Chapter Fifty-Two: The Rooftop of Memories

Seeing that Luo Qing was on the verge of losing her temper, I didn’t dare tease her any further and quickly changed the topic. “Heroine Luo, you tell me how I should make it up to you. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do my best.”

Luo Qing’s beautiful eyes swept over me, sizing me up. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Because of you, my birthday this year was extremely unpleasant. If you want me to forgive you, you’ll have to figure out a way.”

Her ambiguous answer made me suspect she didn’t even know what she wanted—perhaps she just wanted to vent her frustration and satisfy her urge for revenge.

“If I owe you a birthday, then I’ll give you one in return?” The words slipped out, and I immediately regretted them. I was so broke I might as well sell my blood, yet I dared to say such a grandiose thing… Acting on impulse always leads to trouble.

Luo Qing seemed surprised by my reply, curiosity lighting up her face. “Alright! How are you going to make it up to me?”

“Let’s treat tonight as your birthday and celebrate it properly. What do you think?” I glanced at her striking red evening gown and golden waves of hair; she truly resembled her birthday self.

“That won’t do… A birthday lasts a whole day, from now until this time tomorrow!” She thought for a moment, then objected.

I broke out in a cold sweat. So she wasn’t as naive as I thought. The bar had been open for over two hours, and I’d hoped to pass the night with some snacks and beer, and call it done by midnight. Now, with one sentence, she’d extended it to tomorrow evening.

“Is this even negotiable?” I protested.

“No. We do it my way!” Luo Qing put her hands on her hips, declaring, “I’m the boss here!”

“Maybe we could change the compensation… Like…”

“No! I want this one. You’ve already convinced me, so it can’t be changed!” She interrupted me forcefully, grabbing my hand and pulling me out, as if worried I’d retreat back into the bar.

It was completely unreasonable, but… it was her style. In my memory, Luo Qing was always just this willful.

She dragged me along the road for a while before letting go and looking at me, excitement glimmering in her eyes. “Where should we go first?”

My head throbbed. I cursed myself for my loose tongue. I had barely a few dozen yuan in my pocket, meant for a taxi home. How could I afford to take her anywhere fun?

“Let’s keep walking. I’ll think on it…” I replied, stalling for time with a sigh.

Luo Qing didn’t press, just walked beside me down the wide street, while my mind raced. At night, there were only a few places to go: barbecue, karaoke, bathhouse, massage. The problem was, I had no money! That was my real dilemma. I couldn’t ask her to lend me money for her own birthday, could I? Sister Shi Yu wasn’t around either…

So, we wandered under the gentle breeze, aimless and purposeless—truly, just taking a stroll.

“Yang Chen… Decide where to go already. I’m a little cold!” Luo Qing tugged lightly at my sleeve, her voice thin and wavering.

Hearing her faintly trembling voice, I realized how careless I’d been. It was late summer, and the night air was chilly. I, as a man, wasn’t cold, but how could she not be, especially dressed so elegantly?

Without a word, I took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “Put this on…”

Luo Qing didn’t fuss, slipping the jacket on. It was loose on her, clashing with her evening gown, but at least it offered some warmth. Yet her long, bare legs remained exposed to the cold night air. A minor cold was nothing, but if she caught something more serious, I’d truly be to blame.

With that thought, I dared not delay further. I recalled my days of poverty, the ways I managed to have fun, and slowly, a destination surfaced in my mind.

With a purpose, I led the puzzled Luo Qing into the nearest supermarket.

Watching the male cashier’s stunned expression as he took in Luo Qing’s beauty, a surge of pride welled up inside me. I coughed deliberately and asked, “How much for all this?”

On the counter sat a bag of beer, a pack of cigarettes, and a blanket. I’d picked each item according to its price tag, to avoid any embarrassing shortfalls.

“Swap those cigarettes for these—give me two packs.” Luo Qing, who had been silent, pointed to another brand in the cabinet.

