Li Mo
An agreement was reached, but its implementation became a problem.
Li Mo was still very busy on weekends and didn't have time to come out and help him study. Although Liang Xinchong was disappointed, he quickly came up with an alternative: "Then let's have lunch. There are two hours for lunch break."
Li Mo had no objections.
It doesn't matter where you get tutoring, since day students like them don't have dorm rooms to stay in anyway.
Thus, a peculiar midday tutoring model began.
Every day at noon, as soon as the school bell rang, Liang Xinchong would rush out of the classroom like a hunting dog on command.
Instead of going to the cafeteria, he went straight to the delicious food stalls outside the school gate that he had already figured out, and bought two steaming hot lunches without fail, rain or shine.
Li Mo would either go to the bookstore first, or stay in the classroom to finish some miscellaneous homework in the morning, and wait for him to come back.
Initially, they conducted their "transactions" in the classroom.
Liang Xinchong seemed to want to give her all the food on the entire food street, almost never repeating the same dish every day.
He opened the lunchboxes one by one like he was showing off a treasure, saying, "Today's is barbecue. I see it's different from what you sell. You should try it!"
"This is roast duck and char siu, a double combo!"
"Seafood porridge, it's good for the stomach..."
After dinner, Li Mo opened her notebook and transformed into the strictest teacher, starting with the most basic formulas, to help him review the key points.
Although Liang Xinchong's foundation was weak, he was not unintelligent. Especially in front of Li Mo, his competitive spirit and desire to perform were aroused, and he listened with exceptional focus.
But the classroom is not a place that lasts forever.
Although day students are allowed to stay in the classroom at noon, other students will gradually return to rest or study.
As they talked and listened, it was inevitable that they would attract curious glances and hushed whispers.
Li Mo didn't seem to care much, but Liang Xinchong noticed her slightly furrowed brows.
"Come on, I'll take you to a great place." On the third day at noon, after Liang Xinchong finished the last bite of his meal, he neatly packed up his lunchbox and said mysteriously to Li Mo.
He led her through the teaching building to the relatively quiet Mingde Building.
This area mainly consists of classrooms for art, music, and other functions, and is almost empty at noon.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, dancing quietly in the dusty beams of light, while their footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Liang Xinchong skillfully pushed open the door to an unused studio. Inside, some dusty easels and still lifes were scattered about, and the air was filled with the faint smell of turpentine and pencil shavings. He moved two easels by the window, cleared out an old school desk, and carefully wiped two stools clean with a tissue.
"How about it, Liang's secret base, quiet, right?" He raised his eyebrows smugly, tiny beads of sweat glistening on his forehead from the labor he had just done.
Li Mo looked around. Outside the window, there was a lush canopy of trees, and the faint chirping of cicadas could be heard. The room was quiet and peaceful. She nodded, a faint smile on her lips: "Not bad."
From then on, this unused art studio, filled with artistic atmosphere, became their exclusive midday classroom.
It's more free and relaxing here than in the classroom.
When Li Mo was explaining the problems, she would occasionally write and draw on the abandoned blackboard with chalk.
When Liang Xinchong was engrossed in listening, he would unconsciously bite the cap of his pen and furrow his brow; when he suddenly understood, his eyes would light up, and he would look at Li Mo with an "I see" look, which would give Li Mo a small sense of accomplishment.
They were very punctual.
After studying efficiently for forty minutes, Li Mo would set an alarm.
She said, "I take a half-hour nap every day, otherwise I'll be sleepy in class in the afternoon."
Liang Xinchong naturally wouldn't object.
After tutoring him each day, she would find a reasonably clean drawing stool, lean against the wall, and close her eyes for a short rest.
At first, Liang Xinchong was full of energy and tried to read comics or play on his phone while she was sleeping.
But the studio was too quiet, the sunlight too warm, and the girl beside me was breathing lightly and rhythmically, like a silent lullaby.
A few days later, he couldn't resist the tranquil atmosphere either. Following Li Mo's example, he leaned against the other wall and fell into a deep sleep.
The afternoon sun moved slowly, elongating their shadows and gently enveloping them together.
Tiny dust particles danced in the light, as if guarding the brief and pure moment of rest for the young boy and girl.
Until the crisp sound of the alarm clock shattered the silence.
Li Mo always wakes up first, her eyes momentarily misty, like jasmine veiled in dew.
She gently rubbed her eyes and tidied her slightly tousled ponytail. Almost the instant she woke up, Liang Xinchong would also wake up with a start, staring at her for a while. When she cast a questioning glance at him, he would clear his throat with feigned composure and ask, "Should we go?"
"Hmm." Li Mo put away her books and notes.
The two walked out of Mingde Building one after the other, joining the crowd that surged toward the teaching building in the afternoon.
Having had a good sleep, Liang Xinchong became energetic again, occasionally turning his head to chat with Li Mo about interesting things that happened in class, or complaining that it was "Extinction Master's" class again in the afternoon.
