Chapter 103: Telling a Story
Chapter 103: Telling a Story
The confession came out of nowhere, leaving Cheng Bing completely stunned.
Young people are passionate and enthusiastic, but they are also prone to inner conflict. He dares to seek a straightforward and pure love, but falls into melancholy after an impulsive first kiss.
What he feared was that Fang Yuenian wouldn't be able to accept it, and what he feared even more was that he would reluctantly accept it in order not to lose his friend. For the past three months, everything had weighed heavily on his mind. Even though Fang Yuenian had hinted at it many times, he still couldn't be sure what their relationship was.
Unexpectedly, he realized that by simply changing his attitude and showing a little unease and depression, he could win the man's heartfelt sincerity and thoughtful consideration. The unexpected turn of events truly surprised him.
Fang Yuenian was getting a little anxious as he waited for him to speak.
He blinked. "Don't you believe me?"
Cheng Bing finally regained his senses. He pulled his long arm around the person, not caring that the mahogany box was stuck in the middle. He hugged the person tightly, not caring whether there would be outsiders nearby in the evening. "Of course I believe you. If I don't believe you, who else can I believe?"
Fang Yuenian smiled and patted Cheng Bing on the back reassuringly.
"Okay, that's good," she announced, adding an important decision, "I've figured out what to do for you."
"What?" Cheng Bing raised her eyebrows.
"It's definitely not practical. You can only make some fancy things with these candy wrappers. I plan to make a handmade painting, something very complicated and meticulous."
Cheng Bing: "Painting?"
Fang Yuenian was a little unhappy when she saw that he wasn't excited: "It's a secret. Anyway, it's not one of those little flowers, grass, or dragonflies that kids play with. I'll definitely make something special for you."
It's quite funny that he's at his age and still wants to do handicrafts. However, Fang Yuenian is determined to give Cheng Bing a graduation gift that is unprecedented and will never be repeated.
Cheng Bing chuckled twice. "Okay, I'll wait. But where do you plan to do it?"
“That is indeed a problem,” Fang Yuenian stretched out his arms. “We’ll see how it goes.”
"Come to the carpenter's shop, I need to make a bookend."
“Great!” Fang Yuenian exclaimed excitedly, “But it’s hard to say whether we can manage to avoid interfering with each other.”
Cheng Bing had more to say. He let go of Fang Yuenian's hand and looked at her: "Back then, I told you that my sister took the candy wrapper, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
“It’s my second sister,” Cheng Bing said, her heart churning with emotion. “My second sister collected a lot of these candy wrappers, almost as many as you have now. When my sister finished her college entrance exams, she used her collection to make a beaded curtain for her, which is still hanging at the door of my sister’s bedroom.”
Fang Yuenian was stunned: "What?!"
Cheng Bing smiled, "I didn't expect that you would want to do something like this for me."
This unexpected event completely stunned Fang Yuenian.
The siblings were separated when they were young, growing up in completely different ways, separated by a river. It is amazing that they could have such a wonderful coincidence and understanding in this matter.
The candy box was set aside, and Cheng Bing pulled Fang Yuenian to sit down.
As the two faced each other, Cheng Bing felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
“Come sit here,” he said gently, looking at Fang Yuenian and tapping his chin lightly. “I have something to tell you.”
Fang Yuenian looked puzzled. Although the chair was quite spacious, it couldn't fit two people.
Cheng Bing moved the chair back to make room, then patted her legs and reiterated, "Come sit here."
Fang Yuenian's expression turned strange.
His feelings for the carpenter's hut were basically at the level of a "secret base." Although they spent most of their time doing homework there and occasionally fiddling with wood, they did chat there, talking about all sorts of random things—school, classmates, and family.
But at this moment, Cheng Bing's handsome and peaceful face showed no particular meaning; his expression was indifferent, making one feel that his suggestion was equally honest and simple.
Fang Yuenian swallowed hard.
He had always considered himself bold and easygoing, and apart from occasionally being a little timid in front of Cheng Bing, he hadn't encountered anything that terrified him. But now he was indeed a little hesitant.
Cheng Bing smiled at him and said, "Come on."
These two words have absolute magic.
Fang Yuenian stopped struggling, stretched her slightly numb fingers, stood up and walked over.
But he stopped in front of Cheng Bing, as if he was thinking about how to sit down.
Cheng Bing stopped urging him and simply waited calmly.
So Fang Yuenian chose the most perfect position.
He faced Cheng Bing, straddled his straight thighs, and naturally wrapped his arms around Cheng Bing's neck.
Like a clingy and docile kitten.
Cheng Bing's eyes widened slightly, stunned by his hug.
"Go ahead and say it, I'm listening," Fang Yue said softly.
In any case, Cheng Bing's somewhat chaotic heartbeat was temporarily calmed down.
He put his hand on Fang Yuenian's back and felt that the man was too thin, with protruding bones, and it was almost uncomfortable to touch.
