They walked on, clumsily linked together, their arms swinging in sync through the cold night air.
Their movements were stiff and childish, like a pair of toddlers who had just learned to hold hands to cross the street.
But the warmth spreading from their palms was more palpable and scorching than the afternoon sun.
The dim yellow halos of the streetlights stretched their shadows long. Their overlapping silhouettes swayed with their steps along the silent campus path, a silent, childish declaration.
The slightly clumsy yet incredibly intimate gesture was like a jolt of electricity, suddenly flipping a switch deep within their memories.
A distant, almost blurry image suddenly snapped into focus.
At the mouth of a narrow, crowded alley, the setting sun stretched two shadows long—one big, one small.
A little Shen Yuan had gripped her even smaller wrist tightly, taking large strides to lead her forward while swinging her arm gently, just like now.
