Li Mo
The tension surrounding the final exams is growing stronger, and even the air seems to be getting thinner.
According to school practice, classrooms need to be emptied before exams to prepare them for the exams.
After school, students were busy packing their personal belongings into their schoolbags or taking them back to their dormitories.
Li Mo was tidying up her exercise books when she heard a series of suppressed yet excited whispers from beside her.
She looked up and saw Qin Yue clutching a light blue envelope tightly in her hand, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force.
Her face was a mixture of anticipation, fear, and struggle, and her gaze kept glancing towards the direction of Class 4, where books were being moved outside in the corridor, clearly searching for Song Feiran.
"Hurry up, Qin Yue," Tang Keqing encouraged softly from the side, even more anxious than the person involved. "If you don't go now, you'll miss your chance. After the exams, you'll be on vacation, and you won't see Song Feiran again for a whole summer."
Qin Yue shook her head vigorously, her voice trembling with tears: "Oh dear, I still... I'm too scared... What should I do? What if... what if he rejects me in public like Liang Xinchong rejected Tian Naiyan? I'll be consumed by this internal struggle for years, completely ruined. I have my pride..."
Qin Yue is currently in a dilemma. He wants to tell her that he likes her, but he doesn't dare to take the initiative, fearing rejection.
She shuddered whenever she thought about the embarrassing scene of Tian Nayan leaving the basketball game that day.
Tang Keqing: "Oh dear, then you're really going to miss out."
Qin Yue grabbed Tang Keqing's arm as if it were a lifeline, her eyes shining brightly: "Keqing, my dear Keqing, can you help me deliver this? I'll give you two hundred yuan."
Tang Keqing was just talking nonsense; she only dared to say it. If she were actually asked to do it, she wouldn't do it even if she were killed.
Upon hearing Qin Yue's words, Tang Keqing was so frightened that she waved her hands repeatedly and shrank her neck, saying, "No, no, no, I'm a coward too, I can't do this."
Just as the two were struggling and getting into a tug-of-war, Jiang Yixuan, carrying several books, happened to walk past them expressionlessly, preparing to leave the classroom.
When the words "two hundred yuan" clearly reached her ears, she paused almost imperceptibly, turned her head, and her cool gaze fell on the light blue envelope in Qin Yue's hand and her anxious face.
Qin Yue also met Jiang Yixuan's gaze.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
They weren't very familiar with Jiang Yixuan.
The next second, Jiang Yixuan spoke, her voice calm and even: "Two hundred yuan? If you really give it to me, I can help you deliver it."
Qin Yue was overjoyed and immediately stuffed the love letter into Jiang Yixuan's hands, clasping her hands together: "That's wonderful, thank you so much, thank you so much!"
Jiang Yixuan didn't say another word. Holding the letter that carried the girl's heartfelt thoughts, she turned and walked out of the classroom.
Her steps remained steady as she walked straight toward Song Feiran, who was tidying up her books at the other end of the corridor.
Hearing footsteps, Song Feiran looked up and stared at the unfamiliar, aloof girl with some confusion.
Jiang Yixuan stopped in front of him and, without any preamble, handed him the light blue envelope, saying in a flat tone, "This is from Qin Yue in our class."
After saying that, without waiting for Song Feiran to react, she stuffed the letter into his hand, then turned around neatly, leaving behind a crisp and clean back view. The whole process took no more than ten seconds.
Song Feiran was completely stunned as she held the envelope, which still carried a slightly unfamiliar warmth.
He glanced at the letter in his hand, then looked up at Jiang Yixuan's retreating figure as she quickly disappeared at the stairwell, momentarily speechless.
Who is this girl?
He didn't hear what she just said at all. He looked down at the love letter in his hand, then stared blankly at her departing figure.
...So decisive?
No girl would even glance at him when he sent her a love letter.
Meanwhile, in the classroom, Qin Yue leaned against the window and saw from afar that Jiang Yixuan had successfully delivered the letter, and Song Feiran had accepted it. She was so excited that she almost jumped up, her cheeks flushed.
When Jiang Yixuan returned to the classroom to retrieve her water bottle, Qin Yue immediately rushed over, generously pulled two hundred-yuan bills from her wallet, and stuffed them into her hand, repeatedly thanking her: "Here you go, thank you so much."
"You're welcome." Jiang Yixuan looked at the two hundred yuan in her hand, her expression unchanged. She simply nodded, put the money in her pocket, and left with her water cup.
Qin Yue was immersed in the immense joy and relief that "the letter had been delivered and not rejected on the spot," and she hugged Tang Keqing, laughing and jumping.
At that time, she could never have imagined that many years later, when the dust of youth had settled, she would regret countless times why she hadn't been brave enough to express her feelings herself.
If only she were braver now.
If she were the one who personally delivered the love letter.
Will everything change from then on?
-
The end of the final exams means the start of a long summer vacation.
For Li Mo, the holiday was just a change of scenery for her busy schedule—she spent almost all her waking hours at her family's barbecue restaurant.
She initially thought Liang Xinchong's suggestion to come to the restaurant for a meal was just a joke on a whim, since he came from a wealthy family and wouldn't actually come to such a small street-side shop.
So when that familiar, tall figure actually appeared at the store entrance, accompanied by a stylishly dressed, curious little girl, Li Mo was genuinely stunned.
