Volume 5 Growing Up

"We need to hurry, Teacher Hou will be here soon," Qiao Ran said. "Jia Mo, Fang Hui and I just agreed to go get some skewers together tonight!"

"Great!" Lin Jiamo said excitedly, "But let's not eat skewers, I'm tired of them. Let's go eat mala tang today!"

"Malatang? Is that hot pot? That's too much trouble!" Fang Hui said.

"It's not hot pot! It's like skewers, but you put them in a pot to cook. It's incredibly fragrant. You'll see when you go!" Lin Jiamo said.

Chen Xun ran in from the classroom door, sat down next to Zhao Ye, and said, "Still copying? Hurry up, Teacher Hou is coming! I just came out of her office!"

"Damn! I'm done!" Zhao Ye slammed the notebook down and tossed it to Fang Hui. "My wrist is practically broken! How the hell is this much?!"

Lin Jiamo glared at him and said, "Serves you right! Why didn't you do this sooner! Hey! Fang Hui! Separate our two notebooks, don't put them together! The answers are the same, it's obvious they copied!"

"I'm exhausted! I need to have a good meal after school today!" Zhao Ye said, panting.

"What are we going to eat?" Chen Xun asked.

"Malatang, Jia Mo found the place, we just agreed to go together!" Zhao Ye said.

"No problem!" Chen Xun smiled, took out his textbook, and sat down.

After school, the group quickly packed their bags and left. Fang Hui didn't ride her bike; Chen Xun gave her a ride. Chen Xun had just bought a new Sony Walkman with in-line controls—it was really high-end. Fang Hui picked it up and fiddled with it, and Chen Xun excitedly explained its functions to her. Fang Hui didn't understand, so she just smiled and put on the earphones. They were playing songs by Jeff Chang, and they sounded really good. Zhao Ye and Qiao Ran teased him for showing off, constantly nagging and making fun of him the whole way home.

Ultimately, they didn't have any worries back then, nor did they have any grand ambitions. They were content with their simple lives, living a comfortable life. Everyone was satisfied. It's just that they were young and didn't understand what it felt like. Actually, it's like the song by Jeff Chang says, "Cherish every moment."

Fang Hui said, "We all thought that we could truly stay together forever after we grew up, so we tried our best to grow up at all costs. But when we were old enough to say goodbye to our youth, we suddenly realized that growing up only separates us..."

(1)

Sometimes I'm afraid Fang Hui will disappear.

I always felt that she left Beijing in a very resolute manner, because here, I never saw her call any of the names mentioned in the story except for her relatives. This always gave me a very depressing premonition—that one day she would also leave me quietly.

Although we have a relationship similar to mutual dependence, I still feel very uneasy. I think this might be a characteristic of male animals—always keeping their eyes on prey that they can't get their hands on.

Unfortunately, I couldn't pounce on Fang Hui like a lion pouncing on an antelope and pin her down. On nights when I couldn't wait for her or contact her, I could only stay at home like a resentful woman, smoking, daydreaming, cursing in my heart, while also listening carefully to the sounds in the hallway.

Fang Hui entered the house very quietly. She turned the doorknob, carefully placed her things down, trying not to make the paper bags and plastic bags make any "shh-shh" sounds, and then planned to leave carefully again.

"You're back," I suddenly said from the dark corner.

I once asked her why her name was "Hui," and she said it was because when her father was sent to the countryside and far from his hometown, he always thought about returning home as soon as possible. So, the first thing he thought of after his child was born was the word "return." Her mother thought it was too unrefined for a girl, so she added a grass radical to it. I feel she really failed to live up to her name. It clearly embodies the longing to return home, yet she is often wandering far from home. But on the other hand, she also has a mysterious connection with this name, always making those around her wonder whether she will return or not.

"Ah..." She was a little surprised that I was waiting for her.

"Where did she go?" I got up and asked her. My eyesight is poor, but my nose is very sensitive. This is the complementarity of the biological world, which always gives you a way to detect abnormalities in life and leaves you room to react in time.

She carried a slightly unfamiliar scent, not the bustling energy of the street, but the scent of someone who had been in a certain place for a long time.

"Outside...outside," she stammered.

I sighed at her old habit of stuttering whenever she had something to hide; it seems to have been there since junior high school.

"Do you think I don't know it's outside? If you were inside, would I be waiting here like this?" I said, a little annoyed. "You don't need to hide it from me. I'm not that I like to meddle in your business, nor do I particularly enjoy prying into your absolute privacy. But next time you go out, at least let me know. You're not living alone anymore, so you should at least have some self-awareness. You're a grown adult, don't you understand the concept of mutual support? I'm already exhausted from all this nagging, so please stop making me worry, okay?"

Fang Hui didn't speak; she stood there quietly, her body visibly stiff.

I think I might have been a bit harsh, but I'm genuinely worried about her. This girl is so naive, so straightforward, and incredibly stubborn. I don't feel comfortable leaving her anywhere, not even with AIBA. I'm afraid that one day she'll actually be turned gay by AIBA...

"You must be tired, go take a shower first. You're still in my room, so save AIBA some time." I went over and pulled her.

She slapped my hand away without hesitation, then froze, as if we were both out of the loop, creating an incredibly awkward atmosphere.

I remember very clearly that after we started living together, she no longer rejected my attempts to get close to her with "pure intentions".

Finally, the silence was broken by an outsider. The Korean squinty-eyed young man downstairs knocked on our door and called out Fang Hui's name in very Korean-accented English.

"The bag, the one I was carrying, I forgot to give it to you earlier." He stood at the door, propping himself up with one hand and striking a pose with the other leg bent.

I thought to myself, "Just because you spray some hairspray and wear a hoodie doesn't mean you're Jang Dong-gun or Song Seung-heon! What are you trying to prove!"

"Ah! Thank you!" Fang Hui said politely.

"Really! You even made a special trip!" I took the bag before Fang Hui could, and with a look on my face that said, "You'd better get out of here," I stood at the door and looked down at him.

“Then I’ll pick you up tomorrow night, and we’ll go together.” Xiao Mimi rolled her eyes at me and smiled at Fang Hui.

"Okay, Yinghao, thank you so much. You've really gone to a lot of trouble," Fang Hui said sincerely.

"Where are you going?" I was getting a little anxious. That Yinghao had always harbored ill intentions towards Fang Hui. She might not be able to see it, but I could. All crows are black, and I had the same thoughts myself, so I completely understood his shady dealings. I absolutely couldn't tolerate this squinty-eyed guy getting the upper hand while I was quietly making sacrifices.

“Work.” Yinghao, with the ugly face of capitalism, completely ignored Fang Hui’s efforts to stop him and said smugly, “From today onwards, we will work together every night.”

I was completely speechless.

It wasn't out of jealousy, but out of gratitude. Only I know why she went to work; she must have felt sorry for me seeing how tired I was.

That Korean idiot had no idea what was going on. He said goodbye to us with the air of a victor. I closed the door and said somewhat awkwardly, "You don't need to..."

"Here!" Fang Hui tossed the bag to me, saying awkwardly, "Eat up!"

I opened the bag, my eyes practically glowing with excitement. Inside was a box of spicy kimchi fried rice. I hadn't had this in ages. To be precise, since partnering with Fang Hui, we hadn't had a decent meal. I reckon the combined weight of the two of us wouldn't even weigh as much as a strong Australian man.

"It was made at the restaurant where we work. Is it good?" Fang Hui asked me, leaning on the table.

"Mmm! It's delicious! You should eat some too!" I said, wolfing down my food.

"I've already eaten," Fang Hui said. "I'll go get you a glass of water."

When she brought the water back, I was already wiping my mouth. She looked at me in surprise and said, "What are you doing...?"

"Hehe, the legendary 'whirlwind sweep'!" I chuckled and said, "Where do you guys work? If it's far, don't go. Otherwise, I'll be worried sick if you come back so late every day!"

"It's okay, I'm always with Youngho."

"It's even more unsettling to be with him! His wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious!" I said angrily, holding my lunchbox.

"Come on, you!" Fang Hui said with a laugh. "Anyway, I'm definitely going to work. If you try to stop me, we're breaking up! You're all grown up, don't you know what it means to look out for each other?"

"Hey, you're copying me, aren't you? You don't learn anything good, but you're quick to threaten people!" I frowned and gave a wry smile.

"Didn't you threaten me like this back then? It's settled then, I'm going to take a shower." Fang Hui stood up, her back to me, and said, "Look at yourself, you look like a skinny wolf..."

Fang Hui is like that; she always makes me feel sorry for her from time to time. Her awkward gentleness can only be appreciated slowly.

I secretly watched her comb her hair into a bun, tiptoe to get a towel, put her clothes in a basin, and walk into the bathroom. At that moment, I finally had a real feeling that I was truly interacting with her as a person, rather than with her past memories.

We were busy for a while, and by the time I finished showering and tidying up, Fang Hui was already asleep on the sofa we had salvaged. She must have been exhausted; she was curled up in such an uncomfortable position, yet she slept soundly like a baby. I carefully moved closer, and in the moonlight, her sleeping face was serene and beautiful, completely unguarded. Two damp strands of hair lazily draped over her cheeks, and her lips were slightly pouting, pink and glistening.

I lowered my head and gently kissed her. She didn't wake up; her eyelashes fluttered slightly, brushing against my heart. To be honest, I'm not exactly a saint; I can't possibly act with perfect integrity and righteousness, but I also didn't want to take advantage of her. I gave myself a good reason: that once Fang Hui finished telling her story, and we could both look back with our heads held high, we could move towards the future together.

Back then, I was as confident as I was before I started job hunting. I never imagined it would take me years to hear this story. Looking back now, if I had been more decisive, perhaps I wouldn't have missed out.

But we can never predict the future. When we're young, we're too honest, and when we grow up, we're too dishonest. Time is a magical thing; it didn't warn me what would happen in the future, it just watched me fall asleep like a fool on the sofa.

Around 2 a.m., I was awakened by a rustling sound. I vaguely saw Fang Hui curled up on the sofa, trembling slightly and making animal-like whimpering sounds.

I got up, sat down next to her, patted her, and asked, "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"I...I dreamt about him..." Fang Hui raised her head, her face full of despair, and said, "But...why was it a dream?"

This time, it's my turn to despair.

(2)

One day in September 1999, Fang Hui had a nightmare.

In her dream, she returned to the gate of B Middle School, specifically to the day Li He died. A crowd had gathered there, the ground stained crimson. Her instinct was to run, yet she felt she should go back and say something to him. So, she boldly pushed through the crowd. In the distance, she saw Tang Haibing holding someone in his arms, kneeling on the ground, glaring fiercely at her. Fang Hui hurriedly shook her head, shouting, "I don't know! Don't blame me! I came to see him, to see him one last time..." Tang Haibing didn't speak. The person beside him stirred, raising their head in a distant movement. Fang Hui froze instantly. That person wasn't Li He, but Chen Xun! Chen Xun, bleeding!

Fang Hui ran over like a madwoman, crying out Chen Xun's name, clutching his hand tightly, trying again and again to pull him up and into her arms, but he didn't respond at all, lifeless. This futile struggle suddenly made her feel incredibly empty, as if she were the only one struggling in the whole world.

Don't you want to stand up and run away together? She looked up in confusion.

However, what she saw was a cold, lifeless corpse—Li He's corpse. His hands were covered in blood, and Fang Hui had been tightly gripping that lifeless hand. She jerked it away, but inevitably, she was now stained with Li He's blood.

Tang Haibing had disappeared sometime earlier, and people gradually formed a circle. Fang Hui felt like a thousand fingers were pointing at her. She tried to explain herself loudly, but no one listened. Among these indifferent people, she finally saw Chen Xun, but he looked disgusted. He curled his lip, turned, and left with Tang Haibing…

"Don't go!"

When Fang Hui woke up, she was in tears. She found the dream incredibly real, at least the irreparable, heart-wrenching pain was real, leaving her with lingering fear.

The next day at school, Fang Hui was very listless because of the dream. When Qiao Ran spoke to her, she responded absentmindedly. After Chen Xun finished eating, he sat at the table behind her, but Fang Hui remained in a daze, not even turning her head.

"Hey! What are you thinking about!" Chen Xun tapped her on the head with the lollipop in his hand.

Fang Hui shuddered suddenly, and both of them were startled.

"What's wrong with you?" Chen Xun quickly jumped down, walked over, and bent down to ask.

"It's nothing," Fang Hui said, playing with the correction fluid in her hand. "You scared me! How did you appear and disappear so suddenly!"

"What?! I've been sitting there for ages! Want a lollipop? Orange or strawberry?" Chen Xun asked.

"Oranges," Fang Hui said casually.

"Orange..." Chen Xun rummaged through his pockets and said with a smile, "I forgot, the orange is the one I'm eating now, the one with only strawberries left. I only licked it twice, if you don't mind, just eat it."

"Oh." Fang Hui nodded blankly.

Chen Xun had only meant to tease her, but she didn't seem to be paying any attention and didn't react at all. Seeing her absent-mindedness, Chen Xun asked suspiciously, "Fang Hui, what's wrong with you today? I noticed during Chinese class earlier; you were slumped over for almost half the lesson. What's wrong?"

“Chen Xun…” Fang Hui looked at him earnestly and said, “I had a dream yesterday. I dreamt that you left with Tang Haibing. I kept calling you, but you didn’t answer me… I don’t know why, but I felt that sooner or later you would leave with them, and in the end I couldn’t keep you…”

Chen Xun chuckled, ruffled Fang Hui's hair, and said nonchalantly, "What are you thinking about all day? Just because of this? That was a dream, not real! Besides, haven't you heard that dreams are the opposite of reality? How could that be!"

“But I cried when I woke up, it was such a painful feeling…” Fang Hui said, lowering her head.

"Don't think like that!" Chen Xun squatted down, leaned over her desk, and whispered, "I will never leave you!"

“How far is forever?” Fang Hui chuckled and said, “We’re still so young, who can say for sure what will happen so far in the future? I just hope that even if we break up someday, you won’t regret having been with me, that’s enough.”

"What do you mean?" Chen Xun said with a stern face, "I only got together with you because I wanted to be with you from now on. Otherwise, what would I be doing? Just messing around? You just don't believe me at all!"

"No..." Fang Hui was a little sad. Although Chen Xun's words sounded so wonderful, she didn't really have any confidence. The road ahead was long, and they had met too early. She really had no idea how far they could travel together.

"Fine! If I'm not telling the truth, and I abandon you in the future, may I go outside and bang my head against a wall, may everything go wrong for me, and may I be abandoned by everyone!" Chen Xun said angrily.

"Alright, alright, I know," Fang Hui quickly reassured him. "Didn't you say you'd give me a lollipop? Where is it?"

Seeing that she was no longer conflicted, Chen Xun felt a little better and handed her the lollipop, saying, "Honestly, you see on TV, when the man wants to make a solemn oath, the woman tries her best to stop him. But you, you listened to me without missing a single word, don't you care about me at all!"

Fang Hui blushed as she unwrapped the candy and said, "Don't talk nonsense, there are so many people in the class..."

"Oh..." Chen Xun stood up and said, "Then I'll go downstairs to find Zhao Ye. Don't overthink it!"

Fang Hui nodded and watched Chen Xun walk out of the classroom.

Actually, she hadn't intended to stop Chen Xun from continuing; on the contrary, she had been listening attentively. She thought that if he was truly worried about the curses coming true, then he would keep his promise, which wasn't so bad, was it? Of course, she didn't tell Chen Xun these thoughts.

Fang Hui's naive thoughts were somewhat laughable. At that time, she didn't know that all boys, when making vows, truly believe they will never break their promises, and when they go back on their word, they truly believe they cannot keep them. Therefore, vows cannot measure loyalty, nor can they judge right or wrong; they can only prove that at the moment they were spoken, both parties were sincere.

Chen Xun also had something he hadn't told Fang Hui.

He ran into Zhao Ye as soon as he stepped out of the classroom. Zhao Ye had just blocked three shots and was still excited. When he saw Chen Xun, he jumped up high and, imitating the "Slam Dunk" anime, shouted "Zhao Ye, fly swatter!" as he pounced on him. Chen Xun couldn't dodge in time and was pushed against the stairwell wall, scraping a piece of skin off his elbow, which bled slightly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Zhao Ye said with a grin. "I didn't expect you to be so sensitive to filming. Your skills have dropped after not practicing all summer!"

"Get lost! I don't have time for you!" Chen Xun pushed Zhao Ye away and said. He was a little flustered because he suddenly remembered the vow he had made earlier to "bang his head against a wall when he went out," and a chill ran down his spine; his palms were sweating.

"What are you pretending for? Why is your face so pale? Are you possessed? Don't actually hurt yourself." Zhao Ye said, leaning closer.

"You? You'll need to cultivate for another ten thousand years!" Chen Xun rubbed his arm and said dismissively.

The two of them went downstairs laughing and joking. Chen Xun didn't think much of it; he used materialism to dispel his unease. How could a model student of the new century be intimidated by feudal superstition? He should hold high the banner of Marxism-Leninism, firmly grasp political theory, kill gods and demons alike, unleash his inner power, and knock out the enemy with a flurry of supernatural punches. He refused to believe in such evil!

(3)

After months of rehearsals, the day of October 1st felt like a solemn moment as the curtain was about to rise.

Fang Hui stayed at her grandmother's house. As soon as she woke up in the morning, she hung a national flag at the door, led by the neighborhood committee aunties. Her grandmother had already spread the word that Fang Hui was going to dance in Tiananmen Square that evening. She had only been standing at the door for a short while when many neighbors came over to greet her. Grandpa Li from the courtyard cheerfully said, "Tonight, our Fang Hui is going to be received by national leaders!" Everyone exclaimed in admiration, asking if she was dancing in Tiananmen Square or on the Jinshui Bridge, and even if she would have to present flowers to the leaders, leaving Fang Hui quite helpless. She smiled wryly, thinking that the public's opinions were indeed powerful; if the word spread through two more alleys, it would probably become that she was going to sing a solo song tonight, praising the beautiful rivers and mountains of the motherland.

At noon, the rumbling sound could be heard from the courtyard, and airplanes could be seen flying overhead, supposedly for a parade, and helicopters were patrolling. Uncle Wang across the street used a bamboo pole with a red cloth to call back a few unfamiliar pigeons, presumably released in the square. A little boy in the inner courtyard even picked up a balloon, saying it was released at Tiananmen Square and had drifted here. Fang Hui remembered how excited she had been during the Asian Games, even keeping a few lottery tickets featuring the panda Panpan as bookmarks. But now she didn't have the energy to chat with her neighbors anymore. Dongsi Street would be under curfew in the afternoon, and the school had set a assembly time; if she didn't leave early, she wouldn't even be able to get out of the alley.

Fang Hui and Chen Xun agreed to meet at the intersection of Dongsi Road. After packing her things, she was pulled by her grandmother like a hero as she said goodbye to everyone in the courtyard. She was surrounded by a group of people and escorted all the way to the gate. It took her a while to stop them from taking her to the alley entrance. This back and forth took a lot of time, so she hurriedly walked to meet up with her classmates.

There was almost no one on the street. From afar, Fang Hui saw Chen Xun. He was looking this way anxiously, and as soon as he saw her, he waved vigorously.

"Why is it so slow? I'm getting impatient! They'll be under martial law soon; several police cars have already passed by!" Chen Xun said.

"I was a little late..." Fang Hui said, coughing as she walked.

Qiao Ran handed her a bottle of water and said, "Don't rush, we've made it in time, haven't we? Take a breather first. Did you bring the scarf? Don't forget anything."

"Oh no!" Fang Hui suddenly exclaimed upon hearing Qiao Ran's words, "No, I have to go back!"

"What's wrong? We're almost too late!" Lin Jiamo said, glancing at her watch.

Fang Hui had already run a few steps when she turned back and said, "You guys go ahead, don't wait for me!"

"Hey! Watch out for the car! We'll wait for you at the entrance of the alley across from your house! We'll cross the alley together in a bit!" Chen Xun shouted.

"What is she doing! If martial law is really declared, we won't be able to fly over," Zhao Ye said, frowning.

"I don't know either, let's just keep going." Chen Xun patted him on the shoulder and said.

Fang Hui practically ran out as if the police were on high alert. The narrow street between the two alleys felt like an insurmountable abyss, and she almost missed Chen Xun and the others. Just as she reached the other side, Chen Xun reached out and grabbed Fang Hui, pulling her back in a flash.

"That was fucking thrilling! It was like something out of an American blockbuster!" Zhao Ye exclaimed.

"Where did you go?" Chen Xun asked.

"Get...get the camera," Fang Hui said, patting her pocket. "I...forgot just now."

"Damn! What am I supposed to do with it? It takes up so much space!" Zhao Ye rolled his eyes at her and said.

"Didn't you say you were going to take it that day?" Fang Hui looked at him with a wronged expression. "You even said the five of us would take a group photo under Tiananmen Square..."

"Huh?" Zhao Ye looked bewildered.

"You listen to Zhao Ye? His words are like farts! No, they're not even worth as much as farts! He just makes a fuss on a whim, and you take everything he says as gospel, like a little bird talking to an eagle. Only you take it seriously!" Chen Xun laughed angrily, constantly berating Zhao Ye.

"Get lost! You're the one who's right! Damn it! Fang Hui, we're taking pictures together later, don't you want to leave him out!" Zhao Ye said, putting his arm around Fang Hui's shoulder.

"Let go!" Chen Xun and Qiao Ran shouted at the same time, looking at each other, both feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Alright, alright! Stop fooling around! Let's go! We'll be late if we don't leave now!" Lin Jiamo tied the scarf around her waist, grabbed Fang Hui, and ran.

They were among the last to arrive at school, and Teacher Hou inevitably gave them a few words of criticism. Chen Xun quickly took over her work and helped distribute the evening's food. Qiao Ran checked the costumes and props one by one. The props were really just a gauze scarf with a shiny pom-pom wrapped around it; it served as a belt when dancing "A-Xi Jumping Moon" and as a handkerchief when dancing "Charming Yangko."

Before departure, the principal, vice-principal, and director of moral education each gave a speech, full of grand pronouncements about national affairs and national integrity, displaying an air of self-confidence and a sense of invincibility. The students below didn't share such sentiments; they were more like children, excited. None of them had ever spent so much time together before, and the thought of staying up all night together filled them with joy.

Chang'an Avenue was already closed to traffic, and all the students had to walk to Tiananmen Square for the ceremony. Fortunately, they were young and didn't mind walking a little extra distance, chatting and laughing along the way, making it anything but lonely or boring. Teenage boys don't quite understand gentleness and consideration yet, and Chen Xun was too busy joking with the boys, occasionally leaning over to chat with Fang Hui, unaware that the plastic bag in her hand had been passed from left to right several times. It wasn't until Lin Jiamo complained about how heavy it was, and Zhao Ye eagerly went to help her carry it, that Chen Xun realized he should also help Fang Hui with her bag. But when he turned around, he saw that Fang Hui's hands were already free; Qiao Ye was walking beside her, carrying the two bags, and was opening a bottle of water for her.

Qiao Ran handed the water to Fang Hui and chatted with her: "I went to see it with my sister during the summer vacation. The story was alright, and the songs were really nice."

"What?" Chen Xun had only heard the beginning of the story, so he went over and asked.

"The movie, 'Lotus Lantern'," Fang Hui said. "The theme song is 'Love is Just One Word' by Jeff Chang."

“Oh! That one! I know, ‘Love is just one word, I’ll only say it once…’ right?” Chen Xun casually picked up Fang Hui’s water bottle and took a sip.

"Hey, you! Don't you have any sense of hygiene?! How are you going to drink fennel later if you drink this?" Qiao Ran said with a laugh.

"She doesn't mind me, so what's it to you?" Chen Xun said, half-jokingly and half-provokingly.

"Who...who said they wouldn't mind!" Fang Hui said shyly, snatching the bottle back. "Go drink your own!"

"Is that 'Lotus Lantern' good?" Chen Xun looked at Fang Hui's attempt to cover up her misunderstanding and almost laughed, but he quickly changed the subject and started talking about something else.

"It's alright, better than I expected. It's especially pure and beautiful, so you might not like watching it," Qiao Ran said.

"Go ahead and humiliate me!" Chen Xun ignored him and turned to Fang Hui, asking, "Want to see it? I'll take you to see it tomorrow!"

"I don't want to watch!" Fang Hui didn't expect him to say that in front of Qiao Ran. She felt very uncomfortable and hurriedly refused.

"It seems like it's not being shown anymore..." Qiao Ran said after thinking for a moment.

"Oh? What a pity!" Chen Xun sighed, looking very disappointed.

Not long after they started chatting, Teacher Hou, who was walking ahead, called out to Chen Xun. Chen Xun quickly responded and ran over. Qiao Ran looked at his back and said thoughtfully, "Fang Hui, you and Chen Xun are getting along quite well, huh?"

"Huh?" Fang Hui was taken aback, and stammered, "It's...it's alright, aren't we all fine?"

"Hehe, that's true." Qiao Ran smiled and said, "But to people who don't know, they might think you like Chen Xun! Girls probably all like guys like him!"

Fang Hui didn't know what to say, so she nodded awkwardly and then shook her head.

"No, not really..."

"Look how many girls in our school like him! Enough to form a reinforced platoon!"

"What's so great about that?" Fang Hui said, pouting as she looked at the students from Class 5.

"It's better than me, haha. Why didn't I think of going to see 'Lotus Lantern' with you?" Qiao Ran lowered her head, her eyes flashing with a light different from usual.

"Then...then let's just invite Jia Mo and Zhao Ye to go see it again together," Fang Hui said, seemingly unrelated to the question.

"Oh, sure." Qiao Ran's eyes dimmed for a moment, but only for a short while. When he looked up again, his smile was still gentle.

