Twenty-nine
The graduation trip I'd been planning before the exams is probably going to be canceled.
After June, everyone seemed to disperse in the summer breeze—Tang Xuanling found a summer job locally, Yan Ting finally embarked on the volunteer travel journey she had been longing for for several years, and Wen Xi planned to travel around Europe on a shoestring budget after her visa was processed…
In short, we couldn't find a time when everyone was available, so the travel plans had to be abandoned.
However, everyone achieved the results they wanted, which somewhat made up for the disappointment.
In the end, it was Lu Yunian and Ning Yi'en who went to the beach together—the three of them also brought Qi Yun along.
Originally, Lu Yunian had planned for the two of them to go out, but when he called his mother to discuss it, Ms. Qi was in Jingzhou having dinner with his uncle's family.
“Oh my! What a coincidence! Xiao Lu’s best friend is our A-Yun’s childhood friend… Ning Yi’en! Yes! This child is pretty and smart; we’ve watched her grow up…”
"The way you're saying that makes me want to marry her as my daughter-in-law."
"That depends on whether they're willing to like my Ah Yun..."
Both of them had drunk some alcohol, and their conversation became somewhat unrealistic.
"Mom! Uncle!" Lu Yunian protested loudly on the other end of the phone, "Mom! Are you even listening to me?!"
“Yes, yes, yes,” Ms. Qi seemed to only then remember her son on the other end of the phone, whom she had just ignored. “You said you wanted to go out with Xiao Ning, sure, where do you want to go?”
"seaside."
"Hey Xiaoyun, didn't you just say you wanted to go out and have fun but didn't know where to go?"
Qi Yun came to freeload a meal because he really didn't want to stay home alone and order takeout anymore.
"I can go, but I doubt Lu Yunian would want me to."
"I... I'm fine with either way." Actually, Lu Yunian didn't really want to, but he wasn't that resistant either. He was also afraid that if he was too forceful, it would arouse his mother's suspicion. "I'll ask Ning Yi'en."
“I’m fine with it,” Ning Yi’en said. “If you mind, then you can refuse.”
"My relationship with my brother isn't that bad." — Actually, it's not that bad, we just haven't gotten along since we were kids.
“Let’s go together, it’ll be more fun! And since he’s back at school, we’ll have plenty of time to spend together.” Lu Yunian held Ning Yi’en’s hand and swayed it back and forth, then whispered in his ear, “Okay?”
"Hmm." Ning Yi'en scratched his chin like she was petting a puppy.
"Qi... Brother, can I switch seats with you?"
On the plane, Qi Yun sat down next to Ning Yi'en first.
"Were you just trying to tell me to get out of the way?"
“He wants to call you Brother Qiqi~” Ning Yi’en looked up.
"Ugh...disgusting!"
The two brothers almost simultaneously showed expressions of disdain.
“Brother Nie Nie sounds nice,” Qi Yun said with a grin. “Hey, what if I don’t change it?”
"Then I beg you." Lu Yunian believed that a true man can bend and stretch, and it was alright to bend a little before he could stretch, after all, this was Yan Yan!
"Alright then!" Qi Yun stood up. "I have to say, your senior year of high school really cultivates friendships, you guys are all..."
"Don't tell me you want to experience what it's like to be Young Master Qi." Ning Yi'en took out a few candies and stuffed them into his hand.
“I’m not a masochist,” he raised an eyebrow at Ning Yi’en. “Besides, I already have you and Yu Yu, so how could I possibly have room for any other boys or girls in my heart? Right?”
"Okay." Ning Yi'en smiled and rummaged in her pocket for a while before finally pulling out a heart shape in a very corny way.
"What's wrong?" Ning Yi'en handed Lu Yunian an earphone. "Not saying anything, are you jealous?" He looked at him from outside, still with a faint smile.
"No." Lu Yunian was unusually quiet, looking down as he fiddled with Ning Yi'en's hand resting on the chair.
“Okay, actually, a little.” Ning Yi’en intertwined her fingers with his, and Lu Yunian looked up again and said, “But I’m a mature adult and a mature boyfriend now, I can heal myself.”
"Why do you need to be mature? Hmm? Boyfriend." Ning Yi'en looked into his eyes; he loved seeing Lu Yunian's slightly aggrieved gaze. "Really, you don't need to coax me? Hmm?"
"Then you should try to coax me!" Lu Yu pulled his hand to rub her face against his. "Just say, 'I, Yan Yan, like immature girls!' How about that?"
“I, Ning Yi’en, just,” he said slowly and deliberately, drawing out the last syllable, “only like Lu Yunian.”
"Ning Yi'en, you fouled!"
"Lu Yunian, your ears are red."
"Ning Yi'en, do you want some spicy strips?"
Qi Yun peered through the gap between the two seats in front of him, startling Lu Yunian, who was about to lean on Ning Yi'en's shoulder. He abruptly raised his head, sat up straight, and almost twisted his neck.
"No."
"OK."
"How long have you known my brother?" In the end, Lu Yunian pulled Ning Yi'en close and let her lean on his shoulder.
"If we start counting from when I was four years old and have memories, it's been about fifteen and a half years. If we don't count my memories, our two families have been neighbors since before I was even born."
