Chapter 150

Beep beep beep... Beep beep beep...

"..."

The sound of the phone ringing accompanied the chirping of cicadas outside the window, and she groggily opened her eyes.

Glancing at the time, she buried her face back in the pillow.

Thud thud thud.

"Raina Nan!"

Her mother's voice came from outside the room, waking her up from her sleep once again.

"What time are you planning to sleep until? Come out and eat!"

"..."

Rubbing her eyes, she slowly sat up.

With messy hair, she pulled back the curtains.

The August sunlight poured through the glass and onto the floor in the room.

Only then did she come back to her senses...

It felt like the graduation trip was just yesterday.

"Are you going to make a sound or not? Can you hear me?"

Her mother's angry roar came from outside the door.

"I heard."

She weakly replied, as if speaking any louder would exhaust her completely.

"Hurry up!"

After saying that, her mother left.

She walked to the bathroom, intending to wash her face and wake herself up.

Looking up at her disheveled self in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile.

What's wrong with this hair...

She reached out to grab a comb but then froze.

Looking at the lip balm next to it, she subconsciously touched her soft lips.

After a while, she snapped back to reality.

In a fluster, she left the bathroom, completely forgetting about washing her face.

...

"Come, eat your meal."

Her mother set up the table and handed her the bowl and chopsticks.

"Oh."

She replied and sat down.

She looked around.

"Where's Dad?"

"Your dad went to the school for a meeting. Isn't school starting soon?"

"Oh."

Right, school is starting soon...

"You're going to be a college student soon, but you don't look like one at all!"

Her mother said, pointing at her messy hair.

"What's wrong with me..."

She muttered softly and buried her head in her meal.

"When you go to college, you still need to dress up a bit, you know? Go to my room later and get some makeup or something."

"I need to know how to buy it myself..."

She felt speechless. Which young girl would use their mother's makeup?

"Besides, you used to be against me wearing makeup..."

She muttered helplessly.

"That was when you were in school. In college, you can't just focus on studying, you need to socialize, you know?"

Isn't college still school...

She wanted to retort, but the words stuck in her throat.

If she argued with her mother, it would never end.

"Yesterday, your dad and I were talking, saying that you're going to college now."

Her mother said, smiling.

"We even support you for dating~"

"..."

She was stunned for a moment and put down her chopsticks.

"Who said anything about dating!"

As she said that, she stood up.

"Why are you getting so worked up?"

Her mother looked at her with a baffled expression.

"..."

She probably realized that her reaction was too intense.

Turning around, she walked towards her room.

"Come back and finish your meal before you leave!"

"I don't have an appetite."

She said angrily and walked out without looking back.

She looked at herself in the mirror, quickly tidied up her hair, and then left the house.

...

...

Under the scorching afternoon sun, the asphalt road sizzled.

The air seemed to distort and change shape.

People on the street came and went, and the noisy footsteps almost overwhelmed her.

She walked alone, taking slow steps.

Bell Tong was going to a cram school, preparing for another year of college entrance exams.

Roxie Lin, since coming back from the graduation trip, had been locked inside the house by her sister to practice the piano, saying that she should make the most of the summer vacation.

Everyone was gradually returning to their regular routines after the holidays, which made her feel even more aimless.

She bought an ice cream and walked aimlessly while eating.

Graduation didn't really feel real to her. The only difference was that her allowance from her mother increased... that's about it.

She walked to a large tree on the roadside and found a bench to sit on.

Surrounded by old people playing chess and enjoying the coolness, she, a young person, looked somewhat strange.

Fortunately, she didn't care about these things and ate her ice cream quietly under the shade of the tree.

The coolness entered her throat, and it seemed that the surrounding crowd was not as noisy anymore.

Speckled sunlight spilled on her, making her feel drowsy.

...

...

"Isn't this Samson Nan's sister?"

In a daze, someone woke her up.

Raina Nan looked up and rubbed her eyes.

The person speaking was Samson Nan's colleague, Li Xing.

"Why are you sleeping here? Are you waiting for your brother?"

She hesitated for a moment, snapped back to reality, and realized that she was near Samson Nan's workplace.

"No, no."

She quickly waved her hand.

"Why don't you wait? Your brother will be down soon~"

Li Xing pointed to the nearby office building. It happened to be the end of the workday.

"No, no."

She shook her head vigorously, and then got up to leave.

"Yuyu?"

At that moment, a voice came from behind and stopped her in her tracks.

It was Samson Nan, why was he here...

"..."

She didn't dare to turn around, leaving her back facing him.

Samson Nan moved closer to her, turned his face towards her.

She quickly turned her face away, avoiding his gaze.

"Haha, I see, your sister is mad at you!"

Li Xing laughed and patted Samson Nan's shoulder.

"You have to appease her~ I'll leave first."

After saying that, he smartly left.

...

Raina Nan felt a little awkward and silently moved two steps to the side.

She blamed herself for unknowingly ending up here...

