Chapter 1 The Only Gift I Wanted
The day before our fifth Anniversary, I acted spoiled and asked Zhou Chaoqing to pin me.
【This is the only Anniversary gift I want. Just say yes, please!】
This was probably the seventh time I had asked to be pinned.
He had rejected the previous six.
Even now, he had ninety-nine pinned chats.
His Junior Sister Bai Yao, his Advisor, various work groups, study groups.
Everyone except me.
At first I didn't understand.
Then I felt wronged and angry.
Now I felt calm.
Even the message I sent him had gone unanswered for twelve hours.
As expected.
Zhou Chaoqing was always busy. Not replying was normal.
Once, when he went on a trip with his Advisor, he didn't reply for half a month.
If I hadn't seen Bai Yao, who went with him, still updating her Moments normally, I would have thought something happened to him.
Funny, right? I could only learn about my boyfriend's recent life through other people.
This time was the same. I checked Bai Yao's Moments and realized the academic conference had ended. They were holding the banquet now.
Logically, the busiest part was over.
But Zhou Chaoqing still didn't reply.
I called him directly.
He only picked up on the third try.
"What's up?"
His voice carried exhaustion mixed with crackling static.
I gripped the phone tighter, breath shallow.
"Today is our Anniversary. I'm at the banquet hotel entrance..."
"It's just an Anniversary. You didn't need to come all the way to A City."
Zhou Chaoqing interrupted lightly.
My full-hearted expectation for our fifth year Anniversary became just another "just" in his eyes.
How many five-year periods can you have in your short youth?
He kept talking.
"You'd be better off using this time to write papers. Your current level still can't get you into the school we're aiming for."
I interrupted softly.
"I'll wait for you. After the banquet ends, have a meal with me. Just half an hour."
Then I hung up.
I waited a while.
The phone stayed silent.
No call. No message.
The hotel's warm yellow lights looked hazy through the snow mist.
Faint laughter and chatter drifted from behind the glass doors.
It made the outside feel especially quiet.
I couldn't see what was happening inside.