Volume 6 Farewell

Fang Hui said, "Goodbye...see you later."

(1)

During the Spring Festival of 2005, Fang Hui and I returned to China together.

At that time, we had already passed through the most difficult period, basically won the war against poverty, and survived the natural disasters caused by theft. The situation was very good, and I thought that we should also carry out the Four Modernizations and take a big leap forward.

Actually, given my financial situation at the time, I wasn't planning on returning to China. But when I heard Fang Hui was leaving, I gritted my teeth and bought plane tickets for her too. Standing on foreign soil always gave me a sense of unease. You can win people over, but you can't necessarily win their hearts. So I decided to return to my home turf—my territory, my rules!

On the day of departure, I helped Fang Hui carry all her luggage. AIBA saw us to the door and said with a lewd grin, "Zhang Nan, your scheme worked, didn't it?"

"No, no, no! The revolution is not yet successful, comrades still need to work hard!" I said modestly.

"Fang Hui, why don't you just go for it! The way he fawns over you every day gives me goosebumps!" AIBA said, putting his arm around Fang Hui's shoulder.

Fang Hui smiled and looked down. I put down my luggage, pulled away AIBA's paws, and resolutely defended my territory: "Hey! What's going on? What kind of behavior is this, putting your arms around each other like that! Why are you meddling in our business!"

“Oh my, ‘the two of us’? Did she even belong to you? You’re just using ‘the two of us’? I’m speaking up for you and you don’t even appreciate it. You’re like a dog biting Lü Dongbin! Besides, what’s wrong with us sisters hugging? It’s more dangerous with you. Who knows when you might accidentally lose control and go berserk…” AIBA hugged me tighter and looked at me provocatively.

"Get lost! I don't feel safe following you! Fang Hui and you are not sisters! Go find He Zi!" I pulled Fang Hui to my side. She struggled slightly, but then stopped moving.

We walked downstairs laughing and joking. I made a point of greeting that Korean guy with the squinty eyes, Youngho. His polite yet gloomy demeanor made me feel comfortable, and I unconsciously waved goodbye to him several times—what AIBA would call a smug little man. I ignored her sarcasm. I thought Fang Hui and I looked like a perfect couple that day, each with a suitcase in our hands. If there had been a chubby baby behind us, it would have been even more perfect.

Only when it was just the two of us left did Fang Hui give me a long, sullen look and say, "You're so unserious."

"You're just too stubborn!" I said with a laugh. "Only if I keep nagging you will you remember something. What if one day you suddenly get the hang of it and actually get on my bandwagon? I certainly wouldn't mind helping an innocent girl! How about it? Aren't you going to put me on your first list of candidates?"

"I'll think about it," Fang Hui said, lowering her eyes.

I had assumed Fang Hui would ignore my joke or complain about my frivolity. Her answer was completely unexpected; each word seemed to float and dissipate in the air before entering my brain.

"How long do you need to think about it?" I asked, bewildered.

"Hmm..." Fang Hui seemed to be seriously considering my question, "Three...five years, I guess."

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was put at ease by this unreliable remark. Turning a corner, she indeed didn't take it seriously.

"Three to five years? Sister, how old will you be by then? We men aren't afraid of getting old; the older we get, the more valuable we become! Can you women afford to wait that long?" I said with a smile.

"What's there to be afraid of? I've made it through almost ten years," Fang Hui said somewhat forlornly.

Her calm tone saddened me. I turned my head, watching the beautiful city rush past us, the scenery blurring on both sides. I wondered if time, too, passes so quickly, quietly leaving its mark on people, then obscuring the past. And so, Fang Hui, carrying the full weight of the past, came into my life. And where will she be in three or five years? Will I still be there? I have no idea. How can we, who cannot even be certain of our own future, grasp the future of others?

As we finally set foot on Beijing soil, we both took a deep breath. Looking at Fang Hui beside me, I felt a surge of joy. I don't know why, but standing here with her felt strange. She glanced at me too, a similar look flashing in her delicate eyes, and then we smiled at each other.

I met Fang Hui's mother at the airport. Xu Yanxin was clearly a shrewd woman; her attire from head to toe was impeccable, exuding a formidable aura. From the moment we met, she scrutinized me with a peculiar look, subtly ascertaining all my details during seemingly casual conversation. I considered myself poised and confident, and my answers were flawless. The conversation wasn't particularly pleasant, but I didn't dwell on it. Fang Hui, however, seemed a little uncomfortable. She tugged at Xu Yanxin and said, "Mom, can you stop interrogating me like this? Where do you live? What do your parents do? It's so annoying..."

"This kid! I was just chatting with Zhang Nan, it's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be!" Xu Yanxin said with a smile.

It was rare to see Fang Hui speak up for me, so I was quite happy and said, "It's nothing, chatting with Auntie is quite interesting!"

“That’s right! Zhang Nan, come with us, I’ll take you home,” Xu Yanxin said.

"No need, no need! It's easy for me to go back by myself!" I quickly refused. Although I said it nicely, I still felt quite awkward being with Fang Hui's mother.

"Alright then! Come visit us sometime!" Xu Yanxin said with a smile.

"Okay! Fang Hui, I'll be going now! Don't lose the note I gave you on the plane, it has our home phone number in it, call me if you need anything! Goodbye, Auntie!" I waved and said.

"Okay, goodbye!" Fang Hui glanced at the note in her pocket, nodded, and said.

After I left, Fang Hui and her mother got their car and went home. The two of them didn't say a word the whole way. Xu Yanxin glanced at her daughter and said, "What's wrong? Who offended you? You've been gone for so long, and when you do come back, you don't give me a good look."

"It's nothing." Fang Hui continued to look out the window.

"You're upset that I asked about Zhang Nan?"

"No."

“You two are both so old, and you always come back together as a couple. You were together even when you were abroad, so of course I have to ask! I don’t want to suddenly get a phone call one day and a boy pops up claiming to be your boyfriend! And then, after all that trouble, he has to run away to another country!”

"Why are you bringing this up!" Fang Hui shouted angrily.

"I'm worried about you!" Xu Yanxin said. "I'm your mother! I'm scared even if you're not! You're leaving, and you feel relieved. But in the end, I'm the one cleaning up your mess!"

"Please don't talk about this, I'm begging you." Fang Hui's lips trembled.

"Alright, alright, why are you still like this! You get angry at the drop of a hat, just like your father!" Seeing her unpleasant expression, Xu Yanxin didn't dare to continue. She handed her a bottle of water and said, "The original Zhang Ma went back to her hometown to see her grandson. The new nanny is from Shandong. I was worried you wouldn't be used to the food, so I booked a restaurant near Houhai tonight. It's a private room with a table, all Beijing cuisine. I figured you wouldn't be able to find anything you like outside anyway. Look how thin you've become!"

"Where's my dad?" Fang Huiping asked, taking a sip of water.

"He went to Vietnam. He said it was some business, and he had to go. Humph, he couldn't sit still as soon as things started to look promising, and he doesn't even care about his own daughter coming back. Back then, your grandma complained that I didn't care about the family, and that you loved him more than me. Now look, who's really taking care of you more!"

Fang Hui leaned against the car window and closed her eyes. She didn't listen to Xu Yanxin's rambling. The gradually familiar Beijing outside made her feel uneasy.

As soon as I got back to Beijing, I let loose, having big gatherings every two days and small ones every day, partying hard with my buddies for days on end, barely staying home. I was worried Fang Hui wouldn't be able to find me, so every time I got home I asked my parents if anyone had called me, but the answer was never what I wanted. I knew perfectly well that although I always thought about Fang Hui, she might not remember me for a long time. This feeling was actually incredibly frustrating, but I couldn't do anything about it with her.

Just before I was completely desperate, I answered her call. Her voice was hesitant, softly asking if I could go shopping with her in Wangfujing. I had initially wanted to put on airs, but hearing her uniquely insecure voice, I immediately agreed without thinking. We arranged to meet at the Wangfujing Church, and when she hung up, she said, "I'll wait for you at the church entrance," which made me feel incredibly flattered. It was my idea, too; it's just the nature of Beijing boys—I can't be truly charming to girls, I always have to get something out of them with words.

Fang Hui was wearing a white down jacket that day. She looked as white as snow from afar, and my eyes lit up. I stared at her intently.

"What are you looking at! Don't you recognize me?" Fang Hui waved her hand in front of me and said. After resting at home for a while, she looked much better than when she was in Australia.

"I'm rehearsing my lines! I feel like it would be a disservice to this situation if I didn't say something!" I teased her.

"Come on, you!" Fang Hui pouted and walked forward alone.

I followed her with a smile. Perhaps I was just being sentimental, but I always felt that Fang Hui had changed a little after spending some time with me. She wasn't as cold and stubborn as before. For example, she no longer displayed that cold and glamorous red and white color scheme, and would occasionally show a girlish expression.

That day, I accompanied her shopping for a long time. Not only did we buy things, but Fang Hui also got a haircut at my urging. She looked so cute sitting in the chair, seemingly lost and confused. Her eyelashes trembled as they cut her bangs, making me want to kiss her again. I sat beside her, watching her intently, not noticing the passage of time. The hairdresser praised me, saying to Fang Hui, "Your boyfriend is so good, so patient!" Fang Hui blushed deeply, but I was quite pleased. I told the hairdresser, "I'm not in a hurry. Take your time, just make my girlfriend look beautiful!" The hairdresser showered her with compliments again. Fang Hui glared at me, but I remained blissfully pleased.

