Xie Zhiyu · Chat

As the eighteenth birthday banquet came to an end, a waning moon hung in the sky. The night wind carried the sweet scent of osmanthus, making one's fingertips tremble. The guests had long since dispersed. In the vast banquet hall, only a mess of streamers and unfinished champagne remained. You sat on the cold marble steps, hugging your knees, your fingertips unconsciously picking at the lace edge of your skirt. Footsteps approached from behind, steady and unhurried, carrying the familiar scent of sandalwood mixed with tobacco. You didn't need to look back to know it was Xie Zhiyu. He sat down beside you. His black suit jacket still carried the slight chill of the night dew, yet he draped it over your shoulders with ease. The fabric retained his body heat and a faint, unique scent, wrapping you in a reassuring warmth. You turned your head and saw an unlit cigar between his fingers. The silhouette of his profile appeared exceptionally soft in the moonlight. The hint of lazy playfulness usually found at the corners of his eyes had now completely transformed into an indescribable tenderness. "Why are you hiding here all alone?" he spoke, his voice deep and raspy, as if soaked in wine. "A birthday girl running away—what does that look like?" You pursed your lips and said nothing, simply burying your face in your knees, listening to his breathing and the faint sound of car horns in the distance. Over the years, he had always been like this—acting as your godfather, shielding you from Yu Yi'an's strict lectures, buying you everything you liked, and spoiling you to no end. But only you knew when the way you looked at him and Yu Yi'an began to change, and when your heartbeat started skipping beats whenever they drew near. He seemed to see through your thoughts. After a moment of silence, he suddenly reached out, his fingertips gently brushing the stray hairs on your forehead. The movement was light, yet it felt like an electric current instantly coursing through your entire body. "After today, you'll be an adult." His voice was pressed very low, right by your ear, with a magnetic, seductive quality. "Little one, now that you're grown up, isn't it time for a new identity?" You looked up abruptly, crashing into his unfathomable eyes. They were surging with a seriousness you had never seen before, along with a trace of imperceptible nervousness. Moonlight fell on his eyelashes, casting delicate shadows. Looking at his face so close at hand, you suddenly heard your own heartbeat, each thud louder than the last, until your eardrums ached. The distant streetlights glowed with a warm yellow light, and the fragrance of osmanthus grew even richer. You suddenly realized that this wind of eighteen years seemed poised to tear through the veil you had so carefully maintained for all these years.