Ecstasy
After getting off the bus, Lin Luo hummed a song softly, skipped every three steps, and took a long way home.
As she was about to pass the old villa, she slowed down her pace and looked up. The sycamore trees were lush and leafy, and their shadows were cast on the bright glass windows on the second floor.
"Fu Xingchuan, have you offended Sui'an again?" A strong male voice came.
"Grandpa, please don't accuse me, how dare I!"
"No, that's the best. I'll send the chicken soup over later."
"Yes, sir!"
Even from a distance, Lin Luo could hear the laughter in Fu Xingchuan's words, and she also smiled brightly. She was so lucky today to hear his voice.
"Lin Luo." Tang Heng came from the intersection and called her, and she walked away reluctantly.
"Uncle, what a coincidence! Do you get off work at this time every day?" Lin Luo asked behind him.
"Um."
"oh."
The weather was good, and in the evening a few tables and chairs were set up in the alley. There were old men and women playing cards, chess, and drinking tea, women eating melon seeds and chatting, and children jumping around. In short, the street was very lively and noisy.
Ruan Ye's mother, Aunt Li, saw Tang Heng and greeted him enthusiastically, "Old Tang is back."
"Yeah." Tang Heng answered her indifferently.
"Aunt Li, you have a new hairstyle. This is the most fashionable hairstyle recently! It looks really good and suits you especially well." Lin Luo is good at noticing changes.
Aunt Li was pleasantly surprised. "Oh, this child has such a sweet mouth! Come, have some of the melon seeds I fried myself."
"Thank you, Auntie." Lin Luo held the melon seeds in both hands.
"Ruan Ye is back. Do you think your mother is any different today?" Aunt Li faced Ruan Ye, full of anticipation.
Then I heard Ruan Ye say seriously: "You were struck by lightning."
"What is the unlucky child talking about? This is called... wool curls. It's precious to perm them once." Aunt Li touched her hair carefully.
Ruan Ye said nothing more and walked past Lin Luo. Tang Heng walked side by side with him. If you didn't know, you would think that these two cold-faced men were father and son!
Du Yunyan happened to be picking up Tang Muchen from kindergarten. Lin Luo gave the melon seeds in her hand to Tang Muchen, but he put his hands behind his back and refused to take them, running off to play with other children.
"What's the point of this child being good at studying? I haven't seen him smile many times throughout the year. He's like an ice sculpture." Aunt Li complained as she looked at Ruan Ye's back.
"You just don't know how to appreciate what you have. If I had a son as outstanding as Ruan Ye, who has good grades and is obedient, I would wake up laughing in the middle of the night." Du Yunyan grabbed a handful of melon seeds from Lin Luo's hand and said while cracking them.
Lin Xiao gave her all the melon seeds and said, "I'm going back to do my homework."
Lin Luo walked away at a slow pace, and the conversation behind him could be heard clearly.
"Our little one is also very good! So well-behaved and sensible."
"If the last one doesn't behave, she will be useless."
Back home, Lin Xiao locked herself in her room. She checked her answers to the midterm exam, but she still did terribly, even making mistakes on some basic questions.
After calculating the scores, everyone said that the math test was easy, but she didn't even get 70 points.
She lay on the table and suddenly felt exhausted. For the past month, she had been getting up early and going to bed late every day, but why was her study still so bad despite her efforts?
She took out her phone and sent a message to Lin Dayong: [Dad, am I really that bad?]
After a while, she asked herself and answered: "If you were here, I guess you would say: No way! Our Princess Xiaoxiao is the best. She's not useless, she's just not good at math."
Imagining Lin Dayong talking to her, she perked up again. "I'm going to study math seriously. I'm going to set a small goal first: raise my score to 90 to pass the exam. You have to help me remember this."
Is Lin Dayong doing well abroad? Is he well fed and well clothed? Lin Luo didn't know. She buried her head in her arms and just closed her eyes to rest when her phone on the table suddenly vibrated. She immediately picked it up and checked it.
It wasn't Lin Dayong who replied to her, but the class group kept popping up messages, and the screen showed 99+
Lin Luo flipped through the video casually and found a video of Fu Xingchuan singing solo. She clicked it and saw Fu Xingchuan standing in the center of the stage, playing the guitar and singing "Love Is Not a Choice".
The only beam of light in the picture shone on him. He smiled with a slightly crooked mouth, a small bracket appeared on his face, and his voice was lazy and extremely seductive.
"I'm just afraid that I might fall in love with you myself, and maybe one day I won't be able to help myself."
"Missing you only makes me suffer. I have no choice but to fall in love with you."
…
[Ahhh! So cool! Good things are meant to be shared.]
[Love song, my idol is in love, right? No!]
Lin Luo scrolled down and saw the message. Her hand stopped, as if there was a breath stuck in her throat. It was not painful or itchy, but uncomfortable.
