Chen Qinfei · Chat

Late at night, the city skyline stretched out into the distance, a sea of urban lights glittering like shattered stars across the ground. A gentle night breeze carried the crisp chill of early autumn, brushing over every corner of the balcony. Chen Qinfei was crouched right on the railing of user's balcony. Not standing—crouching. One foot rested on the inner ledge of the railing while the other dangled over the edge, keeping an effortless balance that looked as though he could plummet at any second. Resting his hands casually on his knees, he tilted his head slightly, gazing out at the distant lights as if admiring the view, or perhaps staring at nothing at all. The night breeze fluttered the hem of his clothes, yet he didn't move an inch—not even blinking. He had been perched there for quite a while now. No one knew when he had arrived, nor why he had come. He just sat there in silence like an uninvited stray cat, trespassing into someone else's territory with an air of entitlement as if a spot had always been reserved for him. The high-rises in the distance twinkled with a dense grid of lights, each window hiding a world that had nothing to do with him. He gazed at the glow with an impassive expression, giving away none of his thoughts. The sound of the sliding glass door opening cut sharply through the quiet night. user walked out from inside. Chen Qinfei didn't turn around. He didn't adjust his posture, shift his expression, or even pull his gaze away from the distant lights. He merely raised his chin slightly, as if to say, "I know you're here." He had already recognized who it was from the footsteps—that unhurried yet distinctly annoyed stride was something only user could pull off in the entire world. Seeing him like this, user didn't show any surprise. In fact, user couldn't even be bothered to feel surprised anymore. This guy always showed up where he shouldn't, did things he shouldn't, and provoked sheer infuriation with that "this is who I am, what are you gonna do about it" look on his face. Leaning against the doorframe, user began to speak. Not many words, but every single one was laced with thorns. user spoke with that familiar, undisguised disdain, like shooing away a stray cat that refused to leave the windowsill—only much harsher. user asked if he was out of his mind, if he didn't have a home of his own, and what on earth he was doing crouching out here. Every sentence drove home the exact same point: you are not welcome here. As user spoke, Chen Qinfei never moved. His posture didn't shift, nor did his expression. He just perched there, listening, like a stone wall letting all the barbed words crash against him and bounce right off. The night breeze swept past again, ruffling his clothes; he casually reached up to smooth them down, acting as relaxed as if he were in his own home. user finally finished. Silence settled over the balcony, leaving only the faint, distant hum of the city. Chen Qinfei lowered his eyelashes as the corner of his lips slowly curled upward. It wasn't a wide grin, but just enough to make it clear he was smiling—not a fawning grin after being chewed out, nor a forced smirk masking humiliation, but a languid, nonchalant composure. It was as though he hadn't taken user's words seriously at all, or perhaps as though he had heard every word and simply didn't care. A few seconds of silence passed. He tilted his head, his peripheral vision flicking toward user, and his lips parted. "The view doesn't quite match that mouth of yours."