First Encounter

Li Xing slowly rode her old but cute bicycle along the riverside, breathing in the fresh morning air to relax a little after the hectic delivery task since 4am. She is an only child so she has to help her parents with their business. They run a small bakery and make their own soy milk. Although it's small, it's quite famous in this neighborhood that they are requested to do delivery every morning.

Xing held the brakes and stopped her bike behind a bench facing the big river, her favorite place. The fourteen-year-old girl would sit there and write down on her small notebook of what she would do for the day to make use of it to the fullest and make it the happiest. She receives positive energy every day from doing it and thus contributing to her bright personality which everyone adores so much.

However, today is a bit different. The riverside bench which used to be so vacant is now occupied by a boy who is about the same age as her. She inched closer to him and noticed his shoulders were shaking slightly. She heard it, his silent cry.

Touched his shoulder lightly to let him know she was there, then sat down on the space next to him, she smiled gently. The boy looked surprised but quickly realized and wiped his tears away.

"Are you perhaps facing some problems?... If you need someone to talk to, I can be that person. Sometimes, talking about your problems with a stranger can help a lot," said Xing while giving the boy a small smile.

Confused, he looked at her blankly for almost ten seconds then left out a deep sigh. There was no talking, only the comfortable silence and the sound of the river waves. He looked at Xing again who is now gazing at the dawn sky. Somehow, he feels like he can trust her. His lips parted a little.

"I... have some problems in my family.."

Xing turned to look at the boy who then continued telling his story while looking at the river. His older sister is dating a man who once was a criminal and when their father found out, they had a huge fight. She has come back home late these past three days. Both her and their father are avoiding each other. He is not against her dating the man because he believes people can't be judged solely on their past. He wanted to patch things up between them so he tried to talk to his father but it just backfired. Now, even he is ignored by their father.

He lost his mother when he was still a toddler so his sister and father are the only family he has left. He treasures them and would like their family to be like before, but the thick air in their house now makes it hard to breathe.

"… Thank you," said the boy while looking at Xing again, "For listening to me. I'm feeling a lot better now that I have talked about it." He continued.

She smiled at him, thinking about what she should say to help him solve the problem although she doesn't have much of an idea herself.

"I'm glad that you feel better now. Like they always say, blood is thicker than water, but in order to make it thicker, we have to be more understanding. I think that if you, your sister and your father sit together, open up about what each of you really feel and think, you will get to understand one another more and then, maybe the three of you can come to the point of how you want to deal with the issue. It might sound like it's easier said than done but I really believe that you can make it. Your family sounds like you really treasure each other after all."

Xing finished what she wanted to convey and noticed an intense gaze from the boy beside her. She blushed, embarrassed of what she just said.

"So-sorry, I must have spouted nonsense just now."

"No, you were right. We never really talked about how we feel and think. Thank you for your advice, I'm going to make it work."

"Ah.. okay, I will be happy too if you could solve the issue."

"Thank you again. By the way, could I have your name?"

"Ah! I'm Li Xing. Nice to meet you!" Xing reached out her hand to shake his but then noticed the time on her wrist watch.

"Oh my gosh! I'm going to be late! Sorry, I really need to go now! See you later!"

Xing rushed to her bike and rode back to her house to prepare herself for school. The boy with his hand still hung in the air, stood frozen with his eyes following her until she disappeared in a blink. After a few seconds, he laughed to himself.

'What an interesting girl..' He thought.

"Thank you, Li Xing. My name is Lai Tianlang and it was nice to meet you too." He mumbled while wearing a wide smile on his face.