Zheng Yi sent a message, saying the senior sister would talk to her, and thanked Cheng Shuo.

He squinted, and replied very calmly: "I'm the one who should be thanking you."

They didn't continue the meaningless pleasantries. Zheng Yi said, 'After I meet with the senior sister, I'll sync up with you, and we can discuss what's next.'

What about Cen Zeng? The senior sister said he happened to run into you two at the hospital. Did he say anything to you?

"We're going on a trip," Cheng Shuo typed. "Winter is too stuffy, I want to go see the sea."

"Seeing the sea is great." Zheng Yi typed a line. "Have you planned where to go?"

"Any recommendations?"

"I'm from Qingdao..." she replied. "Want to see our sea? I can recommend a few seafood restaurants too."

He smiled and accepted. Zheng Yi sent over a few RedNote posts, along with the locations of the restaurants she frequented.

"Got it."

"Have fun."

Cen Zeng was busy over the weekend. At noon, he looked at his class schedule and said he could probably free up four days.

Four days is enough.

Cheng Shuo said, "Then I'll book the hotel and plane tickets. I plan to go to Qingdao, or do you have any preferences?"

Cen Zeng's eyes curved as he replied, "No, let's go with your preference."

Quiet, and even with a hint of gentleness.

Cheng Shuo didn't dare to look at him too closely.

Cheng Shuo had originally booked two rooms, but after thinking it over, he changed it to a standard twin room. He wasn't at ease letting Cen Zeng be alone, or perhaps, he couldn't bear not seeing Cen Zeng.

After booking the tickets, Cen Zeng asked, "How much is it? Let me transfer the money to you."

Cheng Shuo laughed.

"What's wrong?"

"Didn't you also say that what I lack is companionship, not money?"

Cen Zeng blinked.

"Didn't you tell me not to be sad?" Cheng Shuo turned to him. "Don't make me sad, okay?"

He rarely said such things, and saying them still felt weak. He wasn't the type to get sad; he had always treated life like a game, always been carefree and at ease.

But at this moment, it was as if he was bound by something. When he turned to look, Cen Zeng was just watching him calmly.

"If I go out with you, will it make you less sad?"

Cheng Shuo nodded. "Yeah, don't tell me you're just realizing this now?"

But Cen Zeng replied, "Oh, I see. I'm sorry."

Don't say sorry. Why are you sorry? What are you apologizing for?

Cheng Shuo watched him quietly and asked, "Why would you say that?"

"You actually wouldn't have been that sad..." Cen Zeng said. "It was me who made you sad."

What a baffling conversation, what a hopeless conversation.

He stared at Cen Zeng, finally shaking his head and saying, "Don't think like that."

The winter sea had a strange desolation. There were few pedestrians, and seagulls flew sporadically across the smoke-gray sky.

Cheng Shuo looked up. The world was so vast. The moment the wave surged forward, it leaped so high it almost engulfed him.

But Cen Zeng didn't dodge. He grabbed the corner of his clothes, about to pull him back, but a moment later, he saw the wave crash and shatter, splashing only a few white foamy specks.

Coming back to his senses, the children nearby were grinning at the overly nervous adult.

He returned a smile, and so the people who couldn't find any amusement scattered.

Cen Zeng held his hand: "Don't worry."

"Okay," Cheng Shuo replied, averting his eyes. "Can we go to a seafood restaurant tonight? A friend recommended one."

Cen Zeng said okay, but asked, "Don't you want to let go of me first?"

He looked at his hands, both clinging to Cen Zeng's coat, and laughed out loud.

The bold and enthusiastic owner recommended a wild beach.

She said with a grin, "Aiya, I've long grown tired of the sea in the commercial district. Seeing as you two have rented a car, if you're interested, you can go see something quieter at night."

Cheng Shuo noted down the location, and after dinner, they drove over.

The seaside was especially nice; the seaside at night was great.

Everything was hidden in darkness. Looking up, there was no moon tonight, only stars. Their light traveled through endless space and time, seeping into their eyes.

They chatted idly, talking about the place where Cen Zeng grew up, and about how Cheng Shuo used to imitate his parents' signatures as a child, only to get a harsh scolding.

As they talked, they eventually looked at each other.

"It's a pity there's no moon," Cheng Shuo said. "But it's very comfortable."

"Speaking of which, why did your family name you Cheng Shuo? You can't see the moonlight."

Shuo means the first day of each lunar month, when the moonlight is not visible from Earth. His mom and dad found the character after flipping through the dictionary.

Back then, when his dad had to write an essay introducing his name in his sixth-grade notebook, he explained to him that people seek perfection in their lives. But often, after reaching perfection, the cycle begins anew, hence 'Shuo'.

He only half understood.

Ms. Zhong was very busy, but she still patiently looked up from her documents, patted his head, and said, "Cheng Shuo, you have had more than enough since the day you were born. Mom and Dad don't ask for you to be forever perfect, but we hope you will always have the courage to start over."

He remembered the latter half of that sentence for many years: to have courage, to pursue what he wanted. He had lived his past twenty-plus years of life this way.

At this very moment, he unexpectedly thought of a new answer.

In the gray sky, a few twinkling stars were quietly gazing at ordinary humans from thousands of miles away.

"To meet you, I suppose. If I meet you, the moonlight grows, and the moon will become full."

As soon as he said this, Cheng Shuo almost flinched instinctively. How could he say something like that? It was too cheesy.

If any of his numerous playmates had said something like that, he would have just told them to get lost.

But Cen Zeng was smiling, his eyes looking straight at him, almost brighter than the stars.

So beautiful, truly beautiful.

So he forgave himself, at this very moment, for saying these ineffective, unnecessary words.

Cen Zeng said, "You really are good at sweet-talking people. No wonder even I have heard of your name."

Cheng Shuo looked at him. He too had curved eyes, beautiful and gentle: "Thank you."

And all he felt was that he was about to be drowned, by an endless, absurd, almost painful emotion.

"I'm not sweet-talking you."

"I'm serious," he said. "Even though it's stupid."

Cen Zeng's expression changed. He was lost for a moment, then lowered his eyes.

"It's not stupid..." he finally said.

The sea breeze howled, mixed with the fine ice crystals of winter. They stood by the sea, and Cheng Shuo had the illusion that this was the end of some kind of story.