"Little One, you..."

"I'm not here to find you!"

She shouted before he could speak.

"I didn't say you came to find me..."

Samson Nan scratched his head, smiling bitterly at her.

"..."

This only made her feel more awkward.

Her cheeks blushed slightly, and she fell silent.

"Hey~"

Samson Nan sighed and playfully flicked her forehead with his finger.

"Little One, why were you sleeping here alone? Aren't you afraid of encountering perverts?"

He said, using his butt to nudge her gently.

"It's none of your business..."

She glared at him angrily.

"Why do you care? It's not like anyone cares?"

"..."

After a moment of silence, she muttered.

"Someone will care in the future..."

"Who?"

Samson Nan was stunned, looking at her.

"There will be..."

She stammered, avoiding his gaze with her wandering eyes.

"Boyfriend...or something like that..."

"?"

Perhaps hearing unexpected words from her, he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"..."

"Little One, what are you talking about? Do you think college is for you to have fun?"

His calm expression finally showed some ripples.

"It's too early for a relationship, I disagree!"

"But..."

She interrupted him.

"My parents agreed."

"..."

Samson Nan was frozen.

She lifted her head, just looking at him from a distance.

Seemingly wanting to find something from his pupils.

"..."

"Gege."

Her voice trembled weakly.

"Don't you think it doesn't matter?"

Her slightly reddened eyes began to fill with tears.

"No, Yuyu..."

He was about to speak.

"So..."

She hesitated for a moment and continued:

"Was that kiss fake too?"

"..."

Samson Nan remained silent.

People around them looked over and began to whisper, probably thinking they were having a lover's quarrel...

"Yuyu, about that..."

He focused his attention and raised his head to look at her.

"I will explain... but not now."

...

"When is that?"

Her determined gaze showed no hesitation.

...

"..."

After a moment, she spoke again:

"When I disappear, will it be then?"

...

Samson Nan was taken aback.

"What are you talking about, Raina?"

He was confused as to why Raina Nan suddenly said such things.

...

He reached out his hand, but stopped near her face.

...

This was the first time he had seen Raina Nan look so powerless.

His sister, who had grown up with him, seemed like an elusive mirage that he couldn't touch at this moment.

She didn't say anything more and walked past him without a word.

...

He snapped out of his daze and realized she had already walked a distance.

Her figure was becoming blurred, disappearing into the bustling crowd.

...

Samson Nan returned to his own home.

Bark! Bark! Bark!

Wai Wai quickly rushed over.

He crouched down and touched its head.

It rubbed against his shirt vigorously, not normally this enthusiastic.

"She didn't come."

He whispered softly as he scratched its neck.

Perhaps Wai Wai had caught Raina Nan's scent.

He stood up and headed towards the bedroom.

After changing into sportswear, he prepared to go out again.

"I'm going for a run. You be a good guard."

Bark!

With that, he closed the door.

It was already dark outside.

He hadn't eaten dinner, but he didn't have much appetite either.

Running might help alleviate the unease in his heart...

Now that he thought about it, they hadn't really talked properly since Raina Nan returned from her graduation trip.

He wanted to break the awkwardness between them, but didn't know how to start.

Sometimes, the bitterness that comes after impulsiveness can be irreparable...

Besides, he wasn't sure what she was thinking.

Is it happiness,

Sadness,

Fear,

Or...

None of the above?

He didn't have time to think much, so he slapped his cheeks and continued running.

...

The summer night breeze, mixed with the moist air, made him feel refreshed.

Today, he ran along the riverbank for an unusually long time.

The street lights were already on, and there were no pedestrians on the road.

...

Ring, ring, ring... ring, ring, ring...

An urgent phone call came through his earphones.

"Mom?"

He answered his phone.

"Where are you, Samson Nan?!"

His mom's voice sounded anxious on the other end of the line.

"What's wrong?"

He stopped in his tracks, standing still.

"Your sister is missing! Come back quickly!"

"What?!"

He froze.

His mom sounded like she was about to cry.

"I'm coming back right away!"

He hung up the phone and didn't have time to think, so he hailed a taxi and rushed home.

...

"Should I wait until I disappear?"

...

Raina Nan's words from the afternoon echoed in his mind.

He tried hard not to think negatively, trembling as he held his phone, feeling anxious.

...

Back home, his mom was anxiously calling the police.

His dad comforted her while gesturing for Samson Nan to go check Raina Nan's room.

He rushed to her room in three steps.

Everything in her room seemed untouched, appearing normal.

He glanced around and noticed a note on the desk.

Beside it was the phone he had given her.

He picked up the note.

It was indeed Raina Nan's handwriting.

"Separated like two fish, waiting for the cycle of reincarnation."

That's what it said.

...

...

What does it mean?

"Separated like two fish"...

His eyes brightened, snapping back to reality, and he quickly rushed downstairs.

"Samson Nan, where are you going?!"

His father called out to him.

"I know where Raina went!"

He said, rushing out of the house.