54. I really want, really want to, fingers intertwined.

Luo Yue got off the car with the address given by the old principal, carrying the students’ thank-you letters in her bag.

Every year, on the anniversary of the school’s founding, the old principal would rally all the students to write thank-you letters.

They were meant for the person who helped renovate the elementary school on Moon Island.

This person funded the construction of the school’s teaching building, library, and cafeteria.

Later, they even donated a large collection of books, showing a keen interest in education.

The old principal had spent his entire life in education and had never encountered someone so indifferent to fame and fortune.

In the past, there were others who donated to Moon Island, usually sums of ten or twenty thousand, mostly from local entrepreneurs. Before donating, they would hold a grand donation ceremony, or at the very least, write a public post online. But the school had few young teachers, mostly older ones left behind by the times, who couldn’t write those posts. Expecting the students, who had hardly ever used a computer, to do it was out of the question.

Each time, it was the old principal who had to write the posts.

After writing so many, he grew tired of it, but when accepting money from others, one had to swallow their pride.

He often wondered, were these people really doing charity? Or were they just in it for fame and fortune?

Charity could enhance their public image, which in turn could generate more profits for them, so they eagerly pursued it.

But this Qin Xiashen was different.

Each time, he quietly transferred the money, specifying its use. He hoped it would be used to improve the students’ meals, to purchase art supplies for them, or to buy musical instruments so the students could receive some musical education.

For a remote rural school like theirs, such equipment was hard to come by.

While the rest of the world seemed to be progressing rapidly, it felt as though their school had been quietly left behind.

When most schools were advocating for well-rounded development in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education, they were still struggling with the fact that their teachers couldn’t even specialize in separate subjects like math, language, and English.

Let alone having a dedicated music teacher.

At most, when the Ministry of Education sent college students for temporary teaching positions each year, the old principal would specifically request a student from the music or art department. If they could also teach a bit of the core curriculum, it was greatly appreciated. But the most crucial hope was that the students could be exposed to some “art.”

Not everyone could be like Luo Yue or Cheng Shijing, who, thanks to exceptional talent, managed to leave Moon Island through exams.

Most were destined for mediocrity, spending their lives as cogs in some larger machine.

The old principal had accepted Qin Xiashen’s significant financial support during the toughest times, feeling deeply grateful, even though he didn’t even know the benefactor’s full name.

Later, he initiated the “Gratitude Assembly” on the school’s anniversary, wanting to instill a sense of gratitude in the students. He hoped that one day, when they were capable, they could also help those weaker than themselves.

It was also his idea for all the children to write letters—not filled with empty words of thanks but detailing their achievements, rankings, progress in all areas, and hopes for the future, whether for the next exam or their dreams when they grew up.

The old principal wanted to give the children a more concrete image to aspire to, so he persistently called Qin Xiashen’s assistant until he finally learned the benefactor’s surname.

He also wanted to send the letters directly, hoping that Qin Xiashen would know that every donation he made was being put to good use in education.

So every year, during the “Gratitude Assembly,” the children on Moon Island would spend two hours at their desks, writing a letter to Qin Xiashen ^[1]先生 – term of address for a person of noble character, high prestige, well-educated and not young (middle or old age). And using such an address on them is respectful..

Luo Yue understood the old principal’s well-intentioned efforts, which is why she couldn’t refuse the task.

The office building she arrived at was tall, about thirty stories high.

When Luo Yue entered the elevator, it was during the morning rush hour. She was surrounded by a crowd of impeccably dressed people, and seeing that the button for her floor had already been pressed, she tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Upon reaching the ninth floor, Luo Yue saw a black plaque with gold lettering—**Sicily Studio**.

Luo Yue: ?

She hesitated at the door, unsure whether to go in.

Sicily—wasn’t that Qin Zhaoyi?

So this was Qin Zhaoyi’s studio?

Qin Zhaoyi—Qin Xiashen?

As thoughts swirled in her mind and she hesitated, she heard a young girl’s cheerful voice asking, “Miss, who are you looking for?”

“Huh?” Luo Yue snapped out of her thoughts, startled for a moment before she reached into her backpack to take out the letter. But before she could say anything, the girl said, “Sorry, miss, we don’t accept reader letters here. If you have any suggestions or criticism for Sicily, you can send a private message to the studio’s Weibo account.”

