feeling of suffocation

Tong Yun's makeup seemed lighter today, and Lin Luo felt like she was taking off a layer of disguise.

The colorful light from the fluorescent stick shone on her face. Lin Luo stared at her, feeling inexplicably that she was sad about something.

"Woo~" Tong Yun cheered.

She smiled happily, perhaps she was just overthinking it. Lin Qi shifted her attention and looked downstairs.

After the song ended, Fu Xingchuan picked up the microphone. The light shone on his face, and Lin Qi saw his bright eyes, shining like twinkling stars. He spoke in a clear voice, "A special song for everyone, and also for one person. She is the bravest girl I have ever met."

Everyone started to make a fuss, and Xu Yangyang looked over and her eyes fell on Tong Yun.

The fluorescent stick in Lin Luo's hand suddenly broke, the light went out instantly, and she lowered her eyes.

Today I watched the snow drift by in the cold night

…

Cantonese songs are very charming, and his voice is even more charming, and Lin Luo's heart is full of ups and downs.

"Qi Yao is so handsome!!!" Xu Yangyang couldn't help but shout out. After she finished speaking, Qi Yao downstairs happened to raise his head, and she hurriedly hid under the guardrail wall to cover her face.

A drop of water fell on Xu Yangyang's hand, and it started to rain.

A slight sobbing sound came from her ears, and Xu Yangyang realized that it was Lin Luo crying.

Were you moved to tears?

Tong Yun didn't cry. She noticed Lin Luo's actions, hugged her, and held her in her arms to comfort her.

Lin Luo felt that she was despicable. She cried not because she was moved, but because Fu Xingchuan liked Tong Yun very much, her best friend Tong Yun.

When the song reached its climax downstairs, everyone started singing along.

Still free, I will always sing my song

Travel thousands of miles

Forgive me for my unbridled love and freedom in this life

I'm also afraid that one day I will fall

Anyone can abandon their ideals

Why would I be afraid that one day you and I will be together?

Everyone was infected and couldn't control their tears. The three girls hugged each other.

Lin Luo will always remember that night, the unrestrained young man singing downstairs and the two girls she hugged tightly upstairs.

Everyone sang and celebrated to their heart's content, and no one had the energy to review. They were exhausted. However, after Director Wang announced through the radio that the remaining evening self-study classes were on holiday, warm applause rang out in the classroom again.

Tong Yun's makeup was smudged from crying, and she left in a hurry after the event. Lin Luo wanted to take a good look at her because she felt that she almost forgot what she looked like without makeup.

What a pity.

"Brother Yao, long time no see." Xu Yangyang greeted Qi Yao shyly. If it were at this time in the past, Zhu Changyu would definitely say that she was pretentious, but he was in a bad mood today.

Qi Yao took a sip of beer and asked her lazily, "Why don't you come to the store?"

"I'm studying hard." Actually, it was because Xu Yangyang felt very haggard and didn't want Qi Yao to see this side of her.

"Well, I wish you get into a good university." Qi Yao said casually.

Xu Yangyang blushed, "Thank...thank you!"

The phone rang, and Qi Yao answered it directly without hesitation, "Baby, don't make a fuss, wait a moment, I'll be there soon."

Xu Yangyang opened her eyes wider and bit her lip.

"I'm leaving first." He said to Zhu Changyu, who finally came to his senses and said, "Oh, okay."

After Qi Yao left, Xu Yangyang's nose felt sore, as if she wanted to cry again. She said to Zhu Changyu, "I'm in a bad mood. Can you accompany me to have a midnight snack?"

"I...something suddenly happened to me. You go by yourself. Be careful when you go home." Zhu Changyu said and ran towards the teaching building again.

"What could be the problem? If you don't want to go with me, just tell me." Xu Yangyang muttered, kicking the fallen leaves under his feet.

Lin Luo and Xu Yangyang parted at the school gate, and she walked to the bus stop to wait for the bus.

When the bus arrived, she didn't stop at the station and walked straight on.

Lin Luo stood up and searched her pocket for a coin, but she couldn't find it after searching through her pockets. The coin she had prepared for the bus ride might have fallen somewhere.

She looked at the driver helplessly, wanting to plead for mercy, but before she could open her mouth, she heard two crisp coin-operated sounds beside her. Lin Luo tilted her head and saw Fu Xingchuan standing behind her. "I'll do it."

"Thank you, I'll return it to you tomorrow." She followed Fu Xingchuan into the carriage.

"No need, didn't you pay for me last time?" Fu Xingchuan sat in a row of double seats by the window.

It was too long ago.

He patted the seat next to him and motioned for her to sit down. Lin Luo stopped and walked to the seat in front of him and said, "I want to sit by the window too."

As soon as she sat down, Lin Luo felt the missing coin in her pocket. She held a corner of it and reached back to hand it to Fu Xingchuan, "Here I give it back to you."

