Chapter 57 Meeting
Luo Hong worked the night shift from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the twelfth day of the first lunar month. After finishing his shift on the last day, he was full of energy and started clamoring to go to the movies early in the morning.
Luo Yan ate her breakfast and glanced at her brother: "If you have nothing to do, go to sleep."
Luo Hongxu clenched his fist and waved it at his sister: "I wasn't going to take you with me, but now you absolutely have to come with me."
Luo Yan has been previewing her lessons recently, but she's not as nervous as when she's reviewing them. She thought for a moment and said, "Then you have to treat me to lunch."
Luo Hong yawned: "Okay, but I need to take a nap."
He didn't go back to his room after finishing his meal; instead, he curled up on the sofa.
Liu Yinfeng couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Go back to your room and sleep."
Luo Hong mumbled, "I'm too lazy to change my clothes. Don't make me lie down for too long, or I won't be able to sleep tonight."
The large person was huddled up in a pitiful ball, and even the family members couldn't bear to look at him.
Liu Yinfeng quietly tidied the table, Luo Xinmin tiptoed out to work, Luo Yan covered her brother with a coat, glanced at her watch, and went back to her room to read.
Not long after, she came out and woke her brother up.
Luo Hong opened his eyes groggily, struggled with his instincts for three seconds, and suddenly jumped up: "Let's go."
Just as the brother and sister were about to leave the hospital, they turned the corner behind the screen wall and saw the postman.
Luo Yan's heart skipped a beat, and she stopped in her tracks.
Sure enough, the postman saw her and said, "There's mail for you."
Luo Yan had several people who wrote to her. She was overjoyed when she received the letters, but when she glanced at her brother, she couldn't help but pretend to be serious.
Who are you putting this on for? Luo Hong: "Take it apart, look at it before you leave."
Zhou Xiuhe's letter was sent a long time after the previous two, but judging from the fact that it was received today, it was probably sent as soon as he arrived in Guangzhou, since it was about his time on the train.
Luo Yan was also surprised that a four-day, three-night journey could contain such a long content.
She wasn't used to making people wait, not even her brother, so she quickly glanced at it and put it away.
He put it in as if afraid someone would steal it, and then checked his pocket.
Luo Hong joked, "Why not put shoe soles in? No one will steal them."
Luo Yan smiled shyly, then said in a coquettish tone, "Brother~"
Luo Hong patted his sister's head: "Girls grow up and leave home."
He added, "Don't let a few letters fool you."
Zhou Xiuhe did indeed send only a few letters, but starting today, he sent one a day, leading people to suspect that this was the only thing he did after returning to Guangzhou.
Luo Yan didn't even have time to write a reply—because her life didn't have that many parts that she could share at length, making it seem insincere in comparison.
But she felt very confident, and just then she caught a glimpse of the calendar on the wall and jumped up.
It was broad daylight, and only the mother and daughter were at home.
Liu Yinfeng was startled by her daughter and asked, "What's wrong?"
Luo Yan: "Mom, I'm going out for a bit. I won't be back for lunch."
If you're going out, just go out. Why are you making such a fuss?
Liu Yinfeng stared at the TV: "Okay, ride your bike slowly, you'll be back before dark."
Her mother didn't ask what she was going out to do, and Luo Yan didn't bring it up herself.
She put on a scarf and hat, went into the room to pack all the replies, and headed to the train station.
Luo Yan only knew that Zhou Xiuhe's train would arrive on the afternoon of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, but she had no idea what time it would be, so she went to the window to ask.
The staff member said, "There is a train departing from Guangzhou this afternoon, it will be around 2 p.m.
Luo Yan glanced at her watch, ate something nearby first, and waited at the exit at roughly the right time, but perhaps she was delayed somewhere on the way, she waited for an hour or so but didn't see anyone.
Her legs were stiff from the wind, and she hopped around like a rabbit. When she saw the person she was waiting for, she became a little shy and even felt embarrassed to wave to indicate that she was there.
