Li Mo
Four years have passed in the blink of an eye, and graduation season is here again.
Li Mo unsurprisingly secured a place in the postgraduate program at the Law School of Beichuan University and will continue her studies there for three more years. Meanwhile, Liang Xinchong's "Chongmo" studio has already established itself in Jinshi, boasting a stable clientele and a good reputation.
After graduation, Liang Xinchong made a significant decision. He settled the remaining affairs of his Jinshi studio (switching to an online order-taking and partnership model, while retaining the majority of his shares), and with all his savings from the past few years, he came to Beichuan.
“Let’s buy a house.” He held Li Mo’s hand and stood on the bustling street of Beichuan, his tone calm yet firm, as if he were saying something perfectly natural.
Li Mo was stunned. Housing prices in Beichuan weren't low, and although his studio was doing well, this would undoubtedly drain all his savings. "No need to buy," she immediately shook her head, "Renting is fine too. Anyway... we'll most likely be going back to Yuehai to live in the future."
Liang Xinchong smiled, grasped her shoulders, and turned her to face him, his eyes gentle and deep: "I know I might go back to Yuehai in the future. But," he paused, looking earnestly into her eyes, "you will be studying here for three more years. With our own house, I can better spend these three years with you. This is our home, not just a temporary stop."
The word "home" instantly struck the softest spot in Li Mo's heart. Looking at the unwavering plan in his eyes and the determination to give her stability, she swallowed back all her words of dissuasion, leaving only deep emotion.
Liang Xinchong was extremely decisive and quickly selected a small but well-proportioned and brightly lit secondhand apartment in a quiet neighborhood near Beichuan University. He used all his savings from his business to make the down payment. When he received the property certificate with his name on it, he immediately took a picture and sent it to Li Mo.
[Image] "Our home".
These four simple words carry an endless future.
The days that followed were busy yet full of anticipation. The two of them went to building material markets together, picking out colors for flooring and wall paint; they pushed huge shopping carts at IKEA, arguing endlessly about whether to choose a sofa or a dining table; they searched online for all sorts of favorite soft furnishings, unpacking countless delivery boxes.
Li Mo prefers a simple and warm style, so Liang Xinchong followed her lead and set the main color scheme as off-white and natural wood tones. However, he insisted on his "obsession" with some small details—for example, he insisted on leaving a complete white wall in the living room, saying he wanted to use it to hang the photos he took of her; and he also had a small hanging rattan chair custom-made for her on the balcony because she had said she liked reading in the sunlight.
The installation of every light bulb and the hanging of every painting are filled with traces of their shared life and their hopes for the future.
On the day they moved, they declined all their friends and stayed only with each other.
Liang Xinchong personally cooked several simple but delicious home-style dishes. Li Mo carefully filled the new bookshelf with her succulents and law books that she had kept in her dormitory.
As evening fell, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the clean glass windows, filling the entire living room. A faint smell of paint and sawdust lingered in the air of the new home, mingled with the aroma of cooked food.
They sat on the newly bought wool carpet, backed by the sofa, with food and a glass of celebratory red wine in front of them. "Congratulations on moving," Li Mo raised her glass, her eyes sparkling with a soft, warm light, "Liang Xinchong."
“Congratulations on moving,” Liang Xinchong said, clinking glasses with her gently, his gaze lingering on her. “Mrs. Liang.”
This address made Li Mo blush slightly: "We're not married yet."
"It will happen sooner or later." He quickly kissed her.
Li Mo thought to herself that Liang Xinchong hadn't really changed; he was still the same naive person he always was.
When the ginkgo trees at the Law School of Beichuan University turned yellow again, Li Mo's postgraduate life had already gotten on track.
The courses were more advanced than those in her undergraduate studies, and she spent most of her time in the library or law school seminar rooms.
One day, while she was looking up comparative law materials in the law school library, she saw a familiar yet aloof figure in a relatively unpopular corner of a bookshelf.
