Chapter 65 – Footprints in the Sand

The early morning train hummed steadily as it left the city behind. Golden rays of sunlight filtered through the windows, casting warm shadows on the group of students nestled in the seats near the back. Lin Keqing sat by the window, a soft breeze from the air vent brushing her cheek. Gu Yuyan sat beside her, arms folded, eyes closed, head leaning slightly to the side.

Keqing watched him silently. It wasn't often that she saw him this still, this unguarded. His breathing was even, his lips slightly parted in sleep. It struck her that even in rest, he carried the weight of quiet burdens. For a moment, she reached out, then stopped herself, settling for adjusting the scarf slipping from his lap.

Across the aisle, Le Yahan was fussing over a too-large tote bag that kept falling over. Chen Yuke, half-smiling, bent down to fix it.

"You really brought five outfits for one weekend?"

"I have options, thank you," Yahan retorted. "What if I change my mind?"

"You change your mind every five minutes."

"And you never do?"

"Only when I realize I'm wasting time carrying someone else's stuff."

Despite the words, he adjusted the strap and took the bag onto his own lap.

Fang Zichen sat quietly, earbuds in, head bobbing slightly to some upbeat melody. He waved at Keqing when their eyes met. She smiled back.

The resort town greeted them with salty air and the cries of seagulls. The group checked into a cozy beachside inn, its white walls dappled with vines and bougainvillea. Their rooms faced the ocean, and the rhythmic crashing of waves set an almost unreal calm.

Before they had time to explore, Gu Yuyan's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then frowned slightly.

"What is it?" Keqing asked.

"My mom texted. She's here… with my dad and my brother."

"You're kidding."

He shook his head. "They're attending a music education conference nearby. She wants to meet."

An hour later, Keqing and Gu Yuyan met his family at a seaside café shaded by large white umbrellas. The view stretched endlessly blue. Gu Yunxiu, Yuyan's older brother, stood first to wave them over.

"Well, well," Yunxiu said with a grin, pulling Yuyan into a one-armed hug. "Didn't think I'd see the great stoic out in the sun with actual friends."

Gu Yuyan rolled his eyes but said nothing.

Keqing bowed slightly toward the couple seated at the table. Yuyan's mother stood to greet her, offering a warm handshake.

"Keqing. It's lovely to see you again," she said, smiling. "I'm glad we've crossed paths twice now."

Her voice was kind, her gaze gentle but clear. Then, Keqing turned to Gu Yuyan's father.

Mr. Gu barely nodded. Dressed in a crisp button-down, posture straight, he exuded an air of cool detachment.

"So you're the girl Yuyan's been spending time with," he said, voice neutral, almost interrogative.

"Yes, sir," Keqing said politely.

He gave no further response. Keqing felt an invisible line drawn in the sand.

The conversation continued mostly between Yuyan's mother and brother. His father sat stiffly, interjecting now and then with curt remarks:

"You've been slipping in mock test rankings, haven't you?"

"Wasting time now might cost you the top schools."

Gu Yuyan's expression didn't change, but Keqing could see the stillness in his shoulders, the way he clutched his water glass.

When they stood to leave, Mrs. Gu touched Keqing's shoulder. "The last time we met, I could already tell you meant a lot to him," she said softly. "Today confirms it."

Yuyan said little as they walked back to the inn.

"He always been like that?" Keqing asked gently.

"Yeah," he said. "Even when I was five. There's always a standard. And I'm always just short of it."

"I think you're more than enough."

He glanced at her. For a moment, the sea breeze wrapped around them like something held and unspoken.

That afternoon, the group met again to explore the amusement park. Between cotton candy, roller coasters, and arcade prizes, the heavy air from earlier lifted slightly.

Keqing and Yuyan shared a ride on the Ferris wheel. When they reached the top, she leaned forward to catch the view, only to feel his hand gently take hers.

She turned. His eyes weren't looking at the horizon. They were on her.

"I'm glad you're here," he said simply.

She didn't answer. She only squeezed his hand tighter.

Later at the beach, as the sky turned orange and the sand cooled beneath their feet, the five friends ran along the shoreline, writing names into the wet sand and daring waves to erase them.

Chen Yuke and Le Yahan walked behind the group.

"I think I want to take a gap year," Yahan said, watching the others ahead.

"What?"

"I'm tired of pretending I want to be a doctor. I don't even like biology."

Chen Yuke was quiet for a moment. "So what do you want?"

"I don't know yet. But I want the choice to be mine."

He nodded. "Then take it."

She looked at him, surprised. "That simple?"

"Nothing's simple. But some things are clear."

That night, they gathered on a rooftop terrace of the inn. Paper lanterns bobbed in the breeze, casting soft shadows on the walls. One by one, they shared something they'd never told anyone.

Fang Zichen said he wanted to travel and write.

Chen Yuke admitted he feared disappearing into nothingness.

Le Yahan said, "I want to live a life where I'm not constantly scared I'm disappointing someone."

Gu Yuyan looked at Keqing, then said, "I still don't know if I'm living my life, or just… fulfilling other people's versions of it."

His voice didn't tremble, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

Keqing, without hesitation, said, "You're not alone in that."

Then she turned to the group. "I think... silence used to be how I survived. But now, I want to be heard. Even just by one person."

Yuyan's hand found hers under the table.

Later that night, Keqing received a message from Yuyan's mother.

Mrs. Gu: He was quiet even as a baby. But that didn't mean he wasn't feeling things. Thank you for seeing past the silence.

She smiled, then turned to her journal.

"The beach was full of footprints. Some disappeared with the tide. But others—others lingered. I think the ones that matter most are the ones we leave in each other. Not loud. Not permanent. But real."

She closed the book and looked out the window. Gu Yuyan was on the balcony next door, watching the stars. When he saw her, he gave a small wave. She returned it, heart full.

They didn't need to speak.

For once, silence said enough.