She was surprisingly polite.

But Luo Yue shook her head, “No, I’m here to deliver a letter on behalf of the principal.”

The young girl took a lollipop out of her bag and popped it into her mouth, offering another one to Luo Yue. “What principal?”

“The principal of Moon Island Elementary,” Luo Yue explained. “We’ve sent one every year.”

The young girl frowned, “I’m not sure about that. Let me ask our boss.”

She made a phone call while inviting Luo Yue inside to sit down, pulling out a seat near the entrance. Then, in a sweet voice, she called out, “Yi-jie, someone’s here to deliver a letter to our studio.”

“A super pretty lady,” the girl explained. “She says it’s not a reader letter but from some Moon Island Elementary.”

“Huh? How would I know?” the girl replied, “Maybe you should ask Zhou-jie?”

A few seconds later, she hung up the phone and apologized to Luo Yue, “Sorry, our studio is in a bit of a transitional phase right now. We’re still figuring out a lot of things.”

Luo Yue: “…”

This workplace is really laid-back.

“Hello.” The young girl extended her hand. “I’m Wang Jing.”

Luo Yue hesitated before shaking it. “Luo Yue.”

“Your name is so beautiful,” Wang Jing said. “Where is this Moon Island Elementary you mentioned?”

“Moon Island Elementary,” Luo Yue corrected, “It’s on Moon Island.”

Wang Jing’s personality was completely at odds with her name^[2]Jing – calm—she was lively and enthusiastic, always ready to chat about anything.

“Is it fun over there? Is there a beach? When’s the best time to visit?”

“It’s alright,” Luo Yue patiently replied. “There’s a beach, and it’s most pleasant from around April onward.”

“That sounds amazing,” Wang Jing mused. “How about this—I’ll join you when you head back. I’ve always wanted to see the ocean.”

Luo Yue: “…”

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Luo Yue asked.

Wang Jing shrugged. “As you can see, our studio doesn’t have much going on right now. Our content creator ran off, so we’re just idling around.”

“The content creator left?” Luo Yue was surprised. “Aren’t you hiring anyone new?”

Wang Jing burst out laughing, “Did you see that plaque? We had only one content creator in our studio—our ‘God Xi.’”

Luo Yue: “…”

Wang Jing seemed eager to share more about the studio, but a phone call interrupted her.

Gu Yi was on the line. “I checked—it’s the elementary school God Xi sponsored before. They send something every year, but it used to go to Zhou-jie’s house. This year, she changed the address to the studio. Just leave it on the table outside God Xi’s office.”

Gu Yi specifically reminded her, “Zhou-jie said not to tell her it was God Xi who sponsored it—just say it’s from our studio’s deputy director.”

Wang Jing pouted, “Who even does good deeds anonymously these days? Besides, we’re such a tiny studio—what deputy director?”

With that, Gu Yi hung up.

Though Wang Jing grumbled, she dutifully relayed the message to Luo Yue and took the letter.

Luo Yue then asked, “God Xi.”

She pointed to the plaque. “Sicily—that’s Qin Xiashen, right?”

Wang Jing, now turned away, made a face but confidently replied, “No, Qin Xiashen is our studio’s deputy director.”

Luo Yue, having overheard her earlier conversation, questioned, “Didn’t you say your studio doesn’t have a deputy director?”

Wang Jing said, “… It just happened.”

Luo Yue: ?

But Luo Yue didn’t think too much about it.

Wang Jing counted the number of letters, asked Luo Yue for her phone number and name, and then prepared to show her out.

As Luo Yue reached the door, she saw two women rushing out of the elevator.

One was wearing a white shirt, black trousers, and five-centimeter high heels. The other had big, wavy hair, a slightly youthful face, and wore black-framed glasses, looking less professional.

The two women walked over together, and Wang Jing, surprised, called out to them, “Zhou-jie, Yi-jie.”

Zhou Xi nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then turned to Luo Yue, “Hello, I’m Zhou Xi, the former manager of Sicily.”

