strange feeling
The beginning of autumn isn't a sudden shift, but rather a gentle cough of time. The wind begins to change, carrying a note from autumn. In the morning, a light coolness hangs over the air, no longer as sticky and oppressive as midsummer. The sun remains bright, but its oppressive heat has faded, becoming warm and dry. Occasionally, a breeze brushes through the treetops, rustling leaves and whispering the news of the changing seasons.
The watermelon stall at the market had shrunk by half, its grapes and autumn pears piled high into small hills. Lozenges were placed next to the convenience store's checkout counter. On a park bench, someone sipped warm soy milk, lost in thought, watching elderly people doing morning exercises shuffle fallen leaves with their toes.
Cheng Xiaorui stood in the sunset. The color of the sunset became more and more intense, with a hint of indigo mixed in the golden red, and the clouds spread out like splashed ink.
The phone beeped, and a message from Zi Han appeared on the top of the page, "Happy Beginning of Autumn! I'll be right back."
Cheng Xiaorui didn't reply to him, but quietly waited for the other party to type. A new message came, "I'll get back to you."
"Okay, I'll wait for you." Cheng Xiaorui pressed the send button, and the other party immediately replied with a blushing cat emoticon.
In this way, the summer vacation quietly passed halfway. During this period, Chen Zihan would occasionally send messages, most of which were photos of his travels, including beautiful scenery, delicious food, close-ups of himself, and... In a few photos, Lu Ziyi's appearance could be seen somewhere.
A week later, Cheng Xiaorui didn't go to the store. Seeing his diligence, his boss gave him a partial salary. Outside the window, the chirping of cicadas rose and fell, and the old electric fan beside the desk creaked, causing the edges of the test paper to tremble slightly.
Cheng Xiaorui was buried in his exam paper, his gel pen scratching across it. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling him and making his hand tremble. His surprise was mixed with confusion. His mother wouldn't come home so early, let alone ring the doorbell. Could it be the landlord asking for rent, or...
Cheng Xiaorui put down the pen he was using to write on the test paper, and used the ink end to blacken the blank space in the brackets. He then returned to readjust the position.
The moment the door opened, both sides were stunned.
"Xiao Rui, I've missed you so much!" A familiar voice washed over him, accompanied by a wave of heat. Cheng Xiao Rui's pupils constricted, and his fingers on the doorknob unconsciously tightened. Chen Zi Han's hair still beaded with sweat, and his white T-shirt was stained with sweat, leaving traces of varying shades. He had indeed tanned a bit, but when he smiled, the small mole at the corner of his eye was still noticeable, like a dot of ink on rice paper.
"How... did you know my home is here?" Cheng Xiaorui heard his own dry voice.
He subconsciously took a half step back into the shadows, but Chen Zihan had already squeezed in. "Oh...it doesn't matter." He closed the door casually, and the stuffy air in the corridor was locked out.
"I'm about to be sunburned into charcoal." Before he finished speaking, his arms were already wrapped around her, and he added at the end: "I miss you."
Cheng Xiaorui froze in place. Chen Zihan's body temperature was visible through the
I could feel his warm breath against the back of my neck through my thin shirt. The lemon scent of laundry detergent mixed with the faint smell of sweat reminded me of the iced soda at the basketball court.
"We'll see each other when school starts." Cheng Xiaorui whispered, his fingers hanging by his side curled up slightly.
"No, I don't like it." Chen Zihan tightened his grip.
Cheng Xiaorui could feel the vibration of his chest when he spoke, like thunder on a summer afternoon.
As the two stumbled back, Cheng Xiaorui's waist hit
At the edge of the dining table, Chen Zihan suddenly reached out and grasped his waist, his warm palm resting against that sensitive skin. Cheng Xiaorui gasped, a soft gasp escaping his throat uncontrollably.
The sound of the fan suddenly became deafening.
“…………”
"Xiao Rui, you——"
"S-sorry, I'll go get you a glass of water." Cheng Xiaorui jumped away and grabbed the glass on the table in panic.
When he turned around, his elbow hit the test paper and the paper fell to the ground, but he didn't bother to pick it up and ran into the kitchen.
A frivolous low laugh came from behind, but Cheng Xiaorui was completely unaware. Chen Zihan leaned lazily against the wall with his arms folded, a playful glint in his eyes: "I should be the one to apologize."
In the kitchen, Cheng Xiaorui frantically turned on the faucet. The cold water splashed on the back of his hand, but it couldn't quench the burning heat on his cheek. The glass slipped in his palm, and he clenched it so hastily that his knuckles turned white.
"What am I doing..." He stared at the water washing over the cup's walls, water droplets dripping down the rim, just like his chaotic thoughts at the moment. The place on his waist where he was touched was still burning, and that unfamiliar shiver crawled up his spine, making him almost unsteady.
The sound of shuffling papers came from the living room. Chen Zihan was picking up his test paper.
Cheng Xiaorui took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. It was just normal contact between friends, and he was overreacting. It must have been the hot weather, or he must have been too tired from studying lately. He kept trying to find excuses for himself, but he couldn't explain why a simple touch would make him like this.
"Xiao Rui, fill your cup." Chen Zihan's voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Cheng Xiaorui turned around abruptly, spilling water all over the floor. Chen Zihan had unknowingly stood at the kitchen door, holding his test paper in his hand, a faint smile on his lips.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I'll wipe it right away..." Cheng Xiaorui put down the cup in a hurry and bent down to look for a rag.