It was already dark when Fang Hui came out of the hair salon, and the lights on the pedestrian street were on. Her newly cut hair made her look very young, with choppy ends and a pointed chin, just like a high school student.

"Does it look good? It looks a bit strange..." Fang Hui asked me timidly, fiddling with her bangs.

"It's beautiful! It's so beautiful! I feel so inferior!" I said with a smile.

"Nonsense! What's there to be ashamed of about me getting a haircut?" Fang Hui asked me, squinting her eyes.

"We're clearly not in the same age group now, so I doubt anyone will guess you're my girlfriend this time. Ugh, so frustrating!" I said, feigning dejection.

"You're so annoying!" Fang Hui blushed, turned her head and took two quick steps, saying, "You just love to make silly jokes."

I stood still, and she suddenly stopped in front of me. In the night, her figure was light and delicate, and the lamplight cast colorful patterns on it, making her seem almost transparent, as if she could disappear in the blink of an eye. I definitely didn't want her to just disappear in front of me like that.

"Fang Hui, I'm not joking!" I shouted at her back. Perhaps because I had been suppressing it for too long, I felt a sense of exhaustion after saying it.

Fang Hui tilted her head back slightly, then slowly squatted down.

At first, I thought she was just shy, but the more I looked, the more something seemed off; her trembling shoulders clearly indicated she was crying. I rushed over, pulled her up, and asked urgently, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? Don't be angry! I promise I won't say that again!"

Fang Hui's eyes were hazy and unfocused. Her gaze passed through me and looked behind me. So I turned around too. The large screen on the pedestrian street was playing Jeff Chang's "Faith." When the aging prince of love songs sang, "I love you, it's a power from my soul, from my life. In a faraway place, do you hear my call too? Love is a faith, bringing you back to my side," Fang Hui's tears rolled down like beads and landed on my hand.

Tears were blown by the night wind, and my palms felt icy cold. At that moment, I suddenly felt that I would never have this girl.

(2)

I never imagined that one day I would be in Beijing listening to Fang Hui talk about her past. I was always certain that when I returned to Beijing, we would be able to start over. But looking at Fang Hui, who was still staring blankly with tears in her eyes, everything seemed to have vanished.

"Why are you crying? Are you thinking about him?" I asked her.

Fang Hui nodded silently. I took a deep breath and said, "We can't keep dwelling on it forever!"

Fang Hui looked at the hot chocolate in front of her. The steam rose slowly, and her voice came from it, sounding somewhat ethereal.

"I'm sorry, Zhang Nan, I still can't."

"Can you tell me what happened next? What happened next?" I asked, unwilling to give up.

"Later..." A helpless smile bloomed on Fang Hui's lips. I watched her gradually quiet down, immersed in those years and months.

During the summer of Fang Hui's second year of high school, she met Chen Xun's mother, Zhang Xiaohua, for the first time.

She had seen the photos before, but seeing a two-dimensional person in three dimensions still made her a little flustered. Originally, she wasn't going to run into Zhang Xiaohua. She had been making plans to leave earlier, but Chen Xun kept her entertained, playing with this and teasing that. After a long while, she heard the sound of a key opening the door.

All three seemed a little awkward, but Chen Xun broke the ice first.

"Mom, this is my classmate, Fang Hui. We're doing our summer homework together!" Chen Xun introduced.

"Ah...Hello, Auntie." Fang Hui didn't look up.

"Oh, Fang Hui, I've heard Chen Xun mention you before, you're really good at drawing, right?" Zhang Xiaohua said with a smile. "Beibei, why don't you get Fang Hui an ice pop?"

Chen Xun felt a little embarrassed by the sudden mention of his nickname, but Fang Hui chuckled and said, "No need, Auntie, I'm going home now."

"No, it's already lunchtime, why don't you eat at our house?" Zhang Xiaohua said warmly.

"Why don't we eat at our place? Didn't you say your dad wasn't coming home tonight?" Chen Xun turned to ask her.

"No need..." Fang Hui was interrupted by Zhang Xiaohua before she could finish speaking.

"No one's home? Then we definitely can't let you go back! Don't be shy, just eat here!"

"Thank you, Auntie." Fang Hui glared at Chen Xun and said helplessly.

"Don't mention it!" Zhang Xiaohua said, tying on her apron. "You two can help me out by going out to buy some garlic. Beibei, go to the small drawer in the bedside table and get some money. See if there are any snacks Fang Hui likes, and buy some of those too."

Chen Xun agreed before Fang Hui could refuse. He took the money and went with Fang Hui to the convenience store next door.

The two chatted while browsing, and Fang Hui complained to him, "Honestly, why did you insist on making me stay for dinner? I felt so embarrassed!"

"What's there to be afraid of? It turns out that Tang Haibing and Wu Tingting always come to our house for meals. You're all alone when you get home, what are you going to eat?" Chen Xun explained.

“Unlike them, I haven’t known you since childhood. I’m not familiar with your family. I can just go home and make myself some instant noodles. It’s easier,” Fang Hui said casually.

"No way! Instant noodles are the least nutritious!" Chen Xun realized his slip of the tongue and quickly changed the subject, saying, "My mom cooks incredibly well, I guarantee you'll never get enough and will want to come back again!"

"Tch! Do you think I'm as greedy as you?" Fang Hui laughed.

Seeing her smile, Chen Xun felt relieved. They wandered around and bought a lot of snacks like chocolate chips and potato chips.

When they got home, dinner was almost ready. Chen Xun's father wasn't home, so the three of them ate around a small table. Zhang Xiaohua kept serving Fang Hui food, smiling as she asked, "Didn't you just choose your classes? Did you choose arts or sciences?"

"In the science stream, Chen Xun and I are still in the same class," Fang Hui said, holding up her bowl to take the food.

"Yes, it's good to study science, because you'll have more choices when applying to universities. There aren't many girls who are good at science, so you're bound to be good at studying. Also, help Chen Xun out more often and explain problems to him."

"He's better at science than me."

"Did you hear that?" Chen Xun proudly raised his head and said.

"That's just because he's a bit clever! He didn't learn anything solid!" Zhang Xiaohua rolled her eyes at him and said to Fang Hui, "Chen Xun is very playful! He's been restless and impatient since he was little, and he doesn't like to study. He plays with the neighborhood kids every day. When he was in preschool, he even tore up his textbooks and folded paper to play with!"

"Mom! Don't talk nonsense!" Chen Xun said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Oh, what nonsense am I talking about? Didn't you take it to fold small tables and chairs and play house with Tingting? Yang Qing took me to see it, I remember it very clearly!" Zhang Xiaohua laughed as she scolded her son.

"Mom!" Chen Xun secretly looked at Fang Hui and called out loudly.

“I was just a kid then, I’m sure I won’t be like this when I grow up,” Fang Hui said, lowering her eyes.

"That's true, he's more sensible now." Zhang Xiaohua patted her son on the shoulder and said, "You two should encourage each other and try your best to get into a top university!"

"No problem!" Chen Xun picked up a bite of food and said confidently.

After dinner, Fang Hui said goodbye and went home. Zhang Xiaohua escorted her all the way to her door, packed her a bag of snacks, and smiled, inviting her to come again next time. She also reminded Chen Xun to make sure she got into her car. Fang Hui was very grateful. She thought Zhang Xiaohua was exceptionally kind and a gentle mother, unlike Xu Yanxin, who was not at all aggressive. Chen Xun was also very happy. The two secretly held hands on the street. Although they were about to enter their senior year of high school, neither of them was afraid. Because they both firmly believed that no matter what, they would always be together.

Fang Hui was a little late on the day of registration for the new semester.

On the first day, they accompanied Lin Jiamo to see Su Kai off. Zhao Ye didn't go because of training, but everyone knew it was just an excuse; he simply didn't want to be embarrassed a second time. Just as she had promised, Lin Jiamo showed no sadness or sorrow, smiling throughout—smiling as she ate, smiling as she bought her platform ticket, and smiling as she waved goodbye to Su Kai. Su Kai, on the other hand, seemed reluctant to part, repeatedly reminding her to study hard, take care of herself, and keep in touch.

Chen Xun deliberately gave them some time alone, pulling Fang Hui and Qiao Ran aside. A light rain started to fall just before the train departed, but Lin Jiamo didn't seek shelter, standing there watching the train slowly pull away. Chen Xun pulled up his coat and shielded Fang Hui under a shelter from the rain. He turned to look at Lin Jiamo, then ran back, grabbing her arm and saying, "You think I can't tell you're crying standing in the rain? Don't fool yourself!"

Lin Jiamo wiped her face and said in a hoarse voice, "You think you're so smart! What are you showing off for!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Come over here!" Chen Xun said, pulling up his clothes. "I'm getting soaked to death! It's cold even though it's the beginning of autumn!"

Lin Jiamo laughed and walked over to hide under him, tugging hard at his clothes and saying, "Come closer, come closer! My arms are all wet!"

