Twenty-six
"Excuse me, could you please let me pass? Thank you."
Mid-April
The sun is shining exceptionally well today, especially since the long-lasting spring rain has just ended. The long-awaited sunshine is like a senior high school student suddenly getting an extra day off, which makes people overjoyed.
"Ning Yi'en!" Lu Yunian finally made his way through the bustling crowd and caught up with Ning Yi'en just before he was about to board the bus.
My last study tour in high school was a day trip to the next city, where we also paid our respects at a very famous temple.
"Why did you switch classes? Wait a minute..."
"Shh." Lu Yunian put up his index finger to make a shushing gesture, then quickly climbed into the car. "Sneak by, come on."
“This is fine,” Lu Yunian said, pulling Ning Yi’en to the last few rows. “Good, safe. Yanyan, you can sit by the window.”
"Sit down, or you might actually get arrested." Ning Yi'en was feeling a bit uncomfortable from the mixed smells in the carriage, and her brows furrowed slightly.
"Actually, I was just joking. Several teachers were taking the second bus, and there seemed to be a shortage of seats, so I volunteered." Lu Yunian said, mimicking a primary school student answering a question in class—back ramrod straight, left hand raised high. "Really not sitting by the window?"
“There’s no need to be so modest,” Ning Yi’en tapped his head. “Sometimes I feel uncomfortable looking out the window when I’m in a car.”
"Alright then... If you feel unwell later, be sure to tell me."
"Would you like some ginger? I brought some."
"No, I don't actually get carsick very much."
Okay.
"Should we adjust the air conditioner vents? Is it cold?"
"That's fine too." Ning Yi'en glanced at the air vent, her expression indifferent.
"Okay!"
"Then... do you want some snacks?"
"Not really." As the car stabilized, Ning Yi'en looked down at her phone.
"Ah, okay..." Lu Yunian looked away, lowered his head to look at his hands, cracked his knuckles, opened his mouth again, but didn't say anything.
"Want some candy?" Ning Yi'en held out her fist in front of him and then opened it. "No problem."
"Really?!" Lu Yunian's eyes lit up immediately.
"It's fake, go be your melancholy god."
"I didn't! Yanyan, don't do this." He tried to grab Ning Yi'en's wrist, but his hand had already pulled back a little.
Their hands were clenched tightly, their palms burning hot.
It seemed to spread to his face very quickly.
"I……"
Ning Yi'en looked at him with a knowing expression, and the corners of her mouth might have been slightly upturned, but it was more likely just his imagination.
Lu Yunian was a little confused again. I didn't know what to say for a long time, but I still held my hand without moving.
"Want some potato chips?" The student in the seat in front of me poked his head out from between the two seats.
"No, thank you." Lu Yunian finally remembered to let go of her hand.
"You're welcome." After a long while, Ning Yi'en put the candy in his hand and leaned close to his ear.
"Want to listen to music?"
Ning Yi'en was untangling a tangled mess of wired headphones. After receiving confirmation from the person next to her, she casually handed him the side that had been straightened first.
Left...right... Lu Yunian gestured. He was sitting to his left, but he also received the left ear.
"What's wrong?" Ning Yi'en had already put it on and put the music on. "Is it backwards? Do you need to switch sides?"
"No!" Lu Yunian replied immediately, "It's perfectly fine like this!"
"good."
The music in my headphones was soft, and the bus was huge—it felt like an artificial cradle.
Lu Yunian felt sleepy very quickly. After swaying his head back and forth like a fisherman for a long time, he finally put his arm around Ning Yi'en's shoulder at a bend in the road.
Lu Yunian was breathing deeply. His head wasn't as heavy as Ning Yi'en had imagined. A few strands of hair brushed against his face, making him feel a little itchy.
Ning Yi'en brushed his hair aside, patted his head lightly, turned down the volume of her headphones, and continued looking at her phone.
"Hey! Look over there!" someone shouted, and many people stood up and looked out the left window.
"Oh my god...it seems really serious..." The carriage was immediately filled with discussion.
Ning Yi'en didn't want to get involved in this commotion, but when she looked up, she was confronted with a scene straight ahead—an electric scooter lay overturned in the middle of the road, the owner was nowhere to be seen, but a group of anxious-looking people were gathered around it two or three meters away.
