School starts
During the last few days of winter break, they were almost inseparable. They spent their days exploring unexplored corners of the island, and their evenings cuddling on the sofa reading or watching movies.
Liang An's body has fully recovered. Although the black bracelet on his left wrist is still firmly on his hand, it no longer seems to have any effect on him.
On the return flight, Liang An leaned on Ling Xiao's shoulder for a short nap. Ling Xiao gently flipped through his phone's photo album, filled with memories of the winter break: Liang An clumsily chopping vegetables in the kitchen, their side-by-side footprints on the beach, their silhouettes against the sunset, the candlelight of their New Year's dinner...
Each photo documents their journey from acquaintance to love. Ling Xiao knows that they will face different challenges after returning to school, but looking at Liang An'an's sleeping profile, which already has a healthy glow, Ling Xiao is filled with courage.
They would study together in the spring, plan their next trip in the summer, share their dreams of university life in the fall, and return to the beach that witnessed the beginning of their love in the winter.
The plane flew through the clouds, and sunlight streamed through the porthole onto the two people.
This winter in the South Island not only healed Liang An's body, but also witnessed the burning passion of two pure-hearted teenagers.
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Liang An and Ling Xiao dragged their suitcases out of the airport, their breath quickly dissipating under the dim streetlights.
"Haicheng is still too cold; your hands are all red from the cold." Ling Xiao took out gloves from his backpack, took the suitcase from Liang An's hands and placed it aside, carefully putting the gloves on Liang An's hands.
Ling Xiao's phone rang; it was the ride-hailing driver. He had already arrived at the designated parking spot.
Ling Xiao pushed the luggage, avoiding the traffic, and carefully protected Liang An as they walked forward. "The car is parked up ahead. I'll take you home first."
Liang An nodded.
Haicheng under the night sky resembled a traditional Chinese ink painting, neon lights casting streaks of light across the car windows. The two sat side-by-side in the back seat of the ride-hailing car, their shoulders lightly touching, sharing the thin warmth of the interior. Liang An turned her head to look at the rapidly receding street scene outside the window, but her fingers quietly slid to the edge of the seat, hooking together with Ling Xiao's little finger. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible gesture, yet it brought a slight smile to the corners of Ling Xiao's lips.
After the car came to a stop, Ling Xiao got out first, followed closely by Liang An. Together they carried the luggage out of the trunk, and after the ride-hailing car drove away, they walked together towards Liang An's home.
The moment I pushed open the door, a clean and dry scent wafted out. It was the unique smell of an empty room, mixed with the dust that seeped in through the curtains.
Liang An stepped into the entryway, turned on the light, and dust motes swirled slowly in the light. He put down his luggage and led Ling Xiao into the living room. A thin layer of dust covered the sofa, and the pothos on the balcony was mostly wilted, its leaves curled at the edges, hanging down along with the curtains.
This was Ling Xiao's first visit to Liang An's home, a cozy and spacious two-bedroom apartment. Every corner exuded a love for life.
"After a winter break, it's accumulated quite a bit of dust. I'll do a quick clean first," Liang An said, rolling up his sleeves and opening the curtains. Then he grabbed a bucket, wet a rag, and began cleaning.
"I'll help. Let's go out for dinner together after we finish cleaning."
Soon, the house was transformed; the floor shone so brightly it reflected shadows, and the new leaves of the pothos plants unfurled gently. The house was still the same house, but it seemed to suddenly breathe, to have the warm, lively feeling of people.
After cleaning, Liang An took Ling Xiao out to a familiar noodle shop and ordered two bowls of hot soup noodles.
Liang An swallowed the noodles in his mouth, looked at Ling Xiao and asked, "Um, do you live with Uncle Ling?"
"No, I moved out and lived on my own after entering high school."
"Do you need me to come to your house to help clean?"
“No need, my dad has hired a housekeeper to clean regularly.” Ling Xiao looked at Liang An and smiled mischievously. “I’ll formally invite you to visit our home another day. This is the wedding house my dad bought for me in advance.”
Liang An's ears turned red instantly. She glared at Ling Xiao and then lowered her head to eat her noodles in large bites.
As they left the noodle shop, Liang An looked down at the worn paving stones on the sidewalk and suddenly said, "Would you come with me to the cemetery tomorrow?"
Ling Xiao paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure: "Okay, it's time to tell Uncle and Aunt that we're back."
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In the early spring cemetery, the greenery had yet to sprout, and a biting wind blew, making the bare branches rustle. Liang An stood before two side by side tombstones, bending down to gently place the white chrysanthemums in his hands. Ling Xiao stood half a step behind him, waiting quietly.
"Mom and Dad, I'm back." Liang An's voice was very soft, almost carried away by the wind. "This winter vacation... I had a good time."
He paused for a long time, so long that Ling Xiao thought he had finished speaking. Then Liang An spoke again: "People who are just as important as you have appeared in my life."
Ling Xiao's heart skipped a beat.
Liang An didn't turn around and continued, "He's right here, and I really want you to know."
The wind seemed to subside a little at that moment. Ling Xiao stepped forward and stood beside Liang An, bowing solemnly to the tombstone: "Uncle and Aunt, I am Ling Xiao. I will take good care of Liang An, please rest assured."
