Forced into a romantic relationship

The two quilts were indeed quite warm, not to mention there was an electric heater on the floor. After a day of traveling, Han Zhou quickly became sleepy and drifted off to sleep.

A light rain began to fall outside the window, the raindrops tapping softly against the glass, making a ticking sound like the ticking second hand of a clock.

Han Zhou had a dream.

In his dream, he returned to his childhood and walked along a mountain path with a girl whose face he couldn't see clearly. The girl was wearing a white dress, with her hands behind her back, walking briskly ahead of him, her long black hair swaying, and she would occasionally turn around to urge him to walk faster.

Han Zhou quickened his pace and couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"

"Going up the mountain, have you forgotten?"

The girl kept walking and turned back to look at him with a strange expression.

"Up in the mountain..."

"Yes, didn't we agree to go to the mountain to see the pigeons together?"

"It seems there is such a thing."

Dreams are always chaotic and illogical. Even though he didn't remember anything about it, Han Zhou nodded and silently followed behind the girl.

As the sun set, its afterglow bathed the girl, making her look like a large white dove.

Along the way, the two saw many sights, from seas of flowers to waterfalls, from rainforests to deserts. They would occasionally see rainbows hanging upside down in the sky, winds and fires raging at sea, and sometimes raindrops suspended in mid-air like millions of amber beads.

Bizarre and dreamlike.

The brief twilight seemed to stretch out infinitely, time frozen at the moment the sun was about to disappear below the horizon.

"Hurry up, hurry up, or the pigeons will fly away."

Urged on by the girl, the two walked for an unknown amount of time before finally reaching a mountaintop covered with grass. The setting sun suddenly became exceptionally large, with most of it disappearing into the sea of ​​clouds, dyeing the sky a vibrant rose color, while a small portion remained embedded on the mountaintop, reluctant to leave.

In the gradually cooling evening breeze, Han Zhou finally saw the pigeon that the girl had repeatedly mentioned—

Tens of thousands of wings stirred up a snowy tide, and the falling feathers seemed to burn in the sunset, the red and white intertwined, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.

Han Zhou had never seen such a spectacular sight.

He and the girl lay side by side on the lawn, still unable to see each other's faces clearly, but could vaguely smell a faint fragrance, a scent that seemed familiar.

The lawn was exceptionally soft, like lying on a warm bed.

"It's so beautiful."

The girl reached out and caught a falling feather, then spoke softly.

“It is indeed beautiful,” he said.

"How do you like it?"

"like."

"How about we come here to see the pigeons together next time? Bring some millet and breadcrumbs."

"With so many pigeons here, even a backpack full of millet and breadcrumbs wouldn't be enough."

Han Zhou smiled and said, "Besides, these pigeons might not be here next time we come back."

“Pigeons are resident birds; no matter how far they fly, they will always return to their original location. That’s why they are used to deliver messages. You’re the one who told me all this.”

Did I say that?
Han Zhou couldn't recall such a thing: "But you were just urging me to walk faster."

“If they don’t see anyone waiting for them, resident birds will eventually become migratory birds.”

The evening breeze ruffled the girl's long hair, and the ends of her hair brushed against Han Zhou's face, making his nose itch a little.

He wanted to speak, but his nose felt increasingly itchy, and the familiar scent was becoming stronger.

In an instant, the girl and the flock of pigeons disappeared, only the setting sun remained, but its light gradually dimmed, as if a gust of wind could extinguish it completely.

Han Zhou opened his eyes and saw the faint red light emanating from the electric heater. Outside, the night wind howled, accompanied by the sound of raindrops tapping on the window.

It really was just a dream...

A faint sense of loss welled up in his heart. He picked up his phone and glanced at the time; it was almost 2 a.m.

The temperature was dropping, but thankfully the two blankets did their job, keeping the winter night chill out of the bed.

"I can't believe I had such a dream..."

Han Zhou was savoring everything from his dream when he suddenly realized his nose was still itchy. He looked down and noticed a few strands of long hair scattered on the tip of his nose, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

Turning his head, he followed the ends of her hair and saw a girl curled up in the blanket. The two were very close, so close that he could even feel her breathing.

Han Zhou stared blankly for a moment, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.

...Am I still not awake?

wrong!

He sat up abruptly, his head hitting the wooden headboard with a dull thud. In the dim red light of the electric heater, Wang Lengqiu's eyelashes trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes, his dark pupils like obsidian immersed in spring water.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

I was about to ask what was wrong... Han Zhou asked nervously, his voice filled with suspicion, "Senior, why are you in my room?"

“This is my room,” Wang Lengqiu corrected earnestly.

Han Zhou was taken aback and immediately shook his head, saying, "But it's my room now. What are you doing on my bed so late at night?"

