Li Mo
Winters in Beichuan are dry and cold, and the white breath you exhale instantly turns into frost.
As the winter camp drew to a close, Li Mo unexpectedly ran into several of her former classmates from Beichuan No. 11 Middle School on the tree-lined paths of the university.
When she met an old friend in a foreign land, even someone as aloof as Li Mo couldn't help but feel a rare warmth in her eyes.
After discussing it, everyone decided to have a small get-together before she returned to Yuehai.
The restaurant was filled with the aroma of steam, and familiar local accents mingled with past memories.
He Feng, a prominent figure at No. 11 Middle School back then, was one of the boys who pursued Li Mo most passionately, so he naturally sat down next to her.
"Li Mo, are you planning to go back to Peking University in the future?" He Feng poured her a cup of hot drink, his tone familiar. "Maybe we'll be alumni again in the future."
"Yes, this is our destination." Li Mo nodded, her voice calm. She had spent a year studying at Beichuan No. 11 Middle School because her parents were temporarily assigned to work abroad, before returning to Shanghai. Although her time there was short, her outstanding academic achievements and unique temperament left behind many legends, and she also forged good friendships with some people.
He Feng looked at her calm profile, hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time, half-jokingly: "So... now that you're in Yuehai, do you have a boyfriend? There must be quite a few people pursuing you there, right?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Luo Qingya, sitting opposite him, burst out laughing and bluntly exposed him: "Come on, He Feng, Li Mo only stayed at our No. 11 Middle School for a year. How long have you been thinking about her? Your intentions are obvious!"
He Feng felt a flush rise to his ears from what she said, and glared at Luo Qingya with some embarrassment, but he did not deny it. Instead, he looked at Li Mo with even more focus, his eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.
The gazes of the other people at the table also seemed to converge on this spot, filled with curiosity and inquiry.
Li Mo held the warm cup, feeling just the right amount of warmth on her fingertips.
She raised her eyes, her gaze calmly sweeping over He Feng, then looking at the other students at the table waiting for answers. Without any hesitation or embellishment, she spoke softly in a clear, factual tone:
"I don't have a boyfriend."
The light that briefly shone in He Feng's eyes quickly dimmed again as she spoke next.
“But,” Li Mo paused, as if confirming a fact, and then added with certainty, “she has a boy she likes.”
The air fell silent for a moment.
He Feng's smile froze for a moment, then turned into a helpless bitter smile and obvious regret. He touched his nose and shrugged nonchalantly: "Fine. As expected... someone beat me to it."
He raised his glass. "Well then, I wish you a bright future, and... I wish you all your dreams come true."
Li Mo also raised her glass and gently clinked it against his: "Thank you."
The gathering ended in a relaxed yet slightly melancholic atmosphere. Everyone took a group photo at the school gate. In the photo, Li Mo stood in the crowd, a faint, genuine smile on her lips.
After saying goodbye to her old friends, Li Mo dragged her suitcase alone and boarded a flight back to Yuehai.
The plane climbed, breaking through the thick clouds over Beichuan, and the sunlight outside the window was dazzling and pure. She leaned against the window, watching the city silhouette gradually shrink below, her heart filled with clarity.
-
The plane slowly landed over Guangdong, the air filled with the familiar, humid southern scent.
Li Mo didn't linger and went straight back to her family's barbecue restaurant.
As evening approached, before any customers arrived at the shop, Shen Peixian was wiping the tables and chairs when she saw her daughter return. Her face immediately lit up with a smile as she took her daughter's luggage.
"Momo's back? Beichuan must be freezing!" Shen Peixian held her daughter's hand, looking her up and down with heartache in her eyes. Then she changed the subject, her tone filled with undisguised praise and amusement, "Hey, you don't know, while you were away this winter break, that little boy named Liang Xinchong was our store's 'unofficial employee'."
Li Mo paused.
Shen Peixian continued to chatter, as if she had opened a floodgate: "He comes almost every day! I told him you wouldn't be back until the end of your winter break, but he still came without fail. Whenever he had free time, he would come over to help move things and greet guests. He's quite efficient. He just stays there, as if you might pop out of the kitchen at any moment." She shook her head with a smile, "He's a very diligent and cute young man."
Looking at the undisguised satisfaction on her mother's face, Li Mo was speechless.