Chen Xun had been secretly watching them from ahead. Seeing the two whispering to each other, he finally couldn't help but call out, "Qiao Ran, stop teasing the girl! Come help count the people, we're almost there!"

"Get lost! Who's messing around! I'm coming!" Qiao Ran's cheeks flushed slightly as she turned to Fang Hui and said, "Then I'm going over there."

"Mm." Fang Hui nodded. Although Qiao Ran was a comfortable boy, she wasn't greedy.

Qiao Ran took a few steps forward, then suddenly turned around. He took the bottled water that Chen Xun had drunk from from Fang Hui's hand, took out the water from his own bag and handed it to Fang Hui, saying, "Drink this. It's untouched. I've already opened it for you."

Fang Hui took it, and looking at the clear, clean mineral water bottle in her hand, she suddenly felt a little lost and helpless.

The dance area in F was on the side of Chang'an Avenue near the Great Hall of the People. Fang Hui sighed as she looked at the wide square. At this distance, there was no way she could go home and report to her neighbors what clothes the national leaders were wearing, what tie they were wearing, whether they had moles on their faces, or how many wrinkles they had. It would be good enough if she could even catch a glimpse of them.

The party was scheduled to start at eight o'clock. It was still early, but everyone with performance duties was already ready. The principal of F Middle School ordered everyone to rest, not to wander around, and to raise their hands and report to the teacher if they needed to use the restroom. The students, sitting in the usually bustling Tiananmen Square, felt a somewhat unreal excitement. Zhao Ye expressed this restlessness to the fullest. He first pulled Lin Jiamo into playing "One, one, one by one...", clapping his hands so fast it attracted a lot of attention. Later, he teamed up with Chen Xun and Qiao Ran, and played "Dragon Tiger Fight" with Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo. Gradually, more and more students gathered around, so Zhao Ye simply organized about ten people to play "One frog has four legs, two frogs have eight legs." Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at it. Just as Zhao Ye was being teased by a group of people, waiting for Lin Jiamo to flick his forehead, Teacher Hou finally couldn't hold back any longer and came over.

"Sit still, all of you! The other students are all behaving themselves, but you're all acting crazy! How old are you? Still playing this?! If I hadn't come over, were you going to play 'eagle catches chicks' in Tiananmen Square?"

Chapters 72 and later were produced by the vendor.

"No, no, it won't make that much of a fuss. At most, we'll just 'catch nothing'," Zhao Ye said with a grin.

"I'm talking to you! Still laughing! Behave yourself for a while!" Teacher Hou said sternly. "I think you're too idle. Here's what I'll do: I'll give you a task. You'll be in charge of taking the students to the toilet in a bit. It's over there, by the blue fence."

"Ah?" Zhao Ye cried out in pain. "No need, it's more reliable for Qiao Ran to handle this. Isn't he the class's life committee member?"

"Stop making excuses! You're tall and have good eyesight, you can help keep an eye on things and prevent the students from getting lost! This place is so big and there are so many people, if someone really gets lost, where will we find them?" Hou Jia said, looking around.

"Teacher Hou, how did you set up those toilets? I've never seen so many toilets around Tiananmen Square before!" Lin Jiamo asked in confusion.

"Come on, I'll show you! You'll see when you see it, won't you?" Zhao Ye said with a grin.

"Look at him, what kind of person is he? He was so unhappy just now! But as soon as Jia Mo made the arrangements, he became like a little devil!" Chen Xun nudged Fang Hui and whispered. Fang Hui looked at Zhao Ye's beaming face and nodded with a smile.

“Why would you want to visit a toilet? When you came here, you saw those rows of rectangular drain covers by the roadside, right? Just remove those covers and you can use them as toilets,” Teacher Hou said, pointing into the distance.

"Huh? That's it! You can use it like that?" Zhao Ye exclaimed in surprise. "Who designed it? That's amazing!"

"You didn't know, did you? That's why Teacher Hou asked you to lead everyone to the toilets so that you could have a close-up look. Give us a written report later. As for your thoughts on this trip, just write 'Reflections on the Toilets in Tiananmen Square'!" Chen Xun said, winking.

"Damn! I think you've been having too much fun lately! I can't control you anymore!" Zhao Ye rushed over and forcefully pressed Chen Xun's head down. Everyone around burst into laughter. Teacher Hou laughed and scolded him, "Zhao Ye! Don't swear!"

When the music of "Love My China" resounded across the vast Tiananmen Square, the crowd naturally erupted in cheers. The usually leisurely dancing suddenly became energetic, with thousands of people skillfully spinning in circles together—a truly magnificent and beautiful scene. Such a sight can probably only be witnessed on the vast land of China.

Occasionally, when Fang Hui and Chen Xun meet, they exchange a smile, both feeling fortunate to be secretly enjoying their love amidst the vast sea of ​​people. I think this can be considered a kind of romance; after all, meeting among so many people is already difficult enough, and for them, still so young, mutual understanding is even more precious.

As the party progressed, spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky. These were unlike any fireworks we usually saw; each one was exquisitely crafted and launched with ceremonial cannons, creating large, bright, and vibrant displays. Because they were so close, almost within reach, they looked like celestial light, fallen from the Milky Way, blooming overhead. Fang Hui and the others had never seen such beautiful fireworks before, and they jumped and cheered like children.

The music started again, and Chen Xun called out to his classmates, "Brothers and sisters! Let's dance! This is the last time we'll dance together! Let's all get moving!"

"Jump! Jump!" Zhao Ye grabbed Lin Jiamo.

"Why... I'm not on this side..." Lin Jiamo asked, puzzled.

"Damn! This is the last time we'll dance together, who cares where we stand! By the time the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China arrives, we'll both be almost seventy, will we still be able to dance? We won't have a chance to dance together then, so let's just leave it at that, hurry up!"

As the music of "Youth Dance" played, Zhao Ye struck a very gentlemanly dance-off pose. Lin Jiamo laughed at his odd gesture and happily took his hand.

The roar of the entire square echoed to the horizon. Lin Jiamo covered her ears and shouted loudly to Fang Hui, but Fang Hui still couldn't hear what she said. The two gestured to each other for a long time before realizing that Lin Jiamo meant "take a picture." Fang Hui gave the camera to Teacher Hou for help. Lin Jiamo pulled Chen Xun and the others over, and the five of them squeezed together, striking various poses, taking the only group photo of their lives in the night filled with golden fireworks.

That grand ceremony, which attracted worldwide attention, ultimately became, in the eyes of these teenagers, the reflection of fireworks in a photograph. They had no idea how history would record it, nor were they aware that they had become part of an important day. As one of the millions who looked up at that magnificent spectacle, Fang Hui simply felt happy at that moment, so much so that she ignored the hand she and Chen Xun were secretly holding, and the surprised and sad gaze of Qiao Ran behind her.

(4)

The saying "character determines destiny" is absolutely true. Take Chen Xun and Qiao Ran, for example. Based on Fang Hui's description, I think Chen Xun is good at creating problems, while Qiao Ran is good at solving them; Chen Xun likes to show off, while Qiao Ran enjoys observing; Chen Xun is resolute and decisive, while Qiao Ran is equally resolute but hesitant; Chen Xun's process of doing things is to think, act, and then think again, while Qiao Ran's process is to think, think again, and then act.

In short, you could say that Chen Xun is an aggressive type of guy, while Qiao Ran is a defensive type. This directly determined their fate with Fang Hui: love and hate, blame and forgiveness, meeting and parting.

After the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China ended, F Middle School students walked back to school together. Perhaps the revelry had exhausted their energy, for the students had all quieted down. Fang Hui also didn't have the energy to chat with Chen Xun and the others anymore; she had something urgent to attend to, and it was causing her considerable distress.

Because it was late after the event, the school asked parents to pick up their children. Fang Jianzhou and Xu Yanxin both insisted on picking up their daughter. Xu Yanxin thought it was too late and Fang Hui was tired from dancing, so she should drive her to Julong Garden to rest. Fang Jianzhou, however, argued that he could just park his bicycle at school and take a taxi home without drawing attention by driving. Neither could convince the other, and their argument quickly escalated to a discussion about money. One said, "So what if you have a little money?" The other retorted, "So what if you have a little money? With that, my daughter can ride comfortably in a luxury imported car instead of wandering the streets late at night trying to hail a taxi, having to carefully choose a cheap 1.2 yuan Xiali instead of a 1.6 yuan Fukang." They argued, slammed their phones down, and ultimately couldn't reach an agreement. Fang Hui, fearing they would all come and cause a scene at the school gate, making a scene, hurriedly said goodbye to everyone upon returning to school and ran to the gate, eagerly waiting to go home with her father. It wasn't that she was thinking about anything else; she just felt that it wasn't easy for her father to ride his bike all the way here, and she couldn't let him go home alone. It would be better if her mother had a car.

On the other side, Chen Xun watched Fang Hui walk away, then went to get his car. Boys weren't as troublesome as girls, so he didn't ask his family to make a trip in the middle of the night. When Chen Xun reached the bike shed, he ran into Qiao Ran. He, too, had no family to pick him up and was deep in thought, turning his car keys absentmindedly. Chen Xun walked over and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Hey! What are you thinking about in the middle of the night?"

Qiao Ran looked back at him, then lowered her head to unlock the car and said, "No one from your family came."

"No! It's too much trouble. We're all grown up now, not elementary school students. We don't need them to pick us up and drop us off. Besides, the security is definitely good today. What could possibly happen?" Chen Xun unlocked the car and pushed it out.

"Let's go out together then," Qiao Ran said, tying the scarf she used for dancing to the handlebars and turning around.

"Okay, let's go," Chen Xun said, hopping on his bicycle.

The moonlight bathed the two young boys in a silvery glow as they rode their bicycles side-by-side on the quiet street, radiating the unique energy of youth. The darkness of the night and the beauty of the moon brought a sense of peace, and in this setting, Qiao Ran finally asked the question that had troubled him for so long. His tone was calm and honest as he asked, "Chen Xun, do you like Fang Hui?"

Chen Xun was a little surprised. He paused for a moment, then smiled naturally and said, "Yes! I like Fang Hui, and... she likes me too. Actually, we're already friends!"

Qiao Ran was backlit and couldn't see his smile clearly. Although the moonlight was bright, he felt the world darken for a moment. This brief darkness caused a sudden, dull pain in his heart.

"I'm sorry, we've been keeping it a secret from everyone. We were afraid that if too many people found out, it wouldn't be good. But since you've already figured it out, I won't hide it from you anymore!" Chen Xun said with a smile.

"Oh, I see." Qiao Ran forced a smile, took a deep breath at the empty night sky, and said, "Fang Hui is a good girl, she's really a good person."

"Yes! She has a very kind heart," Chen Xun nodded and said.

"Kind and innocent."

"I never bother anyone and try to do everything myself."

"If you ask her for help, she will definitely do her best."

"Although she doesn't talk much, she is thoughtful and considerate."

"Not vain, not pretentious."

"I looked a bit clumsy when I did the exercises in PE class, but the way I tried to raise my arms straight was cute."

"She looks adorable when she's focused on her homework."

"The desks were very neatly arranged."

"School uniforms are always clean."

"Beautiful eyebrows and eyes."

"Beautiful fingers."

"Good skin."

"Her hair is very soft."

"Her handwriting is beautiful."

"Your voice is pleasant to hear."

"You're good at drawing."

"She sings well too."

"clever."

"gentle."

"That's why I like her!"

"..."

Their praise for their shared crush came to an abrupt end at the crossroads. Chen Xun's last words left Qiao Ran speechless. He suddenly awoke from his beautiful fantasies about Fang Hui. He sadly realized that even if Fang Hui was wonderful, he had already lost her. Perhaps it wasn't even a loss, because he had never had her in the first place. Therefore, he had no right to confront Chen Xun's pride.

Qiao Ran and Chen Xun parted ways at that intersection, each going in a different direction with different feelings, just like their feelings for Fang Hui later on—two different paths that diverged from that moment on.

Actually, I think Qiao Ran was a bit foolish. He gave up without giving himself any room to maneuver. If he hadn't asked Chen Xun if he liked Fang Hui in the first place, but instead directly said that he liked Fang Hui, then perhaps Chen Xun would have been the one suffering in silence, and he might have had a chance to compete fairly with Chen Xun, at least without having to hide his feelings. But he didn't. Chen Xun's honesty cornered him, forcing him to suppress his feelings, burying them deep in the depths of his youth, and burying them there for many, many years.

Fang Hui and Chen Xun's secret was thus revealed. Since four out of the five people already knew, the remaining one could no longer be kept in the dark.

Zhao Ye was incredibly excited upon hearing the news, even more so than the people involved. He kept praising their undercover work while observing their every word and action with shining eyes, often letting out inexplicable little bursts of excitement, earning a row of eye-rolls from those around him. Unfortunately, no one shared this pleasure with him. Fang Hui was too shy to tell him, Chen Xun was afraid of being teased by him and didn't bring it up, Lin Jiamo's novelty had long worn off, and she disdained to talk about it every day as if she had discovered a new continent, while Qiao Ran was saddened by her own heart and didn't want to mention it at all.

Even so, Zhao Ye was still unusually excited, as if he had taken hormones. In fact, he was not just watching the show, but looking at the matter from a different perspective.

Zhao Ye's feelings for Lin Jiamo were practically love at first sight, and he was completely smitten upon second meeting. Despite his usual helpfulness and willingness to be at the forefront, he was actually quite timid at heart, especially around Lin Jiamo. As Chen Xun put it, he was as naive as a chicken. This comment once earned him a beating, forcing Chen Xun to always clarify that he meant "chicken," not "young lady."

Ultimately, Zhao Ye was worried about being rejected; that would be incredibly embarrassing. They hung out together every day, constantly running into each other. If he were to be rejected, he'd really lose face. After all, Lin Jiamo hadn't said anything, just spent her days fooling around with Zhao Ye. That time when they were drunk, Lin Jiamo fell asleep against his chest, while Zhao Ye was burning with anxiety, and after taking her home, he rode his bicycle around the Second Ring Road to calm down. Therefore, Zhao Ye hesitated to confess his feelings, afraid that Lin Jiamo's beautiful smile would vanish from his sight.

This incident involving Chen Xun and Fang Hui gave Zhao Ye courage. He suddenly realized that the two of them could play around like good friends every day, while also harboring mutual admiration in their hearts. They could secretly hold hands, slip notes, or break off an eraser in a corner where no one could see. This beautiful relationship greatly stimulated Zhao Ye. He longed to be like Chen Xun and Fang Hui with Lin Jia Mo, so much so that he forgot about the possible awkwardness.

But Zhao Ye didn't know that Lin Jiamo had absolutely no such thoughts, and even if she did, they weren't directed at him. She hadn't returned the copy of "First Intimate Contact" to Su Kai yet. Su Kai was in his final year of high school and too busy to hang out with them, so they rarely saw each other. Lin Jiamo maintained a small connection with him solely through this novel. Every time Su Kai passed by their classroom, he would stop and call out, "Jiamo, have you finished reading the book?" Lin Jiamo would pretend to say, "No! Qingwu Feiyang isn't dead yet!" Gradually, it seemed that the novel was no longer so important, just an excuse for Lin Jiamo to smile at him.

Over time, when Fang Hui and the others got together, they started talking about sensitive topics like "likes." Zhao Ye would always subtly suggest that one should confess at the right time; there might only be a thin veil separating the two people, but if it wasn't said, they would never know. Lin Jiamo automatically applied this to Su Kai. With his graduation approaching, she was unwilling to just say goodbye and let him go like that, so she nodded frequently, saying that Zhao Ye's thinking made sense. Little did she know that this only made Zhao Ye more eager to make his move.

Qiao Ran held a different view. He felt that liking someone didn't necessarily have to be expressed. Being willing to sacrifice one's own happiness for the happiness of the person you love was also a good sacrifice. Didn't Faye Wong have a song called "You're Happy So I'm Happy"? It's pretty good, really good.

Lin Jiamo called him a bookish philosopher, saying he's too unrealistic. Even Faye Wong has children, yet he's the only one who actually believes in that "your happiness is my happiness." If things continue like this, anyone could be happier than Qiao Ran!

Qiao Ran smiled and said nothing more.

Chen Xun said that liking this kind of thing is an irresistible impulse—wanting to go to school together in the morning and come home together in the evening, ideally spending every day together, seeing each other the moment he opens his eyes. So even if they can't always be together in the future, they must make sure they have no regrets while they're still close. When they're old and look back, they'll still feel how wonderful it was to have met someone like that.

Fang Hui felt a little uncomfortable hearing this. She hadn't believed Chen Xun's promise of forever, and now that he said he had once possessed her, she felt heartbroken. Therefore, in her view, liking someone meant letting one's heart belong to another, an emotion that was hard to say whether it was good or bad. She couldn't refute Chen Xun's words, but she thought to herself, "Just like he said, if we end up scattered to the ends of the earth, let's not regret it."

Everyone has their own thoughts, and the children can no longer interact as innocently as they did at the beginning. That's how growing up is; you always gain some things and lose others. For example, they will never know what those once innocent conversations will lead to later outcomes.

(5)

Actually, if they hadn't talked about liking each other that day, Fang Hui and Chen Xun might never have mentioned the past again. Fang Hui said that now she thinks some things are better left unknown, but what's done is done, and she couldn't tell her past self not to be curious and listen; it was all too late.

After everyone finished eating, they went home to their mothers. Fang Hui didn't ride her bike; she was staying at her mother's house that night, and Chen Xun took her home. In the past, if things had happened like this, Fang Hui might have let anyone give her a ride—Qiao Ran or Zhao Ye would have been fine with it. But ever since her affair with Chen Xun was exposed, the back seat of Chen Xun's bicycle had become her designated seat. Qiao Ran stood on the other side of the road waving goodbye to them. Under the locust tree, there were three figures, but he alone seemed a little lonely.

Early autumn in Beijing is the best time of year. The ginkgo trees on both sides of May Fourth Street shed their golden leaves, which fall and carpet the ground. Fang Hui sat behind Chen Xun, holding onto the bicycle frame, swinging her legs back and forth like a mischievous little girl.

"Just you wait, Zhao Ye is going to make a move on Jia Mo!" Chen Xun said, turning half his face as he pedaled his bicycle.

"Huh? No way?" Fang Hui said in surprise.

"Definitely! His little tricks won't escape my notice!"

"Hmm, he seems really serious about Jia Mo..."

"Tch! Who isn't he serious about? Lili in elementary school, Xiaopin in middle school, and in high school, it's Jiamo's turn."

"Oh? Is that so? Well, that's fine then. Anyway, Jia Mo wouldn't agree." Fang Hui frowned and said, "Boys value their first love the most, right? It's like their first love, isn't it?"

"Maybe so, but I think first love only counts when two people like each other, like us. The first person you like... isn't it usually unrequited love?"

"I don't know either……"

"Hehe, does that mean I'm not your first love? It's Li He, right?" Chen Xun said sourly. He always felt that, whether good or bad, Li He left too deep a mark on Fang Hui. Even after so many years, she still dreams about him.

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Fang Hui was a little angry. "He and I have never..."

"Okay, okay!" Chen Xun stretched out his arm and patted her on the shoulder. "I was just kidding!"

"And what about you! Am I your first love?" Fang Hui asked, a little nervous, her hands unconsciously gripping the bicycle frame tightly.

"Damn! Of course! Otherwise I wouldn't be in such a sorry state!" Chen Xun shouted.

"Never had a crush on anyone?" Fang Hui relaxed and asked with a playful smile.

"No..." Chen Xun said without thinking, but then suddenly stopped, "I guess so..."

Fang Hui's heel slammed hard against the rear wheel of the car, causing her a sharp pain.

"Let's chat for a while before going back," Chen Xun said, stopping and turning around.

"Okay..." Fang Hui answered absentmindedly. Her heart had just paused for a moment, and she was still unsure whether Chen Xun had said "no" or "yes".

"I'll treat you to an ice pop! I'm all sweaty from riding! How about an ice pop? Do you want orange or lychee?"

"orange."

"Okay! Wait for me!" Chen Xun parked the car on the side of the road and ran towards the nearby convenience store.

Chen Xun bought popsicles, and the two of them sat on the curb next to the road. Fang Hui took a small bite, and the orange-flavored ice made her shiver. She coughed twice and asked casually, "Is there?"

"Huh? What?" Chen Xun took a sip of the ice water that was about to drip down his face and turned his head to say.

"The person who has unrequited love..." Fang Hui whispered, "is it Wang Manman?"

"How could it be her!" Chen Xun waved his hand vigorously.

Who is that?

"Actually, it wasn't really a one-sided love... um... you know her." Chen Xun said somewhat awkwardly, lowering his head, "It's... Wu Tingting."

"Oh..." Fang Hui tried to remain calm. She thought of Wu Tingting's beautiful low-cut dress, her pretty and mature appearance, and her lively and open words, and suddenly felt a little sad.

"Didn't you ask me who Bai Feng was last time? I might as well tell you about our past." Chen Xun gazed into the distance, already lost in his memories of the past.

"Okay." Following his gaze, Fang Hui also looked blankly to the other side. She had a feeling that there was a place she could never see clearly.

While Chen Xun and Tang Haibing, sporting buzz cuts, wearing tank tops and shorts, and sniffling, ran rampant through the alleyways like self-proclaimed goddesses, Wu Tingting was still an innocent, pretty, and lovable little girl. Back then, she never swore, never smoked, and never wore revealing clothes. She always wore a clean little floral dress, her hair in two braids, bouncing along behind them, saying in her childish voice, "Wait for me, wait for me." At these times, Tang Haibing usually ignored Wu Tingting's calls and continued charging forward, while Chen Xun would always stop, turn around, and shout, "Hurry up!" If she was too slow, Chen Xun would simply pull her along with him.

However, Chen Xun and Wu Tingting weren't childhood sweethearts in the traditional romantic sense. In Beijing during the late 1980s and early 1990s, these kids didn't even know the meaning of romance. They would fight over Golden Chicken chips and shrimp crackers, sometimes to the point of bickering; they would tattle on each other's parents over how hard they slapped the three-character word; they would also happily break open Big Bubble Gum or Double Popsicles, sharing half; they would secretly buy a five-cent bowl of tofu pudding and eat it head-to-head. This kind of life didn't foster any intense emotions, only the joy of standing at each other's gates and shouting their names, and a faint, inexplicable affection.

Bai Feng was different from the other kids. He was two or three years older than them, and he was ahead of them in everything—going to school, becoming sensible, and getting into trouble. His family wasn't well-off. His father had been imprisoned for theft, and his mother was a female inmate from the same prison. They somehow got married and had a child after their release, but then somehow they couldn't stand each other anymore. In the end, neither of them wanted the child and left him with his grandfather. Bai Feng's grandfather adopted him. The old man had seen through everything; he couldn't even rely on his own eyes, let alone his eyes. He simply provided him with extra food and drink, and Bai Feng treated him like a kitten or puppy.

Fortunately, none of this hindered Bai Feng's happy growth, at least not at first. He used his intelligence and height to become the leader of the neighborhood kids. For example, he always managed to grab the bag when playing "Cut the Bag," gaining extra lives; he was excellent at both offense and defense when playing "Kick the Pot"; he was the most skillful at catching insects; the crickets in the glass jar always chirped the loudest; and he was the number one fighter in the alleys. So everyone loved to follow him and play with him. After dinner in the evening, they would all rush to Bai Feng's place like a party. In their alley, you could always hear the children's innocent shouts: "Let's go find Bai Feng!"

At that time, Chen Xun, Tang Haibing, and Sun Tao were Bai Feng's devoted fans, while Yang Qing and Wu Tingting were his devoted admirers. Children don't know how to express affection; boys usually try to get girls' attention by chasing and playing around. Every time Chen Xun "bullied" Wu Tingting, she would pout and say with a wronged expression, "I'm going to tell Bai Feng!" and then run away, skipping away. Little Chen Xun, left behind, would feel a little sad. And so, a simple love triangle formed between the three.

Unfortunately, this happy period didn't last long. As they grew older, the adults gradually got involved. Fewer and fewer people wanted to play with Bai Feng. The reason was simple: their parents wouldn't allow it, fearing they'd be corrupted by the child of a criminal. Actually, Bai Feng's father wasn't necessarily a particularly powerful figure, but through word of mouth, the story became much more complicated. Aunt Zhang often told her grandson, "Bai Feng's father has killed several people! The murder weapon is still under their bed! If you play with Bai Feng, and he doesn't like you, he'll stab you three times!" Uncle Wang, the youngest, threatened his son, "Bai Feng's family has a hereditary killing habit. When he goes crazy, even your father can't control him! Don't play with him anymore, understand?" In comparison, Chen Xun's mother was more scientific and objective. She simply said, "Don't go to Bai Feng's place anymore. You become like those you associate with." Bai Feng understood all this perfectly well. He wasn't angry or resentful; he simply hung out with his classmates at school and stopped showing his face in the alley.

The only one who wasn't very obedient was Wu Tingting. She still went to Bai Feng's house every day, knocking on the door and asking his grandfather, "Is Bai Feng home?" However, her expectant questions often received disappointing answers. Her grandfather would always shake his head and say, "No, he's out playing wildly! Sigh! He's just like his father!" After this happened several times, Wu Tingting finally met Bai Feng, or rather, not only Bai Feng, but also a rather strange girl with him. The girl was wearing very tight clothes, and the shape of her small breasts was clearly visible. Bai Feng sat very close to her, swearing and laughing while smoking.

"Tingting! Come in!" Bai Feng smiled happily when he saw her.

Wu Tingting walked in timidly, and Bai Feng grabbed her and stuffed a handful of sour tricolors into her hand.

"Look how pretty our Tingting is!" Bai Feng said proudly to the girl next to him.

