Chapter 49: Making a Wish

The night sky bloomed intermittently for about ten minutes, culminating in a dazzling explosion of starlight that illuminated the entire sky as bright as day. Lu Qingyue had been gazing upwards for so long her neck was nearly sore, but the final burst still shocked her into a scream.

As the brief splendor faded, she lingered, unwilling to lower her gaze, still lost in the afterglow. Suddenly, a man's low and slow voice spoke beside her.

"Why not make a wish?"

Oh, right! New Year's was the perfect time for wishes. Lu Qingyue immediately closed her eyes, clasped her hands, and sincerely wished to the sky, "In the new year, I want to grow to one meter seventy!"

Cheng Xingye: "???"

He had expected her to have some grand ambition, but height was her most persistent obsession. Having always been the tallest in his class, Cheng Xingye could never understand the pain and frustration of being short. He asked, bewildered, "Why do you want to be that tall?"

The girl’s height was just right, somewhere in the one-sixty range. Today, she had her hair in a bun, adding a little to her stature. Though she was on the shorter side, she was delightfully cute.

Cheng Xingye thought to himself that he had never considered dating before, probably because he'd never met such an adorable girl. Otherwise, how could he have reached twenty-three without being in a relationship?

Lu Qingyue, however, turned to him, her eyes full of envy and longing for his height, accusing him with a look, "If I don’t grow a little taller, talking to you long-legged people always makes me crane my neck. It's exhausting!"

She hadn’t been particularly concerned about her height before, but ever since meeting Cheng Xingye, she’d felt hers was insufficient. The last time, the sister who wanted to swap seats with her was tall and slender, standing next to him like a perfect couple. Lu Qingyue could barely reach Cheng Xingye’s chin, walking beside him with no sense of being a couple, more like a short-legged pup being led along.

So, Cheng Xingye must care about his girlfriend's height, right? Lu Qingyue couldn’t help but think.

Cheng Xingye, unaware of her thoughts, simply found her expression lively and amusing. He couldn’t resist curling his lips into a smile. Complying, he bent down to look her straight in the eye.

He said calmly, "Now you don’t have to look up."

Lu Qingyue watched him lean in, the sudden closeness making her heart skip a beat. Wasn’t he a little too good at this?

She stared at his eyes, seeing a tiny reflection of herself within them. Being so near, she noticed his eyelashes were quite long. His dark pupils hid behind those thick lashes, cool and reserved, with a touch of unspoken nobility and pride.

Yet in that moment, as he gazed at her so intently, she could almost see the tenderness in his eyes, a gentleness he seldom revealed.

Lu Qingyue stared at him for a while, then suddenly said, "I suddenly envy your future girlfriend. Her neck must be in great shape."

Cheng Xingye: ".....?"

He didn’t understand why her focus was so peculiar. But the words "girlfriend" pleased him for some reason. Cheng Xingye smiled, amused.

You little rascal, he thought, you already have someone you like, so why are you concerned about my girlfriend’s neck? If you’re so envious, why not be my girlfriend? I’d make sure your neck stays healthy for life.

But that wasn’t something he could say to a little girl just yet.

Cheng Xingye lazily glanced at her and followed her words, "Maybe."

After speaking, he reached out and patted her head. "Let’s go."

The hour was nearly up; it was time to return her intact. Lending and returning makes borrowing easier, he knew this well.

They got back in the car just as Lu Qingyue’s phone rang. She pulled it out—it was Xi Yu calling. Most likely, seeing how late it was and that she hadn’t returned, Xi Yu was calling to hurry her home.

Lu Qingyue answered.

"Diandian, aren’t you home yet?"

Lu Qingyue looked out the window at the empty streets and replied obediently, "I’m already on my way back!"

Xi Yu, reassured, said, "Okay, be careful on the road."

Lu Qingyue: "Mm, got it!"

After a few words of reassurance, Lu Qingyue tucked her phone back into her coat pocket.

Outside, they were nearing her neighborhood. The winter night was thick with mist, streetlights blurring into hazy halos.

Cheng Xingye, seeing she’d hung up, casually asked, "Why does everyone call you Diandian?"

The first time he’d heard Lu Yi call her, it was as Lu Diandian. He had thought that was her full name, but later learned otherwise.

Lu Qingyue turned back to him and explained earnestly, "Because I’m the youngest in the family, everyone called me 'little one,' and after repeating it so much, it became Diandian."

Cheng Xingye responded with a brief "Oh." After a while, unable to resist, he asked, "Why not call you Lu Xiaoxiao? Isn’t Xiaoxiao cute too?"

She was so small, it would suit her.

Lu Qingyue was silent for a few seconds, then controlled her expression, answering calmly, "Lu Xiaoxiao is the family dog."

Cheng Xingye: "???"

"....Sorry."

He hadn’t expected that answer. Was the Lu family dog given such a grand name, sharing the family surname?

Cheng Xingye cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to backtrack. "I’ve known your brother for so long and never heard him mention a dog in your family."

Lu Qingyue didn’t mind, replying casually, "Because it passed away many years ago."

Cheng Xingye: "..."

Cheng Xingye: "........"

Why did his words always seem to touch on the wrong topic tonight?

He instinctively thought this would upset her, so he said softly, "...Sorry."

Lu Qingyue answered readily, "It’s fine."

She was only four or five when Lu Xiaoxiao passed away, so she hardly remembered much.

After a brief silence, she couldn’t help but add, "It was a Samoyed, just like hOShinO. Very cute."

Cheng Xingye replied with another "Oh," recalling her WeChat profile picture and thinking, of course.