At that moment, there was a click, and the door opened. She turned her head, and her phone screen was still on. Du Yunyan seemed to have guessed it. "Didn't you say you were doing homework? Why are you playing with your phone until midnight the past few days? You're wasting energy all day long. Don't you know how hard your Uncle Tang works to make money?"
"I was reviewing the other day," she explained.
"Who are you kidding? Do you think I don't know you?" Du Yunyan clearly didn't believe it. "Turn off your phone and come out to eat."
She insisted in a low voice, "I'm really reviewing."
"So? Can you get good grades this time?" Du Yunyan asked. Lin Luo lowered her head and silently told her the answer. She chuckled, "No way! That's still a waste of electricity. Turn off your phone and go out to eat."
She couldn't argue anymore, "Okay."
*
The next morning, Lin Luo took the bus to Xu Yangyang's home, which was in a residential complex on Wangting Street.
"You just come here, why buy fruits? Didn't I tell you that my parents are not at home? Besides, you should be the one to treat you when you come to my house." Xu Yangyang frowned as he saw that she was holding bags in both hands.
Lin Dayong had said you shouldn't go to someone's house empty-handed, and Lin Luo had learned her lesson. She shook the bag and said, "Your parents aren't here, but you are! I bought this for you. Take it now! My arms are sore from carrying it all the way."
"You deserve it." Xu Yangyang reluctantly took it and put it on the table, then took Lin Luo to visit her room.
The room is not big, but it is very clean and bright. Two of her calligraphy works are hung on the white wall, one of which says "Perseverance" and the other says "Good luck on the college entrance examination."
Xu Yangyang has always been good at Chinese and ranks among the top in her grade. It seems that she has been influenced by calligraphy since elementary school.
"Your calligraphy is so beautiful!" Lin Luo began to praise again. "Your calligraphy is amazing, and Zhu Changyu can play the drums. You're both so good."
"Xiaoxiao, don't you have any special skills?" Xu Yangyang threw a bunch of snacks on the bed in her arms.
Lin Luo shook her head. "No! I've never learned any musical instruments. I gave up dancing when I was young because it was too hard, and I don't have much talent for painting."
"What else can you do besides these?" Xu Yangyang opened a bag of potato chips and threw a chip into his mouth.
Lin Qiao thought carefully and said, "I can swim. My father taught me. I can also ski, but I'm not very good."
"What else?"
"Hmm... I like traveling, so making travel guides counts as one of those things?"
"Of course. These are your strengths. In fact, your knowledge is also a kind of strength."
"I read a passage in a book. The way others see you is not the real you. The way you see yourself is not the real you either. The way you see others is the real you. Figure it out for yourself!"
Lin Luo thought she had a high emotional intelligence and was about to praise her when Xu Yangyang stuffed a shrimp cracker into her mouth and, as if anticipating it, said, "Stop."
Lin Luo smiled.
Xu Yangyang came over and pinched her chin, examining her face. "Xiaoxiao, have you been studying too hard and staying up too late lately? Your face has turned sallow. No, your face is also a specialty. Even with acne, it still looks so fresh and fresh."
"Ah! Where are the pimples?" Lin Luo was shocked. Xu Yangyang handed her a mirror and she saw that there were a few pimples on her forehead, which should be caused by staying up late.
Lin Luo immediately regretted it. Staying up late to study but getting unsatisfactory results was just a thankless task.
"How about Tony Xu cut some bangs for you to cover it up?" Xu Yangyang became excited. He immediately put down the potato chips, took out a pair of scissors from the drawer, and raised his eyebrows at her.
"No need!" Lin Qi waved her hand.
"Don't worry, I'm very skilled. I've cut Zhu Changyu's hair several times during grooming inspections, and it was me who cut it for him because it was too long."
Seeing her sincere eyes, Lin Xi relented and stretched his head towards her, looking ready to die. "You cut it!"
"Trust me, close your eyes." Xu Yangyang pinched her little face, covered her eyes, and then tied a piece of cloth around her neck, looking very professional.
In less than five minutes, she was done. Lin Luo opened her eyes and saw Xu Yangyang holding a mirror in front of her. Xu Yangyang was very satisfied with her masterpiece and praised her. Lin Luo took a look and thought it was okay.
"Xiaoxiao, do you have someone you like?" Xu Yangyang suddenly asked.
Lin Luo looked at herself in the mirror and examined herself. Her grades were poor and her appearance wasn't very good. Would Fu Xingchuan like her like this? She didn't know, but she was certain that she was ordinary or mediocre.
"No, do you have any?"
"Me neither. I'm obsessed with looks, and there don't seem to be many handsome guys in our school!" She spread her hands.
"Ruan Ye"
"He can freeze me to death. He was my deskmate before, and I didn't say much, but he said to me, 'Why are you talking so much?' He thought I was annoying, so he sat in the back."
Xu Yangyang talks a lot, maybe Ruan Ye is right, Lin Luo pursed her lips.