About ten seconds later, Fu Xingchuan took it, sneered, and said in a nonchalant tone: "I thought you were going to say we're even now."

It’s not impossible.

Lin Luo looked out the window and leaned her head against the glass. The glass vibrated slightly as the car moved. She felt a little carsick. The smell in the car was so bad that she felt suffocated.

After arriving at the station, Lin Luo felt relieved when she could breathe fresh air again.

"Lin Luo." They met Ruan Ye at the entrance of the alley.

Lin Xi breathed a sigh of relief. With Ruan Ye around, the suffocating feeling would be much less severe. "Is there anything wrong?"

"without."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

“…”

If he doesn't want to talk anymore, he will just ignore you. Lin Luo hates this bad habit of his.

After Zhu Sui'an left, the relationship between Ruan Ye and Fu Xingchuan also cooled. Although they still performed and ate together, it was weird.

"Why didn't you say hello to me?" Fu Xingchuan asked him.

Ruan Ye ignored him.

Lin Xiao eased the atmosphere, "Your performance just now was wonderful, and your coordination was very good."

Fu Xingchuan glanced at her and asked, "Why didn't you say it in the car?"

"I... suddenly feel carsick."

"Are you not dizzy now?"

"Yeah." Lin Luo seemed to hear him chuckle.

"Sister." Aunt Li took Tang Muchen out for a walk. When he saw Lin Luo, he hurried over.

"Where's Mom?" Lin Luo asked subconsciously.

"I don't know." Aunt Li came over, looking nervous and her eyes wandering. "Your mother went to deliver the goods."

"This point"

"Yes, I'm in a hurry."

Ruan Ye and Fu Xingchuan fell behind. Tang Muchen said he wanted to play with Fu Xingchuan. Lin Luo frowned and said, "Tang Muchen, come home with me. We can play next time."

Seeing Lin Luo's serious expression, Tang Muchen said obediently, "Okay then! Goodbye, Brother Xingchuan."

Lin Xiao took Tang Muchen home quickly. As soon as she closed the door, she asked, "Dad, Mom, have you done anything unusual recently?"

"No!" Tang Muchen shook his head.

Lin Luo said to him seriously, "Think about it carefully."

Tang Muchen thought for a while and said, "It's just that my mother has been very busy with work recently, so there's nothing else."

Lin Luo felt a little relieved.

"Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" She changed her shoes and walked towards the living room.

Tang Muchen shook his head, quickly ran in front of her, and picked up a bag of potato chips on the coffee table. "Yesterday, Mom and Dad took me to the supermarket to buy snacks. I even got a haircut!"

Only then did Lin Luo notice that his hair was a little shorter.

She played with Tang Muchen for a while. When Tang Muchen was tired, he went to his room to sleep. She stayed alone in the living room reading a book.

At about 9:30, Du Yunyan and Tang Heng came back together. They seemed a little surprised to see her at home. "Didn't you go to evening self-study?"

"It's a holiday today." Lin Luo observed her and Tang Heng carefully.

Du Yunyan explained, "I went to deliver goods. Your uncle got off work early today, which was rare. I ran into him on his way back."

"Oh." Tang Heng's hair was cut very short. Lin Luo noticed, "Uncle, you got a haircut."

"Yes." Tang Heng touched his head, as if he was a little uncomfortable.

There was nothing unusual. She must have become more sensitive because the college entrance examination was approaching.

"I'm going back to my room." Lin Luo blinked.

Without noticing, Du Yunyan quietly exhaled, "Okay, go to bed early."

Lin Luo closed the door and lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was just past twelve o'clock.

She took out her phone, opened it, and sent a message to Lin Dayong's account, whose password he had forgotten and couldn't find, "It's June, and there are only seven days left until the college entrance examination. I don't want to like Fu Xingchuan anymore."

An area on the blackboard was reserved for countdown. Every day someone erased a number and replaced it with another one with chalk: seven, six, five, four, three, two.

Until there was only one day left, before school was over in the afternoon, Lin Luo personally erased the one and replaced it with a 0.

It was the day before the college entrance examination, and it was also an ordinary day. According to the old rules of No. 1 Middle School, there was no evening self-study class. Everyone in the class said good luck to each other in the college entrance examination and walked out of the school gate.

"Why didn't Fu Xingchuan come to school today?" Xu Yangyang suddenly asked.

"Why are you looking for him all of a sudden?" Zhu Changyu pointed at the banner at the school gate that read [Cheating in exams by proxy is not acceptable, taking exams with integrity is the right way].

"Can't I ask?" Xu Yangyang rolled her eyes at him. "Besides, I just want the nerd to pass on some luck to me. Ruan Ye, the stingy one, thinks I talk too much and stays away from me. I don't know where Tong Yun is either."

"I'll share my good luck with you." Lin Luo extended her hand towards Xu Yangyang, but she quickly dodged it. Lin Luo joked, "Do you dislike me?"

