Eighteen years old

At the beginning of the year, the train station was packed with people. Big and small, old and young, men and women, almost everyone had a suitcase with them.

Lu Er carried a backpack containing only a syllabus, a few printed review sheets, and a bottle of water. The deflated backpack hung on her down jacket, almost invisible.

She pulled her hood up and glanced at the large screen every now and then. The train was scheduled to depart at 9:32, and it was 8:55 now. The announcement was playing, and Lu Er listened carefully twice, but neither time her train was called.

Lu Er hadn't ridden a train in a long time. To be precise, she'd never even seen a train in person before. When Xu Qingri and Lu Zhan were still with her, they only traveled by plane for work. After Lu Er went to work with Cui Feng and Lu Guoyang, due to her own limitations and the fact that she felt there was no need to leave the province, she hadn't used any long-distance transportation in the past eight years.

Before boarding the train, Lu Er checked the train travel procedures. Afraid of missing anything, she flipped through the pages repeatedly, seemingly memorizing all the details before finally putting down her phone.

Lu Er chose the topmost sleeper berth. The train departed late, and she fell asleep as soon as she boarded. But the people next to her were all elderly women and men. They chatted endlessly, like neighbors meeting.

Just when things finally quieted down, an old man started snoring in the night. His snoring came in bursts, like the booming of a water buffalo plowing a field. Lu'er's bed was also close to the toilet. With the train's swaying and a strange smell wafting in the air, she felt like her nose and mouth were being squeezed, making it very uncomfortable for her to sleep.

She couldn't remember when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, she heard that there was still more than an hour until they arrived at their destination.

It took half a day to get from Huai'an to Beijing. Lu Er looked out the car window and saw that the buildings outside were already those of Beijing.

In January, it was freezing cold here. As Lu Er got off the train, the wind stung his face like invisible blades.

Lu Er turned on her phone; it showed -5 degrees Celsius. She hadn't told Ruan Xiyan about coming to Beijing.

Following the navigation, she took the subway to a cake shop. Before that, Lu Er bought a scallion pancake from a street corner for breakfast.

She chose this cake shop for only one reason. Pushing open the door, she saw a small sign on the wall directly opposite: "Cakes can be made by hand."

Lu Er showed the reservation slip to the shop owner. The shop owner turned around and called out a young woman, who then taught her how to make the cake base step by step.

The young woman instructed her, "Pour in this cake flour and stir..."

Lu Er pursed her lips and kneaded the dough vigorously with her gloved hands.

The young woman, probably bored by what she saw, couldn't resist striking up a conversation: "Are you a local student?"

Lu Er had no desire to chat, but thinking of the guidance she had given him, he replied, "No."

"Coming to Beijing to study?"

She shook her head: "I came to Beijing to find someone."

After baking, the cake formed a standard sponge-like dough. Following the young woman's instructions, Lu Er spread layers of fragrant cream on the surface of the dough and then decorated it with a ring of piping.

"Would you like to write something?" the young woman asked. "Or you could put a little sign on a sticky note later."

"I'll just paint it directly." Lu Er grabbed the piping bag and used whipped cream to draw a few words crookedly, "Happy 18th Birthday."

-

The preliminary exams for the Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts officially began on January 14th. This year, the preliminary exams were held offline, and all registered candidates were required to travel to Beijing for the on-site examinations. The exams concluded on the 16th.

Ruan Xiyan carried his art bag on one shoulder, his face partially obscured by a mask. After leaving the exam hall, he was still at the fork in the road looking at his phone when a boy nudged him on the shoulder: "Where are you planning to go?"

The person who hit him was named Shen Xu, and he was in the same exam room as Ruan Xiyan. Ruan Xiyan arrived in Beijing on the 13th and booked a nearby hotel. While having dinner at a restaurant downstairs, she found Shen Xu's wallet containing his exam admission ticket and ID card. After returning it, the two became acquainted.

Shen Xu is a local. During his stay in Beijing, he hospitably took Ruan Xiyan to visit tourist attractions and local snack spots.

"My flight is at 6 p.m., so I'll go back to the hotel to rest for a while."

Shen Xu didn't bother him anymore: "You must be tired after waiting for so many days. Get some rest and go home." He took a few steps and then turned back, smiling at Ruan Xiyan, "I hope to see you at this year's freshman ceremony."

Shen Xu was extremely confident in his abilities. Ruan Xiyan smiled and said, "Okay, see you in August."

Ruan Xiyan continued to look at the navigation as she walked towards the school gate. Beijing's winter smog was heavy; the sky was dark and gloomy, as if dust were about to fall.

He walked out of the school gate and around a bend in the wall. As he walked along the road lined with shared bicycles, his phone suddenly rang. Ruan Xiyan glanced at it, his heart skipping a beat. He answered the phone: "Hello?"

There was no response on the other end. It seemed like two seconds later, the person spoke. But suddenly a gust of wind blew up, dispersing much of the sound.

Ruan Xiyan couldn't help but pull down his mask, which hooked onto his chin: "Teacher Xiao Lu." He wanted to laugh and say, "Isn't the Third Middle School in session right now?"

