Chapter 18
The head teacher once said that life is like the fireworks in the sky. There is always a moment of splendor, and after the splendor, it is a long and lonely night, just like the loneliness of life.
Yesterday’s party could be said to be the fireworks in the entire long river of senior year, opening brilliantly and then ending in decadence.
Because after the splendor, it means ending and saying goodbye.
There are only two days left before the annual holiday. Along with excitement, there is also a sense of urgency.
The countdown to the college entrance examination on the wall is less than 150 days away.
At noon the day before the holiday, An Huainan came in with the car keys and said he wanted to take Fang Zhao out for a walk.
The foot injury has almost healed, and Fang Zhao's heart, trapped in the cage, is about to burst.
"Hold me tight, and be careful not to fall."
Even though An Huainan reminded him many times, Fang Zhao just held on to his clothes at his sides with both hands to steady himself and always kept a certain distance.
Suddenly, An Huainan deliberately shook the bicycle and took a 'snake-like route'.
"What's wrong? Is the car broken down?"
Fang Zhao didn't hold on firmly and swayed forward, and his hands naturally wrapped around his waist.
An Huainan gave a wicked smile, but still let him succeed.
"Well, An Huainan, you actually have abdominal muscles."
Fang Zhao seemed to have discovered a new world. He touched it twice and even pinched it. It was hard and firm.
"Stop it, it's itchy."
An Huainan said this, but his body honestly pulled his stomach in to make his abdominal muscles more obvious.
Passing by a fried skewers shop, they bought Fang Zhao's favorite fried corn and sausage, and then went straight to the telephone business office next door.
"Hello, what can I do for you?"
The waiter behind the counter gave a professional smile.
"I'd like to know about your couple's package."
"Okay, this way please."
This store is not far from Wangshan Middle School. The couple's package it launched has gained a considerable market by relying on the early love students of Wangshan Middle School.
"We have two types of couple packages. One is for couple numbers only, and calls between the two cards are free. Other charges are normal."
The waiter opened the glass window and brought out two latest models of mobile phones.
"There's also this type of thing where even the phone is for a couple. You can get a couple's phone card for free, and the two cards can share 200 minutes of calls. This is a better deal, with the phone and the card costing 600 yuan in total, and you can also get 600 yuan in credit on the main card."
Fang Zhao picked up the women's cell phone and pressed a button.
She had almost forgotten what mobile phones looked like in this era. The latest models only had a stylus and buttons underneath, with only the most basic functions of making calls and sending and receiving text messages. However, they were indeed small and cute.
Seeing that Fang Zhao was very interested in the mobile phone, the waiter became interested.
"There's also a flip-top version, which is a little more compact."
Sure enough, the flap is made to look like a KT cat, which is not only smaller but also cuter.
"Do you like it?"
Fang Zhao looked at the KT cat in her hand and nodded. It was so small and it really hit her cute spot.
However, the couple's phone paired with the one in her hand was a bit terrible.
The men's flip phone was designed in the shape of a white, furry puppy, reminiscent of the "Line Puppy" design from a certain brand. Well, most boys wouldn't choose such a cute phone. Besides, this temperament didn't suit An Huainan at all.
"I want this one, swipe the card."
An Huainan quickly unbuttoned the top button of his windbreaker, took out a card from his inside pocket and handed it over.
Fang Zhao couldn't help but sigh that scanning and paying with a mobile phone is indeed convenient, but the action of swiping a card can really make a man look cool.
"ID card."
"Oh." Fang Zhao quickly took out his ID card from his pocket and handed it to An Huainan.
No wonder he reminded himself last night to bring his ID card with him today. It turned out he wanted to buy a mobile phone.
"Okay, here's the receipt, and here's your card, please keep it."
The waiter quickly turned on both phones, inserted SIM cards, and tried to dial each other's numbers.
"Please check it out. If there are no problems, you can use it directly."
An Huainan took out two mobile phones and pressed them, then handed the women's one to Fang Zhao.
Fang Zhao took the phone and found a number saved in it.
Name: 11111. Phone number: XXXXX
Fang Zhao clicked and the phone in An Huainan's hand rang.
Fang Zhao motioned for him to answer the phone.
An Huainan looked at her, answered the call lovingly, and put it to her ear.
"Why did you buy a couple phone from me?"
"What do you think?"
"I don't understand."
"Because I want to be your partner."
Fang Zhao held his phone, looking across at An Huainan, who was also holding his phone. His heart was almost beating in his throat. Did she just hear something? He said he wanted to be his partner?
The winter sun shone on An Huainan's face, making the brightness on the boy's face spread along the entire street. In an instant, Fang Zhao was infected by the winter sunshine, and everything became lively.
"Would you like to?"
An Huainan touched her lips lightly and uttered four words.
Fang Zhao looked at him steadily. An Huainan, the man she had been thinking about for ten years, was standing here at this moment, asking her if she was willing.
"I do."
Fang Zhao was a little anxious and laughed after he finished speaking.
She is willing, she has always been willing.
