Hit

Late at night, everyone said their goodbyes and got up to leave.

Not long after Hesta returned to her room, she realized she had left her phone in the living room. She felt her way out in the dark and suddenly found Ding Yuqing still sitting at the dining table.

In the dim living room, Hesta walked over to Ding Yuqing. "Not sleeping?"

"I can't sleep." Ding Yuqing looked up. "Want to go downstairs for a walk?"

"Now?"

"Now."

"...Let's go."

The two got up at the same time to put on their coats, then took the elevator downstairs.

"Tonight was pretty boring for you, wasn't it?" Ding Yuqing asked with a smile. "You even fell asleep."

"Trying to understand your everyday conversations is a little too difficult for me. My listening skills clearly still need work..." Hesta replied. "What were you all talking about tonight?"

"Just some family matters," Ding Yuqing said softly. "Some... trivial little things."

"Is that so?" Hesta glanced in Ding Yuqing's direction. "You seem to be in a pretty good mood right now."

"Not exactly, but... it does feel like part of the weight on my chest has been lifted..."

Hesta felt slightly relieved. She really should not have rashly brought Yuqing to the poetry club event last night. Perhaps an Echo Chamber did not necessarily have to be built among people of the same age...

Maybe Ding Yuqing had already built an Echo Chamber of her own around herself.

"...It just feels like," Ding Yuqing said, looking at the elevator's white ceiling light, "some people wear chains themselves, yet they can still bring freedom to others."

Hesta thought for a moment. "You mean Ding Xueyang?"

The elevator doors opened. Ding Yuqing stepped out first, then turned around. "Let's go find something to eat at