"I found an old acquaintance; I'll take you in."
Just as I reached the school gate, a middle-aged man of about fifty years old ran over to me, rhythmically massaging the keys on his waist, making a jingling sound.
"Ouch, let me catch my breath—whoosh—"
After a while, he finally caught his breath and patted Fu Jue on the shoulder:
"Haha, it's been a long time, Fu Jue! You've matured so much now. I've gotten old too. Time waits for no one!"
Fu Jue smiled, showing great respect for this teacher.
"Teacher Li, it's been a long time. You're still as humorous and witty as ever."
Teacher Li laughed heartily, looking lovingly at her former most proud student. Her gaze swept over Tao Zhizhi, whom he was holding hands with, and she asked teasingly:
"Hey, aren't you going to introduce him to me?"
Fu Jue gently embraced Tao Zhizhi and spoke:
"Teacher Li, this is my girlfriend, Tao Zhizhi, who is also an alumna of No. 1 Middle School."
Looking at Tao Zhizhi's face, Teacher Li felt it looked somewhat familiar, but couldn't quite place who she was. Since she couldn't remember, Director Li stopped worrying about it and extended her hand:
"Welcome back to No. 1 High School. A lot has changed over the years. Take a good look around."
Of course she was familiar with him; Tao Zhizhi recognized him at a glance.
When she was in her second year of high school, she was so hungry during class that she secretly ate snacks behind a pile of books. She was enjoying them with her deskmate when she was caught red-handed by Director Li, who was on patrol.
She still remembers how she and her deskmate took out their unfinished cookies and wrote a self-criticism in front of everyone. It was the first self-criticism she had ever written. How could she forget it?!
After class, she and her deskmate, still angry, wolfed down the remaining cookies in front of him.
Tao Zhizhi hadn't expected to meet him again as Fu Jue's girlfriend, and she smiled awkwardly as she reached out to shake his hand.
"Director Li, it's been a long time."
Just that smile was enough for Director Li to remember her. He didn't expose her in front of Fu Jue, but instead gave her the meal card, smiling kindly.
"If you get hungry later, go to the teachers' window to eat. You can pay whatever you want. Don't worry about the teachers."
Director Li had intended to tell them about the changes at No. 1 Middle School over the years, but feeling somewhat out of place standing next to them, he waved his hand.
"You guys go ahead and shop, I still have to work. Just give me a call later to return my meal card."
As he passed Fu Jue, he whispered:
"The school anniversary celebration is in three days, remember to come!"
After saying that, he hummed a little tune and went back to his office.
Tao Zhizhi waved her meal card in her hand, happily shaking her head:
"Senior Fu, it's my treat today!"
Fu Jue chuckled and gently tapped her head, his smile wide and unrestrained.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony, junior."
"Hmm, don't be shy. I paid the price with a deep self-criticism and the death of the entire class."
Fu Jue raised an eyebrow, originally looking forward to hearing her story, but Tao Zhizhi had a "I'm not telling you" look on her face, so he didn't ask any further questions.
Upon entering the school, Tao Zhizhi looked at the square and standard library and led Fu Jue to the platform in front of the library entrance, reminiscing:
"Senior Fu, I used to prepare my dance for the arts festival here. Look, the library's main entrance and windows are practically mirrors, super convenient."
As she spoke, she let go of Fu Jue's hand and began to demonstrate for him, like a fluttering little butterfly, attracting Fu Jue's attention.
Fu Jue looked at the fluttering butterfly with doting eyes, then pulled her into his arms and smiled contentedly:
"Zhizhi is very beautiful, and I am very lucky."
Then he sighed and said regretfully:
"I really don't want to be your senior Fu; I should be your classmate Fu."
Tao Zhizhi smiled and looked up at him playfully:
"So my classmate Fu wants to have a relationship? That won't do."
"I'm a good student. Besides, if my dad finds out, Fu is doomed!"
Fu Jue put his arm around Tao Zhizhi as they descended the stairs and headed towards the teaching building, teasingly saying:
"Oh, that's such a pity."
Walking along the path leading to the laboratory building, next to a bougainvillea bush, Tao Zhizhi picked up a fallen flower, shook off the dust, and presented it to Fu Jue with both hands as if it were a rare treasure:
"Senior, if I give you a bouquet of flowers, will you fall in love with me?"
Fu Jue carefully took the bougainvillea from her hand and looked earnestly into her eyes:
"certainly!"
Fu Jue led her to a nearby supermarket, got a bag, and wanted to take the bouquet with him. Tao Zhizhi was dumbfounded.
"Fu Jue, are you really going to take it back?"
He gently touched the flower in her hand:
"Of course, this is the first bouquet of flowers my junior from elementary school gave me! I will cherish it."
Seeing how carefully he treated these were just fallen petals, Tao Zhizhi was slightly touched.
"Shall we go check out the classroom?"
"Go! I want to see what's become of our old classrooms!"
Tao Zhizhi happily led Fu Jue up to the fifth floor, to the classroom at the end:
"This is my old classroom. It has a great location. There's a small balcony extending out to the right, and a connecting corridor to the left."
She stood with Fu Jue on the small balcony, feeling the cool autumn breeze of October, and pointed to the sky:
"You know what? The sunsets at school are the most beautiful I've ever seen. They're purplish-red and pink. I always watch them for a long time. My favorite spot is by the window."
Fu Jue held Tao Zhizhi in his arms, his gaze fixed on the distant sky, and whispered:
"Now, we can see the same sunset."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Jue shifted his gaze from the sky to Tao Zhizhi's lips.
The two nestled together, embracing and kissing, as the sunset gradually faded.
Tao Zhizhi raised her hand to check the time and couldn't help but ask:
"It's already 7:30, is there still anything to eat in the cafeteria?"
Fu Jue patted her head, somewhat displeased with her behavior that ruined the atmosphere, but dared not argue back.
"Let's go check, there should still be one store open."
"Oh yeah, senior, you have such a good memory. I had forgotten that there was a shop that stayed open until eight o'clock."
This shop is quite unique; they occasionally sell soy milk and other breakfast items, and even snail rice noodles.
"Fu Jue, can you accept the taste of snail rice noodles?"
Fu Jue chuckled and pinched her cheek.
"If I don't accept it, will Zhizhi refuse to eat it?"
"Oh? No, not really, hehe!"
In the end, Tao Zhizhi finally got to eat the snail rice noodles she had been longing for.
Although Fu Jue couldn't quite accept the taste, he still couldn't understand why Tao Zhizhi was eating so happily. He clearly remembered that when he was in school, this was just a normal little shop on the edge of the cafeteria. He didn't know when they introduced snail rice noodles.
Seeing Tao Zhizhi enjoying her rice noodles, and even sharing a small bowl with me, I forced myself to take a bite, despite the taste, under her expectant gaze.
"How is it? Isn't it delicious!"
"Hmm, it's alright."
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