Before, she had been speculating and then waiting. Having been betrayed by Wen Bo once, she was unwilling to gamble on another person's heart again. She no longer trusted her own feelings and waited for An Huainan to confess.
And An Huainan, the arrogant Capricorn, not only became more strict with himself, but also got used to keeping his lips tightly closed and accompanying her silently until he felt that he was no longer worthy of her.
An Huainan stepped forward and hugged Fang Zhao into his arms.
One day ten years ago, he asked her if she would like to apply to a university in the same city. She said that her family had already arranged everything for her and it was not up to her to choose which university to go to or what application to fill in.
He didn't want to delay her future, nor did he want her to accompany him to gamble on a future with nothing.
So, he didn't say anything else.
Later, he realized that a future without her could only be called "living".
Fang Zhao laughed and started to cry. At first there was no sound, but later the sound got louder and louder, echoing in the street. Passersby looked at them as if they were fools.
"Why are you saying this now? Do you know how I've been living these past few years? Woohoo, I can't just agree to you like this, but I can't control myself. Woohoo, An Huainan, you owe me. Woohoo——"
"Okay, I owe you."
They hugged each other for a long, long time before An Huainan let Fang Zhao go.
"Chinese New Year is coming soon, I'll take you to buy new clothes."
An Huainan naturally took Fang Zhao's hand and walked through the alleys.
Fang Zhao remembered that Teacher Zhao Wei directed a movie called "So Young".
After the heroine successfully pursues the hero, the whole world begins to turn into a fairy tale, as if the down-and-out Cinderella suddenly puts on crystal shoes.
This is how Fang Zhao feels now.
She wanted to shout out loud and tell the whole world that she was happy now.
"Leave your ID card with me. You won't need it right now anyway."
"good."
Fang Zhao nodded. She trusted An Huainan more than she trusted herself.
The only Parkson department store in the entire county is located in the city center. Fang Zhao rarely goes in because the goods inside are really beyond his affordability.
"There are also skincare products and bags. Pick out what you like."
"Bag?"
Fang Zhao followed An Huainan's gaze and, sure enough, the counter on the left was filled with all kinds of brand-name bags.
Fang Zhao is not very interested in brand-name bags, as he thinks they are delicate and impractical.
The main problem is that she can afford to buy it, but not maintain it. Just like a car, those who can afford a luxury car may not necessarily be able to maintain it. Rather than buying one and keeping it at home like an ancestor, it's better not to buy one. After all, the essence of a product is to provide a service.
When she first started working, she saved two months' salary and bought a luxury brand bag made of pure cowhide.
It was the most popular 'bucket bag' at that time. The whole bag was aqua blue, and the top was decorated with some milky white melaleuca flowers, which looked very beautiful.
One day, while catching a bus, she spotted a shared bike and casually placed her bag in the cargo area. Once on the bus, she noticed the bag was riddled with tiny cuts, leaving her heartbroken. She subsequently tossed the bag in a locker and never carried it again.
She usually only carries a custom-made business-style handbag from her company when she goes to work. It's definitely more practical.
"I've seen girls in my class skip lunch for months just to buy a bag. Do you girls like these things?"
An Huainan saw Fang Zhao looking over there and thought she liked it too, so he walked towards the counter.
"Um, let's go look at some clothes."
Fang Zhao grabbed An Huainan's arm and walked upstairs.
She had heard about the bag-buying habit of the liberal arts class. When the girls in the science class went to the bathroom and their washbasins were still filled with soap, the girls in the liberal arts class had already switched to facial cleansers.
One time, Fang Zhao passed by the dormitory of the liberal arts class and heard them discussing the various bags they had bought and the current popular colors of clothes. He was very emotional.
This feeling was just like when she was in college, the girls majoring in liberal arts were walking around the campus in fancy clothes, while the girls majoring in engineering were sitting cross-legged on the ground and eating boxed lunches like migrant workers.
When Fang Zhao first started working, she only had two or three sets of clothes every quarter. She would wear them every day as long as they were not dirty, and would change them after two or three days. The sisters in her office, on the other hand, wore a new set of clothes every day and made sure they didn't wear the same clothes twice in a week.
This world is so uneven.
"Why don't we choose a couple's pair?"
After Fang Zhao finished speaking, his face turned red first.
Now that I have returned to the most carefree years, I might as well try all the things that young people like nowadays, so that it will be worthwhile to live my life again.
"good."
An Huainan had no objection. He really enjoyed the feeling of her chattering around him with all kinds of ideas.
Fang Zhao was a little too dull when he just returned to the present. He still liked the carefree her from before.
Fang Zhao chose a down jacket, a simple A-line style, white for women and black for men, and motioned the salesperson to get the size that suited An Huainan.
The salesperson was a young girl who had just started working. She glanced at An Huainan and felt shy first.
"Your boyfriend is so handsome."
Fang Zhao glared at An Huainan. As expected, he was a nuisance wherever he went and could even 'seduce' innocent girls in front of her.
An Huainan shrugged, looking innocent.
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