When I saw the old senior high school teaching building of Tianyi again after two years, I could still recall the classes, chatting, exams and evening self-study in the classroom.
The red paint on the printed slogan had peeled off and was mottled, and the electronic timer board stopped at the screen that read "1 day left until college entrance examination", and time seemed to have stopped.
Walking slowly through the corridor of the atrium, you can see the white frangipani and the old banyan tree with lush canopies by lowering your eyes. In the past, when I went out of the classroom to go to the bathroom, I would pass by the classrooms of Class 4 and Class 5. There were always people leaning on the railings and windowsills to bask in the sun and chat, and boys in the activity class were playing basketball and chasing each other. When Ye Kai passed by, these sounds would be subtly still, fleeting, and his eyes, like the sun, fell on him lightly. He had a natural calmness when being looked at. There were also voices of greeting coming from the front, waving, putting an arm around someone's shoulder, saying "hello", asking for the answer to the last question in the math homework, borrowing the homework book to copy, and the smiles and words and deeds were all arbitrary and casual, as if youth would never end, so all of this did not need to be cherished.
All the faces disappeared, leaving only an empty corridor that stretched as far as the eye could see and blurry light and shadows.
"In the past, Brother Youhan would come to pick me up after school." Ye Kai pushed the front door of the classroom, locked it, and a layer of dust fell on his fingertips.
Qu Jia's face was a little stiff, but he didn't say anything.
Ye Kai lowered his head and wiped his fingertips. "One night, at 10:38, the last question on the test paper was probability analysis. After I finished solving it, I thought, he shouldn't happen to walk into this door at this time of the night. When I looked up, I heard someone making a noise, and he was standing at the door, holding a suit in his hand."
Qu Jia didn't know what to say. Rather than repenting, she said with regret: "It's my fault. I should pick you up every week."
Ye Kai smiled and said, "What's the point of you coming to pick me up? I'll lie to you and tell you that I have to review with my classmates today."
Qu Jia's face turned serious: "I don't know what kind of magic potion he was given!"
Ye Kai walked forward, with a smile in his voice: "Brother Youhan has been fooled by everyone's magic potion, but you are the only one who doesn't fall for it."
This was the first time in two years that he and Qu Jia took the initiative to talk about Chen Youhan, and Qu Jia felt complicated. When the old topic was brought up again, seeing that Ye Kai was completely unconcerned, she thought that Ye Kai had finally let it go, and even secretly gave some credit to Lucas.
"Why are you mentioning him suddenly?" Qu Jia tested lightly.
"Nothing, I just suddenly remembered it. I don't know how many times I met him throughout high school. Sometimes I would receive a call from him after the lights were turned off, and then we would meet at the back door. I can still remember how quiet it was at that time, with only the sounds of crickets and frogs. Mom, I actually climbed over the wall to skip class and go out for supper with him, but you don't know that."
Qu Jia certainly didn't know, even though time had passed, she still felt dizzy when she heard it now, as if her blood was boiling and her blood pressure was soaring. She held onto her solar plexus and pressed it: "Please be kind and tell me something happy."
Ye Kai looked back at her, feeling inexplicably happy, and even went over to support Qu Jia: "I'm happy, I'm talking about happy things now."
Coming out of the east side door of the teaching building is the library donated by Chen Youhan. It is very grand. After the college entrance examination, his poster was hung here for the entire summer.
"Brother Youhan's library is pretty good."
Qu Jia said "hmm" in a displeased tone, "Sure, your brother Youhan has donated tens of thousands of books. What else do you want to ask? Scholarships? Very good, the students selected live up to expectations."
"I heard that this year's provincial champion in liberal arts is a poor student. Is that also part of his financial aid program?"
Qu Jia felt chest tightness and shortness of breath, and said reluctantly: "It's his."
Ye Kai raised half of the corner of his lips, looking proud.
"Baby, please stop talking about him, okay? I'm allergic!"
Ye Kai finally laughed out loud and asked her directly: "Between Brother Youhan and Lucas, who do you think is better?"
Qu Jia wanted to say that neither of them was good, but he didn't want to ruin Ye Kai's good mood today, so he said to save face: "Of course Lucas is good."
Before he finished speaking, Ye Kai's smile faded a little: "Really?"
Qu Jia held his hand tightly, revealing the exhaustion and compromise of an aging parent who is unable to do anything: "As long as you like it."
"Do you think Lucas and I can be together?" In front of the gate of the library donated by Chen Youhan, Ye Kai stared into Qu Jia's wrinkled eyes, "Do you really agree?"
The sun was blinding, so Qu Jia took out a folding parasol from her bag and opened it. Ye Kai took it from her and held it above their heads. Qu Jia held his hand and had to look up to find his eyes. She sighed deeply, "Why come to Tianyi if you want to talk to me about this?"
Ye Kai walked with her along the lawn toward the gymnasium: "It's just by the way. If you don't want to talk, then don't talk."
