Looking at the familiar man before her, Xia Liyang froze for a moment.

It had been half a year since she last saw him, and his handsome face seemed to have thinned a bit.

His jawline appeared sharper, and his brows and eyes seemed even more three-dimensional and profound.

His dark eyes, like wells, fixed intently on her.

In the depths of those dark eyes, there seemed to be a mix of surprise, inquiry… and emotions she couldn’t quite understand.

The summer night breeze brushed between them, and Xia Liyang could hear the sound of her own heart racing.

She opened her mouth and finally managed to say, “Mr. Lu? What a coincidence.”

“Yeah, what a coincidence.” Lu Huaicheng nodded slightly, glancing at the empty seat beside her, his tone politely probing, “Are you here alone?”

“Are you also here alone, Mr. Lu?” Xia Liyang replied, a bit awkwardly biting her lip, her thick lashes fluttering lightly.

“I’m still single; who would I bring?” Lu Huaicheng’s gaze was sharp, though his voice was somewhat ethereal. “What about you, Miss Xia?”

“…” Xia Liyang hesitated for a moment before replying slowly, “Mr. Xu has to work tomorrow, so I didn’t want to trouble him to accompany me to the movie.”

“I see.” Lu Huaicheng’s gaze dimmed a little at her response, but he couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t he worried about you going out to see a movie alone at night?”

“Well, it’s just right by my house…” Xia Liyang chuckled awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. “The movie is about to start; please take your seat, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Huaicheng hesitated for a moment, giving her a scrutinizing look before finally turning to slide past her legs and sit in the empty seat next to her.

As he passed by, she caught a whiff of that familiar scent of his, the one she hadn’t encountered in a long time.

It was fresh and lingering, wrapping around her senses.

It inexplicably disrupted her previously steady heartbeat.

Xia Liyang subconsciously held her breath, gripping her phone tightly on her lap, focusing her gaze on the large screen as the opening credits began to roll.

After settling into his seat, Lu Huaicheng glanced at the person beside him.

The soft glow from the screen illuminated her face, reflecting the clarity and sparkle in her eyes.

Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like clouds, and her delicate features were still as pure and charming as he remembered.

But she sat up straight, no longer the same as when they watched the first two films together, either playfully leaning in or boldly snuggling up to him.

In fact, the seating arrangement for this outdoor movie was quite cramped, with only a few dozen centimeters separating them.

Yet he felt as if a galaxy lay between them.

Lu Huaicheng’s throat felt dry as he swallowed, his fingers turning white as he gripped the movie ticket tightly.

He restrained his emotions, forcing his gaze back to the large screen.

The opening of the third film resolved the suspense of whether the male and female leads from the second film could end up together.

The story jumped ahead nine years.

Not only were the male and female leads married, but they also had a pair of twin daughters.

However, life was never as smooth as a fairy tale.

The male lead struggled with his estrangement from the son he had with his ex-wife, while the female lead was frustrated with how much she had sacrificed for her family.

When the male lead contemplated moving back to New York to mend his relationship with his son, the long-standing conflicts between the couple finally erupted.

What was supposed to be a romantic island getaway turned into a fierce argument filled with accusations.

Yet, those who love each other will always find a way to reconcile.

Although there is no perfect marriage, unconditional love can keep two people together.

At the end of the movie, the reconciled leads sat by the seaside just before midnight. 

The male lead asked: “Do you think that the night you remember most at eighty-something will be tonight?”

The female lead thought for a moment and replied: “Tonight was definitely a crazy night.”

As the screen faded to black, the lights around them came back on. 

Couples gradually stood up and left the venue in pairs.

However, Xia Liyang and Lu Huaicheng remained seated, quietly watching the credits roll on the big screen, accompanied by the soft yet slightly melancholic ending theme. 

It felt like some sort of unspoken ritual. 

They sat there until the screen went completely dark, and the music stopped.

