Chapter 48: Deep into the Bone
Zhou Ran seemed to be in a good mood. He left the back of the sofa, leaned over and picked up the water he had just poured. The bottle was misty, so he unscrewed it and took a sip.
Yan Nian said in silence: "Then, turn off the lights!"
At this moment, her heart was empty, and what she thought and what she said were not connected.
I'm a little confused for a moment.
Zhou Ran looked up at her with a smile on his face.
Yan Nian felt that this was a bit problematic, so she stood still, watching his every move, and added, "Light a candle and make a wish."
After a long moment, Zhou Ran asked with a smile, "Are you planning to stand and let me pass?"
Yan Nian paused.
Zhou Ran: "Come and light a candle for me."
Yan Nian, sleepwalking, struggled to move over and sat down. He untied the ribbon on the outside of the box and carefully took out the cake.
The strawberry mousse I bought according to his request was topped with bright red strawberries and a layer of matte, moisture-proof powdered sugar.
Very exquisite.
She had asked the merchant for both numbered candles and colored candles, and now she was a little undecided, so she asked Zhou Ran for his opinion: "Which candle should I light?"
Zhou Ran said simply, "The left one is blue."
Yan Nian put down the rest of the candles and said, "Okay, then just light one."
Zhou Ran's eyes were gentle: "Yeah."
She used a lighter to light the candle, and Zhou Ran took the remote control for the light from the minivan.
The surroundings suddenly became dark, leaving only a cluster of warm light in front of my eyes.
The furniture was shaking and making shadows appear.
But each other's faces were clearly visible.
Yan Nian sat on the carpet with her legs crossed and pushed the cake over: "Make a wish."
Her eyes were focused on the cake, but she could sense an illusion. Zhou Ran was looking at her across the candlelight.
Yan Nian turned her head away, pretending to distract herself with the paper plate and knife and fork that held the cake, and decided to wait until the candle was halfway burned to remind him.
There were sporadic noises nearby, and out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Ran also moved from the sofa to sit cross-legged on the carpet.
The candle melted and continued to flow down. Seeing that it was halfway through, she asked softly, "Don't you want to make a wish?"
"I don't have any wishes." Zhou Ran seemed to have thought of something and called her in a deep voice, "Yan Nian."
"Yeah." Every time Zhou Ran called her name, it always felt unreal. Yan Nian clenched the disposable fork in her hand and turned to look at him.
In the firelight, Zhou Ran's bright eyes showed a tired smile, and he said in a relaxed tone: "You didn't give me a birthday present that year either."
When Yan Nian heard what he said, her brain suddenly went blank and she felt like the world was collapsing. Her ears were ringing and her heart was in panic.
"You have to prepare double this time. Don't try to shirk your responsibility, understand?" Zhou Ran raised a self-deprecating smile at the corner of his mouth, and without waiting for her response, he blew out the candle.
The light suddenly went out, and his face also disappeared into the darkness. No one could see each other's emotions, and only the sound of each other's breathing remained.
Yan Nian's eyes felt a little sore and painful, and there was moisture around his eye sockets.
How could she not know what year he said it was.
The summer vacation during the last semester of freshman year.
At that time, she envied for the first time that someone's birthday would be during the summer vacation.
Her birthday is after May Day, on May 6th.
So when Zhou Ran went to see her, on the one hand he wanted to see her, and on the other hand he wanted to celebrate her birthday in advance.
I won’t have time after the holiday on May 6th.
She also said on the phone that she would return to Lindu during the summer vacation to celebrate his 20th birthday with him.
After that, she cut off contact with Zhou Ran.
But if you haven't forgotten this incident and feel guilty, you will easily act impulsively.
It was then that she acted on impulse and prepared a birthday present for him in advance.
She had wanted to send it to him a few days before his 20th birthday, but Zhou Ran would go home during the holidays. She didn't know Zhou Ran's home address in Lindu, she only knew his family's factory and the rented house. After she left, Zhou Ran was about to report to university, so he gave up the lease.
After much deliberation, she finally sent it to his school a month in advance.
A week later, the package was returned to her intact.
The reason for return is 'rejection'.
At that time, I thought Zhou Ran knew it was her, so he refused to accept the express delivery.
She didn't dare to call him, nor did she have the courage to call him.
At that moment, she realized that this was really the end of their relationship.
Although she didn't say the word "break up" very clearly, this is probably what she meant.
Until now, she has never dared to imagine that at the airport, that passionate young man delayed his flight for six hours, traveled thousands of miles to see her with great anticipation, but was finally left coldly at the airport and returned home disappointed.
What he was like then.
A drop of warm liquid dripped onto the hand between her legs, bringing Yan Nian back to reality. She raised her hand in panic to wipe away the remaining moisture from the corners of her eyes.
He thought about what Zhou Ran said.
He seemed unaware that she had sent him anything.
How could she explain it? Bringing it up again would only cause both of them to feel awkward.
It’s like I sent it to you, but you didn’t receive it.
Too cold-blooded and selfish.
Yan Nian was still immersed in the feeling of being caught off guard, but she was quite happy that he could still come to her to settle these old accounts.
After a long time, Yan Nian suppressed the emotions in his heart, his voice still trembling: "I understand."
Zhou Ran curled his lips in the darkness, holding the light remote in his hand but not operating it for a long time.
Waiting for her to show the slightest sign of affection, waiting for her to speak, really felt like a century.
a long time.
Zhou Ran turned on the light, and Yan Nian raised his hand to block the glare.
When I let go of my hands, all my emotions had already disappeared completely and were nowhere to be found.
Seeing his face clearly again, he was still lazy and casual.
It seemed like the long darkness was just a blink of an eye.
Without making a wish, he blew out the candles quickly and turned on the lights.
There are no emotions at all.
Yan Nian handed him a transparent disposable cutter.
Zhou Ran took it, cut it in half, and then divided it into plates.
When Yan Nian tasted the first sweetness on his tongue, he finally felt a sense of reality, just like the sweet taste he had tasted tonight.
It penetrates into the bones.
Zhou Ran asking her for a gift was a good signal for her, and she had a new sense of direction.
She wanted to move closer, little by little, along the branch he stretched out to her.
Until now, the dark cloud that enveloped her finally showed a glimmer of light.
Yan Nian picked up a strawberry and put it in his mouth, and the sour taste spread throughout his mouth.
People who have eaten sweets are afraid of sour things.
The same goes for her.
Zhou Ran felt the cake was too sweet, so after taking two bites he put down his fork and sat aside to play with his phone.
Glancing at her from time to time.
Yan Nian dug into the cake slowly, without any hurry.
One piece was not enough, so he added another one.
Zhou Ran couldn't help but ask, "Don't you feel uncomfortable eating so many sweets at night?"
"Not bad." Yan Nian just wanted a little longer time. Tonight, she didn't want to look at her phone, she just wanted to stay a little longer.
Zhou Ran asked, "Would you like some water?"
Yan Nian nodded: "Yeah."
Zhou Ran got up and went to get her some water.
At the same time, the doorbell rang at an inopportune time.
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