"Hey! It's not like you were acting like a melodramatic romance novelist!" Chen Xun glared at her, but still pulled her closer to him.

"Hehe, aren't you afraid Fang Hui will get jealous if you stand so close to me?" Lin Jiamo said with a mischievous smile.

"Please, big sister! It's you who leaned on me, okay! Our Fang Hui isn't that petty!" Although Chen Xun said this, his eyes couldn't help but drift towards Fang Hui.

Fang Hui had already gotten off the platform and was running down the stairs with Qiao Ran, covering their heads. From a distance, their backs almost blended together.

Everyone got soaked in the rain. Fang Hui started sneezing in the afternoon and went home early with Lin Jiamo. Chen Xun went to Qiao Ran's house. His parents were abroad, and there was no one at home to look after him. The two of them played Red Alert enthusiastically for a long time. Chen Xun figured there wouldn't be anything to do when he reported for duty the next day, so he stayed at Qiao Ran's house. They played and chatted until midnight before finally going to sleep.

Fang Hui was late the next day because of a cold. Walking down the incredibly quiet hallway, she suddenly became nervous and quickly peered out the back window. To her horror, the students inside were already seated and in class. Fang Hui hurriedly ran to the door of Science A and, steeling herself, called out, "Excuse me!"

All eyes in the class turned to her. Fang Hui lowered her head nervously. The female teacher on the podium coldly flipped through the roster and said, "You are Fang Hui, right?"

“Yes.” Fang Hui nodded.

"You're the only girl in the whole class who didn't report for duty!" the teacher said, frowning. "Go sit in that empty seat over there! How come you're late on the first day of senior year? Chen Xun and Qiao Ran were in your class before, weren't they? Didn't Teacher Hou notify you or what? Only the three of you are missing! You're already in senior year, how can you be so lax? With this attitude, do you think you can get into a top university? Are you all not worried now that the Ministry of Education is advocating 'reducing the burden'? Let me tell you, 'reducing the burden' doesn't apply to you. As long as there's still the college entrance exam, none of you can relax! If you don't get into a top-tier university, who cares about 'reducing the burden'? For me, the college entrance exam is the only thing that matters!"

Fang Hui had never been scolded by a teacher like this before, and she really wanted to disappear into the ground. She hadn't brought her textbook, and the whole class felt like torture. As soon as the bell rang, she ran out the door to get a 201 phone card to call Chen Xun and Qiao Ran.

"Hello..." It took a while to get through on the phone, and Qiao Ran was still a little drowsy when she answered.

"You two come quick! Classes officially start today!" Fang Hui said anxiously.

"What? Isn't it time to report for duty? Damn it! Chen Xun, get up!" Qiao Ran woke up and shouted loudly.

"I just found out too, we've already finished a math class! Oh right, don't forget to bring your textbooks!" Fang Hui reminded them.

"Okay, okay, we're on our way! Bye-bye!" Qiao Ran hurriedly hung up the phone.

Despite their promise to arrive quickly, the two didn't get to school until noon. Unsurprisingly, they were scolded by their new homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, for the entire afternoon. Fang Hui waited for them outside the grade-level office. Ms. Hou happened to be coming out; being relatively inexperienced, she wasn't qualified to teach the science A class and had been assigned to be the homeroom teacher of the B class.

"I have to say, you guys are really going too far! What time is it? Can't you even focus?" Teacher Hou said, frowning. "I even recommended Chen Xun to Teacher Li for class monitor, and you're really giving me the cold shoulder!"

"We didn't know school started today. Didn't the news say that tutoring classes weren't allowed during the summer vacation?" Fang Hui said, feeling wronged.

“This isn’t a tutoring class! It’s called starting a class early!” Teacher Hou said, glaring at her.

"Then... are they alright?" Fang Hui asked cautiously.

"Teacher Li is saying that only a teacher as capable as her could control you! I can't subdue you!"

Teacher Hou said a few words and left. Fang Hui waited for a while before Chen Xun and Qiao Ran came out looking dejected.

"How is it?" Fang Hui hurriedly went over to ask.

"What can you do? Just give me a big meal!" Chen Xun rolled his eyes and said.

"I told you to come out quickly! Why are you only arriving now?" Fang Hui said reproachfully, looking at them.

"Ask him!" Qiao Ran glared at Chen Xun.

"I didn't want to either!" Chen Xun looked at Fang Hui with a wronged expression and said, "We came out late, and their family had a light motorcycle, so I thought we might as well ride that, it's faster than a bicycle. We were speeding along Ping'an Avenue, but then a motorcycle came chasing us like crazy. I thought to myself, this guy is such a pain, trying to outrun me at this crucial moment, so I urged Qiao Ran to drive faster, and I didn't even look back. Who knew it was a cop! Damn it! Not only did they confiscate the motorcycle, but they also fined us! We had to walk all the way from Ping'an Avenue! Qiao Ran, don't be discouraged, this is just bad luck, you can't blame society, you can't blame the government for your misfortune!"

"You're such a troublemaker!" Fang Hui sighed. "Qiao Ran, you even went with him!"

"Who can stop him!" Qiao Ran said helplessly.

"That old hag is too powerful! She gave me a good scolding right after the start of the semester. What a bad start!" Chen Xun pointed to the middle finger at the grade office.

"Just wait! We're in for a lot of trouble!" Qiao Ran shook his head and said.

(3)

Just as Qiao Ran had predicted, Teacher Li never gave the three of them a kind look afterward, and after the first monthly exam, Qiao Ran was demoted to Class B. Fortunately, he had been mentally prepared beforehand, so he wasn't too upset. Chen Xun, on the other hand, kept comforting him, but Qiao Ran didn't care. He felt that this class was too tiring, and the so-called "reducing the burden" had become "increasing the burden" here. Leaving would be a relief.

Because they were all top students from their respective classes, everyone worked incredibly hard, practically doing exercises even during breaks. As Zhao Ye put it, they were a bunch of beasts. Not only that, but the teachers were all "special-grade" or "renowned" educators, upholding the fine tradition of strict requirements. For English, students were required to memorize key sentence structures for essays every day, and then recite them from memory the next day. If you couldn't recite them, well, you'd better go home and copy them twenty times. For Chinese, there were countless variant characters, misspellings, and literary jargon. Chinese culture is profound and extensive; there's nothing it can't include. For math, chemistry, and physics, there were countless practice tests, mock exams, and compilations—three tests in one go. The stacks of papers could reach waist-high; truly, the sea of ​​learning was boundless. Under such circumstances, not only could students like Qiao Ran, who were on the fringes, not only struggle, but even Fang Hui and Chen Xun's rankings dropped slightly.

Unfortunately, Teacher Li kept subtly criticizing Chen Xun, saying things like, "Don't think that doing well in your first two years of high school guarantees a good university entrance exam in your senior year. Don't think that cleverness alone will guarantee success. Tsinghua and Peking University are for those who work hard step by step, not for opportunists." These words directly affected Chen Xun, causing his mood to plummet to an unprecedented low. Fang Hui took it all to heart, desperately wanting to get first or second place immediately, but the more anxious she became, the more confused she became.

So in that situation, when that thing happened, the two of them almost broke down together.

The incident began with Ms. Li's routine speech after evening self-study. This time was always a painful one for Chen Xun. To avoid her criticism, whether overt or covert, Chen Xun would always keep his head down and do his homework without looking at her. Sometimes he would even simply lie on the table and close his eyes to rest.

As soon as she entered the room that day, Teacher Li called Chen Xun's name directly. She frowned and said, "Chen Xun, get up! Stop squinting all the time! You work so hard, get some rest at night! Stop doing useless things!"

Chen Xun felt a wave of nausea and reluctantly sat down. Fang Hui looked back at him, her face full of worry.

"I know you're all tired and don't want to say this kind of nonsense at such a crucial time, but because of some students' lack of self-discipline, I have to address this issue today." Teacher Li stood sternly at the podium, and the students who had been looking down blankly looked up in confusion. "Today, during my humanities class, two girls were passing notes and chatting, which I confiscated. Putting aside the fact that passing notes while the teacher is explaining problems is disrespectful and irresponsible, just look at the content of these notes. Passing notes is inherently sneaky; what can't be said openly?" "Why do you have to write notes? It's definitely something shameful! You're all grown up now, so I won't beat around the bush. It's normal to have feelings for the opposite sex during puberty, but you need to handle these feelings properly. Don't let them develop into something sordid, affecting others and yourselves. Especially in your senior year of high school, do you think this is the time to be thinking about those things? Is the school a place for you to hold hands and flirt? I won't say any more. I'm giving you face, but you should be aware of this. If you're self-aware, come talk to me, don't let me call you out by name later, that wouldn't look good."

Teacher Li's words instantly created a tense atmosphere in the class. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound. Some looked around furtively, exchanging glances and trying to guess who was the unlucky kid Teacher Li had caught. Chen Xun and Fang Hui, on the other hand, were incredibly pale. Their hearts were pounding wildly, and Fang Hui's teeth were even chattering.

