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.....

The two sat in contemplative silence for a moment. Finally, Jiao Jiao said, "I'm sorry about before; I didn't know I could cry like that. It must have been an ugly sight."

Li Qian pivoted his body so he was fully facing her. "Jiao Jiao. Do you remember the roses I gave you at the art show?"

She blushed lightly, picturing the dried bouquet hanging beside her bed.

"You," he emphasized, "are a soft and beautiful reflection of those blooms. More delicate than a flower petal. No matter what you do, you'll never be ugly to me."

He noticed the pink tinge spreading across her cheeks and ears. "Oh, you like that name? Petal?"

Seeing her embarrassment swell, he decided to stop teasing her. "Now, tell me where you heard I was engaged. Was it at my party?"

She nodded her head quickly. "Ling Xue said your families had an arrangement..."

"Okay, I get it. Let's not get too close to Ling Xue from now on, hmm?" He continued, "I wish you would have just asked me. Do you know how crazy I've been going these last few weeks?"

She lowered her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Brother Qian. I will check with you from now on whenever I hear anybody say anything about you. Okay?"

She smiled at him tentatively, and her dimple peeked out. Li Qian's heart swelled as he took in her cute little face. He patted her on the head and said, "Okay, Petal. I'll hold you to that. Now, should we get to your math lesson since midterms start next week?"

.....

After their tutoring session, Li Qian took Jiao Jiao home. He walked her to her door, reluctant to part with her. Now that he'd seen to the very heart of Jiao Jiao's soul, he was filled with an undeniable desire to claim her. Could he dare hope that she was beginning to feel the same? Why else would the news of an engagement affect her so desperately?

Seeing the tender vulnerability in her gaze, Li Qian came close to telling her the truth about everything. How long he'd been dreaming of her, searching for her, yearning for her. He had no idea what she'd say if he told her he'd been seeing her face in his mind since childhood, but he was suddenly desperate to tell her all his secrets.

As he stood there, the words he longed to speak hovering on his lips, he contemplated the immense depth of his feelings. If indeed they were connected by the red thread of fate, then every joy they shared, every trial they faced, even the very beat of their hearts was an echo of the past and a whisper of the future.

Her large eyes blinked up at him, and he couldn't help but wonder if, at that moment, she felt the tug of the same thread, drawing them together as it had done countless times before.

Li Qian took a deep breath, but Jiao Jiao spoke first. Her words were quiet but filled with affection and wonder.

"Li Qian, did you know I dreamed of a man last night? He looked a lot like you, except his hair was longer. And he was a lot sterner than you. He didn't smile very much, but he made me feel safe for some reason."

Li Qian's throat seized, and he had to raise his head to contain the emotions that surged within him. Whatever gods had allowed him to meet her again, he'd kowtow and thank them a thousand times.

After a moment, he looked back at her tenderly. Raising a hand to caress her soft hair, he said, "What a coincidence, I dreamed of a girl last night. She looked exactly like you, except her cheeks were a little thinner, and her skin wasn't quite as white as yours. She smiled and laughed with me, and she made me incredibly happy."

She tipped her head to the side in thought. "Brother Qian, do you think we..."

"I don't know, Jiao Jiao. But what I do know is that we're both very lucky."

She nodded in acceptance, and he couldn't help but pinch her cheek.

"Do you think you could paint a picture of the man you dreamed about? Song Junhui knows a lot about Chinese history, so maybe he can do some research for us."

After she nodded her head with a smile, he pushed her towards the apartment door. "Off with you now. You've got midterms to study for, and I think I've left Chen Fan waiting outside for long enough!"