Chapter 99: What Do You Want Me to Say? (1)

Staring at the maple tree before her, she couldn’t help but recall the first time she met him. Back then, she too stood beneath the maple’s branches. Turning around, she saw him standing there. She nodded politely, ready to leave, but heard him say, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Puzzled, she looked at him, and he clarified, “The maple tree.”

It was indeed beautiful—her first time seeing such vivid red leaves outside of autumn, their brilliance drawing her closer, and so she met him…

Though she’d never tried to memorize the moment, she remembered their first encounter with surprising clarity, even the words he spoke.

In the times that followed, she never thought much, simply regarded him as the vice president, until the day he kissed her…

She could have pushed him away, but she didn’t…

When had she begun to feel something for him? Perhaps from the very first glance, or maybe at some unknown moment during their time together.

And what about him?

He approached her with intent, yet kept her at arm’s length, his actions conflicted. Was it truly because of his past, or simply because he didn’t care for her?

A gentle breeze swept by, warm and soft.

She watched as a maple leaf drifted down, extending her hand as it settled lightly in her palm.

She didn’t grasp it, only lowered her head to gaze at the leaf.

…

Collecting a maple leaf that falls upon someone’s head is said to bring good luck.

…

She remembered his words. He had reached out to her, so softly that it felt natural, not abrupt. Perhaps her indifference to everything around her made it easier for him.

She hadn’t replied, nor wondered why he said it, but still handed him the leaf.

Perhaps he kept it, perhaps it was lost long ago.

Did it really matter?

She thought, realizing she truly didn’t mind.

Maybe Yu Fan was right—a part of her really was indifferent to everything.

Indifferent to her parents’ divorce, to their separate lives, to whether they cared about her at all, to the opinions and glances of others, and even to whether the one she liked reciprocated her feelings.

Perhaps it was because she didn’t like him enough, or perhaps because she was cold-hearted by nature.

She shook her head and stopped thinking.

Her gaze shifted, falling upon the art studio.

The window was open, and she saw an easel standing inside.

She remembered Pan Xi mentioning that the room was originally a classroom for art students, but because it was small and crowded, the school opened another studio elsewhere. This one wasn’t used for classes anymore, and those who cherished quiet would often come here to paint. Eurasia was one of them.

It was noon, and the studio was empty.

The door was open, so Qiao Xi walked in. She went to the easel by the window and saw a nearly finished painting. The landscape seemed familiar.

She lifted her eyes to look outside. As she thought, the scenery on the canvas was the maple tree, almost identical to the view beyond the window—except beneath the tree stood a girl.

The girl was turned slightly to the side, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail. She raised one hand, holding a maple leaf, her gaze lowered to the leaf in her palm…

She was absorbed in the painting when a voice suddenly sounded.

“What are you doing here?”

Gentle, familiar.

She looked up and saw Eurasia standing at the doorway.

Briefly startled, she explained, “I wandered over and saw the door open, so I came in. If it’s inconvenient, I can leave now.”