The moment Teacher Li announced the end of school, Fang Hui felt as if she had been tortured and then released, her body going limp. She turned to look at Chen Xun with a hint of despair, but Chen Xun kept his head down, lost in thought. After most of the others had left, Chen Xun walked up to Fang Hui with a grim face. Fang Hui, her eyes unfocused, whispered, "Teacher Li... was she talking about us?"

“That shouldn’t be the case…” Chen Xun shook his head and said, “The liberal arts class stirred up trouble, what does it have to do with us if they pass on a message? No way, no way!”

"Why did she say that? I felt a chill run down my spine, as if she was talking to me directly..." Fang Hui said weakly, slumping on the table.

"Isn't that the same old thing she says? Just ignore her!" Chen Xun said irritably.

"Should I go talk to her? Let's not make a big fuss," Fang Hui said, pursing her lips.

"Are you crazy?!" Chen Xun said anxiously. "Isn't this just admitting guilt? What if she wasn't talking about us? Wouldn't she dislike us even more after that? Besides, how big of a fuss can this be? She's just trying to scare everyone, to make an example of us, to discourage early relationships!"

"Oh," Fang Hui replied with a troubled expression, but her heart was still filled with anxiety.

"Well... let's not leave together today. You go out first, and I'll leave in five minutes. We'll meet up at the back door through that narrow alley." Chen Xun clutched his coat pocket. Although he said it was fine, he was actually worried.

"No need, I'm going straight home. You should go home too," Fang Hui said, as she wasn't really in the mood to leave with Chen Xun.

The two spent a restless night, but the next day, Teacher Li didn't mention it again, and everything was as usual. Later, Chen Xun indirectly learned that Wang Manman was the one caught passing notes in the humanities class. Chen Xun didn't dare to ask her what she wrote or whether it had anything to do with him. Anyway, no one took the blame or caused them any trouble, so they gradually relaxed, except that they stopped gathering together during breaks and lunch.

Shortly after the monthly exams, in order to further encourage the students, each class in the senior year held a parent-teacher meeting. When the scorebooks were being distributed, Fang Hui saw Chen Xun's mother again. Zhang Xiaohua was still very kind and approachable, and she chatted with her for a while, inquiring about her studies and her ranking in the monthly exams.

After saying goodbye to Zhang Xiaohua, Fang Hui and Chen Xun went home together for the first time since that incident. The gathering of parents and teachers meant that the students were completely free, and the frustration they had felt for the past few days was somewhat relieved. Chen Xun bought a roasted sweet potato, which smelled delicious and was steaming hot. The two of them shared it, and Chen Xun took a big bite and said, "Sweet potatoes still don't taste good, they're too watery."

"It's delicious!" Fang Hui said, blowing on it. "You're just being picky!"

"Pshaw! You haven't had any good ones! There's a stall near my grandma's house that sells roasted sweet potatoes. The skin is coated with a layer of sugar and oil, and when you break it open, the inside is bright red. Oh, it smells so good!"

"Buy me one tomorrow."

"Okay! I'll take you there after our college entrance exams! We'll eat two or three in one go!"

"Look at your pathetic self!" Fang Hui laughed.

"What are you laughing at? If you're so capable, then don't eat it!" Chen Xun ruffled her hair, but Fang Hui dodged and playfully hit him.

Chen Xun escorted Fang Hui to the station. Before boarding the bus, he secretly kissed her. Fang Hui covered her face and ran away, glaring angrily at Chen Xun, who was standing below grinning mischievously, through the bus window. He waved his hand cheekily and said loudly, "I'll call you tonight!" Fang Hui nodded. The bus started moving, slowly leaving him behind, turning him into a dark blue shadow.

That night, Fang Hui ultimately did not receive a call from Chen Xun.

When Fang Jianzhou got home, he surprisingly ignored her and started making a phone call in the living room as soon as he entered. Fang Hui vaguely heard him arguing with Xu Yanxin on the phone. As his voice grew louder, Fang Hui gradually heard her own name. As usual, her parents parted on bad terms. Fang Jianzhou slammed down the phone, angrily pushed open Fang Hui's bedroom door, and shouted, "Come out!"

Fang Hui's hand trembled in fright. Although Fang Jianzhou and Xu Yanxin could argue and curse all they wanted, they had always been very gentle with Fang Hui. They had almost never lost their temper since they were young. But this time, they started to berate her, which made Fang Hui very flustered.

Fang Hui walked shakily into the living room. Fang Jianzhou sat on the sofa, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, and said loudly, "Fang Hui, I really didn't expect that you, my child, could do something like this! Tell me yourself!"

"What's wrong?" Fang Hui suddenly had a bad feeling, but she didn't want to believe it had really happened.

"What is it? Do I need to remind you? Fine, I'll remind you, Chen Xun!"

Fang Jianzhou slammed the TV remote down on the coffee table with a loud bang. Fang Hui felt as if she had been plunged into hell with that sound; her mind went blank, and her heart was filled with a terrified and unbearable pain.

"You two are really something! You've made a scene that the whole school knows! After the parent-teacher meeting, your teacher, Ms. Li, called me and Chen Xun's mother aside and said that students from other classes were spreading rumors about you, saying all sorts of bad things about you, like you're always holding hands to and from school. I was so ashamed when I heard that! Don't you feel embarrassed at all? Ms. Li gave you a chance to talk to her, but neither of you paid any attention and kept doing what you wanted. How can you be so stubborn? Tell me, who taught you that?! Don't think that nobody knows about your little affair. They have a cordless phone at home. When you two make phone calls at night, the cord in his mother's room lights up. They already know, but they've been too embarrassed to say anything to you! Chen Xun's mother said you even ate at their house? How can a grown woman like you not know that?" "Oh... Ah! The boy's parents are talking about you like this! Normally, I, as your father, shouldn't be saying these things, but your mother is completely useless, all she knows is making that little bit of money! Chen Xun's mother made your mother call her, and sure enough, your mother just finished calling and she's already making a scene with me. She doesn't discipline you when she should, and then she acts like a wise woman afterward! Let me tell you, all those thoughts between you two are over right now! That boy who calls you all night, isn't that Chen Xun? When I asked who he was, you said he was a classmate, and I didn't even know he was a classmate! Trying to play these little tricks on me! From today onwards, you're not allowed to call him! Not even to ask about homework or problems! I'll take you to school every morning and be home by 7 pm sharp every night! If I find out you're still involved with that guy, don't blame me for being ruthless; I won't give you any face then!"

Fang Hui listened to Fang Jianzhou's reprimand while crying. Shame, fear, and those harsh words were deeply buried in her heart, like being slowly tortured to death, causing her unbearable pain and leaving her nowhere to hide.

"Did you hear me! Speak!" Fang Jianzhou continued to press sternly.

"I...I understand..." Fang Hui replied, her voice choked with emotion.

"Wash your face and go back to do your homework!" Fang Jianzhou lit a cigarette and waved his hand.

Fang Hui turned her head and walked back to her room. It was just a narrow door, and the world before and after she came out was like two different worlds, making her feel like the world had come to an end.

(4)

Fang Hui barely slept that night. The next day, Fang Jianzhou indeed personally rode his bicycle to take her to school. At the school gate, he gave her a lecture that was half admonishment and half threat, making Fang Hui realize once again that everything that had happened was not a dream, but a tragic reality that could not be changed.

Fang Hui met Chen Xun at the classroom door. He also looked haggard, clearly having received similar advice from Zhang Xiaohua the day before. The two, usually so close and familiar, were both momentarily stunned upon seeing each other. Fang Hui lowered her head, her eyes red. Chen Xun wanted to say something, but upon seeing the sign next to him that read "Senior Year Office," he remained silent, his mouth half-open. They instinctively staggered apart, like unfamiliar classmates, and entered the classroom one after the other.

During the lunch break, Fang Hui and Chen Xun were both called to the teacher's office. The senior year office was a two-room office, and Teacher Li spoke to them separately, speaking to Chen Xun first while Fang Hui waited in the outer room.

Teacher Hou's desk was in the outer room. She waved to Fang Hui, who was standing at the door, and called her over, saying, "What's going on now? Why are you two being singled out?"

"Ask about the situation..." Fang Hui really didn't know how to answer, and her face turned red.

"What's going on?" Teacher Hou asked.

"It's about their relationship! These two students in your class are dating. Have you forgotten what Teacher Li said the other day about passing notes?" Teacher Cui chimed in from the side.

"What?" Teacher Hou's eyes widened in surprise. "Didn't you say it was the humanities class? I didn't listen carefully. How did it become the two of them?"

"Someone else passed a note about them. They're a couple on campus. Apparently, their parents were notified. You've been their homeroom teacher for two years and you didn't notice?" Teacher Cui said with a smile.

"How am I supposed to know that!" Teacher Hou frowned and said, "Fang Hui, tell me what's going on? I've always seen you five getting along well together. But you seem to be closer to Qiao Ran, and what's your relationship with Chen Xun?"

“Just… just like that…” Fang Hui said softly.

"I didn't realize you were so quiet and reserved, but you're actually quite determined! Honestly, this whole mess you're doing is pointless. It's ruining your studies, and do you think you'll stay together forever? Life is long, and things can change so much! If you two end up in different cities, you'll naturally drift apart. Besides, do you think Chen Xun is such a reliable person? He's smart, he can handle things, but can you? You're the kind of person who tends to overthink things. I advise you not to waste so much energy on this; it's really not worth it!"

