Chapter 61 Rainy Day (End of Main Text) Next...
At the end of August, the procuratorial organ concluded its review and filed a public prosecution against Guo Renyi in accordance with the law.
Due to the conclusive evidence and the suspect's confession, the court's evidence collection time was significantly reduced, and the first instance trial was scheduled for early October.
Out of consideration for the protection of minors, victims are not required to appear in court.
Xie Shijin's hand was almost healed after the cast was removed, but since it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, the doctor still advised him not to engage in strenuous exercise.
So Cheng Shiyun would sneak over to his house every day to help her grandmother carry groceries and do chores, and also supervise Xie Shijin to apply scar removal cream every day.
Besides that, there is another matter that is urgent.
Summer homework!
Cheng Shiyun had a thrilling summer vacation and was looking forward to the start of school.
After school starts, she won't have to sneak around and worry about her parents' reactions when she goes on dates with Xie Shijin.
Being in the same class means there are plenty of opportunities to go on dates, right? Even doing morning exercises or going to the cafeteria to buy snacks can be a date opportunity.
She was envisioning a bright future when she discovered she hadn't written a single word of her summer homework.
Not a single word was written.
This semester's summer homework consisted of a book called "Summer Vacation Life" and five to ten papers for each subject, totaling forty or fifty papers. Cheng Shiyun was on the verge of collapse when she took out one blank paper after another.
With only two days left before school starts, she's preparing to create a world miracle in two nights!
After taking a shower, Cheng Shiyun put her phone on silent mode, rolled up her sleeves, and buried herself in her work.
My phone, which was lying next to me, flashed. I picked it up and saw that it was already eleven o'clock.
She put down her pen, opened QQ, and saw that Xie Shijin had sent her a message: [Are you asleep?]
She would never let Xie Shijin know that she was rushing to finish her homework in such a disheveled state.
Cheng Shiyun replied: [Just finished showering, getting ready for bed~]
Xie Shijin: [Aren't you rushing to finish your homework?]
[...]
How did he know?!
In the afternoon, while helping her grandmother prepare vegetables in the kitchen, she yawned several times, and the side of her right pinky finger was covered in ink. He would have noticed if he had taken a closer look.
Cheng Shiyun vehemently denied it: [No!]
Cheng Shiyun: [I'm going to sleep now, goodnight zzz]
Cheng Shiyun placed her phone face down on her desk, picked up her pen, and prepared to work hard through the night.
It's impossible to finish writing it all.
Who really wants to do summer homework? Who's thinking about Lao Zhao?
She hadn't done any practice problems for two years, and she was so worried that she pulled out several strands of her hair.
Actually, it's fine if she writes randomly. Her summer homework will just pile up in the office and collect dust. The teacher won't grade it, but she will flip through it to see who didn't hand it in and who left it completely blank.
You can write whatever you want, but you can't not write anything at all; what the teacher wants is an attitude.
But she couldn't do it; taking every question seriously is the self-cultivation of a top student.
Someone had posted the answers in the class group chat, which didn't have a teacher. But then some traitor betrayed them, and the group was disbanded. She hadn't even saved the answers yet.
A few minutes later, her phone started vibrating again; Xie Shijin was calling her.
I just hugged her two hours ago, and now I'm calling her again. Is she that clingy?
Just as she was about to answer, she heard a knock on the door and Ran Hongyin said, "Cheng Shiyun, don't stay up late, it's time to sleep."
"immediately!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the bedroom light went out.
At the bedroom door, Cheng Jinghua listened intently for a moment. After a series of sounds of putting down a cup and pulling out a chair, there was silence, as if they had gone to bed. "So obedient tonight?"
The same goes for the access control; she was always right on time the past few days, but today she came back at nine o'clock without anyone having to remind her.
She didn't want to come back so early, but she needed to catch up on her homework.
With so much summer homework, how could she not do it? Especially since Old Zhao has a strange habit of making people who don't hand in their homework stand up as punishment.
She doesn't want to be so embarrassed.
In order to get home early and finish her homework, she spent the whole evening trying to fool Xie Shijin.
Cheng Shiyun hid under the covers, answered the phone, and complained in a very low voice, "What are you doing? I was asleep, you woke me up."
Xie Shijin: "Really asleep?"
Her smile was so obvious.
"Of course!" Cheng Shiyun smiled, tugging at the little flower on the pillowcase. "You can check if you don't believe me."
