twenty one

See you tomorrow.

These three simple words filled Zhong Yan with a different kind of anticipation.

As a result, I couldn't fall asleep for a long time last night and woke up early this morning.

With more than twenty minutes to go before sunrise as indicated on her phone, Zhong Yan began doing some simple cleaning of the house.

She cut up a torn cotton T-shirt and used it as a rag.

The solid wood coffee table still has a lot of dried paint on it, which has become integrated with the wood grain over the years, as if it was born with colorful knots.

Because it was difficult to clean and too old, Zhong Yan didn't get rid of it and kept it.

I washed it several times with water, barely removing the accumulated dust and grime. The remaining paint can be used as art decoration.

She wiped the kitchen stove and the shoe cabinet by the door several times.

Finally, the rag was stepped on the ground, and the floors of the living room, bedroom, and kitchen were wiped clean again and again.

This room probably hasn't been this clean in a year or two.

Before she knew it, it was already seven o'clock. Zhong Yan took out some chilled small fish from the refrigerator and put them into a large basin filled with water.

Little Seagull now usually eats two meals a day, in the morning and in the evening.

Zhong Yan sometimes only eats two meals a day.

She has always eaten little. In high school, in order to have more time to study, she would choose to eat simple foods that were easy to fill her up, avoiding complicated foods like fish and shrimp that required spitting out bones and peeling shells.

Yesterday afternoon, when she was buying fish, she happened to see some chilled shrimp. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to try them, so she bought half a pound.

Fill a stainless steel pot (half of the handle has been used up) with water, place it on the gas stove and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the shrimp and turn off the heat when the shrimp turn bright red.

Because the dishes were packed in the cupboard, Zhong Yan simply drained the water, carried the pot to the clean coffee table, and let Xiao Haiyan dance with the food in the large basin of water, putting the peeled shrimp into the cut bagel.

Although it lacked salt, the combination of the fresh, sweet shrimp and the wheat flavor of the bread was quite good.

Perhaps she should buy some seasonings, such as salt, oil, and pepper, and wash a few nice plates. Although her aunt doesn't cook much, she loves collecting dishes, so there are many uniquely shaped and brightly patterned dishes in the cupboard.

Her aunt specifically said to leave it to her, and she kept it all in this room.

Zhong Yan leaned on the windowsill and looked at the blue sky outside for a while.

It's another beautiful day.

To help the little seagulls get used to the sea, they went swimming in the ocean again.

Since he learned to float very well yesterday, Ji Feng simply let Zhong Yan hold his arm as a float board today, practice kicking with her legs, and tried to get her to swim.

This forced teaching method made Zhong Yan begin to worry about his reliability.

The little petrel plopped off the monsoon's shoulder and plunged into the sea, its webbed feet swam leisurely around the swallow.

That proud posture seemed to be showing off his swimming talent.

The monsoon said, "Look, even the little petrels are competing with you."

"The little bird gets its way."

Zhong Yan freed one hand to cover the little seagull's head. After successfully pushing the little seagull into the water, she herself lost her balance and fell face down into the sea.

Although Ji Feng pulled her out immediately, Zhong Yan still choked on a mouthful of water.

Seawater entering the trachea can almost kill a person.

Zhong Yan, holding onto Ji Feng's arm, had tears and water all over her face and was coughing uncontrollably.

Why bother arguing with a bird? You'll only end up losing more than you gain.

Zhong Yan didn't have time to argue.

Ji Feng added, "It's alright, everyone swallows water a few times when learning to swim."

The little petrel squawked loudly beside them, flapping its wings frantically and splashing water.

"You too, what are you gloating about?" Ji Feng grabbed the little seagull and threw it a meter away. Zhong Yan watched helplessly, feeling angry, anxious, and powerless.

Fortunately, the little petrel swam back with all its might as if it had a motor, and even pecked at the monsoon a few times, getting its revenge on the spot.

After her cough finally subsided, Zhong Yan wiped the water off her face with lingering fear.

Her eyes and nose were still red, like a white rabbit that had accidentally fallen into the water.

"How miserable."

Ji Feng couldn't help but laugh. He reached out to help her brush the hair stuck to her cheeks to the side, but before he could touch her, Zhong Yan's face stiffened, and she turned away in a panic to avoid him, almost causing herself to sink into the water again.

Ji Feng's smile vanished, but he couldn't maintain his distance from her like a gentleman on the shore. To prevent her from choking on water again, he still had to hold her wrist firmly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

His casual tone seemed to be an attempt to dispel the awkward atmosphere caused by their previous inappropriate behavior.

Zhong Yan pursed her lips, lowered her eyelashes, and said, "I want to go back to shore."

"Oh," Ji Feng responded, and slowly led her to the shore.

The distance of a dozen meters or so is not far, and the two of them arrived in no time.

It's not exactly close, and the process of getting to shore is incredibly long, so long that it feels like we'll never get back.

After leaving the sea, the two went to the shower room to change their clothes.

"I'm going back," said the monsoon.

His hair was still dripping wet under his hat, and soon a wet patch appeared around his collar.

Zhong Yan suddenly called out to him, "Ji Feng."

The monsoon looked at her.

Zhong Yan lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry."

With one hand still in his pocket, Ji Feng leaned against a nearby tree, half-turned, and said casually, "Why are you apologizing to me?"

