Chapter Twenty Four– After the Sunset

The sun was slowly sinking in the west, dyeing the sky with a gentle orange-red, as if someone had softly brushed it with watercolor. The three of them sat in the back of the truck, leaning against their luggage, their hair swaying lightly in the wind. The scent of the sea still lingered in the air, but none of them spoke.

The train was long gone.

The high-speed rail that was supposed to carry them to their next destination had already disappeared into the distance, leaving only its tracks stretching quietly toward the unseen horizon. Their carefully planned itinerary had been completely rewritten by a sudden impulse.

Xiao Jie didn't seem to regret a thing. Still caught in the thrill, he said, "Hey, did you see that sunset at the top of the slope just now? It looked exactly like a ripe orange. I almost wanted to take a bite."

Xiao Lan burst out laughing and gave him a light smack. "What on earth goes on in your head?"

It was a rare moment of ease for her. Suddenly, she realized—it had been a long time since she laughed so freely. Ever since rejecting Xiao Jie, she had been carefully maintaining distance, afraid even the slightest expression might cause misunderstanding. But here, in the back of a stranger's truck, she finally felt like she could breathe a little easier.

She snuck a glance at Xiao Di, who was gazing into the sky. His expression was calm, but tinged with fatigue.

She wasn't sure whether she could trust her intuition, but something told her Xiao Di's heart was far more complicated than he let on.

"I'm guessing... a truck full of oranges," Xiao Di added, his voice even, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Hey, I was trying to be poetic!" Xiao Jie huffed, but couldn't hide the grin tugging at his lips.

The truck had stopped by chance. The driver was an old man wearing a straw hat, and beside him sat a kindly-looking elderly woman. Seeing the three of them standing by the roadside with their luggage, the couple had pulled over and asked where they were headed.

"Uh… we're not really sure," Xiao Lan admitted with an awkward smile.

"There's a guesthouse nearby. Should still have rooms. We'll give you a lift," the old lady said casually, as if she'd seen countless young people like them before.

They didn't hesitate to accept. The truck rattled along a country road, not too fast. In the back, the three of them watched as the sun dipped lower, until the sky held only its fading glow.

"I'm kind of hungry…" Xiao Lan mumbled, rubbing her stomach.

"Told you that cup of coffee wasn't enough," Xiao Di said.

"You still drank the same thing."

"Only because someone said she was treating."

"Hey, stop bickering already! You're disturbing the poet in me," Xiao Jie sighed dramatically, drawing laughter from the two.

Eventually, the truck stopped in front of a modest building bathed in the last light of sunset. It was a small guesthouse with a hand-painted sign hanging at the door: Mirage by the Sea.

The old lady led them to the reception. There were only two rooms left.

"I don't mind sleeping on the floor," Xiao Jie patted his chest confidently.

"Should we draw lots to see who sleeps alone?" Xiao Lan suggested with a wink.

"I'll lose for sure. Please don't let me draw," Xiao Di raised his hand in mock surrender.

In the end, Xiao Lan got her own room. Xiao Jie and Xiao Di were left to share.

Once the door shut behind them, Xiao Di stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure what to do.

"Nervous? I'm not gonna bite," Xiao Jie joked as he tossed his bag onto the bed.

"It's not that… I just didn't expect the two of us to be rooming together," Xiao Di said softly, the tips of his ears quietly turning red.

Xiao Jie paused, then chuckled. "What were you expecting? Don't worry, I'm a very disciplined sleeper."

Xiao Di forced a smile and turned to unpack his bag, though his fingertips trembled slightly.

And so, a new leg of their journey began—chaotic, unplanned, but somehow gentle.

The sun had completely set. But among the three of them, a warm light still lingered.