Graduation trip
Life after moving in together was filled with many sweet little moments. They would leave home together in the morning, he going to work and she going to class, and meet at the farmers market downstairs in the evening to discuss what to eat for dinner; he would remember that she didn't eat cilantro and would always remind the vendor when buying groceries; she would put the soup bowl in a thermal cover and leave a light on in the entryway when he came home late; on weekends, they would snuggle on the sofa to watch movies, and he would put her feet on his lap, wrap them in a blanket, and say, "A girl's feet shouldn't be cold."
Of course, there are also minor frictions. For example, Qi Sheng always puts too much salt in his cooking, and Luo Yan always piles up her socks when she washes them. The two occasionally bicker over trivial things like "who washes the dishes," but it always ends with him laughing and saying, "I'll wash them, since you're my girlfriend."
Time slipped away quietly in this routine, and before we knew it, it was time to graduate from our undergraduate program.
On graduation day, the weather was exceptionally clear, a blue as transparent as glass. Luo Yan, wearing her graduation gown, took photos with Zhang Qi and the others on campus, their faces aching from smiling so much. Qi Sheng took a day off, running around with his camera, capturing every single moment of her life.
“Look at this one,” he said, handing her the camera. In the photo, she was making a face at the camera, her graduation cap askew. “It’s so cute.”
Luo Yan snatched the camera and hid it, her cheeks burning: "Don't take ugly pictures of me!"
The graduation dinner lasted until very late. In the karaoke room, Zhang Qi held the microphone and sang "Later." When she sang the line "Some people are gone once they're missed," she cried harder than anyone else. The class monitor raised his glass and said, "I wish everyone a bright future. We can't lose any of us." Luo Yan, after being forced to drink two glasses of beer, felt dizzy and leaned on Qi Sheng's shoulder. Listening to the noise around her, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
So graduation really is coming. It's time to say goodbye to this campus I've spent four years on, goodbye to Zhang Qi who slept in the bed across from mine, and goodbye to those carefree days.
"Are you tired?" Qi Sheng lowered his head, his voice gentle. "Let's go."
Luo Yan nodded, and with his help, she stood up and said goodbye to everyone. As they left the KTV, a cool evening breeze blew by, and she sobered up considerably. Qi Sheng took her hand and they walked slowly home, the streetlights casting long shadows of the two of them.
"Happy graduation, Luo Yan." He suddenly stopped and looked at her seriously. "Congratulations on officially entering a new stage of your life."
“You too,” Luo Yan said with a smile, “Coach Qi.”
Back home, Qi Sheng poured her a glass of warm water and then ran a hot bath in the bathroom: "Take a bath to relax."
Luo Yan sat in the bathtub, watching the rose petals floating on the water—Qi Sheng had specially bought them, saying, "Graduation should have a sense of ceremony." The warm water washed over her shoulders, carrying a faint floral fragrance, softening the fatigue of the past few days.
When she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel, she saw Qi Sheng sitting on the sofa with his back straight, holding a book in his hand, but he was obviously not reading it. The tips of his ears were so red that they looked like they were about to bleed.
"What's wrong?" Luo Yan walked over and sat down next to him.
"It's nothing," he put down his book, his eyes slightly evasive. "Is the water cold? Should I add some more hot water?"
"No need." Luo Yan looked at his nervous expression and suddenly felt a little amused, yet also a little sorry for him. She knew what he was thinking; they were both carefully protecting this thin veil of secrecy, as if cherishing a fragile treasure.
The room was quiet, save for the cicadas chirping outside the window and their breathing. Suddenly, Luo Yan reached out and gently took his hand. His palms were sweaty and trembling slightly.
“Qi Sheng,” she looked up to meet his gaze, her voice soft yet clear, “I’m ready.”
Qi Sheng's pupils contracted sharply, as if burned, but he didn't let go of her hand. He looked into her eyes, where his own reflection was etched, a mixture of panic and certainty. "Have you thought it through?"
"Mmm." Luo Yan nodded, her cheeks burning, but she didn't look away.
Qi Sheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. His movements were light, tentative, as if he were afraid of breaking a rare treasure. Luo Yan leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, like a drumbeat, gradually merging with her own.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, lightly, with a slight tremor. Then his lips touched her nose, her cheek, and finally her lips. His kiss was awkward, a little bewildered, like a child receiving candy for the first time, cautiously savoring its sweetness.
Luo Yan closed her eyes and gently responded to him. Someone turned off the living room lights, leaving only the moonlight streaming in through the window, casting a silvery glow on the floor. Their breathing gradually quickened, like the increasingly urgent chirping of cicadas in summer, carrying a mixture of eager anticipation and tender care.
When he picked her up, his steps were still a little unsteady, and he almost bumped into the door frame, which made them both laugh. The laughter dispelled the last bit of tension, leaving only an unspoken tenderness.
The air conditioner in the bedroom was on full blast, and the blankets smelled of sunshine. His hand gently stroked her hair, his movements as tender as if handling fragile porcelain. The earnestness and tenderness in his eyes were more touching than any sweet words.