Zhong Yan said, "I...I've always had a bad temper."

Monsoon said, "It's fine, it's my fault."

He wasn't the kind of lecherous man who would try to take advantage of her by teaching her to swim.

Zhong Yan's reaction initially surprised him, but he soon realized his abruptness.

Teaching swimming inevitably involves physical contact, but it's a bit strange to put your hand on someone's face.

This strange feeling made him uncomfortable and uneasy.

I can only blame myself for not being right.

Zhong Yan explained, "Ji Feng, I just... it's a conditioned reflex, and... it's not..."

She stammered as she spoke, both anxious and frustrated at her own inarticulateness, unable to express herself in a more tactful and pleasant way.

"You think I'm going to hit you?"

Zhong Yan shook her head repeatedly, her eyes wide open. "No."

Instead of leaving immediately, Ji Feng sat down with her on a bench under the shade of a tree.

He showed that he was listening.

After thinking for a long time, Zhong Yan finally spoke: "In the second semester of my first year of high school, a classmate saw that I often stayed in the classroom studying and did not participate in class activities, so he wanted me to go out more."

Monsoon asked, "A boy?"

Zhong Yan nodded.

The relationship between boys and girls is often unclear. In fact, Zhong Yan and the boy didn't have any relationship. One was just being helpful, and the other couldn't refuse. They talked and interacted a little more often, and gradually people started to spread rumors that they were dating.

Zhong Yan tried to explain once or twice, but to no avail, so she ignored it. However, these rumors evolved into several versions and eventually reached her mother's ears.

And coincidentally, that day at the North Campus gate, a male classmate saw a leaf stuck in her hair and reached out to remove it for her.

To her mother, this scene appeared as a male classmate touching her face.

She was so angry that she lost her composure.

That was the first time her mother hit her, and it was on her face. She scolded her for being shameless.

Zhong Yan was stunned. With half of her face red and swollen and the boy's apologetic gaze, she didn't cry. She just lowered her head, lower and lower, as if she wanted to bury her head completely in her chest.

After three days, the "puppy love" incident was prevented from escalating further thanks to the male student's persistent explanations and the other student's parents' repeated assurances.

The mother also had a "reasonable" explanation for the slap: "You're wasting your precious study time by chatting with male classmates at the school gate instead of going home after school?"

"If you don't get close to guys, will those nasty rumors start circulating?"

Zhong Yan frowned slightly as she looked at the little seagull inside the straw hat.

“Bessel van der Kohl said that the nails of language driven into self-esteem still rust in the soul twenty years later.”

Zhong Yan said, "I am covered in rust."

Ji Feng didn't say anything, walked to the automatic water vending machine next to him, pressed a few buttons, and made two loud bangs.

He handed me a bottle of water. "Gold doesn't rust; you're just covered in dust."

Zhong Yan said, "But I am not gold."

“Then it can be silver or copper.” Ji Feng went along with it, saying, “Even a pebble would be fine. There is fine gold, silver, copper and pebbles in the world.”

Parents always hope that their children will become outstanding and the best.

Zhong Yan was also raised under such pressure.

She wants to get high scores, she wants to go to a top school, and she wants to become the most perfect child in her mother's heart.

But until this day, this moment.

Ji Feng said she didn't have to be gold; she could even be a pebble, and there are good pebbles too.

Zhong Yan felt that her expression must be complicated, a mixture of surprise, sadness, and gratitude. She quickly turned on the tap and took a big gulp of water.

The sudden infusion of strong lemon acid made her wrinkle her face involuntarily.

Monsoon smiled and said, "Acid can wash away the rust, and you will be a brand new you again."

Zhong Yan looked at the huge lemon logo on the bottle covered in condensation, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

If that's the case, isn't the hydrochloric acid in her stomach stronger than citric acid?

She knew that Ji Feng wanted to cheer her up again in this way.

Although it's a bit absurd, her heart is indeed not as uncomfortable anymore.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Ji Feng, are you the kind of person who can do everything well?"

Ji Feng thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "More or less."

His matter-of-fact and unashamed answer left Zhong Yan speechless for a moment.

The other person should have said, "No, I can't do it well either."

Then Zhong Yan sincerely praised, "It's true, you can design engines, repair refrigerators, drive motorcycles, and swim well..."

Compared to her, who only knew how to study, Ji Feng's various behaviors surprised her time and time again.

It turns out that a person can be so colorful.

"Envious?" Ji Feng stood in front of her, and because he was in a good position, he could clearly see the changes in Zhong Yan's expression.

"Um."

“You’re not bad either, you’re almost learning to swim.” Ji Feng adjusted his hat and smiled. “No rush, you have a long life ahead of you to catch up with me.”

Zhong Yan said, "How can I catch up with you? You are still making progress."

Ji Feng shrugged, didn't answer, and pressed down his hat. "Going back, we still need to do a few more rounds of adjustments."

Zhong Yan picked up Xiao Haiyan and explained her destination: "I'm going to the supermarket."

Ji Feng said goodbye to her.

"See you tomorrow."

Zhong Yan said, "See you tomorrow."

/

Sunday, August 10, 2025

I envy the monsoon, but no matter what I do, I can never catch up with it.

Is this the difference between people?