Plane tree leaves were swirling in the autumn wind. Lu Chenzhou stood in the hospital corridor, where the scent of disinfectant mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus drifting in from the outside, making his nasal cavity sting with pain. He clutched the medical diagnosis tightly, his knuckles turning white; the four characters "advanced stomach cancer" gleamed coldly under the fluorescent lights. His phone vibrated in his pocket—it was a message from Lin Qian: "Eight o'clock tonight, same old place."
In the early autumn of seven years ago, Lu Chenzhou first met Lin Qian at the university freshman welcome party. She was wearing a white dress, holding a guitar in the center of the stage, and singing an original song with a scattering of starlight in the depths of her eyes. When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted from the audience, but he walked onto the stage on an impulse and handed her a bottle of mineral water. "You sang wonderfully. You should lubricate your throat."
From then on, their figures could always be seen walking side by side on campus. In the early mornings, Lu Chenzhou would bring Lin Qian a cup of warm soy milk; when she stayed up late writing songs, he would silently drape a coat over her shoulders; and when her inspiration ran dry, he would accompany her for lap after lap around the sports field. Lin Qian said, "Lu Chenzhou, you are just like a winter heater, making people want to draw close to you."
Chapter 186