Chapter 4
Gu Fang turned on the desk lamp.
All the fresh cut flowers grandma sent were unpacked and filled the living room and aisle.
In his room, he kept only a few branches of the perfectly colored gray-blue European moon, a stem of green dahlia leaves, and a snowy green hydrangea. He liked to observe the changes in the colors of flowers and plants under different light.
The villa was very quiet. The two aunts were in the house at the back and had gone to bed early.
Gu Fang finished flipping through a chemistry textbook distributed by the school and scribbled two accompanying papers before picking up his pen and carefully sketching several pages. The main lights in the room were off, and a single desk lamp cast a soft, smoky glow, capturing the quiet breathing of flowers and plants under the moonlight.
Only after he was satisfied with the painting did he stretch and get up to go to the small living room to get a glass of water.
His desk was clean, tidy beyond the pale of someone who loved painting. The vases were placed on the bay window, and finished books and papers were returned to the bookshelf. Only a small pot of green mint in a jar of iced porcelain sat on the solid wood tabletop.
The only green spot in the blank.
While drinking water, Gu Fang bent his fingers and gently flicked the lip-shaped leaflet.
Put your finger in front of your nose and you will be inhaled with a light and cool scent that will refresh you.
Gu Fang seemed to have sensed something and touched the gland at the back of his neck. After tearing off the barrier patch, it was the most relaxing and natural moment of the day.
He keeps the most common spearmint, which is the flavor of many toothpastes.
But, it is this taste, and it is not this taste.
This time he was close enough.
The pheromone smell that was accidentally and uncontrollably contained not only the refreshing mint, but also a very light...sweetness.
Actually, I've smelled it before. The most recent time was when I was pushed by a reveling crowd and fell in front of him, and I got his autograph with a motivational message.
The other sweet smell he smelled at that time made him unsure whether it was real or an illusion.
The circle is very niche. Perhaps Lu Si really cherishes every fan who comes to listen to his performance, or perhaps he is just being responsible, so the motivational message is long and wordy.
After the second operation failed, that long-winded piece of motivational words became the only thing I read over and over again until it curled up during that most difficult year.
Perhaps just standing on the stage is his ideal appearance.
The youth he had never experienced, the youth he imagined, and his long live youth, all converged on that one person along with the stage lights, the cicadas and the moon on the summer night.
He saw the light shining on him and his shadow was very long.
If he had to define this emotion, Gu Fang would call it yearning or worship. He wasn't a musical idol; he was actually semi-tonally illiterate. Perhaps he was just a young believer, witnessing his faith being fabricated into a concrete object.
The halo of light only illuminated the smooth jaw, the overly pale skin revealed a sickly luster, the long eyelashes and pupils were hidden in the darkness, Gu Fang was sure this time.
It was a sweet taste similar to strawberry.
Mixed in with the coolness of mint, it seems to gather and disperse, to be there and not there, with a cool sweetness like rainwater.
Gu Fang woke up before the alarm clock rang at 5:30.
He glanced at his phone, then closed his eyes again, waiting until he adjusted to the thinning light outside the window before getting up. He'd been working until midnight last night, and while his eyelids were a little sleepy, his mind was wide awake, and a faint, inexplicable excitement surged through his head.
I don't know what to be excited about, he muttered to himself as he brushed his teeth.
After finishing the breakfast made by Aunt Su, Gu Fang passed by Aunt Sun who was cleaning the cabinets. He put on his schoolbag, waved to them and went out.
In fact, he felt there was nothing to clean, as the furniture was all new, but if he brought it up, Aunt Sun would be upset and wonder if she would be fired. Gu Fang wouldn't bring it up. With someone walking around, the house might seem less empty.
Their family has always believed that home is a collection of abstract meanings, not a specific house. Even concepts such as city and region can be hidden.