Two other cars, somewhat mangled from the collision, were parked crookedly on the road.
The shattered glass on the ground reflected the sunlight, making it particularly dazzling.
He didn't know if it was a hallucination, but the ambulance siren seemed to be getting closer and closer.
"How pitiful, of all days it had to be today."
"If it were me, I really wouldn't want to live anymore..."
A pool of blood, which wasn't actually on the asphalt road, gradually spread out before my eyes.
"This is ruined, he was such a handsome kid..."
"Tsk, did you hurt your face?"
"I don't know, it's already bad enough, isn't it?"
His breathing became increasingly rapid, and the idle chatter that wasn't even there lingered in his ears. He didn't even realize that he was gradually increasing the pressure on his ring finger, and his reddened hand was trembling uncontrollably.
"Yan Yan? Yan Yan..." Lu Yunian said worriedly, "Ning Yi'en..."
"Oh, I'm fine," Ning Yi'en replied after a long pause.
"Can I borrow your hand for a moment?" Lu Yunian
"Um?"
Ning Yi'en's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.
"Then I'll take that as a yes." Lu Yunian muttered softly, taking his left hand and placing it in his own. "Rest well for a while, Yan Yan..."
Neither of them spoke again.
Lu Yunian's hands were slightly larger than Ning Yi'en's. Ning Yi'en wondered if it was just her imagination, but his hands felt a little hot, which also made her feel calm.
The soothing music in my headphones finally came into focus again, and my thoughts returned to this place.
Ning Yi'en is asleep.
She leaned on his shoulder.
Lu Yunian cautiously tilted his head.
Ning Yi'en seemed to be sleeping very lightly.
His breathing was somewhat rapid but also rose and fell rhythmically.
The blue hair I used to dye has long since grown long and been cut off. Now my hair is a bit brownish, and when the sunlight shines in occasionally, it turns into a brilliant gold, like an elegant prince deep in thought.
Her thin lips were slightly pursed, and even the upward curve of her long eyelashes seemed perfectly designed.
He is like a beautiful diamond, not easily broken, but everyone who sees him wants to hold him in their hands.
“Yan Yan…” Lu Yu shook him a few times.
"Hmm?" Ning Yi'en opened her eyes, her hand instinctively reaching to clench into a fist, but what she clenched tightly was...—
"We're here!" Lu Yunian suddenly raised his voice. "We need to get off now. Our class is lining up... I'm slipping away first!"
"I'll come find you after we're dismissed! You can't go with anyone else." Lu Yunian took a few steps and then turned back. "Remember to wait for me!"
"Okay." Ning Yi'en stretched and said casually, "Go ahead."
You said you'd wait for me!
"I'll wait..."
"Hurry up, Lu Yunian, we're just waiting for you..."
"You're here." Lu Yunian pursed his lips, but then immediately smiled. "I'm leaving, bye-bye."
"Ning Yi'en! Over here."
As soon as he stepped into the scenic area, Lu Yunian waved and shouted.
"You're here." Ning Yi'en walked slowly over, her hands in her pockets, some distance away from him.
"Lu Yunian, why are you like a little shadow?" a classmate who wasn't very familiar with him asked him.
"Bullshit! Go on your way." Lu Yunian didn't really want to pay attention to him, but just watched Ning Yi'en walk towards him.
"Isn't that right...? You don't look like his boyfriend either."
“No.” Lu Yunian looked at him, “Then I like…”
"He's a simp!" the classmate shouted, then turned and walked away.
"What do you mean by 'little dog' or 'little dog'?" Ning Yi'en had already walked over and naturally put her hand on Lu Yunian's shoulder.
“It’s nothing,” Lu Yunian’s anger vanished instantly. “Let’s go.”
"Do you like puppies?" Ning Yi'en asked Lu Yunian. "There was a time when I really wanted to get one."
"So cute!"
Lu Yunian looked at Ning Yi'en and skipped along, saying, "We...maybe we can raise one after the college entrance exam."
"Hmm, I'll be looking forward to it."
"Together."
Lu Yunian skipped a lot and quickly got ahead. Seeing that Ning Yi'en didn't quicken her pace, she turned back with a grin.
Spring is in full bloom, sunlight filters through the leaves, and greenery sprouts everywhere among the blue tiles and red bricks—hope arrives with spring.
