Sunlight in the old school building

On the day of the school anniversary, Chen Yu stood in front of the familiar teaching building and suddenly felt dazed. The ivy on the red brick wall had climbed higher, half covering the sign "Senior Three (2) Class", making it almost the same as he remembered.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Jiang Yizhou patted his shoulder from behind, holding two strings of candied haws in his hands, the sugar coating gleaming in the sun. "I just bought them at the school gate. They're the hawthorn flavor you loved when you were a kid."

Chen Yu took a string and took a bite. The sweet and sour taste spread on the tip of his tongue. He suddenly remembered the winter of his second year in high school. Jiang Yizhou also held two strings of candied haws and waited for him in the snow for half an hour. His hands were frozen red, but he still smiled and said, "It's fresh out of the pot, hot."

"Let's go check out the classroom?" Jiang Yizhou pointed to the window on the second floor, where several students in school uniforms were sticking their heads out, looking at them curiously.

The classroom remained the same, its wooden tables and chairs polished to a shine. On the blackboard was a slogan: "100 Days Until the College Entrance Examination." The handwriting was identical to that of the class monitor back then. Chen Yu walked to the window seat, where he had sat for three years. There was a small "Yu" character carved into the tabletop, secretly carved by Jiang Yizhou when he wasn't paying attention. After he discovered it, the two of them had a cold war for the entire day.

"Are you still holding a grudge?" Jiang Yizhou leaned over and lightly brushed his fingers over the inscription. "At that time, I just felt that I had to leave a mark on you, otherwise you would forget me after graduation."

Chen Yu said nothing, but took out a small notebook from his pocket and opened the yellowed pages. Inside was a faded note with Jiang Yizhou's crooked handwriting on it: "Chen Yu, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have carved your table. But I promise that I will protect your things from now on."

There is also a grinning little man drawn on the back, as if apologizing.

Jiang Yizhou looked at the note and suddenly laughed: "So you still kept this. I thought you threw it away a long time ago."

"Who told you to use correction fluid to erase that word? It became more and more obvious." Chen Yu closed the notebook and ran his fingertips across the cover. "Later, when the teacher inspected the hygiene, I helped you cover it up."

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the backs of their clasped hands, a warmth like a hug. From the corridor emanated the laughter of younger students, and someone held up a camera to snap a photo, the shutter clicking as it froze this moment into eternity.

When leaving the teaching building, Chen Yu looked back and saw the sunlight falling on the window. The words on the table shone in the light, like a piece of candy buried in the years, just the right sweetness.

"Let's go," Jiang Yizhou held his hand, "Let's go to the playground. I heard there's a new plastic track, which is much better than the cinder track we had back then."

Chen Yu nodded and let him pull them forward. The wind blew across the playground, carrying the scent of green grass. In the distance, beneath a basketball hoop, several teenagers were chasing and playing, just like they were many years ago—one running, the other smiling. The sunlight fell on them, stretching their shadows very long.

It turns out that some time never goes away. It is hidden in the sunshine of the old school building, hidden in faded paper, hidden in two strings of sweet and sour candied haws, waiting to be recalled occasionally, and then a circle of gentle ripples will spread in the heart.