ripple

That long and deep kiss by the river was like a huge rock thrown into Lin Xueyin's originally calm heart, and the ripples it stirred up lingered for a long time.

Back in the dormitory of the educated youth center, lying on the hard bed, Lin Xueyin could still clearly recall the warmth of his lips and tongue, the strength of his arms around her, the heavy and hot breath when he finally pressed his forehead against hers, and the dark fire in his eyes that almost burned her to death.

"Xueyin, why is your face so red? Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Liu Xiaoling leaned over and asked with concern.

Lin Xueyin, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, suddenly pulled the quilt up to cover half of her face and said in a muffled voice, "No... maybe it's a little hot."

Wang Lina joked, "I don't think it's the heat, it's the heart that's burning. Was it Comrade Song who just brought you back? Look how distracted you are."

Lin Xueyin didn't dare to respond, and simply buried her face deeper into her eyes. Her roommates' teasing embarrassed her, but it also made her realize more clearly that the secret, increasingly uncontrolled intimacy between her and Song Zhiyuan was probably no longer a secret to outsiders.

This realization made her feel a little uneasy, but more than that, it was a kind of resigned, shameful resignation. Where could she escape to? The web he had woven was so dense, so strong, and she seemed to have lost both the strength and the will to break free.

The next day at the radio station, Lin Xueyin's attention wandered several times while she was reading the script, her eyes constantly flashing back to his face, so close to her in the moonlight by the river last night. When Song Zhiyuan pushed the door open as usual, her voice paused imperceptibly, and a blush quickly spread across her cheeks.

Song Zhiyuan took in her reaction, a faint smile flickering across his eyes. He didn't lean against the doorframe today, but walked straight to her, leaned over, and put his arm around her from behind, seemingly examining the manuscript in front of her.

His warm chest was almost touching her back, and his uniquely refreshing breath enveloped her. Lin Xueyin's body stiffened instantly, and the fingers holding the manuscript curled slightly.

"Here, it's read wrong." He pointed to a place on the manuscript paper, and his voice sounded close to her ear, low and hoarse, with a faint airflow.

Lin Xueyin couldn't make out what was written on it, but she felt as if the places where his fingertips touched were burning. She nodded randomly, just wanting him to leave quickly.

He was in no hurry to get up, his eyes lingering on her red earlobes and slightly trembling eyelashes, as if he were admiring a shy work of art that belonged to him. His nose almost touched her hair, and his breath was hot.

"Tonight," he said in a low voice, so that only the two of them could hear, "meet me at the usual place."

It's not an inquiry, it's a notification.

Lin Xueyin's heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, he stood up, turned around and walked out as if nothing had happened, and considerately closed the door.

Lin Xueyin was left alone, facing the microphone, her heart beating like a drum, unable to calm down for a long time. Was the "old place" he mentioned the riverside, or the barn where the firewood was stored? Either place meant a deeper night, a more undisturbed environment, and...possibly a closer intimacy.

All day, Lin Xueyin was in a state of utter turmoil. She dreaded the coming of night, yet also harbored a vague anticipation of decadence. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing the abyss lay beneath her, yet lured by the wondrous scenery at the bottom, she kept moving forward.

However, the planned "evening" did not go as planned.

In the afternoon, the commune received an urgent notice, requiring each brigade to immediately organize key militia members and some educated youth to travel to a neighboring county to participate in a three-day flood prevention and rescue operation. Hongqi Commune was allocated several spots, and Song Zhiyuan, due to his outstanding physical fitness and calm mind, was singled out by Zhao Jianguo to lead the team.

The order came suddenly and the departure was just an hour away.

When Song Zhiyuan arrived at the radio station, Lin Xueyin had just finished reading the last paragraph of the script. He pushed the door open, his face showing a rare hurry and coldness.

"I'm going to be away for a few days." He said briefly, walked up to her, and locked his deep gaze on her.

Lin Xueyin was stunned. She looked at the backpack on his shoulder and didn't react for a moment. "Where... are you going?"

"Neighboring county, flood prevention." He paused, then added, "Three days."

Three days. It wasn't long, but it was the first time they had been clearly apart since he had forcefully intervened in her life. Lin Xueyin's heart suddenly felt empty, and an inexplicable panic welled up in her.

Only then did she realize that she seemed to have become accustomed to having him around, accustomed to his control, his scent, and his omnipresent "teaching".

"Oh... then you, be careful." She lowered her head and spoke in a soft voice.

Song Zhiyuan's eyes softened for a moment as he watched her unconsciously reveal her dependence. He took a step forward and raised his hand, as if to touch her cheek, but then glanced out the window at the figure who might be passing by, and his hand paused in mid-air. In the end, he simply shook her hand very quickly and firmly.

The force was so strong, with the thin calluses and scorching heat on his palm, as if he was going to brand something on her hand.

"Stay here obediently," he looked at her with a deep gaze, a warning that left no room for doubt, "Wait for me to come back."

After saying this, he looked at her deeply, as if he wanted to carve her appearance into his mind, then he turned around neatly and strode away without any hesitation.

Lin Xueyin stared blankly at his tall figure disappearing through the doorway. The touch of his grip still lingered on the back of her hand, its warmth scorching. The radio station suddenly became empty and silent. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, lengthening her shadow.

He left.

The powerful aura that had been surrounding her, suffocating yet reassuring, disappeared temporarily.

Lin Xueyin slowly sat back in her chair, feeling a mixture of emotions. There was a sense of relief, but more so, a strange, heavy sense of loss and... longing.

It turned out that the seeds of her downfall had already been planted deep within her heart without her realizing it. His brief absence was like a sudden withdrawal of the strength that supported her, allowing her to clearly see the part of her heart that had already fallen.

These three days will be very long.

And for the first time, she, a pampered canary, began to truly consider how she would cope when the hunter who controlled her temporarily left. Was the upcoming, deeper night and intimacy postponed, or... was it brewing a more turbulent wave?

Outside the window, the assembly whistle sounded sharply, and the truck carrying Song Zhiyuan and others roared away from the Hongqi Commune.

Lin Xueyin stood by the window, looking at the dust kicked up by the truck, and gently hugged her arms. The autumn atmosphere seemed to be getting stronger.

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