Su Baixue watched Su Yang walk ahead.
His slender figure, straight back—even wrapped in a down jacket, he was frighteningly thin.
Su Yang walked quickly, as if the wind was chasing him. After Su Baixue agreed to go somewhere more private to talk, he strode ahead on his long legs, only stopping when they reached a less crowded spot. Then he hesitated, pulled his hand out of his pocket, turned around, and waited for Su Baixue to catch up before handing her a small gift box.
Su Baixue had hurried after him and stopped abruptly, a little out of breath. Seeing the gift box extended toward her, she pursed her lips, looked up to meet Su Yang's dark, deep eyes, took the box in her slender fingers, and took a deep breath to steady her breathing.
She seemed about to speak but paused, her gaze falling on Su Yang's thin wrist protruding from his sleeve.
So thin... as if it might snap at any moment.
"What is this?" Su Baixue asked softly, her nose feeling chilly.
"A Christmas gift," Su Yang replied flatly.
When the young man wasn't smiling, his expression was always cold. Even when giving a gift, he remained indifferent, making it impossible to guess his intentions.
Although Su Baixue didn't understand why he was giving a belated gift days after Christmas, she still smiled and thanked him sincerely: "Thank you... Merry Christmas!"
Seeing that she didn't open it, Su Yang asked curiously, "Aren't you going to open it?"
Su Baixue hesitated. Open it now? Did he want to hear her say she liked it?
She blinked. "Then... I'll take a look?"
"Mm."
Su Baixue opened the small box. Inside lay a finger-sized Santa Claus with a big belly, carrying a bulging little sack, looking adorably chubby.
"Wow, such a cute Santa..." Su Baixue exclaimed softly, stealing a glance at Su Yang's expression before adding, "This is an amazing gift!"
Su Yang watched her quietly. Seeing that she wasn't dissatisfied, the corner of his mouth lifted.
So he really did want to hear her say she liked it, Su Baixue thought, closing the box as her face slowly reddened.
She hadn't prepared a Christmas gift for Su Yang. She never expected him to remember to give her a belated one... Did this mean she was a little special to him?
Su Yang's collar was slightly open. Su Baixue noticed and couldn't help saying, "It hasn't snowed the past few days, but it's still very cold. You're not in good health—you should dress warmer, and it'd be best to wear a scarf."
Su Yang tugged at his collar but didn't respond, instead saying, "Your new scarf is nice."
"My grandma bought it for me."
After a moment of silence, Su Yang said seriously, "But it's too red. It's a bit jarring."
Su Baixue pulled at her scarf. "Is it that red?"
"Mm. Tomorrow I'll give you a white one to replace it."
Su Baixue shook her head. "My grandma gave me this scarf. I really like it. I don't plan to wear a different one this year. Don't give me one—I'd be too embarrassed... But what color do you like?"
She thought she might buy Su Yang a scarf in his favorite color as a return gift for Christmas.
"White."
Su Baixue's heart skipped a beat. "Oh... oh."
Su Yang laughed. "I was joking."
"Right... right."
Su Baixue looked away, lowering her head. "Are you feeling better? Now that you're back at school, will you stay until the final exams?"
"I won't take them... I can't."
"I heard from the teacher that during the midterms, you went to the hospital halfway through... Is it because of your heart again?"
Just like after the high school entrance exam, whenever they talked like this and Su Yang showed closeness, Su Baixue never felt awkward. Conversely, if Su Yang didn't want to talk, she was keenly aware of it—like that embarrassing encounter at the teacher's office during midterms.
They had only met twice, but it felt like they had known each other for a long time. Not seeing each other was fine, but when they met, she always had so much to say to Su Yang.
The two stood by the iron fence of the campus, chatting. Beside them were neatly trimmed shrubs dusted with a thin layer of snow.
Su Yang looked at the sky, his nostrils flaring slightly, then suddenly said softly, "Baixue, I might die soon."
Su Baixue was still smiling. At his words, she seemed unable to process them for a moment, turning her head blankly to look at the young man before her.
"Is your condition... really bad?" She heard herself ask.
Su Yang was quite calm. "I'm just living from day to day."
"Are you joking?"
"No."
"Ah... I'm sorry." Su Baixue wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Did I scare you?"
"It's like I heard something terrifying. Can you not die?" Su Baixue said woodenly.
"I feel like I won't make it through this winter. So today, I was determined to give you this gift." Su Yang kept looking at her, very seriously.
Su Baixue finally understood why she always thought of Su Yang. He reminded her of that stray cat she'd seen on the way home from school years ago—all skin and bones. She had wanted to take it home, but when she crouched down, facing the cat's tentative approach and wary eyes, all she could do was meet its timid gaze with her own. Even if she brought it home, she couldn't afford to keep it. She had no money, nothing. She didn't even dare to touch that ragged cat—afraid of catching a disease; afraid that if she got sick, she might infect her bedridden grandmother.
Tomorrow was fragile and vulnerable. Keeping anything required paying a heavy price. She was already exhausted, always surrounded by a sense of loneliness and helplessness. So she stood up.
Back then, the look in her eyes when she stood up must have been the same as Su Yang's now.