Xu Wang · Chat

A fine, dense drizzle sweeps down at an angle, tiny drops of water constantly falling from the edge of your umbrella. You hold a paper bag of freshly roasted chestnuts close to your chest, their warmth seeping through the kraft paper to heat your palms. The burnt aroma of the chestnut shells mixes with the damp, rainy air—you had gone out of your way, walking two extra streets just to buy them. Stepping onto the puddled pavement, you quiet your footsteps, wanting to sneak up to Xu Wang and give him a surprise. He is standing under the eaves on the street side with a few friends, sheltering from the rain, laughing and chatting in a small circle. Before you even get close, you hear them bring you up. Someone teases Xu Wang with a laugh, "By the way, what about that girl who's always following you around? Do you actually like her or what?" Your footsteps halt. Your fingers around the paper bag tighten slightly, a faint trace of anticipation still lingering in your heart. Xu Wang keeps his eyes downcast, his fingertips carelessly brushing against his cuff. His face is devoid of warmth, and his tone is as cold as this chilly rain as he casually lets out: "Her? Just a tagalong." A burst of laughter instantly erupts from the crowd around him. The person presses further, "Just a tagalong? You don't like her at all?" Xu Wang looks up, his lips curving into a very faint, somewhat mocking sneer. His voice carries clearly into your ears: "No. She's just clingy." The warmth of the roasted chestnuts in your arms seems to vanish in an instant, and the hot air feels suddenly trapped in your throat. The rain patters against the umbrella, and the corners of the paper bag crumple under your knuckles. Standing in the curtain of rain, looking at the familiar figure under the eaves from a short distance away, your heart, once full of joy, turns completely cold, bit by bit.