“Li Mo,” Liang Xinchong’s eyes lit up, and he walked over quickly, his tone carrying a hint of nervousness and anticipation, “I’m bringing…I’m bringing my cousin to try your barbecue rice.”
He turned to the side and introduced, "Mu Kexin, my uncle's daughter, just finished her middle school entrance exam."
Mu Kexin waved with a grin, her big eyes darting between Li Mo and her cousin, gleaming with mischief.
She was "lured" here with a large sum of money—Liang Xinchong promised to sponsor part of her expenses for buying a camera to follow her idol, as long as she accompanied him.
In hindsight, this trip was worthwhile; something's up.
Li Mo: "You said you were bringing someone, so you're bringing your cousin?"
Liang Xinchong: "Didn't you say that my coming alone would make your mom suspect that we're dating?"
Li Mo: "..." It's like she wouldn't notice if you brought your cousin over.
She nodded and said politely, "Welcome, please come in and have a seat. There aren't many people here right now."
Li Mo arranged a relatively quiet spot for them at the back, ordered a bunch of barbecue according to the menu, and also gave Mu Kexin a drink.
Liang Xinchong: Where's my drink?
Li Mo: "You need to pay for this."
The restaurant was just starting to get busy with the evening service, so Li Mo didn't have time for pleasantries. She put down the dishes, said "Enjoy your meal," and turned to greet other customers.
Liang Xinchong's gaze followed her the whole time. He watched Li Mo move between several tables, taking orders, serving dishes, and clearing away dishes with nimble movements, not even bothering to wipe the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
That slender figure bustling about in the lively shop was completely different from the quiet, studious image he usually saw at school, yet she still attracted his full attention.
The fragrant barbecue in front of me seemed to have lost its appeal.
Liang Xinchong ate a few bites, then suddenly put down his chopsticks, stood up, and walked over to Li Mo, who was clearing away the bowls and chopsticks from the next table. He very naturally reached out to take the greasy bowls and plates that Li Mo was stacking up.
"I'll help you."
Li Mo was startled and instinctively dodged away: "No need, you're a guest, go eat."
"I'm full." Liang Xinchong insisted, taking advantage of his height to easily pick up the stack of bowls and plates, and carried them to the kitchen, just like the aunt next to him.
"Liang Xinchong!" Li Mo lowered her voice and followed behind him, "Don't cause trouble, go and sit down."
“How is this disruptive?” Liang Xinchong turned around, speaking with righteous indignation. “Can’t customers experience life?” As he spoke, he picked up a rag and began wiping the table that had just been emptied.
His clumsy yet earnest manner made Li Mo both annoyed and amused.
Mu Kexin, who was sitting in her original seat, was eating barbecue while watching her cousin, who at home wouldn't even pick up a fallen oil bottle, actually serving dishes and wiping tables for someone. She was so surprised that she forgot to close her mouth.
Has her cousin gone mad?
But soon, Mu Kexin's face revealed an ambiguous smile that said, "I understand."
All of this naturally fell into the eyes of Shen Peixian, who was silently observing from the kitchen doorway.
She looked at the handsome boy, his eyes almost glued to her daughter, and she could see through his cautious yet undisguised concern at a glance.
After a while, Liang Xinchong and Mu Kexin prepared to leave.
Li Mo saw them to the door.
"The food was delicious." Liang Xinchong looked at her, his eyes sparkling.
"Thank you for coming," Li Mo replied businesslike, pretending not to notice the expectation in his eyes.
Mu Kexin waved sweetly, "Goodbye, Sister Li Mo! I'll have my brother bring me again next time!"
As the two walked away, Li Mo turned back to the shop and met her mother Shen Peixian's smiling gaze.
"Momo," Shen Peixian asked casually while wiping her hands, "are you... dating that boy?"
Li Mo's face flushed red instantly, and she hurriedly denied it: "Mom, what are you saying? Nothing like that happened."
She mentally scoffed, knowing Liang Xinchong's acting was terrible. If he were an actor, he'd probably win the Golden Broom Award right away.
That idiot, he made it way too obvious.
"I really didn't date him," Li Mo emphasized again, but her tone was less firm.
Shen Peixian walked to her daughter's side, gently patted her shoulder, and said in a soft voice, "But I can tell that the boy really likes you. Actually, at your age, it's not a big deal if you have feelings for each other and start dating. I don't really object to these things."
Li Mo looked up in surprise at her mother.
Shen Peixian's eyes held understanding and tolerance, but also a hint of seriousness: "As long as you don't cross the line, know your limits, and protect yourselves. Adolescent crushes are beautiful, and Mom doesn't want them to become a burden or a secret for you."
Li Mo: "But we really don't have any."
Seeing her daughter's flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, Shen Peixian smiled and didn't continue the topic.
As if remembering something, her gaze drifted to the bustling crowd outside the window, and her tone carried a hint of nostalgia: "Speaking of which, your father and I also met in school..."
She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, the nostalgic light in her eyes quickly fading and replaced by a faint sense of melancholy. She shook her head and said softly, "Never mind, it's all in the past."
She turned and walked towards the kitchen, her back view appearing somewhat frail under the light.
Li Mo stood there, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
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