Li Mo listened quietly most of the time, occasionally amused by his exaggerated tone, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Sometimes Li Mo would find him annoying and say, "Why do you say things differently from other people?"
"Who said that about me?"
"Many people at school have talked about you."
How am I?
“You…” Li Mo couldn’t say it.
She remembered hearing many rumors about Liang Xinchong when she first enrolled in school.
He comes from a wealthy family, is hard to pursue, many girls pursue him, but he doesn't really pay attention to them. He's a high-achieving, unattainable figure...
In short, they are completely different.
But what about Liang Xinchong, who is standing in front of her now?
Like a little dog circling around its owner, wagging its tail and sticking out its tongue.
Li Mo didn't know why Liang Xinchong had such an image in her mind, and she laughed at herself.
Then he shook his head and said, "It's nothing."
"How am I?" Liang Xinchong pressed.
Li Mo couldn't quite put her finger on it: "In short, it's not a bad image."
Liang Xinchong didn't know what got into him. She had only said it casually, but he insisted on asking questions, from the art studio to the classroom.
Li Mo finally lost her temper and drew a little dog on a piece of paper, then threw it at him.
Liang Xinchong held the note with the drawing of a puppy on it and smiled happily.
Li Mo thought to herself that Liang Xinchong was really naive.
But later, Li Mo discovered that not only was Liang Xinchong naive at seventeen, but he was the same many years later.
This afternoon tutoring session became a secret between the two of them.
Their relationship grew closer and closer, just like the leaves of the old camphor tree outside the window of Mingde Building, which gradually became denser without them even realizing it.
Their lunchtime tutoring sessions had become an unspoken agreement, and the art studio, filled with the smells of turpentine and pencil shavings, had become a secluded secret corner in the bustling campus.
That day, after explaining a classic mechanics force analysis problem, Li Mo watched as Liang Xinchong smoothly derived the answer on the draft paper and nodded in satisfaction.
She thought to herself that although Liang Xinchong ranked last in Yuehai Middle School, he was not stupid and would be above average in a regular high school.
If you explain it to him carefully, he can actually learn it.
He is truly a promising young man.
At least Ms. Li Mo herself is quite satisfied.
At first, Li Mo thought that Liang Xinchong's so-called "tutoring" was just an excuse to bring her meals, and that it wouldn't last long.
After all, his image as "uneducated and incompetent" is deeply ingrained in people's minds.
To her surprise, Liang Xinchong was serious this time.
He not only showed up at the studio on time every day, but his notebook was also filled with notes. When he encountered a problem he didn't understand, he would ask questions repeatedly until he fully understood it.
He would even proactively seek out similar question types to practice, displaying a fierce determination to never give up.
"Finally, they've pulled back from the brink and are determined to improve themselves?"
One day, watching Liang Xinchong successfully solve a math problem that had always stumped her, Li Mo couldn't help but put down her pen and speak with a hint of teasing. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, dancing on her smiling eyes.
Liang Xinchong was secretly pleased with his progress when he heard this. He looked up and met her smiling gaze. His ears burned slightly, but he pretended to be nonchalant as he twirled his pen: "That's right. We can't stay at the bottom of the class forever and embarrass our Teacher Li, can we?"
Mondays are when Li Mo is most tired and sleepy.
After several days of intense studying, plus helping out at the store until late last night, a strong wave of drowsiness washed over me.
She didn't even have time to set an alarm as usual. As soon as she said "take a break," her eyelids closed heavily, her hand holding the pen slumped down, and she rested her head on the open notebook. Her breathing quickly became even and long.
She fell asleep.
Liang Xinchong was about to take out his phone to check the time when he saw this and his movement froze instantly.
He remained in that half-up position for a while before slowly and carefully sitting back down, afraid that even the slightest sound would disturb the sudden tranquility.
The studio was so quiet that you could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window, as well as her soft breathing.
The sunlight was perfect, pouring down generously through the tall glass windows. One beam fell precisely on Li Mo's profile, illuminating even the fine downy hairs on her cheeks, as if they were coated with a soft golden light.
The light was a bit too bright. Li Mo, who was asleep, seemed to unconsciously furrow her brows and her eyelashes trembled slightly.
Liang Xinchong's heart tightened slightly at the trembling of those eyelashes.
He stood up almost without thinking, his movements as slow and gentle as a feline, walked to the window, and reached out to pull back the somewhat old, dusty, dark blue curtains.
With a soft "whoosh," the light was gently shut out, and the studio instantly darkened, as if the bright afternoon had instantly transitioned into a tranquil dusk.
Only a few rays of light, like thin golden threads, leaked through the gaps in the curtains, casting narrow, elongated streaks of light on the floor.
He returned to his seat, but instead of going to sleep as usual, he lay on his side, propping his cheek up with one hand, his gaze fixed intently on Li Mo's sleeping face.
Shedding her usual deliberate composure and aloofness, she appeared exceptionally soft and defenseless at this moment.