Xia Liyang slowly stood up and cast a subtle glance at the man beside her. 

“Then I’ll take my leave first, Mr. Lu.”

“Aren’t we going the same way?” Lu Huaicheng raised his deep, dark eyes and glanced at her intently. 

“Um…” Xia Liyang lightly pressed her lips together, instinctively avoiding his piercing gaze. 

“It’s too late and unsafe; let me walk you a bit,” Lu Huaicheng offered after a brief pause, adding softly, “Since Mr. Xu hasn’t come to pick you up.” 

“…” Xia Liyang hesitated for a moment, wanting to refuse but unable to find a suitable reason. 

Besides, they really were going the same way; even if she didn’t agree, they would still end up walking together. 

However, there would be some distance between them, and they wouldn’t speak to each other. 

That felt even more awkward. 

After being apart for so long, she thought she should be able to face him naturally by now. 

Why was she still trying to avoid him on purpose? 

What exactly was she running away from? 

Was it just the fear of revealing her true identity in front of him? 

Xia Liyang nervously pinched the hem of her dress shirt and finally nodded, “Okay.” 

At midnight, the riverboats on the Qingjiang River had already stopped running, and the tall buildings across the river were left with only scattered lights. 

The thick night enveloped the two of them walking side by side along the riverbank. 

Lu Huaicheng had his hands in his pockets, standing tall and straight, his eyebrows lowered, and the long lashes cast small shadows over his eyes, concealing any hint of emotion within them. 

He turned his head to glance at Xia Liyang, who walked silently beside him, and casually said, “I didn’t expect the male and female leads to end up together.” 

“Indeed.” Xia Liyang paused for a moment. “However, the issues with the male lead’s ex-wife and son will always be a ticking time bomb in their relationship. Even at the end of the film, while the leads repaired their relationship, they didn’t actually resolve the issues they had fought about before; the dilemma still objectively exists.” 

“That’s true.” Lu Huaicheng nodded. After a moment of thoughtful silence, he added, “But once a relationship is repaired, many problems are no longer issues.” 

“Are you saying that love can solve problems?” Xia Liyang raised her face and glanced at him uncertainly. 

In her impression, he shouldn’t be the kind of person who holds that viewpoint. 

Lu Huaicheng paused slightly, his gaze drifting toward the distant lights, his voice faint as if answering her, or perhaps just talking to himself, “Maybe.” 

Xia Liyang quietly studied him for a few seconds, then lowered her eyelids and said, “I still think that if two people miss their chance, then they’ve missed it; there’s no need to disrupt each other’s lives and force themselves together. Especially for the male lead, he’s already married and has kids; what’s the point of talking about true love? If it were true love, why didn’t he grasp it and seek it nine years ago? Their relationship should have ended the moment they decided not to keep in touch.” 

“…” Lu Huaicheng’s lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to refute her point. 

But in the end, he didn’t say anything. 

The summer night wind carried a mix of moisture and coolness. 

It overlapped slightly with the sea breeze in her memories. 

That night, they also strolled side by side, chatting as they walked along the coast of Lianzhou Island. 

But her delicate hand had intimately linked with his arm, and her bright, sparkling eyes were filled with his reflection. 

Then they kissed in a yard bathed in moonlight. 

Whispering sweet nothings in front of a window surrounded by flowers. 

Gasping and intertwining in a bathtub filled with water. 

Finally, they fell asleep in each other’s arms on a soft mattress. 

Lu Huaicheng’s dark pupils tightened, and after a long silence, he asked softly, “What made you want to see this movie?” 

“…” Xia Liyang hesitated slightly in her steps. 

To be honest, she hadn’t really sorted out the reason for impulsively buying a ticket. 

If it were a case of obsessive-compulsiveness, she could have watched it at home. 

There was no need to run to the riverside in the middle of the night to see it. 

If she wanted to seek a sense of ritual to draw a perfect conclusion to their relationship, that seemed somewhat forced. 

