Quench My Thirst

-Only you in this world can quench my thirst-

A story of mutual salvation

1.

Ning Wu first met Qin Zhiyu in a deserted alley beside the vocational school on a rainy night, when she was being followed by a drunk thug.

The girl clutched the cloth schoolbag in her arms, her back trembling with fear.

A motorcycle engine roared at the alley entrance. Headlights flashed across muddy puddles beneath the steady rain.

The boy straddled his motorcycle, one long leg braced on the ground. He removed his helmet with one hand. His eyes were as dark as ink, his gaze hazy and cool.

"Thirsty?"

His voice carried the dampness of the rain as he tilted his face toward Ning Wu.

"Let's take this guy to the police station for tea."

2.

From then on, the motorcycle's headlights quietly kept her company each evening as she walked home from school.

But after the college entrance exams, an acceptance letter from T University made her lose him for good.

3.

After graduating, despite the opposition and incomprehension of almost all her friends and family, Ning Wu stubbornly returned to her small hometown as a government-selected civil servant.

One day, after a difficult day at work, she went for a walk after clocking out. Without realizing it, she found herself outside Qin Zhiyu's home again.

The same alley. The same rainy night. The man stood on the steps, watching her in silence, her eyes red.

After a long while, he raised a hand. His fingers, faintly scented with tobacco, gently brushed aside her rain-soaked bangs. Ning Wu looked up and clearly saw his Adam's apple move.

"It's been seven or eight years, and people are still picking on you. Aren't you embarrassed?"

2022.7.13 Wed.

Theme: Stand up for what's right and be willing to help others.