The following evening, the weight of the silence between them felt unbearable. Su Nian had spent the whole day immersed in her work, but even the delicate fabrics and the vibrant colors couldn't distract her from the nagging ache in her chest. She missed him. That was the truth. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that walking away was the right thing to do, her heart still ached for the man who had once made her feel like the center of his universe.
Just as she was about to step into the elevator of her apartment building, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a call.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the caller ID—Lu Cheng.
For a moment, she hesitated. But in the end, she pressed the green button, lifting the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
There was a long pause on the other end, followed by a deep breath. "NianNian…" Lu Cheng's voice was soft, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."
Su Nian closed her eyes, biting her lip to stop the tears from spilling. "I don't know if I can forgive you, Cheng. I need more than just an apology. I need you to prove that you want this—that you want me."
His voice trembled. "I do want you, NianNian. I've never wanted anyone more. But I know that I've messed up, and I need to show you that I can be the man you deserve. I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust again."
She felt her heart race, torn between her desire to believe him and the fear that history might repeat itself. "What does that even mean, Cheng? You can't just fix this with words."
"I know. But I want to show you—I want to prove it to you, every day. I'm not asking you to forgive me right away. I just need you to know that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Su Nian inhaled sharply, her chest tightening. The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable. But did it mean anything anymore? Could she trust him again?
The next morning, as she walked into the academy, Su Nian couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing at a crossroads. She had always prided herself on her ability to navigate life with confidence and determination, but now she felt lost. Lu Cheng's words echoed in her mind, but they were no longer enough to erase the doubts that had settled in her heart.
As she made her way to the design studio, her best friend, Chen Yilin, approached her with a knowing smile.
"Still not answering his calls, huh?" Yilin asked, her voice light but carrying an underlying concern.
Su Nian sighed, her shoulders heavy. "I don't know what to do anymore, Yilin. I'm so confused. Part of me wants to forgive him, to believe that he can change. But another part of me… part of me feels like I'm just setting myself up for more pain."
Yilin studied her for a moment, her eyes soft with understanding. "You know, NianNian, love isn't always easy. It's messy. And it's never just about the good moments. It's about the hard ones too. The moments when you question everything—yourself, the other person, the relationship. But you can't just walk away because it's hard. If you love him, you need to decide if you're willing to fight for it. Because the other option is just… walking away and wondering what could have been."
Su Nian took a deep breath, the weight of her friend's words sinking in. "But how do I even start to trust him again? After everything?"
Yilin smiled gently. "Trust is built, NianNian. It's not something you give freely. It's something you rebuild, piece by piece. And if he really wants this, he'll show you. He'll prove to you that he's worth it."
Su Nian nodded slowly, feeling a flicker of hope amid the confusion. Maybe there was a way forward after all. Maybe trust, though fragile, could still be rebuilt.
Later that day, as Su Nian was preparing to leave the academy, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it and saw that it was a message from Lu Cheng.
"I've made a reservation at the place we first met. I know it's not much, but I'd like to talk. Please. Just hear me out."
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat. The place they first met—the memory of that night, full of laughter and possibility, felt like a distant dream now. It had been the start of something beautiful, something real. Could they find that spark again?
After a long moment of indecision, she typed a response.
"I'll be there."
Later that evening, Su Nian found herself standing outside the small, intimate restaurant where she and Lu Cheng had shared their first meal together. The soft glow of the lights from inside cast a warm halo around the entrance, and for a moment, it felt like stepping back into a time when everything had seemed so simple.
Lu Cheng was already waiting by the door, his tall frame illuminated by the soft light. When he saw her, his expression softened, and he stepped forward, his eyes filled with something that resembled hope.
"NianNian…" he began, his voice filled with both relief and apprehension. "Thank you for coming."
Su Nian nodded, her heart racing. "I'm here, Cheng. But I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive you yet. I need time."
He smiled faintly, the vulnerability in his gaze undeniable. "I don't expect you to forgive me right away. But I will wait as long as it takes. I just need you to know that I'm here—now, and always."
The tension between them was palpable, but for the first time in days, Su Nian felt a glimmer of hope. The road ahead would be long, and trust would take time to rebuild. But maybe—just maybe—they could find their way back to each other.