Happy Birthday

After Qing Mo left, only Lin Yu and Tang Manman remained.

Having slept for nearly an hour earlier and enjoyed a satisfying meal, Tang Manman's condition had visibly improved a great deal.

Watching the three of them leave one after another, Tang Manman was very happy.

This scene before her reminded her of high school.

Back then, Lin Yu was just like this, always managing to send the girls around him away one by one, until only she was left.

Thinking of this, Tang Manman's eyes curved into happy crescents. She turned to look at Lin Yu, but her smile froze abruptly on her face.

Lin Yu's complexion was poor.

He didn't seem happy at all...

...

"When are you planning to leave?"

Lin Yu asked softly.

Hearing this question, Tang Manman quickly recited her previously planned schedule:

"I plan to leave tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow during the day, I wanted to..."

"That's too late."

Lin Yu interrupted, his voice quiet yet carrying a tone that brooked no argument:

"You should leave today."

Tang Manman was stunned. She looked at Lin Yu, the smile on her face gradually fading.

Tang Manman fell silent. Lin Yu didn't dare look at her either, instead fixing his gaze on the stone brick floor beneath his feet as he continued:

"You're so tired now, you definitely need to rest. By the time you rest and wake up tomorrow morning, you won't have much time left to play or explore."

"The train back takes over ten hours."

"You'd have to buy your ticket back around noon tomorrow at the latest."

"You can't rest properly on the train either, and by the time you get back it'll be Monday. Where will you find the energy for class?"

"It's better to go back now."

"You'll be back at your school tomorrow morning, have a full day to adjust, and won't be tired for classes on Monday."

"You should focus all your energy on your studies."

"Your mother and sister are counting on you."

Lin Yu laid out the pros and cons of her staying, point by point, wanting her to leave this afternoon. But Tang Manman was unwilling; she still wanted to plead her case, negotiating in a small voice:

"I can rest perfectly well on the train tomorrow."

"It won't affect my studies..."

"No."

Lin Yu's voice was soft, yet it held an ironclad, unquestionable finality.

Tang Manman felt wronged. She had come all this way, only to see him once, share one meal—and not even alone with Lin Yu at that. She didn't want to leave like this.

After so long without seeing him, with barely even a few messages online, she wanted to spend a little more time with Lin Yu.

She didn't want to leave so soon, only for him to ignore her messages again later...

As she thought about it, tears welled up in Tang Manman's eyes, and bean-sized teardrops began to slide down the corners of her eyes.

She regretted it.

She regretted why she had to be so frugal, buying a hard seat ticket to come here.

Now she was being sent away almost as soon as she arrived.

There were so many places she still wanted to go with Lin Yu, so many things she still wanted to say to him.

What a terrible loss...

Tang Manman felt both aggrieved and angry, but she was still obedient. Lin Yu wanted her to go back; she didn't want to, yet she decided she would.

Lin Yu stole a glance at Tang Manman. Tears were falling from her eyes one after another. She wiped them with her sleeve, not making a sound, not causing a scene, just quietly shedding tears by herself and quietly wiping them away by herself.

Lin Yu took a deep breath, feeling his chest tremble. Suppressing the turmoil of emotions in his heart, he said softly:

"Let's go. I'll take you to the station."

Tang Manman wiped her tears with her sleeve, nodded, and obediently followed behind Lin Yu.

Hailing a taxi by the roadside, Lin Yu got in with Tang Manman.

The train station wasn't far, and the car arrived after just a short drive.

Lin Yu helped Tang Manman out of the car and took her to buy a ticket.

Lin Yu specifically chose a soft sleeper ticket for her, hoping she would be more comfortable on the journey back.

As it was just an ordinary weekend, the station wasn't very crowded.

After buying the ticket, seeing there was still some time before boarding, Lin Yu took Tang Manman to sit on a row of chairs near the ticket gate.

Lin Yu wasn't really thinking about keeping her company; he was mostly thinking about how to wrench those difficult, unspoken words from the depths of his throat.

As Lin Yu was lost in thought, a jar filled with paper stars was extended into his line of sight by a fair, clean hand.

Lin Yu looked up. The hand belonged to Tang Manman.

She wasn't crying anymore, but her red-rimmed eyes still spoke to outsiders of her recent sorrow.

"A birthday gift for you."

Under Lin Yu's gaze, Tang Manman forced a bright smile.

Against her damp eyes and tear-streaked face, Lin Yu looked at that bright smile and felt a momentary daze.

"Tomorrow is your birthday. It's a pity I have to leave now."

"I won't be able to give you this gift in person tomorrow."

"So I'm giving it to you a day early."

The sun shifted westward, its rays passing through the station's transparent glass roof and slanting down, enveloping the red-eyed girl before Lin Yu.

Bathed in the golden light, the smile on Tang Manman's face deepened a little. She narrowed her eyes, the remaining moisture in them gathering, making it seem as if tears were welling up again, as if she were about to cry once more.

"Lin Yu."

"Happy Birthday."

Tang Manman's voice was soft and gentle as she spoke.

"Thank you."

Lin Yu took the glass jar filled with paper stars, lowered his head, and thanked her quietly.

The next moment, he placed the jar aside, stood up, and strode away with his back to Tang Manman, leaving behind words spoken in a slightly off-key tone.

"I'm going to the restroom."

...

Standing before the restroom mirror, Lin Yu bent over, cupped water, and washed his face twice. Straightening up, he looked at his flawless reflection in the mirror, then walked out of the restroom.

The train to N City was about to begin boarding.

A long line had already formed at the ticket gate. Lin Yu walked over to Tang Manman but did not sit down.

Tang Manman also knew it was time to part. She stood up, remembering to pick up the jar of paper stars from the chair and hand it to Lin Yu.

Lin Yu took the jar. After giving it a deep look, he raised his head to meet Tang Manman's gaze and said with a calm expression:

"Don't come again in the future."

"It's too far."

Tang Manman didn't seem to grasp what Lin Yu meant yet. She quickly replied with a smile:

"It's okay."

"In the future, I can come during longer holidays."

"It won't be so rushed again..."

Lin Yu silently lowered his head, looking at the glass jar in his hands, at the paper stars inside that didn't look mechanically folded, and interrupted in a placid tone:

"Don't come at all."

It was as if something had suddenly seized Tang Manman's throat; her soft, gentle voice vanished instantly.

She looked at Lin Yu, blinked, and suddenly realized something.

Her being sent away this time...

It didn't seem to be because of the timing.