"You're not a pedophile, are you?" The girl glanced at Wu Tingting disdainfully.

"Get lost! Are you jealous?" Bai Feng slapped her butt without any hesitation.

Wu Tingting's palms were sweaty, and the candy seemed to have melted a little, leaving a sticky feeling that made her very uncomfortable.

"Who is she?" Wu Tingting asked in a low voice.

“Her? Your sister-in-law!” Bai Feng said with a wicked grin.

"sister in law?"

"That's my wife!" Bai Feng laughed loudly. The girl was a little embarrassed and punched him hard.

Wu Tingting cried when she left Bai Feng's house. She ate candy while wiping away her tears. On the way, she met Chen Xun, who hurriedly approached her face, repeatedly asking what was wrong. Wu Tingting took two steps back, pulling her floral dress tightly back like a bodysuit, and looked up at Chen Xun, asking, "Does it look good?"

"It doesn't look very good," Chen Xun said, tilting his head in confusion.

"It's beautiful! You don't understand!" Wu Tingting spun around angrily.

"Well... it looks good, right?" Chen Xun said helplessly.

“Actually…” Wu Tingting lowered her head, “I also think it doesn’t look very good…”

To be honest, Bai Feng never gave Wu Tingting any benefits, let alone any emotional investment. He treated her like a doll, and that was true until he left completely.

That day, when he saw Wu Tingting, he ran over as usual and stuffed candy into her hands. It seemed like he could always conjure up something she liked in his pocket. Wu Tingting took it and put it in her mouth, imitating Lai Ning by crumpling the candy wrapper into a small stick.

"Does it look good?" Wu Tingting suddenly remembered something, and she hurriedly adjusted the dress back into a tight shape.

"Beautiful! Our Tingting is the most beautiful!" Bai Feng smiled as he watched her fuss.

"Is she prettier than your wife?" Wu Tingting's childish voice uttered the word "wife," sounding particularly awkward.

"Hmm! Prettier than her!" Bai Feng bent down and pinched her cheek.

"Then can I be your wife?" Wu Tingting asked innocently and earnestly.

Bai Feng laughed loudly, and finally, looking at Wu Tingting's almost tearful face, he insisted that it was okay.

"Grow up! Grow up and be my wife!"

"good!"

This was their last conversation. Wu Tingting, who harbored the most beautiful dreams, never imagined that she and Bai Feng would part ways forever.

Around 2 a.m., two police cars drove into the alley, their blue and red roof lights flashing and sending shivers down the spines of everyone in the neighborhood. Wu Tingting, still half asleep, huddled in her mother's arms. Her father and several men had gone out of the hospital for a visit. They returned shortly after, and her mother rushed to greet them, asking anxiously, "What happened? Has something happened to someone?"

"The Bai family! Their grandson cracked someone's skull! The police are arresting him!"

"My goodness! How could Bai Feng be so bold! Did you catch him?"

"No! They ran away a long time ago and didn't come home last night. That family is really something! I told them not to let Tingting play with him all the time, but they didn't take it seriously! Look at this! Now someone has died!"

"Who doesn't take this seriously! I tell her what to do, does she even listen? Tingting! Tingting!...Hey? Where did this child go!"

Upon hearing Bai Feng's name, Wu Tingting had already run out. At the courtyard gate, she met Chen Xun, who had also come after hearing the news. The two stared at each other, speechless. After a long while, Wu Tingting finally caught her breath and said shakily, "Do you think Bai Feng is alright?"

"Are you alright?" Chen Xun's words didn't sound like an answer at all.

"It's okay, it's definitely okay," Wu Tingting said confidently.

"Yes, it'll definitely be fine," Chen Xun said confidently, echoing her sentiment.

The two children were eventually taken home by their parents. They thought that after a good night's sleep, everything would be fine tomorrow, and they could ask Bai Feng what had happened. But they never saw him again after that.

Bai Feng's case is simple: a group fight after drinking resulted in multiple injuries and one death. Besides Bai Feng, two other suspects are still at large and are currently wanted. The deceased was a vocational high school student; it is rumored that Bai Feng struck him on the back of the head with a beer bottle during the chaos, causing his immediate death. Most of the children involved were sent to juvenile detention centers, while the remaining few with less serious offenses received disciplinary action from their schools.

The widely publicized Bai Feng incident came to an end. People would only mention him a few times during their leisure time, and then forget about him. The only one who changed was Wu Tingting. She later hung out with Bai Feng's friends, and started wearing tight clothes, wearing makeup, and swearing. She collected every clue, trying to find out everything that had happened to Bai Feng. Stubbornly, she firmly believed that one day Bai Feng would return. Even if they couldn't keep their promises, at least they could smile at each other when they thought of each other. This was her most persistent thought throughout her adolescence, a thought that lingered for many years.

"And what about you? Do you still like her?" Fang Hui asked quietly.

"How could that be! Now I have you!" Chen Xun gently stroked her hair, sighed, and said, "I don't like you anymore. I think for two people to be together, they must be the most supreme and irreplaceable existence in each other's hearts. But obviously, I can't replace Bai Feng's position in Tingting's heart. I'm not willing to compromise, and she doesn't want to settle for second best. Since that's the case, why force ourselves to be together?"

"Give up because of this? You're really selfish and domineering... Can't you put in a little more effort?" Fang Hui shook her head and said.

"It's different... Hehe, anyway, I'm a pretty extreme person, so don't let me find out that I've done anything to betray me!" Chen Xun said with a smile.

"But I still feel sorry for her. I think it's really not worth it for her, because Bai Feng's life changed her own life, but after changing herself, she couldn't have the slightest impact on Bai Feng. Such waiting is so meaningless."

“Some things may mean nothing to you, but they might mean something to others,” Fang Hui said softly. She sensed a lot of resentment in Chen Xun’s tone, which made her very uncomfortable.

"Alright, alright! Enough! Let's go! I'll take you home... Ouch! What happened to you!" Chen Xun stood up and pulled Fang Hui, then suddenly pointed at her clothes and yelled.

Fang Hui looked down and realized that the melted orange popsicle water had dripped onto her clothes, turning the usually pleasant orange color into a messy and shocking sight.

She gave a bitter laugh; even though she tried to appear indifferent, her underlying panic couldn't hide the slight heartache. There was always a void in Chen Xun's heart that she couldn't enter.

(6)

I think the saying "a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea" is quite inappropriate. If you ask me, a woman's heart is simply a black hole in the universe! You think you've seen the general outline, but it's just a shadow. The real content is at least tens of thousands of light-years away from you.

Fang Hui and I had a minor disagreement.

I'm not sure what caused it, but what was different from usual was that we ran into Huanhuan while we were buying groceries. We were struggling to haggle over some cucumbers and vegetables, and the vendor was rather distracted, because at his other stall, a group of even more aggressive people were relentlessly belittling the value of his carrots. And those two were Huanhuan and her Australian boyfriend.

Finally, our two teams met victoriously, each carrying cucumbers and carrots. It was, to be honest, a somewhat awkward scene, especially when I realized the Australian man looked basically like a pig. My lips twitched involuntarily. I figured this little vixen was clearly indirectly insulting me; she dumped me for him, which meant he was better than me, right? But… damn it! In what way is he better than me?!

Huanhuan raised an eyebrow, a sign of her unease. She took the man's arm as if to assert her position, and said in her still-unchanged Sichuan-accented English, "Hi!"

I thought to myself, "What are you pretending for! There are four of us, three of whom are Chinese. Why are you spouting foreign nonsense?"

"Hello!" I said in a very gentlemanly manner. "Your friend? That's great! I thought you'd never come to the market again! Did you come here today specifically for romance? You two seem to have great chemistry while haggling!"

"It's... alright." Her face turned noticeably green, then she glanced at Fang Hui and said, "Living together?"

Before Fang Hui could respond, I grabbed her hand and said, "Yes!"

Actually, I was really unsure of myself. What if Fang Hui suddenly broke free and said "no"? I would lose face terribly. But she cooperated very well, obediently placing her soft, boneless hand in my palm, just like a really sweet couple.

"I knew it..." Huanhuan looked like she knew everything. "So I was wise back then. You liked her from the beginning, didn't you?"

Although she was wrong, I didn't argue, because she was at least half right; I do like Fang Hui now. Besides, Huanhuan's slightly sad expression made me feel a pang of sadness. I didn't feel any satisfaction that she was unhappy; we're both in the same boat, why make things difficult for each other!

"If you don't mind, could you please speak in English?" The pig-like man next to me finally spoke.

Huanhuan immediately put on a bright smile and introduced us very gently, of course without mentioning that I was her ex-boyfriend, only saying that I was her classmate.

The man exchanged a few pleasantries, but his gaze towards Fang Hui was extremely lewd. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I said a few random words and pulled her away.

As soon as we were out of their sight, Fang Hui shook off my hand, the force of which told me she was definitely unhappy. I quickly went to her side and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much, everyone's gone, we don't need to keep acting anymore, right?"

That girl is pretty smart; she saw right through my little tricks.

"Yes, yes, then why are you angry?"

Who's angry?

"Look at you, look at you, you're not telling the truth! Your face is still all scrunched up, and you're still being stubborn!"

"Heh, I wonder who's being dishonest between us!" She sneered, making me feel completely uncomfortable.

"How am I being dishonest? Tell me!"

"Why did you say those things to Huanhuan! You're clearly still thinking about her!"

"I don't have time to think about her right now!"

"Then why did you keep her cup so carefully?"

"I……"

"Alright! No need to explain, didn't you say so yourself? Explaining is just covering up, and covering up is just telling a story!"

I was so angry that I burst out laughing. Fang Hui usually doesn't take what I say to heart, but whenever we argue, she always manages to say something ridiculous to shut me up.

"I've figured it out, you're my nemesis!" I said, taking the bag from her hand.

"I don't deserve it!" Fang Hui didn't argue, handed the bag to me, but still had a little bit of temper left.

"Ah! I get it, you're jealous, aren't you?" I teased her, though it was a joke, I still had a sliver of hope.

"Zhang Nan! Can you stop talking nonsense?!" Fang Hui glared at me, completely extinguishing any hope I had.

I chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "Keeping her cup doesn't mean I still like her. Just like throwing away everything Chen Xun has doesn't mean you've forgotten him. Let's put it this way, people don't only have love and hate; they also reminisce, complain, miss, and sigh. Just because I broke up with Huanhuan doesn't mean I can only hate and despise her, right? After all, we had a very happy time together, and for that part of my life, I can't completely forget her. You women like to make a man's heart always belong to only one person, but let me tell you, no man can do that! Even if someone says that, they're lying to you! There's no point in dwelling on the past. A wise woman doesn't scheme to possess a man's past; she only thinks about how to possess his present and future!"

I didn't mean anything by what I said; it was just a casual remark. But Fang Hui was touched by my words. She was silent for a moment and then said, "I didn't realize you were so knowledgeable about this!"

"That's right! I've learned through practice!"

“But…” Fang Hui turned around and smiled helplessly at me, “Why didn’t you tell me when I was 16?”

I was a little stunned, then smiled helplessly and said, "Then why didn't you meet me when you were 16?"

Fang Hui became somewhat sensitive after hearing Chen Xun talk about Wu Tingting.

Before knowing the truth, Fang Hui actually quite liked Wu Tingting, because among Chen Xun's childhood friends, Wu Tingting was the one who helped her out the most and took the best care of her. But now Fang Hui wasn't so grateful anymore. She thought Chen Xun and Wu Tingting must have discussed something, which was why Wu Tingting was so nice to her. Wu Tingting's actions weren't because she liked Fang Hui or accepted her, but simply to help Chen Xun. Considering the ambiguous relationship between them in the past, Fang Hui felt deceived.

However, Chen Xun didn't understand Fang Hui's feelings. He felt that sharing his past with her would be a more comfortable thing for both of them. Compared to the many doubts and speculations surrounding Li He's case, wouldn't it be better to just say it directly? Therefore, he didn't mind continuing to mention Wu Tingting in front of Fang Hui, and thus ignored Fang Hui's somber expression.

Because Chen Xun had very bad memories associated with his birthday, Fang Hui didn't make any special arrangements for it. It wasn't until October 9th that Qiao Ran couldn't hold back any longer and asked Chen Xun how he planned to celebrate.

Chen Xun said that the two of them didn't plan to celebrate, but Qiao Ran shook her head and said that the two of them were having their own business, and the five of them were having their own business, so they couldn't mix them up. In the end, they agreed that one afternoon would be spent ordering a cake and the other afternoon would be spent buying gifts, all of which they did without Fang Hui's knowledge.

It wasn't until school was over that Lin Jiamo pulled Fang Hui to a corner of the schoolyard, where she was surprised to see a cake with "Happy Birthday Fang Hui" written on it and three boys with smug looks on their faces.

Everyone gave her a plush teddy bear as a gift. The necklace around the teddy bear's neck was a separate gift from Chen Xun. He also made a rice chain and put the rice grains he had scattered on his birthday into it. The names of the two of them were faintly shimmering inside the bottle.

Fang Hui laughed happily, almost to the point of tears.

The cake couldn't escape being torn to pieces. They each picked up cream and smeared it on each other's faces and bodies. Qiao Ran's glasses were covered in cream, and Lin Jiamo even had cake flowers left in her hair. Zhao Ye said that there was cream on every part of his body that looked like a hole. Chen Xun's cheeks were green and red on one side, while Fang Hui's face was almost completely obscured.

Lin Jiamo and Fang Hui rinsed their hair under the tap in the women's restroom, sneezing as they did so. Lin Jiamo twisted her braid and said, "How come there are some here too! It's all Zhao Ye's fault! If he hadn't thrown them, you wouldn't have thrown them back!"

"Yes! This water is really cold!"

"We were saying we'd go to the Blue Island trampoline park later! How are we going to get there now!"

"Let's wipe it with a table cover first, then let's go! It's too cold!"

As they walked out of the teaching building, Chen Xun greeted them, handing them his school uniform jacket and saying, "Use this to dry your hair! Don't catch a cold."

"Great! Better than the tablecloth!" Lin Jiamo said with a smile as she took it.

"Aren't you cold?" Fang Hui asked, looking at his T-shirt. "What are you going to do when you get home tonight?"

"It's okay, go ahead and wipe it!" Chen Xun put the oversized school uniform over her head and began to wipe her head carefully.

Qiao Ran came out and saw this scene. He looked at the shirt he had deliberately taken off in his hand and silently stuffed it back into his schoolbag.

"Let's finish this and go! I'm going to box today! Break the Blue Island record!" Zhao Ye said as he walked over, carrying their backpacks.

"Let's go!" Chen Xun said, pulling the school uniform over Fang Hui's hair. "You wear this for now, so you don't catch a cold!"

Back then, if they didn't have much homework, they'd occasionally go to the Blue Island Arcade, the game hall on the top floor of Blue Island. It had many coin-operated games, one yuan per jack, but they usually looked more than they played. Generally, their itinerary was like this: first, they'd go to the nearby Ocean Blue Sky and Kama Mall to enjoy the air conditioning or heat. They'd gather around the high-end counters looking for new gadgets, counting the zeros on the price tags. Back then, the merchants were relatively honest; they wouldn't mark something worth 10,000 as 9,999 just to fool you. After their exclamations, one of them would always make a grand pronouncement, "When I'm rich, I'll buy the whole place for everyone!" "We'll buy one, smash it, and give the last one to our pet!" "Pshaw! This place won't be called 'Ocean Blue Sky' anymore; it'll be my family property, with our family crest! You know what a family crest is? I'll give each of you one, take it to my territory, and you can roam freely! Just kidding!"

Even now, Fang Hui still laughs when she talks about it. She says it's a pity the shopping mall wasn't very cooperative; it changed its name before they even had a chance to make a fortune. I shook my head and said, "That's the distance between ideals and reality!"

The most eye-catching machine at the Blue Island trampoline park is the dance machine, which always attracts a crowd. Most people don't dare to go on it and embarrass themselves; if you don't score a few points, you're too ashamed to get off. Those who do play on it are always "dance masters," having the songs and steps memorized. Watching them perform is truly enjoyable; on that little machine, it feels like they're flying.

Seeing someone showing off on the dance machine, Chen Xun said disdainfully, "So-so, not as good as Wu Tingting. She looks much better when she moves! She did a perfect job with 'BUTTERFLY'! And that last three-button move, she touched the ground with both hands and one foot, it was fucking beautiful!"

"Who is it? Why are you talking about something so sinister!" Zhao Ye said in surprise.

“I’ve met Fang Hui, she’s my childhood friend!” To prove he wasn’t lying, Chen Xun grabbed Fang Hui and said, “You’ve met her, haven’t you?”

Fang Hui nodded bitterly and said no more.

Despite Chen Xun's enthusiastic explanation, he himself failed miserably when he tried it. Their favorite game was "Spot the Difference," a cheap and universally appealing activity. The five of them would stare at the screen, poking at the differences with their fingers. From a distance, it looked silly and chaotic, but they didn't care, constantly shouting nonsensical things like "Skirt!" "Clouds!" "Flowers!" Sometimes they'd burst into laughter, sometimes they'd sigh in disappointment.

Fang Hui said that was a time when the five of them were all very happy together, but after that, they gradually stopped being able to laugh together anymore.

(7)

Zhao Ye deliberately chose a sunny autumn day that both he and Lin Jiamo liked to confess his feelings.

Qiao Ran and Chen Xun didn't know much beforehand; they simply followed Zhao Ye's instructions to clear the classroom. Fang Hui sensed something was wrong and was a little worried, but Chen Xun pulled her away, leaving only Zhao Ye and the clueless Lin Jiamo in the classroom.

"I'm saying, since we need it tomorrow, why aren't they helping us?" Lin Jiamo said, vigorously wiping a basketball. "Is your basketball team all dead? Why are we leaving it all to you?"

"Hey, Su Kai usually organizes it, but he's a senior in high school now and doesn't have time to manage it, so we just have to divide it up so that everyone gets a few balls to wipe."

"What were you doing the past few days? Everyone else is rushing early rather than late! You're doing the opposite!"

"I was busy and forgot..." Zhao Ye felt guilty after hearing her words; he was doing it on purpose.

"How's Su Kai's review going?" Lin Jiamo asked, holding the ball up to the sunlight.

"He's alright. I think he's working really hard. I guess he wants to get into the same school as Zheng Xue."

"Huh? Isn't Zheng Xue a top student? Will she be able to get the required score?"

“Aren’t we students with special talents? Our score requirement is a bit lower than yours. Su Kai has won awards before, so as long as the result isn’t too bad, we should be fine.”

"Oh..." Lin Jiamo threw the ball into the basket in frustration, but this time her aim was bad, and it rolled to the ground after hitting the edge of the basket.

"Hey! Put it away properly! This is a waste of time!" Zhao Ye chased after him and picked it up.

"How annoying! This is so boring! I'm going home!"

Lin Jiamo picked up her schoolbag in frustration, but Zhao Ye quickly grabbed her and said, "Don't go! Don't go! I haven't said what I wanted to say yet!"

"What are you saying?" Lin Jiamo sat down and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Well... there's something I wanted to tell you," Zhao Ye said hesitantly, his face flushed.

"Then tell me!"

"Don't get angry when I tell you."

"Okay, don't be angry, go ahead and tell me!"

"I...I...Damn! Wait for me to gather my thoughts!"

"Are you even capable of this...?"

For some reason, when faced with Lin Jiamo's big, blinking eyes, a sentence that most people would casually utter was something that Zhao Ye at that time could not say freely.

"How about this, Jia Mo!" After pacing around for a while, Zhao Ye sat down and said, "I have a secret that will kill me if I don't tell it, but it might scare you to death if I do. To be fair, let's swap. We'll each tell one secret, and that'll even things out, okay?"

"What secret?" Lin Jiamo asked, puzzled.

"It's a secret anyway. I swear that what we say today is between you and me, only heaven and earth know. That's it!"

"Well... in what aspect? I have a lot of secrets, I can't tell you everything!"

"The person you like." Zhao Ye almost bit his tongue as he read those words out, "Each of us writes a note, and then we exchange them."

At this point, Lin Jiamo understood about 70-80% of what was going on. She wasn't completely oblivious to Zhao Ye's feelings for her, but because she didn't reciprocate and didn't want to damage their friendship, she had been playing dumb, hoping that Zhao Ye would eventually realize her heart wasn't with him anymore. But judging from Zhao Ye's demeanor this time, he clearly wanted to be direct. Lin Jiamo thought it was a good idea; she might as well make things clear when no one was around, to avoid future troubles. So she nodded and said, "Okay."

Lin Jiamo's words were like an indirect shot in the arm for Zhao Ye. He was both relieved that there was a chance for this, and at the same time, he started to have some ulterior motives.

The two men, with their backs to each other, each wrote something, then turned around and clutched their secrets to their hands, like a black market transaction, exchanging goods for money.

When Lin Jiamo opened the note, she almost burst out laughing. The note Zhao Ye had given her was completely blank; there wasn't a name, not even a single stroke of the pen. She angrily grabbed Zhao Ye's arm and shouted, "You're so lame! You're cheating! Give it back!"

When Zhao Ye looked up, he was different from before. There was no smile on his face. He held up the note in his palm and showed it to Lin Jiamo, saying, "Really? You just wrote it down, right?"

Lin Jiamo looked at Su Kai's name on the note and nodded silently. She said somewhat awkwardly, "Why would I lie to you? Didn't we say it was a secret? I'm not like you..."

"But he's already with Zheng Xue!"

"When I liked him, he wasn't even dating Zheng Xue yet!"

"The past is the past. He and Zheng Xue are doing very well now! Aren't you being a third party?"

"I didn't really do anything, and besides, they're not married! How could I be the other woman!"

"Anyway, they're boyfriend and girlfriend. Whenever Su Kai is mentioned, people immediately think of Zheng Xue as his girlfriend. Who do you think you are!"

"What's wrong? Just because I'm not his girlfriend doesn't mean I can't like her! So many people like Chen Xun, and we haven't seen Fang Hui do anything about it!"

"Are you in the same position as Fang Hui? You're just courting disaster!"

"I love to destroy, so what?!"

After Lin Jiamo shouted those words in a fit of rage, both of them fell silent. They stood facing each other in the classroom like two small beasts, each vying for prey that didn't belong to them.

Lin Jiaming tossed the blank note into the trash can, but Zhao Ye stopped her as she passed by. He opened his palm, revealing a note identical to the one she had thrown away. Lin Jiaming hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and slowly unfolded it. The words on it instantly touched the softest spot in her heart.

"What are you looking at! It's you, you idiot!"

"I'm sorry..." As Lin Jiamo said these three words, tears suddenly streamed down her face. Zhao Ye sighed beside her and said, "When did you fall in love with Su Kai?"

"That time we went to Yuhua Restaurant together..."

"Oh! If I had stayed behind to take the beating that day, and he had run away with you, would you have fallen for me?"

"I have no idea……"

"Maybe he'll be the one you fall for in the end, haha, why would I say that?"

"Let it be..."

"Whatever happens, happens..." Zhao Ye stood up, stretched, and said, "That's fucking profound!"

After that, they acted as if nothing had happened, tidying up the desks, chairs, and basketball together, locking the classroom door together, and then going downstairs to get their cars. During this process, neither of them spoke. It wasn't until they were about to go their separate ways at the school gate that Zhao Ye turned around and said goodbye, and Lin Jiamo waved goodbye to him as well.

But starting the next day, the five of them stopped eating together. Zhao Ye said he didn't know how to face Lin Jiamo, and Lin Jiamo didn't want to apologize to Zhao Ye again.

During that period, Zhao Ye was quite negative. He repeatedly played Huang Pinyuan's "How Could You Bear to Make Me Sad" on his Walkman. When eating, he would inexplicably ask people if they had any "spontaneous" dishes. He wasn't very focused on playing basketball, and because of his mistakes, he almost got into arguments with Su Kai several times.

Only Fang Hui and the others understood why Zhao Ye had become like this. Chen Xun said it was the growing pains of youth. Fang Hui said that being good friends was actually quite nice; you could advance or retreat as needed, always in a position where you wouldn't get hurt. Qiao Ran nodded without commenting. This matter had shocked him the most, especially Fang Hui's words, which had essentially cut off his escape route. He no longer wanted to confess his feelings to Fang Hui, and he comforted himself by deciding to be a good friend who could "advance or retreat as needed."

Lin Jiamo hadn't expected Zhao Ye to be injured so badly, nor had she expected to escape unscathed, ending up with both of them severely wounded. She had thought she could pretend nothing had happened, as before, but now she knew she couldn't. That seemingly joking note had struck her vital point; even if she hadn't lost all her martial arts skills, it had at least 50-60% of her energy, making it impossible for her to look Zhao Ye in the eye.

Before, when Lin Jiamo watched the basketball team play after school, she only watched Su Kai. But after this incident, she unconsciously started paying attention to Zhao Ye as well. Actually, Zhao Ye was quite handsome when he played basketball. He was taller than Su Kai, and his dribbling movements were very smooth. In the past, Zhao Ye said that people called him "Flower Butterfly," and Lin Jiamo always thought he was exaggerating. But when she looked closely, his swinging arms really did resemble butterfly wings, graceful and elegant.

However, the butterfly was a bit irritable that day.

Zhao Ye panicked when he saw Lin Jiamo sitting on the sidelines; his passing, ball handling, and rebounding were all haphazard. Su Kai held back for a long time out of consideration for Lin Jiamo, but finally couldn't help but blurt it out.

"Stop! Stop! Everyone stop! Zhao Ye, what are you doing? Liu Bo was dribbling towards you, why did you take the ball from him? He was just going around you to use you as a screen for the opposing defender, why did you take the ball from him? You couldn't even see such a simple tactic? All that training you've done is useless! You think you can compete in the Nike Cup like this? You're just making a fool of yourself!"