"Is that okay? I'll be right there."
"Don't come!" Cheng Shiyun said quickly, afraid that he would really come. "It's too late, I can't go out."
"good."
A low laugh came from the other end of the phone.
What's so good about it?
She rubbed her ears and suppressed the tingling sensation in her heart: "Why did you call me?"
He's hindering her from creating a world miracle; he'd better have something important to do.
Xie Shijin was also lying in bed. He turned over, stared at the row of plush toys sitting on the pillow, and asked her, "Haven't you opened your schoolbag yet?"
bag?
What's in her backpack?
Cheng Shiyun lifted the blanket and glanced around. The living room lights were off; her parents had gone back to their room.
She had so many plush toys on her bed that when she went to see Xie Shijin this afternoon, she brought a few to give to him. She wanted them to keep him company while he slept, in her place.
Cheng Shiyun subtly inquired with her grandmother and learned that Xie Shijin had not yet started taking his medicine.
Xie Shijin developed depression after her death.
She tiptoed out of bed, picked up her schoolbag from under the desk, and shook it.
It has some weight, but not much.
Cheng Shiyun: "What did you put in my food?"
Xie Shijin said, "Open it and take a look."
Why keep us in suspense?
But Cheng Shiyun's curiosity was successfully piqued by him. She turned on her phone's flashlight and unzipped her backpack.
Inside was...
Summer homework!!!
She flipped through the pages twice, then went straight to the last page, which was full.
There were also exam papers, which were filled with writing.
Aaaaaaah!
Xie Shijin gave her his completed summer homework!
Cheng Shiyun heard her heart pounding wildly. She tried to suppress the upward curve of her lips, but couldn't, so she simply chuckled twice.
She pulled out a chair and laid out Xie Shijin's summer homework in a row: "You gave me all your homework, what are you going to do now?"
Xie Shijin replied, "I told Lao Zhao that my hand was injured and I couldn't write."
Cheng Shiyun chuckled twice, then quickly stopped herself: "What if Old Zhao is unreasonable and still makes you stand as punishment?"
“This isn’t the first time,” he said.
A series of soft laughs came from the other end of the receiver.
Oh my god!
Xie Shijin is absolutely wonderful!
This was the most practical gift she had received in sixteen years.
She sat down in the chair and opened "Summer Vacation Life" again, only to find that the name at the bottom of the first page had been crossed out.
Cheng Shiyun took a picture and sent it to him, laughing sullenly: "Did you put this on?"
Xie Shijin said casually, "Yes, it was applied to my left hand."
When was it applied?
"yesterday."
The laughter stopped abruptly, and Cheng Shiyun asked in a sinister tone, "Then why didn't you give it to me yesterday?" She had been rushing to finish her homework for several days, and her hands were about to fall off!
On the other end of the phone, Xie Shijin paused for a moment, then slightly suppressed his smile: "...I forgot."
All he could think about was seeing her, and he ran out the door before realizing he'd forgotten his homework. She'd already messaged him saying she was coming downstairs; it was hot, and he didn't want to keep her waiting a second longer.
Cheng Shiyun chuckled twice, as if she wanted to go through the internet cable and strangle him.
Xie Shijin apologized: "Don't be angry."
Cheng Shiyun gritted her teeth, but her eyes were still full of smiles: "Am I that petty?!"
She was overjoyed; she didn't have to do homework! For a high school girl who was about to start school but hadn't written a single word yet, this was undoubtedly a lifeline!
She picked up "Summer Vacation Life," stretched it out, and shone the flashlight beam on the page that had been smeared with ink.
Just like that physics exam paper that was stuffed into the middle of her pile of books.
Cheng Shiyun saw his name.
Xie Shijin liked her a lot back then.
He always did many things quietly, but never told her.
The happiness I feel now is like a dream, but the boy's clear laughter is real, and so is the summer homework.
Cheng Shiyun was so excited that she couldn't sleep at all. She tossed and turned, pounding the bed, and wanted to go find him right now.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, come quickly!
...
At the same time, Xie Shijin lifted the blanket and gathered the plush toys next to her pillow one by one.
Tuck it into the blankets and cover it up.
The room is too cold with the air conditioning on; you're more likely to catch a cold if you don't cover yourself with a blanket.
The dolls are lifeless, but he just felt they were cold.
...