"It's been so long... so will you talk to him first?"
"What did you say?" Ning Yi'en feigned ignorance.
“It’s just…” Lu Yunian seemed to be preparing himself, but was a little embarrassed to say it, “that… about you and me dating.”
Ning Yi'en said she wanted to be more stable before telling her family, although her father had probably already misunderstood and processed the situation himself. Lu Yunian said he didn't care, since they would always be together, it was just a matter of time.
“I thought that if you don’t keep something from your parents, you’d usually tell your best friends, right?” Lu Yunian added, “Just like when I’m dating, I’d definitely tell you first…right?”
"If you don't talk to me, who will talk to you?"
"My brain short-circuited..."
“But you were the first to tell me, right?” Ning Yi’en reached out and touched his ear, which was still bright red and burning hot.
“Brother…” Lu Yunian nuzzled his head against him again.
"Only puppies whine like that."
"No way! But won't you think I'm too clingy?"
“No way,” Ning Yi’en said. “I was thinking of telling him, but I’ll wait. I’m afraid if I tell him now he’ll jump off the plane immediately.”
"Never mind then, he'll probably kick me off first."
"Don't we look like we're having an affair?"
At three in the morning, the two walked hand in hand on the beach.
The world was quiet; all I could hear were the waves and the other person's breathing.
"You're still thinking about being a mistress?" Ning Yi'en chuckled.
The three of them had originally planned to watch the sunrise together, but Qi Yun struggled to get up several times without success and eventually gave up.
"Don't do this!"
"Okay, you're in first grade."
“Not young!” Lu Yunian linked arms with Ning Yi’en. “I mean, I’m an adult.”
"Do you know what's best to do in this kind of atmosphere?"
The two sat on the rocks by the sea, looking up at the starry sky.
—A star-filled night sky is a sight unseen in the city; the boundless ocean and starry sky evoke an indescribable sense of awe and beauty.
"Kiss." Lu Yunian pulled Ning Yi'en into his arms.
"No, I mean a secret." Ning Yi'en took his hand and unconsciously stroked it. "I'll tell you a secret," he whispered in his ear, "How about it?"
"Let me kiss you first." Lu Yunian felt a tingling sensation from his breath, and the blush on his face was probably not very noticeable in the darkness.
"Let's not keep going then." Ning Yi'en was about to get up.
"No, brother, I'm listening."
In the end, Ning Yi'en let him kiss her, but on the cheek.
“Actually,” Ning Yi’en leaned on Lu Yunian’s shoulder, looking up at the sky through the ring she held up, where a star shone brightly, “if you had spoken a little later that day, I probably would have confessed to you first.”
"Huh...?" Lu Yunian was a little taken aback.
"And I even had the audacity to come up with such a romantic line." Ning Yi'en put the ring back on her finger.
"You're romantic enough. —Can you say it again?"
"Don't wait any longer!" Ning Yi'en jumped off the rock. "I thought you would think we were just flirting before."
"Ambiguous..." Lu Yunian jumped down as well, "Really? I've never been like that before..."
"I won't date you anymore since you were being ambiguous with me before!" Ning Yi'en walked quite far away.
Lu Yunian didn't really feel that way, or rather, he wasn't aware of it. He had heard his friends complain about how tiring it was to be in a relationship with their exes, but every second he spent with Ning Yi'en was incredibly happy and carefree.
Perhaps he and Yanyan are a match made in heaven!
"Just say it again!" Lu Yunian chased after him.
"No, no, no, you have to beg me."
"Yanyan~" Lu Yunian said in a spoiled tone, "Brother! Brother Yanyan!"
"Begging won't help!"
Ning Yi'en bent down and splashed a handful of water at him.
The sun peeked out from the horizon, casting a faint white glow on the sky.
"Be careful, or I'll throw you into the sea." Lu Yunian picked up Ning Yi'en in a princess carry.
"You throw it." Ning Yi'en wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his.
"I still can't bear to!" Lu Yunian said with a grin, and took the opportunity to kiss his cheek again.
“Look at that star.” Ning Yi’en leaned against him, pointing to the sky. “It’s so bright and beautiful.”
"where?"
"Maybe the sun is too strong, so you can't see it." Ning Yi'en poked Lu Yunian's face.
The sun had already risen quite high, its golden light painting half the sky orange-red.
"Lu Yunian".
"Um."
Our breaths mingled once more, and my eyes reflected only you.
Their lips intertwined, and they embraced tightly.
As the sound of the waves faded into the distance, Lu Yunian seemed to only remember that Ning Yien's lips were very soft and sweet—or perhaps that the two of them were also experiencing a rapid and synchronized heartbeat.
The kiss seemed to last only a moment, but it was actually quite long, until both of their faces were flushed red and the sun had fully risen.
“Lu Yunian,” Ning Yi’en’s voice wasn’t loud, but carried by the sea breeze, it could fly to every corner of the world.
"Would you like to be my star forever?"
"Forever! Ning Yi'en, I love you so much."
Hand in hand, the two walked along the beach, bathed in the beautiful sunshine, together forever.
Even until all the stars have fallen, I will always be by your side.
—The End—
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