"Fine, then we won't fight!" Zhao Ye muttered under his breath.

"What did you say? Say it again!" Su Kai, having only caught the gist of what was said, charged forward in anger, but his teammates quickly pulled him back.

"I'm not playing anymore, okay? What's the big deal? Is it really necessary to be so arrogant?" Zhao Ye tilted his head back, slammed the ball to the ground, and turned to leave.

"If you've got the guts, don't come back!" Su Kai shouted, but Zhao Ye really didn't turn around.

Lin Jiamo was almost in tears from worry. Finally, when training ended, she rushed to Su Kai's side and asked, "Are you... alright?"

"It's nothing! I'm just angry that he's not taking it seriously! He doesn't play like that! Such good qualities, and he's wasting them!" Su Kai said with a stern face, still angry.

"They won't fire him, will they?" Lin Jiamo asked anxiously.

"He sent you to ask?" Su Kai raised his eyes and looked at her.

"No, no!" Lin Jiamo quickly shook her head and said, "I asked him myself! He really loves playing basketball, and he's always doing the high jump in class! And he really values ​​the Nike Cup. He said this is your last chance to win a championship in high school, and he'll make sure you win so you can graduate without any problems! So please don't expel him, okay? He's just in a bad mood..."

"Alright, alright! I won't expel him!" Su Kai finally smiled. "I didn't expect Zhao Ye to be so popular. From the basketball team to the cheerleading squad, they've all been whispering sweet nothings in my ear. What did he do for you guys to be so vocal in his defense?"

"No... I'm just stating the facts..." Lin Jiamo felt a little embarrassed by what he said. She herself didn't know why she had put in so much effort for Zhao Ye.

"I'm just trying to calm him down! Basketball is a team sport, after all. If everyone played only when they were happy and quit when they weren't, that wouldn't work! I've seen plenty of people who are stubborn and defiant. Some listen to advice, like our center Liu Bo, who's good at basketball and academics. Others don't listen, like Feng Yuan from our senior year of high school, who got kicked out of the team, hung out with a bunch of hooligans, and ended up not even getting into college. I really think highly of Zhao Ye and don't want to see him go astray. You should try to persuade him more often; I think he listens to you quite well!"

Lin Jiamo smiled bitterly, brushed a stray hair behind her ear, and said, "I'll do my best! How about you? How's your review going? I heard you want to apply to the same school as Zheng Xue?"

"Hehe, let's give it a try!" Su Kai rolled up his sleeves and took a few sips of cold water from the tap.

"Oh dear! Why are you drinking tap water directly? It's dirty! Let me offer you some water!" Lin Jiamo quickly grabbed him and said.

"It's alright! We boys don't stand on ceremony!" Su Kai said, wiping his mouth. "It's so late, aren't we leaving yet? Let's go out together!"

"Okay!" Lin Jiamo said with a smile after putting on her schoolbag.

They walked out of the school gate side by side, their two slender shadows perfectly matched on the ground. Lin Jiamo was contentedly enjoying this precious moment, a beautiful smile unconsciously curving her lips. Su Kai, however, didn't seem so happy. He pushed his bike, exhaling white mist from his mouth.

"Actually... we can't entirely blame Zhao Ye for what happened today. I haven't been in a good mood lately either."

"What's wrong?" Lin Jiamo stopped and looked up at him. Unlike before, she saw a strange sadness in Su Kai's usually bright eyes.

“Zheng Xue…” Su Kai said calmly, “She may be going abroad.”

Lin Jiamo gasped and stood frozen in place.

(8)

That day, Su Kai didn't say anything more to Lin Jiamo, because they went their separate ways after only a few steps. Lin Jiamo was too embarrassed to ask any more questions; she wanted to spend more time with Su Kai, but she didn't want to hear about Zheng Xue, leaving her conflicted.

Before leaving, Su Kai took out his Walkman, and Lin Jiamo leaned over and asked, "Whose songs are you listening to?"

"How Could You Bear to Make Me Sad," by Huang Pin-yuan, an old song, quite nice. Su Kai handed her an earphone. Lin Jia-mo stood on tiptoe; Su Kai was very close to her, and she could clearly see his slightly bluish chin, which made her a little flustered. The two of them were connected by a thin line on the street where the streetlights were just beginning to illuminate the scene.

My longing for you grows stronger every day.

I'm still the same, still lonely.

When will my beautiful dream come true?

My dear, I long to see you again.

The autumn wind blew in gusts.

It reminded me of this time last year.

What is really on your mind?

Why leave me to suffer this ending?

The person who loves you the most is me.

How could you bear to see me sad?

When I needed you most,

He left without saying a word.

The person who loves you the most is me.

How could you bear to see me sad?

I've given so much for you.

You, however, were never moved.

Lin Jiamo felt that the song resonated with her mood, and she reluctantly took off her headphones after listening to the main melody.

"That sounds so good!"

"It sounds nice, right? Shall I lend it to you?"

"real?"

"Why would I lie to you!" Su Kai opened his Walkman and pulled out the cassette tape. "But don't you dare not return it! Just like that book from last time, it still hasn't been returned to me!"

"Who wouldn't return it! I'll give it to you tomorrow! I just finished reading it!" Lin Jiamo happily put away the cassette tape. It had the same effect as the novel; she could finally return the tragedy she had already finished reading.

"Okay! I'm off then! Take care!" Su Kai said as he got on his bike.

Lin Jiamo held up the cassette tape and waved vigorously at him until he rode away.

The next day, Fang Hui was surprised to find that Lin Jiamo was also listening to "How Could You Bear to Make Me Sad". She sat down next to Lin Jiamo and, while playing with the song, asked cautiously, "Why are you listening to this song too?"

"Su Kai lent it to me, what's wrong? It really does sound pretty good!"

"Oh, it's nothing." Fang Hui breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just that Zhao Ye has been listening to this song recently too."

"Is that so?" Lin Jiamo paused, took off her headphones and said, "We two must have been a real headache for you guys."

“It’s alright…” Fang Hui nodded and said, “I don’t think it’s necessary to act like strangers.”

"Hehe, you need to give us all some time to process this," Lin Jiamo said with a faint smile. "By the way, Zheng Xue might be going abroad."

“What? Then Su Kai…” Fang Hui said in surprise.

"He's very distressed. It's strange, I know I should be happy about this, right? But I'm really not happy at all. Didn't you see how he was yesterday? His eyes were almost red... Hui'er, do you think I'm considered a third party?"

"What are you thinking about!" Fang Hui poked her forehead. "Just focus on your book! Everyone else will be flying off to new places, and you'll still be worrying about the college entrance exam! Let's see if you still want to think about this nonsense! We have to do a dictation of the vocabulary words for this unit later, have you memorized them all?"

"Huh? Why didn't you say so sooner! Oh no! I didn't even look at it! Do you have any transparent tape? I'll stick some on!" Lin Jiamo hurriedly pulled out her English book, picked up a mechanical pencil, and started frantically copying on the paper and her desk.

Fang Hui glanced at Zhao Ye from afar. He was slumped over the table, a cord from his Walkman peeking out from his school uniform collar. Fang Hui sighed. She couldn't explain it either; both of them were heartbroken, and it was hard to say who could bear to part with whom.

Fang Hui said that a long time later, around 2003, she and Lin Jiamo watched Stanley Kwan's film *Lan Yu*, a story about homosexuality. The film's theme song was "How Could You Bear to Make Me Sad," and the final scene, set to this music, showed Beijing in the late 1990s being gradually demolished and rebuilt, with places they remembered becoming silver-gray dead corners beneath skyscrapers. Seeing this, she and Lin Jiamo cried simultaneously, because their most cherished memories, just like those depicted in the film, were being destroyed along with the ancient city.

I think that might have been the last time Fang Hui spent with Lin Jiamo. If I remember correctly, she came to Australia in 2003. And after arriving here, Lin Jiamo never appeared in her life again.

Zhao Ye's words didn't come true. October 1st wasn't their last group dance. In fact, the school made full use of the dance, continuing to dance on December 20th (Macau's return to China) and December 31st (welcoming the new millennium). However, these two occasions weren't as easy as the first; they had to wear many more layers of clothing.

Later, Fang Hui wrote on the bulletin board: "Although the cold wind was biting, the students had a fiery enthusiasm. In the ten-second countdown, all the descendants of Yan and Huang felt a strong sense of belonging." Chen Xun laughed at her for a long time, saying that Fang Hui was clearly huddled up in the cold, and even if she felt a sense of belonging, it wasn't from the descendants of Yan and Huang, but from him, Chen Xun. It was he who warmed her frozen heart with his own warm hands.

Fang Hui ignored him and pinched him hard to make up for it. These two people were no longer the naive and immature people they once were; they had gradually matured.

The New Year's party on December 31, 1999, was unusually scheduled for the evening due to political tasks. Because of Zhao Ye and Lin Jiamo's situation, Fang Hui and her group of five had to split into two groups to buy supplies. Qiao Ran and Zhao Ye were in one group, responsible for buying decorations, while Chen Xun, Fang Hui, and Lin Jiamo were in another group, responsible for buying snacks and fruit.

Lin Jiamo suggested they detour to the post office first. She wanted to send Su Kai a greeting card. The post office was having a special event to celebrate the new millennium, and they would be stamping envelopes with a "dragon stamp." Moreover, the postmarks on the stamps were for December 31, 1999 at 24:00 and January 1, 2000 at 00:00, truly spanning a millennium, which was very meaningful. Fang Hui thought it was quite interesting, so she and Chen Xun also wrote each other a short letter and sent it to each other.

Chen Xun wrote: Thank you for your love, 1999.

Fang Hui wrote: Thank you for being with me on the last day of the century and the first day of the new century.

Lin Jiamo peeked at them and teased them, saying, "They must be living through every day of the new century!"

Fang Hui blushed and retorted, "It's impossible for someone to actually live to be a thousand years old, or they'd become a demon!"

Chen Xun smiled and said, "You can't say that. There's a song that goes, 'Love me for ten thousand years,' but people can't possibly live for ten thousand years! It's just a beautiful wish. So what's wrong with expressing a beautiful wish? Let's change it to 'Every Day'!"

"That sounds nice, but why did you write 1999 at the end? You changed your mind in 2000? No matter how beautiful your wishes are, they're meaningless if they don't become reality," Fang Hui said, folding the letter.

"I was just borrowing a piece of writing by Jia Mo's idol, Nicholas Tse!" Chen Xun chimed in. "What are you thinking about? How about we borrow a couple more sheets of paper from Jia Mo and rewrite them?"

"Come on! Stop making excuses, I've liked HOT for a long time! This is Korean stationery! It's expensive! There are only five sheets! I've already written love letters to you guys, what am I supposed to use? No way!" Lin Jiamo quickly put the stationery into her bag.

"Haha! I'll make you stingy!" Chen Xun sealed the envelope, took Fang Hui's letter, and dropped them both into the mailbox.

"You freeloader, how dare you call me stingy? You're such an ingrate! Let's go, Fang Hui and I still have some rehearsal to do!" Lin Jiamo glared at him and said.

The three of them bought some food and went back to school together. On the way, Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo kept practicing Fan Xiaoxuan's "Meet in 1999", singing cheerfully, "I made a promise with you on the last day of 1999, even if the whole world can't go back, can't go back to the past."

Fang Hui didn't understand what it meant to never be the same again at that time, but Lin Jiamo had already deeply experienced it, especially the moment she brushed past Zhao Ye as she entered the classroom. Zhao Ye didn't stop at all as he walked past her, but dutifully held up his arm and pulled the ribbon.

Qiao Ran walked over and took the things from Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo, smiling as she said, "What do you think of our lighting design?"

"It looks so nice! Who came up with the idea of ​​wrapping crepe paper around the lamp?" Fang Hui looked up and said.

"Zhao Ye!" Qiao Ran glanced at Lin Jiamo. "Not bad, right?"

"Hmm, that's good." Lin Jiamo said, her eyes sparkling. "Let me help you inflate the Happy Ball!"

"Leave some! Don't use them all!" Chen Xun whispered. "We can fill them with water and play water polo in the summer! I used to play like that all the time when I was a kid, it's so refreshing!"

"It's only winter, and you're already thinking about summer!" Fang Hui took a spray bottle and sprayed some colorful ribbons on his head.

"You dare spray me! You just wait!" Chen Xun jumped up and snatched the spray from Fang Hui's hand, spraying it on her head as well.

Qiao Ran laughed and shielded Fang Hui behind him, saying, "Alright, alright! Don't waste it all."

Chen Xun walked past him and, seemingly casually, pulled Fang Hui to his side, saying, "Are you convinced now?"

Qiao Ran's smile froze, but Fang Hui didn't notice. She shook her hair as she said, "Fine, I give up! You're just a show-off!"

"I'm not being a show-off, it's just that the atmosphere is great today! If you ask me, we should just have the New Year's party at night every year! It's so much more interesting than during the day! Look outside, how beautiful it is!" Chen Xun said, pointing out the window.

“Really!” Fang Hui ran to the window and looked at the campus shrouded in night.

Chen Xun followed, and the two of them leaned against the windowsill like children, their cheeks condensing into a circle of moisture as they chatted and laughed while watching the bright lights outside.

The boy outside the circle watched quietly from behind them; at the very end of a thousand years, there is always a sense of loneliness.

(9)

Halfway through the party, Chen Xun called Fang Hui out of the classroom. As they left, Qiao Ran was singing "Stillness" by the Flower Band in the classroom, singing "How I wish someone would come with me to get through the apocalypse" while watching Fang Hui and Chen Xun walk out. Fang Hui turned back and smiled at him, and he smiled back, making a silly V-sign.

Chen Xun led Fang Hui down half a floor, stopping at a less crowded corner of the stairs. Fang Hui asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Let's go for a walk," Chen Xun said.

"Huh? Where are we going?"

"Just go out for a stroll! Everything outside is beautifully decorated to welcome the new millennium."

"Will we make it in time? We need to change clothes when we get back, and we'll be meeting up to go to the Century Altar soon, so we can't be late," Fang Hui said, glancing at her watch.

"We're still in time, and it's not far. Let's go!"

Chen Xun fastened his down jacket zipper and went down a few steps first. Fang Hui followed him down.

As soon as they stepped out of the school gate, the two became excited. They had never strolled along the road together so late before. They usually spent most of their time with their classmates, so on the last day of 1999, just being with each other felt especially sweet.

The streets weren't crowded, and the shop windows were adorned with colorful lights. Some shops hadn't yet changed their Christmas decorations, and the white-bearded Santa Claus images on their windows added a festive touch. Chen Xun bought two skewers of candied hawthorns filled with red bean paste, one for him and one for Fang Hui. As they ate, they mingled among the adults on the street, secretly laughing and chatting.

"Where do you think all these people on the street are going?" Chen Xun asked, pointing with a bamboo stick.

"Let's go home," Fang Hui said, looking around.

"They can't all go home! Look at that man and woman, they're definitely going on a date."

"Where are they going on a date? The park's closed, are they going to see a movie?"

"Who would watch a movie on this day? I think we'd definitely go out for dinner and then countdown to the new millennium together!"

"The restaurants all close at midnight!" Fang Hui said, shaking her head.

"Well... surely some of them must be open!"

"I think maybe they're going to work."

"That can't be right, what company would still be open for work at this hour?"

“Who says it’s impossible! My aunt is one of them. She has to work all night tonight. They say it’s all because of the Y2K bug.”

"Oh right! I wonder who designed it; it really lacks foresight!" Chen Xun said with a smile. "It's so much better for us; we're going to the Millennium Monument to welcome the new century together! How wonderful!"

"Okay! Let's countdown together tonight!" Fang Hui threw the bamboo skewers into the trash can and blew on her hands as she spoke.

Chen Xun casually took her hand, intertwined their fingers and put them in his pocket, saying, "Let's not stand in line then, let's just get closer on our own."

Fang Hui blushed, grasped his hand, and said, "Okay!"

In the darkness of the night, their clasped hands were barely noticeable. Yet, they remained somewhat tense, as if they were doing something inappropriate for their age. They only gradually relaxed after navigating into a deserted alley.

"Are you cold?" Chen Xun asked, looking down.

"It's not cold," Fang Hui said. The temperature outside was very low, but it didn't feel cold at all when she was with Chen Xun. "Won't we run into any of our classmates?"

"No! So what if we run into him? As long as he's not a teacher!" Chen Xun squeezed her hand and said, "Actually, even if he is a teacher, I'm not afraid. After we get married, I will definitely invite Teacher Hou to be a guest speaker!"

"You're bragging! If we ran into Teacher Hou, you'd definitely let go, or we'd both be dead meat. Our parents would be called in for a public reprimand. Besides... who you're going to marry is still up in the air, how do you know it'll be me!" Fang Hui said indifferently, but her heart fluttered at Chen Xun's words.

"What do you mean? You don't want to marry me?" Chen Xun stopped and said, "That's really what I want! We'll go to the same university, graduate together, find jobs together, and then get married and have kids together!"

"Who...who will have your child!" Fang Hui turned her face away and said, her heart pounding.

"You married me, but if you don't have children with me, who will? Do you want to cheat on me?" Chen Xun said, glaring at him.

"You're talking nonsense!" Fang Hui pulled her hand away, turned around and walked forward, saying, "I'm not talking to you anymore, you're just spouting rubbish!"

“I’m serious!” Chen Xun grabbed her and said, “That’s what I think anyway. I’ve even decided on the best man and maid of honor. It’s Qiao Ran and Jia Mo. Zhao Ye isn’t very reliable.”

"Who would care about you back then! Zhao Ye might not even be happy about it!" Fang Hui said with a smile.

"Tch! He dares to ignore me! What do you think? Tell me the truth!" Chen Xun said, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"It's alright," Fang Hui said softly, lowering her head.

"Is 'okay' good or bad?" Chen Xun deliberately leaned closer to ask.

"Okay..." Fang Hui's voice was even softer this time. She blushed and gave Chen Xun a reproachful look before lowering her head again.

Her gentle gaze swept over Chen Xun's heart, sending a shiver through him. In the dim light of the alley, Fang Hui seemed to possess a unique charm that was not usually seen. Chen Xun looked at the girl within reach and couldn't resist kissing her. In the chaos, neither of them closed their eyes, tasting each other's lips, still carrying the flavor of hawthorn, before hastily separating.

"What...what are you doing?" Fang Hui asked blankly. She never expected Chen Xun to kiss her, and her mind went completely blank.

"I want to kiss you!" Chen Xun said, blushing.

"This is my first kiss!" Fang Hui said, covering her lips.

"Me too……"

The two looked at each other in silence for a while, both feeling extremely flustered, their nervousness outweighing any sweetness.

"Why don't I want to cry..." Fang Hui said, leaning against the wall.

"Why are you crying?" Chen Xun licked his lips, the unfamiliar soft touch still lingering there, making him reluctant to leave.

"Isn't it said that everyone cries during their first kiss?"

"It wasn't my first kiss...it was...it was that, right?" Chen Xun stammered.

"You're so annoying!" Fang Hui glared at him and said, holding her breath.

"Besides, what's there to cry about? Anyway... I'll be good to you," Chen Xun said, moving closer.

"You're so annoying! Don't you dare tell anyone!" Fang Hui slapped him, took two steps forward, and said, "Let's go back!"

"I absolutely won't tell anyone!" Chen Xun followed her and said, "Fang Hui... wait a minute..."

What?

"I want to kiss you again..."

"..."

Seeing that she didn't speak, Chen Xun carefully walked over, first taking her hand, then gently cupping her face. Fang Hui's eyelashes fluttered incessantly with nervousness, and Chen Xun felt a little embarrassed being looked at like that. He pulled her to a corner under the streetlights and whispered, "Close your eyes." Fang Hui obediently closed her eyes, and Chen Xun lowered his head to gently press his lips to hers. The little thing trembled slightly, but he didn't flinch.

At that time, neither of them had any experience or skills, and they didn't know what French kissing or French kissing was, but they were both very sincere in giving themselves to each other, and at the end of the century, they grasped the last bit of tenderness.

Later, Fang Hui asked Chen Xun if this wasn't a good idea, and Chen Xun said maybe it wasn't, but it didn't matter, since they were together anyway, which put Fang Hui at ease. They both naively believed that as long as they were together, there was nothing to be afraid of, and that they would definitely stay together forever.

Fang Hui was a little embarrassed when she got to this part. I said, half teasing and half sad, "That could be called a kiss of the century, that's amazing!" She replied calmly, "It's because it was my first kiss that I remember it, and only I remember it."

But I think Chen Xun will never forget that kiss in 1999. After all, Fang Hui was someone he once cherished, and that relationship was indeed beautiful. Unlike the kiss between Fang Hui and me, which in the end will only be remembered by me.

That day, Chen Xun and Fang Hui were both a little awkward after they got back. Lin Jiamo said that Fang Hui was obviously absent-minded and would startle her whenever she spoke to her. Fang Hui didn't bother to refute it; she was just secretly replaying the kiss in her mind. Girls always have things they care about, especially their first kiss. Being able to give it to the boy she liked the most made her feel very happy.

At 10 PM, a large public bus marked with the national logo carried busloads of students along the designated route to the Century Altar. Class 1 and Class 5 shared a bus; the boys all stood, and all seats were given to the girls as much as possible. The bus was crowded. Chen Xun carefully protected Fang Hui's seat, their eyes filled with tenderness, enjoying their unspoken, sweet secret. The girls from Class 5 noticed something amiss and directly asked Wang Manman what their relationship was. Wang Manman didn't give a clear answer, only saying that whatever their relationship seemed to be, that's what it was. This was overheard by Men Lingcao and several girls from Class 1, who also became suspicious.

Fortunately, these speculations were temporarily put aside after arriving at their destination. The heavy clothes couldn't hide the children's excitement, and their dancing was filled with laughter and joy. The only ones who seemed out of place were Zhao Ye and Lin Jiamo. Because Chen Xun kept going to Fang Hui's side, they ended up dancing face to face. The Zhao Ye who had gently invited them to dance at 11 o'clock was no longer there. Their raised hands were separated by a layer of sub-zero cold air, and neither of them felt quite comfortable.

As the countdown drew to a close, reporters from a newspaper came to take pictures. Teacher Hou called all the students over, but Fang Hui and Chen Xun couldn't count down to the year 2000 together. Although they smiled at the camera, there was a hint of regret in their eyes. And this regret was irreparable, because they would never see another millennium.

(10)

Fang Hui said that when 2000 actually arrived, they realized that the so-called millennium was no different from any other year. The happy were still happy, and the unhappy were still unhappy. They didn't miss a single exam, and they didn't get any extra holidays. This shows that those significant dates are all figments of people's imaginations. Ultimately, December 31, 1999, was just a regular rotation of the Earth. If you remembered it wrong, it would just pass by in a blur. For example, Chen Xun had definitely forgotten about that day long ago.

I smiled and shook my head, saying nothing. I had long noticed that Fang Hui was subconsciously emphasizing Chen Xun's indifference and fading memories, but I knew she didn't truly believe it. She was afraid Chen Xun would forget, afraid that in the end, she would be the only one left to mourn and grieve. But I felt Chen Xun wouldn't be so heartless. They had spent most of their twenty-odd years together; if they hadn't left something behind, it would be a disservice to their irretrievable youth. What's the point of living if you have no stories to tell, no friends to remember?

Anyway, I don't want Fang Hui to forget me like this. Even if it's just a blurry face, I want her to remember that there was someone who truly accompanied her in a faraway place.

Fang Hui, who was sitting directly across from me, had not yet noticed my thoughts. She paused for a moment, then continued to tell the story of that year in her gentle and soothing voice.

After winter vacation started, Fang Hui and Chen Xun visited each other's homes several times. During the day, their parents were at work, so they would stay home together, doing their homework and watching TV. Neither of them could cook, so they would buy snacks from the nearby supermarket or rummage through their refrigerators to make do. Once, they tried to cook wontons, but they just threw in some random seasonings and ended up with a soupy dumpling soup. Another time, they fried chicken nuggets, some burnt, some undercooked—it didn't taste or look good at all. But even so, they ate it with great relish, leaving nothing behind.

Chen Xun's family had just bought a computer, and they would occasionally go online for a while. Back then, there wasn't the vibrant online life we ​​have now, and dialing up was quite a hassle; at most, they'd go to chat rooms to chat idly. Chen Xun loved chatting with netizens who claimed to be handsome. He described himself as a "pretty and gentle" but "very lonely" girl, which always attracted these "handsome guys" to talk to him like crazy—at his peak, there were over twenty chat windows open. Some even sent him photos to his email. Dude, they were definitely not handsome. Fang Hui said he was utterly bored, but Chen Xun said he was exposing their ugly faces, giving Fang Hui a heads-up to prevent her from being scammed when she went online alone.

Fang Hui had absolutely no interest in it, but Chen Xun himself met an online friend. They had met online and grew closer as they talked, and since they lived only two streets apart, they arranged to meet in the afternoon. The girl said she was an ordinary girl, but she had a friend who was incredibly beautiful and could be brought over to show Chen Xun her beauty. Of course, she wouldn't let him see her for free; he would have to treat her to McDonald's that evening.

Chen Xun arrived on time and saw two girls dressed exactly as agreed from afar. According to his later account to Fang Hui, he felt like a "braised lion's head" and a "toothpick" were walking towards him side-by-side. The "braised lion's head" was practically unremarkable in appearance, and the "toothpick" wasn't particularly beautiful either; she was undeniably thin and smoked three cigarettes in the short time they talked, causing Chen Xun to maintain a distance of at least five meters from her. In the end, Chen Xun didn't eat with them. The "braised lion's head" developed a strong interest in Chen Xun and insisted on keeping him from leaving until he reluctantly said goodbye, saying he had to pick up his girlfriend. The "braised lion's head" insisted on Chen Xun giving her his home phone number, forcing him to give her Sun Tao's number. Afterwards, Sun Tao scolded him, saying that he had thrown a "0.1-ton meat bomb" at him to protect himself, almost causing Yang Qing to misunderstand and ruining his reputation. In short, from then on, Chen Xun completely lost interest in online chatting, and he never even considered meeting online friends.