Luo Yue assessed her with a neutral expression, just as Zhou Xi assessed Luo Yue, “Hello, I’m Luo Yue.”

Zhou Xi took her to the office and made some polite conversation.

She asked about the current situation of Moon Island Elementary, whether they needed more donations, and if there were any recent difficulties.

Luo Yue answered all her questions.

By the time their conversation ended, it was nearing noon. Zhou Xi invited her to lunch, saying it was a small team-building event for their studio.

Luo Yue politely declined, and Zhou Xi saw her downstairs.

As Zhou Xi watched Luo Yue’s receding figure, she took out her phone and sent a message: [Xishi, should I mail the letter from Moon Island Elementary to you?]

Qin Zhaoyi: [……]

Mail it? She’s right here on Moon Island.

Zhou Xi: [I have to say, your taste is quite good.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [?]

Zhou Xi: [With a girl like her, aren’t you usually spot on? You’re known as a heartbreaker in the reader community.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [……]

Zhou Xi’s hints were clear, and Qin Zhaoyi would be foolish not to catch on.

Qin Zhaoyi asked: [Have you met her?]

Zhou Xi: [She’s very pretty.]

Qin Zhaoyi was sitting on the steps with the big yellow dog.

The dog lay lazily, and the sound of the rain lightly masked the distant sound of the waves.

Qin Zhaoyi looked at the rain, the sky, and the distance, occasionally glancing at her phone.

After a while, she nervously asked: [Is my cover still intact?]

Zhou Xi: [It should be. She acted quite normally.]

Zhou Xi: [She seems to have no interest in Sicily at all.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [……]

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.

Luo Yue could feel Zhou Xi’s scrutinizing gaze but responded with poise, trying to appear calm and unperturbed.

She tried to remain composed, without revealing any hint of her true feelings.

However, she still probed a bit, asking what kind of person Mr. Qin was and whether he was always enthusiastic about charity work.

Zhou Xi, momentarily lost in thought, quickly shifted back to a professional tone: “Mr. Qin is God Xi’s older brother and a very compassionate person.”

Luo Yue was somewhat surprised.

She had always thought Qin Zhaoyi was an only child.

Perhaps she didn’t know enough about Qin Zhaoyi.

After leaving the Sicily studio, Luo Yue planned to grab a casual meal and then take a boat back to Moon Island.

Unexpectedly, she ran into Zhou Jia during lunch.

Zhou Jia mentioned that her father’s surgery was scheduled for the afternoon. Although the doctor said the success rate was 80%, his underlying health issues still made people uneasy.

If possible, she hoped Luo Yue could visit him.

Zhou Jia said that since Luo Yue left, her father had been apologizing in his dreams and calling out Luo Yue’s name.

Luo Yue asked her, “Aren’t you jealous?”

Zhou Jia was taken aback by the question, then shook her head, “I just feel heartbroken.”

Luo Yue: …

Luo Yue almost blurted out that feeling heartbroken over a man was a lifetime of misfortune.

But then she remembered that the man was her father, so she retracted her unkind words and wore a conflicted expression.

Zhou Jia was clearly immersed in her role as a victim.

It was evident that she was the one who was most troubled by this situation.

Yet she was here, groveling for the daughter of the man who had left her.

Luo Yue felt a pang of guilt and, ultimately, softened her stance, “I’ll visit him, but I have to return to my hometown in the afternoon.”

Zhou Jia immediately smiled, “Great, if you visit him, he will be much more at ease.”

Luo Yue: …

Luo Yue felt that Zhou Jia had overestimated her importance in Luo Tianming’s eyes.

If it were really that way, how could Luo Tianming ignore her, who had stayed on Moon Island all this time?

However, if Zhou Jia wanted to portray Luo Tianming as a tragic father, Luo Yue chose not to argue.

Good advice is wasted on a doomed soul.

Luo Yue thought that her harsh words last time should have been enough to dissuade Zhou Jia.

But Zhou Jia’s persistence was unexpected.

The meal was tasteless.

In the afternoon, at Jia University Affiliated Hospital.

Luo Yue and Zhou Jia stood by, watching the medical staff busy with pre-surgery preparations. Luo Tianming lay on the bed, having just received anesthesia.

