Chapter 45 Extra: I Love You
Three days after Christmas, Xia Li received a postcard that had traveled across the ocean. The Californian coastline sunlight shone like gold on the blue edges of the letter.
She swiped her thumb and saw the messy, slightly curled English handwriting: Wish you could see the sunset here. For New Year!
Xia Li paused for a few seconds. There was a smiley face stamp on the back of the envelope, with a postmark of "IRVINE, CA".
Irvine.
Mandy is such a vibrant girl. Attached to the letter was a selfie of her making a funny face, with unopened photography equipment piled up in the background.
Since the last glacier trip, Xia Li has kept in touch with Mandy occasionally. Mandy shares details of her daily life with Shi Shi. She mentions that Shi Shi will be studying in the United States next year, and that her parents, impressed by her, made an exception and helped her open a small photography shop in Irvine.
"I'm going to hold a photography exhibition before New Year's Eve. Xia Li, the photos you took of me and Shishi last time definitely need to be displayed in the most prominent position. Also, I heard that Spectr..."
“The um Center has an amazing fireworks show, accept my invitation! I’m waiting for you!” Mandy said.
Xia Li seemed to see the girl's warm smile.
How could she bear to refuse? That very night, she lay in bed checking out plane tickets.
Los Angeles time is 16 hours behind Beijing time. If they take a flight to Los Angeles on December 30, it means they will see two sunrises on the same day upon arrival.
What are you busy with?
Xia Li turned her head and was met with Ji Ling's face, which was very close to hers.
He was half-propped up, his hair a little messy, and his cool, dark green eyes held an indescribable complex expression—inquiry, accusation, dissatisfaction—too many emotions were written on his face.
"What's wrong?" Xia Li didn't think anything was wrong. She was looking at plane tickets, which was a very normal thing. Ji Ling's expression made it seem like she had done something wrong.
What is it that makes you so focused?
"Check the plane tickets."
"Going out?" Ji Ling's eyes darkened. "Last time I found an extra postcard at home, who sent it?"
Xia Li paused for a second after hearing this, then couldn't help but laugh out loud. She reached out and tidied Ji Ling's forehead with her fingers, revealing his beautiful eyes. She gazed at him affectionately and said earnestly, "Mandy, what are you thinking about? She invited us to Irvine for New Year's Eve this year."
"us?"
“Yes, didn’t you see the letter under the postcard? It says ‘you two,’ and you’re on the invitation list too.”
Ji Ling nodded, put his arm around her waist, snuggled into the blankets, and didn't ask any more questions.
Xia Li was about to search for flight information again when Ji Ling suddenly snatched her phone, grabbed her knuckles, and kissed them. "Leave the ticket issue to me. We should do something else now."
"What are you doing?" Xia Li teased him.
Ji Ling pressed his body closer, stood up and gently bit her lower lip, kissing her tenderly for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice, "You know perfectly well why I'm asking."
Two days later, as the departure date approached, Ji Ling bought a plane ticket to the United States.
Coincidentally, without Xia Li even mentioning it, they both thought of the two sunrises.
The first time was when the plane had just crossed the Pacific Ocean; the light on the horizon was like the dyed sea surface, dazzling yet fleeting.
The second time was when they landed in Los Angeles. Time had returned to morning, and the sun was shining brightly.
Xia Li sighed, "Jet difference is the most romantic thing in the world; you can experience a day all over again."
Ji Ling responded, "That's because of your presence. Without you, no matter how beautiful a place is, it would be wasted."
Xia Li turned her head, her eyes full of surprise: "You signed up for the course?"
Ji Ling was confused: "What do you mean?"
"How come you've suddenly become so good at sweet talk?"
"Because of you..."
When he asked for a kiss, Xia Li covered his lips and refused firmly, "No. This is a public place."
But Ji Ling didn't care; there was no reason why he couldn't get what he wanted.
After landing, they rented a car and drove south towards Irvine. It was about an hour's drive. Along the highway were large orange farms, and the air was almost filled with the aroma of fruit.