As night deepened, the cicadas outside the window fell silent, leaving only their clear breathing, like a gentle lullaby. Luo Yan leaned against Qi Sheng's chest, listening to his gradually steady heartbeat, her fingers lightly tracing his chest, where she felt the familiar warmth and strength.
"Qi Sheng," she said softly, "will we always be like this?"
"Yes, I will." He tightened his arms, holding her even closer, his voice tinged with weariness but unwavering determination, "Always like this."
Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling on their clasped hands like scattered diamonds. Luo Yan closed her eyes, a contented smile on her lips, and drifted off to sleep in his warm embrace.
The moonlight hadn't faded completely when Luo Yan woke up in Qi Sheng's arms. Pale golden morning light was already filtering through the gaps in the curtains. He was still asleep, his eyelashes casting dappled shadows under his eyelids, his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, as if afraid the morning light would steal her away.
Luo Yan stirred slightly, trying to pull her numb hand away, but he groggily tightened his arm and mumbled, "Sleep a little longer."
She couldn't help but smile, her fingertips gently tracing his jawline. The warmth of their kiss from the previous night still lingered there. A few crisp birdsongs drifted in from outside the window, mingling with the aroma of soy milk wafting from the breakfast stall downstairs, making the morning air exceptionally vibrant.
When Qi Sheng was fully awake, Luo Yan had already cooked porridge and was frying eggs in the kitchen. He walked over and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, his voice still hoarse from just waking up: "Happy graduation, girlfriend."
“It’s well past midnight,” Luo Yan turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. “Go wash up, the porridge is getting cold.”
During breakfast, Qi Sheng suddenly took out his phone, opened a travel guide, and pushed it in front of Luo Yan: "The sports school won't start summer training preparations until the week after next. I applied for five days off. Let's go to Linhu Town for a few days? Consider it a graduation trip."
Luo Yan looked at the photos in the travel guide—a cobblestone path winding around the lake, with an old street lined with red lanterns along the shore: "When did you prepare for this?"
“I thought about it the day after my defense,” he said, placing a soft-boiled egg on her plate. “I know you like quiet places. There are fewer people in Linhu Town, and we can take a boat to see the lake view. We’ll go eat lake fish noodles tonight.”
She looked down at the soft-boiled egg in the bowl, her heart feeling warm and cozy, as if it had been bathed in lukewarm water. This person, who always expressed herself through actions rather than words, always managed to make life sweet without her even realizing it.
The day before departure, when Luo Yan was packing her luggage, she found that Qi Sheng had secretly stuffed a jacket into her suitcase: "Linhu Town is by the lake, and it's windy at night, so don't catch a cold." In his own backpack, besides a change of clothes, he also packed her usual motion sickness medicine, band-aids, and even a novel, "so you can read it when you're bored on the road."
On the subway to Linhu Town, Luo Yan leaned on Qi Sheng's shoulder, admiring the scenery. The subway traversed the boundary between the city and the suburbs, its windows flashing past rows of residential buildings, clothes drying on balconies like colorful flags; after passing the elevated section, one could see the green belt beside the railway, foxtail grass swaying in the wind, and in the distance, at the edge of the farmland, egrets occasionally took flight from the ridges, their wings brushing against the rice ears, exuding a sense of freedom even through the glass.
He held her hand, his fingertips gently tracing her palm, as if typing a silent code. "Take a nap if you're sleepy," he whispered. "I'll wake you when we get there."
She nodded, closed her eyes, and the faint minty scent emanating from him lingered around her nose, mingling with the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the subway window, making her sleep exceptionally soundly.
Linhu Town is even gentler than in the photos. The guesthouse they stayed in was by the lake, and they could see the reeds right outside the window. When the wind blew, the reeds swayed like snowflakes. The landlady was a kind auntie who smiled and said when she saw them, "Young couples should come here. Our lake view is perfect for romance."
After putting down their luggage, Qi Sheng took Luo Yan to the morning market. The cobblestone street was lined with stalls selling freshly caught fish and shrimp, dew-kissed vegetables, and local specialty rice cakes. He acted like a "local," leading her from stall to stall.
"This rice cake is delicious, I'll buy two boxes." Luo Yan pointed to a steaming stall, the rice cakes sprinkled with osmanthus flowers, their sweet aroma filling the air. Qi Sheng immediately took out his money, not forgetting to remind the stall owner, "Add two extra spoonfuls of osmanthus sauce, my girlfriend loves sweets."
As soon as she received the rice cake, Luo Yan was drawn to the sugar painting stall next to her. The master craftsman was drawing a dragon on a stone slab with melted sugar, the lines flowing smoothly and lifelike. "I want one too," she tugged at Qi Sheng's sleeve, her eyes sparkling, "I want a little rabbit drawn on me."
The master craftsman smiled and nodded, twirling the sugar spoon in his hand. Soon, a rabbit was formed, with long ears and a small tail. Qi Sheng took the sugar painting, carefully handed it to her, and reminded her, "Don't get it on your clothes."
