Chapter 34: Spring Day Green (17) She understood the answer...
On July 8th, Lin Xia attended Zhang Lanlan's wedding, not only as a guest but also as a bridesmaid. One of Zhang Lanlan's college roommates had agreed to attend, but for some reason couldn't make it. The bridesmaid's dresses were ready, but they couldn't find a suitable replacement. Fortunately, Lin Xia's build and height were similar to the bridesmaid's, so she filled in.
Lin Xia had few relatives, and even fewer in Wangchun City. This was her first time as a bridesmaid, and also her first time deeply involved in a wedding. A wedding involves such a complex process: wedding dresses, officiants, venues, photographers, makeup, motorcades, wedding candy, banquets... It was incredibly tedious. Just attending one rehearsal and listening to Zhang Lanlan's endless phone calls was enough to overwhelm Lin Xia.
It was also through this opportunity that Lin Xia finally met Zhang Lanlan's legendary boyfriend who ran a bar. He looked a little older than Zhang Lanlan, and... well, very ordinary, nothing like the fierce and ferocious big brother that Lin Xia and Xu Chang had imagined. It can only be said that they had preconceived ideas and judged people by their profession.
The groom-to-be, however, did have the air of a socialite. He had many friends and acquaintances who helped out, driving people around, moving things around, and working tirelessly, making the wedding a much easier experience. He wasn't a talkative person, as Zhang Lanlan was the one who took the lead in organizing everything. He never complained, and no matter what Zhang Lanlan asked, he complied without hesitation, contributing financially and physically. He wasn't as excessive as Zhang Lanlan and Lin Xia had complained about.
Zhang Lanlan said she was initially unhappy when she started working at Experimental High School, as she felt essentially tricked into coming. She was from another province and unfamiliar with Wangchun City. She saw a job posting at the provincial capital's talent market and, after a few gullible words, signed the contract. However, upon arrival, she discovered Wangchun was small and run-down, and so was the Experimental High School. She was immediately disappointed, but it was too late to regret. For a while, she constantly considered quitting and returning home. It wasn't until she met her boyfriend that she began to feel a sense of belonging to the city. As she got along better and better with her classmates, she finally decided to stay. Lin Xia couldn't help but sigh, reflecting on how life's circumstances can be truly unpredictable. From studying, finding employment, falling in love, and starting a family, a single thought could completely change a life.
On the wedding day, although Lin Xia was the maid of honor, there were three other bridesmaids besides her. She was just there to make up the numbers and didn't need to help out. Kunlun Club was the most luxurious and upscale hotel in Wangchun City. The groom's family and friends were numerous that day, and the ceremony was particularly grand. The banquet hall was decorated in style, and even the dishes at the banquet were more delicious than those at other places.
Lin Xia couldn't help but feel envious and longing. She returned home and told Zhao Qianyi that her student banquet would also be held at Kunlun Club.
But Zhao Qianyi refused.
"It's so expensive there! Do you know how much a table of food costs at Kunlun? We've already booked the venue for your student banquet. It's at your dad's friend's place, and he's giving us a discount." Zhao Qianyi said half-jokingly, "If you really like Kunlun, wait until you get married and hold your wedding there, and let your future in-laws pay for it!"
Lin Xia was stunned after hearing this, not only because her parents had scheduled the student banquet without informing her, but also because of the second half of Zhao Qianyi's words. Before this, her parents had never joked about her getting married, always treating her like a child. But now Zhao Qianyi suddenly said this, as if hinting at something she wasn't aware of.
Lin Xia, you are no longer a child, you are an adult.
Yes, she had already turned eighteen and reached adulthood, but her childhood, a prison sentence in an ivory tower, would only be over once she received a certificate of release known as a university admissions notice. All her legal rights as a human being were on the verge of being lifted: she could drink, smoke, stay out all night, openly like someone, and fall in love...
However, the boy she had been thinking about since she was sixteen was no longer around.
He Chuan's dream was to study abroad. Lin Xia had known this since the day they met, but she always thought that their connection would not be severed. What did distance matter? What did the time difference matter? She was in Northeast China, he was in Hong Kong, thousands of miles apart, but hadn't they still been together for so long?
But his words were like a farewell, and no matter how many times she texted or called him after that, he never responded. Even if Lin Xia was stupid, she should have understood that he was deliberately distancing himself from her.
But why? Lin Xia had hundreds of questions in her mind, but in the end, she didn't ask them out loud.
Maybe, there is no need for a reason.
She understood the answer.
There shouldn't have been any relationship or involvement between her and him. That hot summer in the small forest farm, the thousands of communication records in the mobile phone, and the hug on the train in the snowstorm, all shouldn't have happened.
Now it has simply returned to normal, with the bridges back to their original state and the roads back to their original state.
He was gentle and kind enough to have continued everything until today, until she finally passed the college entrance examination. He was the one who accompanied her through those darkest years of her eighteen-year-old life, those lonely days and nights. Even for this reason alone, she would always remember his kindness.
......
This summer after high school, there were no more homework, no more exams, no more pressure to get into college, but it didn't seem as carefree and relaxed as it had been three years ago. Before entering college, everyone had a ton of plans and arrangements.