With summer homework sorted out, I'll have more time for dating.
The curfew was 10:00, but Cheng Shiyun didn't go upstairs until 9:55.
At first, Xie Shijin only reservedly escorted her to the entrance of her teachers' apartment. Later, he gradually became bolder and escorted her downstairs, and then even more so, escorted her directly to her doorstep.
The faint sound of a TV drama could be heard coming from the living room; her parents must be sitting on the sofa waiting for her to come home.
"...I went in?"
Cheng Shiyun turned to look at him. Xie Shijin stood at the bottom of the steps, his back straight and upright.
Xie Shijin nodded.
The motion-activated lights in the hallway were on, casting a soft, warm yellow glow on the boy's face, making his cheeks appear rosy and vibrant.
Cheng Shiyun tiptoed to get the key from behind the door number.
"Cheng Shiyun," Xie Shijin called out.
"Um?"
Xie Shijin walked up the steps and opened his arms.
Cheng Shiyun smiled teasingly: "You can't bear to part with me, can you?"
"I can't bear to part with her." He tightened his arms, bent his body slightly, and easily pulled her into his embrace.
"I knew you wouldn't want to leave me." Cheng Shiyun wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed against it. "Just three more minutes of hugging, then I really have to go home."
Her mother kept a very close watch on her, even timing it, lest she be subjected to severe torture if she tried to escape even for a second. Even though they hadn't done anything!
Every day, they would hold hands and stroll down the street, sit in this milk tea shop and browse in that boutique. Their relationship was as pure as could be.
Xie Shijin knew she had a curfew, and sighed, saying, "How annoying."
Cheng Shiyun was surprised.
Does he also find it annoying?
She felt that Xie Shijin was just like his grandmother, having experienced a lot of right and wrong, and thought everything was good. His personality was also calm, and he could sit and feed the cat for an entire afternoon.
The first time Cheng Shiyun saw him show such clear likes and dislikes, she thought he was so cute. Her heart softened, and she asked like a caring older sister, "What's bothering you? Tell me."
Xie Shijin remained calm, but his tone was somewhat listless: "Why isn't a day 36 hours long?"
Oh, she's going home, that's why he's annoyed.
Cheng Shiyun buried her face in his shoulder and took a deep breath: "Even if it's 36 hours, you'll ask why it's not 48 hours."
Let's keep it 24 hours. I can see him when I wake up after a good night's sleep.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together, as if trying to melt each other into their very bones. Cheng Shiyun could feel his rapidly beating heart and the vibrations in his chest as he spoke.
He said, "Cheng Shiyun, I like you."
Xie Shijin kissed the top of her head.
"I know," Cheng Shiyun looked up at him. "Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
The voice-activated light dimmed, and boundless darkness descended, yet she could still see his burning eyes.
It was so quiet that you could hear each other breathing.
She exhaled, and he inhaled again, his lungs filled with her sweet fragrance.
It felt like there was a fire burning in his throat, and it hurt to breathe.
He didn't want to wait any longer.
Xie Shijin cupped her face and, very restrainedly, touched her lips only lightly.
"Shall we... start dating early?"
...
Strictly speaking, it doesn't count as puppy love.
After all, she had already lived for two years.
It's the soul of an eighteen-year-old!
You're an adult!
...
Despite her heart pounding wildly out of control, Cheng Shiyun maintained a calm demeanor.
"oh……"
Why are you only saying this now? Xie Shijin is so annoyed.
He still held her face in his palm, his thumb stroking her cheek and pressing against her forehead, as if he wanted to kiss her.
Her breathing became erratic as he held her breath. Cheng Shiyun closed her eyes and opened them again, but Xie Shijin was still watching her.
What's so interesting about something that's pitch black?
Cheng Shiyun was really annoyed with him: "...That's it?"
Xie Shijin asked in a low voice, "Won't this work?"
"no."
She stood on tiptoe, hooked her arms around his neck, and pulled him down, murmuring dizzily, "I miss you... kiss me deeper."
...
10 o'clock.
Cheng Shiyun's phone vibrated; Ran Hongyin was calling her.
The vibration lasted less than two seconds before Xie Shijin pulled out his phone and hung up.
They kissed behind the door.
They exchange breaths, squeezing air from each other's lungs.
He awkwardly and recklessly forced his way into her mouth, his high nose rubbing against her cheek until it hurt a little.