Chen Xun told Fang Hui the truth about this, and although Fang Hui felt it was inappropriate, she didn't take it too seriously. What really bothered her was a phone call Wu Tingting made to Chen Xun one day.

When Chen Xun answered the phone that day, he was evasive, repeatedly saying things like "okay," "successful," "you set a time," and "we'll talk when we meet." Fang Hui found it strange and asked him who it was, at which point he stammered that it was Wu Tingting. Actually, Chen Xun wasn't intentionally hiding anything from her; he had already promised last time not to have too much contact with his childhood friends, but he simply couldn't keep his word. He was afraid Fang Hui would be unhappy and that remembering the past would make her feel uneasy, so he didn't tell her.

Fang Hui, however, didn't see it that way. The relationship between Chen Xun and Wu Tingting—more than friends but not quite lovers—made her uneasy. She didn't know how to face them. The most stable shape in mathematics, the triangle, was ironically the most fragile relationship in matters of the heart. So Fang Hui simply deceived herself, pretending to be oblivious and ignoring everything. But they always seemed to appear before her unexpectedly, as if repeatedly demonstrating the unbreakable bond between them, forcing her to open her eyes wide and see clearly, leaving her nowhere to hide.

"She said we'd go visit Grandpa Bai Feng's house the day after tomorrow. We go once or twice a year," Chen Xun quickly explained, noticing Fang Hui's preoccupation.

"Oh." Fang Hui nodded and casually picked up a winter vacation homework book to flip through.

"Nothing much, just going to take a look. I've run into the police before!" Chen Xun leaned closer and said jokingly.

"Oh." Fang Hui remained silent, carefully examining the assignment.

"What's wrong with you?" Chen Xun couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled the book out of Fang Hui's hand, frowned, and said, "Say something!"

"What are you talking about? I don't know Bai Feng either. You go and do your thing, what does it have to do with me?" Fang Hui turned her face away and said.

"It has nothing to do with you, but I had to tell you, otherwise you'd start overthinking things when you find out tomorrow."

"What do I have to overthink?"

"You still say no? Your face practically screams 'I want to'!" Chen Xun said, turning her head towards him.

"Ugh!" Fang Hui shook her head, brushed his hand away, and said, "I'm going home. If I'm any later, my dad will come back and scold me when he sees I'm not home."

"No, let's wait a little longer," Chen Xun said, pulling her back. "If we leave now, won't you be thinking about the whole way?"

"Why would I care if you go to see Bai Feng's grandfather? Look at how worried you are. Is there really something going on? Are you afraid I'll follow you?" Fang Hui said while packing her bag. She didn't really mean it, but she had a lot of resentment that she couldn't vent, so she said something unpleasant.

Chen Xun suddenly became anxious. He snatched Fang Hui's bag and threw it aside, saying, "You think I'm afraid you'll follow me? I only told you because you looked so preoccupied. Wu Tingting and I really didn't do anything. If I had those kinds of thoughts, you wouldn't be here. Sigh! I should have kept quiet. You girls are so petty!"

"Do whatever you want, you don't need to report to me. I'm not as useless as you say!" Fang Hui's eyes were red with anger. Chen Xun's words were tactless and hit her right where it hurt.

Fang Hui, holding back tears, grabbed her bag and headed for the door. Chen Xun panicked, grabbing her from behind and pulling her into a tight embrace. He whispered in her ear, "What are you doing? At least finish talking before you leave! Okay, okay, I admit I was wrong, alright? Don't scare me!"

“That’s how it is…” Fang Hui wiped her face, her tone softening.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Chen Xun said with a smile. "I'll remember this next time. I won't be too clear about it. Anyway, it's what it is. I'll accept it if you wrong me."

Fang Hui sighed. She knew Chen Xun still didn't understand what she was thinking, and she didn't want to say anything more. She was more afraid of arguing than Chen Xun was.

They were both too young then. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, but that they loved too intensely, which hurt others and exhausted themselves.

Seeing that she was running out of time and in a hurry to get home, Fang Hui hailed a taxi. Just before getting in, Chen Xun grabbed Fang Hui and kissed her. Fang Hui was startled and looked around nervously, afraid of being seen by pedestrians on the street and the taxi driver who had just stopped. Chen Xun, on the other hand, was very smug and even gestured as if he was making a phone call while waiting for the car to leave.

Fang Hui got into the car and, feeling guilty, tried to change the subject with the driver, saying, "That's... my cousin."

The taxi driver smiled knowingly: "Hey! It's okay! I'm not your parent, what are you afraid of? This kind of thing is very common nowadays. Don't even mention you guys, when we were fifteen or sixteen, we all had secret crushes on someone. Is that your boyfriend? He's quite handsome! Being young is great, hehe!"

"Mmm." Fang Hui blushed as she looked out the window.

"But honestly, you kids are all just making things up. What do you really know about love and romance? When I think back to when I was your age, hey! I was still a long way from real life! Like that song 'My Deskmate,' it goes, 'In the blink of an eye, we'll all go our separate ways.' I won't say much more, just wait two or three years and see! It'll definitely be different!" the driver said to himself. "Hehe, I just like to tell the truth, which doesn't make me popular. You should just go have fun and don't take it to heart!"

Fang Hui didn't speak. She stared blankly ahead as Chen Xun's shadow in the rearview mirror receded further and further away, and the warmth on her lips slowly faded.

(11)

After the Spring Festival, Fang Hui and her friends went to a temple fair together.

Throughout history, the most bustling temple fairs in Beijing have been concentrated in only a handful of places: Ditan Park, Changdian Park, Baiyun Temple, and Longtan Lake. Visiting temple fairs is a long-standing tradition in old Beijing; it seems like the year isn't quite complete without going to one to sample some snacks and buy some trinkets. Ditan Park had become a forbidden zone for Fang Hui and Chen Xun; they rarely went there unless there was a special reason. Longtan Lake was a bit far, so ultimately, they chose Changdian Park, which didn't require an entrance fee, over going to Baiyun Temple to touch the stone monkey.

Zhao Ye and Lin Jiamo didn't argue too much and went with everyone. However, they seemed to be in the coldest phase of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. They were the first and second to arrive, but didn't say a word, completely ruining the illusion of being late that Qiao Ran and the others had deliberately created. The atmosphere only eased a little after everyone had arrived. They were still like kids, eating everything from the beginning: sausage, tripe, fried liver, tea soup, mutton offal, cream cakes, Shandong pancakes, Wenzhou fish ball soup, and fried mutton skewers—they didn't miss a thing, sweeping through the entire Changdian area.

Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo walked ahead, one carrying a candied hawthorn and the other a windmill, while Chen Xun, Qiao Ran, and Zhao Ye followed behind, holding large plates and small bowls. They would sneak past crowded and lively places to take a look, and they strolled leisurely all the way through Liulichang before turning back.

Zhao Ye was somewhat better than he had been two months ago, and was no longer so gloomy. He put his arm around Chen Xun's shoulder and said, "You guys insisted on coming, but there's nothing fun to do. We just ate in the north wind, and it was so expensive!"

"Spit it out! Spit it out!" Chen Xun slapped him and said, "I didn't see you missing out while we were eating, and now you're just standing here idly talking nonsense."

“But the temple fair isn’t as interesting as it used to be,” Qiao Ran chimed in. “I remember when I was a kid, I could see people doing handstands and balancing on their heads at the temple fair. Once I even saw someone shirtless swallowing fireballs and swords! There were also things like shadow puppetry, sugar blowing, and dough figurine making. These things are probably almost lost now.”

“I saw it when I was a kid! It was a shadow puppet show at Longfu Temple, I think it was Journey to the West, it was so interesting!” Lin Jiamo leaned over and said, “It’s a pity you can’t see it now. You all know about the fire at Longfu Temple, right? Longfu Temple used to be so lively! When I was a kid, the night market there was no less bustling than Donghuamen, but after that fire, the old folks said it damaged the dragon vein, and the area has been in decline ever since.”

"Stop talking! You're making me cold!" Fang Hui said, shrugging her shoulders. "Let's go over there and take a look. It looks like a ring toss game."

Several people gathered around, and sure enough, it was a ring toss game. Cheap little plastic toys were laid out nearby, while some were better in the distance, including a rather cute toy dog. Fang Hui quite liked the dog, so she stopped and said, "You boys have long arms, why don't you try it? It doesn't seem too difficult, and who knows, you might even win one!"

“Yes! That dog is so cute! Chen Xun, it’s up to you!” Lin Jiamo pushed him forward.

"Alright! Let's have a round then! Don't just leave me out! Zhao Ye, Qiao Ran, come on, come on together!" Chen Xun took the ring toss from the shopkeeper and handed them out.

The three boys lined up, each aiming at the puppy, but they underestimated the shrewd merchant. This game looked easy, but it was actually quite tricky. The rings were small in diameter and didn't weigh much; they flew far with the slightest effort. They could barely hit nearby toys, but it was difficult to hit distant ones. The three boys threw them haphazardly together, only managing to ring a plastic cup covered in dust—old, ugly, and nobody wanted to take it.

"You guys are such a disgrace..." Lin Jiamo said with a sullen face, "At least you could have won one of those little piggy banks!"

“Try it yourself! It’s really difficult! Let’s see where we can buy one of those dogs. If we try to catch it here, I estimate it would take a hundred tries.” Chen Xun argued.

"No need, I just thought it looked fun, I didn't know it was so difficult. Let's keep going, there seems to be a basketball shooting game!"

"Where? Where? That's my forte! Come on! Let's go take a look!" Zhao Ye perked up as soon as he heard about basketball and beckoned them over.

There was indeed a basketball shooting game up ahead. The rules were that you could shoot five basketballs at a time, and if you made two or more, you'd get a small souvenir. If you made all five, you'd get a basketball with the Chicago Bulls logo. There was quite a crowd there, and some people went up to try, but they only managed to make one or two at most.

Zhao Ye shoved the food into Fang Hui's hand and said, "Look! That basketball was specially prepared for me!"

“This is much better than the previous ring toss game. Let’s each have a ball! Qiao Ran! Hey? Where did Qiao Ran go?” Chen Xun looked around and said.

“You were just here, did you go to throw out the trash?” Lin Jiamo said.

"Forget it! You guys don't need to go on. Just stay on the sidelines and watch quietly, so you don't drag me down!" Zhao Ye said, rubbing his hands together after paying.

"Look at your behavior! Do you even know your own name? Don't say you know us if you can't get the basketball!" Chen Xun said with a laugh.

Zhao Ye dribbled the ball, showing off a few fancy moves, which stirred the crowd. Some even shouted excitedly. Zhao Ye stepped back, aimed at the basket, took a deep breath, and made a beautiful jump shot. The basketball swished through the net. His movements were clean and crisp, and the people around him couldn't help but applaud. Lin Jiamo was overjoyed and secretly cheered in her heart.

Zhao Ye made all five shots. The shop owner handed him the basketball with the Bulls logo, saying reluctantly, "Dude, are you a professional? If a few more like you come along, I can't do business!"

Chen Xun chuckled and said, "Don't worry, you probably won't meet more than three people with his skill level in the next few days. Just focus on making money!"

As Zhao Ye walked past Lin Jiamo with the ball, he whispered, "I'm determined to win the Nike Cup this year." Lin Jiamo's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Zhao Ye's tall, confident back, she felt an urge to cry.

They chatted and laughed around the basketball for a while before Qiao Ran ran over from a distance. Chen Xun went up to him and said, "Where have you been? You missed seeing Zhao Ye's appearance earlier, he was really awesome..."

Chen Xun suddenly fell silent as he spoke, because he saw that Qiao Ran was holding the puppy toy that Fang Hui had mentioned liking earlier. Lin Jiamo walked over and said in surprise, "Oh my! You tried to win this? You actually got it?"

"No, actually I almost won it just now, but I saw you all liked it, so I went back to try again." Qiao Ran smiled sheepishly and handed the toy to Lin Jiamo.

"You're really something! With the money you'd spend on ring toss, you could have bought two! Actually, I don't really like them, but Fang Hui thinks they're nice. Here, take them!" Lin Jiamo stuffed the toy into Fang Hui's arms again.

"Thank you... thank you." Fang Hui said somewhat shyly. She understood Qiao Ran's feelings very well, but she was worried that she had no way to repay him.

"Don't mention it!" Qiao Ran said happily when Fang Hui accepted the gift.

Chen Xun watched them from the side, feeling awkward. He grabbed Fang Hui's hand and said, "It's getting late, let me take you home!"

Fang Hui wasn't quite used to being so affectionate with Chen Xun in front of Qiao Ran and the others. She felt that since everyone was so familiar with each other, it only made them seem more out of place. Fang Hui tried to pull away slightly, but Chen Xun held on even tighter. Helpless, she could only let him pull her along, blushing as she said, "Then we'll be going now."

"Okay, take care on your way." Although Qiao Ran was also somewhat no longer interested, he didn't ask for much, so he was more at ease than Chen Xun.

They said goodbye to everyone and headed towards the station. After taking only a few steps, Fang Hui let go of their hand and said, "What happened to you just now? It was so embarrassing to do that in front of them!"

"So what? They already know anyway," Chen Xun said in a muffled voice.

"Aren't you afraid Zhao Ye will make a joke?"

"Look at him, ever since that thing with Jia Mo, does he still like to joke around?" Chen Xun snorted and said, "You're not afraid of Zhao Ye joking around, you're afraid of Qiao Ran seeing it, aren't you?"

"What...what nonsense are you talking about!" Fang Hui said, both ashamed and angry.

"I'm talking nonsense? It's obvious to everyone that he has designs on you!" Chen Xun said angrily. "He said that you and Jia Mo both like that dog, humph, Jia Mo is so honest, it's clearly only you who likes it, that's why he went! Actually, I was thinking about it just now, you like that toy, right? After it's over, let's go back and take a look, even if we don't win, we can at least ask if they can sell it to us. But he, like a jerk, beat us to it!"

Seeing him acting like a child, so eager to take credit, Fang Hui couldn't help but laugh and said, "You say I'm petty, but I don't think you're much more petty than me. You call him your good buddy and brother all the time, but behind his back you talk so much bad about him! Your true nature has been revealed, hasn't it?"

"It's precisely because he's a buddy that I'm even angrier! Haven't you heard the saying: 'One should not covet a friend's wife'? What he did was wrong!"

"You're talking nonsense again! Who...who did that to you! Besides, Qiao Ran didn't do anything!" Fang Hui said, blushing.

"Hey! Now you're denying it to protect him! What did I whisper to you on the phone last night? Didn't you just agree?"

As Chen Xun grew anxious, his voice unconsciously rose. Fang Hui quickly covered his mouth, gritting her teeth and saying, "Keep your voice down! What are you shouting about in the street!"

Seeing her flustered and anxious appearance, Chen Xun felt a little smug. He took her hand again, grinned, and said, "Anyway, you should keep your distance from him in the future. I'm most afraid of someone stealing my boyfriend. Otherwise... otherwise I really don't know how to be friends with him anymore."

"I understand," Fang Hui nodded.

"Then you're not allowed to chat with him every time we argue!"

"Um!"

"You're not allowed to exchange things behind my back! No, you can't do it in front of me either!"

"oh."

"No..."

"Alright, alright, the car's here!" Fang Hui said with a smile.

The train was crowded, and they were jostled about. Chen Xun, being tall, leaned against the railing and formed a circle, shielding Fang Hui to his side. The two hid their hands inside the sleeves of their down jackets, secretly holding each other, and didn't let go the entire way.

(12)

Zhao Ye's dream of winning the Nike Cup was shattered a week before the competition began.

The incident stemmed from a targeted training session the basketball team had specifically for the upcoming game. That day, they were practicing one-on-one offense and defense. Zhao Ye was playing too aggressively, which prompted his team's guards to retaliate with their own real skills. In reality, whether it was his dribbling breakthrough or the guard's arm around him, these were normal reactions for any basketball player. However, because both players were using so much force, it created an unusual outcome.

In an instant, both men were sent flying, and a moment later, only one of them stood up. The defender waved anxiously at Su Kai, pointing at Zhao Ye lying on the ground while clutching his lower back and shouting, "Call the school doctor! Something's wrong with him! It looks like he has a fracture! I heard him scream!" Su Kai cursed "Damn it!" and sprinted towards him at top speed, with the others gradually gathering around.

Zhao Ye didn't make a sound. He lay quietly on the ground with his eyes wide open, his arms bent at an odd angle. The basketball with the Bulls logo rolled beside him. In the sunlight, he suddenly didn't even have the strength to cry.

Zhao Ye's right arm was diagnosed as fractured, which indirectly meant he was no longer eligible for the Nike Cup. Su Kai, worried that Zhao Ye wouldn't be able to accept the situation, visited him at his home over the weekend on behalf of the entire basketball team, bringing a plastic bag of fruit.

Zhao Ye was in better spirits than he had expected. He laughed and said, "Captain, I've realized we're definitely bound by fate. Looks like I'll have to wait until my senior year to win the championship. Oh, wait, I guess you won't win the championship in your senior year. How can you win without me?"

Su Kai laughed and scolded, "You little brat, why don't you break your jaw? You could shut up for a bit! Just wait a couple more days, I'll come see you with the trophy!"

He took an apple out of his bag and threw it at Zhao Ye. Zhao Ye instinctively tried to catch it with his right hand, but a sharp pain stopped him, and the apple awkwardly hit him. Both of them fell silent.

"I'm sorry..." Su Kai looked at Zhao Ye, who had his head down, and gently patted his shoulder.

"Captain." Zhao Ye didn't look up, his voice still trembling slightly despite his efforts to suppress it. "You're right, I need to practice my left hand more; my passing and receiving aren't very good!"

“Zhao Ye…” Su Kai sat down next to him and said, “I know you’re upset, but it’s okay, it’s not like we can’t play anymore! You have the best potential on the basketball team, the championship will definitely be yours next year!”

"Who's upset? Who the hell is upset!" Zhao Ye couldn't hold back any longer, and tears finally fell. He pushed Sang Sukai away while choking back sobs, "Get away from me. I don't want to cry in front of you, you know? I want to win the championship not for myself, you know? You... you know that!"

Seeing Zhao Ye, usually so lively and energetic, crying like a child, Su Kai's heart clenched. He knew that despair at the height of hope was an extreme and helpless pain. No one could bear this pain for him, and all words of comfort seemed utterly inadequate. So all he could do was pat Zhao Ye on the back and gently say, "Okay, okay, I understand."

Su Kai didn't actually know that he only understood half of Zhao Ye's pain. The other half was Lin Jiamo, who was also somewhat related to him.

Emotions may appear out of nowhere, but they don't disappear just as suddenly. If a way out isn't found, they might stagnate in the heart, never finding peace. Zhao Ye had already found a way out between himself and Lin Jiamo. That day at the temple fair, among the five teams, he regained his confidence. The cheers around him and Lin Jiamo's joyful eyes made him feel that he could still be a strong man, able to hold his head high and face everything with pride. Therefore, he desperately wanted to prove himself on the Nike Cup stage; this championship meant so much to him. His respect and gratitude towards Su Kai, his affection and support for Lin Jiamo, and his own perseverance and affirmation—every aspect was important, and he needed each one.

But now he can do nothing; he can only watch helplessly. This blow cannot be explained by simple disappointment, nor can it be comforted by sincere words. His heart is frozen; even in the bright sunshine, it still feels cold.

At the start of the match, F Middle School didn't perform well. After all, losing a key striker before the game is difficult to replace in a short time. In the match at F Middle School's home stadium, they only managed to win by a mere two points, even with Su Kai playing almost desperately.

That day after school, almost half the school crowded into the basketball court to watch the game. Zhao Ye didn't go downstairs; he secretly hid in the second-floor men's restroom and watched the whole game. Watching his teammates running hard on the court, watching Su Kai shouting non-stop, and watching Lin Jiamo looking anxious on the sidelines, he felt even more useless standing in the corner.

After the competition, Zhao Ye walked wearily out of the restroom, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Although he hadn't participated, he was still exhausted, both mentally and physically. At the stairwell, he unexpectedly encountered Lin Jiamo running up. The two stared at each other blankly, neither saying a word. Lin Jiamo was holding a bottle of mineral water; Zhao Ye knew it was the water Su Kai had just drunk. He had personally witnessed Lin Jiamo promptly passing it to him from the sidelines; the two had a very tacit understanding.

The heavy schoolbag couldn't stay on Zhao Ye's unfamiliar left shoulder for long. When it fell, both of their expressions changed. Zhao Ye winced in pain, and Lin Jiamo's eyes flashed with the same pain and sadness. In the end, neither of them spoke. Zhao Ye dragged the schoolbag, awkwardly running downstairs. Lin Jiamo wanted to help him lift the schoolbag, but Zhao Ye ran too fast; she didn't even have time to reach out.

Later, Chen Xun returned. When he came up, only Lin Jiamo was left sitting blankly in the classroom, looking out the window.

Chen Xun looked at her and asked cautiously, "Have you seen Zhao Ye?"

Lin Jiamo nodded, then casually pointed to the door and said, "I'm leaving."

"He's already gone?" Chen Xun sighed. "I was worried he'd overthink things, so I said I'd come up and chat with him for a bit!"

“Me too…” Lin Jiamo covered her face and said in a muffled voice, “But when I see him, I don’t know what to say. Encourage him? Comfort him? Even I think those words are fake, how could he like to hear them! Besides… what right do I have to say these things to him now?”

“Actually, I’ve always felt that you two don’t need to be like this. You should know that he’s so upset right now not just because he can’t play or win championships. His dejection is partly because of you, isn’t it? Of course, I’m not blaming you, but I definitely don’t support you two continuing like this. Are you really going to never see each other again? It can’t be that bad, can it? I think that if you could just say one word to him, anything, it would be better than it is now,” Chen Xun said, sitting across from her.

“You underestimate Zhao Ye. If I take the initiative to go to him, he might think I'm just pitying him. Would he accept that kind of pity?” Lin Jiamo shook her head and said, “I think if I could bring the trophy to him and tell him that we've all worked hard for him and that we've never forgotten his efforts, maybe he could accept it. But… it's too difficult to do now…”

"The school team really didn't play well today..." Chen Xun said, poking his forehead with his finger. "It was really a headache for Su Kai... You didn't see it, did you? He was so tired at the end that he didn't have the strength to celebrate. As soon as the referee blew the whistle, he just lay down on the ground."

“I rushed up here, but where could I see anything? But it was all for nothing. Chen Xun, I feel so defeated. I wanted Su Kai to win the championship, and I also wanted Zhao Ye to feel better. Do you think I was being too greedy?” Lin Jiamo said, her eyes red, as she lay on the table.

"Don't overthink it!" Chen Xun patted her and said, "Honestly, what does their business have to do with you? Don't be so pessimistic!"

"You've never experienced something like this, so you can't understand how I feel. You might only understand when you and Fang Huizhen break up. Strangers, do you understand? No matter how good things were before, you can only become strangers."

Lin Jiamo turned her head to look at the blue sky outside the window, tears streaming down her face from one eye to the other. The world before her eyes gradually blurred, leaving only the bitter feeling of tears.

Chen Xun suddenly stood up, walked to the classroom door, turned around and said, "Fang Hui and I will never become strangers! And I will never let you and Zhao Ye become strangers!"

"Chen Xun! Where are you going?" Lin Jiamo sat up, wiping her face as she asked.

“Zhao Ye can’t win, but I can! I’ll go and get back the trophies that he and Su Kai deserve!” Chen Xun said firmly.

Lin Jiamo watched his retreating figure, her previously vacant eyes suddenly filled with hope. She shed even more tears than before, but they were no longer filled with sorrow.

"Chen Xun... thank you... thank you..." Lin Jiamo said, rubbing her eyes and choking back tears.

"What are you thanking me for! We've been eating at the same table since you first arrived, studying together in school, playing together after school, spending every day together—we've almost spent more time together than with our own parents. How could I not care about you?" Chen Xun said with a smile. "Don't cry. Actually, I've wanted to tell you this before, but I was too embarrassed. You know what? Your face turns completely red when you cry, and with that hairstyle, you look like that red mushroom from Super Mario Bros. It's so silly!"

"Ugh! You're the one who looks like a mushroom! No! You're like a turtle! Your shell is harder than anything!" Lin Jiamo laughed through her tears. She was truly grateful to Chen Xun and finally felt relieved. She believed in Chen Xun; whatever he wanted to do, he could definitely accomplish.

(13)

Actually, Chen Xun had spent a couple of days on the basketball team when he first entered school. But he was naturally easygoing and eventually quit because he couldn't stand the daily, disciplined morning and evening training sessions and the monotonous long-distance running and dribbling. The basketball team at F High School was indeed stricter than most teams, especially under the leadership of their coach and captain, Su Kai. Without a great passion for basketball, it was difficult to persevere. Chen Xun's skills were quite good, and Su Kai felt it was a pity when he quit. After Zhao Ye's injury, Su Kai did consider having Chen Xun fill in, but after all, students' studies were the priority. High school seniors were facing the college entrance examination, and Chen Xun and his classmates had both the high school graduation exam and the major exam to choose between arts and sciences at the end of the semester, so he felt embarrassed to let Chen Xun take on this mess.

So when Chen Xun took the initiative to come to him this time, it was like sending charcoal in snowy weather. Su Kai was so happy that he couldn't speak. He just kept patting Chen Xun's shoulder and repeatedly saying, "Well done! Well done!"