Liang An looked at Ling Xiao, a smile gradually spreading from the corners of his eyes and brows, like a new moon, his eyes filled with trust.
As they left the cemetery, Liang An's eyes were slightly red, but his face held a look of relief. Ling Xiao took his hand, this time not just a simple interlocking of their little fingers, but a warm, complete embrace of all ten fingers.
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On the first day of school, the campus of Haicheng No. 1 Middle School seemed to be revitalized. After a winter break, students gathered in twos and threes, sharing their holiday experiences, and laughter echoed in the corridors. The early spring sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting bright spots of light on the clean floor.
When Liang An and Ling Xiao walked into the classroom of Class 1, Grade 11, Liang An's deskmate, Sheng Qing, was biting her pen and staring blankly. When she saw the two of them come in side by side, her eyes lit up instantly, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, revealing a secret joy of having found a sweet treat.
"Liang An! Ling Xiao! How was your winter break?" Sheng Qing waved enthusiastically, and after Liang An sat down next to her, she immediately leaned over and whispered, "You went to school together? You just went into the classroom together~"
Liang pretended not to understand the teasing in her tone: "We bumped into each other at the school gate, so we came together."
"Really?" Sheng Qing smiled meaningfully, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Liang An and Ling Xiao, who had already walked to her seat. "My winter vacation was amazing! I went to Harbin and almost froze to death, but the ice sculptures were absolutely gorgeous! I even brought you some Russian chocolate..."
The school bell rang just in time, interrupting Sheng Qing's endless chatter about her winter break experiences. The math teacher walked to the podium and began explaining the course schedule for the new semester. Liang An opened his brand-new textbook, only to feel a gaze upon him. He didn't need to look up to know that it was Ling Xiao.
The two agreed to keep their distance at school, but their eyes would always find themselves searching for each other. When Liang An frowned over a difficult problem, he would subconsciously look at Ling Xiao's seat, and the other seemed to understand, turning his head almost simultaneously to give him an encouraging smile. When Ling Xiao was called on by the teacher to answer a question, Liang An's fingers would curl up involuntarily, as if he were even more nervous than Ling Xiao himself.
These little actions did not escape Sheng Qing's eyes. During the break between classes, while sharing the chocolates she brought back from Harbin, she scanned back and forth between the two with the eyes of a fangirl who had "found a real couple".
"Liang An, why are your ears red?" she suddenly asked.
Liang An was taken aback and subconsciously touched his ear: "Really? Maybe the classroom is a bit hot."
"Is it hot? I think it's fine." Sheng Qing blinked and handed him a piece of chocolate. "Here, this flavor is especially delicious. Why don't you take one over for Ling Xiao too?"
Liang An took the chocolate, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked towards Ling Xiao's seat. He could feel Sheng Qing's gaze following him like a searchlight. Ling Xiao was discussing something with the boy in front of him, and when he saw Liang An approaching, he naturally ended the conversation.
"These are chocolates from Sheng Qing." Liang An handed them over.
"Thank you." Ling Xiao took it, his fingertips lightly brushing against Liang An's palm. The contact was fleeting, but it sent a jolt of electricity through Liang An's body.
"After school at noon..." Ling Xiao lowered his voice, "...the library?"
Liang An nodded: "Okay."
As he turned back to his seat, he overheard two girls in the row behind him whispering, "Liang An and Ling Xiao are such good friends." "Yeah, they're inseparable, and they were always walking together before winter break."
Sheng Qing waited for him to sit down, then rested her chin on her hand and said in a dreamy tone, "This is so wonderful, this kind of friendship."
Liang An knew there was a hidden meaning in her words, so he could only shake his head helplessly and open his textbook for the next class. But once again, the tips of his ears turned red uncontrollably.
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The library of Haicheng No. 1 Middle School is located in the northeast corner of the campus. It is an old red brick building. After school at noon, Liang An and Ling Xiao walked in one after the other and chose the innermost seat, which was surrounded by tall bookshelves, forming a relatively secluded corner.
After opening their workbooks, Liang An deliberately kept his distance from Ling Xiao. The two sat upright, looking more like they were attending a serious meeting than doing homework.
But not long after, when Liang An was stuck on a physics problem, biting his pen and racking his brains, Ling Xiao naturally moved closer, shoulder to shoulder, and explained the solution in a low voice. His breath gently brushed against Liang An's ear, bringing a slight shiver.
"Did you understand?" Ling Xiao asked after he finished speaking.
Liang An nodded, but dared not turn his head, because their faces were too close at the moment, close enough to count each other's eyelashes.
"Ling Xiao".
"Um?"
"Aren't we too close?" Liang An's voice was almost inaudible.
Ling Xiao looked at Liang An's slightly trembling eyelashes and said softly, "We're just discussing the topic, so it's normal for us to get a little closer."
Just then, the librarian walked past the bookshelves, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the corner where they were.
Liang An keenly sensed the gaze and immediately sat up straight, maintaining a polite distance from Ling Xiao. Ling Xiao also realized this, returned to his seat, and refocused on the textbook in front of him.
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