"Later… later, Zhang Xingze went abroad to study because of his excellent grades, while I decided to enter the workforce right after graduation. For two years, we walked together, talked together, and shared all our joys and sorrows… But then it was time to part. I still remember it was a rainy day. At the school gate, he told me to wait for him. He asked me to wait three years for him to return… That day, we had our first physical contact. He gave me a gentle hug. I watched him get on the bus, and I kept watching until it disappeared from sight…"
Zhao Dong was silent for a moment. "So, you're saying you two never even confessed to each other."
A wistful smile touched Song Qingwan's face, a look of release appearing in her reddening eyes. "That's right, we never confessed. To everyone else, we were a couple, but only we knew that we'd never truly revealed our feelings to each other. The only intimate act between us was the hug he gave me when we parted."
