Li Mo
Despite saying that, Li Mo was still worried for a few days.
However, it seems that Lao Yuan has no intention of talking to them.
Gradually, Li Mo put the matter out of her mind.
The last monthly exam of the second semester of senior year finally ended in a state of near-numb exhaustion.
The moment I handed in the paper, even my breathing seemed to become a little lighter.
Liang Xinchong pushed the mountain bike and accurately found Li Mo in the crowd at the school gate.
His eyes sparkled, carrying the unique relaxation after the exam and a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.
“Li Mo,” he said, patting the back of the bicycle with one foot on the ground, “get on.”
Li Mo looked at him: "Where are you going?"
"It's spring, the flowers in the park are all in bloom," he said in a light, almost coaxing tone. "Would you like to come with me to see them?"
Li Mo looked up at the azure sky, the air filled with the moist, warm scent unique to spring in the south. She paused for a few seconds, then nodded: "Okay."
She sat sideways on the back of his bicycle, gently holding the fabric of his shirt at his waist, and asked him, "Why did you suddenly want to see flowers?"
"It's not that I necessarily want to see flowers, I just want to be with you, doing anything is fine."
"Um?"
"Waste some time with me at the park."
"Okay, Liang Xinchong, I sacrificed my homework time to come out and keep you company."
He suddenly accelerated.
Li Mo naturally wrapped her arms around his waist.
Liang Xinchong smiled broadly, pushed off with his foot, and the car smoothly merged into the traffic.
The wind brushed against my cheek, carrying the scent of sunshine and fresh grass.
Temporarily setting aside the exam paper, scores, and countdown, this feeling is both unfamiliar and intoxicating.
Just as he had said, the park was a riot of color. Pink and white cherry blossoms were in full bloom, tree after tree like rosy clouds; crimson bougainvillea climbed the walls with fervor; and there were all sorts of other flowers whose names he didn't know, crowding together and splashing out a rich and vibrant spring atmosphere.
They had no destination; they simply pushed their carts and walked slowly along the winding path.
Their shoulders brushed against each other from time to time. At first, it was just a light touch, but later, Liang Xinchong's hand quietly slid down and tentatively hooked her fingers.
Li Mo's fingers twitched slightly, but she didn't break free.
He then took advantage of the situation and completely enveloped her hand in his palm.
The boy's palms were warm and dry, brimming with the energy unique to exercise, and he held her hand tightly.
The two of them walked hand in hand, aimlessly strolling in the warm spring sunshine.
Watch the willows by the lake sprout tender buds, watch children chase bubbles, and watch elderly people walk hand in hand.
I don't want to think about anything, and I'm not in a hurry to do anything.
For high school seniors who are racing against time, this pure "waste of time" carries an almost luxurious kind of romance.
Walking to a slightly secluded lawn, Liang Xinchong let go of her hand, squatted down, and carefully selected a few long, fuzzy foxtail grasses from the grass.
He sat on the grass, head down, his fingers clumsy yet unusually focused as he began to weave.
Li Mo stood beside him, looking down at his serious profile, sunlight dancing on his soft hair.
After a while, he looked up and held a crooked "ring" made of foxtail grass in his hand; the fluffy grass tufts resembled a simple promise.
"Give me your hand." His voice was low, with a hint of barely perceptible tension.
Li Mo looked at him and slowly extended her left hand.
Liang Xinchong carefully slipped the green "ring" that smelled of grass onto her slender ring finger.
The size wasn't quite right; it was loose and baggy, but his expression was unusually serious.
He held her hand tightly, looking up at her with eyes as clear and bright as if washed by spring water.
“Li Mo,” he called her name, his voice soft, yet it struck her heart like a vow, “Make do with this for now.” He paused, his ears turning slightly red, but his eyes were incredibly firm. “Later… I will definitely get you a real one, and you can wear it.”
A spring breeze blew by, and the ring made of foxtail grass swayed gently on her finger, the downy hairs scratching her skin and bringing a slightly itchy sensation.
