Chapter 7: Love Yourself

Before heading out, they checked the time—it was 9:20 AM.

At this time, the office workers were sitting at their desks, and the students were in class. Both Qin Yan and Zhou Langxing had taken the day off—they were free people.

The elevator was empty and quickly descended to the first floor.

Qin Yan opened the glass door of the building, first making way for Zhou Langxing, who was using a cane.

Zhou Langxing glanced at the sky outside. The scorching early summer had arrived just in time, and the bright yellow light hit his face. His eyes were stung, and a thought suddenly came to him—

Once summer arrives, everyone hates the sun, let alone a lonely ghost. Even if “he” were standing right there, he wouldn’t dare step through that door, right?

“I’m just temporarily limping on one leg, not permanently crippled.”

Although Zhou Langxing appreciated Qin Yan’s thoughtfulness, he wasn’t happy being treated like a disabled person. He pushed the glass door, raised his chin, and motioned for Qin Yan to go ahead.

Qin Yan, with his good temper, never argued over these small matters—it would waste time and ruin relationships. He followed suit and stepped outside.

There were three steps at the door, and he stopped and turned back to look. Considering the earlier glass door incident, he was concerned about Zhou Langxing’s pride, so he didn’t offer help, just watched him with worry.

Under Qin Yan’s gaze, Zhou Langxing held his head high, his eyes looking disdainful, limping steadily down the steps. It wasn’t about putting on a show of strength; he was capable of doing it well. Besides, he didn’t want to use his weakness to gain pity, even if that “weakness” was only temporary.

“See? I’m down. No need for your help.” If Qin Yan had insisted on helping him, he would have felt uneasy and probably would have tripped, ending up embarrassed.

Qin Yan looked at him with encouragement and clapped, saying, “Well done!”

Zhou Langxing couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Do you think I’m a little kid in your class? How childish!”

Childish, but couldn’t help but smile.

Zhou Langxing wasn’t Zhou Xingxing, but he was no different from a four or five-year-old kid in kindergarten, basking in the praise from Teacher Qin, feeling a bit too happy about it.

Qin Yan asked where he was going.

The overly pleased Zhou Langxing almost blurted out a cheesy line from the internet—“To your heart.”

He squeezed his palm, “Isn’t there a park nearby?”

The first time he met Qin Yan was at the entrance of that park.

Of course, that was also the place where Zhou Shurong and Qin Yan had their first date.

Qin Yan seemed a little dazed. Everything around him seemed to have a label attached to it.

At first, the Triangle Lake Park was just a nearby place to stroll around.

Then, he discovered a nest of kittens there, and Triangle Lake Park became a cat paradise.

Later, it became the place for his first date with Zhou Shurong.

His heart still ached—his love for Zhou Shurong was too deep. He tried to think of happy things.

And then, Qin Yan thought about the stray cats in the park. They loved to lazily sprawl on the benches in the sun. The kittens from the same litter were all orange tabbies, with only the shade of orange differing. From afar, they looked like little golden buns.

Recalling the soft, furry feel, a happy thought rose in his mind, and he asked Zhou Langxing:

“Do you dislike cats?”

“Uh, not really.”

“So you like them?”

“Not exactly. Cats are fierce, they scratch.”

“They’re not fierce at all! The cats in the park are very friendly, just give them some food, and they’ll let you pet them. Don’t believe me? You can try later.”

When talking about cats, Qin Yan’s affection was completely unhidden, his eyes squinting with happiness. His worries vanished in an instant, and he was as joyful as a cat who just got its favorite dried fish.

Zhou Langxing, inopportunely, thought of Zhou Shurong again.

There was a day when a calico cat appeared in their courtyard. Zhou Shurong, who had never liked these soft creatures, made a mewing sound for the first time. When the cat didn’t come, he had the chef fry a fragrant little yellow fish for it.

The calico cat, drawn by the food, lay on the ground, exposing its belly for Zhou Shurong to rub.

Zhou Langxing once wondered if, when he wasn’t looking, Zhou Shurong had already fed the cat several times, given how skilled he was at petting it.

Zhou Langxing suddenly turned back to look. The steps beneath the glass door were cut in half by the light.

Inside the door was a shadowy, damp chill.

Outside was the light.