Cheng Shiyun felt uncomfortable from his kisses. She gripped the keys with one hand and clutched his clothes with the other, feeling as if her body wasn't her own anymore, yet she dared not make a sound.
Ten past ten.
Cheng Jinghua was worried about her, so he changed his shoes and opened the door.
Outside the door, two boys, one tall and one short, stood side by side, behaving themselves properly, without even holding hands.
Cheng Jinghua asked in surprise, "You're back?"
Cheng Shiyun nodded: "Mmm..."
Xie Shijin said indifferently, "Teacher Cheng, I'm going home."
Cheng Jinghua nodded: "Okay, you should go back early. Your grandmother must be worried too."
The boy turned and went downstairs.
Cheng Jinghua instructed, "Be careful, Xiao Xie."
As Cheng Shiyun closed the door and bent down to change her shoes, Cheng Jinghua looked her over and asked, "Did you have a fight? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to see me again?"
My tongue is tied; I can't speak.
Before Ran Hongyin could even begin to question her, Cheng Shiyun stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door shut, as if someone had angered her.
Ran Hongyin asked, "What happened?"
Cheng Jinghua recalled the distance between the two children outside the door, her expression stiffening: "They had a fight."
They didn't argue, they just kissed.
Cheng Shiyun collapsed onto the bed, touched her lips, and found they were still wet.
So soft.
Xie Shijin's lips are so soft, her tongue is so soft, why didn't he kiss her sooner?
She waited for a long time.
Cheng Shiyun comforted herself that good things come to those who wait, and he really was a painstaking person.
He kissed her even more fiercely than last time, as if in a hurry. If she hadn't pushed him away, Xie Shijin would have wanted to kiss her again. They almost got caught by her father.
Taking two deep breaths to calm herself, Cheng Shiyun realized she had forgotten to turn on the air conditioner. She had sweated a lot and felt incredibly sticky.
She kicked the air twice, then got up to close the window.
Outside the window, the boy under the camphor tree looked up and saw the shadow of a girl that suddenly appeared by the window.
Looking into those eyes from a great distance, Cheng Shiyun was stunned. She looked down at the time; she had been excited for twenty minutes.
Xie Shijin hasn't left yet.
He had been waiting for her to close the window, to see her one last time tonight.
An intense feeling of fullness overwhelmed her. With her heart pounding at breakneck speed, Cheng Shiyun leaned against the window and waved to him: "See you tomorrow!"
...
School starts on September 1st.
The news of the dismissal of the principal of Yichuan No. 7 Middle School spread like wildfire, and many students in the class were gossiping about what had happened.
A few days later, the police came one after another to take statements from the teachers of No. 7 Middle School, and the students were shocked to learn that a major case seemed to have occurred at the school.
Because she is the child of a teacher, Cheng Shiyun is asked every day if she has any inside information.
Cheng Shiyun would always feign surprise: "Such a thing really happened?"
"That's outrageous!"
—The fact that Guo Renyi's case was not tried in public is a protection for her, as well as for other victims.
Feng Yue didn't come to school, and her family didn't come to process her withdrawal. The seat next to Cheng Shiyun is empty; they won't be able to change seats until the next monthly exam.
September 15th, which is the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, is Xie Shijin's seventeenth birthday.
The night before, Cheng Shiyun wished him a happy birthday right on time, and the next day was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a three-day holiday.
Grandma invited Cheng Shiyun and her husband to her home.
This was the first time so many people had come to visit, and there weren't enough bowls and plates. Xie Shijin went downstairs and bought a new set. Cheng Shiyun saw her cat-shaped bowl and exchanged a smile with him.
The whole family sat neatly together around the table.
Mom, Dad, Xie Shijin, and Grandma are all doing well. Cheng Shiyun felt surrounded by a huge wave of happiness.
After finishing their meal, the couple helped the grandmother and grandson clear the table and then prepared to go home.
Cheng Shiyun hesitated, reluctant to leave: "Dad, I want to come back later."
Cheng Jinghua is easy to talk to; it's somewhat effective to act cute with him.
"It's already eight o'clock, where else do we want to go?" Ran Hongyin's expression was not good.
Cheng Shiyun forced herself to say, "I'll just wander around nearby, I won't go too far..."
She thought she could go on dates once school started, but little did she know that Old Zhao's eyes were like laser eyes. In just half a month since school started, he had already caught two couples who were showing signs of a relationship in the class. Who would dare to date under his nose?
