Chapter 28
Life in the ancient town flowed by peacefully, and Lin Xiaotang's mind gradually calmed down under the care of her parents and in the misty Jiangnan air. That day, she was helping her mother shell edamame beans by the window facing the river when a slightly abrupt but powerful motorcycle engine sounded from afar and finally stopped in front of her family's shop on the street.
"Uncle Lin, Auntie! I heard Xiaotang is back?" A loud voice, tinged with a hearty laugh, rang out.
Lin Xiaotang looked up at the sound and saw a tall figure getting off a motorcycle and deftly removing his helmet through the window. The man was wearing simple work pants and a slightly oily T-shirt, with healthy dark skin, short hair, and an undisguised bright smile that revealed a set of white teeth. He exuded a sunny and reliable aura.
It's Xie Junhao.
Their old neighbor was also her childhood friend and classmate, whom she had played with since they were toddlers. Everyone on the old street knew that Xie's son had always had eyes for Lin Xiaotang, but unfortunately, his feelings were unrequited; Lin Xiaotang had always only considered him her best "buddy."
"Oh, Junhao's here!" Lin's mother greeted with a smile. "Yes, Tangtang's back. She'll be staying for a while!"
Xie Junhao spotted Lin Xiaotang behind the window at a glance. His eyes lit up instantly, and he strode over, leaned on the windowsill, and grinned from ear to ear: "Hey! Lin Xiaotang! It really is you! When did you get back? You didn't even say anything! That's so inconsiderate!"
Looking at the familiar yet mature smiling face before her, Lin Xiaotang's heart, which had been dormant for many days, was stirred by a small pebble, creating ripples. She smiled and said, "You've only been back a few days. Why are you still so boisterous?"
"I'm so happy!" Xie Junhao made no attempt to hide his joy, looking her up and down. "Why do you look thinner? Is life in the city tough? It's good to be back! It's good to be back! We have everything here! Hey, are you alright now? Come on, I'll show you around! I'm the famous 'Master Xie' in town now, I can handle any kind of vehicle!"
It turned out that Xie Junhao didn't go to university or work like most of his classmates. Instead, he learned auto repair and opened a repair shop at the entrance of town. He was skilled and honest, and his business was quite good. That somewhat old-looking BMW motorcycle was his prized ride.
From that day on, Xie Junhao would go to the Lin family's house almost whenever he had a spare moment. He wished he could ride his cool second-hand BMW motorcycle and wait at the entrance of the Lin family's alley every day.
"Xiaotang! Come on, there's a market on the other side of the river today, it's so lively!"
"Xiaotang! Fatty Wang's family just caught some fish. Want to go for a barbecue tonight? I've already made plans!"
"Xiaotang! I found a place where the sunset is especially beautiful, I'll take you there!"
He not only came by himself, but he also always managed to bring along a group of old classmates he used to play with when he was a child. As a result, Lin Xiaotang's life seemed to be pulled back to her carefree childhood.
A large group of them rode motorcycles, whizzing along the riverside road, the wind singing freely in their ears; they had a noisy dinner at a night market, eating barbecue and drinking beer, reminiscing about embarrassing things from their school days, laughing so hard they almost fell over; they climbed the small hill behind the town, shouting loudly at the empty valley from the top...
Xie Junhao was always the most active and caring one in the group. He would carefully remove the bones from her grilled fish, prepare a softer and more comfortable helmet on the back of his motorcycle, and cleverly steer the conversation away when she was slightly distracted by her classmates' jokes.
Under his guidance, and surrounded by the pure and lively company of her childhood friends, Lin Xiaotang finally regained a genuine smile. Those heavy, painful memories of the city seemed to be temporarily dispelled by the breeze of the ancient town, the laughter of her friends, and the roar of motorcycle engines.
She temporarily escaped that deep depression and self-doubt, as if she had transformed back into the small-town girl who ran and laughed on the cobblestone streets.
Xie Junhao watched her gradually brighten her smile, his eyes shining brighter and brighter, his feelings, hidden for so many years, almost overflowing. Lin Xiaotang, however, was immersed in this long-lost ease and joy, seemingly unaware, or perhaps subconsciously unwilling to delve into it.
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