A Nostalgic Reverie

1.

On a rainy day, Yun Yiyue had once again forgotten her house key. Sitting in a milk tea shop with her head propped on one hand, she stared out the window at passersby and drifted off, fretting about next week's exams.

Until...

A familiar figure suddenly appeared outside the window.

Yun Yiyue immediately ducked down in her seat. Wasn't that Miss Li, the teacher who knew her mother? She knew she shouldn't be nosy, but curiosity got the better of her and she peeked out. Suddenly, it seemed the two people outside were arguing. Li Qian held the woman's hand firmly, and no matter how hard the woman tried to pull away, she couldn't break free. An umbrella fell, and something dropped to the ground.

Then, reflected in Yun Yiyue's astonished eyes, were the redness at the corners of Li Qian's eyes and the dazzlingly bright diamond ring the woman had thrown to the ground.

Good grief, she'd just witnessed some major gossip!

2.

"How am I supposed to understand this problem?"

"What do I do if I can't remember the vocabulary?"

"My mom wants to know if you'll come to our house for dinner."

"Li..."

After getting home that afternoon, Li Qian sat on the sofa and started replying to messages. She was puzzled. Why had Yun Yiyue, who had never been interested in English, suddenly changed her tune? Not only had her attitude changed, but she had become much livelier, too. Before, whenever Yun Yiyue passed her in the hallway, she looked as if she were about to die of fright, scared that Li Qian would catch her and make her go to the blackboard to recite vocabulary.

Strange...

3.

"Can two people of the same sex be together?"

"If you really love each other, yes."

"Would they be happy?"

"If you love each other enough, yes."

"Then what about us..."

"We are teacher and student, good friends, and family."

On the day she was rejected, Yun Yue knew there would be no more spring in her heart. The pear tree that belonged to her seemed destined never to bear fruit. Even so, she was willing to quietly walk beside her for a while. And that lonely, lightless road led straight into Li Qian's heart.

Special notes:

1. There is no romantic relationship between them while either is underage.

2. They have an eight-year age gap.

Screenshot taken on February 21, 2022

Theme: Learn to grow by taking things seriously. If you find it hard to stay committed, you've already lost at the start. If you see it through with dedication, you'll win sooner or later.