Zhou Langxing realized that he had thought of Zhou Shurong too many times, whether from brotherly affection or the jealousy of a rival…

At this moment, he watched Qin Yan picking out cat food from a shelf. The cashier, who was quite familiar with this customer, stood nearby recommending a cat food that was currently on sale. Qin Yan seemed a little tempted, comparing formulas, but still chose the usual brand of cat food.

During this, the cashier often glanced at Zhou Langxing.

Doubt, surprise, confusion…

It seemed as if he was wondering why the familiar friend of a regular customer had changed so drastically.

Surely, Zhou Shurong, who came here often, had also fed cats with Qin Yan before.

Now, did Qin Yan think of Zhou Shurong?

Even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t be long before he did.

When feeding the cats with joy, contentment, and pleasure, eager to share his cat-petting tips, Qin Yan would suddenly realize that the person next to him was not Zhou Shurong.

Zhou Langxing remained silent and allowed the feeding action to continue.

He would not stop anything that could remind Qin Yan of Zhou Shurong. He was jealous, but held it back. He actively participated in their past.

What if he remembered Zhou Shurong?

In the end, it would only become a shared topic between them, with him as the loser, thoroughly defeated.

This was the sorrow of the deceased. Zhou Shurong had no future and was destined to be unable to stop what would happen next.

The flower-selling girl was back in front of the park gate. This time, she was wearing a short-sleeve dress.

She stopped a curly-haired woman, promoting the roses in her basket.

The woman didn’t buy, but critiqued, “Little girl, 520 has passed, why are you still selling them for ten yuan each?”

The little girl’s smile was adorable, tilting her head as she said, “But today is 525! It’s my love for myself day. A woman should know how to love herself!”

The woman laughed behind her hand, “Then I should buy a daffodil.”

“Big sister, although I don’t have daffodils, I have roses. Roses are beautiful, who says they can only be given to lovers?”

“Haha, you’re right. Give me the reddest one!”

A deal was made, and the little girl’s apple-like face blushed with happiness. She saw Qin Yan and trotted over, crisply saying, “It’s the handsome big brother! Oh—”

She noticed Zhou Langxing, “The other big brother, you’ve gotten darker, not as good-looking as before.”

Zhou Langxing: “…”

The little girl had mistaken him for someone else. In her eyes, Zhou Langxing, with darker skin, was not as handsome as Zhou Shurong.

Qin Yan’s smile became forced, but quickly returned to normal. He didn’t get angry, nor did he show any concern or self-pity. There was no need to burden the unaware little girl with his sadness.

He patted the girl’s head and softly asked, “What flowers do you have today?”

Zhou Langxing, feeling upset, couldn’t help but look at Qin Yan.

He bent down to talk to the girl, his hair covering his eyes, also hiding all his emotions.

The girl offered the flower basket, saying, “The best-selling today is the red rose, girls love roses.”

Zhou Langxing leaned all his weight on the cane, “Of course, the ones who can speak will sell well.”

“Who taught you those words?” Qin Yan asked. Last time, she didn’t even have words to compliment someone.

“It’s from the handsome older sister at the flower shop!”

“Again with ‘handsome’. Is that the only thing you can compliment people on?”

Zhou Langxing’s sharp eyes stared at the girl.

The little girl didn’t appreciate Zhou Langxing’s coolness, only feeling that he looked fierce. She timidly said, “No, I didn’t say you were handsome.”

Zhou Langxing felt his anger rising.

Qin Yan shook his head, a gentle and helpless smile on his lips. His finger lightly tapped the brilliant roses in the basket, then picked up a pink peony.

“Today, I’ll follow the trend and love myself too.”

“Yeah, yeah! No one deserves to love themselves more than you!” The girl’s desire to earn money rose. Ignoring her fear, she fluttered her big eyes at Zhou Langxing, “Big brother, are you going to love yourself?”

That flower wasn’t meant for himself. Zhou Langxing felt a bit frustrated, a little lost, leaning on his cane, lazily saying, “I don’t want to love myself today, maybe tomorrow.”

Now, the girl had nothing to say.

Zhou Langxing looked at her expression, and felt the frustration in his heart fly away. He slightly curled his lips. Indeed, happiness must be built on the suffering of others.

Qin Yan gave him a displeased glance. He had originally intended to care for the girl’s business, so he picked out a flower and placed it in front of Zhou Langxing.

“Here, treat yourself better.”

Zhou Langxing was delighted. It wasn’t a rose, but it was better than nothing!