"People are born into what kind of family, they have to bear what kind of responsibilities. If we were an ordinary family today, and you said you wanted to marry a man, I would have no objection. But the Ye family has accumulated for generations, and you have enjoyed the glory and wealth, but you have to bear the loneliness and restraint behind it. I didn't agree before because you had no choice, but now..." She paused, "Xiao Jin has decided not to get married, and she will take on the task of continuing the Ye family's lineage. You are free."
Ye Kai fell silent.
Qu Jia patted his arm, worry in her eyes: "Mom has only one request, don't let Grandpa know before he passes away. After he passes away, you can do whatever you want."
"Grandpa doesn't know? I'm so sick, he didn't notice anything?"
"Who dares to let him know?" Qu Jia calmed down and breathed a sigh of relief. "It's been kept secret from top to bottom. Don't try to come out to him and show your true love without thinking. Do you hear me?"
Ye Kai pursed his lips meaningfully and responded obediently: "Got it."
Qu Jia was not used to it. He turned his head and squinted at him for a long time, "There's something wrong with you."
Ye Kai avoided her scrutinizing gaze and said, "I am very satisfied."
The two walked up the ramp, passing the large playground and football field where they did their morning exercises. There was no one on the huge campus, and the leaves of the camphor trees were reflecting the light from the sun. In front of them was the theater where the art performance was held. Qu Jia took the initiative to divert attention and said, "Do you remember which one you played..." The name came to his lips but he suddenly couldn't remember it. Ye Kai took over, "Portia, The Merchant of Venice."
"Yes, Portia, you were cross-dressing. When you first came out, your mother didn't even notice it. The principal was still talking about which girl in Class 3 was so pretty." Qu Jia was lost in memories. At that time, Ye Kai was really a shining person, innocent, pure, with self-restraint and character that could be seen at a glance. He was also well-behaved and would act like a spoiled child with his family. She used to worry about what kind of girl would win his heart in the end.
"Brother Youhan is here too."
Qu Jia was immersed in the memories of the light and shadow of the stage that night. He was suddenly interrupted again and rolled his eyes unhappily: "Why are you--" He suddenly paused and looked at Ye Kai with sudden enlightenment: "Ye Kai, tell me the truth, have you been together since your second year of high school?"
Ye Kai didn't say anything, but smiled beautifully and innocently.
Qu Jia was shocked, she covered her chest and swallowed hard. Ye Kai helped her sit down on a bench beside the flower bed, holding an umbrella for her, unscrewing the bottle of mineral water, and asked jokingly, "Are you so angry?"
"He's underage—he's breaking the law!"
"We're adults now." Ye Kai argued slowly, "We were together on my eighteenth birthday."
"How dare you say that!" Qu Jia's eyebrows stood up. At the time of the incident, Chen Youhan was about to break up with Ye Kai. He was injured like that, and this matter has since become a forbidden area between them. Qu Jia never asked for any details, and Ye Jin only knew a little about it. Now it seems that things are more "serious" than she expected.
"But... I've liked him since I was sixteen, or maybe fifteen. Do you remember that year when I had a fever and you asked the master to burn a perpetual lamp for me? It was because a senior in school told me that he and Brother Youhan were officially dating. He knew I liked him and said a lot of things on purpose. Mom, adolescence is really strange. Feelings develop like willow branches sprouting in spring. Before you know it, they're already beautiful. At that time, I felt that liking someone was the most precious thing. If I didn't get a response or if someone else snatched the person away, I would be sad at the slightest sign of sensitivity. But looking back now, it's actually not a big deal."
Qu Jia was already confused by him, so he could only say, "It's no big deal."
Ye Kai squatted down and put his hand on Qu Jia's knee. This reminded her of how he looked when he was a child. He was also like this, well-behaved, looking up at her, asking some strange questions, and even believing in nonsense like "fireflies glow because they eat a star". But now Ye Kai is so tall that he can even be at eye level with him when he squats down. Qu Jia hasn't looked at him seriously for too long. Facing his calm eyes, the complicated emotions surging in her heart gradually subsided.
"Do you remember the person you liked in high school?"
Qu Jia's face froze, and he felt a little shy, so he said stubbornly, "...I don't remember much."
Ye Kai pursed his lips and smiled: "Even someone as amazing as my mother can't forget it."
Even those who are slow to realize it should have noticed something was wrong. Qu Jia's eyes gradually turned from doubt to clarity, and then she was startled, and a panic rose in her heart. Just as she was about to say something, Ye Kai pinched her well-maintained palm and said calmly: "I know you will be angry when you hear it, but my life is like that willow tree that sprouts in spring. If something happens at that moment, it happens. The three words Chen Youhan have been engraved in it. What should I do? No matter how mature and grown up I am, these three words will never disappear."
Qu Jia clenched his hands tightly and stammered: "The past is the past. You, mom won't bother with you about it. It's time for him to get married--"
"I have met Brother Youhan."
The parasol fell to the green ground, upside down, with the beautiful tassels on the handle shaking. Qu Jia stood up: "Ye Kai!"
Ye Kai also stood up slowly, his face expressionless, his breath deep, his eyes dark. He stared at Qu Jia, ignoring her panic that was no longer strong due to her age, and said calmly but firmly: "--Since Lucas can do it, then Chen Youhan can do it too."
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