I turned around. Li Yuxiang was standing right behind me, a folder in his hand, wearing the same easy smile I'd seen yesterday.
"Hey," he said.
"You left so fast yesterday. Didn't get a chance to say everything I wanted to." He scratched the back of his head, a little sheepish. "You want to grab lunch?"
I hesitated.
Seven years ago, a question like that would have made my whole day.
Now I just looked at him. A few seconds of silence.
"No pressure if you're busy," he added quickly.
I gave a small nod.
"Sure."
Something lit up in his eyes.
"I'll come find you at noon, then."
He gave me a little wave and headed back to his desk.
I watched him go, and there was something in my chest I couldn't quite name.
Not excitement. Not resistance.
Just a sudden, quiet sense that fate really is a strange thing.
Seven years ago I used to wait for his texts every day. Seven years later, he was standing less than thirty feet away from me.
"Earth to Ruoqing."
Ranhua had appeared at my side without me noticing. She nudged me with her elbow.
"He asked you out, didn't he?"
I nodded.
Ranhua gave me the look that said *I knew it.*
"Be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"Careful of your own heart."
I laughed a little.
"You're overthinking it."
"Sure I am." She raised an eyebrow. "You spent all last night zoned out after seeing him, and the second he opens his mouth this morning you don't even try to say no."
I didn't answer.
Because honestly, I didn't know why I'd said yes either.
Maybe I just didn't want things to be awkward between us.
Or maybe I wanted to know who he'd become in these seven years.
Noon came fast.
I was just clearing off my desk when I looked up and saw Li Yuxiang already waiting by the door.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
We didn't talk on the way out. It wasn't until we stepped outside the building that he broke the silence.
"When you texted me back yesterday, I actually felt relieved."
I glanced over at him.
"Why?"
"I thought you might actually hate me."
I gave a small smile.
"Not hate. Not quite."
"Good."
He smiled back — the same smile from high school, eyes curving just slightly at the corners, the kind that made it easy to let your guard down.
We found a little restaurant near the office and sat down. After we ordered, he looked at me like he was working up to something.
"Ruoqing."
"Yeah?"
"There's something I kept thinking about yesterday. When I saw you."
I didn't say anything. I just waited.
He took a slow breath and gave a rueful smile.
"Did you always think I never took you seriously back then?"
My hand went still on my water glass.
I hadn't expected him to bring up seven years ago. Not like this, not first.
And I definitely hadn't expected that the memory I thought only I'd been carrying — he'd been carrying it too.
The food still hadn't come.
And the silence between us was heavier than anything either of us could have said.
I knew then that some answers I'd stopped looking for might finally surface today.