Charge
The sun set, painting the sky a warm, ambiguous orange. The crowds at the school gate gradually thinned, leaving only a few students hurriedly passing. The wind swirled the fallen leaves, bringing with it the distinct chill of late autumn.
Lin Xiyan stood there, his feet feeling like they were nailed to the concrete. He stared at the direction the car was coming from, his eyes sore from prolonged concentration. The faint hope in his heart, like a candle in the wind, was gradually shattered by the cold reality and the ever-growing negative thoughts.
He won't come.
The contest may have been extended.
Or… he went straight home.
I didn't say I would come to pick you up.
You wait here like a fool.
These thoughts surged up like an icy tide. The familiar, suffocating feeling of emptiness and loneliness gripped his heart once again, more fiercely and colder than before. It was as if the fleeting warmth and comfort of yesterday and this morning had been magnified infinitely by this long afternoon of waiting alone, then shattered harshly, leaving only a deeper chill.
He took a very light breath, the cold air stinging his lungs.
He slowly lowered his head, preparing to turn and leave. Returning to that place that, though warm, always made him feel like an intruder, or... returning to the cold, rented house that belonged to him. It was all the same. No difference.
The moment he took a step—
A burst of hurried and somewhat panicked footsteps came from afar, accompanied by clear, breathless shouts, which penetrated the slightly cool evening air and hit his eardrums accurately.
"Xiyan!"
Lin Xiyan suddenly stopped in his tracks, his heart as if being gripped tightly and then suddenly released by that hand! He suddenly raised his head.
At the end of the street, a familiar figure was running towards this side! The setting sun cast a long shadow behind him, his schoolbag casually thrown behind him, his black hair in front of his forehead was messy in the wind, and his face was flushed and obviously anxious after running.
It’s Jiang Yibai!
He ran very fast, with big strides, almost at the speed of a sprint. His eyes were only focused on the thin figure standing alone at the school gate, who looked as if he would be blown away by the wind in the next second.
Almost at the same time that Lin Xiyan saw him clearly, Jiang Yibai had already rushed in front of him, bringing with him a gust of wind. He didn't even have time to stop, nor did he even want to stop -
He opened his arms and firmly hugged Lin Xiyan, who was still in shock, into his arms! He used such force that Lin Xiyan staggered and almost lost his balance.
"Sorry, sorry! You've been waiting for a long time, haven't you? The competition's running late, so I rushed back as soon as it was over. There was a bit of a traffic jam on the way..." Jiang Yibai's voice was hurried and incoherent, with heavy breathing after the intense run and undisguised anxiety and annoyance. He hugged the person tightly in his arms, his arms clenched tightly, as if he wanted to rub the person into his bones and blood. His chin rested on the top of Lin Xiyan's head, greedily breathing in the familiar scent of the other person, as if this was the only way to confirm his existence.
"I was so scared. I just saw you standing here alone from afar. You looked like you were about to break..." His voice trailed off, and with lingering fear, his arms tightened a little, trembling slightly. "I really deserve to die. I should have come out sooner..."
Lin Xiyan was held tightly in his arms, his face buried in his sweater, which was filled with the cool air from outside and the faint smell of sweat. The force was so tight that it hurt a little, and his bones were cracking, but he strangely did not struggle.
His body was tightly enveloped by a familiar scent and warmth, dispelling the evening chill and instantly breaking down the icy barriers he had built. His heart, suspended in mid-air, with nowhere to rest, seemed to finally find a landing point, slamming back heavily and firmly into his chest. The impact was so strong that it made his nose sore and his eyes burn.
He stood stiffly in place, allowing Jiang Yibai to hold him, listening to his incoherent explanations and rapid heartbeats, feeling the strength of his embrace and the slight trembling.
At this moment, all the anxieties, speculations, and cold thoughts were shattered by this real hug with a sense of travel.
It turns out... he wasn't not coming. He was rushing back desperately.
Jiang Yibai finished his rambling, seemingly catching his breath. But he didn't let go. Instead, he leaned down slightly in the embrace, leaning more of his weight onto Lin Xiyan, his head drooping on his shoulder. As if all the strength had been drained from him, he let out a long, exhausted, yet satisfied sigh.
"I'm so tired..." He said in a muffled voice, dragging out the last syllable, like a tired large dog, instinctively starting to act coquettishly to recharge, "My brain is about to cramp... I've been standing for a long time... I'm starving..."
As he spoke, he unconsciously rubbed his furry head against Lin Xiyan's neck and chin, greedily absorbing the warmth and breath from her body, as if this could quickly replenish his depleted energy. His breathing gradually calmed down, but it still brushed against Lin Xiyan's skin with warmth.
Lin Xiyan felt itchy from being rubbed by him, her body slightly stiff, but she didn't shy away. The soft touch of his hair and warm breath came on her neck, and the arm around her waist was heavy, with a presence and dependence that could not be ignored.
Occasionally, classmates would pass by after school, casting curious or kind glances. But Jiang Yibai was oblivious, or perhaps simply unconcerned. Like a large dog that had finally found its owner and desperately needed a little recharge, he clung to Lin Xiyan, motionless.
Lin Xiyan could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest, and the gradually steady and strong heartbeat, through their pressed bodies, beating against her own heart. An indescribable warmth, accompanied by the tight embrace and complete dependence, slowly flowed into his cold and stiff limbs.
He raised his uninjured hand very lightly and tentatively, hesitated for a moment, and finally, very slowly and carefully, placed it on Jiang Yibai's back and gently grasped the fabric of his sweater.
The movement was awkward and stiff, but it was a clear, silent response.
The person in his arms seemed to feel this subtle movement, his body paused slightly, and then he let out a more satisfied, almost gurgling hum, hugged him tighter, and rubbed him harder.
"Charge it for a while..." Jiang Yibai's voice was unclear, full of sleepiness and coquettishness, "Just five minutes... Otherwise I won't be able to walk anymore..."
The setting sun stretched the figures of the two people hugging each other very long, overlapping each other, as if they could no longer be separated.
Lin Xiyan stood quietly, letting him hold her, lean against her, and rub against her. Her cheek pressed against his slightly cool sweater, and her nose was filled with the familiar and reassuring scent. The cold wasteland in her heart seemed to be injected with hot vitality by this sudden, tight embrace.
Those lingering negative emotions were dispelled without a trace by the real body temperature and heartbeat.
So... this is what it feels like to be needed, waited for, or even... depended on by someone.
It seems... his existence is a kind of energy and comfort to another person.
This cognition, like a seed thrown into the lake of the heart, sinks silently to the bottom and begins to sprout slowly.
After a long time, Jiang Yibai finally seemed to have recharged his energy and slowly stood up, but his arm was still around Lin Xiyan's waist, not loosening. He looked down at Lin Xiyan, his eyes sparkling, although with fatigue, but full of smiles and satisfaction.
"Recharged!" he announced, his tone cheerful. "Full health!"
He naturally took Lin Xiyan's hand, interlocking their fingers, his palms warm and dry: "Let's go home! My mom must have made a lot of delicious food!"
He took Lin Xiyan's hand and walked briskly forward. The setting sun stretched their shadows very long, and they held hands and snuggled together.
Lin Xiyan followed him, looking at their clasped hands, feeling the unwavering warmth and strength coming from their palms. The evening breeze blew on her face, and it didn't seem so cold anymore.
The empty space in my heart seemed to be filled up little by little.
Although still clumsy and still uneasy.
But it seems... as long as this person is around, the cold fog can always be dispelled.
He gently grasped the warm hand with his backhand.
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