The man was standing on tiptoe, trying to reach the heavy books on the top shelf.
"Jiang Yixuan?" Li Mo called out uncertainly.
The person turned around, and there was still that expressionless face, with calm and unwavering eyes. It was Jiang Yixuan, the loner from high school who had once helped Qin Yue deliver love letters.
"Li Mo." Jiang Yixuan nodded as a greeting, her tone indifferent.
"You also got into Beichuan Law School?" Li Mo was pleasantly surprised. Meeting an old friend in a foreign land is always a happy thing, especially when the other person is an equally outstanding classmate.
"Mm," Jiang Yixuan replied succinctly.
From then on, the two began to interact more frequently at the law school.
They didn't have much interaction in high school, but now that they've gotten to know each other, they've discovered how similar their interests are. They occasionally study together in the library, discuss complex legal cases, and share their academic perspectives.
Li Mo discovered that Jiang Yixuan, who had shed her aloofness from high school, was extremely meticulous and logical, with unique insights into many issues, making her an excellent academic partner.
Although the two have very different personalities—one is gentle and calm, the other is aloof and distant—they are surprisingly compatible in their professions and have a mutual appreciation for each other.
Once, while they were eating in the cafeteria, they chatted about the recent situations of their high school classmates.
Li Mo mentioned that she might organize a high school reunion at the end of the year and asked Jiang Yixuan if she wanted to attend.
Jiang Yixuan paused, holding her chopsticks, then shook her head: "I'm not going."
Li Mo thought Jiang Yixuan was still the same person she was in high school, someone who didn't like to join in the fun, and was about to try to persuade her again when she heard Jiang Yixuan say calmly in her characteristic, flat tone:
“Song Feiran,” she paused, as if stating an objective fact, “we got together last year.”
Li Mo's chopsticks, which were about to pick up food, stopped in mid-air, and she looked up in surprise.
Song Feiran?
The one Qin Yue secretly loved throughout high school, but ultimately never got to be with, Song Feiran?
And Jiang Yixuan?
Jiang Yixuan seemed to notice her surprise and continued to explain in a calm tone, as if she were talking about something unrelated to herself: "He later told me that it was during the spring sports meet in our senior year of high school, when Qin Yue asked me to deliver a love letter to him."
She raised her eyes to look at Li Mo, her gaze clear and unwavering. "He saw me, and then... fell in love with me."
Li Mo understood instantly.
It turns out that back then on the basketball court, when Song Feiran looked past the noisy crowd and focused his gaze on that quiet bleacher, he was indeed looking for Jiang Yixuan, who always sat there quietly reading.
The "girl he liked" that he used to reject Qin Yue wasn't an excuse; she was a real person—the girl in front of him who had helped him deliver someone else's love letter.
Fate's arrangements are sometimes so unpredictable and coincidental, even carrying a touch of cruel poetry.
Li Mo was silent for a moment, processing the information, and finally looked at Jiang Yixuan sincerely and smiled: "Congratulations to you both."
She was genuinely happy for this seemingly unexpected yet inexplicably compatible pair.
But at the same time, a faint sense of regret lingered in my heart, not for myself, but for Qin Yue, who had once cried, laughed, and woven bracelets for Song Feiran in the dormitory.
She recalled Qin Yue's timidity and anticipation when she asked Jiang Yixuan to deliver her love letter, and her disappointment and sadness after being rejected.
If... if Qin Yue had been just a little braver back then, instead of asking someone else, she had walked up to Song Feiran herself and confessed her feelings, would the outcome have been different?
The regrets of youth may not lie in the "unfulfilled desires" themselves, but in the cowardice hidden deep in the heart, the failure to strive with all one's might. Some opportunities, some people, once missed at that crucial juncture that requires the most courage, truly become a faint, indelible mark in time.
She felt gratified for Song Feiran and Jiang Yixuan's fate, and sighed softly for Qin Yue's unrequited love that ended without fruition.
