The early August sun felt scorching hot on my skin.
As soon as Shen Linyue stepped out of the car, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Looking around at the distinctly vintage architectural scenes, my mind was still in a daze and I couldn't quite process what was happening.
She came back looking so fresh and radiant?
"Ah Yue, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly standing still? This weather is so hot. There's a shopping mall up ahead, let's go in and rest for a bit."
The girl muttered complaints, her voice and tone both familiar and strange to Shen Linyue.
She looked up in a daze and saw Jiang Yanxin's still innocent smiling face clearly.
My mind was filled with memories of what happened during that wondrous journey.
The things Jiang Yanxin would do in the future were still vivid in Shen Linyue's mind, and she didn't know how to face her now.
Moreover, she has very important things to do.
She had to write down everything she knew to prevent herself from forgetting everything.
But you can't just record things randomly, it would be terrible if someone saw them.
"I'm sorry, Ayan, I probably can't go shopping with you. I have something to do." Shen Linyue said quickly and turned to leave.
The next second, her arm was grabbed. Shen Linyue frowned and turned to meet Jiang Yanxin's eyes, which were wide with disbelief.
"What's wrong with you? Is there something you can't tell me, Yue?" Jiang Yanxin frowned, her eyes filled with worry. "You haven't been acting right since you got off the bus. Are you feeling unwell? Should I go with you to the hospital?"
Shen Linyue silently met Jiang Yanxin's gaze. At eighteen, she was not as calculating as her forty-year-old self. Her eyes were clear, and the worry in them seemed genuine.
She pursed her lips, about to shake her head in refusal, when she unexpectedly caught sight of a tall, slender figure at the entrance of the shopping mall across the street.
The boy, dressed in a simple white short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, stood out among a group of boys of all shapes and sizes, like a crane among chickens, making him easy to spot at first glance.
He tilted his head slightly as if listening to his friend beside him, his posture casual yet not undisciplined, and he would nod occasionally.
Shen Linyue's pupils contracted slightly as she stared at the tall figure of the young man, her heart pounding and her scalp tingling.
I didn't expect to meet you so soon.
Before she could speak, Jiang Yanxin's voice rang out.
"It's Xu Tao and his group! Tsk, our luck is a bit bad, we can't believe we ran into them," Jiang Yanxin said unhappily. "Shall we go and meet A-Yue? He Liyu, whom you hate, is here too. I didn't expect He Liyu to come to this summer camp. Hehe, this summer camp trip is even more fun than I thought."
The girl chuckled twice, seemingly plotting something.
Ignoring Shen Linyue's reaction, he grabbed her and left.
Shen Linyue's mind was not very clear yet. Having memories of two worlds, it took her a long time to recall who Xu Tao was.
When she came to her senses again, she met the boy's cool and indifferent gaze.
Shen Linyue: "..."
Her expression stiffened slightly, and she instinctively raised her hand to greet him, "Hi!"
The young man He Liyu's eyes flickered for a moment, but quickly returned to calm. He pursed his thin lips and nodded slightly, his attitude neither warm nor cold, but his eyes would occasionally glance at the girl's pretty face.
She actually took the initiative to greet him, and surprisingly, her first words weren't sarcastic!
What triggered Shen Linyue's emotions?
The boy felt extremely uncomfortable, both annoyed at his own cold reaction and wondering if she was planning something big to lower his guard.
While he was lost in thought, those around him finally realized what was happening.
"Wow, wow, when did you two become so close? Miss Shen was the first to greet you?" The chubby boy nudged his arm mischievously.
He Liyu frowned and glanced at him, while the chubby boy smiled and put away his gossipy thoughts, asking Jiang Yanxin.
"Is there something you need, Miss Jiang? Or are you two just here to see Boss He?"
Jiang Yanxin was also surprised that Shen Linyue would take the initiative to greet He Liyu. She looked at her in astonishment, but only saw her fair profile. The other party did not make eye contact with her at all, or even noticed her gaze.
For some reason, Jiang Yan felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of panic. It seemed as if something had changed between the two of them, or perhaps it was just her imagination.
Just moments ago she was so confident and assertive, but now she was like a deflated balloon, unable to utter the sarcastic words she wanted to say.
"Who asked you anything? We were just passing by!" Jiang Yanxin said angrily, glaring at Xu Tao who was speaking, then looking at Shen Linyue's profile as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Finally, with a cold face, she pushed through the crowd and walked into the mall.
Xu Tao, who was inexplicably criticized, was speechless.
Shen Linyue watched Jiang Yanxin's disappearing figure with little change in expression, and showed no intention of chasing after her to explain.
His gaze returned to Xu Tao's face, his tone gentle and calm.
"Brother Xu, if you run into Jiang Yanxin while you're shopping, could you please tell her I went to the library? Thank you."
Xu Tao: "?"
Wait, has Shen Linyue taken the wrong medicine? She's actually calling him Brother Xu so affectionately?! Well, that's not bad at all! Being called that by such a beautiful woman makes him feel incredibly proud. He can even feel the envious looks from his other brothers, especially He Liyu's, which are particularly fervent.
"Well, it's not impossible, but just this once," Xu Tao said.
With permission granted, the girl smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.
He Liyu stared at her smiling face, and perhaps sensing it, Shen Linyue waved to him before leaving.
He Liyu's originally heavy mood instantly transformed into one of spring warmth and blooming flowers. A faint smile subtly curved his thin lips, and his eyes softened.
An eighteen-year-old's thoughts cannot be hidden; they are all written on his face. He may not realize it himself, but others will see it clearly.
Having already experienced the joyous celebration of his 40th birthday and the baptism of the arrogant 18-year-old He Xiao, Shen Linyue could understand half of his meaning, if not 100%.
From the moment she greeted him, she could feel a faint yet intense gaze, which is why she waved to He Liyu before leaving.
The streets of Taipei today are vastly different from those of later generations, especially since information technology was not readily available. Without smartphones to look up maps, people had to find their way around entirely on their own.
Thinking about the days without smartphones, Shen Linyue looked up at the sky.
It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality
Only after the girl's slender figure disappeared at the street corner did He Liyu turn his gaze away and see the chubby boy beside him still immersed in the joy of being called "brother".
With his narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, the young man parted his thin lips and said in a low voice, "I'm leaving Jiang Yanxin's matter to you. I have a question that I need to find information about in the library. Let's meet at the hotel later."
Xu Tao, whose smile hadn't yet faded: ?!
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