After all, they had been apart for over half a year, and she didn’t even know how many conclusions she had drawn. 

After thinking it over, it seemed that only one possibility remained. 

Subconsciously, she still had a trace of attachment and longing for him. 

That’s why she bought the movie ticket. 

Hoping for the possibility of seeing him again. 

Thinking of this, Xia Liyang unconsciously intertwined her fingers behind her back, raised her lush lashes, and looked up with clear eyes, softly countering, “What made you think of it, Mr. Lu?” 

Lu Huaicheng hesitated for a moment before casually replying, “I happened to pass by and saw the poster. Since I had nothing to do tonight, I thought I’d relax a bit.” 

Xia Liyang’s heart inexplicably sank. After a few seconds, she curved the ends of her eyes and smiled, saying, “What a coincidence, so did I.” 

Lu Huaicheng looked at her bright smile, which was as beautiful as peach blossoms, and tentatively asked, “Didn’t you relax with him over the weekend?” 

Xia Liyang was momentarily taken aback; her thoughts had been a bit chaotic earlier, and she almost forgot about the layer of pretense that she had a boyfriend. She quickly remedied it and explained, “Mr. Xu has been a bit busy lately, so we couldn’t go on a date…”

Upon hearing this, Lu Huaicheng frowned slightly.

When he first saw her alone, coming out late at night to watch the same movie series they had once seen together, a burst of fireworks lit up in the quiet darkness of his heart. But after the fireworks faded, he started worrying she might have been feeling down at home and come here alone because of it.

After subtly testing the waters a few times, he was fairly certain of his guess. Even though he couldn’t stand to see her in love with another man, he also didn’t want her to be hurt or upset.

The conflicting feelings tore at his heart, causing a dull ache in his chest as he tightened his lips.

“Mr. Lu, we’ve arrived at your home.” Xia Liyang cast a cautious glance at the man whose expression had suddenly turned a bit somber, gently reminding him.

“…” Lu Huaicheng took a deep breath, looked at the villa by the roadside, and, pushing down the flood of emotions welling up in his chest, said quietly, “Since I’m already here walking with you, let me see you to your building.”

“No need; I’ve already entered the neighborhood, so it should be safe,” Xia Liyang smiled awkwardly, waving her hand. “You should hurry home and rest; it’s already quite late.”

However, Lu Huaicheng showed no sign of stopping his steps. He continued to walk slowly, following alongside her.

Seeing this, Xia Liyang couldn’t think of anything more to say, so she tried to bring up a light topic to ease the slightly tense atmosphere.

Although Lu Huaicheng’s expression didn’t improve much, he still responded to her small talk with his usual gentle politeness.

Finally, they reached her apartment building.

Xia Liyang tugged at the corners of her lips and, trying to smile naturally, said, “Thanks for walking me here. I’ll head up now.”

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes looked deep and complex as he gazed at her for a moment. Then he asked, “Could you say goodnight to me?”

Feeling a bit puzzled by his request, Xia Liyang, who had just stepped onto the entryway stairs, turned back. Her clear eyes met his as she softly said, “Well then, goodnight, Mr. Lu.”

The evening breeze brushed her loose hair by her ear and lifted the hem of her shirt dress. Her eyes reflected the soft glow from the doorway, clear and bright like a serene spring.

Yet, for him, it was like a depthless pool he couldn’t escape from, no matter how hard he tried to reach the shore.

Lu Huaicheng’s deep gaze darkened, and his lips parted as if to say goodnight back, but the words caught in his throat.

He thought back to her earlier comments on the “Before Midnight” movie series.

If something is missed, there’s no going back.

But what if it isn’t missed?

He wasn’t yet engaged, and she hadn’t found happiness with anyone else.

The point at which they stood now was actually closer to the end of the first movie.

Everything was still possible.

Even if love couldn’t solve all the issues, and he might have to abandon his life plans, he didn’t want to miss the chance to be with her.