Encountering the Light
Saturday morning brought the distinctly cool, late-summer air of summer. Chen Yu stood downstairs in the old building, waiting for Jiang Yizhou, clutching his cleaned, neatly folded jacket. The fabric, warmed by the sun, still lingered with the scent of the cheap laundry detergent he'd secretly sprayed on it.
The sound of a motorcycle engine came from the alley. Shen Yu looked up and saw Jiang Yizhou wearing a simple white T-shirt and two holes in his jeans at the knees. He was riding a motorcycle towards him with one hand. The wind blew the strands of hair on his forehead into a mess, making him look like a flamboyant little beast.
"Get in." Jiang Yizhou stopped the car and patted the back seat.
Chen Yu hesitated for a moment, but still got on, his hands subconsciously grabbing the edge of the back seat. The motorcycle seat was a little hot from the sun, and the warmth transmitted through the thin pants made his heart beat faster.
"Hold on tight." Jiang Yizhou's voice came from the front, with a smile. The next second, the motorcycle suddenly rushed out. Chen Yu was startled and hurriedly grabbed the corner of Jiang Yizhou's clothes.
The fabric of the white T-shirt was very thin, and one could feel the firm lines of the other person's waist and abdomen. Chen Yu's cheeks instantly burned, but he didn't dare to let go of his hands. He could only hold on stiffly, feeling the wind whistling past his ears, carrying the faint scent of soapberry on Jiang Yizhou's body.
The motorcycle drove out of the city and headed towards the suburbs. The roadside scenery gradually changed from crowded buildings to vast rice fields. The heavy rice ears bowed their heads, stirring golden waves in the wind.
Finally, Jiang Yizhou parked his motorcycle next to an abandoned railway. The tracks were rusty, with knee-high weeds growing on both sides. In the distance, a solitary signal tower cast a long, thin shadow against the blue sky.
"We're here." Jiang Yizhou jumped out of the car and looked back at him, "Come down."
Chen Yu got out of the back seat and stumbled as soon as his feet touched the ground. Jiang Yizhou quickly supported his arm. "Be careful."
A warm touch came from his arm, and Shen Yu retracted his hand as if burned, and handed over the jacket: "I've washed it and I'll give it back to you."
"Put it there." Jiang Yizhou pointed to a large rock nearby. "How about this place? I found it by accident."
Chen Yu looked around. The abandoned railroad tracks stretched into the distance, seemingly endless. The wind whistled through the gaps between the rails, creating a feeling of peace and freedom. "It's good," he said sincerely.
Jiang Yizhou sat down on the grass and patted the seat next to him: "Sit down."
Chen Yu sat down next to him, a fist's length between them. The sun shone through the sparse clouds, falling on them, warm and cozy.
"When I was in a bad mood, I liked to come here." Jiang Yizhou looked at the railway tracks in the distance and said softly, "Look at these railway tracks, they seem to go all the way to the end of the world."
Chen Yu didn't say anything, just listened quietly. He rarely heard Jiang Yizhou say such things. His usual rebelliousness and nonchalance faded, and he was now a little confused, a teenager.
"They all say I'm a bad student," Jiang Yizhou suddenly laughed, a little self-deprecatingly, "I fight, skip classes, and go against the teacher. Actually, I don't want to do that."
Shen Yu turned his head to look at him and saw the loneliness that flashed across his eyes.
"My parents are divorced and have each started a new family. No one cares about me." Jiang Yizhou's voice was very soft, as if he was telling someone else's story. "My mom gives me money, and my dad occasionally calls to scold me, as if I'm a nuisance."
Chen Yu's heart suddenly clenched. He had always thought that Jiang Yizhou was naturally carefree and never had any worries, but he never thought that this boy who always looked sunny and bright also had such loneliness in his heart.
"My parents...are gone." Chen Yu hesitated for a long time before finally whispering it out. This was the first time he mentioned this to anyone, and his voice trembled a little.
Jiang Yizhou turned his head, a flash of surprise in his eyes, then was replaced by deep heartache. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he just said "hmm" softly, reached out and patted Chen Yu's back, as if comforting a frightened little animal.
No sympathy, no questioning, only simple understanding.
Chen Yu suddenly felt the tension in his heart loosen. He looked at the railroad tracks in the distance and said softly, "Sometimes I wonder if I would be different if they were still here."
"Yes." Jiang Yizhou said affirmatively, "But it's pretty good now."
Shen Yu turned her head and met his bright eyes.
"You have me now." Jiang Yizhou smiled openly, the light in his eyes brighter than the sun, "I will protect you from now on."
The wind blew gently, rustling the weeds. Chen Yu looked at Jiang Yizhou's smiling face, and the budding tree in his heart seemed to bloom in an instant. The love hidden deep in his heart that he dared not express, the cowardice that grew out of loneliness, all became less important at this moment.
He knew that this was not only Jiang Yizhou's secret base, but from today on, it also became his.
Because wherever Jiang Yizhou is, no matter how desolate it is, it feels like spring.
Shen Yu lowered his head, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise slightly, and he said softly: "Okay."
The sun was shining brightly, the wind was gentle. Beside the abandoned railroad tracks, two young men sat side by side, silent yet at peace. They had both walked alone in the darkness, but because of each other's presence, they found the light that illuminated their path.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