Teacher Hou was still young and didn't teach them directly, so her words weren't as harsh, and even carried a hint of friendly comfort. But Fang Hui still felt bad after hearing her words; she increasingly felt lost and directionless.

After talking for a while, Chen Xun came out. He noticed Fang Hui's gloomy expression, but since they were in the teacher's office, he couldn't say anything. He could only convey Teacher Li's instructions and let her go inside. Fang Hui didn't look up and brushed past him.

Ms. Li's words were gentler than when she spoke in class that day. She started by giving a long lecture, clearly explaining the consequences. Then she emphasized that Fang Hui must pull back from the brink and absolutely not let it affect her college entrance exam preparation. Finally, she required Fang Hui to write a self-criticism, guaranteeing that she would sever all contact with Chen Xun, not speak in class, and not make phone calls at home, etc. She would monitor them, and if any ambiguous behavior was discovered again, not only would her parents be notified, but both of them would be expelled from the Science A class. Ms. Li concluded that, in short, she would never allow a bad apple to appear in such an excellent class as A, and she would nip any improper thoughts in the bud.

Fang Hui kept nodding mechanically. The intense sense of shame and the cold voice had long since numbed her heart, so much so that when Teacher Li told her to leave, she stood there stunned for a minute or two.

As soon as Fang Hui stepped out of the office, Lin Jiamo, who had been waiting at the door since hearing the commotion, pulled her aside and asked anxiously, "How did it go? Are you alright?"

"Yes, write a self-criticism and promise not to speak again," Fang Hui said with a wry smile.

"Damn! That's so extreme? You two didn't do anything, is it really necessary?" Lin Jiamo frowned. "Alright, alright, let's go downstairs and talk about it. They're all waiting for us down there!"

"Ah? I can't go, it'll be troublesome if Teacher Li finds out!" Fang Hui was scared of being tormented and hurriedly broke free from Lin Jiamo's hand.

“Oh! What are you afraid of! Do you really think Teacher Li is all-seeing and all-hearing? That she can watch you every second? They’re over there behind the lecture hall! Nobody ever goes there! We’re not like that gossipy Wang Manman, who would tip off the teacher!” Lin Jiamo said, pulling Fang Hui aside.

Fang Hui was dragged along by her, hesitantly heading towards meeting Chen Xun and the others. Before they even reached the back of the lecture hall, they could vaguely hear Chen Xun's angry shouts. Lin Jiamo frowned and went over first, saying, "Keep your voice down! Don't you want to attract attention?"

"What's wrong? Don't I even have the right to speak? Why are you like that old hag surnamed Li, meddling in everything?" Chen Xun said irritably.

"Who cares about you! Isn't Fang Hui here? Anyway, if the three of us are found out, we'll all be fine. In the end, it'll just be the two of you who suffer!" Lin Jiamo got angry and turned away.

"Alright, alright, stop talking so much. Chen Xun, don't take your anger out on someone you can't bully. Let's discuss what to do next!" Zhao Ye stepped between the two and said, "Fang Hui, come a little closer. Why are you so far away?"

"I'm scared..."

Fang Hui had barely opened her mouth when Chen Xun interrupted her, shouting, "What's so scary! Will saying something kill someone? What's wrong with us? Did we commit murder, arson, theft, or robbery? Have we done anything disgusting? Have we affected anyone else's life? Why are we treated like sinners just because we like each other? Damn it! There are so many people in the whole school, who doesn't have someone they like? Zhao Ye, you have one, right? Qiao Ran, you have one, right? Jia Mo, you have one too, right? You guys are still good students because you haven't confessed or gotten together, but we've confessed and gotten together, so we're considered fly droppings? What kind of bullshit logic is that! Can that old hag guarantee she never liked anyone when she was in school? Oh right, she might not even be single now, who would want her! Write a self-criticism? I'm not writing one! I didn't do anything wrong, let whoever wants to write one write one! I just like Fang Hui, why should I cut off all ties with her!"

Fang Hui felt even more aggrieved after hearing his words, and sat to the side, tears streaming down her face. Zhao Ye grabbed Chen Xun and said, "Alright, alright, you're a hero, you're brave and responsible, we all admire your righteousness and heroism to the core! But what's the use of saying all this now? We know you two didn't do anything wrong, but we teachers aren't that open-minded. Do you think they'll applaud you two? Say, 'Good, Chen Xun, you've got guts, go pursue your happiness! We support you!' Is that possible? This is senior year, and you're in Class A, so there's definitely a stricter requirement. If anyone makes a mistake, you can't make the same mistake! There's no way around it, that's how it is all over China. From a young age, we've been taught that puppy love is bad, wrong. If you resist, you'll only make a ripple at best, and the raging waves will swallow you up in no time."

"So what if I'm in Class A? I'll just quit!" Chen Xun was still fuming, but he was clearly calmer. He sat down next to Fang Hui and gently took her hand.

"It's fine if you don't go, but what about Fang Hui? Is she going to eat with you? Will everyone look at her differently, criticize her teachers, and gossip about her classmates? Even if she's willing, would you two parents be willing? Although being cynical is cool and breaking up couples is exciting, we don't want to see a real-life version of that!" Qiao Ran shook his head and said.

"Don't talk to him about this. He's as stubborn as a mule! He won't listen to reason! Let him do what he wants and see what he can do!" Lin Jiamo was still angry with Chen Xun for what he had just said. She usually got along very well with Chen Xun and would consult him on things. So she was particularly angry after he said those things to her in a heated tone.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Chen Xun completely lost his momentum.

"Just accept it," Fang Hui said, taking a deep breath. "What else can I do? I'll write a proper self-criticism tonight, get my parents to sign it, and hand it in to Teacher Li tomorrow. If we run into each other, just pretend we don't know each other. Don't come looking for me after class, and don't eat lunch together. Anyway, it's only a year. If I can get through this, everything will be alright. If I can't…"

“There’s nothing we can’t overcome!” Chen Xun chimed in. “Let’s just consider this an opportunity created by God, so we can study hard and improve every day! Let’s both get into the same top university! I don’t believe they’ll still be able to stop us then!”

"Alright! The three of us will act as a bridge for you, helping to pass on messages and cover your retreat. We will never let the enemy succeed!" Zhao Ye said, patting Chen Xun on the shoulder.

"Come on! With your build, you're not even a magpie! You're more like an old crow! You're born a spy, you'll expose the Party's secrets sooner or later, the organization can never trust you! Right, Jia Mo?" Chen Xun pushed him away and said with a smile.

Lin Jiamo laughed at his antics, and Zhao Ye grabbed his head with his arm and laughed, "Hey! You're getting excited, aren't you? Not upset anymore? Don't act like you're going to die? Fang Hui, after this year, don't pay any attention to him. It'll be easier to dump him!"

"I'm not going to joke around with you guys anymore." Fang Hui ignored their laughter and stood up, saying, "I'd better go back first. It wouldn't be good if the teacher saw us."

Chen Xun clearly couldn't walk with her anymore, so Lin Jiamo stood up and said, "Shall I go with you?"

"No need, don't be too conspicuous, you guys have fun." Fang Hui shook her head, her lonely figure disappearing around the corner.

(5)

Chen Xun never expected that one turn would actually separate him from Fang Hui's life.

Afterwards, Fang Hui was placed under strict surveillance by her family. Following strong persuasion and heated arguments between Xu Yanxin and Fang Jianzhou, Fang Jianzhou reluctantly agreed to let Fang Hui stay with Xu Yanxin for her senior year of high school. Every day, Fang Hui was picked up and dropped off by a driver on time. Although she rode in an imported car, she felt almost like a prisoner under surveillance. Fang Hui's room had no telephone, television, or computer. Xu Yanxin only provided her with a large bed with the most expensive breathable rubber mattress available at the time, and a large desk. If she needed to relax, there were high-end speakers in the room, and all the CDs were world-famous classics and light music. In addition, Xu Yanxin arranged for a housekeeper to prepare her breakfast and dinner, strictly following nutritionist guidelines, and she also had to take "Unforgettable" capsules and fresh royal jelly every day. She later jokingly told me that, in terms of treatment, she could be considered a high-class prisoner.

At school, Fang Hui and Chen Xun barely exchanged a few words. For a while, they could sneak off to meet at the back of the lecture hall, but they were always terrified and dared not linger. Later, because the school discovered students smoking there, they completely sealed off the small passageway with iron railings. They thus lost their last place where they could briefly reunite.

Chen Xun found this sudden change very difficult to adjust to. He cursed and complained, but he couldn't change the situation, so he had no choice but to accept it. Fortunately, he had more freedom than Fang Hui, and could hang out with Qiao Ran and the others after school. At the same time, with less contact with Fang Hui, he naturally contacted Tang Haibing and Wu Tingting more often, no longer needing to hide anything, and their previous close relationship resumed. Moreover, spurred by this incident, he actually studied harder and ranked third in the class in the second monthly exam, earning unanimous praise from teachers and parents. Life wasn't too bad for him.