Luo Yue stood silently by his side, while Luo Tianming looked at her apologetically.

The words she had said last time had exhausted all her strength.

Luo Tianming asked her, “What do you want me to do?”

The question, out of the blue, left Luo Yue somewhat confused.

“What?” Luo Yue asked in response.

Luo Tianming clarified, “What should I do about that father and son?”

Luo Yue was momentarily stunned, then replied with a light sarcasm, “Do you think saying it will make you able to do it?”

“Or, to get me to collaborate with you on research, are you willing to risk your academic career by exposing their wrongdoing?” Luo Yue chuckled, “I don’t have any evidence.”

What evidence could she present?

At that time, she hadn’t yet faced the harshness of society. She had only vaguely heard that some classmates had their papers stolen by mentors and never imagined it could happen to her.

Professor Cheng had handled this matter meticulously. Although he hadn’t been much help when she was writing that paper, the apartment she rented was his, and he frequently inquired about her progress. From any perspective, it seemed above board.

It was her own naivety and trust in the wrong people.

“It’s okay,” Luo Tianming said. “Let me think about it.”

But Luo Yue refused, “No need. I won’t be engaging in mathematical research anymore.”

Wasn’t it said that no matter how much she wrote, it wouldn’t become hers?

Then she wouldn’t write it.

“Even if Cheng Chunsheng doesn’t use your work, he’ll just steal from someone else,” Luo Tianming said. “His son is an academic fraud.”

Luo Yue shook her head, “No need to persuade me further.”

Luo Tianming wanted to say more, but Luo Yue frowned, “If you keep talking, I’ll leave first.”

Zhou Jia interjected to ease the situation, “You’re about to go into surgery and are still worrying about this? Luo Yue is an adult; she has her own opinions and ideas. You shouldn’t keep pressuring her.”

“I just want to help her solve this!” Luo Tianming said, coughing in frustration. “Are you saying that because of this small issue, she’ll give up on mathematical research? This new project is really important.”

Luo Yue gave him a sidelong glance.

A small issue.

Yes, it was a small issue for Luo Tianming.

But no one knew how much pain she had endured at that time.

Unable to sleep day and night, waking up from nightmares every night, crying in the blanket upon waking.

In early spring, when the rainy season came to Moon Island, it drizzled endlessly.

Her shoulders would ache as if bitten by ants, making her feel helpless.

Luo Yue had never asked anyone to empathize with her.

But she only asked them, these adults, not to trivialize her suffering as a small issue.

“Yes,” Luo Yue said. “Your research is important, but I won’t participate.”

Her gentle tone now carried a hint of sharpness, “Is that okay?”

Luo Tianming stared at her with tear-filled eyes.

It seemed like he was lamenting the squandering of her talent.

The look in his eyes was too complex; Luo Yue didn’t want to decipher it and turned her face away to look outside.

A doctor in a white coat came to confirm Luo Tianming’s identity and offered a few comforting words. Noticing the awkward atmosphere, he smiled and asked, “Had a fight with your daughter?”

Luo Yue glanced at him. His smile was warm and friendly, breaking her stereotype of older doctors.

“Hello?” he greeted her. “I’m your father’s attending physician.”

Luo Yue nodded slightly, still unsure why he was so friendly.

Everything felt strange.

Once Luo Tianming was wheeled into the operating room, Luo Yue sat on a bench in the corridor for a while before getting up to leave.

Zhou Jia hurried to stop her, but Luo Yue shook her head, “I don’t want to stay.”

With that, she left Jia University Affiliated Hospital.

Once again, the family group chat was buzzing before the surgery.

[Er Meifu: photo.jpg]

[Er Meifu: So beautiful, just as beautiful as our Zhao Zhao.]

[Grandma: Looks so well-behaved. Oh, she must listen to our Zhao Zhao.]

[Ren Er’mei: Looks like it. Hey, @QX, don’t bully the little girl.]

[Ren Dajie: Aww, so sweet. Her face looks so tender, I just want to RUA^[3]Stroking someone gently her.]

[Ren Er’mei: @Ren Dajie, where have you been surfing lately? Why so trendy?]

[Ren Dajie: Started reading novels.]

