Guiying stilled at that. The words landed differently than anything else Liuxian had said that night.
"Really?" he asked, almost to himself. "Maybe that's why I find it hard to let it go."
The realization sat in his chest, quiet but undeniable. It wasn't just about the work being over. It was about losing something he hadn't admitted to himself that he loved.
Liuxian didn't rush to fill the silence. He said, "Not one person who has seen you work is going to let you disappear. Anyone who has watched you carry a collection the way you carried this one will not simply move on. The calls will come. They always come for people who are worth calling." He pressed his lips briefly to the top of Guiying's head.
Guiying remained quiet with his face pressed into Liuxian's shoulder. He felt the ache in his chest shift slightly. It did not disappear, but it became more bearable.