The warm sunlight shone on the two of them, surrounded by vibrant life and a noisy silence.
Looking at the childish yet sincere "ring" on her finger, and then at the boy's eyes filled with spring and her own, Li Mo felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
She didn't criticize his childishness, even though it was indeed a childish gesture in her eyes. She simply curled her fingers slightly, as if she were holding the whole spring and a naive yet passionate promise about the future.
"Then I'll wait for you." She decided to play along with his childishness.
With the college entrance exam approaching, time always flies by.
The excitement and sweat of the spring sports meet seem like yesterday, but the countdown numbers in the upper right corner of the blackboard have silently jumped to "100".
The banner for the 100-day countdown rally was hung above the stage on the playground, with red background and white characters, solemn and eye-catching.
The air was filled with a tense and intense atmosphere, different from the carnival atmosphere of the sports meet; it was the unique smell of gunpowder from the battlefield of youth.
Class Two was assigned to the front section of the venue.
As the class representative, Li Mo held a large bouquet of carefully selected sunflowers and champagne roses, sitting quietly in the line, waiting for the moment to go on stage to present flowers to the teachers. The sunlight was a little dazzling, and she squinted slightly, feeling a little nervous.
Just then, a slight commotion arose nearby.
She turned her head and saw Liang Xinchong crouching down, slipping over from the side of the class line, holding a rather professional-looking SLR camera in his hand.
“How come you…” Li Mo looked at him in surprise, and at the brand new camera in his hand.
"Shh—" Liang Xinchong squatted down in the empty space next to her, waving his camera triumphantly, "Just arrived, what do you think?"
"You bought it? Why did you suddenly buy a camera?" Li Mo remembered that he had always taken pictures with his mobile phone before.
Liang Xinchong touched his nose, his eyes darting around, and said matter-of-factly, "Yeah, I thought it would be fun, so I bought it. Maybe I can take pictures with you in the future."
"Don't move," Liang Xinchong suddenly raised his camera, pointing the lens at her, "First time in real combat, let's test the machine."
Li Mo instinctively tried to dodge, still holding the bouquet in her arms: "Don't take pictures, I must look really silly right now."
“How could that be?” Liang Xinchong looked at her through the viewfinder. In the sunlight, the girl frowned slightly, the blooming sunflowers in her arms reflecting on her clean face. Behind her were a bustling group of classmates wearing the same school uniforms, and in the background was a red banner for the oath-taking ceremony, forming an incredibly vivid picture of youth.
He quickly pressed the shutter button, and clicked. "It looks really good," he said, looking down at the screen with certainty.
Li Mo leaned closer to look. In the photo, she had a hint of unexpected shyness, but her eyes were clear. The flowers in her arms and the scene behind her did indeed create an indescribable atmosphere.
"Not bad, right?" Liang Xinchong turned the screen towards her as if to take credit.
Before Li Mo could comment, the host's voice came over the loudspeaker: "Representatives from each class, please assemble in front of the stage!"
Li Mo quickly stood up and straightened her school uniform and bouquet.
"Go quickly," Liang Xinchong also stood up, looked at her with bright eyes, and spoke in a rare serious tone with encouragement, "Li Mo, good luck."
Li Mo nodded, holding the bouquet, and turned to join the group of delegates heading to the podium.
Liang Xinchong stood there, watching her back, then raised his new camera and aimed it at the girl in her school uniform, holding a bouquet of flowers, walking in the sunlight, and gently pressed the shutter.
He moved the camera up slightly, and in the picture was the girl's back as she walked towards the podium, and above the podium was a huge banner that symbolized the "100-Day Countdown Rally".
The sun was shining brightly that day, and the wind was gentle.
The vows are solemn and resounding, while some silent promises and companionships take root quietly in the click of the shutter and the throbbing in the heart, moving towards an unknown yet hopeful future together with this hundred-day countdown.