[Ren Er’mei: What novels? I’m so bored lately. My jet lag is killing me.]

[Ren Dajie: Some yuri novels. I’ve gotten really into them.]

[Ren Dajie: Reading about little girls hugging and kissing is just wonderful.]

[Professor Qin: @QX, don’t be so mean to the girl.]

[Grandpa: She does look like a sweet little girl. Our Zhao Zhao’s bad temper, I hope she won’t scare the girl away.]

The person responsible for the photos had disappeared into the operating room, focusing on pre-surgery tasks.

But they took a moment to ask, “How did you end up arguing with your daughter? She seems so well-behaved and pretty. You’re really lucky.”

Lying on the hospital bed, Luo Tianming closed his eyes and said with a weary tone, “She’s stubborn like her mother.”

“How so?” Director Yang asked, trying to guide the conversation. “Doesn’t listen?”

“She’s very talented in mathematical research,” Luo Tianming said. “I wanted her to work on projects with me, but she’s unwilling.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Director Yang agreed. “Working with her father on research should be very fulfilling.”

Luo Tianming sighed helplessly. “I didn’t care for her enough before. She ran into some academic thieves and now she doesn’t want to do research anymore.”

Having come from an academic background himself, Director Yang, though focused on practical work, also engaged in academic research and published many journals. He was naturally displeased upon hearing this.

“Who are they?” Director Yang asked casually.

Luo Tianming fell silent, seemingly affected by the anesthesia, and drifted off to sleep.

Six hours later, after the surgery was completed, Director Yang emerged from the operating room, informed his wife of the successful surgery, and then returned to his office.

The group chat was once again abuzz with activity.

Qin Zhaoyi popped up in the chat and tagged him: [Uncle, could you have a little decency? Why disclose patient family privacy?]

Director Yang, not backing down, replied: [What patient family? It’s clearly a doctor’s family.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [Which doctor?]

Director Yang: [Me and your aunt.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [……]

Fuming, Qin Zhaoyi threatened to leave the group if they continued like this.

The group quickly moderated their behavior.

Qin Zhaoyi scrolled through the chat records and saw that everyone was worried she might bully Luo Yue, which made her roll her eyes.

She was far from having that ability.

It was only Luo Yue who had her firmly under control.

Perhaps Luo Yue’s face was just too deceptive.

Just as she was relieved that the chat had finally quieted down, her uncle sent her a private message.

[Your girlfriend seems to have a talent for mathematical research, but since someone has taken her academic achievements, she doesn’t plan to continue in academia.]

[That’s what I gathered from her dad. But you two seem quite compatible—her dad studies mathematics, and your dad studies physics.]

[If your dad knew she was a math genius, he’d be over the moon.]

Qin Zhaoyi: [……Uncle, you really have no decency!]

Director Yang replied: “I was just trying to help you out. I haven’t told anyone else, you know.”

Qin Zhaoyi: [……]

Qin Zhaoyi responded sarcastically: “You’re really quite something.”

“It’s just a small matter~”

The other person didn’t pick up on the sarcasm and seemed quite pleased with himself.

Qin Zhaoyi stared at the chat records for a long time.

Taking academic achievements?

Maybe that was the secret Luo Yue didn’t want her to know.

Since Luo Yue didn’t want her to know, she pretended not to.

What really troubled her was that it seemed the whole world was running into Luo Yue that day.

She was just on Moon Island, looking at the sea and walking the dog, and couldn’t find Luo Yue.

Qin Zhaoyi was in an average mood, giving the dog’s head a rub. The big yellow dog lazily lifted its eyelids, as if asking—what’s up?

“Nothing.” Qin Zhaoyi patted its head. “Can you have a bit more energy?”

The big yellow dog continued to lazily ignore her.

Thinking it might be hungry, Qin Zhaoyi went inside to find something to eat.

She retrieved a piece of chocolate for herself and took a box of dog food for the dog, but while she was eating, the big yellow dog kept its eyes fixed on the chocolate in her hand.

Qin Zhaoyi broke off a piece and held it out to the dog: “Want some?”

The usually lethargic big yellow dog’s eyes barely opened.

Qin Zhaoyi hesitated: “Can you eat this? It’s sweet.”