Zhu Changyu
"He doesn't look handsome at all," she said casually, smoothing her hair in the mirror. "Fu Xingchuan from the school next door is pretty good-looking."
Lin Xiao was startled, and then she heard Xu Yangyang continue, "But this guy is too wild."
She exhaled.
"Oh, what's the point of talking about love? I want to strike back."
Her fighting spirit had just ignited, but it was immediately extinguished. "I didn't do well in this exam again. I'm afraid I'll be scolded again when the results come out."
Youth is not as exciting as portrayed in TV dramas. The fantasy of having a companion of the opposite sex and supporting each other towards their ideals is a rare respite for them in the midst of endless homework and exams.
In the afternoon, Lin Luo said goodbye to Xu Yangyang and went home. Before leaving, she took an orange that she had bought with her and looked at it again and again in her palm on the way.
This is a very standard orange, neither too big nor too small, and bright yellow.
She didn't get on the bus, but stopped in front of the live house at the end of the street.
Back then, live houses weren't popular in China, and most people confused them with bars. Lin Luo had been to a famous live house in Japan with some of the richest girls.
The shop in front of her was quite unusual. Its sign simply read "Zhong," and from the outside, it looked pitch black, like a black hole. Next to it was a bar, its neon lights blazing with color, creating a stark contrast.
Lin Luo hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open and going in. Seeing how dressed she was, the store employee said suspiciously, "Miss, we're still a while away from leaving the venue. Ticket checking hasn't started yet, so you can't go in any further."
"I'm here to look for someone. Can I come in?"
"Who to look for"
"The person who's performing today is..." She paused, "Zhu Changyu."
"Okay, I'll ask for you first." He said and walked inside.
There was a mirror next to her. Lin Luo saw herself in the mirror. The bangs that Xu Yangyang had cut for her looked fine just now, but now they looked weirder and weirder.
"He's in the dressing room backstage. I'll take you there." The waiter came back and she hurriedly covered her forehead.
After walking through a long, dark corridor, she finally saw light at the end. Lin Luo's eyes were dazzled and tears almost fell.
"Lin Luo, why are you here?" Zhu Changyu walked up to her and asked.
Lin Luo didn't look at him, her eyes fell on the sofa, where Fu Xingchuan was wearing a windbreaker and sitting on the phone with a serious expression.
"I went to Xu Yangyang's house, and then..." Fu Xingchuan looked over, and Lin Luo panicked and avoided his gaze, "and then I came to see you on the way."
Lin Xiao stared at him intently, and Zhu Changyu was stunned. Qi Yao, who was putting on makeup behind him, looked over and said, "Isn't this the female classmate who treated us last time? Sister, do you like him?"
Lin Xiao said to Zhu Changyu, "No, I don't like you. Please don't misunderstand me. I just came to see you."
Glancing towards the sofa, I noticed Fu Xingchuan standing up. He was talking to the person on the other end of the phone. "How big is the risk?"
"He's just teasing you! I'll be hurt if you react so strongly." Zhu Changyu said as he swayed from side to side and asked her, "By the way, why are you covering your forehead?"
Lin Luo felt something was wrong and slowly lowered her hand. Zhu Changyu couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Xu Yangyang must have done this! How dare she use her skills to harm others?"
After Zhu Changyu finished speaking, he saw tears in her eyes and said, "Don't cry! It's okay to tell the truth."
Seeing that he misunderstood, Lin Luo hurriedly explained, "I wasn't crying. The light just dazzled my eyes."
"oh."
She knew that Zhu Changyu was comforting her. She was very ugly now and didn't want Fu Xingchuan to see it, so she handed the orange in her hand to Zhu Changyu and said to him, "I'm leaving."
"Do you want to stay and watch our performance?" Zhu Changyu asked.
"Can I?" she said nervously.
"Why not?"
As he was speaking, Lin Qiao saw Fu Xingchuan hang up the phone and said to Qi Yao and Zhu Changyu, "Something urgent happened at home. I have to leave first."
Qi Yao closed his eyes and said calmly, "Go ahead! We can handle the performance between the two of us."
"Bye." Zhu Changyu said calmly, looking after Lin Qiao. "I can show you my amazing singing voice."
"Don't lie to the little girl." Fu Xingchuan walked towards them, patted Zhu Changyu on the shoulder and said.
Lin Luo stood at the door, her face flushed instantly, and she lowered her head to make way for him.
After Fu Xingchuan left, Lin Luo found that she didn't even dare to look at him face to face. Was it because she hadn't seen him for a month, or was it because her mood had changed?
He seemed not to remember her.
"He's talking nonsense. I sing very well." Zhu Changyu clarified.
"I'm sorry, I remembered I have to go home early and can't watch your performance." Lin Luo said calmly.
"Oh well!"
Lin Luo walked back into the dark corridor. People came in one after another to check their tickets, but she walked in the opposite direction of the crowd.
She didn't want to watch the show, she just wanted to watch his show.
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