Evening self-study ends at 10:30 PM. After going home, I wash up and go to bed around 11:30 PM. Then I have to get up at 6:30 AM for morning self-study. I don't even have time to sleep, let alone time for a date.
We finally get a few days off for the Mid-Autumn Festival, what are we going to do if we don't go on dates?
Cheng Shiyun coughed, her eyelids almost twitching from blinking.
Xie Shijin received the hint and said, "Teacher Ran, I'll take her back."
Ran Hongyin, having been through similar experiences herself, knew her own daughter liked the man so much, so what could she say? She compromised and said, "Alright, but don't stay out too late. Be back before nine."
Nine o'clock!
It used to be 10 o'clock, why is it an hour earlier now?
Cheng Shiyun only dared to mutter to herself, not daring to bargain with Ran Hongyin: "I promise to come back."
They said they were going out for a stroll, but they didn't actually go anywhere. They stayed in Xie Shijin's bedroom and left the door wide open to let all the air conditioning out, so as to avoid any misunderstanding from his grandmother.
Cheng Shiyun sat on the edge of the bed and swung her legs: "How about we go to the zoo tomorrow?"
Go visit her "second uncle".
She went there with Ni Jiaqi on her birthday, but it rained heavily and many animals didn't come out, so they wasted their forty yuan entrance fee.
Xie Shijin sat in the chair next to the desk, touching her shoes, and smiled at her: "Okay."
Cheng Shiyun kicked him and laughed, "Let's go out early and go to the rooftop of Bowen Building to get the gardenia. You can take care of it for me."
In another two weeks, the secret that the rooftop door of Bowen Building was practically useless will be exposed, and her flowers will be cleaned up and thrown into the trash can by the cleaning staff.
Xie Shijin nodded: "Okay."
"Fine, fine, is that all you can say?"
Cheng Shiyun tried to grab his neck with both hands, but her wrists were grabbed and she was pulled into his arms.
Cheng Shiyun's eyes widened, but she immediately covered her mouth before she could even scream.
He's so brave; his grandma was still watching TV outside.
Xie Shijin didn't do anything special, he just hugged her and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
The hot breath brushed against the skin on the side of my neck, making it a little itchy.
A minute or two passed, and he still didn't say anything. Cheng Shiyun thought he was tired today, so she raised her hand to wrap around his neck and patted his head affectionately like an elder.
The boy's hair was black and soft; he had gotten a haircut a couple of days ago, and the back of his head was slightly prickly, a bit like chestnuts.
She turned into a cat and shaved her fur, and Xie Shijin felt the same way when he touched her?
The girl's fingertips were soft, and her touch on him felt like an electric shock. Xie Shijin helplessly pulled her hand away, saying, "Don't touch me."
From not being allowed to touch the scars on his body, it escalated to not being allowed to touch his head at all.
Cheng Shiyun was about to get angry when she noticed his brows were slightly furrowed and his expression was gloomy, indicating that he was indeed a little unhappy, so she softened and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Miss you."
His muffled voice came from the hollow of his neck.
Two words, brief yet deeply moving, struck her heart.
She knew Xie Shijin missed her, thinking of her over and over again during the more than seven hundred long days and nights since her death, but he wouldn't tell her.
Confessing his feelings to her was the best way he could express his affection.
So when he said those two words, Cheng Shiyun was stunned for a moment, her heart fluttering just as much as when she heard his confession: "...You see me every day, and you still miss me?"
"think."
We haven't held hands for half a month.
After evening self-study, the three of them would go home together as a family, and he never had the chance to take her home.
and.
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Teacher Cheng and Teacher Ran seemed very worried about Cheng Shiyun being with him.
And then there's Ni Jiaqi, who comes upstairs to see Cheng Shiyun every day, gets scolded and driven away, but comes back the next day. He's shameless.
The air conditioner blew out cool air slowly from the vents, but the temperature was quietly rising in the small space where the two were pressed together.
Xie Shijin stared at her intently, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
His hand slowly slid up her back, his large palm cupping the back of her neck. With a little force, he could make her obediently lower her head and kiss him.
His eyes looked like he was about to devour her right then and there.
Cheng Shiyun felt a chill run down her spine. She looked away from his lips and suddenly said, "Grandma is calling you. Go out quickly."
"Xiao Jin?"