I followed her finger and was speechless—each box cost nearly a hundred yuan, and she wanted two. Was she trying to make things difficult for me? I didn’t have enough for even one box.

“I… I’m not used to those,” I said awkwardly, especially in front of the cashier, who seemed so taken with Luo Qing.

“No problem. The ones you picked are worse for your health. These are better,” she explained thoughtfully, not catching my underlying embarrassment.

“So… How much is it altogether?” I asked, bracing myself.

“It’s two hundred and forty-seven yuan,” the cashier replied.

I felt the seventy-something yuan in my pocket and looked down, unsure what to do. Should I make up an excuse and say I forgot my wallet? Anything would be better than facing ridicule.

As I hesitated, Luo Qing suddenly pressed my hand gently, then tilted her head and removed the gleaming gold earring from her left ear, handing it to the cashier.

“This…” The cashier was at a loss.

“We’ll take these. The earring is pure gold—do with it as you please.” She began gathering the cigarettes and blanket, then looked at the dumbstruck cashier. “Could I have a bag?”

Carrying the beer, I walked out of the supermarket with Luo Qing. A strange sadness welled up in me—I was painfully aware that Luo Qing and I belonged to different worlds. This discomfort would only grow, weighing heavier with time.

“Luo Qing…”

“Hmm?”

Her expectant eyes showed she hadn’t given the gold earring a second thought. Seeing her, I suddenly felt at a loss for words and quickly shook my head to indicate it was nothing.

The gap between us was too vast. If not for a series of coincidences, we’d never have spoken to each other. She was like a princess from a fairy tale—noble and beautiful. And I…

“Where are we going?” Luo Qing broke the silence, sensing my prolonged silence.

“To a place from my memories. I hope… you won’t mind.” For some reason, the more things happened, the more I learned about her, the further she seemed from me. There was an invisible barrier between us, though I realized with a self-deprecating smile that it had always been there—I just never noticed it before.

“Yang Chen!” Luo Qing suddenly called out, stopping and staring at me.

“What is it?”

“I don’t like the way you’re talking to me!” Her voice was loud enough to startle me.

I hesitated, then replied, “Alright…”

After a while, we finally arrived at our destination—my university campus.

It was a place both familiar and strange. The people and events seemed vivid in my mind, yet they had become distant and unfamiliar. Returning here, I felt an indescribable sensation.

I led Luo Qing to the side of the library, walking close to the wall, and made a gesture for silence.

“See those people in the distance with flashlights? If they catch us, we’re doomed!” I whispered, trying to create an atmosphere of suspense. They were campus security, patrolling the grounds at night to prevent students from sneaking out or staying away.

“Mm!” Luo Qing nodded earnestly, her eyes shining with excitement as she followed me quietly toward the back of the library.

“Your high heels are too loud!” I whispered in her ear. Indeed, her heels echoed in the building, making it impossible to go unnoticed. Getting caught wouldn’t matter much, but it would ruin tonight’s plan, so I had to be cautious.

Luo Qing nodded and bent to take off her shoes. I quickly stopped her—was she really going to walk barefoot in the cold?

“I’ll carry you,” I said, avoiding her gaze and pretending to monitor the “enemy.”

“Okay.” Without hesitation, she hopped onto my back. Carrying her and the bags, I darted through the shadows to the stairwell behind the library.

“Are we going up?” Luo Qing got off and looked at the seven flights of stairs.

I nodded and signaled her to follow me. At the top was the roof—a rooftop from which almost the entire campus could be seen.

Breathless from exertion, I finally returned to this rooftop after four years. Luo Qing, in much better shape, was only slightly winded.

I walked to the edge, set down our things, and sat on the concrete ledge, gazing through the railing at the dark, quiet campus and the distant lights.

I spread the blanket, and Luo Qing followed suit, sitting beside me and looking out at the view.

“Does this place mean something special to you?” she asked.

“This place… once held my purest love.”