Spring

The days after confirming the relationship are like soda sprinkled with sugar, bubbling with sweet bubbles.

Jiang Yizhou seemed like a different person. He no longer slept in class. Although he still zoned out, he could at least sit up straight. His handwriting on his homework book was still sloppy, but it was no longer blank, and he could occasionally see a few correct answers. The zipper of his school uniform, which used to be always open, was now neatly zipped up. Even the dean's eyes softened when he looked at him.

Shen Yu saw all these changes.

During morning reading class, when Chen Yu was reciting words, the tip of his pen would inadvertently touch another pen. He turned his head and saw Jiang Yizhou propping up his chin, pretending to read the textbook, but his eyes were glued to his face. Even when caught, he didn't hide, but instead winked at him, a sly curve at the corner of his mouth.

Chen Yu's cheeks would quietly become hot, and he would move his textbook forward to block the overly hot sight, but his heart was beating like a little rabbit in his chest.

During break exercises, Jiang Yizhou would always use the excuse of adjusting his clothes to scoot closer to Chen Yu. The two of them stood in line, less than half a meter apart, their elbows occasionally bumping, a faint electric current running through them. When the teacher wasn't looking, Jiang Yizhou would quickly slip a candy into Chen Yu's hand—an orange-flavored hard candy, the same flavor as the soda he'd first given her.

Chen Yu pinched the candy, and the crisp sound of the candy wrapper came from his fingertips, and his heart felt sweet as if it was soaked in honey.

At lunchtime, Jiang Yizhou no longer went to the snack stalls outside the school with his "brothers". Instead, he took his plate and walked straight to the corner where Chen Yu usually sat. He would always give the meat from his plate to Chen Yu, saying, "My mom said I've gained weight recently and need to lose weight."

Chen Yu knew he was lying again, but didn't expose him. He just picked up the vegetables from his plate and gave them back to him: "Eat more vegetables, it's good for your health."

Jiang Yizhou raised an eyebrow, opened his mouth and ate from his hand, his fingertips brushing against Shen Yu's fingertips, leaving a warm touch. Shen Yu's ears instantly turned red, and he lowered his head to pick at the rice, pretending nothing had happened, but he could clearly feel the other person's smiling gaze on him.

After school, the back seat of Jiang Yizhou's motorcycle became Shen Yu's exclusive seat.

At first, Chen Yu was still clinging to the edge of the back seat, but Jiang Yizhou deliberately jolted the car. Startled, Chen Yu instinctively hugged his waist. Through the thin fabric of the school uniform, she could feel his warm body temperature and the firm lines of his muscles. Chen Yu's face instantly flushed, but the laughter from Jiang Yizhou on the back of her head told her that he was doing it on purpose.

Later, Chen Yu was no longer reserved. Every time she sat in the back seat, she would naturally put her arms around Jiang Yizhou's waist, and her cheek would occasionally touch his back. She could smell the faint scent of soapberry mixed with the scent of sunshine, which made her feel inexplicably at ease.

Jiang Yizhou would drive very slowly, passing through the streets lined with sycamore trees, watching the fallen leaves swirling down and landing on their hair and shoulders.

"There's a basketball game next week," Jiang Yizhou's voice was carried by the wind, with a hint of anticipation, "Are you coming?"

"Yeah." Chen Yu buried her face in his back, her voice muffled, "Go."

"Then I'll win the championship for you." Jiang Yizhou's voice was full of confidence.

Chen Yu couldn't help but smile and nodded gently. He didn't really care about the championship, he just wanted to watch Jiang Yizhou running and jumping on the court, like a free little animal, with his unique light in his eyes.

When they reached the entrance of the alley with the old building, Jiang Yizhou would stop the car and watch Chen Yu walk deeper into the alley until the thin figure disappeared around the corner, then he would turn the car around and leave.

Chen Yu knew he was watching, so every time he turned a corner, he would secretly look back. He could always see Jiang Yizhou riding on a motorcycle, waving at him, the golden glow of the setting sun falling on him, as if he was coated with a layer of light.

Returning to the empty home, Chen Yu would sit at the table, looking at the sky gradually getting darker outside the window, his fingertips gently stroking the unopened orange candy in his pocket.

I used to feel that this house was so deserted that it made me feel uneasy, but now because there is someone in my heart, even the air has become warm.

He began to look forward to tomorrow, to the clinging gaze during the morning reading class, to the candy secretly stuffed into his mouth during the break, to the wind on the back seat of the motorcycle after school, to Jiang Yizhou's smile, and to everything related to him.

Chen Yu took out his diary, and the pen tip paused on the paper for a long time before finally writing a line:

The wind today is sweet.

The moonlight from outside the window crept in and fell on the diary, illuminating the beautiful handwriting and the gentle smile that could not be hidden in the boy's eyes.

The dead tree has seen spring, and his spring is in full swing.