Perhaps, Grandma's house in his hometown was once considered a specific "home." But Grandma loved tending flowers and plants, so she moved to the mountains in the south, near the tropics, to spend her days gardening. The only relatives left in his hometown were distant relatives like his eighth aunt, whom Gu Fang didn't know well.
Gu Fang’s household registration is in his hometown, but his permanent residence is in this city, simply because his father’s company is headquartered here and the local medical conditions are also excellent.
No. 12 Middle School's morning reading session starts at 6:40. The journey took half an hour, and it was only just past 6:00. I asked the driver to take me to Dongmen, and using the navigation on my phone, I found the nearest flower shop to the school was in the nearby Dongmen Market.
He wasn't sure if the flower shop had the mint he needed. Mint wasn't a common item in flower shops. Even if they did, it was mostly the common spearmint.
He put on a black mask and after entering, he found that this market was quite large. The raw vegetable area and the fish and meat area were clearly separated, and there were all kinds of shops. Six o'clock was the time when the entire market woke up in the early morning.
After walking for nearly ten minutes, I finally turned under a large sign that said "Dongmen Flower and Bird Market".
Inside, he saw sheds and hanging cages everywhere, birds chirping, and flower pots spilling out onto the street. A three-wheeled rickshaw, playing a loop of "xuan flowers, selling xuan flowers," creaked past him.
Gu Fang looked at the navigation again and walked to the end of the street, which was the flower shop called Suyuan.
How should I put it? The solid wood signboard and simple decoration, because of the natural and simple style (I guess? The name he chose now), seem to be out of tune with the colorful and family-friendly style of the entire flower and bird market.
This store is actually quite big, spanning two full storefronts. Looking at the pictures online, there's a yard at the back, and things are also displayed on the second floor.
The boss is a female Alpha, her last name is Xi. Everyone in the comment section calls her Sister Xi, saying that Sister Xi is a very nice person and very patient.
To be honest, female A is as rare as O, especially female A who runs a flower shop.
When Gu Fang entered the shop, she was squatting in front of a pot of fine-leaved orchid with dead spots, her brows furrowed. Hearing the ring of the bell, the young female shop owner looked up at him, raised her hand and greeted him casually: "Come in, what flowers do you want? Let me see them."
The tone was so familiar as if Gu Fang was a frequent visitor to her home.
Gu Fang hesitated at the door for a while, then took off his mask, walked over to the pot of fine-leaved orchid, and squatted down. "Can I take a look?"
"Sure." The owner looked up in surprise and glanced at him again.
Gu Fang moved the stones in the pot, inserted his fingers into the soil to probe, and shook his head: "The stones are too coarse. If they were finer, the water would drain better and the soil would not be compacted. The soil for growing orchids should not be too wet or too dry. It is best to keep it moist at the top and dry at the bottom."
"Oh," the shop owner nodded, "I just can't grasp the right balance. This is my first time raising a cold orchid."
Gu Fang picked up some stones and scooped some fine stones from a nearby bucket with a small shovel. As he spread the stones, he said, "Of course, the finer the better. Every pot of flowers has different habits. It's best to observe their growth every day and make appropriate adjustments."
After touching the leaves again, Gu Fang frowned: "It's a bit dry. When growing orchids, it's best to keep the surrounding air moist."
The shop owner sighed deeply: "I put a humidifier next to it before, but the pot never bloomed."
"It's not blooming? Maybe the temperature difference between day and night is too small," Gu Fang touched the leaves, "It's best not to put it in the greenhouse at night."
The shop owner sighed more deeply. "I'm afraid it'll freeze to death. Really? It's called a winter orchid, but it's not cold-resistant at all. It's afraid of the sun! This flower is so delicate. Even my partner isn't this hard to take care of. No wonder orchid lovers don't recommend buying it."
"Are you a student at No. 12 Middle School?" the shop owner complained, then looked him up and down and said with a smile, "Do you have orchids at home?"
"Yes," Gu Fang said, "my grandmother raised one at home."
The shop owner stood up and dusted off his hands: "What do you want to buy?"