Luo Yan took a bite, the sweet syrup melting on her tongue, carrying the aroma of caramel. She held up the sugar painting and offered it to Qi Sheng's lips: "Try it." He lowered his head slightly, took a small bite, his gaze falling on the corner of her mouth where a little syrup had gotten on it. He reached out and wiped it off for her, his fingertips brushing against it like a feather falling from the ground.
When they reached the lakeside, they saw people renting small boats. Qi Sheng immediately pulled Luo Yan over: "Let's rent one too and row to the center of the lake." The boatman was an old man who smiled and said: "Young man, can you row? Be careful not to rock the girl into the lake."
"Don't worry." Qi Sheng took the oar, but his movements were a bit clumsy, and the boat wobbled as soon as it started to move. Luo Yan couldn't help but laugh: "Your rowing skills seem a bit lacking."
He slowed down, letting the boat drift with the current, sunlight filtering through the reeds and dappling the lake's surface. He put down the oars, took Luo Yan's hand, and traced circles on her palm with his fingertips: "Actually, I've wanted to bring you here for a long time. No need to think about code, no need to think about training, just the two of us, in peace and quiet."
Luo Yan leaned on his shoulder, watching the white birds skim across the lake in the distance, leaving ripples in their wake. "We can come here often in the future," she said softly. "Once we have a stable job, we can come every quarter."
“Okay,” he lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, “From now on, we’ll not only come here, but also go to Lin’an to see the winter plum blossoms, and to the seaside to watch the sunrise. I’ll go with you to all the places you want to go.”
The old street of Linhu Town is hidden deep within the town. At night, it is adorned with red lanterns, and the warm yellow light shines on the bluestone slabs, making them look like they are covered with gold. Luo Yan and Qi Sheng strolled hand in hand. Along the way, there were small shops selling handicrafts, artists singing local folk songs, and snack stalls with fragrant aromas.
"Try the lake fish noodles," Qi Sheng said, pulling her into a time-honored noodle shop. The owner greeted them warmly, "What would you two like to order? Our catfish noodles are the freshest."
"Two bowls of catfish noodles."
The aroma filled the air as soon as the dish arrived. The fish was so tender it melted in your mouth, and the soup was so delicious it made your eyebrows fall off. Luo Yan was enjoying her meal when she noticed Qi Sheng picking the fish out of her bowl, carefully removing the bones, and putting it into her bowl: "Eat more, fish is high in protein."
“You should eat too,” she pushed the bowl toward him. “I can remove the bones myself.”
“I knew you could,” he said with a smile, placing a piece of green vegetable on her plate, “but I wanted to pick it for you.”
Luo Yan felt a warmth in her heart. He was used to cherishing her dearly and giving her all his tenderness in the most sincere way.
After finishing their noodles, they sat down on a bench in the old street. An old man was playing the erhu nearby, the music as gentle as lake water. Suddenly, Qi Sheng took something out of his backpack and handed it to Luo Yan—a small box containing a silver ring. It had no complicated design, only a small tennis racket pattern with the character "Yan" engraved next to it.
“This isn’t a proposal,” he said nervously, his ears turning red. “I just wanted to give you a little gift to commemorate our graduation, and also to commemorate…our future together.”
Luo Yan took the ring, her fingertips gently tracing the design on it, and tears suddenly streamed down her face. It wasn't because the ring was expensive, but because of the earnestness in his eyes.
“I love it,” she said, putting the ring on her ring finger; it fit perfectly. “Thank you, Qisheng.”
He reached out and wiped away her tears, his touch as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure: "I'll give you something even better in the future..."
“I’m not in a hurry,” Luo Yan interrupted him, smiling as she took his hand. “As long as I’m with you, we can take it slow.”
The erhu music continued, the light from the red lanterns reflecting on their faces, as if lighting a lamp in each other's eyes. Qi Sheng lowered his head and kissed her lips. This kiss was gentler than the one on graduation night, carrying the fragrance of the lake, the lively atmosphere of the old street, and all the expectations for the future, like an unfinished song, softly singing their story.
On the last day of their trip, they got up early to watch the sunrise at the lake. Just as dawn broke, the lake resembled a deep blue ribbon, and the reeds swayed gently in the wind. Qi Sheng draped his coat over Luo Yan, hugged her from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder: "Are you cold? Wait a little longer, and the sun will come out."
She shook her head, leaned against him, and watched the distant horizon slowly turn golden. Soon, the sun peeked out from the lake, and golden light instantly spread across the surface, turning the reeds golden, like a burning sea.
“It’s so beautiful,” Luo Yan said softly, her eyes reflecting the morning light on the entire lake.
On the way back, Luo Yan leaned on Qi Sheng's shoulder, watching the scenery flash by outside the window. The subway entered the city, and high-rise buildings gradually replaced the fields. The shops along the street began to bustle. He held her hand, his fingertips gently caressing the ring on her ring finger, as if confirming this small promise.
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