Cheng Shiyun pushed him: "Go quickly."
Grandma washed the fruit and told them to take it inside and eat it.
Xie Shijin brought in a fruit platter, and Cheng Shiyun sat at his desk, looking very interested.
He walked over: "What are you looking at?"
“My photo.” Cheng Shiyun skillfully unwrapped the photo frame and found a neatly folded piece of writing paper from a pile of honor roll photos. “And my self-criticism.”
Xie Shijin's cheeks flushed slightly: "Why are you suddenly looking for this?"
“Very useful,” she asked. “Do you have a pen?”
"Yes." Xie Shijin opened the drawer, found one, and handed it to her.
She spread out the self-criticism and flattened it.
Dear Teacher Zhao:
...
Yuan Shao used an excuse to skip morning exercises and conspired with others to slander his classmates...
Classmate.
Cross it out.
Cheng Shiyun corrected him from the side.
—My boyfriend.
...
Reviewing the love letter that changed its meaning.
...
In early October, the first-instance verdict was handed down.
The defendant, Guo Renyi, had begun to commit the murder, but failed to do so due to reasons beyond his control; therefore, the crime was an attempted murder.
According to Article 23 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, a lighter or reduced punishment may be imposed compared to a completed crime. However, the defendant Guo Renyi suffocated a 16-year-old minor victim, put her in the trunk of his car, and intended to dispose of the body. His methods were heinous, his subjective malice was profound, and the social harm was significant. Therefore, the principle of leniency does not apply to him.
The defendant, Guo Renyi, took advantage of his position as a teacher to repeatedly commit rape and forced molestation against multiple underage female students. His actions constitute the crimes of rape and forced molestation, respectively.
In summary, the court ultimately ruled: [Defendant Guo Renyi is guilty of attempted intentional homicide and sentenced to life imprisonment, with deprivation of political rights for life. Defendant Guo Renyi is also guilty of rape and sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment, with deprivation of political rights for five years. Furthermore, he is guilty of forced indecency and sentenced to eight years imprisonment. The sentences are to be served concurrently, resulting in a total sentence of life imprisonment, with deprivation of political rights for life.]*
[The defendant Feng Yue and the defendant Guo Renyi committed a joint crime. Feng Yue played an auxiliary role in the crime and is therefore an accomplice. Furthermore, at the time of the crime, Feng Yue was over sixteen but under eighteen years old, making her a minor. Considering all the circumstances of the crime, her remorse, and the principle of special protection for minors, the defendant Feng Yue is sentenced to two years imprisonment with a three-year suspended sentence.]
...
Starting in the second year of high school, the time for the end of evening self-study was adjusted to 10:30 pm.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, young couples can only go out on dates during the monthly holidays and National Day holidays.
After the monthly exam, to prevent early romantic relationships, Teacher Zhao arranged for the boys in the class to sit together and the girls to sit together. Cheng Shiyun and Xie Shijin still did not become deskmates.
To outsiders, they were just nodding acquaintances, but they would even take time out of their showers at night to reply to each other's messages.
Yichuan has officially entered autumn, with continuous rain for several days.
After the National Day holiday, it got dark earlier and earlier, so Ms. Ran officially changed the curfew to 9 pm.
Cheng Shiyun's appeal was unsuccessful.
Today is the last day of the National Day holiday. Tomorrow she will have to pretend to be a stranger to Xie Shijin in class again. It's kind of exciting to think about.
After returning home, Cheng Shiyun lingered for another ten minutes or so before finally taking a long, leisurely shower at 9:30.
Her phone on the shelf vibrated. She quickly opened QQ, only to be greeted with a system message: "[Your account has been frozen due to prolonged inactivity. Please take a photo of yourself holding your ID card for verification.]"
Cheng Shiyun: "?"
She was just replying to Xie Shijin's message.
She quickly dried herself off, and came out of the bathroom without even drying her hair: "Mom, where is my ID card?"
"ID card?" Ran Hongyin said, "It's in your bedside table in your bedroom. What's wrong with it?"
Cheng Shiyun: "It's okay, I'll just use it."
"Dry your hair before you go to sleep, otherwise you'll have a headache."
"Wait a minute~"
The living room lights were turned off, and the couple went back to their bedroom.
Cheng Shiyun took out her ID card from the drawer of her bedside table, took a selfie, and uploaded it to verify her identity.
System message: [Authentication successful. Please re-enter your password.]