"Stop it." Chen Zihan reached out to stop him, his fingertips gently brushing his wrist, "I'm not thirsty."
The instantaneous touch was like an electric current. Cheng Xiaorui instinctively retracted his hand, his back colliding with the cupboard. He didn't dare look up, and could only stare at the puddle on the ground, watching it slowly spread, just like his uncontrollable heartbeat.
"Why did you come back suddenly?" He tried to make his voice sound normal.
Chen Zihan didn't answer immediately. He leaned against the door frame, his gaze lingering on Cheng Xiaorui's red ears for a moment before he said slowly, "It was too boring, so I came back early."
"Oh..." Cheng Xiaorui didn't know what to say, and the air froze again.
"Actually," Chen Zihan suddenly took a step forward, shortening the distance between them, "I wanted to see you."
Cheng Xiaorui looked up and met Chen Zihan's smiling eyes. Those eyes looked particularly deep in the dim light of the kitchen, and the small mole at the corner of his eye slightly raised with his smile.
"I understand..." Cheng Xiaorui's voice was almost inaudible, and he felt his heart beating abnormally fast.
Chen Zihan didn't answer, but simply reached out and gently brushed the strands of hair off Cheng Xiaorui's forehead, a movement so natural, as if he'd done it countless times. "Your hair has grown longer," he said softly.
This simple action made Cheng Xiaorui stiffen. Chen Zihan's fingers accidentally brushed his temples, sending a subtle shudder through him. He should have dodged, but his body felt like it was under a spell, unable to move.
"I..." Cheng Xiaorui opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He felt dizzy, not sure if it was from the heat in the kitchen or Chen Zihan's proximity.
Chen Zihan seemed to sense his discomfort and took a half step back to give him some breathing space. "Have you finished the test?" He changed the subject, shaking the paper in his hand.
"One more point." Cheng Xiaorui took the test paper in a hurry as if he had been pardoned. His fingertips accidentally touched Chen Zihan's hand, and his heart began to beat fast again.
"Then you go and write. I'll sit here with you." Chen Zihan pointed to the chair next to the dining table and sat down.
Cheng Xiaorui nodded and returned to his desk, only to find his hands shaking so much he could barely hold a pen. The handwriting on the test paper became blurry, and all he could think about was the feeling of Chen Zihan touching him.
"Xiao Rui? You're a little nervous." Chen Zihan suddenly leaned in close and whispered in his ear, his warm breath spraying on his earlobe, "You made a mistake here."
Cheng Xiaorui shuddered, his pen leaving a long streak on the paper. When had Chen Zihan looked so closely? And when had he gotten so close?
"Oh, I know..." He answered stutteringly, trying to concentrate on the question, but the smell of Chen Zihan kept entering his nostrils, disturbing his thoughts.
Chen Zihan seemed very satisfied with his reaction and chuckled, but did not come closer. Instead, he retreated to his seat, took out his mobile phone and started playing quietly.
Cheng Xiaorui stole a glance at him. Sunlight streamed through the window onto Chen Zihan's profile, outlining his straight nose and sharply defined jawline. Sweat formed tiny beads on his collarbone, slowly sliding down his collar as he breathed.
"Xiao Rui." Chen Zihan suddenly spoke, his eyes still fixed on his phone, "Do you hate me touching you?"
"Ah?" Cheng Xiaorui was stunned. "No, no."
"Then why do you always hide?" Chen Zihan raised his head, his eyes surprisingly serious. "Ever since we walked in, you've been so nervous every time I touched you. It's just a little touch between friends."
"I... I'm just not used to it..." He squeezed out a few words with difficulty, feeling the temperature on his face rising again.
Chen Zihan stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. "Okay, I'll pay attention next time," he said lightly, but Cheng Xiaorui's heart sank.
Silence fell again, filled only by the creaking of the fan and the chirping of cicadas outside the window. Cheng Xiaorui forced himself to focus on the test paper, but he couldn't read a single word.
"Actually," Chen Zihan suddenly broke the silence, "I lied to you."
"What?" Cheng Xiaorui looked up.
"I came back suddenly because I wanted to scare you." Chen Zihan put down the phone and looked directly into his eyes. "Also, I really missed you, very much."
Cheng Xiaorui felt dizzy and the pen in his hand fell to the table with a click.
"Every day I wonder what you're doing, whether you're studying hard again, and whether you're eating well." Chen Zihan's voice was so soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing anything. "So I couldn't stay any longer for the last three days, so I came back early."
“…”
"Did you get scared?" Chen Zihan's smile became a little forced when he saw that he didn't react. "I'm sorry, Xiaorui."
"No, it's okay." Cheng Xiaorui suddenly spoke.
Chen Zihan's eyes lit up. He stood up but did not move closer, as if giving Cheng Xiaorui room to choose.
"Can I come over?" he asked softly.
Cheng Xiaorui bit his lower lip and nodded imperceptibly. Chen Zihan walked over to him and carefully took his hand, "Let's go to my house..."
The sound of the door opening interrupted this delicate moment.
Cheng Xiaorui suddenly woke up and pulled his hand back. "Maybe Mom is back!" He stood up in a panic and almost tripped over a chair.
Chen Zihan held his shoulders and smiled helplessly.
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