Hello, Heir

Zhuang Nainai and Si Zhengting, together forever.

This had been their pure and simple love in their high school days.

Five years ago, she had realized that it had all been a joke. So on the day she had returned to school to fill in her college application, she had returned to the very same spot and crossed out their names.

But today, this incident had suddenly come to mind.

They were now together already, but why was it so hard for them to be happy?

Was it a curse from the tree? Was it because she had crossed out their names?

Not knowing if it was just her heart playing tricks on her, she ran all the way back to school, determined to find that pine tree.

Passing through the trees that had changed over the years, she searched through them diligently before finally finding the pine tree in the original corner she remembered it to be at.

The tree had grown substantially in the past five years, becoming thick and tall. If it hadn’t been for its position, she might not have recognized it.

Almost as if lunging, she lurched toward the tree and began searching for the words she had etched years earlier.

But the tree bark had absolutely nothing on it.

Nothing?

How could there be nothing?

Zhuang Nainai refused to believe it.

Walking around and around the pine tree, she searched every corner of it, but…

There was absolutely nothing. Nothing was left.

Just like how nothing was left of the love they had five years ago.

She abruptly stopped in her tracks, and her tears began to fall.

Lies!

Everything was a lie!

Things etched on trees were supposed to last forever!

Their love was supposed to last for 4000 years!

But it had all disappeared.

A boundless sense of being wronged engulfed her. Unable to control herself, she dropped to the ground and sat down, crying her heart out.

She cried terribly and loudly.

Nothing could preserve the happy times of five years ago. Nothing could stand the test of time!

Just like how, between him and her, there was no going back, right?

She had tried for so long and persevered for so long, but it was only now that she realized the futility of everything.

Everything had been futile!

At the thought of this, she suddenly lifted her head and abruptly shouted, “Si Zhengting, I don’t want to be with you anymore!”

―

Standing just outside the school, looking past the railings of the school field, Si Zhengting watched as she made her way through the trees before suddenly stopping to cry in front of a tree.

What was she crying about?

Was she crying over their lost youth, or was she crying in regret? But… did she even remember their past?

Tightly clenching his fists, a mixture of feelings welled up inside him. The heartache and grief made him wonder, She had been the one who betrayed me, the one who abandoned me five years ago. But why does it now seem as if I’m the heartless one?

Unable to resist, he took a step forward, intending to ask her to get back with him. But then he heard that sentence.

“Si Zhengting, I don’t want to be with you anymore!”

Her voice rang out in the air with a hint of resentment and resolution. Stunned, he stopped in his tracks and froze.

One of them was inside the school while the other was just outside. They were so near each other, and yet it seemed to be the farthest distance on earth.