Fang Hui fully supported Chen Xun's decision. During that time, she spent almost every day after school with Lin Jiamo, accompanying the school team to training, buying them water, and doing odd jobs. Her quiet dedication earned her high praise from the entire basketball team. Su Kai often approached Chen Xun and said, "Where did you find such a good girl? You've got no choice! You better not get caught up in other girls and do her a disservice!" Chen Xun would always proudly reply, "No way! No way!"

During that period, Lin Jiamo devoted almost all the passion of her youth. Compared to initially just wanting Su Kai, she now had more feelings involved. Between gaining and losing, Lin Jiamo gradually matured. She didn't want much. Every evening, being able to watch Su Kai's serious expression on the court and accompany him for the short 100 meters from the school gate to the intersection was enough to make her happy.

During those hundred meters, Su Kai would occasionally mention Zheng Xue, and Lin Jiamo gradually learned about Zheng Xue's decision to go abroad and the various procedures involved. This process could be seen as Zheng Xue and Su Kai drifting further and further apart, and whenever this was mentioned, she could always see a faint sadness in Su Kai's eyes. In that bright spring, she experienced the bitterness of parting before Fang Hui and the others.

Zheng Xue rarely came to watch Su Kai play basketball, and in the days leading up to her departure, she never came again. Lin Jiamo knew better than anyone the heavy emotions hidden behind Su Kai's strong figure dribbling the ball. These emotions accumulated into a powerful force, leading the F Middle School basketball team forward on their journey in the Nike Cup. Therefore, in every victory celebration, she felt particularly sorry for Su Kai, truly, truly sorry.

F Middle School fought their way to the semifinals, and that game was also played at F Middle School. Every available space around the basketball court was packed with people. Zhao Ye went to watch too. Ever since Chen Xun replaced him, he'd felt a little better. He knew Chen Xun and the others were doing it all for him, hoping he'd recover quickly. Seeing how much his friends cared, he, a grown man, felt too awkward to be too clingy. On the other hand, he still couldn't bear to part with Lin Jia Mo, and still wanted to stand beside her, even if they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend.

The match was intense, with the score neck and neck between the two teams, both playing fiercely. The spectators were gripped by the tense atmosphere, constantly cheering for their team and shouting "Defense! Defense! Defense!"

Fang Hui stood on the sidelines, her heart pounding in her chest. Chen Xun had a slight fever that day and had been lying down during class that morning, still not feeling better. He would bend over to rest whenever he had a spare moment. Fang Hui was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it and his illness would worsen. Sure enough, after the second period, Chen Xun vomited on the sidelines. Fang Hui quickly squeezed over to see him, asking with a nasal voice, "How are you? Are you alright?"

"It's nothing..." Chen Xun waved his hand, took the water, rinsed his mouth, and said.

"What's wrong with him?" Su Kai asked anxiously as he walked over. "Why did he suddenly vomit?"

“He has a fever today…” Fang Hui said, her head down.

Chen Xun pulled her aside and interrupted her, saying, "It's nothing serious, just a minor ailment, nothing to worry about."

"He's really burning up!" Su Kai said, touching his forehead. "Don't try to be brave! Can you handle it? If not, we'll find someone else!"

"Exactly! Is this really okay? Don't try to tough it out!" Zhao Ye said, frowning.

"It's really nothing! No problem! Why are you being so indecisive!" Chen Xun forced a smile and said, "I can't give you any ammunition to criticize me later! If I don't personally go out there and win the championship, will you be satisfied?"

"Okay! I'm waiting for you to win the championship for me!" Zhao Ye pursed his lips, his eyes shining.

"Chen Xun, you're awesome! Let's go! This time, let's wipe them out completely!" Su Kai said, putting his arm around Chen Xun's shoulder.

Chen Xun stood up with a smile, gave Zhao Ye a high-five, and walked onto the court. Fang Hui secretly grabbed Chen Xun's clothes from behind. Chen Xun turned around, smiled brightly at her, and said, "Don't worry! Just wait and see me score three points for you!"

The third quarter saw an even more intense game. The opposing team, noticing Chen Xun's earlier vomiting, intensified their pressure on him. Chen Xun, weakened by his illness, was somewhat unsteady on his feet and was repeatedly forced out of bounds. Fang Hui, watching his frail state from the sidelines, nearly wept. Su Kai, anxious, almost got into a fight with the opposing guard for Chen Xun's sake. The game dragged on until the fourth quarter, with F-High still trailing by two points. With little time remaining and Chen Xun nearing his limit, he stopped fighting for the ball and simply positioned himself near the center line, waiting for center Liu Bo to grab the rebound and pass to him for a fast break.

This tactic was simple and effective. Liu Bo seized the opportunity and passed the ball to Chen Xun. Chen Xun received the ball and ran towards the opponent's basket. The opponent's defense was quick, and the guard immediately caught up. Chen Xun estimated that he wouldn't be able to reach the basket quickly enough, so he stopped near the three-point line, preparing to shoot a three-pointer. The guard following closely behind also jumped up, intending to block the shot. The basketball flew over both of their fingertips and finally swished through the net. The guard couldn't stop in time and his hand struck Chen Xun, who fell to the ground like a leaf.

Fang Hui felt the ground beneath her feet tremble, and her heart pounded in her chest. She heard Zhao Ye's furious shouts of "Fuck you! That was ruthless!" On the field, Su Kai and an opposing player were shoving each other, drawing gasps from the spectators. To Fang Hui, all of this seemed like something from another world. Her eyes were fixed on the man in the center of the field, who stood there like a puppet with its strings cut. She hurriedly pushed aside those around her and ran towards the center of the field without a second thought.

Chen Xun lay on his back on the ground. He tried to roll over, but he had no strength, so he simply lay there. He squinted, looking with satisfaction at Fang Hui's tearful face coming into his view, and said with a smile, "Did the ball go in?"

"We're in," Fang Hui said, squatting down beside him and sniffing.

"How about that? I wasn't lying to you, was I? These three points are enough to go down in history, right?" Chen Xun said with a sigh of relief.

"Um……"

"Why are you crying? It's not like you didn't get in!"

"You didn't cry..."

"Your tears are falling all over me..."

Does it hurt?

"It doesn't hurt... a little..."

"Does it hurt or not?" Fang Hui's eyes were still red, but she suddenly burst out laughing.

"It didn't hurt before, but it started hurting when I saw you..."

"Ugh! I'm leaving!"

"No, no, no! Stop fooling around... I said... give me a hand... I feel really drained." Chen Xun reached out his hand to Fang Hui and said.

Fang Hui grasped his hand and, together with the team members beside her, helped Chen Xun up from the ground and escorted him off the field.

"Now everyone can see it," Chen Xun said in a low voice, glancing around.

“Yes…” Fang Hui sighed, her face flushed.

"But I was so happy to see you running over," Chen Xun said with a smile. "Really, when I was lying on the ground, the first thing I thought of was the ball, and the second thing I thought of was you."

Fang Hui lowered her head and smiled, secretly squeezing his hand.

Chen Xun ultimately couldn't complete the game and left the court early, but F High School held onto their one-point lead until the very end, advancing proudly to the Nike Cup High School Boys' Basketball League finals. The moment the whistle blew, the entire arena erupted in thunderous cheers and applause. Students chanted the names of their team members in unison, from "Su Kai" to "Chen Xun," including "Zhao Ye," who hadn't even played. Zhao Ye almost cried with excitement, and Su Kai hugged him tightly, smiling proudly.

That day, all the basketball players jeering and vying to sign their names on Zhao Ye's right arm cast, and Lin Jiamo was also encouraged by Fang Hui to write her name on it. Later, Zhao Ye secretly fumbled for that name countless times. He used his left hand to crookedly write down the date on it and specially noted "Nike Cup Finals Commemoration".

Fang Hui said that years later, Zhao Ye smashed the plaster cast to pieces, and the cracked white powder left a gaping hole in everyone's heart. Only then did they realize that the match was a memento of their youth, a testament to the friendship and love they had given their all, all of which had ultimately vanished with time.

(14)

The Nike Cup finals were held in a proper sports stadium, complete with a standard playing floor, player stands, and spectator stands, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The cheerleaders seemed to be infected by the professionalism of the atmosphere, jumping around energetically, waving colorful plastic pom-poms and shouting, "Give me an F, give me a CUP, give an F with a CUP!"

The spectators on the sidelines were equally enthusiastic. Lin Jiamo, imitating a scene from "Slam Dunk," had prepared several empty Coke bottles, filled them with one-cent coins, and made a loud "clattering" sound when shaken. They also hung flags on the railings, displaying slogans like "F-team will win," "The brave are invincible," and "The championship belongs only to us." The flag signals from both sides were almost indistinguishable, making it impossible to tell which side was truly the champion. However, everyone knew that there could only be one true champion, who would be decided today, right here.

Before the game, the coach gave a brief explanation of the tactics, and the players were all a little nervous. In the short time the coach was talking, center Liu Bo went to the toilet three times. When he came back for the third time, Su Kai frowned and said, "What's wrong with you? Did you leak? Should we plug it up for a while?"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the tense atmosphere eased a little.

"I've said everything I needed to say and instructed. As the captain, let me say a few words on a different topic." Su Kai sighed and said, "I became the captain of the school team in the second semester of my first year of high school. When the coach talked to me, I was so excited that I impulsively said, 'I will definitely win a trophy for our school and put it on your desk.' But I'm really sorry, I haven't been able to fulfill that promise yet, which directly affected our coach's salary increase and bonus. So, I want to sincerely apologize to the coach!"

The coach chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder. Su Kai cried out, rubbing his shoulder and laughing, "Don't get impatient! You have to be ruthless when there's no one else around. Otherwise, who would dare take my place? Hehe, anyway, it's today. My days as captain, occupying the position without doing anything, are over. Let me finish! To be honest, I really didn't expect we'd be standing on this court today. When Zhao Ye got injured, I was desperate. I was just hoping we wouldn't lose at home, that would be doing justice to the audience. But when I went to see Zhao Ye that day, his words really shocked me. I felt that for this kid alone, I had to give it my all, even if it meant losing on the court, I couldn't give up. Later, we really had a tough time. One by one, the senior players dropped out because of the college entrance exam. I can't blame them, though. As someone who's also a college entrance exam candidate..." Sheng could understand. And just then, Chen Xun stepped forward. He wasn't even on the basketball team; he had his own exams and placement tests, so this competition had nothing to do with him. But he still came, secretly practicing his shooting after school, even when he was sick without a word. Without him, we probably would have gone home long ago. So, I must thank him today, and not just him, but everyone standing here. It's an honor of my life to fight alongside you all! You might all think I value this championship too much, that I want to win one before graduation, but I want to tell you, whether we win or not, I have no regrets! I will proudly tell others that I was once on the best basketball team, playing the best basketball with the best players!

As Su Kai spoke, his eyes shone brightly, gleaming with an arrogant light. Everyone present was awestruck by his powerful aura. The team members stood up one by one, including Zhao Ye, whose arm was still in a sling. As usual, they put their arms around each other's shoulders and formed a circle.

Su Kai smiled and shouted loudly at the center of the circle: "F in!"

"win!"

All the team members shouted together, their powerful and resounding voices soaring into the sky.

The competition that day was fierce. Thanks to Su Kai and his teammates' concerted efforts and relentless struggle, F Middle School ultimately won the 2000 Nike Cup. At the final moment, Su Kai shed tears. Like a child, he ran to the sidelines, hugged Zhao Ye tightly, and kept saying, "Champions! We are the champions!" Zhao Ye's arm ached from Su Kai's weight, but he didn't care, jumping and shouting along with him, "Champions! Champions!"

In the audience, Lin Jiamo clung to Fang Hui's shoulders, sobbing uncontrollably. Fang Hui hugged her back, comforting Lin Jiamo while tilting her head to look down at the audience for Chen Xun. Just then, she heard someone shouting her name from below the railing. Fang Hui looked down and saw Chen Xun smiling and waving at her, raising his index finger high in a "one" gesture.

Fang Hui said that at that moment, she felt that Chen Xun was like a triumphant hero, radiating golden light. This hero, who was the center of attention, only smiled at her, which made her feel intoxicated and incredibly happy. From that moment on, she began to crave Chen Xun's exclusivity, for him to only look at her, only reach out to her, and only smile at her.

I think Fang Hui's thinking is a cute but naive little girl's mentality. She forgets that a hero is a hero because he is admired and recognized by many people. If it's only for her, then he can't be called a hero at all. Fang Hui's wishes will inevitably become a constraint on Chen Xun, and in the end, they will only trap herself.

That evening, the entire basketball team and their families had a celebratory dinner together. The coach took them to Meizhou Dongpo, telling them to eat whatever they wanted and that he would pay. For the players, who were used to eating Kung Pao Chicken at Yuhua Restaurant, this was practically national team treatment. They were all incredibly sweet-talking, saying things like, "Winning the championship is so great! The coach got a raise, and we're eating at Dongpo!" This left the coach both amused and exasperated.

Su Kai was exceptionally excited during the meal, toasting the team members in turn and drinking to his heart's content. Everyone else thought he was just too happy, but Lin Jiamo thought something was wrong. No matter how happy he was, there was no need to drink so heavily, as if he was forcing himself to drink.

After a while, while everyone was happily chatting, bragging, and showing off, Su Kai went out alone. Lin Jiamo watched closely, and after ten minutes, seeing that he hadn't returned, she slipped out when no one was looking. She reached the doorway and saw Su Kai sitting on the steps, silently gazing at the street. Lin Jiamo patted him on the shoulder from behind, sat down next to him, and said, "Why did you sneak out? Did you throw up?"

"No! Do you think I'm that cowardly? I just came out to sit for a while." Su Kai smiled and said, "What about you? Why did you come out?"

"I...I'll come out and sit for a while too," Lin Jiamo said softly, her face flushed and her head lowered.

"Speaking of which, it would be better if I really got drunk and threw up," Su Kai sighed.

"Why?" Lin Jiamo asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing, I just feel like today is fucking unreal," Su Kai said, looking up at the sky.

"What's unreal about it! How about I bring the trophy back for you to see?"

"You brat! Are you making fun of your brother?" Su Kai said, glancing at her sideways.

"No... I'm not..."

"Okay, okay, I was just teasing you! What's wrong with you today? Aren't you being a little unusual?"

Lin Jiamo looked at his profile and sighed silently. She had never been any less clever in front of Su Kai. If she had been more astute, perhaps she wouldn't be so deeply entangled in his feelings now.

"Jiamo, have you ever been on an airplane?" Su Kai suddenly asked.

"No, you sat here?"

"I don't have any. Do you think you can see what's below when you're on an airplane?"

"Maybe, but it would definitely be very small."

"If I put a flower down, will the plane be able to see it?"

"I don't know, maybe I can see it?"

"Do you know where I can buy fireworks around here?"

"Where can you find it here? It's not available anywhere in Beijing. You'd have to go elsewhere to buy it."

"Oh right, it's banned now."

"Are you drunk? What would you need that stuff for now?"

"Hehe, it might really be a bit too much," Su Kai said in a muffled voice, covering his face.

"What's wrong with you?" Lin Jiamo turned to the side and looked straight at him as she asked.

“Today… Zheng Xue left.” Su Kai took his hand down and looked at Lin Jiamo helplessly. In that instant, Lin Jiamo vaguely saw tears in his eyes.

"Really?" Lin Jiamo felt a pang in her heart. She slowly felt Su Kai's pain, the kind of pain that made even breathing difficult.

“Hmm, maybe it’s right above us right now,” Su Kai said, pointing to the sky.

"So you want to put flowers in the air?"

"Ugh... How stupid is that?" Su Kai smiled bitterly and lowered his head. "You know, she could have gotten into a good university in China, so why did she have to go abroad? Is New Zealand really that great? It's just a place for herding sheep! We have everything in China! At least I'm with her! Heh, maybe she doesn't even care about me being with her."

Every word Su Kai spoke struck the softest spot in Lin Jiaming's heart. She listened intently as he spoke of his lingering affection, loyalty, and foolish fantasies about another girl. These words assaulted Lin Jiaming's eardrums, chilling her to the bone. She felt as if her most cherished possessions had been discarded like trash; the pearl she had carefully clutched was nothing more than a water droplet, about to slip through her fingers and evaporate. A sense of utter despair finally overwhelmed her, and she clung tightly to Su Kai.

"I love it! I want it! Let me stay with you! Su Kai, I like you! I really like you! I am Gao Yiyi, Gao Yiyi is me, I bought the water, I called the pager, I deliberately didn't give you the novel and tape because I wanted to talk to you... I've liked you ever since I met you, and I've always liked you..."

Lin Jiamo's sudden lunge caused Su Kai's body to slam against the steps. The pain gradually brought him back to his senses. He looked at the girl in his arms and slowly pushed her away.

"Jia Mo, I really didn't expect it to be you. Thank you, thank you for being so good to me. But I promised to wait for Zheng Xue to come back, and no matter what happens in the future, I want to wait and see. Maybe you think I'm silly, and maybe I am silly. But I still want to wait for her. If you don't do something silly when you're young, when will you? I'd rather regret waiting for her later than regret not waiting for her. Jia Mo, you're a good girl, the cutest, kindest, and best girl I've ever met. I've always treated you like a younger sister, and I always will. Sister, you should wait too. There will be a better boy than me to be with you. I... I can't."

Lin Jiamo stared at him blankly, tears slowly welling up in her beautiful eyes. Then she threw herself into his arms and burst into tears. This time, Su Kai did not push her away.

He held Lin Jiamo in his arms and looked up at the sky. A red airplane flashed across the dark night sky. Perhaps the flashing red was too abrupt and dazzling, so he also shed tears.

(15)

All the joys and sorrows associated with the Nike Cup are like a beautiful bubble, rising to its highest point and then disappearing. Its transparent, iridescent light leaves an unforgettable impression on everyone's heart.

Lin Jiaming calmly recounted that unique night to Fang Hui. She remembered every word, every pause, every tear with remarkable precision, as if telling someone else's story without a trace of her own emotion. Fang Hui didn't know how to comfort her, and Lin Jiaming didn't expect any comfort in return. In other words, unhappy people don't want to mourn in front of happy people; it only makes them feel more unhappy. At that time, Fang Hui didn't know what it meant to be deeply affected or heartbroken. Her eyes were clear and unwavering, so she couldn't comfort Lin Jiaming at all. Some pain can only be understood through experience; any words of comfort would become meaningless and indifferent. Zhao Ye and Su Kai had tormented Lin Jiaming both physically and mentally; only she herself could understand what that meant.

After finishing her story, Lin Jiamo lightly jumped down from the school's locust tree fence. When she landed, she twisted her ankle and frowned, cursing, "Damn it!" Then she loudly sang, "In my heart, you are a green onion, I'll break it, crumple it, and throw it in the trash can." As she laughed, she turned to look at Fang Hui, and unsurprisingly, she saw an incredulous and incomprehensible look in Fang Hui's eyes.

That was the first time Fang Hui had heard Lin Jiamo curse, but she simply thought it was just her being unhappy and easily overlooked the sadness and strength that were silently hidden within.

At the end of that spring, F Middle School held its annual sports meet. Since Zhao Ye wasn't fully recovered, Chen Xun and Qiao Ran signed up for many events: men's 4x100m relay, 4x400m, 8x800m, 1000m, 1500m, high jump, long jump… they participated in almost everything they could manage. Teacher Hou was particularly pleased, praising their sense of responsibility and collective honor to the skies; he practically wanted to write "Learn from Chen Xun and Qiao Ran" on the blackboard.

It was quite hot on the day of the sports meet. Fang Hui carried a large bag of water and stayed by Chen Xun and Qiao Ran's side, taking care of them the whole time. After Chen Xun finished running the 400 meters, he plopped down on the ground and held out his hand to Fang Hui, saying, "Water! No bottled water, give me a Red Bull!"

Fang Hui rummaged through the bag and said, "There's only one Red Bull left. Qiao Ran still has to run a thousand kilometers later, so let's save it for him. You drink some mineral water first."

"I'll just have one sip! I still have to drive 1,500 kilometers! This is fucking hot!" Chen Xun said, grabbing Fang Hui's trouser leg.

"Look at you! Hurry up! Make him drink it!" Qiao Ran said with a smile.

"Then... is that alright?" Fang Hui asked Qiao Ran.

"It's fine! He's too cowardly! I don't need him!"

"You'll know once you run a lap!" Chen Xun took the water, gulped down a big mouthful, and said, "I need to go upstairs and rest for a bit..."

Chen Xun walked forward, and Fang Hui followed him. Suddenly, she stopped, turned around, and said to Qiao Ran, "Thank you. That's just how he is. I'll go buy you another can later."

"Really, you don't need to," Qiao Ran waved her hand and said, "Just cheer me on a couple more times."

The sunlight across the way was a bit dazzling, so Fang Hui squinted and nodded slightly. Qiao Ran looked at her and happily made a V-sign.

Unfortunately, Fang Hui couldn't cheer for Qiao Ran in the end. When Qiao Ran started, Fang Hui was with Chen Xun checking in for the 1500-meter race. Chen Xun was stretching his legs and humming a song. Fang Hui helped him reattach his race number and said, "Are you feeling more energetic now?"

"Mmm! I feel much better after drinking Red Bull!" Chen Xun nudged her and said, "Hey! Did you hear me sing this song? Was it good?"

"I didn't hear it very clearly, but it was alright."

"Not bad? It's so good! This song was written by my favorite underground band, it's called 'River,' it's amazing!"

"Really?" Fang Hui said casually. She knew Chen Xun was a big fan of rock music, but she didn't really understand it.

"Yeah! Everyone who plays guitar knows Spasm, they're incredibly awesome! Sun Tao even knows their lead singer! I'll take you to hear them sometime tomorrow, then you'll see!"

"Oh, hurry up, it's about to start." Fang Hui always responded indifferently whenever she heard the names of his childhood friends. She knew that Chen Xun hadn't kept his promise to stop contacting them often, and she herself hadn't been able to let go of the past. There was an awkwardness between the two, and Chen Xun and Fang Hui didn't know how to resolve it, so they simply chose to avoid it.

"Keep it up! If you feel unwell, just tell the teacher and come down! I'll be waiting for you here!" Fang Hui said, giving her a few words of advice.

"Get down? No way! That would be too embarrassing! You hold it up!" Chen Xun said proudly.

Fang Hui smiled and stood by the track. Throughout the race, she kept her eyes on Chen Xun, and before she knew it, she had walked a lap around the track. Chen Xun ran 1500 meters, and she walked 800 meters. Although she didn't place, Chen Xun persevered, and Fang Hui only went up to the stands after watching him reach the finish line.

Seeing her approach, Lin Jiamo quickly shoved the paper and pen into her hand, saying with a disgruntled expression, "Oh, you're finally back! Hurry up and write two news articles! I'm completely out of ideas. I've written everything—heroic, energetic, courageous, long live sports—I almost forgot to mention the spirit of the dragon and horse! Tell me, who's the propaganda officer between us?"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry! I just went with Chen Xun to run 1500 meters," Fang Hui quickly apologized.

"I saw it!" Lin Jiamo rolled her eyes at her. "I'm not saying this to be mean, but I think the way you like someone is really stupid! He can run his run, why are you running around the track?"

"I...I just wanted to take a look..." Fang Hui lowered her head shyly and started scribbling on the paper.

"Take it easy, don't write the news report about Class 1, Grade 11 as a special report about Chen Xun!" Lin Jiamo continued to tease her.

"You're so annoying!" Fang Hui raised her hand to slap Lin Jiamo, who laughed and dodged, accidentally bumping into Zhao Ye behind her.

The cast on Zhao Ye's arm had been removed, but it was still in a splint, with a white bandage around his neck, making him look somewhat disheveled. The two exchanged a glance and then hurriedly moved away, as if they had touched something unclean. They tacitly moved to opposite sides, their avoidance becoming a habit.

Lin Jiamo sat down behind Fang Hui, propped her chin up, looked out at the arena, and sighed softly, saying, "Actually... it's not so bad to be silly like you."

"What?" Fang Hui turned around, her eyes still clear.

"It's nothing, hurry up and write!" Lin Jiamo held her head and turned her around.

A melodious announcer's voice rang out over the loudspeaker in the distance: "Submission from Class 1, Grade 11: The joy and sorrow on the sports field are so real. There is nothing we cannot overcome! Cherish every second, enjoy every day. Strive, strive, strive! Go, go, go! Our future is not a dream!"

After the sports meet, Chen Xun dragged Fang Hui to listen to a performance by some band called Spasm. Fang Hui had absolutely no interest in it, but she didn't want to spoil Chen Xun's fun, so she reluctantly went with him.

Chen Xun bought a new bike; his old one had been stolen in front of a restaurant. Back then, bike theft was rampant in Beijing; practically everyone who rode a bike had one stolen at some point. Good bikes were stolen, and so were old ones; spring locks were stolen, and so were U-locks. A unique industry chain had formed between bike theft and the resale of used bikes. Chen Xun's "new bike" was bought from the used market. He'd already stolen one before; his mother had just bought him a new bike for over a thousand yuan, but he'd barely had time to ride it before losing it again. This time, he dared not ask his family for money again, so he had no choice but to buy an identical "new bike" from a "used bike market" in Sihui. At that time, Sihui was nowhere near a CBD; it was filled with countless small houses, like the countryside. Surrounded by villagers in a private house, Chen Xun, with a do-or-die determination, haggled and bought the bike. Chen Xun was very frustrated that he could buy a bike for over a thousand yuan at a Giant store but only get one for a little over a hundred here. Qiao Ran joked that maybe this was the bike he had lost, and it had come full circle and returned to its rightful owner.

