Star-Crossed Lovers: The Ex-Convict and the White Rabbit - Chapter 4 - Rare Opportunity

Chapter 4 – Rare Opportunity

That time they were still in school, Liu Zecheng was the one who pursued her. Lu Yin never paid attention to looks and didn’t care too much about dating but in the end, she was inadvertently attracted by those eyes.

During their ignorant days, love came suddenly in the form of a heartbeat. And so their relationship began. Six years of companionship flowed by like sand slipping through their fingers.

Lu Yin returned from her daze. She held his hand back, “What’s wrong?”

Liu Zecheng squeezed her hand with a slightly tired and guilty smile on her face, running his thumb through the knobs of her fingers, “This little bit of suffering is nothing to me. I want you to live a more comfortable life. The road ahead is still long, I have a lot of time to accompany you.”

Lu Yin felt her heart warm, “I’m just scared you’ll be too tired.”

“I know.”

The two got lost in each other and dawled for a long time before finally starting to eat.

Lu Yin said, “The new house is basically done with construction, but I might not have enough money to buy furniture now.”

“Okay.” Liu Zecheng ate a spoonful of rice and said, “I’ll transfer some to you tomorrow. Is 20,000 yuan enough?”

Lu Yin, “More or less. I’ll make up for the rest.”

In just a few sentences, they had cleared the topic easily.

They quietly ate at the table. He was quiet for a time, bowing his head down to eat.

Lu Yin bit the ends of her chopsticks. She thought back to what Factory Manager Du had said to her before and opened her mouth to speak. Just as she was about to, a phone’s ringtone sounded.

Liu Zecheng put down his chopsticks and looked at Lu Yin, “It’s from the research institute. I’ll go get it.” He walked to the balcony, closing the door to the living room behind him.

He kept his back to her while talking and Lu Yin couldn’t hear what they were talking about. The phone call lasted almost ten minutes. When he came back, his face was relaxed, his eyes were even twinkling.

Lu Yin didn’t pry but continued on her topic, “Did you see the message I sent you today?”

“About the training arranged by the organization?”

Lu Yin nodded, “It’s a rare opportunity. I have to go to Shanghai for it. I wanted to ask what you think about it.”

“When is it?”

“Next month on the 15th.”

Liu Zecheng said, “Since you think it’s a rare opportunity, you can definitely have a try at it?”

Lu Yin replied, “We’re getting married at the beginning of next month. I’ll have to stay for around six months if I do go. I want us to try for a baby first.”

Liu Zecheng curled his fingers, drumming them on the table. He comforted her, “We’re in no hurry in that aspect.”

Lu Yin bit her lip, “Forget it.” She groaned, “I guess I won’t go.”

“… Sure.”

***

It was just past nine o’clock and the sky had fallen into darkness. In another part of the city, there was a place in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the glimmering city.

The hazy moonlight was interrupted by the railings on the narrow flat windows and sprinkled in fine rays into the empty room.

Lu Qiang had both hands on the pillow behind his head, his legs carelessly crossed over. He was still wearing a black vest, the Jianglong on his chest seemed to contain restrained arrogance and malice. It followed its master in staring quietly at the small square of the sky outside the window.

Yueya Correctional Facility was located in the suburbs, its night sky was clear and unpolluted. The sky outside the window was like satiny silk that had been splashed with ink, dotted with scattered stars which illuminated the piece of silk. A little bit of its beauty was lost, unfortunately, because the railings hindered the view from its full potential.

The starry sky symbolized freedom, a place everyone in this place longed for in their hearts.

Lu Qiang couldn’t express how he felt at the moment. He would be released from prison at the beginning of next month. He used to look forward to it day and night, but as he drew closer to it, the less excited he became, his heart was slowly at peace. It was like an object that brought you an immense amount of joy, an object that you had worked very hard to attain, yet you had no idea how to use it.

Maybe this was what they meant by being at a loss.