Lu Er said, "Turn around."

Ruan Xiyan turned around and saw her standing behind her. The huge down jacket made her look very thin, with short black hair and skin that was as white as if it had been frozen in water, without any color.

He strode up to her, his voice choked with emotion, and asked, "Why are you here?"

This is neither Huai'an nor Suishi. This is Beijing, two thousand kilometers away from Huai'an.

Lu Er held up the box in her hand: "Today is your birthday." But before, at summer camp, Ruan Xiyan only revealed that he was born in January.

Lu Er seemed to understand his thoughts: "I asked Chen Xiang. I took leave to come out and celebrate your birthday."

Did you come alone?

"Um."

Ruan Xiyan was completely speechless. After a long while, he calmed his wildly beating heart: "This is Beijing, are you stupid?"

“I know.” She looked up at him, a rare smile curving her lips, which were always straight. “Happy 18th birthday, Ruan Xiyan.”

Ruan Xiyan stopped moving. He lowered his face and stared directly at her expression. "Lu Er." He reached out and put his hands around her shoulders. If Lu Er hadn't seen the redness in his eyes, she would have thought he wanted to do that. "I want to hug you."

Lu Er took a step forward.

He tightened his arms around her, like a child hugging a quilt in winter or a teddy bear, holding her close.

"Teacher Lu, do you know?" Lu Er heard his voice, which sounded a little muffled with a nasal tone, but quickly rose again with a smile, "If you do this, I will fall in love with you hopelessly."

Lu Er didn't speak, but wrapped her arms around his chest.

The two hugged for a while before separating. Ruan Xiyan carefully examined her eyebrows and eyes: "Why are your dark circles so heavy?"

"I didn't sleep well on the train, and I had to get up early."

Ruan Xiyan made a quick decision: "I'll cancel my ticket and take the train back with you."

“You’re taking a plane. There are no train tickets left.” Lu Er grasped his fingertips, but he squeezed them back even tighter. “Let’s eat cake first.”

The two found a hot pot restaurant to sit down. As Lu Er manually opened the small box, she said somewhat embarrassedly, "I made this myself, so the appearance and taste might not be as... delicious."

Ruan Xiyan stared intently at the cake: "I've said it before, I like whatever you give me."

Before eating, Lu Er took a picture of Ruan Xiyan, and then took a selfie of both of them. Midway through the meal, Ruan Xiyan got playful and smeared some cream on her face, making herself look like a clown.

Lu Er chuckled a few times, but Ruan Xiyan wouldn't let her off the hook, pulling her along to paint her face. Lu Er refused, so Ruan Xiyan coaxed her gently, "Teacher Lu, I'll draw you a kitten. Really, I'll draw it really well. You just finished your exams, don't you trust me?"

A glint of doubt flashed in Lu Er's eyes: "Really?"

"Really." Ruan Xiyan's dimples widened even more.

Lu Er still leaned her face closer. Ruan Xiyan gently touched her cheek, forehead, and nose with her soft fingertips. After about three minutes, Ruan Xiyan stepped back: "Okay."

Lu Er sensed something was wrong; Ruan Xiyan had a mischievous grin on her face. She took out her phone to take a picture, and sure enough, he had drawn her as another clown.

"Hey, hey, I just wanted to draw a matching couple's outfit for you and me." Ruan Xiyan laughed so hard her face was practically buried in the table. Joking aside, you still have to coax someone when they're angry. Ruan Xiyan has a sweet tongue, and she can easily make someone happy again in no time. Lu Er's anger subsided after being coaxed, but not wanting to appear happy even though she'd been tricked, she kept a tight smile on her face.

Ruan Xiyan devoured the cake. The two slowly enjoyed the hot pot, and Lu Er asked him, "How was the first attempt?"

"I'm confident," Ruan Xiyan said, and Lu Er nodded, no longer worrying unnecessarily.

After finishing their hot pot meal, snowflakes began to fall softly outside the window. Ruan Xiyan said earnestly, "Teacher Xiaolu, let me know next time you come. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

Lu Er deliberately gave an unconventional answer: "What will you do if it happens again next time?"

"Then I'll try my best not to disappoint you." Ruan Xiyan smiled.

Lu Er's heart was gradually warming. Her gaze drifted outside, and she asked, "What was your wish just now?"

“If I can live to be a hundred years old,” Ruan Xiyan’s hand, which was resting on the sofa, was now on the back of her hand. His eyes were bright and clear. “Then I want you to spend the remaining eighty-eight years with me.”

-

Not long after Lu Er returned to Huai'an, the junior high school entrance examination began. After a tense junior high school entrance examination, No. 3 Middle School ushered in the winter vacation. This year's winter vacation for senior high school students was still only a little over a week.

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Cui Feng and Lu Guoyang were discussing visiting relatives. Lu Mingyi was curled up on the sofa, playing games by the fireplace. Lu Er was doing her homework in her room, wearing a thin sweater. The black and white cat was curled up beside her table, looking perfectly asleep.