This is probably what youth is like—a time of joy for some and sorrow for others. That period of time, which can never be returned to, was filled with mixed feelings, not only fulfillment but also regret.
Later, the reunion of Class 2, Science Stream, 2010, Yuehai Middle School was held in a stylish private room of a restaurant.
Time seems to have been accelerated here. The boys and girls who wore school uniforms back then have mostly shed their naivety and bear the marks of being shaped by society.
Liang Xinchong and Li Mo appeared hand in hand.
Liang Xinchong's "Chongmo" studio has developed into a small-scale visual creative company. He wore a well-tailored casual suit, shedding his youthful arrogance and gaining more composure, but the look in his eyes when he looked at Li Mo still carried undisguised love and dependence.
Li Mo is now a lawyer at a well-known law firm in Beichuan. Dressed in a simple beige suit, she exudes a capable and elegant demeanor, and her speech is characterized by the composure and calmness typical of legal professionals.
Their matching platinum rings on their ring fingers subtly shimmered, the most direct proof of their "lasting love".
People jokingly called them "a model couple who went from school uniforms to wedding dresses." Liang Xinchong proudly put his arm around Li Mo's shoulder and said without any modesty, "That's right, I have good taste and acted early."
Lin Shusen arrived, looking even thinner than before. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and worked in scientific research at a prestigious university. He was still not very talkative, but when he saw Liang Xinchong and Li Mo clasping hands, he calmly raised his glass and offered his sincere blessings.
That grand yet silent unrequited love has long since settled into a beautiful memory with the passage of time.
Qin Yue has changed a lot. The little girl who used to shed tears because of unrequited love is now an editor of a fashion magazine, with exquisite makeup and a charming demeanor.
She generously shared her travel experiences and workplace anecdotes. When someone inadvertently mentioned Song Feiran, she paused slightly, then smiled knowingly and said, "That's all ancient history."
The stubbornness of yesteryear is no longer visible in his eyes; only a calm and detached look remains.
She has had several relationships since then, but now she enjoys the freedom and excitement of single life even more.
In fact, Tang Keqing felt that she had not let go, but had never forgotten Song Feiran.
"If you meet someone too amazing when you're young, everyone else will just be a compromise." When Tang Keqing said this, there was still a hint of sadness in Qin Yue's eyes.
Zhang Shan was still the same lively character, slightly overweight. He was said to have followed in his father's footsteps in business. His witty remarks throughout the meal kept everyone laughing, successfully enlivening the atmosphere. He secretly clinked glasses with Liang Xinchong and whispered, "Brother Chong, you're still the best, so consistent."
Chen You also arrived. He is now an excellent software engineer, with a calm demeanor and clear logic. He greeted Li Mo first, thanking her for her help in high school; that bottle of acne cream seemed to have opened a new world for him. He didn't mention his unfulfilled confession to Qin Yue from back then, as if he had long since let it go.
Qi Anxin and Tang Keqing huddled together, chattering away just like they used to.
Qi Anxin married a man from a similar family background right after graduating from university and became a full-time housewife. Their conversations revolved around their children and skincare.
Tang Keqing became a Chinese language teacher, and in his conversation, he couldn't help but show a bit of the warmth of a teacher, remarking with emotion, "You kids really gave me a lot of trouble back then."
Someone brought news from students who were unable to attend:
Tian Naiyan works at a gallery abroad and her career is thriving. Her social media posts are full of art exhibitions and exotic scenery.
As Li Mo had predicted, Song Feiran became an architect and Jiang Yixuan continued their studies in law. Both were living low-key but fulfilling lives abroad.
During the meal, everyone chatted about their lives—work troubles, family琐碎 (trivialities), the hardships of raising children, and the carefree life of still being single. Amid the clinking of glasses, old monthly exam rankings, who had a crush on whom, the wins and losses of basketball games, and embarrassing incidents of being caught by Yuan Hai... all became the best topics for laughter, filtered through a warm lens, with no trace of the anxiety and embarrassment of the past.