She entered her password again, and after successfully logging in, the small circle at the top of her phone displayed a network connection problem and kept spinning.
Cheng Shiyun put her phone aside and started drying her hair.
"Buzz—"
"Buzz—"
"Buzz—"
The phone on the bed vibrated incessantly; the network connection was successful, and messages flooded in.
When Cheng Shiyun checked, all the group chats had 99+ messages.
She scrolled up again and saw that Xie Shijin's message box also had 99+ messages.
No way...
How come I sent her so many messages and have so much to say to her in just a few minutes?
Cheng Shiyun put down the towel she was using to dry her hair and prepared to open the reply.
But when she moved her finger to the chat box, she suddenly stopped.
The date displayed on the right side of the dialog box shows that Xie Shijin's latest news came from:
——2018/7/21.
This is……
Her Q/Q two years later.
Cheng Shiyun opened the dialog box and scrolled up to the top.
2016/6/6 22:00.
Xie Shijin: [Xie Shijin.]
12813: [We have successfully added each other as friends, and we can start chatting now!]
After adding Xie Shijin on QQ, she never chatted with him.
The next message was on her birthday.
2016/7/12 21:30.
Xie Shijin: [Happy Birthday.]
2016/7/12 21:31.
Xie Shijin: [Do you like the keychain?]
Xie Shijin: [Are you free tomorrow?]
Xie Shijin: [Can I take ten minutes of your time?]
2016/7/12 21:33.
Xie Shijin: [Five minutes is fine too.]
Xie Shijin: [I have something to give you.]
Xie Shijin: [If you have time, I'll wait for you at the school gate tomorrow at noon.]
...
At 22:21, she died despite all efforts to save her.
2016/7/12 22:30
Xie Shijin: [I'm sorry.]
Xie Shijin: [I'm sorry.]
Xie Shijin: [I'm sorry.]
2016/8/25 0:00
Xie Shijin: [It's the Ghost Festival, are you going home today?]
2016/8/25 21:30
Xie Shijin: [I burned some paper money for you, did you receive it?]
2016/10/7 9:23
Xie Shijin: [Teacher Ran is sick, very seriously.]
Xie Shijin: [The gardenia's roots are rotting.]
Xie Shijin: [They all refused, so I took him home.]
2017/1/28 0:00
Xie Shijin: [Happy New Year.]
Xie Shijin: [I went to the people at the courier station, and they all said they didn't see what color the vehicle was.]
Xie Shijin: [I didn't see it clearly either, I'm sorry.]
2017/2/8 7:45
Xie Shijin: [Officer Yang has arrived and said the police have classified your death as an accidental traffic accident.]
Xie Shijin: [What happened during those 32 minutes? Can you appear in my dream?]
2017/3/9 2:56
Xie Shijin: [I dreamt about you.]
Xie Shijin: [It hurts so much.]
Xie Shijin: [Cheng Shiyun, I'm in so much pain.]
Xie Shijin: [If I run faster, can I save you?]
2017/4/7 21:30
Xie Shijin: [It's raining.]
Xie Shijin: [The streetlights on this road are broken again.]
Xie Shijin: [I've come to take you home.]
2017/5/18 21:30
Xie Shijin: [It's raining.]
2017/7/2 0:00
Xie Shijin: [Happy 17th birthday.]
2018/4/9 21:30
Xie Shijin: [It's raining.]
2018/5/3
Xie Shijin: [My grandmother has passed away. Have you seen her over there?]
Xie Shijin: [My grandmother has seen your photos; she likes you very much.]
2018/6/7
Xie Shijin: [The college entrance examination is over.]
2018/7/12
Xie Shijin: [The scholarship has arrived.]
Xie Shijin: [Your grandmother's grave is down there. You can go and chat with her if you have time.]
2018/7/15 21:30
Xie Shijin: [It's raining.]
2018/7/21 0:00.
Xie Shijin: [Happy 18th birthday.]
Xie Shijin: [Is your birthday celebrated at midnight?]
2018/7/21 6:34.
12715: [I brought you gardenias.]
2018/7/21 20:27.
12715: [I went to your house.]
12715: [I didn't dare knock on the door. I left the money on the milk box. You told them in a dream that they don't need to pay it back.]
2018/7/21 21:37.
12715: [Happy Birthday, Cheng Shiyun.]
12715: [I like you.]