Fang Hui was different. Her life at home was no different from being imprisoned. When she came to school, there were already few girls in the Science A class. With her personality, it was even more difficult for her to make friends. Occasionally, she would go to the toilet or have lunch with Lin Jiamo, but it would only last for ten minutes or so. The rest of the time, she hardly spoke at all and became the silent, lonely and inconspicuous person she was when she first entered high school.

Her heart was filled with anguish. Fang Hui said she suffered from insomnia during that period, often unable to sleep for entire nights on end, and even when she did, her sleep was restless, her mind a complete blank. She constantly thought about Chen Xun, frantically thinking about the past, wondering what he was doing, whether he was thinking the same thing about her, and worrying that he might be seeing Wu Tingting or other girls. Sometimes she imagined countless worst-case scenarios, such as Chen Xun ultimately abandoning her; she would enact various fictional versions until she couldn't bear the pain and burst into tears. She would often take advantage of the few minutes Xu Yanxin was upstairs to run to the living room and call Chen Xun's house. She dared not make a sound, and would hurriedly hang up as soon as she heard Chen Xun say "hello." Fang Hui self-deprecatingly said that she was so pathological back then that even a single syllable could offer her some comfort, while a busy signal would only intensify her anxiety.

Fang Hui held her arm up in front of me and said that she was extremely thin at that time, with only a thin layer of skin on her wrist, and you could clearly see the veins and wrist bones. Moreover, she had white hair at her temples. She said that I was truly a sentimental person who should laugh at my premature gray hair.

I looked at her arms, which were no longer plump, and couldn't help but turn my head away.

Initially, I always felt that Fang Hui's affection for Chen Xun was greater than Chen Xun's for her; at least, Fang Hui's later sensitivity and obsession suggested that this relationship hurt her more. But later I realized that it might not be a matter of the degree of affection, but rather the degree of attention given to each other. Chen Xun also liked Fang Hui very much, but he could still hang out with Tang Haibing and others, write music, play guitar, play sports, read books, eat out, and socialize. Fang Hui lacked all of these things in her life; her only close circle of friends overlapped with Chen Xun's, so almost all her attention was focused on him, to the point of being unable to control herself. This is probably a characteristic of love at that age—completely unaware of boundaries and tact, simply giving everything of one's emotions and loving intensely.

Back then, few people mentioned the term "depression," but I think Fang Hui's condition at the time was almost exactly depression. It's just that the people around her didn't notice or understand. Therefore, I suddenly worried about her at that time. In such a fragile state of mind, was she cared for and treated kindly, or was she ultimately burned and destroyed by the flames of youth?

And so it wasn't until the winter of 2000 that they finally came close to each other again. It wasn't a long, distant gaze, nor a brief pause as strangers passed each other by, but a genuine reliance on each other.

Although Fang Hui always underestimated herself, Chen Xun wasn't as carefree as she thought. He also thought about her, missed her, and paid attention to her, but he didn't have as many subtle thoughts about her. So, when he arrived at school that day, he noticed Fang Hui's pale face.

To protect eyesight and ensure fair seating arrangements, the class's seats were shifted one group to the right every other week. Fang Hui's seat that week was against the wall, and she huddled against it throughout the class, remaining motionless even after class, without even lifting her head. Chen Xun, watching from behind, saw this clearly. He was anxious to know what was wrong but couldn't bring himself to approach her. None of the other students in the class went to ask, acting as if they hadn't seen her, leaving her curled up in a small ball in the corner.

They waited like this until noon, and seeing that she showed no sign of getting up to eat, Chen Xun finally couldn't help but go over and gently nudged Fang Hui's shoulder, asking, "What's wrong?"

After a long while, Fang Hui finally managed to lift her head. Her lips were covered with teeth marks from biting herself. Her gaze drifted to Chen Xun, and she was first stunned, then suddenly came to her senses and said, "Why did you come here? Go back quickly! Teacher Li will be here soon..."

"I'm asking you, what's wrong?" Chen Xun interrupted her, trying to keep his voice down.

"It's nothing... my stomach hurts..." Fang Hui said in a barely audible voice, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Your stomach hurts and you didn't say anything? You just endured it all morning! Go to the hospital!" Chen Xun grabbed her as soon as he came up.

Fang Hui quickly pushed him away and said, "It's not that kind of stomachache, you don't need to, you should go back now!"

"You're in so much pain, what are you afraid of? Don't you know what's important?" Chen Xun ignored her and pulled Fang Hui out.

As soon as they stepped outside, they ran into He Sha, who had just finished picking up her food. She looked at them in surprise and said, "What's going on with you two...?"

"Help us ask Teacher Li for leave! Fang Hui has a stomachache, I'll take her to the hospital! Come back and get the leave slip!" Chen Xun went downstairs without looking back.

Fang Hui didn't have the energy to argue with him, nor did she really want to. Chen Xun's few glances and words of concern had suddenly tightened her heart, almost bringing her to tears. The pent-up grievances and pain of many days erupted at once, and sitting on the crossbar of Chen Xun's bicycle, Fang Hui finally shed tears.

"Does it hurt that much? We'll be at Peking Union Medical College Hospital soon, just bear with it a little longer!" Chen Xun heard Fang Hui crying, so he held onto the handle with one hand and hugged her with the other.

"Do you miss me?" Fang Hui asked, her voice choked with emotion.

"Nonsense! Of course I wanted to!" Chen Xun said. "I've ridden my bike to Julong Garden several times! The security guards at your mom's apartment complex are really strict; they won't let me in without someone escorting me!"

"real?"

"Really! I was writing your name on the outer wall when it snowed a few days ago! Didn't you see?"

I didn't see you... but I miss you so much.

"I know. You were the one making all those anonymous phone calls to our house, weren't you? Later, when I was afraid my parents would find out, you kept talking into the receiver after you hung up, talking about things like x equals what, and how much acceleration is. Pretty alert, huh?"

As Fang Hui listened to him say these things, she finally felt at ease, shaking off the anxiety and panic of despair, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“How can I know what you’re thinking if I can’t even see you? Your mother is so good to me, yet she turned around and said those things to my father. She’s so cunning! What if you think the same way? What will I do if you don’t stand up for me? I’m terrified…”

“How could that be! Your mom even told my mom that I’m the one who led you astray! Don’t pay any attention to them! Alright, alright, stop crying. You look so sickly, you’re almost like Lin Daiyu! You know, I was shocked when you got on the bus just now, you were so light. Did you even eat properly, kid?” Chen Xun lowered his head and leaned closer to say.

"I can't eat..." Fang Hui shook her head and cried.

"Still crying? Your face must be chapped!" Chen Xun sniffed and covered Fang Hui's face with his hand, saying, "Does it hurt a lot? Then I'll sing you a song! It's the song I sang at the busy bee last time. I wrote it myself. To be honest, I was really angry that time, and I never wanted to sing it for you again in my life, but seeing how you can't live without me for even a day made my heart ache. Fang Hui, this song was originally for you. Remember, it's only for you. Listen to it."

Chen Xun softly hummed "Those Fleeting Years," and snowflakes began to fall gently in the gloomy sky, accompanying the melody of "How many promises have we made in the long years? Will we still be together without regrets after many years?" The gentle breath and moist tears in the boy's palm seemed to be the warmest place in the entire city at that moment.

When Chen Xun arrived at the hospital, he learned that Fang Hui's problem wasn't gastrointestinal but menstrual cramps. Under the strange looks of the nurses, he blushed and registered for a gynecology appointment. At that time, they didn't understand what gynecology was for or what was wrong, but they all vaguely knew that it wasn't a good sign.

The two walked with their heads down to the gynecology clinic. Just as Chen Xun helped Fang Hui take a step inside, the doctor inside stopped him.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing in here?" the doctor said, pointing at Chen Xun.

"Me?" Chen Xun asked, puzzled. "I accompanied her to the doctor!"

"Hmph, what's the use of staying here now?" the doctor said dismissively. "Get out! Men are not allowed in the gynecology clinic!"

Chen Xun's face turned bright red, and he awkwardly turned and walked out.

Fang Hui sat down awkwardly. The doctor flipped through the medical records and said, "You're only eighteen years old. Wearing a school uniform, you must still be in school, right? You skipped class like this, won't the teachers say anything to you?"

“We took leave to come see a doctor…” Fang Hui said softly.

"Oh, then you'll need to take two more days off." The doctor chuckled dismissively. "So, what's wrong?"

"Oh no... my stomach hurts."

"Huh?" The doctor looked up in surprise.

"Yes, it's been hurting all morning, in waves," Fang Hui continued. "Could you prescribe some painkillers for me?"

"You can't take painkillers for menstrual cramps! You're so young and thin, you can't just take painkillers randomly. Have you been chilled recently? Or eaten anything cold?"

The doctor suddenly became friendly, asked Fang Hui about her diet and daily life in detail, and prescribed medicine and a sick leave note for her.

"I'll prescribe some motherwort and a box of Kevlin for you. Take the Kevlin if the pain is severe, but it's best to only take it once. Come back for a follow-up check-up when you have time, so we can examine you more thoroughly to see if there are any other problems," the doctor said, handing her the prescription.