After the flower presentation ceremony, the representatives stepped down from the stage one by one.
As Li Mo stepped back onto the classroom area, she immediately saw Liang Xinchong still standing there, the camera still hanging around his neck. He was looking down at the screen with a smile on his lips.
Upon seeing her return, he immediately looked up, his eyes shining as he greeted her: "Our Representative Li has returned in triumph!"
"What triumph? It's just sending flowers." Li Mo was amused by him.
“That’s different,” Liang Xinchong shook his head seriously, then shook the camera. “The background of that group photo was a bit messy. The lighting is perfect now, shall we take another one? A more serious one, to commemorate this historic hundred days.” His eyes were expectant, with a hint of earnestness that left no room for refusal.
Looking at him like that, Li Mo felt a pang of tenderness in her heart and nodded, "Okay."
This time, Liang Xinchong asked the class monitor for help.
The two stood still, with the slightly empty playground and the still-hanging red banner in the background after the rally, carrying a sense of tranquility after the ceremony.
"Stand closer!" the squad leader commanded, holding up his camera. Liang Xinchong readily complied, immediately taking a step closer to Li Mo and gently touching her arm to his.
The friction of the school uniform fabric creates a subtle tactile sensation.
“Okay, look at the camera—” Li Mo turned her head slightly to look at the camera, feeling the steady and warm aura of the boy beside her.
Just as the squad leader pressed the shutter, Liang Xinchong couldn't help but turn his head slightly to look at her.
"Click!" The photo freezes—a boy and a girl in matching blue and white school uniforms stand side by side, with a vast playground and a bright red banner behind them. The girl's smile is gentle, her eyes bright; the boy turns his head to look at her, his gaze focused, the upward curve of his lips radiating boundless vitality and a hint of unconcealed tenderness. The sunlight gilds them with a soft golden edge, as if sealing this moment of youth forever.
Liang Xinchong ran over to examine the photos and nodded in satisfaction: "This one is good, this one is especially good."
Li Mo also went over to look. The two in the picture looked so natural and in sync, as if they were meant to stand side by side.
Just as Liang Xinchong and Li Mo were looking down at the group photo they had just taken on their camera, their smiles overflowing from their eyes, Tian Naiyan was walking past the side of the stage with several other girls.
Her gaze, as if possessing its own will, easily spotted the person in the white sports T-shirt in the crowd.
A tall, upright young man. He was slightly hunched over, a black camera strap hanging around his neck, and he was smiling unreservedly at the girl beside him, a smile even more dazzling than the sunlight at that moment.
Tian Naiyan subconsciously slowed her pace.
She saw Liang Xinchong pointing at the camera screen and saying something to Li Mo. Li Mo also turned her head slightly to look, a faint, gentle smile curving her lips.
They stood so close, arms touching, forming their own little world, where all the surrounding noise seemed to fade into the background noise.
At that moment, it felt like something had suddenly twisted my heart, and a sour feeling quickly spread, rising into my nasal cavity and making me feel a little congested.
She always knew who Liang Xinchong's gaze always followed.
His exuberant running towards Li Mo at the high jump stadium during the sports meet, his casual conversations with her during breaks, and now, the focused yet gentle look in his eyes when he looks at her... all these are completely different from his cheerful and polite demeanor towards other girls.
"Naiyan, let's go!" the girl with her called back.
Tian Naiyan snapped back to reality and hurriedly replied, "Oh, I'm coming." She forced herself to look away from the jarring yet harmonious scene and quickly caught up with her companion.
But in the instant she turned around, the smile she tried so hard to maintain was still somewhat forced. The secret, unspoken expectation in her heart, like a bubble that had been gently popped, shattered silently, leaving only a slightly cool dampness.
The thrill of youth isn't just about the unbridled joy of declaring "no regrets" under the sun; it also includes the quiet, solitary bittersweetness.
She took a deep breath, blended into the surging crowd, and quietly buried that budding, hopeless feeling in her heart today.
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