Coins in the Wishing Well
That year, a fountain was built on the campus of Han Normal University.
Right next to the big lake where monsters are said to live, bluestones transported from the Han River are piled up into a circular pool wall, with a stone angel held in the center.
I don’t know who first spread the word that this fountain is a “wishing well” and that as long as you throw a coin into it, your wish will come true.
“Does it really work?”
Lulu blinked her eyes, holding in her hand the fifty-cent coin she had saved for a week, which was originally her craving fund for buying spicy strips.
"Of course it works!" Lu Xingye nodded seriously. He has always been better informed than us.
The water in the pool is clear, and you can see a few coins scattered at the bottom of the pool, which undoubtedly increases the credibility of the legend.
Well, whether it works or not, there's no harm in giving it a try.
"I'm going to start!" Lulu took a deep breath and threw the coin into the water very solemnly.
There was a soft "ding dong" sound, and she clasped her hands together, muttering to herself, "I hope I can get an autographed photo of Angela Chang!" That was the photo of her favorite idol that she had recently pasted on her pencil case. She hummed "Invisible Wings" every day on her way home from school.
Jiang Yuanzhou followed closely behind, "Next time on the math test, let me get a perfect score!"
The coin drew a silver arc and sank to the bottom of the water.
Lu Xingye took out a one-dollar bill from his pocket, which made me gasp in amazement. How much can one buy with one dollar?
"I hope my mom will take me to the amusement park next week instead of the studio."
His wish silenced us. Aunt Shen's studio became increasingly busy, and she had less and less time to spend with him.
Ye Zhixia's wish was that the ballet class could be suspended for one day. Thinking of the pain of stretching her legs in the dance studio, I nodded seriously, expressing my approval of this wish.
I was the last one to come forward, holding in my hand the fifty cents my mother gave me to buy popsicles.
The temptation of popsicles is certainly huge, but a beautiful new dress seems more attractive.
The wishing ceremony is completed, and the next step is to wait for the wish to quietly take root.
Lulu checked the mailbox every day, but there was nothing in it except newspapers and advertisements.
Jiang Yuanzhou's math test paper was handed out. Although the score of "95" was not bad, it was still a step away from the full score he desired.
Lu Xingye was looking forward to the weekend, but Aunt Chen went to the studio early in the morning.
And I don't have any new dresses in my wardrobe.
When we returned to the wishing fountain, there seemed to be more coins at the bottom of the water than last time, forming a thick layer on the bottom.
"Have our wishes been drowned?" Jiang Yuanzhou said angrily, lying on the edge of the pool, staring at the pile of coins.
Lulu pouted, "Did I save my fifty cents in vain?"
"It's not a wasted saving," I said, looking at the water shimmering in the sunset. "At least the fountain is more beautiful now."
————
Ye Zhixia's days in dance class were not easy. We leaned against the rusty iron window frame, counting the thirty-second five-position turns she was punished to practice. Sweat soaked her training clothes a deep pink, and she frowned, but said nothing.
"Xia Xia," I bent my fingers and tapped the glass, "Stop dancing and come play with us!"
Her eyelashes suddenly trembled, and the pale blue veins on her stretched toes revealed in the sunlight.
She bit her lip but just shook her head and continued to stretch her muscles.
On a sunny afternoon, a few of us were playing hide-and-seek on Wutong Avenue. Amidst the laughter and joy, we always felt like something was missing.
Xia Xia hasn't played with us for a long time. Aunt Fang would pick her up from time to time, either for class or practice. When we think of her looking back every few steps, we little kids always feel a little bit sorry for her.
"Let's go get Xia Xia out!"
Lulu suggested in a low voice, and we looked at each other and nodded in tacit understanding.
There were furry dandelions growing on the edge of the dog hole at the back door of the dance institution. As we crawled forward, we heard the melody of "Swan Lake" floating in, sometimes far and sometimes near like a sigh.
Ye Zhixia was doing leg lifts in front of the barre when the teacher's hand wearing a pearl necklace suddenly pressed down on her trembling knees and pushed them down little by little.
"Lower your legs a little lower, a little lower."
Xia Xia's thin legs were trembling. Having spent two days in this dance studio, I understand very well the pain of stretching the legs.
Ye Zhixia cried out in pain, and it seemed that she was about to cry in the next second.
The torture was interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone. The teacher let go of Xia Xia, walked to the side, picked up the phone on the ground, and walked out of the classroom while answering the call.
"Xia Xia, go!"
Lu Xingye shouted loudly, and we rushed in like little warriors.
Ye Zhixia was startled, and several classmates in the class seemed to be scared by us as well. The classroom was in chaos for a while.
Ye Zhixia was a little excited, but also looked back in the teacher's direction nervously.
Seeing her standing there in a daze, we hurriedly helped her pack her things and shouted, "Hurry up, hurry up!"
Maybe we made too much noise and the dance teacher came running over.
"What are you doing?" The sound of high heels could be heard behind him.
“Run!”
Lulu and I each pulled Ye Zhixia as we ran past, and several boys followed behind, holding Xia Xia's schoolbag and dance costume.
We fell into a heap at the entrance of the alley. Ye Zhixia's hair was loose and the hair tie fell somewhere unknown.
She suddenly started laughing, and her laughter was trembling with tears.
We thought it was all over.
But the next day, we saw Aunt Fang's hands bulging with veins as she carried her dance bag, and Ye Zhixia walked back to the dance studio step by step with her head lowered.
A sycamore leaf floated down, just covering their wet footprints.
It was not until later at the elementary school graduation party that Ye Zhixia stood in the center of the halo wearing a white gauze dance dress.
When the piano prelude sounded, she tapped the ground lightly with her stretched toes, and her whole body suddenly stretched out, with her slender neck bending into a graceful arc.
Like a graceful swan, every movement is so perfect.
Amidst the thunderous applause, Ye Zhixia's chest rose and fell slightly, and her eyes curved into two crescent moons.
"She really likes dancing now," Lulu exclaimed.
I nodded, and followed her with envy and amazement.
I think true wishes probably won’t sink to the bottom of the pool.
Just like my mom said, if you want to wear a pretty dress, you have to do better in the next exam.
Although I don’t know how to balance the amusement park and the studio, nor do I know how to get an autographed photo, I know that relying solely on the “ding-dong” sound of a coin is far from enough.
“Efforts and rewards are always proportional”
My mother's voice suddenly echoed in my ears.
At that moment, I seemed to understand this sentence for the first time.
Just like Xia Xia was stretching her legs in the dance studio, sweating profusely, we were running happily in the yard.
At that time, we didn’t understand the meaning of persistence, we only knew that giving up was easy.
But looking back now, the figures of those who persevered shine brightly in my memory.
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