Fang Hui thanked the doctor and was about to get up when the doctor said, "Next time you feel unwell, it's best not to let your male classmates accompany you."

Fang Hui nodded awkwardly and fled the consultation room as if escaping.

Chen Xun had been waiting at the door with a sullen face. When Fang Hui came out, he hurriedly went up to her and asked, "How are you? Are you alright?"

"It's nothing, I just got some medicine," Fang Hui said, deliberately keeping her distance from him.

"How could that doctor talk like that! He's such a jerk!" Chen Xun said, glancing back at him.

"It's our fault. We shouldn't have skipped class and come out, which caused misunderstandings," Fang Hui said sadly.

"Why wouldn't they see a doctor if they're sick? Their thinking is too complicated! How could we possibly..."

Chen Xun blushed as he spoke, and Fang Hui beside him blushed as well. They both sensed the reproach and unfriendly attitude around them, and unconsciously kept their distance as they walked.

The medicine was expensive. Fang Hui and Chen Xun took out all their money but were still a few dollars short. Just as they were worrying, they were suddenly patted on the back. When they turned around, they were pleasantly surprised to see Qiao Ran standing behind them with a smile.

"What are you doing here, kid?" Chen Xun put his arm around him and said, "You skipped class and got a sick note, didn't you!"

Qiao Ran was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "I've discovered you're incredibly smart! What are you two doing here? The White Terror isn't over yet, is it?"

"I wasn't feeling well, so he brought me to see a doctor," Fang Hui said a little embarrassed.

"Oh right! You've come at just the right time! We're exactly six yuan short, lend me some!" Chen Xun said, stretching out his hand.

"How is it? What did the doctor say?" Qiao Ran hurriedly took out the money and asked Fang Hui with concern, looking at her pale face.

"It's nothing serious, I just got some medicine," Fang Hui said hurriedly as she took the medicine and stuffed it into the bag.

"Did you two ask for leave? Is it okay to just run out like this? How are you going to explain this to Teacher Li when you get back?" Qiao Ran asked doubtfully.

"I just asked He Sha to tell Teacher Li, I didn't say it to her myself," Chen Xun said, frowning. "Anyway, it really is just a medical appointment, what can she say!"

"Aren't you two the center of attention? You need to be given special consideration!" Qiao Ran said with a smile. "How about this, when you go back you just say that we came together to take Fang Hui to see the doctor, wouldn't that be better!"

"Qiao Ran, you're so clever! You're a true buddy! You're so loyal! I'll treat you to some skewers tomorrow!" Chen Xun excitedly hung on his neck, while Fang Hui stood to the side and smiled gratefully at him.

(6)

Back at school, Chen Xun and his friends were indeed called to the teacher's office again. Fortunately, they had their leave slips and medication receipts, and Qiao Ran was with them, so Teacher Li didn't say anything. After all, Chen Xun's grades had improved rapidly recently, and the two of them hadn't done anything particularly outrageous. Saying too harshly would put too much pressure on them. She only seriously reminded them that it was best to inform the teacher beforehand and not to ask for special treatment before letting them go.

In the final exams that winter, Fang Hui finally ranked among the top ten in her class, while Chen Xun consistently ranked third or fourth. Everyone was delighted with this result; needless to say, they received praise from their teachers and parents alike. The previous isolation they had been forced to maintain eased somewhat, and Fang Hui and Chen Xun were occasionally able to chat a few words at school.

As the college entrance examination draws ever closer, students have chosen different ways to face it. One group, like Zhao Ye, gave up on the final push early on. He simply couldn't settle down and study seriously, instead relying on his awards to wait for recommendations. Therefore, he was practically a playful senior, often seen running around in the hallways with other students who weren't studying properly either. They'd frequently pull a boy into a "flying man" game—the group would lift the victim's arms and legs, spread their legs, and slam them against trees or doors. Chen Xun and Qiao Ran had been "flyed" by them several times.

There's another group of people who, no matter how hard they study, only reach a certain level, maintaining average grades that are neither high nor low. Lin Jiamo belongs to this group. She doesn't aim too high for national key 211 projects; she just wants to get into a good second-tier university and choose a good major. So, she started looking at college application guides early on, selecting second-tier universities in Beijing and some universities in other provinces, but all of them are far away from H University of Technology.

The rest are students like Chen Xun and Fang Hui, who study with relentless effort, getting up early to practice listening comprehension and staying up late to do exercises. They fill notebook after notebook with notes, cover their test papers with countless stickers, underline key points in red, underline secondary key points in yellow, and underline even secondary key points in blue. Their books are more vibrant than pictures, all for the sake of getting into top-tier universities in those four "countries across the country." These students often experience immense pressure, academic hardship, and emotional emptiness, thus yearning for emotional comfort through friendships with the opposite sex. Despite the strong suppression from the senior high school teaching team led by Teacher Li, many students still secretly formed friendships. They weren't necessarily deeply in love, nor did they necessarily hope for a long-term relationship; they were simply looking for companionship.

Unfortunately, they ended up celebrating Valentine's Day during class. By then, this Western holiday had successfully entered the Chinese market. Although the countdown signs for the college entrance exams and the recruitment posters from various schools in the hallways seemed out of place with this warm and romantic holiday, it didn't diminish the sweet, restless atmosphere in the air.

Fang Hui stayed at her mother's house all winter. Fang Jianzhou, according to Xu Yanxin, had finally "gotten his lesson" and gone south to do business; apparently, things were going quite well. So Fang Hui remained in the isolated state her mother had created for her, and hadn't prepared for the holiday beforehand. It wasn't until she arrived at school and heard her classmates' casual jokes that she suddenly remembered Valentine's Day. Many girls had carefully prepared chocolates to give to their crushes or close friends, just for the occasion. Fang Hui also wanted to give Chen Xun chocolates, but didn't have time to buy any, so she went to Lin Jiamo to discuss it.

When Fang Hui arrived at the entrance of Class B, she saw Lin Jiamo handing out a bag of chocolates. When she saw Fang Hui, Lin Jiamo waved and smiled, "Come on, come on! Have some of my love chocolates."

Fang Hui walked over and saw that Lin Jiamo was holding Dove Heartfelt Chocolates, and there was an empty bag on the table, which meant that they had already been distributed.

"Why did you buy so much?" Fang Hui asked in surprise.

“Unlike you, I don’t have a steady partner! This is a treat for all my single friends. Otherwise, you all can spend Valentine’s Day in sweet bliss while we’re left out, it’s so sad! I usually give these chocolates to single people, but I’m making an exception for you. Here, take two!” Lin Jiamo handed the bag to Fang Hui and whispered, “What about the ones you gave to Chen Xun? If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll give them to him for you.”

"I...I haven't bought it for him yet," Fang Hui said, lowering her head. "I completely forgot about it..."

"No way?" Lin Jiamo said in surprise, "You can forget the date! You've really gone stupid from studying too much!"

"That's why I'm looking for you. Why don't you come with me to buy some things?" Fang Hui grabbed her.

"Where can we buy it? The convenience store probably doesn't even have Maltesers left!" Lin Jiamo rolled her eyes.

"What should we do then?" Fang Hui asked worriedly.

"Why don't you take one from me and give it to Chen Xun? Just consider it a small token of appreciation. There's a quote or something about love inside the chocolate wrapper, so it'll do!"

"Okay! Thank you, Jia Mo!" Fang Hui said happily.

"Don't be so polite, you'd better pick carefully! Not all the proverbs inside are good words, and I won't be responsible if you pick a bad one!"

Lin Jiamo poured the remaining chocolates from the bag onto the table. Fang Hui examined them carefully for a long time, as if she were looking at a fortune teller, before cautiously picking up a golden one. She pondered, "Even the worst things in love can't be that bad."

Fang Hui had just returned home when she ran into Chen Xun in the hallway. However, he was with another person, who looked like a middle school student, who was offering Chen Xun a beautifully crafted box of chocolates with her friend. Chen Xun saw Fang Hui too and hesitantly refused to accept it. The two little girls walked away dejectedly with the chocolates. As they passed Fang Hui, the bright red ribbon on the chocolates was particularly glaring. Fang Hui clenched the small piece of chocolate in her hand, ignored Chen Xun, and walked straight back to her classroom.

Several boys were chatting at Chen Xun's desk in the classroom. Several boxes of chocolates were on it, and they were loudly exclaiming as they unwrapped them—French, Swiss, liqueur-filled, white chocolate with little human heads on them—causing a commotion. Chen Xun walked over and tossed the chocolates to them. He looked awkwardly at Fang Hui sitting in the front row, but Fang Hui didn't even look up. She felt a little sad, sad about the small, insignificant piece of chocolate in her pocket.

During the break before PE class, Chen Xun winked at Fang Hui, signaling her not to rush downstairs. After all the other students had left, Chen Xun locked the classroom door, walked over to Fang Hui, and grinned, extending his hand, saying, "Where's my chocolate?"

"No," Fang Hui said calmly.

"Liar! I know you definitely have it! Hand it over honestly!" Chen Xun leaned closer and said shamelessly.

"Really, I don't have any. I don't have time to go out and buy any." Fang Hui turned her head away, still ignoring him.