The streets of Irvine are exceptionally clean and tidy, with low-rise houses, rows of palm trees, and the tranquil air of a college town. Unlike the bustling impression of California, here, white walls and orange tiles are complemented by people jogging and walking their dogs everywhere, creating a remarkably peaceful atmosphere.
Mandy's shop is located next to Parkview Center, in an inconspicuous little corner. The door is a white wooden-framed glass window, and there are several potted succulents outside.
"You've finally arrived!"
Mandy came out of the house to greet her with a bright smile. Her shop wasn't big, and in the most conspicuous place in the middle of the wall, as she said, hung a photo of her and Shishi taken by Xia Li.
"Thank you for your hard work, it's been over ten hours on the plane."
"It's no trouble at all," Xia Li replied, then asked Mandy, "Is your exhibition tonight? Do you need our help?"
“No need, actually it’s tomorrow night,” Mandy laughed. “Tonight I’m planning to take you all to Laguna Beach to watch the sunset.”
Actually, watching the sunset was more about Mandy inviting them to take photos.
The moment the camera shutter clicked, Xia Li suddenly understood a sentence in the postcard Mandy had sent: "The sunsets are different here."
The schedule is meticulously planned; they experience two sunrises and two sunsets here.
On December 31, the day before New Year's Eve, the whole city was filled with a festive atmosphere. String lights hung outside the cafes in University Town Center, and occasionally groups of students would come out, wearing long sleeves and shorts, drinking cold drinks, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted almonds and caramel.
Mandy's shop has been transformed into a small exhibition space, with the walls covered with photos taken during their travels. The orange light shining on the photo frames creates a warm and soft ambiance.
In the evening, they drove together to the Spectrum Center, where lights illuminated the entire street, the giant Ferris wheel was a landmark, a street band was playing "A Thousand Years," and children were holding cotton candy.
Xia Li was pushed forward by the crowd. Ji Ling reached out to protect her from behind. When she turned around, his hand was firmly holding her wrist, and he moved down to her knuckles, their fingertips intertwining.
The Ferris wheel rotated in the night, and the lights gradually came on.
Finally, they leaned against the railing and watched the Ferris wheel go higher.
When Mandy started the countdown, the whole city could hear the chants.
The light reflected in Xia Li's eyes, and she turned to Mandy, saying, "That creates such a wonderful atmosphere."
"Of course! But I've remembered something more important than the countdown."
"What's up?"
"We should wish that the fireworks show wouldn't be late. At this time last year, everyone around us kept saying there would be fireworks here, but we waited all night and all we saw was complete darkness..."
Mandy was about to continue complaining when her phone rang at an inopportune moment. "It's Shishi. She's back in Beijing with her parents."
“There are five minutes left until the new year. It's probably afternoon in Beijing. Maybe she wants to ring in the new year again, this time with you,” Xia Li replied with a smile, turning to look at Ji Ling. The crowd around them was already chanting ten, nine, eight…
The countdown has begun.
Amidst the surging crowd, Ji Ling held her tightly in his arms. The warmth emanating from his broad chest made Xia Li feel a little dazed. In this year, they had experienced too many separations and misunderstandings, only to meet again in the most unlikely place.
Three, two, one!
Happy New Year!
The entire stadium erupted in a huge cheer.
"Happy New Year," she said.
"Hmm," he replied.
"At least reply to me!" Xia Li complained.
"Return to what?"
"Of course, Happy New Year."
Ji Ling silently watched her for a moment, the light from the Ferris wheel reflecting in her eyes.
Suddenly, as if possessed, he reached out and cupped her face in one hand, while his other exaggeratedly large hand gripped her neck. He leaned down and gently kissed her, their lips and teeth touching, the only sound being their breathing.
He replied, "I love you."
"The author has written a short skit, which can be read as a bonus chapter."
-----------------------
Author's note: Since we're talking about Christmas, here's a quick short skit that you can read as a bonus chapter.
