Broken Crown and Knight's Ceremony

On the night of New Year's Eve, the Hanshi family compound was even more deserted than usual, as many families had returned to their hometowns in the countryside to celebrate the New Year.

A few of us squatted in the open space of Hanshi, with the remains of burnt fairy wands scattered under our feet and the air filled with the lingering smell of gunpowder.

Lu Xingye lit another one, and sparks exploded with crackling sounds, making his profile flicker.

"My mother's medical retirement procedures have been approved." He suddenly spoke, his voice mixed with the crackling sound of the fairy wand.

"So after the New Year, we have to move out. The staff housing complex at Han Normal University...is not open to us." He shook his head helplessly.

"Leaving after the New Year? So anxious?" Lulu almost burned her hand with the fairy wand in her hand and looked up in surprise.

Jiang Yuanzhou and I were very silent.

Ever since we heard Lu Xingye mention that Aunt Chen had to apply for medical retirement, we have been mentally prepared.

"Yeah." Lu Xingye pulled out another fairy wand and lit it on the embers of the previous one. "My mother and I have agreed that she will go back to her hometown in the countryside. My uncle and the others are all there, so we can take care of each other."

He paused, stuck the burnt-out fairy wand into the soil, and watched it flicker a few last times before going out completely.

"I'm ready to go too."

"Where are you going?" I asked subconsciously, but I vaguely guessed the answer in my heart.

Lu Xingye raised his head and looked at me through the flickering fairy wand.

"Go to Beijing. Go there beforehand to check it out and find a studio. That way I can get used to it."

There was a moment of silence, and only the faint sound of the burning fairy wand could be heard.

I know this is a good thing.

It is a better choice for both him and Aunt Shen.

But......

The fairy wand in my hand burned to the end, and the hot ashes fell on my fingertips, burning me so much that I shivered violently and quickly threw it away.

"This is good news," Jiang Yuanzhou put his arm around Lu Xingye's neck, "That's great, kid. You've escaped the college entrance exam!"

Lu Xingye swayed with his strength, and finally a genuine smile appeared on his face. "Yes, I am liberated. Good luck on the college entrance examination."

The night wind was a little stronger, blowing his bangs into a mess and blowing away the smoke from the fairy wand.

We lit a few more sparklers and no one spoke.

I don’t know why, although it’s something I should be happy about, my heart feels like it’s blocked by a ball of wet cotton.

Maybe she was angry because he left so suddenly, maybe she was jealous because he didn't have to take the college entrance examination, or maybe she was angry because the boy's figure became increasingly silent and his eyes became increasingly gloomy.

I have a feeling that this time he'll leave and never come back...

The sound of the Spring Festival Gala countdown came from afar, and the clock struck twelve.

More fireworks took off into the sky, lighting up the night sky as if it were daytime.

————

A week before moving, we went to Lu Xingye's house to help pack.

When I pushed open the door of his room, he was sitting on the floor, surrounded by several open cardboard boxes.

"This is for the fat guy downstairs,"

Without looking up, he picked up a Transformer. "He's been talking about it for a long time."

He dug out a few more alloy cars and said, "These are for Uncle Li's twins next door."

I squatted down and rummaged through the box, which was filled with his childhood treasures: a four-wheel drive car with a missing wheel, a spinning top with peeling paint, and comic books covered in graffiti.

Lu Xingye's movements were very gentle. He picked up each item and looked at it for a few seconds before putting it down.

"Give them all away?" Jiang Yuanzhou picked up an Ultraman, whose arms were still stuck with tape.

"This! I remember! When we were little, we had a fight over this. You even made my nose bleed! Why don't you give it to me?"

"Take it if you want it."

He took Ultraman and bent its arms that were fixed with tape. "Anyway, these are just things from my childhood."

What about us?

In his heart, will those of us who grew up together eventually become "childhood things"?

My eyes suddenly felt hot and I felt inexplicably pretentious.

After the toys were put away, the room suddenly felt much emptier.

There were only a few cardboard boxes left, filled with paints and painting supplies.

At that moment, I suddenly became extremely convinced that this guy would become a great painter one day.

"Is this all you have?" I pointed to the kit.

"Um"

"Lu Xingye," I nudged him with my elbow, "when you become a famous painter, don't forget us."

Lu Xingye was bending over to seal the box with tape. He didn't even look up when he heard this. "I can't forget it. I still have the photo of you with a runny nose as a little kid as a house treasure."

"Lu Xingye!" I was so angry that I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

He seemed to have eyes on his back and nimbly dodged sideways, "Lin Nian, can you be a little more ladylike?"

————

When leaving, Lu Xingye was the last one left.

After Jiang Yuanzhou and Lulu walked away, he suddenly stopped me and said, "Lin Nian, this is for you."

He pulled a plastic bag from his pocket and handed it to me.

"What's this?"

I opened the wrinkled-looking plastic bag with some disgust, and was stunned when I opened it.

Inside was a plastic crown that had been broken into two pieces. Most of the rhinestones had fallen off, leaving only a few that were clumsily stuck on.

"I found it when I was cleaning out my things." He scratched his head. "I broke it when I was a kid. I remember you cried so hard you couldn't breathe and even wanted to break up with me."

I took it, and the memory suddenly came alive.

When we were kids, we played house. I always played the princess, Jiang Yuanzhou played the prince, and Lu Xingye, the little bully, played the evil villain.

I don’t know what was wrong with Lu Xingye that time, he insisted that he must be the prince.

After we all objected, he angrily ripped off my crown, and the plastic connection broke with a "snap".

I held the crown that was broken into two pieces and cried loudly, and my tears fell on the largest "diamond".

Lulu and the others gathered around me, collectively condemning Lu Xingye's bad behavior.

Lu Xingye just stood there with his lips pursed, still holding half of the decorative chain in his hand.

"You were a troublemaker when you were little,"

I fiddled with the crown and could still see traces of the attempt to glue it together with transparent tape at the broken end, which had turned yellow and hard.

"My aunt brought this back for me from Shanghai. I've only worn it twice, and you ruined it."

"Really?" He touched his nose awkwardly.

"Maybe..." Lu Xingye suddenly laughed, as if he was mocking himself, but also as if he was relieved. "I just don't like why Jiang Yuanzhou is the prince when he steals the princess, but I become the villain when I steal the princess."

He reached out, took the crown from my palm, and solemnly put it on me.

Then he bowed exaggeratedly like a knight in a cartoon and said, "I owe you an apology, my princess."

I looked at his funny yet serious expression and couldn't help laughing, but my eyes felt a little hot and sore.

I quickly took off the crown and carefully placed it back in the plastic bag. I forced myself to be calm and rolled my eyes. "You're so childish, Lu Xingye."

He straightened up, looked at me, and smiled too.

The smile briefly dispelled the gloom between his brows, and he seemed to have turned back into the fearless and reckless boy who stood under the camphor tree many years ago.