Her friends had been surprised that Bai Lu was a friend of the owner to the point he'd invite drinks to all of them, but as he was already gone and didn't come to greet her either, they didn't ask many questions and were satisfied with her short answers and the free drinks they got.

Bai Lu congratulated herself for her acting skills, as she managed to look much more calm than she actually was. She'd only seen Long Wei for a second, he'd barely looked at her, but it affected her so much that it was embarrassing.

Tao's upcoming wedding was still the main topic of their conversation for another half-an-hour before they moved on to complain about school paperwork...

When she got home, Bai Lu's mind betrayed her and she took out her phone to look for his contact number.

[ Thank you for the drinks. How was your trip?]

She wrote it but then erased the message.

[ Thank you for inviting me tonight. I was surprised to see you…]

No, that wasn't it either. She erased her words and tried again.

[ Thank you for the drinks. How have you been?]

It was just normal to have some curiosity, she told herself after sending the message, and they hadn't parted on bad terms, it wasn't wrong to ask. Bai Lu waited for some minutes, but there was no reply, so she silenced as she always did on weekends, and went to take a shower before going to bed.

That night, she dreamed of Peter.

" I'm sorry it took me so long to come back." He told her, holding her into an embrace. It should have been comforting, and for a moment it was, but soon it wasn't enough anymore.

" What happened, Peter?"

" My mom was sick, I stayed around for her, but then it was more work after work." It sounded false, but in her dream she only nodded hearing his explanation, and accepted the ring he put on her finger.

Why did she say yes? She didn't want to marry him anymore. He talked about children, and a house they would buy, but Bai Lu felt it was difficult to give every step down the aisle.

" I can't do it. I can't do it anymore."

She woke up with a pressing pain in her chest, but it was just a dream. It had felt so real, but as she realized she was still alone in her bedroom, she actually felt relief that Peter wasn't there. Her life was good the way it was, without him in it, and she didn't want to change anything.

Her arm reached out for her phone on the night table, and she blinked when there was a reply from Long Wei last night.

[ I had some difficult times, so I was glad to see you well.]

Difficult times? What kind of difficult times? She wanted to ask, but wondered if it was correct or she would be crossing the boundaries. Since he was the one to say it, instead of just telling her it had all been good, then it was possible he was allowing her to ask.

[ What happened? Is your family doing well? Is there anything I can do?]

***

The other night, when they went out, Zhing Yi and Li Min didn't pry more about Bai Lu's relationship because it seemed to make her upset. It didn't mean they wouldn't ask Tao for more details later. How could they have guessed she actually had such a big disillusion in love?

It was a pity for such a good girl to be single and waste her best years just because of a rotten man, at least that was the opinion of Zhing Yi, who was older and knew the struggles of trying to marry later in life, and Li Min who was a romantic at heart also couldn't accept it.

" Teacher Bai, please help me out just this time. My cousin Li Xian saw our picture from the other day, and really wants to meet you."

" I'm sorry, Min, I'm not really looking for blind dates right now."

" But he's so nice, and handsome too. Please, just one time?"

Bai Lu smiled.

" It's because it's your cousin, how can I make him waste his time?"

She gathered her stuff and headed to her next class, but she was still thinking about Long Wei's message that Saturday. He'd said he had some difficulties, so she had asked if everything was fine, and then...

[ Things are better now.

But Bai Lu, I really want to see you again.]

Until now, Bai Lu hadn't replied to him after that. Actually, it was her who was in the wrong. She was asking for his whereabouts, obviously showing her interest, but in the end... Why was she behaving like that?

If they started seeing each other again, it wouldn't be as easy as before to end things later, and she knew that, eventually, all people left. No one would stay forever, just as she had not stayed in her hometown to be with a girl who only had eyes for Yi Zhen, just as the apartment she and Peter had thought would be the place where they'd start their family was also gone from her life.

She understood it was the way things were, but she wasn't strong enough to endure it once more, getting attached to a man who didn't have his

roots there and could one day leave so easily. The possibility scared her.

***

Long Wei regretted immediately after he sent her that text, but her lack of response was also an answer. Perhaps it was for the better. It was just a selfish impulse that made him write those words. " I really want to see you again."

It was the truth, though.

