The ocean stretched endlessly before her, a profound and boundless deep blue.
That was all she could see in her eyes—nothing but deep blue.
As she turned the key in the lock, she overheard Auntie Li and the other women whispering next door again.
"That blind guy—how come he just stays home all day?"
"I heard his family's pretty well off, but they abandoned him after he lost his sight."
"How tragic, tsk tsk tsk…"
Xiao Die walked over and snapped at them, "Other people's business is none of your concern!"
She didn't know where she had found the courage to stand up to those arrogant gossips. Auntie Li and the others, finding it all rather dull now, each went back to their own apartments to cook dinner.
Xiao Die returned home, obediently set down her schoolbag, and began her homework. Her mother was in the kitchen preparing a late-night snack for her. She glanced up at the clock—it was already five minutes to ten. Her mother was making her favorite, black sesame glutinous rice balls, their sweet flavor filling her mouth. With the whole family gathered together in that tiny space, Xiao Die felt deeply, truly happy. She loved her mom and dad, loved them so very much.
Over dinner, she casually brought up the neighbor who never seemed to step outside. "Dad, is the person living next door really blind?"
Her father answered flatly, "The most important thing for you right now is the college entrance exam. Don't concern yourself with things that don't matter."
She murmured an "oh," lowered her head, and continued eating in silence. Her father was an honest, unassuming truck driver, and her mother worked alongside him on long-haul routes. They labored tirelessly every day just to see their daughter smile. Xiao Die was a sensible girl, always ranking first in her grade in every exam.
Tonight was no different. She sat beneath the glow of her desk lamp, studying once again. The walls of their apartment were so thin she could almost hear the man next door coughing. For some reason she couldn't quite name, Xiao Die felt a pang of sympathy. Then, abruptly, she felt rather foolish—like the heroine of some Mary Sue novel. He was a stranger. There was no need to care about him at all.
The midnight alarm rang. Xiao Die pulled the covers over herself and drifted off to sleep.
She dreamed of that deep blue again.
The ocean was a profound and boundless deep blue. A song whose name she could no longer remember echoed in her mind. The lyrics went something like this:
There is no real feeling left in this world.
I walk, afraid of everyone.
Is this a kind of happiness?
Loneliness seeped through every sense, following the melody. She was nearly asleep now…
"Little Butterfly, you're going to be late!"
It was her mother's voice. She often called her "Little Butterfly"—it was Xiao Die's very own special pet name.
Realizing she might be late, Xiao Die stuffed a few slices of bread into her mouth and hurried out the door. As she rushed forward, she accidentally collided with someone—a man, it seemed.
"Sorry…"
She looked up at him as she apologized, and was stunned into silence by his face. His features were practically perfect, his entire bearing more like a figure from a painting. He apologized in return, "I'm blind—I didn't see you there. I'm sorry."
It was only then that Xiao Die realized he was her mysterious neighbor. She gave an awkward smile. In truth, she was also a little shy. The boys at school were all either sallow and scrawny or thick-necked and heavy—none of them worth a second glance. But the man standing before her was, without question, better-looking than any celebrity.
Her mother, catching sight of Xiao Die still lingering outside, called out from the window, "Little Butterfly, hurry off to school now!"
She ran all the way there, and as soon as she arrived, she told her best friend about the handsome neighbor she had met that morning.
Her best friend rolled her eyes. "I don't believe it. You, of all people, running into someone that incredible?"
Xiao Die was a little annoyed. "What's that supposed to mean, 'me of all people'? And besides, what's so incredible about him?"
Her best friend pointed at her flushed cheeks. "The incredible part is that your face has gone all red!"