Zhou Xiuhe hadn't expected her to come. Carrying his bags, he walked out when he suddenly felt his sleeve being tugged. Thinking it was a thief, he instinctively bumped his elbow backward.
He was quite strong, and luckily Luo Yan was wearing many layers, but she couldn't hide her hurt feelings and said, "Zhou Xiuhe."
Zhou Xiuhe recognized the voice immediately, turned around hurriedly, and threw down what he was holding: "Luo Yan, are you alright? I didn't know it was you."
He held both hands up, not daring to touch her, his eyes scanning her up and down.
Luo Yan hadn't traveled far from home many times, but she had heard many stories about train stations. She said, "Hurry up and take your things."
Zhou Xiuhe, a son of a railway worker, certainly knew this better.
He realized this wasn't the right place to talk, so he barely managed to carry all the things with one hand, not daring to pull her, but he said protectively, "There are fewer people over there, let's talk over there."
Luo Yan followed him to a slightly more open square. In the short distance, she planned what she would say, but then realized that she seemed to be too proactive, and her hands started to twist and turn.
Zhou Xiuhe's words quickly dispelled her slight regret. After he stood still, his mouth was like a laser gun: "Did I hurt you just now? I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. How long have you been here? Are you cold? It must be cold today. Are you hungry? Have you eaten anything?"
As she spoke, she squatted down and rummaged through her bag: "I brought you Guangzhou specialties and books. There are lots of martial arts novels in Guangzhou."
He squatted down and had to tilt his head back to speak, his eyes sparkling. For some reason, Luo Yan felt that he looked a bit like Wangcai and Laifu in the yard, and couldn't help but want to pat his head.
She raised her hand but was too embarrassed to touch him, so she squatted down opposite him and replied, "It doesn't hurt, I'm not cold, and I'm not hungry."
Their eyes met, then looked away the instant they made eye contact.
Zhou Xiuhe was fiddling with his luggage and forgot what he was supposed to do. When he remembered what he looked like, he smoothed each strand of hair back and said, "You, me, that."
Which one? Luo Yan stared wide-eyed, waiting for him to speak.
Zhou Xiu took two deep breaths, trying to appear mature and composed, but he couldn't hold it in and grinned foolishly: "I'm so happy right now."
Luo Yan laughed along, her eyes darting around but avoiding his gaze: "Let's talk standing up, squatting for too long makes me dizzy."
Zhou Xiuhe reached out to pull her, but Luo Yan was too shy. She just grabbed his sleeve for support, and after regaining her balance, she bit her lip and said, "I'm happy too."
The voice was kept very low.
Zhou Xiuhe heard him clearly and suddenly started taking out his satchel: "Do you want some mung bean cake?"
The mung bean cake had been crumbly from the bumpy ride, and when he opened it, he felt it didn't look good and said awkwardly, "It's not supposed to look like this."
Luo Yan still obliged and picked up a small piece to eat: "It's very sweet."
Zhou Xiuhe quickly replied, "I also brought you something else."
Seeing that he was about to squat down again, Luo Yan quickly said, "Don't take it out, I'm afraid someone will rob you later."
Zhou Xiuhe was afraid of losing it on the way, so he put the things he was giving her in the middle, which was really inconvenient to take out right now: "I'll give them to you later."
Luo Yan nodded and took out a stack of papers from her pocket: "Here, take this."
Zhou Xiu wiped his hands on his clothes before taking it, wanting to turn it over to take a look at the front.
Luo Yan quickly stopped him, saying, "Go back to your dorm and look at it later."
She didn't use her full strength; there was still a slight gap between her palm and his hand. Yet, Zhou Xiuhe still had the illusion of being burned by her body heat. He said, "I also have a letter for you."
He wrote it on the train, intending to mail it after getting off.
After exchanging letters, the two looked at each other in silence until Zhou Xiuhe spoke first: "I'll take you home."
Luo Yan: "You have so many bags, I should be the one to take you to the school gate."