The past months had been probably the most difficult in his life. He'd learned he had a son, and Thalía had passed away. Once they had thought of having a family together, but Long Wei never imagined it would be in that kind of situation, and everything was out of his control.

After the struggle to decide if it was better to stay in San Francisco or go back to China. Was he really fit to be a father? He doubted his own abilities to raise Aaron properly, but at the same time didn't want to be a burden for his parents. All his life, Long Wei was used to solving his issues on his own, and in that situation that mindset didn't disappear, that was why after all the documents were ready, he arranged things to come back to the city and get someone to help him take care of the toddler.

So far, the nanny that Mai had recommended, Mrs. An, seemed to be a nice and helpful lady. It was necessary a lot of patience to deal with Aaron, who wasn't used to suddenly being thrown in such a different environment, and still missed his mother.

He already was having a hard time, so how could he pretend to involve Bai Lu in all of that? She was living fine by herself.

" It seems like your father is a very selfish man. You shouldn't be like me when you grow up, kiddo."

" Daddy, are you sad?"

He brushed the child's head.

" I'm not. I'm just tired."

Aaron handed him the biggest blue car he was using to play.

" I can't play now. Dad has to go to work."

He lifted the boy in his arms and took him to Mrs. An who was making dinner for the little one, before saying goodbye.

***

" You must be Miss Bai. Please, take a seat."

" Thank you."

Truly, she'd just come so that Li Min stopped asking. After three days of the same thing, Bai Lu, who only ever had patience with kids, could not stand it anymore, and so she had accepted to have a coffee date with Li Min's cousin.

" I'm Li Xian."

" It's nice to meet you."

" Li Min told me you teach arts in the same school where she works?"

" Yes, but I'm still quite inexperienced yet compared to her. What do you do?"

" I'm a junior in a law firm just a couple of blocks from here."

Li Min's cousin seemed like a nice person, but Bai Lu had some sympathy for him, as he seemed to be quite nervous. Actually she was feeling a bit nervous too, as it happened when she met new people, but perhaps less so because she wasn't planning on this date to lead to anything else. Yet she couldn't help but think about the way Long Wei always seemed so confident, so sure of himself, it was one of the aspects of him that made him so attractive...

In the middle of their conversation she already realized it was a foolish thing to meet with Li Xian, she would just be wasting his time. One went on dates trying to get to know a person, it could work or not in the end, but at least one had to make an effort.

" Actually, I think Li Min only sets us up because she's worried about me being single." She decided to confess, " I think it's not fair to you, you seem to be very nice, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now."

Li Xian looked disappointed, but soon smiled at her.

" I see. Still, I'm grateful you gave me a chance to meet you today, Bai Lu."

Why would she go on a date with a stranger, when her heart had already set on one man she liked? As much as she denied it, and listed the reasons why it was a bad idea to see Long Wei again, at the end of the day there was a little annoying voice in her head whispering to her that she was a coward, who did not dare to look for him just because she was rushing thinking in possibilities too far ahead in time.

He just said he wanted to see her, it was embarrassing that she'd thought of so many scenarios because of that these days.

She took out her phone and decided to reply to his message.

[ We could eat together one of these days and talk.]

When she was reaching her building, she wondered if he'd be at home at that time. It was still early, at this time he usually didn't leave for Loko's yet, and his apartment building wasn't that far either, she could get there walking.

***

" Mr. Long, a lady is looking for you."

Long Wei had just finished changing his clothes when Mrs. An came to the door to tell him this.

" Who?"

" Miss Bai Lu. She's still at the door, didn't want to come in."

He stood up and quickly walked towards the main door. Why didn't she say that she'd be coming here?

So after days of ignoring him, had she changed her mind?

" Bai Lu."

" Hi."

She looked at him for a brief moment, but then looked down. Truthfully, if it wasn't because she had already called at his door, she would have liked to just silently disappear without him knowing.

It had struck her how little she knew about him, that this time some other woman was opening the door of his apartment, and there was a little kid playing in the living room, she was able to see it from where she was standing.

" I came to visit, but it seems like it is not a good moment." She said " Anyway, I texted you to tell you we can have lunch and talk any of these days, if you want."

How much she wanted to take it all back.

She turned to leave, but he held her hand.

" I don't want you to go and get ideas in your head. Let me explain it to you."

*********************************

I'd love to hear what you think about this novel, specially about Bai Lu and Long Wei, up until now.