The vehicle had no back seats; there was only a mudguard on the rear wheel, so Fang Hui had to sit on the crossbar. Because the crossbar was slanted, it was very uncomfortable to sit on. However, Fang Hui still enjoyed it immensely. Sitting on it, she could feel Chen Xun's presence and hear him humming songs.

Chen Xun took Fang Hui to a bar called "Busy Bee" near Beixinqiao. He told her that unknown underground bands often performed there, and that the band "The Flowers" supposedly originated from there; without Sun Tao's connections, they wouldn't have been able to get in. It was Fang Hui's first time in such a place, and she was surprised that Chen Xun knew so much while she knew nothing about it. The two, dressed in school uniforms, mingled in the crowd. Chen Xun would occasionally stop to greet people nearby, while Fang Hui followed behind him, feeling she could never keep up with his pace.

Chen Xun eventually squeezed to the front, while Fang Hui fell behind. The deafening cheers when the Spasm Band came on stage made her feel nauseous. The lead singer coolly waved to the crowd, which elicited another round of screams. Their first song that day was "River," and Fang Hui finally heard clearly the song that had captivated Chen Xun.

When I was a child, there was a river in my hometown.

She lives on the other side of the river.

She was a cute girl with braids.

In the evening, I always hold her hand.

The river reflected her beautiful face.

She said that from now on we would wander together along the river.

I thought we really would go on a life of wandering.

But she was with someone else.

The river was very blue the day she left.

She said she didn't want to say goodbye to me.

What if I can't find you?

She pointed to the river and said, "This is my direction."

The place is called a foreign land.

Later I got my own daughter.

That person, however, caused her injury.

I walked along the river to pick her up and take her home.

She said, "Fool, he is my home."

She waited for him, and I waited for her.

We are not afraid.

One day we will become rivers after we die.

Flowing together,

No more worries.

She waited for him, and I waited for her.

We are not afraid.

One day we will become rivers after we die.

Flowing together,

No more worries.

After listening to the entire song, Fang Hui immediately stood up and left. As she left, Chen Xun was clapping and singing, "Flowing together, no longer bound by anything." She saw a bewildered expression on Chen Xun's face, but Chen Xun didn't see her.

Fang Hui wanted to go home, but she couldn't catch a bus, so she sat down on the curb in frustration. The streetlights gradually blurred in her eyes, and she gently wiped her face, which was wet.

Fang Hui told me that she didn't know why, but that day she just felt that the song was about Chen Xun and Wu Tingting, and she was just like an observer.

(16)

When Chen Xun ran out of the busy bee, Fang Hui was wiping away tears. Standing across the street, Chen Xun looked at her slender figure under the streetlights and suddenly felt an indescribable sadness.

Chen Xun ran across the road and grabbed her, saying, "Why did you run out? What happened? I've been looking for you for ages, I was so worried!"

"It's nothing..." Fang Hui sniffed and said.

"Why are you crying for no reason!"

"My eyes hurt."

"Don't make things up!" Chen Xun said, cupping her face in his hands.

"Why do you like 'The River'?" Fang Hui pulled down his hand and stared at him intently as she asked.

"No...no reason..." Chen Xun was stunned by her question.

Do you like the lyrics?

"I love it...and the arrangement is great too..."

"When you listen to this song, do you think of Wu Tingting?" Fang Hui interrupted him and asked directly.

"What are you thinking about now!" Chen Xun let go of her hand and looked at the roadside.

Have you thought about it?

"..."

Chen Xun couldn't answer Fang Hui's question. To be honest, he had thought about it, but he felt that his thoughts were different from Fang Hui's. He didn't know what to say, so he pulled her down and kissed her.

Fang Hui turned her head away and pushed him away, saying, "Don't try to fool me."

"no……"

"Didn't you say you weren't going to keep in touch with your childhood friends anymore? I've told you before that I'm not on the same page as them."

"How did we get to this point? I know, but..."

"Then why did you come to a place like this with Sun Tao? Do you even see any students here? We have exams in two months. What if we don't get into the top science class? What if we break up? Have you thought about that?"

"If you can't get into the science A program, then go for the humanities A program. Anyway, you're better at humanities, and I was planning to study humanities with you anyway."

"Is that even possible? You struggle even with Chinese, and you want to study literature? I bet you've never even considered it!"

"How do you know I haven't thought about it!" Chen Xun was a little angry. "Can't I even have a hobby?"

"Who says it's not possible? But you shouldn't be with those people..."

"Who are they? I've been with them since I was a kid and nothing's happened to me! Fang Hui, don't take it so seriously!"

"Fine! I'll take this seriously!"

Fang Hui pursed her lips, glanced sadly at Chen Xun, and then abruptly turned around and hailed a taxi.

Chen Xun stood there, stunned, watching the roof light of the Xiali car grow smaller and smaller in the distance. A few minutes later, he finally took off after it, but that little red dot had already melted into the night. At that moment, Chen Xun felt utterly powerless.

That evening, Chen Xun called Fang Hui. Fang Jianzhou answered impatiently, and Chen Xun vaguely heard him say, "Who is this guy? Why does he keep calling you? Hang up now! Stop chatting!"

Fang Hui answered the phone, and Chen Xun said, "How could you just run away like that! I chased you for hundreds of meters!"

"Is that so?" Fang Hui said calmly.

"At first I thought you would come down! I didn't expect you to actually leave!"

"oh."

"Are you still angry?"

"without."

"Don't be angry, it's really not what you think."

"oh."

"Then I won't go anymore."

"casual."

"Don't do this."

"Um."

"Let me play you a song!"

"No..." Fang Hui lowered her voice, "My dad's here..."

"oh."

"Let's leave it at that for now."

"Okay, we'll talk about it tomorrow. Don't overthink it! Bye-bye."

"Bye-Bye."

The next day at school, Chen Xun kept trying to make conversation around Fang Hui, and Fang Hui didn't neglect him. She patiently played childish games with him, like Go and "East, West, South, North," as if nothing had happened.

After school, Chen Xun approached him somewhat awkwardly and said, "Um... today... I still have to go to Mangfeng..."

Fang Hui paused for two seconds while packing her things, then continued putting the book into her schoolbag.

"It's like this, Sun Tao called me yesterday, not me contacting him, he called me! He said he talked to the people over there and that I could sing a song! I want to try it out, just once, and I'll never go again!" Chen Xun hurriedly explained.

"Oh." Fang Hui still didn't react. She zipped up her backpack and stood up.

"Come with me!" Chen Xun said shamelessly, jumping off the table and blocking her way.

"I'm not going," Fang Hui said, gently brushing him aside.

"Why?" Chen Xun grabbed her arm. "It's my first time singing on stage!"

"What would I do there? Listen to you sing 'River,' or reminisce about your first love with you?" Fang Hui struggled free and said calmly.

"No! I've told you it's not true..."

"I don't want to go to places like that anymore," Fang Hui interrupted him. "And I don't want to hear 'flowing together, no longer bound by anything' anymore!"

Chen Xun released his grip, looked at Fang Hui with a complex expression for a moment, and said, "Whatever you want!"

Fang Hui lowered her head, not daring to look at Chen Xun's departing figure, only hearing a loud slam of the door.

Qiao Ran watched them from behind. After Chen Xun left, he walked up to Fang Hui and asked, "What's wrong? What's wrong with him?"

Fang Hui raised her head, took a deep breath, and said, "Qiao Ran, is there someone you can't forget? The kind of person you can't forget no matter what, you can't forget before, you can't forget now, and you still can't forget in the future."

Qiao Ran was taken aback for a moment, then looked at her and smiled, saying, "Yes."

That day, Qiao Ran accompanied Fang Hui home. Fang Hui didn't say what happened between her and Chen Xun, and Qiao Ran didn't ask again. The two chatted idly, talking about random things.

"If there are people you can't forget, what about the people you like now?" Fang Hui said, kicking at some pebbles.

"The person I can't forget is the person I like now," Qiao Ran said.

"You're trying to fool me too?"

"real."

"And who will you like in the future?"

"She's someone I'll never forget."

What about the previous one?

"One thing I'll never forget."

"How greedy."

"Hehe, nobody wants to be forgotten so easily, right? Besides, not being able to forget doesn't mean you'll always like someone."

"Yeah?"

“Yes, for example, if I asked you, would you forget me?” Qiao Ran stopped and looked at Fang Hui with a smile.

Fang Hui shook her head and said, "No way."

So, do you like me?

The willow catkins on the trees were blown down, as if a snow had fallen among them. Fang Hui glanced at him in surprise, as if she had nowhere to hide, and quickly looked away.

"You don't like it, right?" Qiao Ran was still smiling, but her smile seemed empty. "So you see, not being able to forget isn't such a big deal."

They didn't say anything more after that. When they arrived at Fang Hui's building, Qiao Ran walked over to the lilac bushes next to them. He searched for a long time in the bushes and finally plucked a flower and placed it in Fang Hui's hand.

"What is it?" Fang Hui asked, looking at the small white flower in her hand with a puzzled expression.

"Five-petaled lilacs are said to bring happiness," Qiao Ran explained. "Don't look so gloomy. I hope you can be the happiest person in the world!"

Fang Hui looked up at Qiao Ran gratefully, then went to the flower bushes and found a five-petaled lilac, handing it to Qiao Ran and saying, "This is for you! I hope you will be happy too!"

Qiao Ran smiled and took it, carefully placing it between the pages of his book. Fang Hui clutched the five-petaled lilac in her hand and said goodbye to him. Qiao Ran waved and watched her walk into the building before slowly turning around.

He kept that five-petaled lilac for many, many years.

When Chen Xun arrived at Mangfeng, he was surprised to see Wu Tingting standing at the door. That day, Wu Tingting was wearing a tight black coat with a low-cut top underneath, revealing a patch of fair neck. She shrank back and ran towards Chen Xun with a smile, saying, "Wang, you've got some nerve! You're not even famous yet and you've already learned to be late! We came all this way to support you!"

"Wrap yourself up properly before you talk to me! Don't you know it gets chilly at night? You'll freeze to death!" Chen Xun frowned and handed over his coat.

"You're such a busybody!" Wu Tingting took the clothes and put them on, then looked behind him and said, "Where's your girlfriend? Why isn't she here?"

“Her…” Chen Xun paused, then rubbed his foot on the ground as he said, “She’s in trouble.”

"Hey! It's all wrinkled!" Sun Tao exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Why didn't you say so sooner? Hai Bing deliberately didn't come today! He was afraid of spoiling the fun."

"What? What's the big deal! Are you afraid of her? Damn it! Call her right now! Call Hai Bing over! My first performance won't be complete without him!" Chen Xun said, glaring at her.

"I didn't realize you had such backbone!" Sun Tao laughed and took Yang Qing's arm. "Go, call Hai Bing!"

"Of course! Who am I! I kill gods and slap ghosts! I'm not afraid of any demons or monsters!" Chen Xun parked the car, carried his zither, and walked through the door.

Wu Tingting and Sun Tao exchanged a glance. Sun Tao gave a signal, and Wu Tingting followed Chen Xun and whispered, "What's wrong? Did you two have a fight?"

“No…” Chen Xun said, lowering his head, “It’s just that sometimes… I really don’t know what to do with her.”

"Oh my! There's someone who can handle you?" Wu Tingting said with a smile.

"What are you pretending to be, you little brat!" Chen Xun rolled his eyes at her. "Didn't you completely outmaneuver me back then?"

"Really? How come I didn't know! I feel so accomplished!" Wu Tingting punched him hard, laughing so hard she was shaking.

"Of course! We wouldn't be in this situation without you!" Chen Xun said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Wait a minute, what do you mean? What's going on between you two?" Wu Tingting grabbed him, her smile fading.

"Let's talk about it later! Let me finish playing this piece properly first! I need to practice it one more time."

Chen Xun sat down, picked up the pick clipped to the strings, and began tuning. He was still using the red pick that Fang Hui had given him for the New Year, only now the silver heart sticker on it had faded slightly.

(17)

The bustling restaurant was a bit quiet after the weekend. Wu Tingting and her group were probably the largest group of guests, which eased Chen Xun's tension a bit. He was dressed simply, taking off his school uniform jacket to wear a white T-shirt with a graphic design on top, and without changing his school uniform pants, he picked up his guitar, which cost a little over three hundred yuan, and went on stage.

"Look at that arrogant guy!" Tang Haibing, who had just arrived, said with a laugh.

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Wu Tingting nudged him with her elbow.

"Why are you so engrossed?" Sun Tao said with a mischievous grin.

"You know what, Chen Xun is really charismatic! I'm almost smitten with him!" Yang Qing said, cupping her face and looking at Chen Xun with admiration.

"Get lost! You're not allowed to look!" Sun Tao covered her eyes and pulled her into his arms.

Chen Xun looked at them, smiled from afar, and gently plucked the strings of his zither.

How long did the dappled shadows of the trees linger under the moonlight?

How many times has the girl in the white dress walked down this street?

How many times have I looked back into your eyes in the sunset?

How many regrets have you had that have left your love shrouded in uncertainty?

How many red lotuses bloomed on the banks of the River of Oblivion?

How many centuries have we brushed past each other in the cycle of reincarnation?

In your past life, how many dreams and longings did you sing of?

How many times have I dreamt of returning to my carefree youth?

How many years will pass in a hundred or a thousand years?

How many promises have we made over the long years?

Will we still be together without regrets many years from now?

"Just for your smile, I wasted those fleeting years of my life."

After Chen Xun finished singing, Tang Haibing and the others applauded and cheered wildly. Chen Xun then let loose and sang a few more popular songs, which were even more outstanding.

As soon as he arrived, he was surrounded by them. Sun Tao put his arm around his neck, his eyes narrowing into slits with a smile, and said enthusiastically, "Dude, the boss just asked me for your phone number. He said you have great potential! That's awesome! Why don't you just go into the entertainment industry? With you around, those like Nicholas Tse and Daniel Chan will have to pack their bags and go back to their hometowns!"

“Yes, yes, yes! Once you become famous, I’ll be your agent. Anyone who wants your autograph will have to get past me first! Wow! Just thinking about it is awesome!” Yang Qing chimed in, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Look at you two, so pathetic! You're hopeless! What's so great about the entertainment industry? You mess with me, I mess with you, and all the men are cousins, and all the women are cousins! You can count on your fingers, and you can't get more than three people involved in an inappropriate relationship! I can't stand their behavior! We Chen Xun do this just for fun! It's called enriching our after-school life, right?" Tang Hai said disdainfully.

"Tch! 'Our Chen Xun'? When did Chen Xun become yours? He's Fang Hui's too! Who do you think you are!" Yang Qing rolled her eyes at Tang Haibing.

Her unintentional remark caused everyone to fall silent. Tang Haibing released her hand from Chen Xun's shoulder, and Chen Xun turned his head and sat down without a word. Sun Tao pinched Yang Qing hard, making her both hurt and angry, but she still complained, "That's right! Why did you pinch me! You hit me hard! It's all bruised!"

Wu Tingting tugged at her and leaned closer to Chen Xun, saying, "Did you write that song? It's pretty good! What's it called?"

“The Years in a Hurry,” Chen Xun said in a muffled voice.

"Tsk tsk, high-achieving students are really something else, even their names are so elegant and refined..."

"Get lost!" Chen Xun interrupted her before she could finish. "Stop pretending with me!"

"You don't even like being praised! You're just born with a lowly fate! Let me tell you, don't take your frustrations out on me!" Wu Tingting was also getting angry.

"No, I'm just feeling down!" Chen Xun said, softening his tone.

"That song... was written for Fang Hui?" Wu Tingting's gaze lingered on Chen Xun through the dim light.

"Well, it's not that..." Chen Xun lowered his head a little embarrassedly, "Anyway, I wanted her to come and listen, ha, now look what happened..."

“That girl is too complicated, but we can’t blame her. I think she cares about you too much. Since you really like her, you should be more understanding! Why didn’t you listen to our advice back then?” Wu Tingting sighed.

Chen Xun chuckled and poked her forehead: "You're the most reasonable person when it comes to reasoning, but the most clueless when it comes to actually doing things! Sometimes I just think, it would be great if you and Fang Hui could share the burden more evenly!"

"Dream on! You think everything is yours?" Wu Tingting shoved his hand away, snorted, and said, "Always eyeing what's in the bowl while eyeing what's in the pot, aren't you afraid of choking to death?"

"Don't wrong me! I was just saying it casually, and you just took it as a joke. What you're saying now is too ambiguous. I can't clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River! I finally see it now, I've been tricked by you guys bit by bit!" Chen Xun hurriedly clarified.

"Get lost! Stop pretending to be a tragic hero! Seriously, why don't I go talk to Fang Hui? That way you won't have any more trouble later, and you might just spout some nonsense again."

Chen Xun rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "Okay! Tingting, I really didn't realize that when you're serious, you're incredibly reliable!"

"Go away! Don't bother me! When have I ever been indecent! You're so immoral!" Wu Tingting waved her hand and listened to music by herself.

Tang Haibing, seeing them chatting happily, came over, lit a cigarette, and said, "So, where are we going for some activities later? It's been a long time since we've all gotten together like this."

"An activity? He definitely can't!" Wu Tingting said, pointing at Chen Xun. "He'd better go back and do his homework."

"Who said that!" Chen Xun exclaimed, his eyes wide. "It's been so long since the five of us played together! Let's go! Let's go to 'June'!"

"June" is the name of a billiards hall. Before he met Fang Hui, Chen Xun would often go there with Tang Haibing and the others.

"Great!" Tang Haibing perked up immediately. "I'll also check if your skills have improved. Last time you insisted on using a thin sheet of paper, but you ended up with a thick notebook and pocketed the black eight directly. I still remember that!"

"Tch! That was a mistake. I'm not the same person I used to be. I didn't know I was now known as the 'Number One Chop in the World'! Ah! Today I'll show you!" Chen Xun relaxed for once and walked out affectionately with Tang Haibing.

Chen Xun and Tang Haibing had a great time that day. Fang Hui thought she would receive his call that night, but there was no response. She went to sleep feeling regretful and sad.

Chen Xun was in good spirits the next day, but Fang Hui was still gloomy. However, because a student teacher was giving a demonstration lesson that day, the class committee members held a meeting at noon to arrange who would raise their hands and speak. Not wanting to be awkward in front of everyone, the two exchanged a few perfunctory words, and the unpleasantness gradually faded away.

Fang Hui's student teacher, surnamed Ma, was a recent graduate student teaching Chinese. She chose to teach the lesson on the text about Lin Daiyu's visit to the Jia family mansion and prepared extensively beforehand. At that time, many high schools in Beijing had installed what were considered high-end equipment at the time, such as closed-circuit television and projectors. However, these devices were rarely used. They were only symbolically turned on during open lessons or when leaders visited the school, to prove that the machines were functional and not just for show.

That day, Teacher Ma used all the equipment in just forty minutes. First, she projected a character relationship diagram onto the projector, then showed clips from the TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber" on the television. Afterwards, she distributed playing cards featuring the Twelve Beauties of the Red Chamber to each group, had them copy poems from the novel onto the blackboard, and memorized the content in the teaching materials perfectly. The lesson was indeed excellent, though not every lesson was taught this way. In short, it was very engaging and effective, just as the entire Chinese language teaching group commented afterward: "Accurately grasped the key teaching points, and the classroom atmosphere was lively and engaging."

After seeing off everyone from the Chinese language teaching group, Teacher Ma finally breathed a sigh of relief. That day was a double period, and during the second period, she resigned herself from the equipment and instead taught a composition review lesson. Fang Hui and her classmates usually wrote a weekly journal entry, and sometimes, according to the teaching schedule, they were assigned some narrative or argumentative essays. That time, they were working on the short story unit, and the composition assignment was a short story. Teacher Ma briefly explained the key points of writing a short story, then read a few of the students' well-written pieces aloud one by one to the front of the class.

One of the essays was by Qiao Ran, but when it was his turn, he absolutely refused to go up. Teacher Ma was in a good mood that day, so she smiled and said, "Qiao Ran, I read your essay, it's very good! What's with all the shyness a boy should have? Maybe that girl wants to read your essay!" Her words piqued everyone's interest, and the boys clamored for him to go up. Qiao Ran couldn't refuse, so he blushed and walked up to the podium.

"A Lilac Flower, Class 1, Grade 11, Qiao Ran." Qiao Ran mumbled out his class and name in a daze, causing his classmates to burst into laughter. He paused for a moment, embarrassed, until Teacher Ma restored order, before quietly finishing reading the whole thing.

Every spring, when the lilacs bloom, I think of someone. She was the first girl who made me realize that lilacs are also beautiful flowers.

I can't remember when I started to care about her so much. If time could be divided into frames like movie scenes, the first image of her that flashes through my mind right now is next to a clump of lilac trees.

It was a bright spring day. As she walked past the lilac bushes, a gentle breeze suddenly blew, and delicate white four-petaled flowers drifted down, landing on her hair and shoulders, as if a shower of petals had been specially prepared for her. I stood behind her, inhaling the fragrant aroma. Perhaps the scene was too beautiful, for in a daze, I couldn't tell whether the fragrance came from the flowers or from her.

Later, I often passed by that flower patch, and because of her, I would always stop there for a while. Occasionally, I would still run into her, but she never looked at those lilacs again.

That spring, I remember it, she forgets it.

There's only one spring each year, and I don't know how many springs we'll miss each other. Someone told me that five-petaled lilacs can bring happiness, so I found many five-petaled lilacs, so many that I started to doubt the legend, but I still didn't dare give her a single one.

Finally, one day, on a day when the lilacs exuded their enchanting fragrance, I walked with her through that flowerbed again. She was wearing a white coat and dark red sneakers that day; I don't remember much else, because I barely looked up. She didn't seem happy. She asked me if there was anyone I couldn't forget. I said yes. She said, "If you can't forget the past, what about the person you like now?" I said, "The person I like now is the one I can't forget." She asked, "And what about the person you'll like in the future?" I said, "We'll both be unforgettable." She said I was lying to her. I countered, "Then will you forget me?" She shook her head. I continued, "Then do you like me?" She didn't answer, but I knew the answer. So I said to her, and to myself, "You see, not being able to forget isn't such a big deal."

That day, I picked a five-petaled lilac from the bushes and gave it to her, and she returned the favor with one. If this lilac is truly magical, then I would gladly give her my happiness as well.

Actually, I wanted to add a sentence to all my answers in the above dialogue.

The person I can't forget is you.

The person I like right now is you.

The person I never want to forget, whether in the past, present, or future, is you.

I gradually came to understand something: I love lilacs—white ones, pink ones, blooming ones, withered ones—I love them all. Just like I love her, no matter what she looks like, long hair, short hair, whether she's mine or not, I love her completely.

This spring, I'll remember it; will she forget?

As Qiao Ran read his essay aloud, the students in the class gradually calmed down. They listened attentively to the boy's monologue, as if it were a story. Perhaps the only one who wasn't paying much attention was Fang Hui. Only she truly understood this beautiful essay, and because she understood it so well, she almost shed tears.

(18)

After finishing his reading, Qiao Ran calmly walked off the podium. All his tenderness and emotion seemed to melt into the words. He didn't glance at Fang Hui and went straight to his seat. Zhao Ye extended his palm, and Qiao Ran tacitly bumped it with his. Chen Xun looked at him thoughtfully. Qiao Ran returned a shy smile, his eyebrows furrowed, and said, "What a fucking embarrassment!"

"No, no, no! You're not shameful, you're a scholar!" Chen Xun said, twirling his pen quickly.

As usual, Teacher Ma offered her comments. She smiled and said, "What do you all think of this article? Pretty good, right? Haha, it's indeed a good piece of work; the genuine emotions it conveys are very moving. However, I think this essay can be considered a good piece of writing, but not a good novel. No matter how short a novel is, it still has a clear structure, the cause, process, development, and result of the events, and an essential climax. This essay is more like prose; the structure is somewhat loose, and the story is a bit thin. Qiao Ran, you can go back and revise it, preferably enriching the content. Of course, I also look forward to seeing a wonderful sequel to this essay!"

Teacher Ma winked playfully, and the students burst into laughter again. Qiao Ran silently lowered his head. Teacher Ma's words touched him, not because the comments had a sudden, enlightening effect, but because he suddenly realized that there was no cause, process, development, or result in his relationship with Fang Hui, let alone a climax. It couldn't even form a short story; at best, it could only be a loosely structured essay, and this essay was destined to have no sequel.

I once asked Fang Hui how she felt after listening to Qiao Ran's essay. She lowered her head, her long, black hair brushing against her pale face, perfectly embodying loneliness. Then she softly uttered two words: fear.

Fang Hui didn't look up at Qiao Ran again that day; her silence held a deeper meaning than words. It wasn't that she wasn't moved; rather, it was precisely because she was moved that she felt apprehensive.

Qiao Ran seemed completely oblivious to Fang Hui's sensitivity. He walked towards her with a smile, just like always, even giving her the illusion that the author of that essay was not Qiao Ran.

"Hey, can I borrow an eraser?" Qiao Ran stopped in front of her.

Fang Hui hurriedly took out an eraser from her pencil case and handed it over. The eraser was made in the shape of a thick pencil, which was completely inconsistent with its purpose.

"Wow! That's huge!" Qiao Ran exclaimed in surprise. "Do you have any smaller ones?"

"No...no." Fang Hui shook her head vigorously, and the stray hairs by her ears fluttered up, causing the person opposite her to be slightly dazed.

"This should last a lifetime..." Qiao Ran said, looking at the eraser in his hand. "Then just give it to me! I'll do an experiment to see if I can use it all up."

Fang Hui nodded without speaking, and only looked up at the world again after Qiao Ran left.

The bright spring sunshine outside the window was dazzling. Countless pure and sincere affections were buried in the quiet campus. It's just a pity that they didn't understand that everything was still too early. Over the years, even the most delicate feelings will eventually turn to ashes and disappear. Unrequited love can support all the dreams of adolescence, but it cannot withstand the meager reality of adulthood.