The ponytail was a little loose, with a few stray hairs playfully hanging down on the smooth forehead and cheeks, rising and falling slightly with each breath.
Her lips were naturally pursed, with a faint pink hue, like newly blossoming petals.
Liang Xinchong was somewhat lost in thought.
He remembered the earnest look in her eyes when she explained the problems, the stubborn corners of her mouth when she rejected his kindness, and the fleeting smile that was enough to brighten his whole world when he made her laugh.
And now, she sleeps quietly within his reach, her breathing shallow, as if slowing down the pace of the whole world.
Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.
Even the dust particles floating in the air seemed to stop dancing, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility.
He maintained this posture, his arm gradually becoming numb, but he couldn't bear to move it, as if he were guarding a fragile, beautiful dream.
After some time, I don't know how much time had passed, but I could hear the sound of rain outside the window, with raindrops pattering on the ground.
The sound startled Li Mo.
Li Mo's eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.
His vision first adjusted to the dim light in a daze, and then met Liang Xinchong's gaze, which was so close that he hadn't had time to completely look away.
Since he couldn't hide and had already been discovered, he wasn't flustered. He simply continued to stare at her intently.
Those eyes, which always carried a hint of nonchalance or a playful smile, were now filled with a soft and focused emotion she had never seen before, like the clear night sky after a summer rain, so deep it almost drew her in.
Li Mo instantly became more alert and subconsciously sat up straight: "I...I slept for a long time?"
Liang Xinchong slowly sat up straight, rubbing his slightly numb arm as if to cover up his discomfort. His tone returned to its usual cadence, but his eyes drifted away somewhat unnaturally: "Not long, just over ten minutes."
"Why is it so dark now? What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes.
"There are about twenty minutes left before the preparatory bell rings."
He pointed to the drawn curtains and explained, "Well... it was too sunny just now, but it seems to be raining outside, so there's not much light in the classroom."
Liang Xinchong got up again and opened the curtains.
Li Mo looked out the window.
At this moment, the sky outside the window suddenly darkened, and in a short while, large raindrops began to pound against the glass, quickly forming a curtain of rain, making the world hazy and noisy.
“It’s raining heavily.” Liang Xinchong walked back.
Suddenly, Liang Xinchong seemed to remember something. He rummaged in his bag and pulled out the silver Walkman and the familiar headphones.
He hesitated for a moment, then turned to the side and handed one of the earphones to Li Mo.
"Want to hear it?" His voice, set off by the sound of rain, was exceptionally clear, carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing.
Li Mo stared at the white earphone hooked between his fingers, slightly stunned.
Liang Xinchong quickly added, his tone deliberately casual: "It's Stefanie Sun's 'Rainy Day,' it's a very nice song."
Looking at his somewhat nervous yet trying-to-be-calm demeanor, Li Mo felt a slight stirring in her heart, as if she had been gently brushed by a feather.
"good."
As if possessed, she reached out and took the earphone, gently inserted it into her ear, put it on, and lowered her head to hide her inexplicably rapid heartbeat and slightly burning ears. "Thank you."
Almost simultaneously, Stefanie Sun's clear voice, tinged with a touch of melancholy, came through the headphones:
Standing at the crossroads, I don't know which way to go, but all I can do is turn back...
The familiar melody, along with the sound of rain outside the window, instantly created a private and independent space.
All the noise seemed to be shut out, leaving only the music gently vibrating on my eardrums and the clearly audible breathing of the boy beside me.
Neither of them spoke; they each lay on the table, their heads turned toward the other.
Li Mo could feel a slight tug from the headphone wire. She closed her eyes and let the singing and the sound of rain envelop her.
"Who can understand my rainy days..."
At this moment, all the homework, family troubles, and uncertainty about the future seem to temporarily disappear.
All that's left is this quiet corner, this sudden rain, and this shared song.
As I listened, my biological clock, honed by consecutive afternoon naps, began to kick in. Coupled with the soothing rhythm of the music and the white noise of rain, drowsiness gradually crept in.
Li Mo's consciousness began to blur, and her hand holding the earphones slowly loosened.
Liang Xinchong listened to the song, but his gaze never left the girl beside him.
He saw her breathing gradually become long and even, her eyelashes drooping quietly, like a butterfly folding its wings. He knew she had fallen asleep again.
He didn't move or take back the headphones; he just remained in the same position, quietly watching her.
The playlist on his Walkman had reached the next song, but all his senses seemed to be focused solely on the shared music in his left ear and on the woman in front of him.
The rain outside the window continued to fall tirelessly, and the water vapor fogged up the glass.
In this abandoned art studio, enveloped by the sounds of rain and music, time once again stood still for them.
As the boy listened to the song and watched the sleeping girl, he felt his heart filled with an unprecedented, overflowing tenderness.
He carefully lay down beside her, resting his head on his arm, facing her, and closed his eyes.
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