School starts the day after tomorrow, and the teachers in the academic affairs office will definitely be keeping a close eye on things. It's a big no-no for a boy and a girl to walk alone on campus; she can only escort them to the school gate at most.
Zhou Xiuhe insisted, "I'll take you."
Luo Yan looked him straight in the eye: "Me."
Zhou Xiuhe couldn't refuse, so he reluctantly said, "Okay."
He dodged her hand as she tried to help him carry his things, saying, "I can do it myself."
The two walked and talked casually as they boarded the bus to school.
The train was crowded, with people packed together on both sides, almost pressing them down into one piece.
Zhou Xiu leaned back as much as possible to give her some room to stand.
Luo Yan faced him, her arms crossed in front of her, one arm inevitably pressed against his ribs, her head bowed and silent.
Zhou Xiuhe could see her red ears when he looked down.
He asked, "Are you busy tomorrow?"
Luo Yan looked up: "No."
Zhou Xiuhe: "Should we go to the city library?"
Huh? Luo Yan's mouth gaped slightly, feeling a little disappointed for the first time because she had to go to the library.
Zhou Xiuhe realized something and suggested, "Or, shall we go for a walk in the park?"
He swallowed nervously, his eyes full of anticipation.
Luo Yan hesitated for two seconds: "Aren't you tired? Do you want to rest for a day?"
Zhou Xiuhe: "I'm in a sleeper berth, I'm not tired at all."
Luo Yan had also traveled in a sleeper car before, and thought that Guangzhou was even farther than southern Anhui. Pointing to the area under her eyes, she said, "You've got bruises here."
Zhou Xiuhe raised his shoulder and rubbed his eyes, as if he could wipe away the dark circles: "It's natural."
Luo Yan: "Nonsense, it wasn't like this before the Lunar New Year."
Zhou Xiuhe endured four days and three nights, and wanted to argue back, but couldn't help but yawn, tears welling up in his eyes. He turned his head to look out the window and whispered, "Just for a little while."
Luo Yan detected a hint of coquetry in her voice: "Then in the afternoon, you can sleep in a little later during the day."
Zhou Xiuhe nodded vigorously twice, and when the school gate came into view, he called out, "Master, I'm here."
The driver slammed on the brakes, and Luo Yan lost her balance, swaying back and forth before falling into Zhou Xiuhe's arms.
With her hands in front of her chest, her forehead bumped right into his chin. In a panic, she pushed through the crowd and got off the bus first, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.
Zhou Xiuhe's mind went blank, but he still remembered the things and followed behind her with his bag.
The two people said goodbye at the bus stop, each waiting for the other to turn around first.
Luo Yan: "You go back to your dorm. I'll wait for the bus home by myself."
Zhou Xiuhe: "I'll wait for you to get in the car before I go in."
Luo Yan looked from afar and said, "No need to wait, the car is here."
Before being swept into the car by the crowd, she said, "See you at the entrance of Beihai Park at 2 PM tomorrow."
Zhou Xiuhe loudly agreed, and they would not enter the school until the car was completely out of sight.
The familiar cold air swept in at this moment, but it couldn't dampen a passionate heart at all.
Luo Yan wasn't much better off; she arrived home with a flushed face.
Liu Yinfeng remained in the same position her daughter had been in before leaving, and upon hearing the door open, she casually said, "Back so early?"
Luo Yan was in a hurry to go back to her room to read the letter, so she mumbled a reply and went inside.
She couldn't wait to open it and found a flower petal tucked inside.
In his letter, Zhou Xiuhe wrote: "I brought a Phalaenopsis orchid from home, but it was torn by a child when the train passed through Shangrao. I only managed to pick up this one relatively clean petal. I'll send you an even prettier flower when spring comes to Beijing."
Luo Yan murmured, "We don't need to wait until spring."
Because she had already received the most beautiful flowers.
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Author's Note: [Crack] I have some sad news to announce: my drafts are officially retiring from the stage of history. Starting tomorrow, I will write as I go, but I swear I will definitely maintain perfect attendance this year!
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