12715: [I've liked you for a long time, since the first year of junior high school.]
12715: [You may not remember, but thank you for showing up that day.]
12715: [I've come to find you.]
Tears fell onto the screen, magnifying the last line of text.
Only on the day he decided to die did he dare to express his love to her.
On the day he decided to die, he even changed his nickname.
Xie Shijin wasn't plagiarizing her; he just wanted to use a matching couple's username with her.
Cheng Shiyun regretted not insisting on asking him the meaning behind changing his nickname.
2018/10/8 21:35.
Cheng Shiyun wiped away her tears, her fingertips trembling as she replied, "[I have time.]"
[Can we skip noon and do it now?]
I'm coming to find you.
She grabbed her phone, opened the bedroom door, and ran out.
She ran downstairs and out of the teachers' apartment.
The road was still so dark; the streetlights were all off, and you couldn't see the road beneath your feet.
The drainpipes on the street were probably clogged again, and the water couldn't drain out, forming a thick layer on the road. The murky water flowed slowly down the slope.
She ignored everything and rushed forward against the current.
The road was too dark, so she turned on her phone's flashlight. The faint beam of light swayed in the darkness, barely illuminating a small section of the road ahead.
She wasn't using an umbrella; the rain lashed her face, as cold as the night she died.
Run faster, run even faster...
This time.
She wasn't fleeing death, but rushing towards her lover.
A pebble got into her shoe, and her foot might be blistered.
A sharp pain spread from the soles of her feet; she had never felt that the road was so long and so far.
She was getting tired and couldn't run anymore.
Just a second before she was completely exhausted.
A blue umbrella appeared at the intersection.
...
In the deep darkness of the night, the boy she liked, holding a blue umbrella, ran towards her.
...
Xie Shijin lifted the edge of the umbrella, a near miss unlike the countless times in his dreams.
This time, he caught her steadily.
"...Why aren't you using an umbrella?"
The umbrella tilted, and rainwater instantly soaked his shoulders and back.
"What is it?" Cheng Shiyun asked impatiently, grabbing his arm. "What are you going to give me?"
Xie Shijin said, "Stars."
She looked down at his hand.
He carried a brown paper bag containing the two jars of paper stars he had seen in the cabinet under the desk on the day she returned home as a little snake.
How many are there?
She stared at the glass jar, her voice hoarse, and before he could answer, she spoke up: "1282, isn't it?"
The glass jar was packed too full, far exceeding 520 pieces.
"yes."
Three and a half years, counting back from her birthday to the first day she met him in the alley.
1282 days.
Xie Shijin has liked her since the first year of junior high school.
No, he liked her from the moment she rescued him.
In his message to her, he said she didn't remember.
Cheng Shiyun, afraid he wouldn't know, had red eyes and, as if afraid he wouldn't hear her, stood on tiptoe and whispered into his broken ear, "I remember... Xie Shijin, I remember everything."
When she was reborn as an animal and saw him suffering terribly because of her, she wondered if Xie Shijin would resent her for saving him from the mire only to drag him into the abyss.
"I understand, I understand." Xie Shijin hugged her tightly.
He was trembling.
She recalled the first day they reunited, the day he decided to leave this world.
A thin-backed boy stood by the window, gazing at the endless rainy night.
He said, "Cheng Shiyun, it's raining."
Were you very scared when you left?
The boy's tears mingled with the raindrops.
He said, "I'm so scared too..."
Xie Shijin was afraid of rainy days.
Cheng Shiyun tightened her arms and hugged him with all her might, as if she wanted to pull him out of the shadows of the past.
"...Xie Shijin, don't be afraid anymore, okay?"
Xie Shijin pulled her into an even tighter embrace.
"I'm not afraid anymore."
once.
That endless downpour swept through his world.
The light was swallowed up, leaving only a damp and cold atmosphere.
And now, the rain is still falling.
Moss slowly grew on his damp heart.
...
He has already begun to look forward to it.
On the next rainy day, I hope to share an umbrella with her.
—End of text—
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Author's Note: That's all for now! Happy New Year in advance on the last day of 2025! [Laughing]
See you in the extra chapters! [Laughing out loud]
The side stories are tentatively scheduled to cover the daily lives of students in their second and third years of high school, the formal meeting with the parents, and the reversal of the animal's identity.
The content of the judgment marked with an asterisk (*) was found through online research.
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