"Let's visit each one and pray to them all. Then we'll offer incense to Guanyin and Wenquxing, and we're sure to have good luck! What do you think?"
“Okay.” Ning Yi’en looked up and met Lu Yunian’s bright eyes.
Lu Yunian pulled Ning Yi'en along, "How about this one?"
"Either is fine." Ning Yi'en was replying to someone else's message, walking behind Lu Yunian with her head down, only glancing up briefly.
"What are you laughing at, Yan Ting?"
As soon as Lu Yunian stepped across the threshold, he saw Yan Ting, who seemed to be grinning wickedly.
"nothing."
"You can't possibly be planning to stand in front of me when I close my eyes, can you?"
"I would never do something as childish as blocking your way when you're praying with your eyes closed."
They spoke with differing opinions, but at the same time...
"They have quite a good understanding," Yan said.
"So..." Lu Yunian persisted.
"You brought your sweet senior to the Temple of the Matchmaker, are you afraid people will laugh at you?" Yan Ting waved to him and walked out. "Just kidding, remember to be devout."
Did you just hear that?
Lu Yunian felt his face should be extremely red, so he turned around and whispered in Ning Yi'en's ear.
"What?" Ning Yi'en looked up. Lu Yunian was standing very close to him, as if if Ning Yi'en tilted his head even a little more, his ear would touch Lu Yunian's lips.
"It's nothing." Lu Yunian realized he was too close and took a small step back. "Did you see that just now? This is... the Temple of the Matchmaker." Lu Yunian seemed a little unsure of himself, and his voice grew softer and softer.
“I thought you saw it before you came in,” Ning Yi’en looked up and met his eyes. “I didn’t notice.”
"Let's go then. If a teacher comes in later, they might arrest us for having a puppy love relationship."
Besides the two of them, there were only a few other young couples here.
Although Lu Yunian kept saying "Let's go, let's go," his eyes were still fixed on the statue of the God of Love, and he showed no intention of buying the leg-opening ticket.
"Since you're in, you might as well say goodbye."
"Really?!" Lu Yunian's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn't that inappropriate...? Is it okay?"
"What are you thinking about?" Ning Yi'en tapped his head. "Silently recite the school you want to apply to, and ask the God of Love to bless you two so you can get married."
"You can do that?! Ning Yi'en, you're a genius." Lu Yunian took two steps forward and then came back. "Will it be very useful?"
"Why not give it a try?" Ning Yi'en shrugged. "Or maybe you could pray for a good marriage for yourself in the future?"
Lu Yunian didn't say anything, but went to the side and took two incense sticks to light.
"Smoke."
The two of them strolled around the whole place at a leisurely pace. Walking in nature in spring really makes you feel good.
"I love today so much, I'm so happy."
“Very, very.” Ning Yi’en bent down and picked up two flowers that had fallen on the grass, tucking one of them into Lu Yunian’s hair. “It looks pretty.”
"What looks good?" Lu Yunian opened the front camera of his phone and admired his hair like a mirror.
“She is indeed very charming.” Lu Yunian muttered to himself.
"Yan Yan!" The phone camera tilted slightly to face Ning Yi'en.
"Hmm?" Ning Yi'en looked up, and Lu Yunian came over with a grin.
The shutter freezes this moment.
"I wish it could stay like this forever. The sunshine today is especially beautiful, and I feel incredibly happy." Lu Yunian's steps were light and airy, and the tiger teeth that showed when he smiled added even more joy.
"It would be great if I didn't have to go to class every day!" Lu Yunian added a few seconds later.
“You,” Ning Yi’en laughed at him, “It’s been over a hundred days, just hang in there.”
There's no need to endure it; happiness is having you by my side.
Lu Yunian bent down and picked up two more flowers. When he stood up, Ning Yi'en was waiting for him a little ahead.
To be honest, he was quite anxious about June, what if...
He shook his head vigorously to stop thinking about it, hoping that by using that time to do a couple more problems, he might be a few kilometers closer to him in the future.
Mmm! What a delicious bowl of chicken soup! I feel like I have a real talent for becoming a self-help guru.
—Lu Yunian even made a self-deprecating remark after thinking it over.
"Yanyan~" He ran up and picked out the most vibrant flower, placing it in Ning Yi'en's palm. "It's so beautiful, let's go."
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