"No, I don't want to share your good luck." Xu Yangyang put her hands behind her back and said seriously, "Lin Qiao, you are my best friend. Even after the college entrance examination, we must keep in touch and be good friends for life."

"Okay." Lin Luo said sweetly.

"Is Tong Yun your best friend?" Xu Yangyang said while tickling her. Lin Luo couldn't stand it, "It's you."

"I don't believe it!" Xu Yangyang said this, but withdrew her hand and let her go.

The bus arrived. Lin Luo smiled and said to them all, "Good luck on the college entrance exam, see you tomorrow," and then she skipped and ran to the stop.

"Xu Yangyang, what about me? I'm not your best friend." Lin Luo walked away, and Zhu Changyu stared at Xu Yangyang and asked her for an explanation.

"You're my weakest friend." Xu Yangyang bumped his shoulder with his fist. "Good brother, I wish you an exceptional performance in the college entrance exam tomorrow. After all, your ability is just that."

"The second half of that sentence is unnecessary." Zhu Changyu covered his shoulder with his hand and tried to accuse her. "I'm bleeding internally. You have to compensate me."

"Do you want to pay me for it?" Xu Yangyang blurted out, but seeing Zhu Changyu's nervous expression and forcing a smile, she softened her heart and poked his palm with her finger, "Forget it, I'll just give you some luck!"

"You gave me a lot." Zhu Changyu put down his hand and looked ahead.

At the moment of sunset, the sky was a mixture of blue and pink, with clouds dotted in between. However, he did not find it beautiful, but only felt a little sad.

Xu Yangyang suddenly remembered, "Oh, by the way, remember to bring an umbrella tomorrow. My mom said it could rain at any time in the next few days."

"Oh no! I forgot to remind Lin Luo. What did I forget? I have to send her a message tonight. Nothing can go wrong!"

Zhu Changyu didn't believe her carelessness, "You'd better remember."

"I certainly remember."

*

Lin Luo returned to Changlin Lane and walked past the old villa. The windows on the second floor were closed. Where had he gone?

She tapped her head, deleting all thoughts about him and emptying the recycle bin.

Before she had taken a few steps, Lin Luo saw the figures of Du Yunyan and Tang Heng. They were walking side by side towards the alley entrance, looking stealthy.

Lin Luo hurried back, hid behind the corner wall, and waited until they came out of the alley before secretly following them.

But she didn't expect that this time, she would be followed to the hospital.

The hospital was far from her home, so she took a taxi and followed the car that Du Yunyan and the others had stopped. After entering the hospital, she lagged behind them for a distance, but she had good eyesight and followed them with her eyes.

Finally, she lost them at the entrance to the hematology department and had no idea which room they had entered. Lin Luo then smelled the hospital's disinfectant, feeling uneasy. She didn't dare step inside and sat on an iron stool to prepare herself.

Two nurses in the front row were taking a break and chatting. "The girl in Ward 539 was given a critical illness notice today."

"Ah! I remember the chemotherapy was working pretty well a few months ago, wasn't it?"

"I went to a big hospital, but when I came back I was dead."

"Little girl, you have such a hard life! How old is she this year?"

"Looks like he's only eighteen."

"..." They couldn't continue talking, and Lin Luo couldn't listen to them either. But actually, if she thought about it carefully, eighteen, the same age as her, would that girl also take the college entrance examination tomorrow?

Lin Luo didn't have the heart to think so much. She took a deep breath, stood up and walked into the hematology department.

Du Yunyan and Tang Heng were just coming out of a room. Tang Heng was holding a few lists in her hands, looking distracted. Du Yunyan noticed her first, "You...why are you here?"

"Lin Luo." Tang Heng called her in a soft voice, and it was unclear whether he was speaking with guilt or helplessness, or both.

"I'm taking the college entrance exam tomorrow. If you want me to concentrate on the exam, don't hide it from me." Lin Luo stared at the white paper in Tang Heng's hand.

Du Yunyan suddenly couldn't control herself and went outside to cry. Tang Heng hesitated for a moment and handed the things over.

Lin Qi read the contents of the paper clearly. It said [Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Early hospitalization and chemotherapy are recommended.]

She had clearly thought of the worst possible outcome, but she was still hit hard by the reality.

The smell of disinfectant became stronger, and Lin Luo felt like she couldn't breathe for a moment. It was a feeling of suffocation that penetrated deep into her bones, reminding her of the first time Lin Dayong taught her to swim.

At that time, she accidentally fell into deep water and struggled desperately to swim out of the water by waving her limbs, but it was useless and her body began to sink.

The icy cold water rushed into her nasal cavity, causing her to feel so uncomfortable that she opened her mouth. The water then relentlessly invaded her body, pouring into her trachea and tearing at her lungs, making it impossible to breathe in or out. The oxygen was thin, her consciousness began to blur, and she could no longer hear anything.

She felt like she had fallen into a bottomless abyss, and everything around her was pitch black.