Chen Xun was also bothered by this essay, and he didn't play basketball properly in PE class, instead sitting on the sidelines with Zhao Ye, who was still recovering from an injury. He kept glancing at Fang Hui and then at Qiao Ran from afar, feeling uneasy all the while.

"I never knew Qiao Ran had this skill!" Chen Xun said, bouncing the ball.

"What?" Zhao Ye turned his head in confusion.

"An essay!" Chen Xun tossed the ball in his hand and caught it steadily. "It's something like 'A Lilac Flower'."

"Oh, that guy? Didn't he already go from being an angry young man to a literary young man?"

"Who do you think he wrote about?" Chen Xun asked tentatively.

"Someone he likes," Zhao Ye replied casually. "Didn't he tell us before that he had a crush on his junior high school classmate?"

"Yeah?"

“Yeah!” Zhao Ye glanced at him and said, “Forget it, you wouldn’t understand even if I told you. A full stomach doesn’t know the hunger of an starving person. You and Fang Hui are all lovey-dovey every day, how could you understand our suffering!”

"Um... I mean, hypothetically... do you think Qiao Ran likes Fang Hui?" Chen Xun awkwardly voiced the question that was on his mind.

"Damn! So you've been going around in circles thinking about this! When did you become so indecisive? I've realized they were right, you're really cunning. I don't know if Qiao Ran likes Fang Hui, but I think it doesn't matter whether he likes her or not. Has he gotten in your way? Has he bothered you? No, right? So as long as you're genuinely good to Fang Hui, what can Qiao Ran do? It doesn't matter who likes whom, it's all voluntary." Zhao Ye stood up and said.

Chen Xun felt a little embarrassed by what he said, and muttered awkwardly under his breath, "Tch, you're making it sound so easy now. Back then, which idiot was it that had a grudge against Su Kai? And who is it that still doesn't dare to talk to Jia Mo!"

"What are you muttering about! You're not convinced?" Zhao Ye slapped him on the head and said.

"I give up! I give up! I give up!" Chen Xun said, rubbing his head. "Seriously, what are you and Jia Mo going to do with each other?!"

"Not really." Zhao Ye stretched out his right hand, sunlight filtering through his fingers and shining on his face, making him squint slightly. "Hey! Look, my hand is almost ready to play ball!"

"Really?" Chen Xun slapped him without hesitation. With Zhao Ye's howl, the two boys chased each other across the playground. Their earlier melancholy vanished, and letting go was not a difficult thing for the young boys.

After school that day, Chen Xun walked Fang Hui home. Chen Xun was in high spirits, talking about music and exams, while Fang Hui was listless and didn't reply much. They crossed the zebra crossing and went over the pedestrian overpass in the sunset. The charcoal-roasted coffee popsicle Chen Xun bought gradually melted. While rubbing his school uniform, he casually said, "Fang Hui, I'll never talk about Qiao Ran again."

"Huh?" Fang Hui was stunned, and her hands and feet became awkward.

“Yeah, I was wrong to say that about him before. Zhao Ye told me today that Qiao Ran likes someone, a classmate from junior high.” Chen Xun frowned, looking at the stains on his school uniform, and said, “Is there any water left in the water bottle? Pour some on me.”

"Oh!" Fang Hui unscrewed her water bottle and poured a little water onto Chen Xun's school uniform. The water, which should have flowed vertically, spilled slightly outside the uniform because of her shaking.

"Silly!" Chen Xun laughed as he took the bag, gesturing to his clothes as he said, "I feel pretty embarrassed myself. I was a bit rude to my buddy. Honestly, he didn't really bother us at all... Anyway, this whole thing is ridiculous. I can hardly believe Qiao Ran's face now. Hey, are you listening? Where have you been daydreaming? To be honest, it's all your fault! Without you, none of this would have happened! Sigh, women are trouble!"

Chen Xun nudged Fang Hui, causing her to stagger and nearly fall. Chen Xun's words were like daggers to her heart; the more honest he was, the more guilty and ashamed Fang Hui felt. She didn't know how to answer Chen Xun, nor how to explain what had happened between her and Qiao Ran if she told the truth. Looking at Chen Xun's smiling face, she could only force a smile, pretending everything was as he thought.

“I said…” Chen Xun’s tone suddenly became calm.

"What?" Fang Hui was shocked.

"Well... Tingting wants to meet up with you for a chat!" Chen Xun said, looking intently into her eyes.

"What did you talk about?" Fang Hui breathed a sigh of relief, then became even more nervous. "You met with her?"

“Didn’t I tell you? She was there the day I sang at Mangfeng.” Chen Xun recalled that she hadn’t heard the song “The Fleeting Years” yet, and he hadn’t had a chance to tell her about it.

"Oh, I see," Fang Hui said calmly. "Did you sing 'The River'?"

"No!" Upon hearing the name of his favorite song, Chen Xun became irritated.

“When I have time…” Fang Hui turned around and continued walking forward. She didn’t know what it was that Wu Tingting had to talk to her about. She felt unsure no matter how much she thought about it. “When I have time to talk to Tingting… I still have half of my physics homework to do, and I haven’t looked at biology much either.”

"Whatever." Chen Xun slung his backpack over his shoulder and followed.

Both of them had unspeakable secrets, and neither was deliberately deceiving the other; they simply didn't want to dig up their buried secrets and be interrogated. When they were young, they didn't understand trust; they just felt uneasy and uneasy.

(19)

Zhao Ye spoke to Lin Jiamo.

On his first day back at school after being able to play basketball, Zhao Ye bumped into Lin Jiamo, who had just arrived at the school, as he was going upstairs after practice. Like the sky after a rain, Zhao Ye's eyes were a clear, bright blue. He picked up the Chicago Bulls basketball he'd won at the temple fair with his right hand, smiled, and handed it to Lin Jiamo, saying, "Could you help me take this ball back to my class?"

The smile she hadn't seen in so long moved Lin Jiamo to tears, and she reached out her hand without hesitation. The moment they handed over their hands felt like a lifetime had passed; both of them had almost forgotten when the last time they had spoken so naturally was.

As Lin Jiaming carried her basketball upstairs, she couldn't help but sneak up an extra floor. To ensure a quiet learning environment for the senior students, the school had arranged for them to have classes on the top floor of the building. Su Kai's class faced the stairwell, and Lin Jiaming would always sneak a peek at him through the back window. Whether he was playing basketball or studying, the boy's focused expression captivated her. In truth, Lin Jiaming understood perfectly well that on that slightly tipsy evening, Su Kai had clearly told her he wouldn't like her anymore. But this didn't stop Lin Jiaming from continuing to invest her feelings. Frankly, whoever she liked was her own business, and in a way, it didn't even matter who the person she liked was. Since Su Kai could choose to wait for Zheng Xue, Lin Jiaming could also choose to wait for Su Kai.

Lin Jiaming stared at Su Kai for a while, lost in thought, then went downstairs, somewhat dejected. Zhao Ye's smile could only warm a corner of her heart; the rest was a vast, desolate wasteland beyond anyone's help. Doing all these sneaky things only made her feel pathetic in the end. Fortunately, she had decided to let go completely, just like she had told Fang Hui, to say a proper goodbye on Su Kai's graduation day. Turning her head to look at the prominent countdown clock for the college entrance exam upstairs, the dwindling days also counted down all of Lin Jiaming's love. Until it ended, Lin Jiaming would simply indulge in her delusions.

The oppressive heat of July enveloped Beijing, making it almost impossible to breathe. Fang Hui and her friends stood under the blazing sun, accompanying Lin Jiamo as they awaited Su Kai's imminent release. The examination hall was surrounded by a dense crowd of parents waiting for their children; if the exam inside was a test of knowledge, then the one outside was a test of endurance. Both sides were like taut bowstrings, unable to withstand the slightest disturbance.

A taxi pulled up at that exact moment, and the driver, for reasons unknown, honked his horn. The surrounding crowd immediately surged towards him. The parent at the front slammed his fist on the hood, angrily shouting, "What's with the honking?! The students inside are taking an exam!"

"Don't touch the car! Don't touch the car!" the driver shouted.

"Then you should leave now. If you keep bothering the child, what if they don't get into university?" The parents glared at them.

"How am I supposed to get through if you're blocking the way? Besides, with the horn only making a little noise, how could I possibly fail my exams?" the driver said, dissatisfied.

"Nonsense! That's just noise!"

"Didn't you see that the construction site has been ordered to stop work?!"

"Exactly! It affects my mood and distracts me!"

The parents, with a sense of righteous indignation, surrounded the driver.

Chen Xun looked at them helplessly and said, "This is much more noise than a loudspeaker! It's just taking the college entrance exam, why make such a fuss?"

"You're really not that serious! Fang Hui and Qiao Ran were both assigned to the Science A class. Unlike us, we knew nothing before the exam, tried to glean information during the exam, and were even more confused afterward. We're really worried about not getting into university!" Zhao Ye said, pursing his lips.

"Come on, I got in at the very bottom of the class. I heard there's an exam every month in senior year, and it's survival of the fittest. Every time, they eliminate the bottom five from Class A and bring in the top five from the other classes. I guess I'll soon be joining you and Jia Mo in victory!" Qiao Ran sighed.

"Stop talking, my heart is pounding! The atmosphere is scary enough, isn't it, Jia Mo?" Fang Hui pressed her chest and turned to ask Lin Jia Mo, but Lin Jia Mo didn't hear her at all. Her eyes were fixed on the door, and her hands were clenched into fists.

Seeing her like this, Fang Hui and the others fell silent. This time, Lin Jiamo was unusually stubborn, insisting that they all come and wait for Su Kai to finish his college entrance exams, saying she wanted to treat them to a celebratory meal. Zhao Ye was somewhat reluctant, but after all, the two had just reconciled, and he couldn't bear to offend her. Seeing how highly anxious she was, Zhao Ye simply lowered his head. After everything that had happened these past few days, he and Lin Jiamo had matured together, and this so-called maturity was nothing more than being able to endure pain more effectively.

The bell signaling the end of the exam seemed to bring everyone back to their senses, and the crowd surged towards the door, each craning their necks in anticipation. Lin Jiamo squeezed to the front, her eyes wide as she searched for Su Kai's shadow.

Su Kai came out shortly after. He saw Lin Jiamo standing in the crowd, waving vigorously at him, and his steps faltered. No matter what, after realizing their feelings for each other, they could no longer be as at ease as before.

"Jiamo, why did you still come?" Su Kai walked up to Lin Jiamo and said, "Didn't you say on the phone yesterday that you didn't need to come?"

A flicker of disappointment flashed in Lin Jiamo's eyes. She looked up and forced a smile, saying, "Didn't we already agree? I'd celebrate with you after the exam!"

"Exactly!" Chen Xun quickly chimed in to smooth things over. "We were just looking for an excuse to have some fun. How did your exam go?"

"It's alright, nothing special, what else can it be?" Su Kai said with a smile. "I knew you guys were up to no good. You said you were celebrating for me, but you were really just trying to freeload off me!"

“No! This meal is on me!” Lin Jiamo interrupted him, saying in a way that left no room for argument.

Everyone was a little stunned. Su Kai patted her on the shoulder and said, "No need, no need. It's just treating my junior brothers and sisters to a meal. Do you really think I can't afford it?"

“Yeah! It’s just treating my senior to a meal, right? It’s not like I can’t afford it! I’ll come this time, we might have another meal together sometime in the future anyway.” Lin Jiamo brushed aside, dodging Su Kai’s hand, and walked ahead on her own. Fang Hui quickly followed, while the others followed behind, somewhat awkwardly.

Lin Jiamo found a mala tang restaurant on Guijie Street. The group sat down and Chen Xun and Zhao Ye ordered a half-and-half pot. They picked up the menu and started chatting with the waiter.

Chen Xun said, "Hey! They're having a buy-one-get-one-free deal here! Waiter, is it buy one lamb and get a free sliced ​​beef, or buy one lamb and get a free lamb?"

"Buy a sheep, get a cow free." The waiter didn't even look up.

"Do you think the boss is stupid?! People have known for ages whether mutton or beef is more expensive. It's like the saying goes, 'From Nanjing to Beijing, the buyer is never as shrewd as the seller!' You think you can get a bargain? Go away!" Zhao Ye chimed in from the side. "I'll answer him for you! Is that what you mean, waiter?"

"Beef is more expensive than lamb!" the waiter couldn't help but argue.

"Did you hear that! They're sincerely welcoming guests from all over, seeking only fame, not profit! The meat they serve us later definitely won't be from the freezer that's been sitting there for four or five days. It'll definitely have both fatty and lean parts! Too much fat will make it greasy, and too much lean will make it look old. They've definitely thought of everything for us, right, waiter?" Chen Xun and Zhao Ye chimed in.

The waiter was both amused and exasperated by the two of them. Lin Jiamo laughed and pulled Fang Hui, saying, "Aren't you going to do anything about your Chen Xun? How can they be like this?"

Fang Hui shook her head, her face slightly flushed. Su Kai continued, "Exactly! I've seen people who are talkative, but I've never seen anyone this talkative! You guys hurry up and order! My classmates have called me several times already, and I still have a dinner party tonight!"

"Since you're already here, don't rush," Lin Jiamo replied casually. She ordered a few bottles of beer from the waiter, and Su Kai glanced at her several times, but she ignored him.

As soon as the wine was served, Lin Jiamo asked the waiter to open the bottle cap. She poured everyone's glasses full, and even when Fang Hui tried to block her glass, Lin Jiamo pushed it away.

"Jiamo, don't pour it anymore, I really can't..." Fang Hui said, looking at the increasingly full cup with annoyance.

“It’s okay, I’ll drink it for you if you can’t!” Chen Xun said, sitting next to her.

"Go away! Don't give me that! Nobody can escape today!" Lin Jiamo rolled her eyes at her, raised her finger, and pointed at them one by one.

Su Kai looked down at her waving fingers, unsure of what Lin Jiamo was trying to do. In the past, he would have stood up to stop her, shouting, "What are you doing, little girl!" or simply snatching the glass away. But now, Su Kai had no idea what to do.

Just as Su Kai remained silent, Zhao Ye stood up, raised his glass, and said, "Alright, alright, half a glass for the girls, one glass for the boys. How about we say a few words first?"

"I wish Kai-ge all the best in his college entrance exam and hope he gets on the honor roll!" Qiao Ran chimed in.

"What's the big deal about the list of successful candidates? As long as I don't fail, that's enough!" Su Kai said with a smile as he clinked glasses with Qiao Ran.

"May your future be bright!" Fang Hui then stood up, and Su Kai nodded his thanks and clinked glasses with her. Chen Xun wanted to help her, but she waved her hand and drank it herself.

"Hey! I was just about to say 'bright future'! You stole my line!" Zhao Ye raised his glass as well. "Captain, I'm out of lines anyway. I've never admired anyone, but I've always thought you're an awesome man, so I wish you continued awesomeness!"

After Zhao Ye finished speaking, he downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. Su Kai looked at him intently, patted him hard on the shoulder, and drank a glass with him.

"I don't know any of those four-character idioms. I'm a very practical person. I wish you all the best in getting into your first choice of university!" Chen Xun also drank a glass, wiped his mouth, and pulled Lin Jiamo up, saying, "Jiamo, you're the last one!"

"I won't say anything more, just don't forget us no matter where you go." Lin Jiamo finished speaking and, without waiting for Su Kai's reaction, tilted her head back and downed her drink. As she drank, you could see a layer of tears welling up in her beautiful eyes. Su Kai's wine glass awkwardly stopped in mid-air; the round table still couldn't bring about a proper circle of drinks.

(20)

"Alright, alright, let's eat some food! We can't just drink all that!" Chen Xun said, "Su Kai, which school did you apply to?"

"Damn it! You don't even know where I'm from, what nonsense are you spouting!" Su Kai threw a chopstick at him, which Chen Xun dodged with a smile.

“Beike,” Lin Jiamo answered for him.

“No,” Su Kai said calmly, “I changed it. I applied to H University of Technology in the end.”

Lin Jiamo's eyes flickered with surprise. She stared at Su Kai for a long time, but Su Kai didn't even glance at her. So her gaze returned to its calm state, even more profound than before.

"Huh? Why did you go so far? Didn't you say you were determined to stay in Beijing?" Qiao Ran asked in surprise.

Su Kai, however, didn't seem to care at all. He picked up a piece of mutton and said slowly, "My skills are limited. Even if other schools take care of students with special talents, I don't think I'll be able to meet the score requirements. I might as well not bother and just apply to schools in other places. It's much easier. Schools in other places have lower scores and are easier to get into. Plus, it's good to be able to travel around."

Lin Jiamo watched as the mutton under Su Kai's chopsticks changed from raw red to cooked red, and chuckled to herself. All that talk about being from out of town or having low scores was just a bunch of nonsense! With Zheng Xue gone, he naturally lost the motivation to stay in Beijing.

"Then you absolutely can't be in such a hurry to leave! It'll be so inconvenient to see you later! Today I have to take a good look at you and make sure your glorious image is deeply imprinted in my mind!" Chen Xun poured Su Kai another full glass of wine.

"What the hell are you looking at! I'm not Fang Hui, why are you looking at me! Besides, the results aren't out yet, who knows where I'll end up! What if I 'run away' or 'stay home'? Just drink up, don't spill any more wine!" Su Kai snatched his glass.

"Waiter! Six more bottles of Yanjing!" Lin Jiamo suddenly stood up and said, "Let's have a good time today! Let's chug them straight from the bottle!"

Su Kai lowered his head, Zhao Ye turned his face away, and Fang Hui tried to persuade him in a low voice but to no avail. In the end, Lin Jiamo placed a bottle of beer in front of everyone. She really meant what she said and took a big gulp herself first.

The post-exam exhilaration, the pre-parture desolation, the unrestrained madness—love, resentment, and sorrow intertwined into an inextricable web of emotions. Gradually, they all became a little drunk. Zhao Ye and Lin Jiamo compared whose skin was redder, Fang Hui leaned against Chen Xun, giggling and tapping the rim of her bowl with her spoon, Su Kai drank alone in silence, and Qiao Ran, supporting her dizzy head, forcefully pulled away the people around her one by one.

"Let's settle the bill and leave! We'll all get drunk if we keep going like this!" Qiao Ran said, frowning.

"Oh." Su Kai subconsciously reached for his wallet, but Lin Jiamo stopped him.

"Don't fight over it. It's a deal, I'm paying today," Lin Jiamo said gently. Her beautiful smile carried a hint of mystery, which made Su Kai and Zhao Ye momentarily lose their composure.

Lin Jiamo took out an exquisite embroidered pouch filled with one-yuan bills. She slowly opened it and carefully laid the bills out one by one on the table, saying, "I don't know if this is enough... but it should be about right. All the bills I've accumulated over the years are here. Anyway, I don't want to keep a single one; I'd rather spend them all!"

The boys stared blankly at the money on the table, but Fang Hui's eyes welled up with tears as Lin Jiamo's hand trembled. She grabbed a banknote and stuffed it into Su Kai's hand, her voice trembling as she said, "Su Kai, I don't care what you do in the future, but you absolutely have to look at this! Jiamo saved this up little by little since the beginning of high school. Look at the letters on it, that's...that's..."

Fang Hui finally broke down in tears, heartbroken for Lin Jiamo and saddened by her loss. Su Kai, however, was stunned by the initials of his own name. There were at least two hundred banknotes on the table, some new, some old, all with neat edges, each bearing the prominent "SK". He stared at them, carefully rubbing them. The not-so-clean money carried the so-called stench of money, but he didn't care at all. He hadn't cried when fighting, hadn't cried when facing difficulties, hadn't cried when winning a competition, hadn't cried when seeing Zheng Xue off—Su Kai, who had almost forgotten how to shed tears, looked up and his face was already wet.

In a strange atmosphere, Chen Xun helped Fang Hui, who was crying uncontrollably, out of the room. Zhao Ye, with a straight face, finished the last sip of wine in the bottle, then suddenly stood up and left. Qiao Ran followed behind him and gently patted his shoulder.

In the end, only Lin Jiamo and Su Kai were left to face the mess. Between them was a table full of banknotes, their red and green colors scattered about, a testament to their deep sorrow.

"I like you, I like you so much, so very much." After a long while, Lin Jiamo slowly opened her mouth, her lips trembling slightly as she uttered these heart-wrenching words, "But... I won't like you anymore after today. I promise I won't bother you anymore, and you don't need to avoid me anymore. Let's both live our own lives well, without hating each other or forgetting each other, okay?"

"Okay, sure!" Su Kai sat down next to her and carefully wiped away her tears. "Don't cry, be good."

"I've already said all this, Su Kai, let me ask you, have you ever liked me even a little bit? Just a little bit." Lin Jiamo, entangled in alcohol and sorrow, revealed a childlike, aggrieved expression.

"Yes, I have." Su Kai gently tidied her hair.

"Then...do you ever feel regretful?" Lin Jiamo asked, staring into his eyes.

"I'm starting to regret it now." Su Kai sniffed hard, his eyes reddening again.

"Hehe, serves you right..." Lin Jiamo laughed through her tears, her cheeks flushed with the effects of the wine. No one could say for sure how much she had let go of or remembered in order to be able to produce such a smile.

When Lin Jiamo came out of the restaurant, Chen Xun was sitting on the curb, with Fang Hui curled up between his legs, fast asleep. Lin Jiamo went over and sat down next to Chen Xun. Chen Xun gazed at her tear-streaked face and asked, "Where's Su Kai?"

"He left that way. Oh right, he told me to thank everyone." Lin Jiamo gestured towards the other side with her lips and said, "Where are Zhao Ye and the others?"

"Going to buy cigarettes."

"Smoking? When did he start smoking?" Lin Jiamo said, frowning.

“It’s been a while, I can’t remember if it started when you rejected him or when he broke his bone,” Chen Xun sighed.

Lin Jiamo lowered her head silently, resting her head on her knees, and said, "Chen Xun, sometimes I really want to do it all over again, to go back in time and tell myself not to be so ungrateful. Do you think if I hadn't liked Su Kai, Zhao Ye, you, and Qiao Ran back then, would I be in so much pain?"

"There's no such thing as 'what if'," Chen Xun said, gazing at the bustling street. "No matter how many times you start over, there will always be regrets in life."

"Do you and Fang Hui have one?" Lin Jiamo asked, turning her head to the side.

"Maybe...maybe." Chen Xun said, looking at the calm person in his arms.

"Yes? If you do, why are you always all lovey-dovey together?"

"I don't want to give up because of that little bit of regret."

"Heh, another one who doesn't want to give up! I'm just curious, what are you guys thinking? When you're with a girl, is it because you like her or because of responsibility? Let me ask you, you and Fang Hui are so different, do you still like her now? Is it because you've been together for a long time and you feel a sense of responsibility that you're reluctant to break up?"

“Without love, there is no sense of responsibility; without responsibility, love cannot last. I don’t know if we can be together in the end; no one can be sure of such things. But right now, I want to be responsible for her, do you understand?” Chen Xun hugged Fang Hui tighter and gently moved to put her in a more comfortable position.

“I don’t quite understand,” Lin Jiamo said with a pout. “But you know what? You were really cool when you said those things just now. I almost fell for you.”

"Of course! When have I ever not been handsome! Regret it now? Who told you to set your sights on Su Kai at first glance? You're just throwing good money after bad. Actually, we're no worse than him!" Chen Xun relaxed a bit when he saw her smile.

"Yeah! I'm so envious of Fang Hui! Unlike me, nobody cares about me or loves me!" Lin Jiamo blinked. "But what if a girl better than Fang Hui likes you in the future? What will you do then?"

"No, we'll talk about it later," Chen Xun said dismissively.

"Tch! I just praised you, but you're still unreliable! If Fang Hui hears this, she'll be upset again. Next time someone asks you, you'd better keep expressing your determination! Look at Su Kai and Zheng Xue..." Lin Jiamo trailed off, covering her face and letting out a muffled sigh. "Chen Xun, can I lean on you for a bit?"

"Damn it, if I open my eyes again, I won't be able to think about anything!"

"Mmm." Lin Jiamo leaned against Chen Xun's shoulder, and tears that had unknowingly streamed down her face left a small wet stain on his clothes.

Later, Lin Jiamo truly severed her ties to them. Just like when she first met them, she got along naturally and happily with Su Kai and Zhao Ye. In Lin Jiamo's words, from now on they were her own brothers, and she would argue with anyone who said they weren't.

That year was their wildest summer, they were together almost every day. They went swimming at Youth Lake, tossing each other into the water one by one, sliding down the water slides in all sorts of funny poses. They went to Qilin Shopping Mall to play bowling for five yuan a game, watching Fang Hui clumsily squat and roll the ball away, scoring zero points countless times. They went to the Workers' Stadium to watch the Beijing Guoan team play, doing the wave on the green Crazy Speed ​​No. 7 stand, waving flags and chanting "Guoan will always strive for first place" with the Beijing fans. They went boating and had water fights at Beihai Park, getting completely soaked, leaving a trail of water on their clothes as they rode their bikes home, attracting stares from passersby. They played a game of "knock three houses" in Dongdan Park, the loser striking a pose like a statue and sticking stickers on their face. They played basketball at school, competing in three-point shooting, the loser buying ice cream—nothing from Tianbing or Dahongguo, it had to be Bailubao or better. Go to a restaurant and play Truth or Dare. Come up with all sorts of crazy ideas, like making the darer hug a telephone pole plastered with signs that say "Cures XX, one shot works!" and shout, "My illness is finally cured!"...

Fang Hui said that one person's happiness might be fake, but the happiness of a group of people becomes indistinguishable from reality. They squandered their youth, as if they wanted to burn it all away, like a pre-apocalyptic carnival.