Wang Lengqiu was somewhat confused: "Didn't you say we'd meet tomorrow?"

"What does this have to do with you being in my bed?"

“It’s already tomorrow,” she said.

Han Zhou: "..."

He took a deep breath, his expression suddenly turning serious: "Even if it's tomorrow, we can't see each other in bed. Go back to your room, or I can go out."

He glanced at the blanket wrapped around Wang Lengqiu and thought to himself, no wonder the other party still sent over another blanket when there were already two in the room; it turned out it was prepared in advance for him.

Fortunately, he didn't crawl into his bed, which means he still has some sense of propriety.

"Are you not happy?"

Seeing Han Zhou's unpleasant expression, Wang Lengqiu sat up, and a hint of emotion finally appeared in her empty eyes: "I just wanted to spend more time with you... I'm sorry."

She lowered her head slightly, like a child who had made a mistake.

It has to be said that this girl really has a face that's quite unfair. Looking at that expression, how could Han Zhou possibly be angry? He sighed and said, "I'm not blaming you, but no matter what, it's wrong for you to sneak into my room at night. You could have come to me during the day."

Wang Lengqiu didn't look up; her long hair fell down, obscuring her expression. "But you spend almost all your time with them during the day. I don't know when to go find you."

She rarely showed her emotions, and there was no blame or disappointment in her tone, but the more she did this, the more uncomfortable Han Zhou felt.

He couldn't argue.

When there are many people around, Wang Lengqiu is usually an observer. Now that I think about it, perhaps it's not that she wants to be an observer, but that there's no place for her among them.

He recalled that when they first met, Wang Lengqiu often came to see him, and they even went to Qingyuan Square to feed the pigeons together, but in the end, he was met with indifference and was told not to bother him anymore.

Han Zhou remained silent for a long time before saying, "Senior, I think you should know that I only consider you a friend, just a friend. I already have someone I like."

He understood that if he didn't want anyone to get hurt any more, he had to act decisively and not give the girl any more hope.

Wang Lengqiu's way of thinking is unconventional and she is overly persistent. Only the most ruthless rejection can possibly sever all her hopes.

Seeing that the girl didn't speak, he continued, "If we had any promises in the past, you can tell me, and I will try my best to fulfill them. But I'm sorry, I can't reciprocate your feelings. If you insist on crossing the line, we may not even be able to be friends anymore."

These words left no room for argument, but a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. This girl shouldn't be trapped in the past, nor should she be so firmly bound to herself. One would expect Wang Lengqiu to succumb to sorrow, but that wasn't the case. She simply raised her head and looked at him with an ambiguous gaze.

"I know."

Han Zhou breathed a sigh of relief; the other person's emotions were much more stable than he had expected: "If you know, then..."

However, before he could finish speaking, the girl continued, "I don't mind you being with other people."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Zheng, who had been eavesdropping outside the door for a long time, immediately widened her eyes and almost punched the door. Fortunately, she managed to control herself in time, otherwise the two people inside the room would definitely have discovered her.

When Gu Zheng woke up, she found that Wang Lengqiu was nowhere to be found. She immediately had a bad feeling and went out to look for him.

After searching around without success, she quickly realized that the other party might have sneaked into Han Zhou's room. Just as she was about to go in to catch them in the act, she overheard Han Zhou's firm refusal outside the door.

When Han Zhou earnestly expressed that he already had someone he liked, Gu Zheng was naturally in a great mood, her eyes curving into crescents. However, when he said, "We might not even be able to be friends anymore," the smile on her face immediately vanished, turning into a gloomy expression.

Senior Wang Lengqiu has liked and waited for Han Zhou for nearly ten years. This feeling is genuine. Moreover, in terms of time, she is actually Han Zhou's true childhood sweetheart, while Gu Zheng is just a latecomer. While Gu Zheng is happy that Han Zhou has firmly chosen her, it would be unfair to her to cruelly deny Senior Wang Lengqiu's feelings.

Gu Zheng is a competitive person, but to be fair, if it were her, she probably wouldn't have been able to stick to a hobby for ten years.

That's why she felt no ill will towards Wang Lengqiu, her rival in love; on the contrary, she felt some pity and respect for him.

If it were at the right time, perhaps everything would have been different.

Of course, while she felt sorry for him, she would never let Han Zhou go. So, she had a complex feeling of mutual respect and sympathy for this rival. In the future, whether she won or lost, she would not have any complaints.

Of course, she didn't think she would lose.

In fact, she had already realized that the girl named Mo Yixia was her biggest rival in love. She was the kind of rival who could develop a deep relationship with Han Zhou in such a short time.

Gu Zheng wasn't afraid of any rivals in love, but she had only considered the two outcomes of winning and losing, never thinking of a draw, nor could she accept such an option. Therefore, when Wang Lengqiu said something that was tantamount to accepting a draw, she suddenly felt very angry—

This girl is really demeaning herself.