"Do you remember when I received my first love letter from a girl in the second year of junior high school?"
Fang Yuenian thought for a moment, “I remember,” he drawled, “there was a little gift that looked like a mini scroll wind chime, which was placed with the love letter. I opened it and took a look, and you scolded me for it. But the gold powder on that scroll wind chime scratched my hand and I can’t wash it off.”
By today's standards, the gift was rather crude. When the scroll was opened, it was written with either "Happy Every Day" or "Smooth Sailing," I can't quite remember. Below it hung two or three hollow metal tubes, all coated with gold powder. Moreover, the tubes were spaced quite far apart. It was supposed to be a wind chime, but it wouldn't ring in an ordinary breeze.
The love letter was in a small, pink envelope, revealing nervousness and naivety.
However, Fang Yuenian had to admit that most boys, even if they didn't accept the feelings, wouldn't have the heart to reject such a gift too harshly, because it was probably something a young girl had prepared with great effort while blushing, making it hard to be ruthless.
However, Cheng Bing still returned it, and for the first time, she said to Fang Yue Nian very seriously, "You shouldn't have taken this apart so casually."
Fang Yuenian didn't actually know it was a gift from a girl. He immediately regretted it when he saw the pink envelope and hurriedly rewrapped the gift, trying to put it back the way it was. After being told off, he felt even more guilty and immediately admitted his mistake.
And from then on, he never touched any gifts given to Cheng Bing by others again.
Cheng Bing chuckled softly, "Yeah, it was that time."
"What's wrong?"
"I was very confused at the time."
"Confuse?"
"Yeah, I just don't understand why someone can confess their feelings to someone they don't even know? We've never spoken, we've hardly ever met, I don't know who she is, and I can't even picture what she looks like."
Fang Yuenian couldn't help but sigh, "It's so tragic to have a crush on you. It's like, well, it's love at first sight for someone you don't know well. What can you do? Besides, you don't know her, you don't know what she looks like, but she knows you. She might even know you very well."
Cheng Bing thought for a moment and answered seriously, "If it were me, I would probably let that person get to know me first."
Fang Yuenian continued, "Then you make her like you first, right?"
Cheng Bing looked down at him. "He really does like me."
Fang Yuenian cleared her throat. "I was confused after receiving the love letter, and then... please continue."
Cheng Bing chuckled softly.
"I remember my teacher saying that puppy love never works out because people at that age don't understand what love is."
Fang Yuenian did not speak.
Cheng Bing: "So I've been thinking about what love really is."
Fang Yuenian couldn't sit still any longer. He looked up and said helplessly, "How did you get inspired to go in this direction? Shouldn't you just scoff at this kind of thing, coldly and ruthlessly reject it, and continue being your academic superstar?"
"I refused."
Fang Yuenian choked for a moment, then buried her head back in her hands. "...Fine."
Cheng Bing gently stroked his back twice. "I really thought about it for a long time."
Fang Yuenian was a little stunned by the sudden low voice. He raised his face again, and the two looked at each other. He noticed a hint of loneliness in Cheng Bing's eyes, and his heart immediately softened.
"Hoo..." He sighed softly and weakly with his eyes closed.
Cheng Bing smiled at him, "Until one day, you went to clean our class's assigned area. In the second year of junior high, our class's assigned area was near the ping-pong tables next to the playground, remember?"
Fang Yuenian nodded, "Mm."
Back in junior high, there were always a lot of people sneaking snacks near the ping-pong table. Packaging for spicy strips, potato chips, and the like would often be scattered all over the place, making it a major hygiene disaster area. Whoever was assigned to clean it up would find it incredibly troublesome.
“I was standing in the corridor outside the classroom, watching you and others chase each other and fight with brooms. Next to the ping-pong table was a wall with a large patch of oleanders planted there. They were already in bloom at the time, but you knocked them all over the ground.”
The past was too painful to recall. Fang Yuenian was overwhelmed by her own genuine adolescent delusions and sighed, "Oh my god."
“I suddenly realized that I can still recall many similar scenes, and the memories are very vivid. At school, in various places, I remember you standing in the ditch with your trousers rolled up to catch crayfish, climbing the pear tree to catch horse horn beetles, catching carp in the school's small water lily pond... but none of these things were done with me.”
Cheng Bing looked at him and said, "I mean, I pay close attention to you, not only when we're playing together, but also when you don't know. Luckily, those times are few and far between, because you really enjoy playing with me."
Fang Yuenian suddenly realized that the gap between her understanding of this matter and Cheng Bing's was far greater than she had thought.
From a young age, he had always hoped that Cheng Bing would always be outstanding and dazzling, at least in the simple and remote village where they grew up, he would be the child that everyone would praise. But he did not have such high expectations for himself, so he did not feel that he should receive attention or be liked.
However, Cheng Bing paid close attention to him and frankly stated that she liked him very much. (Author's note:)
Thank you for reading. This book
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