letter
Dusk, like melting ink, was slowly spreading across the sky. Luo Yan stood by the vending machine, dappled sunlight filtering through the camphor tree leaves above her head. She had been waiting for nearly twenty minutes; the path to the cafeteria was deserted, not a single familiar face in sight.
Her fingertips unconsciously traced the seams of her school uniform trousers, the ticking of her watch amplified infinitely in the silence.
Just as I was hesitating whether to go to the cafeteria to look for someone, I suddenly caught a purple shadow out of the corner of my eye, slowly moving towards me from the direction of the playground.
Is it Qi Sheng?
He carried the basketball, his steps unhurried, his bright purple sun-protective clothing like a flickering flame in the dim light. Luo Yan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to hide behind a camphor tree, only to find that the surroundings were empty and there was nowhere to hide.
It's almost 5:30, shouldn't the PE teacher be off work? Luo Yan's mind was a mess, she just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. This area is usually deserted, so she couldn't pretend to be a passerby. She could only grit her teeth, turn her back, and casually kick the pebbles at her feet, awkwardly humming an off-key melody.
Qi Sheng initially didn't notice her, walking straight to the vending machine with light steps, relaxed after finishing his work. He casually selected a bottle of Pocari Sweat; the soft "click" of the plastic bottle rolling off the screen was particularly clear in the quiet. Then, he took out his phone, his fingertips swiping rapidly across the screen, seemingly sending a message to a group chat—probably reporting on his "teaching assistant experience" for the day.
Luo Yan frantically chanted in her mind: He Xiaoyou, why aren't you here yet!
Qi Sheng was about to unscrew the bottle cap when his gaze inadvertently swept to the side and suddenly stopped. He saw Luo Yan standing alone to the side, exuding an aura of "I'm in a hurry." His eyes fell on her slightly curly hair, and he seemed to find her familiar, letting out a soft "Eh."
The "Eh?" was like a fine needle, piercing the calm that Luo Yan had forcibly maintained. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she froze, turning her head very slowly and tentatively to glance back—just in time to meet Qi Sheng's probing gaze.
My heart pounded so hard it almost jumped out of my chest.
"Hey, isn't this the kid who was drawing so diligently this morning?" Qi Sheng's voice was slightly amused, but his tone was gentle. "Why aren't you going to eat? What are you doing here?"
"I... am waiting for a friend." Luo Yan's voice was barely audible. After speaking, she subconsciously looked away, not daring to meet his gaze.
Qi Sheng didn't press further. He just watched her remain silent for two seconds before changing to a casual tone: "Don't wait too long. It's bad for your health to go hungry."
Luo Yan was taken aback by his words and hesitated for a moment before stammering an "Mmm".
Just then, familiar footsteps and voices came from behind: "Luo Yan! Sorry, sorry, I'm late."
It was He Xiaoyou! She was carrying a takeout bag and had a sly look on her face, as if she had succeeded in doing something naughty.
As if granted a pardon, Luo Yan immediately turned around to greet him, her voice tinged with barely perceptible joy: "Where have you been? Why did it take you so long to come?"
He Xiaoyou shook the takeout bag, winked at her, and lowered her voice, "I ordered takeout from the phone downstairs in the dorm, and almost got caught." She noticed Qi Sheng behind Luo Yan and asked curiously, "Who's this?"
Luo Yan rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Mind your own business."
"How can I not care?" He Xiaoyou persisted, her eyes full of curiosity and gossip. "Is she your new friend?"
Luo Yan was too lazy to explain and pushed her: "Didn't I tell you to wait for me here? How did it become me waiting for you?"
He Xiaoyou chuckled and stuffed the takeout bag into her arms: "I'll share the takeout with you, don't be angry."
Luo Yan was about to complain when she suddenly remembered that there were people behind her. She quickly turned around and said in a calm voice, "Teacher, my friend and I are leaving now. You should also get off work early."
Qi Sheng was holding his phone, seemingly on a call. Hearing this, he looked up, smiled gently at her, and nodded. Then he hung up, picked up his basketball and Pocari Sweat, and quickly walked out of the school.
Luo Yan watched his retreating figure until the purple hue disappeared around the corner, only then noticing that he still had the white tennis cap he wore that morning hanging on his backpack.
"You're off work and still not home? Are you playing ball?" He Xiaoyou followed her gaze and clicked her tongue, "You're so energetic."
After a while, Luo Yan finally looked away, lowered her head and kicked at the pebbles without saying a word.
He Xiaoyou suddenly realized and clapped her hands: "Ah! He's a teacher? He's so young."
Luo Yan pouted: "She's an intern teaching assistant."
“Wow,” He Xiaoyou’s eyes lit up even more, “and his voice is so unique too.”
Luo Yan didn't reply, but Qi Sheng's voice involuntarily echoed in her mind—deep, clear, like jade soaked in spring water. She paused, then suddenly spoke, her voice somewhat ethereal: "Xiao You, don't you think...his voice sounds a lot like Kao Ge's?"
"Who?" He Xiaoyou asked, looking bewildered.
Luo Yan lowered her eyes, her tone becoming indifferent: "Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."
He Xiaoyou didn't ask any more questions and looked Luo Yan up and down—it had been so long since she last saw her, but she didn't seem to have changed much. She still had that clear and calm face, but her hair was shorter and tied in a small bun, which made her look more lively than before.
"Why did you suddenly cut your hair?" He Xiaoyou asked, pointing to her hair.
Luo Yan touched the ends of her hair, her tone nonchalant: "I cut it during summer vacation. It was too long before, and it was a hassle."
He Xiaoyou smiled mischievously: "Is it because of Song Tian?"
Luo Yan's face turned cold, and her tone became harsh: "Are you ever going to stop?"
"I was wrong, I was wrong." He Xiaoyou quickly raised her hands in surrender, but then added casually, "Oh right, Song Tian sent me a message."
Luo Yan stopped in her tracks.
He Xiaoyou took out a stack of letters from her pocket and handed them to her: "Here, this is a letter he wrote to you, asking me to pass it on."
Luo Yan stared at the thin stack of letters, her fingertips recoiling as if burned. She turned her head away, her tone deliberately casual: "You just do whatever he tells you to do?"
He Xiaoyou held the letter, her face flushed with anxiety. "I was just... afraid you two would break up like this." She looked at Luo Yan's tense profile and asked softly, "You two... broke up?"
Luo Yan stared down at the tips of her shoes, her voice muffled but clear: "We were never together."
He Xiaoyou was stunned and didn't ask any further questions. An unspoken silence filled the air.
The two walked side by side toward the teaching building, neither of them speaking. Suddenly, the bell for the start of evening self-study rang, sharp and urgent, startling several sparrows on the branches into fluttering away.
Evening self-study felt endless. Luo Yan buried her face behind her open math workbook, but images of Qi Sheng's profile, the purple hem of his shirt by the vending machine, and the stack of letters she had tucked deep inside her bag kept flashing before her eyes. Her pen unconsciously traced repetitive arcs on the draft paper, but her thoughts were like being locked in a thick fog, impossible to unravel.
Finally, the school bell rang, signaling the end of class. Night had fallen, and the dim streetlights at the school gate cast long, distorted shadows of the trees. Luo Yan, carrying her schoolbag, walked home alone. The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on her forehead, and also stirred a sense of emptiness in her heart.
The keys in her pocket clinked softly with each step. She raised a hand to smooth her hair, then looked up at the dark blue night sky, where a few sparse stars shone forlornly.
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