First, there was the student banquet. Lin Xia hadn't even finished her own; many classmates were still attending: junior high, freshman year, and even her current sophomore and junior year. She didn't have many friends in her class, Class 13, besides Song Ci; they'd barely spoken to many of them. But once the college entrance exam was over, the students, usually numbed by their studies like zombies, seemed to resurrect overnight, becoming more humane. Plus, Lin Xia had become a celebrity in her class at Experimental High School, and within a short period of time, she received numerous invitations to student banquets. Since she was sitting around anyway, and since classmates couldn't afford to pay a gift for each other's banquets, Lin Xia accepted every one. During that time, Lin Xia was rarely home, visiting numerous restaurants and bars in Wangchun. Even as a native of the area, there were still many places she hadn't been to, and this was truly an eye-opener.
Then, it was time to learn to drive. Many people use the summer after high school to get their driver's license. Lin Xia hadn't been interested, but Zhao Qianyi pushed her, and she had no choice but to go. After passing the first part of the test, she went to the driving school every day to practice, standing by the roadside under the scorching sun waiting for her turn to be taught by the instructor. In the end, she didn't learn much and got several degrees tanned. Finally, after Lin Xia fainted from heatstroke and was sent to the hospital, Zhao Qianyi finally relented and stopped forcing her.
Then, it was time to travel. Lin Xia had always dreamed of seeing the ocean with her own eyes, but Wangchun City was too far northeast. Traveling to any coastal city would take forever, and no one had the time to take Lin Xia out. Lin Xuedong had to work, of course, and Zhao Qianyi had returned to the provincial capital to continue her business after Lin Xia's student banquet. Fortunately, Lin Xia's grandmother and uncle now lived in Rushan, a small coastal city in Shandong. In the end, a compromise was made, and Lin Xuedong sent Lin Xia there.
Song Ci was also on the trip. She didn't like going out and preferred staying home, surfing the internet and reading books. However, her parents thought it would be a waste not to travel during the holiday and kicked her out. When she learned Lin Xia was going to Rushan, she thought it was a good idea and decided to go with her. As someone who grew up in an inland city, Song Ci had never seen the sea.
Lin Xia had high expectations for this trip: the clear sky, the blue sea, the white waves, the soft golden beach, picking up shells, making sand piles, surfing, swimming... She had imagined everything about the sea countless times in her mind and even bought a swimsuit. She just wanted to run to the beach every day after arriving at her grandma's house. Even if she sat on the beach doing nothing, she wouldn't get tired of watching it all day long!
However, things did not go as planned. On the second day after Lin Xia and Song Ci arrived in Rushan, the entire city received a typhoon warning signal. Continuous rainfall and strong winds were expected in the next few days, and citizens were not advised to travel, especially near the seaside.
Lin Xia was extremely unwilling, and at her repeated request, her uncle took her to the beach park nearest to their home. Unfortunately, the beach, which was originally open to the public for free, had been cordoned off, and there was no one on the beach. Under the gloomy sky, violent waves could be seen surging in waves from afar, which looked extremely scary.
Three days later, the typhoon warning not only did not weaken, but intensified. Work and production in the entire city were suspended, and all means of transportation were banned. Everyone stayed at home and waited for the typhoon to pass.
Lin Xia was completely disheartened.
She even began to wonder if she had used up all her good luck in the college entrance examination, otherwise why would she be so unlucky?
Grandma smiled and comforted her:
"Don't talk nonsense, little girl. There are typhoons here every now and then. What does it have to do with you? Our Xia Xia's good luck is still to come! If we can't go to the beach, then we can't go. Otherwise, I'm afraid you will be swept away by the waves and grandma will be worried."
Xiao Man is a Shandong dialect word meaning little girl. My grandma has called her that since she was a child.
Song Ci curled up on the sofa, flipping through a magazine and echoing:
"Yeah, if you don't want to go to the beach, then don't go. It's much better to stay at home."
Lin Xia couldn't help but glare at her angrily. This time she finally got what she wanted.
The weather during a typhoon is truly unbearable. Northeast China isn't arid, but it's very dry. Summers can be hot, but it's dry heat. The typhoon's passage and the low pressure brought on extremely humid and muggy weather, something Lin Xia had never experienced before. Her clothes and blankets were damp, as if you could wring out water. Even lying in bed without moving was a sweaty mess, let alone exercise. Lin Xia finally understood why Southerners in TV dramas were always showering. The hot, sticky sweat clinging to her skin was truly unbearable!
Because it's by the sea and it's summer, the greenery in Grandma's neighborhood is incredibly beautiful, and the buildings are low, so there's an endless supply of mosquitoes every day. I don't know if it's because of her blood type or something else, but those mosquitoes don't bite Grandma or Song Ci at all, only Lin Xia every day! Mosquito coils and toilet water don't work. On average, Lin Xia gets seven or eight bites every night. It's itchy, painful, red, and swollen. She's really going crazy!
Lin Xia felt extremely sad that this was really the worst trip she had ever experienced, no doubt about it.
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