Liang Xinchong... When did this kid manage to win over her mother so quietly?
She returned to her room and had just put her things down when her phone vibrated.
Liang Xinchong: You're back?!
The news came incredibly fast, as if he had been keeping track of the exact time.
Li Mo: Hmm.
Liang Xinchong: Wait for me a moment! I'll be at your house right away!
Li Mo: ? ? ? What are you doing at my house?
Liang Xinchong: I've been coming here every day these past few days, and Aunt Shen even treated me to their signature grilled chicken wings! [Proud little dog.jpg]
Li Mo stared at the screen, speechless for a moment.
Li Mo: ...When did you two become so close?
Liang Xinchong didn't reply to the question, but only sent a message:
Liang Xinchong: On the way.
Li Mo put down her phone, walked to the front hall, and couldn't help but ask her mother again, "Mom, Liang Xinchong, he..."
As Shen Peixian arranged the condiment bottles, she continued with a smile, "Xiao Chong is a really good kid. Despite his family's good financial situation, he has no airs at all, is hardworking, and has a pleasing way of speaking. You didn't see it, but before the New Year, when some drunk customers tried to renege on their bills, it was him who stood up for them..."
Just then, the bell at the shop entrance rang, and a familiar, tall figure entered, bringing with it the cool air from outside.
"Aunt Shen! I'm here!" Liang Xinchong's voice was clear and bright. He first greeted Shen Peixian familiarly, and then his gaze fell on Li Mo. His eyes instantly lit up as if they were filled with stars, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
He didn't even speak to Li Mo first. Instead, he put down his schoolbag with remarkable ease, rolled up his sleeves, and went to move the box of drinks in the corner. His movements were so fluid that it seemed as if he had done it a thousand times before.
Li Mo crossed her arms, watching him act as if he were half the owner of the house, completely at ease in his own home. She felt a ridiculous sense of "coming home," and finally couldn't help but speak:
"Liang Xinchong, what happened?"
Liang Xinchong put down the suitcase, walked up to her, and the smugness on his face faded, replaced by an expression that was a mixture of grievance and self-righteousness.
He leaned closer and lowered his voice, so that only the two of them could hear:
“I heard from Aunt Shen,” he paused, his eyes filled with obvious accusation and a sense of crisis, “that when you were studying at Beichuan No. 11 Middle School, there was a boy named Xiao Feng who pursued you quite a bit? And back in Shanghai, there were also Xiao Wei and Xiao Luo…”
He took a deep breath, as if he had been holding back resentment for a long time. "How could I not feel a strong sense of crisis? If I don't take action soon, my house will be robbed!"
Li Mo turned her head sharply to look at her mother, who was pretending to be busy but actually listening intently, and said in disbelief, "Mom! You told him all this?!"
Shen Peixian, holding a rag, smiled innocently and kindly, said nothing, and turned to hide in the kitchen, leaving the two young people alone.
Seeing Li Mo's embarrassed and annoyed expression, Liang Xinchong finally couldn't help but chuckle softly, his eyes flashing with a cunning and bright light.
After having a simple meal at Li Mo's house—during which Liang Xinchong behaved unusually well, eagerly taking care of the dishes and cleaning up, making Shen Peixian beam with joy—he mustered up the courage to extend an invitation to Li Mo:
"There's a new movie out recently, I heard it's pretty good," he said with anticipation in his eyes, "Want to go see it together?"
Li Mo was clearing away the dishes, not even looking up: "I'm not going."
□□ refused crisply. Liang Xinchong's shoulders slumped for a moment, but he quickly rallied, took out a beautifully packaged little box from his bag, and handed it over: "Okay... then, this is your New Year's gift."
Li Mo looked at the box, then at him. She hadn't expected him to come all this way, seemingly just to deliver this. She silently accepted it, her fingertips tracing the smooth wrapping paper, a slight stirring in a corner of her heart.
“…Never mind,” she suddenly said, putting down the box and turning to get her coat. “I’ll give you face.”
Liang Xinchong was stunned for a moment, then a huge joy welled up inside him, his eyes lit up instantly, and he hurriedly followed behind her.
In early 2009, there were quite a few movies showing in theaters. The two stood in front of the screening schedule for a while and finally chose Disney's "Bolt".
