Speak the Truth, Say Something Kind

Wei Zijin knew him.

The thought exploded in Wang Xiaoliang's mind, unleashing a violent storm.

All his embarrassment, all his wandering desires, froze in that instant.

Why?

How did she know his name?

He was just an ordinary student, lost among tens of thousands on a university campus, as insignificant as a speck of dust. She, meanwhile, was the center of attention, a star countless people looked up to.

How had two parallel lines that should never meet suddenly crossed?

Since Wei Zijin was also someone who had weighed on his mind throughout his four years at university, someone he had kept tucked away in his heart, he had to face her too, one concern at a time.

He forced himself to calm down, his uneven breathing gradually settling.

"How did you... know about me?"

His throat was a little dry, but he finally managed to get a whole sentence out.

"Actually, I know you too, Wei Zijin."

Even Wang Xiaoliang found it strange once he said it aloud.

This had to be the strangest way in the world to meet someone.

Two strangers who already knew each other's names, having their first conversation in a library.

It felt like two celebrities who had long heard of each other meeting backstage at an awards ceremony for the first time.

But he knew perfectly well that he was no celebrity.

Wei Zijin, on this campus, absolutely was.

Wei Zijin smiled softly. Under the library's gentle lights, her smile had a magic that put people at ease.

"It's not strange that you know me."

There was a matter-of-fact confidence in her words, but it wasn't off-putting. If anything, it added to her distinctive charm.

Yes, there was nothing strange about it.

She hosted and sang at all sorts of campus events, ranked near the top of scholarship lists, and even appeared in the university's promotional videos.

It was hard not to know who she was.

Wang Xiaoliang was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to continue.

Just then, the girl sitting across from him, who had kept her head down studying all this time, finally reached the end of her patience. She looked up at them, pressed an index finger to her lips, and gestured for them to be quiet.

The warning was unmistakable.

Wei Zijin playfully stuck out her tongue and made an apologetic face.

That sudden flash of cuteness struck Wang Xiaoliang's heart again, sending ripples through it.

With a beauty beside him, giving off the faintest fragrance, he could no longer keep his mind on his books.

The dry material for his major now seemed even more unfamiliar.

He simply gave up trying to think, took out his notebook and pen, and began carefully copying the key notes he had organized earlier.

This was his old method for calming himself down.

It was also something his father had taught him from childhood: even the best memory was no substitute for writing things down.

Concentrating on writing could temporarily block out outside distractions and the stray thoughts in his mind.

Everything around him was quiet, save for the soft scratching of pen on paper and the occasional rustle of a turning page.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

Immersed in copying his notes, Wang Xiaoliang gradually forgot his earlier nerves and fluttering excitement.

After an unknown stretch of time, a small note slid silently toward him from the side.

Wang Xiaoliang stopped writing and glanced at it in confusion.

A line of elegant handwriting lay across the paper.

"Your handwriting is really beautiful."

Being complimented by the girl he had quietly adored felt even better than getting a perfect score on an exam.

Wang Xiaoliang's spirits instantly soared, but then he faced another dilemma: how should he respond?

Just say thank you? Too ordinary.

Compliment her back? That would seem forced.

Suddenly, the words from the Book of Fate flashed through his mind.

Be plain and truthful in speech, kind and sincere in words.

He should speak plainly and tell the truth; his words should be kind, but come from the heart.

Speak the truth. Say something kind.

The truth...

What was the truth?

He glanced at the fair, exquisite profile beside him, then looked again at the compliment on the note.

A thought surfaced before he could stop it.

He picked up his pen and wrote beneath her words.

"Sadly, it's not as beautiful as you."

Once he finished, he startled even himself.

Wasn't that a little too forward?

He felt a pang of regret, but he had already slid the note over.

Wei Zijin picked it up and lowered her eyes to read it.

A few seconds later, her shoulders gave a small shake, as though she was laughing.

She picked up her pen, quickly wrote something underneath, and slid the note back.

Wang Xiaoliang took it with trepidation.

There were just two words on it.

"Smooth talker."

Wang Xiaoliang's heart sank.

It was over.

He'd messed it up.

He had clearly spoken the truth from the bottom of his heart. How had that turned into smooth talk?

It seemed "plain and truthful in speech" wasn't so easy to master after all.

A wave of frustration washed over him. Unwilling to let it go, he picked up his pen and wrote another sentence.

"I'm just telling the truth."

He pushed the note over, a little eager to defend himself.

This time, after reading it, Wei Zijin simply smiled and did not pass the note back.

She carefully tucked the little slip of paper between the pages of her book.

Wang Xiaoliang's feelings were complicated.

Was she angry? Or could she just not be bothered with him anymore?

Unable to figure it out, he picked up his pen again and continued copying his notes. This time, though, he couldn't concentrate no matter how hard he tried.

The minutes and seconds ticked by.

Just as Wang Xiaoliang thought their interaction was over for the day, a phone suddenly appeared in front of him.

Its screen was lit up, displaying a QR code.

Wang Xiaoliang froze for half a second, then quickly caught on.

This was... an invitation to add her on WeChat!

The immense surprise left him flustered.

He hurriedly reached for his own phone, but in his panic, his elbow accidentally knocked the pen on the table.

Clack.

The black gel pen fell onto the spotless floor with a crisp sound.

In the quiet room, the noise was especially jarring.

The girl across from him looked up for the third time and rolled her eyes at him, her expression a mixture of speechless irritation and disdain.

Mortified, Wang Xiaoliang gave an awkward smile.

Beside him, Wei Zijin was so amused by his clumsiness that she let out a laugh. Though she quickly covered her mouth, the crinkles at the corners of her eyes still betrayed her amusement.

Wang Xiaoliang fumbled as he picked up his pen, took out his phone, and scanned the QR code.

His friend request went through successfully.

Almost at the same moment, she accepted it.

"Bye. I'm heading out."

After adding him on WeChat, Wei Zijin began packing her things, lowering her voice to say goodbye.

"Okay."

Wang Xiaoliang answered.

He badly wanted to say, "I'll come with you," but swallowed the words just before they left his mouth.

That would seem too deliberate, his intentions too obvious. It might put her off.

He watched Wei Zijin shoulder her backpack, pick up a few books, and quietly leave. Her white-clad figure soon disappeared from his sight.

All she left behind was a faint trace of fragrance in the air and Wang Xiaoliang's heart, still pounding wildly.

After sitting blankly in his seat for another few minutes, Wang Xiaoliang realized it was lunchtime, an empty feeling rising in his stomach.

He packed his bag, stood, and left as well.

Outside the library, people came and went.

The midday sun was a little dazzling. Students walked in twos and threes toward the cafeteria or the campus gates.

Wang Xiaoliang searched the crowd, instinctively looking for that familiar figure in white.

But he didn't find Wei Zijin.

Just as he was about to give up and turn toward the cafeteria, the piercing screech of brakes and startled cries from the crowd suddenly rang out nearby.

Bang!

A dull impact followed immediately.

Wang Xiaoliang's heart clenched, and he turned toward the sound.

A yellow electric delivery scooter lay on the ground, its rider sprawled awkwardly beside it. A short distance in front of the scooter, a girl lay motionless.

That girl was dressed entirely in white too.

Wang Xiaoliang's head buzzed, his mind going blank.

Without time for another thought, he broke into a sprint toward the accident.