"Mint," Gu Fang described it carefully, "mint with a slightly sweet taste."
The shop owner tilted his head and said, "Then let's go to the backyard and take a look?"
Gu Fang sniffed the row of mints one by one. The shop owner showed him around and introduced them, "There are quite a few sweet mint varieties, like apple mint and bergamot mint. Chocolate mint is the sweetest, and people usually use it to garnish desserts... Lemon balm also has a refreshing sweet smell, but I don't have any..."
"If you're not satisfied, I'll go get some new ones some other day."
The shop owner turned around and was surprised to find that the boy had stopped in front of a small pot of mint. He picked it up without hesitation and said, "This is the taste."
The shop owner couldn't help but raise his lip. "What a coincidence! This is the only small pot of this variety left."
The flower and bird market is on the northeast side of the school. Gu Fang put on a mask and came out from another exit, which was the long slope next to the school.
Only then did I realize that there was a northeast gate, but it was locked and it seemed that students were not allowed to pass through.
He glanced at his phone. It was six-thirty. Ten minutes left before morning self-study, which should be enough time. Gu Fang prepared to continue downhill.
Gulu Gulu——
The small wheels made a harsh rolling sound on the ground.
Coming from behind, Gu Fang turned his head inadvertently, and his vision was first framed by the familiar pink storage box. His eyes froze, and he followed the thin rope that tied the box upwards, and met Lu Si's gaze.
The tall boy put one hand in his pocket and held the leash with the other hand, just like walking his dog on the street early in the morning.
They looked at each other, and an inexplicable atmosphere flowed between them.
Perhaps Lu Si wasn't good at socializing with people his own age, or perhaps he hadn't expected to bump into a new deskmate. Gu Fang was incredibly nervous, his knuckles clenching white beneath his sleeves.
The pink box rolled over and over, and when it came in front of Gu Fang, the thin rope was pulled and it suddenly stopped.
Lu Si's starry eyes swept over the mint in his hand. Without thinking too much, he raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Together?"
Gu moved his lips under the mask, then closed them again and nodded coldly.
"Uncle Zhang, have you eaten?" Lu Si skillfully removed the lock on the door and waved to the uncle who was watching TV in the guard room.
Gu Fang then realized that the small door next to him was not locked at all, but was just locked to create the illusion that it was locked.
Uncle Zhang seemed to be very familiar with Lu Si. He replied in a loud voice, "Eat, eat, you?"
"Just about to go to the cafeteria."
There were several steps in front of the door. Lu Si turned around to pick up the box. Gu Fang hurriedly picked up the box and handed it to him. Lu Si stood on the steps and said thank you.
Gu Fang pried open his eyelids and observed the expression on Lu Si's face. The boy's eyebrows and eyes remained light, as if he hadn't woken up yet. Whether he was greeting his elders or communicating with his peers, his expression remained calm and unchanging, as natural as drinking water.
It’s different from me, Gu Fangxin said.
When I get nervous, I tend to be speechless, which may make people who don't know me mistakenly think I'm aloof.
He admired people like Lu Si who could deal with different people naturally and casually without worrying about internal friction.
Besides, Lu Si was only seventeen, only two months older than himself.
After 6:30, the campus was filled with students arriving one after another. However, the tree-lined avenue at the northeast gate was sparsely populated. Gu Fang followed Lu Si silently, listening to the tumbling sound of the small box.
He caught a glimpse of Lu Si, who was about half a head taller than him, and felt a little frustrated.
Maybe if he drinks more milk, he can grow?
After all, he is younger than him, two months younger is still younger.
"Breakfast?"
Suddenly, a cold voice came from the side. Gu Fang thought it was an auditory hallucination and tilted his head: "Huh?"
Lu Si looked at him with his eyelids drooping with fatigue and asked again.
I ate it before I left. Gu Fang said calmly, "I was in a hurry to leave, so I only ate a little."
