Today was a rare day off, but Xia Chuan decided to take the subway to a remote part of Haiyu City.

Haiyu City was a coastal metropolis, with nearly half its borders touching the sea. That seaside area was his destination.

There was a reason he came here. When people felt down, they naturally sought a place to clear their minds. In Haiyu City, the sea was the best spot for that.

But such a vast area couldn’t be covered quickly. So Xia Chuan had to search slowly.

It was summer. Even near the coast, he easily felt waves of heat in the air. Soon, he was drenched in sweat.

“Excuse me, do you know this girl?”

Amid the crowd, Xia Chuan kept showing Mo Yao’s photo to passersby. But clearly, none cared to help.

Society was inherently cold. That’s why missing person posters offered hefty rewards. Without incentive, strangers wouldn’t lift a finger.

As a poor guy like Xia Chuan couldn’t afford rewards, being ignored was normal.

After another passerby waved him off, he didn’t seek the next one. Instead, he wiped his brow and drained the last of his water bottle.

Hours under the sun had left Xia Chuan’s head spinning.

Watching the bustling street, he felt a moment of confusion.

He’d searched so long. Maybe it was time to give up.

She was a grown woman. How could she get lost? Once she calmed down, she’d come back, right...

Xia Chuan thought this, but then, the image of Mo Yao’s lifeless eyes from their last meeting flashed in his mind.

I...

Xia Chuan sighed. After tossing the bottle into a trash can, he approached another passerby.

As expected, by dusk, he’d found nothing useful.

Such a needle-in-a-haystack search was unrealistic from the start.

Gazing at the cloudless sky, Xia Chuan decided to head home.

But just then, a sudden commotion in the crowd caught his attention.

He saw people gathering around an apartment building. More kept joining, all pointing and murmuring about the rooftop.

Xia Chuan followed their gaze. When he looked up, his eyes widened in shock.

The building wasn’t far or tall. So he saw the scene clearly.

Outside the railing, a girl sat on a slightly protruding ledge. Her smooth, jade-like legs dangled in the air. Her eyes were empty as she stared down. The long, pale blue ribbon in her hair danced in the wind.

No matter how you looked at it, she seemed like a young girl about to jump.

Ordinary suicide wouldn’t shock Xia Chuan this much. His shock came from recognizing her—

Xia Chuan unconsciously whispered:

“Mo Yao...”

Xia Chuan stared blankly at the distant girl, murmuring to himself.

If he wasn’t mistaken, she was Mo Yao—the one he’d been searching for.

The crowd’s chatter snapped him back. Learning it was her, he couldn’t stay calm. He dashed through the crowd toward the building.

What the hell are you doing, you idiot!

Xia Chuan cursed inwardly as he ran. He couldn’t fathom why Mo Yao would want to kill herself.

Pushing through, he reached the apartment. Police hadn’t arrived yet, so the scene wasn’t cordoned off. He easily ran inside.

The building had no elevator. So Xia Chuan climbed over ten flights of stairs. Yet he didn’t slow down. Every second delayed meant more danger for Mo Yao.

He had no idea about her state. Only reaching the rooftop would answer that.

Thinking this, he quickened his pace.

The apartment building was eerily quiet. Probably because most tenants were downstairs watching.

Rushing up the stairs, Xia Chuan could only hear his own ragged footsteps.

He kept running until he saw the rooftop entrance at the stairwell’s end.

The door was ajar. Without hesitation, he shoved it open. Dusk light flooded in.

After sprinting up, his heart pounded. His chest heaved with heavy breaths.

But Xia Chuan didn’t rest. He scanned the rooftop and spotted the girl outside the railing.

That familiar silhouette.

Ignoring his heaving chest, he shouted:

“Mo Yao, you idiot! What are you doing?!”

On the windy rooftop, his voice reached her almost instantly.

Hearing it, the girl’s back visibly trembled.

Under his gaze, she slowly turned. Her familiar face came into view.

Seeing Mo Yao again, Xia Chuan felt something strange. Her face hadn’t changed, yet it felt oddly unfamiliar.

Mo Yao stared blankly at him. After a brief daze, she lowered her head.

Seeing her silent, Xia Chuan took a deep breath:

“Mo Yao, stop this. Let’s go home.”

“Home?...” Mo Yao whispered. Then she let out a bitter laugh: “Heh... hahaha...”

“Mo Yao, what’s wrong?”

Hearing her laugh, unease washed over him.

“Home? But... where is my home?”

At his question, she stopped laughing. She spoke softly.

Her voice was quiet, but on the desolate rooftop, it reached him clearly.

Hearing her words, Xia Chuan froze. Then he quickly replied:

“Mo Yao, what nonsense? You... how can you not have a home?”

These were the right words. But they stuck in his throat. Even spoken, his voice weakened.

Could a single room, lived alone, truly be called home?

Xia Chuan lived alone too. He understood her feeling. Coming home, there was no warm greeting, no family smiles. Just the same unchanged room, dust on furniture from a day’s absence. Sunset’s glow spilled through curtains, illuminating the simple space.

Just thinking about it felt bleak. Before meeting Mo Yao, he lived like this every day.

Ah, Mo Yao...

Yes, since meeting her, he finally had a place he could call home. Every day after school, he didn’t see silence but a familiar smiling face.

But he’d shattered all that. If only he hadn’t run away that day. If only he hadn’t called for help...

Mo Yao lowered her eyes. Instead of replying, she slowly stood up on the ledge. She looked down at him from above.

Seeing this, Xia Chuan’s melancholy vanished. He cried out:

“You idiot! What are you doing? Get down now!”

Her move was dangerous. One misstep, and she’d fall.

Yet despite the danger, her eyes showed no fear. Only sorrow and despair.

Her long hair and ribbon fluttered in the breeze. Her beige dress swayed like ripples. Her lifeless eyes reflected his face. Against the dusk backdrop, it formed a tragic painting.

Worried for Mo Yao, Xia Chuan had no time to admire it. The moment she stood fully, he ran toward her.

He had to pull her down before she fell.

With this thought, he sprinted forward. But after a few steps, her words stopped him dead.

“Come closer, and I jump.”

Her voice was soft, but it froze him in his tracks.

Regardless of how believable her threat was, Xia Chuan wouldn’t risk a life. Not even if it wasn’t his own.

He looked up at her, his face grim.

“Mo Yao, what do you want? Can’t you come down first? It’s too dangerous. Just come down, and I’ll agree to anything.”

He pleaded earnestly. He spoke softly now, afraid any noise might make her fall.

After his words, a flicker of life appeared in her empty eyes. She fell silent, then whispered:

“Then, Xia Chuan... if, I mean if... if I come down now, Xia Chuan, Xia Chuan...”

Mo Yao spoke haltingly. Tears welled in her eyes, dripping down. Her words choked with sobs.

But finally, as if steeling herself, she voiced the words deep in her heart:

“Then, Xia Chuan... can you like me?”