"Give it to me now! Or I'll search you!"

Chen Xun reached for her pocket, but Fang Hui hurriedly dodged, saying, "Stop it! The teacher will see us through the back window! I'll give it to you, okay?"

Chen Xun let go, and Fang Hui slowly took out the slightly melted and deformed chocolate from her pocket, handed it to him and said, "Here you go. It's not from France or Switzerland. Guan Jiamo borrowed it from me."

"I knew you'd have some!" Chen Xun unwrapped the foil in half, popped the chocolate into his mouth, and said, "I haven't been able to get any from France or Switzerland, I've only had this one!"

"Nobody stopped you, what are you afraid of eating?" Fang Hui said, but her expression was much better than before, and a smile appeared on her face.

"I was afraid you'd get angry!" Chen Xun casually tossed the candy wrappers into the trash can; one went in, and the other fell out.

"Hey! Don't throw it away! Jia Mo said there's a love quote inside!" Fang Hui quickly stopped him.

"Why didn't you say so earlier! There's still half left on this one, and don't bother looking for that one, the trash can is too dirty!" Chen Xun picked up the candy wrapper from the ground and unfolded it.

"You're so careless! I spent ages looking at it!" Fang Hui pouted. "Look what's written on it!"

“It’s okay to be wrong…” Chen Xunnian said.

"Then what?"

"It's gone, I threw the other half away."

"What do you mean it's okay to make a mistake..." Fang Hui frowned, unable to figure out what came next.

"This is supposed to be a love motto? Damn! It's not even as good as what I write!" Chen Xun threw the remaining half of the tin foil into the trash can.

"Let's go! I'm scared!" Fang Hui tugged at him, glancing worriedly at the back window.

"I want to kiss you," Chen Xun said, looking at her lips without moving.

"Are you crazy?" Fang Hui asked, her face flushed and her eyes wide.

"Come over here, it's a blind spot, you can't see anything in front or behind!" Chen Xun drew the classroom curtains and stood by the wall, waving to Fang Hui.

Fang Hui hesitated before walking over, and Chen Xun lowered his head and gently kissed her lips.

"This is my Valentine's Day gift to you," Chen Xun whispered in her ear.

Fang Hui pushed him away shyly, walked to the classroom door and looked around. Seeing that there were no teachers, she hurriedly ran out. Before leaving, she whispered to Chen Xun, "Thank you."

Chen Xun touched his lips and smiled at her.

Fang Hui said that after she broke up with Chen Xun, she bought a lot of Dove chocolates with messages written on them, just to see what was written on the remaining half of the foil from that day. Later, she finally found it, and the message was: It's okay to be wrong, it's really okay.

Fang Hui said she felt lost when she held that piece of tinfoil, as if their separation was destined from that day forward. But I think that's a good point. If they could both see it on Valentine's Day, wouldn't they be able to let go of each other sooner, forgive each other for the wrong paths they took later, and forgive the regrets left behind in their youth?

(7)

With the arrival of the first and second mock exams, the senior year of high school has entered a state of intense competition. Students are basically set in their course by now; once the mock exam results are released, teachers have a general idea of ​​who will get into which schools. Each teacher has conducted a detailed analysis of the score ranges in their classes, and with those red and green score curves, the students seem to be immediately divided into different tiers.

Chen Xun and Fang Hui both had excellent grades, ranking high in the district, so getting into a top university shouldn't be a problem. In early June, a college admissions fair was held at Ditan Park, and their parents attended, hoping to gather more information to help them fill out their applications. To avoid interfering with their studies, Chen Xun and Fang Hui didn't go. This gave them some truly free time; while their parents discussed university choices at the fair, they discussed them over the phone.

"I think computer science is a good major. Didn't the newspaper say that there's a huge shortage of IT talent? L University is pretty good!" Chen Xun said, holding a thick book titled "Statistics on the Distribution of Admission Scores in Beijing" while holding the phone.

"Which page?" Fang Hui asked, holding the same book in her hands. "Oh my! You need at least 590 points! This is a popular school and a popular major!"

"I think it's alright, it's better than bioengineering! I got such a high score but I don't even know what I'm supposed to study!"

"What do you think of environmental engineering? Environmental protection is getting more and more attention lately. Didn't Teacher Cui ask us to prepare essays on environmental protection topics?"

“Okay, then let’s choose Computer Science as our first choice and Environmental Engineering as our second choice.”

What about the second choice?

"Peking University! It's a school that specifically targets students who failed to get into their first-choice university! Besides, the second choice doesn't matter much anymore. Basically, if you don't get into your first choice, you'll fall into the second tier, unless you agree to be assigned to another province, then who knows where you'll end up!"

"Hmm! What about the second batch? Let's apply to a management school. My mom said studying finance and insurance is also good, and there are those things called certified professionals. I see that most people working in banks are white-collar workers."

"Sure! I'd also like to study business administration! Or maybe financial management, so I can become a manager at a big company, how awesome would that be!"

"Then let's apply to W University as our first choice in the second batch! First choice: Business Administration; second choice: Financial Management; third choice: Accounting. What do you think?"

“Okay, we should both apply for similar majors. We can write something different for the fourth or fifth major, but the others should be the same!” Chen Xun said, closing the book.

"I'm afraid Teacher Li will find out..." Fang Hui said worriedly.

"Everything will be fine by now! We can't just fill out college applications randomly; we write them based on our actual situation, and our parents have to make the final decision, so she won't say anything to us!"

"Can we take the exam together in the end?" Fang Hui was a little unsure of herself; she got nervous whenever she thought about the college entrance exam.

“Absolutely no problem! Think about it, we usually score only five or six points apart, we're in the same range. As long as we perform normally, it's impossible for us not to get the same score!” Chen Xun said confidently. Actually, he was a little unsure himself, but Fang Hui obviously couldn't share the burden. She was even more timid, so he could only try his best to convince the two of them that it was definitely possible.

Ultimately, the two students' chosen majors differed slightly. Their parents didn't prioritize their children's interests. Frankly, high school seniors at that time didn't really have many interests; hobbies were almost synonymous with neglecting one's studies. Most people didn't let their true aspirations determine their future; they considered it more from the perspective of future employment. There's no way around it; China has a large population, and a stable economic foundation to provide wages must be guaranteed before considering the development of the superstructure. This is the basic national condition of the primary stage of socialism, a mandatory political exam question that everyone has memorized since childhood and understands deeply now.

Fortunately, they applied to the same schools, so if they perform normally, the only difference will be their majors; they can still be guaranteed to be in the same school.

Soon after, the entire senior high school began selecting district-level "Three Good Students." Each class nominated two students, and then the entire grade voted on the candidates by class, ultimately determining four winners. This title was not only an honor, but it also added twenty points to the final college entrance examination score—a real and substantial bonus. Although Chen Xun didn't become the class monitor of Class A, his previous outstanding performance in the student council and the Youth League, coupled with Teacher Hou's recommendation, led to his appointment as the Youth League secretary of Class A. He was also among the candidates, and during the Class A vote, he cast his own vote. Although this somewhat deviated from the Chinese standards of humility and caution, Chen Xun couldn't afford to worry about that at this crucial moment.

To his surprise, Chen Xun was astonished by his popularity during the vote counting. He watched as each ballot read out his name, yet he felt no joy. He worried that if he got a unanimous vote, all his classmates would know he had voted for him, which would be incredibly embarrassing. Just as he was feeling down, a ballot suddenly appeared without his name. Instead of being upset, Chen Xun jumped for joy. In the end, he won 20 points, missing a unanimous vote by only one vote in his class and 234 votes in the entire grade.

Chen Xun told Zhao Ye and Qiao Ran about it, and they both cursed him for his incredible luck. The person who didn't vote for him had actually given him a way out, and he couldn't tell anyone else, so he must have been extremely frustrated. Chen Xun was very proud and thanked the anonymous person profusely for their immense help. Although no one could guess who this person was in the end, he really didn't care at all.

Fang Hui was more concerned about this matter; she was apprehensive about the sudden 20-point difference between the two of them.

Two weeks before the "Black July" exams, the school gave everyone a break, leaving the final sprint of review time to the students themselves. This allowed for more targeted study, with teachers only scheduled to be at school each day to answer questions. The last day at school had a slightly melancholic feel. Every teacher wished the students good luck, and every class became a final exchange between teachers and students. Each bell was rang with applause to thank the teachers for their guidance. Students said goodbye and encouraged each other; some wrote in yearbooks, some took out group photos for everyone to sign on the back, and some even took off their school uniforms for classmates and teachers to write messages on.

Fang Hui and her friends finally reunited at noon. They hadn't had a proper time together in the past year. Once, when they were in their final year of high school, they ate together and bumped into the teachers from each of the senior year classes as they came out of a nearby restaurant. So, the teachers gathered their students, and together, burping, gave them a thorough lecture right there on the street. And when they finally reunited, it was already the last day of their high school years. Although they laughed and talked, they all felt a deep emptiness inside.

They sat around a large tree railing in the school's backyard, each gazing at the familiar yet soon-to-be-separated campus that held so many memories of laughter and tears. A deep sense of sorrow welled up in their hearts as they prepared to leave.