The empty blue eyes revealed through the mask were clear and bright. He blinked at Lu Si, his eyes and tone tinged with pity: "But I'm not full. I'm a little hungry."
Normally, Lu Si would tell people to go buy it themselves. He never did business at a loss, and if he bought something for someone, he would have to pay a travel fee.
But the new deskmate is a pampered Omega.
Should I take care of him?
Lu Si, who always thought that what his teachers taught him was bullshit, actually realized this on his own this morning.
For some reason, Lu Si avoided the other person's bright eyes, looked elsewhere, and said in a smug manner, "I'll go buy some and bring it to you on the way. What do you want to eat?"
"Just bring me some of what you want to eat." Gu Fang was understanding and took out his phone. "Shall I transfer the money to you?"
"Never mind. It's not necessary."
"I'll add you."
They both blurted out at the same time.
Lu Si saw his deskmate's strangely long eyelashes fluttering, then drooping dejectedly. He put down his phone. He didn't know if it was his illusion, but even the light in his beautiful eyes dimmed a little.
We are classmates, so it’s okay to add him?
Lu Si took out the phone from his pocket and said, "I'll add you, so there's no need to pay for breakfast."
"Want a drink?" With a beep, Lu Si scanned the QR code and added the other person casually. The other person's avatar was a small watercolor star with a very gentle color.
"Just pure milk."
Gu Fang looked at their height difference dejectedly.
Gu Fang stayed where he was, guarding the pink storage box, and watched Lu Si climb the mountain steps and enter the cafeteria.
When he came back, he took the bag of milk and it was warm to the touch.
Because he looked up at him, Lu Si lowered his eyes and explained, "You can ask for heating."
As soon as I entered the classroom and put down the pink box, a group of people rushed over like hungry wolves.
"Dad Lu! Our entire class depends on you for survival!"
"Dad, why are you so late today? I'm almost starving waiting for you!"
"Dad! Where's the chocolate-filled one from last time? Do you still have it?"
When Lu Si opened the lid, Gu Fang discovered that it was filled with breakfast items such as bread and milk.
Most of those who came shouting and clamoring were boarding students. They entered the classroom on time and had seen the sun rise at 6 o'clock, but they had rarely seen the cafeteria so early in the morning. When the bell rang for morning self-study, the boxes were swept away.
During the English morning reading, a female teacher wearing glasses came in, stood there with a serious expression, looked around, and then left. By the way, she asked the English class representative to go and count the weekly reports.
In the classroom, the students took out biscuits and bread, ate them while reciting words, which was also amazing.
Gu Fang thought Lu Si would be sleepy, after all, he had been listless since early morning. But when he turned around, he found Lu Si studying very seriously. He was wearing glasses, frowning, and memorizing words over and over again. Then his frown deepened, as if he was reading some incomprehensible book.
Gu Fang took a sip of the still warm milk and listened carefully.
His pronunciation was beautiful, but he just couldn't seem to memorize words no matter what. Or rather, he could manage to memorize words, but his efficiency was extremely low, taking others three or four to memorize just one.
But... the pronunciation is really nice.
Gu Fang became fascinated as he listened. None of the required test words and CET-4 listening comprehension materials on the table registered in his mind. His ears automatically muted the sounds of other people, leaving only the low and hoarse voice of his deskmate laboriously and seriously repeating the words he had memorized, which showed that he had not yet completely gotten rid of the immaturity of his youth.
He supported his chin with both hands, looked at the vocabulary list in front of him, and the corners of his lips curled up again and again.
Lu Si didn't hear him speak, and because his back was tired, he turned his head and glanced at him.
A question mark slowly appeared above my head.
After looking at the vocabulary list on his desk and then at the one in his own hand, Lu Si's eyes showed deep doubt.
How can you enjoy such a painful thing as memorizing words?
He didn't understand, he really didn't understand.
The author has something to say:
Fangfang, do you know that you are such a pervert?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