Li Mo hadn't known the plot beforehand; she only saw the name and the poster and assumed it was just an ordinary animated film.
Until the movie started, when the little dog Potter, who thought he had superpowers, embarked on an adventure to find his owner and stumbled along the gap between reality and the "script," Li Mo suddenly felt that it was a wonderful fate to encounter this movie with Liang Xinchong during this New Year.
If she were still at the age where she needed to write weekly journals, she could probably write a lengthy piece titled "Liang Xinchong and the Lightning Dog," or, to be more mischievous, "A Day with My Two Dogs." Thinking of this, a very faint smile involuntarily curved her lips.
The theater was dimly lit, with only the light and shadow of the screen moving around. The two sat side by side, each holding a bucket of popcorn.
As I watched, a couple in the front row seemed completely absorbed in their own world. Their heads gradually leaned together, and then... they kissed silently.
Li Mo caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye and immediately looked away somewhat awkwardly, pretending to be focused as she bent down to scoop out popcorn, her fingertips touching the side of the bucket and making a soft sound.
In this slightly awkward and ambiguous moment, she felt Liang Xinchong suddenly move closer to her.
His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a slight shiver down her spine. His voice, hushed low, mingled with the sweet smell of popcorn and background music from a movie, clearly penetrated her ears:
“Li Mo,” he said softly, but with an undeniable seriousness, “I like you.”
Li Mo was startled and turned her head sharply, meeting his eyes, which shone exceptionally bright in the darkness. Her heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously whispered in protest, "Why...why did you have to say these things at a time like this..."
Liang Xinchong's face was visibly flushed in the flickering light, but he looked at her stubbornly, his reason sounding somewhat childish yet inexplicably sincere: "The last time we talked about this was last year. Now it's a new year, and I'm afraid you've forgotten."
The surroundings were filled with the sound effects of the movie and the subtle noises of the couple in the front row who were engrossed in their own world; a kind of catalyzed restlessness permeated the air.
Looking at his face so close to hers, Li Mo saw his eyes brimming with undisguised anticipation and nervousness. She remained silent for a moment, as if making a decision, then suddenly spoke in an unusually calm tone:
"Then let's give it a try."
Now it was Liang Xinchong's turn to be surprised. He seemed not to have heard clearly, or perhaps he was stunned by the sudden agreement; his face flushed even more, his neck turning crimson, and he instinctively shrank back, stammering, "I...I'm not ready yet..."
Li Mo was so angry at his reaction that she almost laughed. She glanced at him speechlessly and said, "Liang Xinchong, you invited me out to see a movie, and then you say these things to me in this kind of atmosphere. Isn't it obvious what your intentions are? I haven't even said 'I'm not ready yet,' so what are you being so coy about?"
Caught off guard by her blunt revelation, Liang Xinchong opened his mouth in the darkness but couldn't utter a single word, feeling his face burning intensely.
Seeing his cowardly appearance, Li Mo deliberately turned her head to look at the screen and said in a nonchalant tone, "Fine, I take back what I just said."
"No!" Liang Xinchong panicked and forgot about being shy. He hurriedly reached out, paused in mid-air, and then, as if gathering all his courage, carefully and firmly grasped her hand on the armrest.
The moment their fingertips touched, they both felt as if they had been struck by a weak electric current, and they trembled simultaneously.
His palms were slightly damp but very hot. He clumsily but stubbornly slipped between her fingers, eventually forming a tight interlocking shape.
The rapid heartbeats of the other person could be heard through clasped hands, thump thump thump, indistinguishable from one another, pounding against each other's eardrums amidst the noise of the movie theater.
After a long silence, Liang Xinchong pointed to his flushed face with his other finger, his voice muffled, carrying a hint of grievance and immense anticipation: "I just... I've never heard you say you like me."
Li Mo felt the undeniable heat and force emanating from her hand and paused for several seconds.
On the screen, the little dog Potter is making a leap for someone important to him.
She took a slight breath, her gaze still fixed ahead, her voice soft yet clear, carrying an unprecedented solemnity:
"Liang Xinchong, I like you."
After they finished speaking, the two of them remained strangely silent for a while.
I couldn't hear the movie or other people's voices in the theater anymore; I could only hear the other person's voice and my own.
Liang Xinchong: "Um... I'm a little nervous."
"Me too."
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