Even the longest wait and the most ardent love should not be treated with such a humble attitude.

No one in this world is indispensable.

Even if it's a destiny that prevents us from being together, at the moment of parting, whether we cry or laugh, we should hold our heads high with pride.

She shook her head and continued to eavesdrop by pressing her ear against the door, wanting to see what Han Zhou's attitude was.

Inside the room, Han Zhou looked dazed, clearly shocked by Wang Lengqiu's words, but he still shook his head firmly and said seriously, "But I mind."

"do you mind?"

Wang Lengqiu tilted her head, a look of confusion flashing in her eyes, "But you're not..."

"Senior."

Han Zhou interrupted her, coaxing her gently, "You have your own life. You can live well even without me for the past ten years, can't you?"

He was unaware that Gu Zheng was eavesdropping outside the door, so he didn't deliberately interrupt to cover anything up. Rather, he didn't want Wang Lengqiu to become hopelessly attached to him. He later realized that his decision had saved his life.

“No,” Wang Lengqiu shook her head in opposition.

Han Zhou also felt somewhat reluctant, as Wang Lengqiu had indeed not had a good life these past few years, so he continued, "What I mean is, you may need to re-examine your own heart. Your future does not necessarily have to include me. You are excellent, and there are many people in this world who are more excellent than me."

“I examine myself every day.”

Looking into his eyes, Wang Lengqiu finally uttered the words she had wanted to say for a long time.

"I miss you."

The rain outside the window suddenly intensified, and the raindrops tapped against the windowpane more frequently, disrupting the previously steady rhythm.

Her tone was almost flat, and she was saying very simple things, but an unusually surging emotion rushed into Han Zhou's heart like a tsunami, making him feel a tightness in his chest.

His Adam's apple bobbed twice. He took a deep breath and said patiently, "Senior, have you ever thought that what you like is actually the past me? But people change. Maybe I'm no longer the person you like. You don't need to trap yourself in the past."

Memory adds a filter to everything in the past, making the good even better and the bad even worse. This is true for people, and even more so for emotions.

It is precisely because of this that the White Moonlight is almost impossible for anyone to defeat, and even the White Moonlight herself from many years later would find it difficult to defeat.

Perhaps this girl was just seeing herself as a false ideal.

"The past did not hold me back."

Wang Lengqiu gently shook her head, and a different emotion seemed to appear in her empty eyes. "You have always been the way I like you."

The words were quite simple, yet they seemed to have a greater impact than a passionate confession.

Han Zhou opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say. After a while, he said, "Senior, thank you for liking me, but feelings are a matter between two people. I don't like you, and I can't like you."

"I know."

Wang Lengqiu hesitated for a moment, then carefully reached out and gently smoothed the furrowed brows that had appeared on his face. "It's okay, if you don't like it, you don't like it. No one will blame you."

The moment her brow was smoothed out, she seemed to regain the courage to express her feelings and spoke softly.

Even if you don't like me, I will still like you.

Han Zhou lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, feeling as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest.

To be honest, after nearly ten years of waiting and such an almost obsessive confession, even a stone would be moved, but he had to remain hard-hearted.

Seemingly sensing his predicament, Wang Lengqiu didn't say anything more. Her face didn't show any disappointment at being rejected. Instead, she seemed worried about his feelings and carefully pulled the blanket up for him.

The sound of rain outside gradually weakened, as if it would stop soon.

After a long while, she asked, "Are you still unhappy?"

Han Zhou lowered his head and did not answer.

The next second, Wang Lengqiu's voice continued to ring in my ears: "Will you stop being unhappy if I leave?"

Han Zhou suddenly looked up. The girl in front of him tried to force a gentle smile, but failed.

His lips moved for a long time, but in the end he said nothing.

After a long silence, he finally spoke up: "Senior, take me to see the photos tomorrow."

"No, it's already tomorrow."

He hesitated to look Wang Lengqiu in the eye, and said to himself, "This morning, how about you take me to see that old photo?"

"it is good."

Seemingly sensing his bad mood, Wang Lengqiu nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave, saying, "Then I'll go back."

Outside the door, Guzheng, having heard these words, also prepared to leave.

"OK, good night."

"Good night."

Wang Lengqiu walked towards the door, her long hair swaying. Her slender figure gradually merged with the white-dressed figure in her dream, but her steps were not as light as they had been then; instead, they were somewhat heavy.

"Senior!"

Han Zhou suddenly called out to her.

Wang Lengqiu stopped and turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"

Han Zhou didn't know what was wrong with him. After a long silence, he asked, "Do you know whether pigeons are resident birds or migratory birds?"

“I know, they are resident birds.”

(End of this chapter)