Someone started singing our old class song, completely off-key, but it sparked a sing-along from the whole class.
Looking at the familiar yet slightly unfamiliar faces before her, Li Mo leaned on Liang Xinchong's shoulder, her heart filled with emotion.
They were all drenched in the same rain of youth, and then ran on their own tracks. Some walked hand in hand, some alone, some brilliant, and some ordinary.
But at this moment, all differences are smoothed out by the word "classmate". What they share is that shining old time that can never be returned to.
As the party ended, everyone hugged goodbye and promised to meet again next time.
The neon lights outside the window flicker, illuminating this group of people who have entered their youth but are still closely connected with their youthful memories.
The winter of 2014 was really cold in Yuehai.
As the class reunion ended, the hustle and bustle and the wave of nostalgia gradually faded away.
The cool night breeze brushed against my face, carrying the unique moisture of the Yuehai region.
Liang Xinchong held Li Mo's hand, and the two walked slowly along the dimly lit street, neither of them saying they wanted to go home.
"It seems... we haven't had enough yet." Liang Xinchong shook her hand, turned his head to look at her, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the neon lights on the street. "Shall we find a place to sit down again?"
Just as Li Mo was about to nod, her gaze fell upon the neon sign of an old-fashioned movie theater on the street corner, with the words "Classic Retrospective - 'Fleet of Time'" scrolling above it.
“Let’s go see a movie,” she said, pointing to the light. “It’s called ‘Fleet of Time,’ I think it just came out?”
Liang Xinchong didn't care what movie they watched, as long as he was with her. He smiled and agreed, "Sure, let's see how others make the most of their youth."
There weren't many people in the theater; most were men and women of similar age, perhaps having just finished some kind of gathering.
When the familiar blue and white school uniforms, desks piled high with books, and signs counting down to the college entrance exam appear on the screen, a wonderful sense of immersion quietly spreads.
Seeing Chen Xun and Fang Hui's first kiss under the tree in high school, Liang Xinchong leaned close to Li Mo's ear, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of pride, "But the one in our art studio... was even more touching."
Li Mo gently pinched his arm in the darkness, but couldn't help but smile.
Seeing the characters in the film drift apart due to misunderstandings and stubbornness, ultimately ending in regret, Li Mo's heart tightened slightly.
She couldn't help but recall what she had heard at the party: those unrequited loves that ended without a trace, those missed opportunities due to unforeseen circumstances... The stories of youth always seem to be difficult to have a happy ending.
As the film ended and the lights came on, the melody of the theme song "The Fleeting Years" still lingered.
The two followed the crowd out of the cinema; the night was getting deeper.
"It's alright." Liang Xinchong suddenly said out of the blue, naturally putting his arm around Li Mo's shoulder and pulling her closer to him.
Li Mo looked up at him, puzzled.
“Thankfully, we’re not them,” Liang Xinchong said, looking down to meet her gaze. His tone was one of unprecedented relief and certainty. “We didn’t have that many misunderstandings, we didn’t separate for that long, and we didn’t… fall in love with someone else.”
His arms tightened, and his voice was low and earnest: "My fleeting years, from the moment I met you, I only wanted to spend them slowly with you, and I didn't want to rush at all."
Li Mo's heart was instantly filled with those words, becoming incredibly tender.
She remembered his clumsy pursuit in high school, his late-night trips during their long-distance relationship, his desperate efforts to start a business to pay off debts, and their small, warm home in Beichuan now...
She stopped, turned around, looked at him face to face, stood on tiptoe, and placed a soft and lasting kiss on his lips.
“Yes,” she looked at him, her eyes shimmering with a love that had deepened with the passage of time, “we weren’t in those fleeting years.”
“We are…” Liang Xinchong chuckled, pressing his forehead against hers, their noses brushing together, their warm breaths mingling.
"To live a stable life for the rest of my days."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
