she was awakened by the heavy breathing of a man and the continuous moans and cries of a woman. She didn't know why, but she couldn't fall back asleep. As soon as dawn broke, she quietly left.
She began searching for a job. However, at 16 years old, she was shorter and thinner than her peers, lacking both striking looks and an outgoing personality. Coupled with her lack of education, she faced obstacles everywhere. After walking the streets from morning till night asking and applying for jobs, she finally found a position washing dishes. Not far from the woman's house, she rented a small attic of 20 square meters. Every day after work, no matter how late it was, she would sit in a small pavilion downstairs. The street across from the pavilion was a necessary route to the woman's house.
Liu Qianqian couldn't explain why she wanted to see that cold and domineering man from that day. Although she knew he was probably around her father's age, deep down, she just wanted to meet him. Since losing her father's love at ten years old, there had been no man in her life to provide any sense of security. Her silence and indifference were not innate; they were merely self-protection methods because she knew that speaking less would lead to fewer troubles, and being curious would inevitably attract attention. She didn't want to draw attention; she just wanted to live a safe and peaceful life. But if someone could truly give her the sense of security she desired, she would certainly be drawn to them. That man seemed to provide her with such feelings, so subconsciously, she longed to meet him. She knew he sometimes went to the woman's house; surely there would be opportunities for her to "bump into" him, so she waited there every day without fail.
Three months later, she sat as usual, staring at the passing cars.
The moon rose high in the sky, large and beautiful, while stars playfully blinked in the air; the wind gently caressed her face. Suddenly, she missed her grandmother very much. Whenever she felt sad in the past, her grandmother would sit with her on the stairs looking at that corner of the sky, listening to each other's heartbeats and comforting one another. But now how lonely and helpless she felt! For the first time in months, she actually sobbed softly.
"Don't cry!" A slightly flustered and anxious voice chided gently as a clean white handkerchief was offered.
Fu Tianming couldn't explain why he felt excited when he saw her in the car earlier or why his heart ached painfully when he saw her helplessly crying. He had no idea when this long-lost feeling had resurfaced. He only knew that since waking up that morning and not seeing that pale and indifferent little girl, he couldn't help but feel guilty. His understanding of her situation was limited to what the woman had said: "She's that poor man's daughter." From her appearance, it was clear that she must be going through hardships; yet he hadn't asked anything or done anything! Although he didn't have any particular impression of that man, how could anyone not feel pity for such a fragile little girl? What if she encountered danger?
He felt frustrated with his inaction but couldn't voice it. So recently he had been visiting the woman frequently, hoping to run into her again there. Perhaps if things became too difficult for her, she'd return to see the woman again. But three months passed like a blink; it was as if she had vanished from this world altogether. Just now he happened to glance out of the car window and saw her—clearly crying—which filled him with a mix of guilt-driven agitation and heartache.
Liu Qianqian immediately recognized that voice. She hesitated whether to accept or decline the strong hand offering the handkerchief. Just as she hesitated, Fu Tianming took it upon himself to gently wipe her tears away.
"What's wrong?" His tone softened unexpectedly.
"I miss my grandmother a bit..." Mentioning her grandmother made Liu Qianqian choke up again.
"Oh!" Fu Tianming didn't know how to ask further; they fell into silence.
The moon in the sky remained oblivious as it cast its shimmering light; the two were bathed in silvery moonlight with their shadows elongated on the ground. Fu Tianming leaned against a pillar next to Liu Qianqian, their shadows overlapping not far away.
"How old are you? What's your name?" Finally, Fu Tianming broke the silence by asking a fundamental question that had been circling in his mind for days.
"16, Liu Qianqian."
"Liu Qianqian," he repeated her name while carefully examining her from head to toe.
"Very fitting!"
"What’s fitting?" Liu Qianqian couldn't help but ask curiously.
"People and names." "Serene."
"No way! I have a fiery temper!" For the first time in six years, Liu Qianqian argued with someone. Seeing her pale face flush with color from their debate made him happy too.
"How many years of school have you attended? You seem quite young!"
"I'm not small!" Liu Qianqian suddenly stood up as if to prove her point about not being "small." But upon looking up at Fu Tianming, who stood over six feet tall, she immediately deflated and pouted while mumbling, "Uncle is a man!" Fu Tianming couldn't help but smile at her innocent cuteness. It had been so long since he had genuinely laughed like this; even he couldn't pinpoint when it last happened. He cherished these carefree moments but also found himself surprised by his own behavior today.
They talked for quite some time until Fu Tianming noticed Liu Qianqian hugging herself tightly; only then did he realize how late it had gotten. They finally said their goodbyes after learning much about each other’s situations.
Liu Qianqian was equally perplexed by her own performance. In six years, she had not spoken as much as she did that one night! Moreover, the farewell was so reluctant that she felt she still had so much more to say! Fu Tianming was equally confused.
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