The timeline is eight years ago and eight years later.
This Christmas, like every year, was bland and uninteresting.
The entire school's teachers and students gathered together and sat in the auditorium, listening to the school leaders' long-winded speeches with great boredom. If she had this time, she would have preferred to go to the study room to work on a few sets of past exam questions. Finally, after the principal finished speaking, the activity of drawing lots to exchange gifts began on the outdoor lawn, which was no different from previous years.
Xia Li was stunned for a few seconds after she saw the name on the signature.
The difference is huge.
The students around her were excitedly discussing who they had drawn, and laughter rose and fell, but Xia Li's heart suddenly tightened.
It had to be him.
She sighed, her fingertips folding the small slip of paper into a thin strip. She wanted to throw it away, but...
It feels pretentious. I want to hide it, but I'm afraid someone will see through my act.
Ji Ling stood at the other end of the crowd, her scarf loosely hanging around her neck, talking to a junior from her club. Through the crowd, she couldn't see his expression, but she could recognize those familiar eyes, clear and clean, like spring water.
"Xia Li, who did you draw?" A classmate next to her asked.
“In the same grade,” she replied casually.
The gift exchange is scheduled to take place after the second event in the evening.
Xia Li returned to the storage cabinet and took out the gift she had prepared beforehand from the bottom shelf.
A fountain pen.
I originally thought it would be suitable to give it to anyone, but now that the recipient is Ji Ling, it feels unsettlingly appropriate.
Before long, everyone began excitedly searching for their "gift recipients." Xia Li stood at the edge of the crowd, holding the exquisitely wrapped gift box, hesitating whether to wait until there were fewer people before going over.
Just then, Ji Ling appeared out from behind her, turned around, and his gaze fell directly on her.
In a split second, he pursed his lips and walked over first.
"You drew my name?" His tone was emotionless as he looked at the gift in her hand.
Xia Li lowered her eyes and nodded.
“That’s perfect.” Ji Ling paused, then took out a similar gift box of the same size. “I got yours too.”
Xia Li was stunned. "...What?"
He handed the box to her. Xia Li took the gift, and her heart skipped a beat the moment her fingertips touched it.
The noise of the crowd receded into the distance, and they saw only each other on Christmas Eve when they were seventeen.
Years later, one night, Xia Li jokingly brought up the events of that year with Ji Ling.
“You may have forgotten,” she said with a smile as she sat down on the sofa next to him, “it was many years ago, after all.”
Ji Ling pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her forehead. "How could I forget?"
The past events are still vivid in my mind, leaving a particularly deep impression.
"Really?" Xia Li looked up at him, her eyes filled with disbelief. "You didn't just say that to comfort me, did you?"
"No."
Xia Li smiled and reached out to touch his hair, saying with a smile, "I felt a little embarrassed at the time, but looking at it now, I was really lucky. How come I just happened to draw you and you drew me?"
As Ji Ling listened, a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Actually..."
Xia Li asked curiously, "Actually what?"
Ji Ling paused, then suddenly looked up, her tone slightly amused, "Actually, it wasn't just good luck."
"Huh?" Xia Li was taken aback.
Ji Ling reached into his pocket, took out a small dark blue velvet box, and handed it to her palm, just like he had done years ago.
“That year, I asked the senior student in charge of the event to change the signature.” He spoke casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter. “It took several attempts to finally get your name on the signature.”
"I was afraid you wouldn't get my gift, so I thought I'd secretly switch it out so you could receive it."
As he finished speaking, he pushed open the box, revealing a ring inside.
"Xia Li, thank you."
Thank you for accepting my gift when I was seventeen.
Thank you for coming to me when my name was drawn.
Thank you for not turning away from my clumsiness.
Thank you for listening to my honest confession of my naive and infatuated past.
"Thank you... for being willing to let me be the only person you choose to exchange gifts with for every Christmas from now on, and for all the ordinary or extraordinary days of your life."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