Suddenly, a message came from Teacher Mina on WeChat. She said her family had made dumplings and invited Lu Er to come over and eat.

Lu Er didn't wear many clothes, just slipped on her slippers and left home. She knocked on Teacher Mina's door, and it opened immediately. Mi Tian gave her a cheerful smile: "Sister Xiao Er!"

The dumplings were a large portion, filled with chives. Teacher Mina served her two pieces, and another bowl contained four or five portions for Lu'er to take home later. Lu'er said thank you and started eating them while they were still piping hot.

"Mi Tian, ​​stop playing and come eat dumplings." Teacher Mina patted Mi Tian, ​​who was playing a game.

"Okay, just a moment! I'll be right there after this game." Mi Tian held her phone, and after a while she couldn't help but mutter, "Why can't my teammates save us?"

Lu Er glanced at him out of the corner of her eye: "Are you playing Identity V?"

It was winter, and Mi Tian was wearing a red and green fluffy hat. Hearing the words, she tilted her red and green head up: "Yes, Sister Xiao Er, do you play too? Play with me, my teammates are all too clumsy."

“I don’t play, but I have an older brother who does,” Lu Er said. “I can ask him to play with you.”

Another message popped up on WeChat. Lu Er glanced at it, and as if on cue, the devil appeared.

She walked towards the door: "Ms. Mina, I'm going out for a bit."

Teacher Mina also saw the person who sent her the message: "Xi Yan? If you have the chance, invite him up with you."

Lu Er gave an OK sign and rushed down the stairs, her steps faster than she even realized.

Ruan Xiyan stood tall and elegant under a kapok tree. He wore a sky-blue woolen coat and a white scarf around his neck. He held Mao Mao's hand, and Mao Mao wore a bear-brown knitted hat. When Mao Mao saw Lu Er arrive, it immediately wagged its tail happily.

"Why did you come down wearing so little?" Ruan Xiyan reached out with her free hand to take her hand, and her skin touched through the sweater.

"I saw your message at the teacher's house and came downstairs." Lu Er turned around. "Want to come up together? The teacher wants you to come along."

Ruan Xiyan smiled and put a finger to her lips: "My mom and dad came out. They went to the supermarket and parked their car outside. I secretly brought Mao Mao out to see Teacher Xiaolu for a little while."

"Are you coming out on New Year's Eve? With you, me, and Sheng Jiao and the others. That way, if your family asks, they won't suspect anything."

Lu Er lowered her hand to stroke the fur, and looked up at him: "You've thought things through quite thoroughly."

"That must be Teacher Lu's praise. I'm leaving now." Ruan Xiyan blinked her big eyes and opened her arms. "Give me a hug."

Lu Er's lips curled slightly. She embraced him, but after five seconds, they pulled away.

"See you on New Year's Eve." Ruan Xiyan smiled.

"See you on New Year's Eve." Lu Er nodded.

After watching Ruan Xiyan leave, Lu Er turned back towards her home. When she was about a few meters away from the residential area, she noticed a tall, thin figure standing at the entrance.

As she got closer, she realized it was Jiang Zhun. Jiang Zhun had one hand in the pocket of his alpaca coat, looking at her with a complex emotion in his eyes that she couldn't quite decipher.

There were no obstructions at this intersection, offering a clear view of the distant kapok tree and the area beneath it. If he had stayed here, he would have certainly seen what happened earlier.

Realizing this, Lu Er's heart sank heavily. Moreover, Jiang Zhun's ambiguous gaze told Lu Er—he must have seen it.

She walked up to him, then suddenly didn't know what to say, her lips moving a few times: "Brother Jiang Zhun... what brings you here?"

Jiang Zhun's tone was as usual: "I heard you were on winter vacation, so I came to Huai'an to see you. If you have time, come to my house for the New Year. Your parents miss you very much too."

"I'm sorry, Brother Jiang Zhun, this winter break was too short, and I didn't have much of a chance. But thank you to my uncle and aunt, and please give them my regards. Thank you also for coming to see me, Brother Jiang Zhun."

Lu Er gave a slight bow, thought for a moment, and said, "Would you like to go up and sit down now?"

“I’ve already come, so I won’t bother you any longer.” Jiang Zhun looked at her, a helpless expression on his face. “Xiao Er, I’ve told you before, you don’t need to use so many honorifics with me.”

Lu Er pursed her lips, then couldn't help but say, "Sorry, Brother Jiang Zhun..."

Jiang Zhun sighed inwardly. He seemed to have no intention of hiding anything, staring at her as he asked, "Just now, what was your relationship with that boy?"

Sure enough, she saw it. Lu Er looked up at him. Even though he had the same expression the whole time, Lu Er inexplicably felt as if there were many more feet in the air, stepping on her back, heavy and suffocating.

She remained silent for a long while, her eyes darting away: "Brother Jiang Zhun... could you... please not tell Second Uncle and Second Aunt?"

Jiang Zhun was silent for a while, then sighed, "You know what you're doing." Before leaving, Jiang Zhun gave her a deep look, "Xiao Er, I hope you'll think about this carefully when you get back."