The big yellow dog stuck out its tongue, looking eager and drooling.

Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t bear it and shared half of her snack with it, muttering as she did: “You eat my food, so you’d better listen to me. I’ll take you for a walk by the sea later tonight, okay?”

The big yellow dog was very well-behaved while eating the chocolate but continued to lay listlessly afterward.

Qin Zhaoyi gave it a gentle kick, and it responded with a grumbling, dissatisfied sound.

Qin Zhaoyi cursed it inwardly as an ungrateful glutton.

The evening on Moon Island was clear after the rain, with a rainbow appearing after the downpour, blending with the vibrant red clouds.

Qin Zhaoyi calculated the time and sent Luo Yue a message.

She didn’t type any words, just sent a picture.

The rainbow, blending into the sea, reflected on the water, while the sea remained calm and accepting, day after day, encompassing everything on Moon Island.

She thought Luo Yue might not reply or just compliment the picture.

But unexpectedly, Luo Yue soon replied: [On my way home.]

From her perspective, the picture showed the sea and sky seen from the deck.

Different views of the sea have different kinds of beauty.

Qin Zhaoyi, delighted by the message and picture, responded: [I’ll come pick you up.]

Luo Yue hadn’t replied yet, so Qin Zhaoyi added: [It’s not that I want to see you, it’s the dog.]

Luo Yue: [Is that so?]

Qin Zhaoyi didn’t want to be too forward, so she explained: [The dog has been listless all day. I tried to take it for a walk, but it refused and kept staring at the port, missing you a lot.]

Afraid Luo Yue might not believe her, Qin Zhaoyi added a voice message: “Really.”

Luo Yue read the message and couldn’t help but smile.

Qin Zhaoyi’s explanation sounded weak; anyone could see she wanted to see Luo Yue herself.

But she was so earnest in her explanation.

Luo Yue teased her, “The dog misses me. What about you?”

Her gentle voice, with an indescribable tenderness and the background sound of waves, felt like a flirtatious whisper from afar.

Qin Zhaoyi, outside the house, used the speaker to play it.

Upon hearing this, she immediately covered the speaker, looked around like a thief, and only switched back to the earpiece to listen privately when she confirmed no one was around.

The special pauses in the message made her heart skip a beat.

After listening, her heart felt as if someone was scratching it with a feather, making her entire heart feel tingly and warm.

“I miss you too,” Qin Zhaoyi said, feeling the sweat of excitement in her palms.

“Probably about half an hour,” Luo Yue said. “The boat will dock.”

And I will be back by your side.

Luo Yue’s tender words made Qin Zhaoyi’s heart soften. “Then I’ll come pick you up.”

After sending this, she hesitated again: “Is that okay?”

“Don’t want to come?” Luo Yue asked.

Qin Zhaoyi immediately denied: “No. There should be a lot of people at the port. Aren’t you afraid?”

When Luo Yue sent her voice message, someone came up to the deck to take a look around.

She switched to text: [As long as you don’t kiss me there, it’s fine.]

Qin Zhaoyi wiped the sweat from her palms with a wet wipe and typed back: [Then, is holding your hand okay?]

Luo Yue: [Do you want to?]

Qin Zhaoyi: [Yes.]

Luo Yue: [How much do you want to?]

Qin Zhaoyi: [Very, very much.]

The exchange was quick and smooth.

Luo Yue relented: “Sure.”

Qin Zhaoyi felt her hand getting a bit stiff but pressed on: [Then I really really want to, with our fingers interlocked. Is that okay?]

Luo Yue stared at the screen, contemplating how to respond and how much she could reveal in public.

When Qin Zhaoyi didn’t receive a reply for a while, she thought she had gone too far.

Just as she was about to step back and say that even without interlocking fingers would be fine, Luo Yue sent a seven-second voice message.

“You have to hold tightly; if you let go, you won’t find me.”

In that moment, Qin Zhaoyi’s mouth curved into a smile, and her heart seemed to burst with fireworks.

Author’s Note:

Let’s stay in this sweet place~

I hope everyone can also hold hands with the person they like.

(I’m working hard to wrap this up, but it’s so difficult. I look at my outline and lie back~

How can someone have so many words~~)