Volume Three: Past Events

Volume Three: Past Events

Fang Hui said, "I think the reason why people say it's better to cherish the memory than to meet again is because meeting again can only make people helplessly mourn their pain in the face of reality, while cherishing the memory can turn a predetermined lie into a fairy tale."

(1)

Fang Hui was the first person in their class to meet Lin Jiamo.

Their first meeting was after morning self-study. Fang Hui collected the history homework; the first one was Chen Xun's, which she had covered with pretty crepe paper. Chen Xun's name was written on the cover, while Fang Hui's name was written on the inner pages underneath. She carried the stack of books into the first-year office. Inside, an unfamiliar girl stood with her back to Fang Hui, talking to Teacher Hou with a silver Reebok bag slung across her shoulder. The morning sunlight cast a soft, iridescent glow on her.

Hou Jia called her over and said, "Fang Hui, this is the new transfer student, Lin Jiamo."

Fang Hui nodded politely. There had been rumors in the class recently that a new student was going to transfer in, and everyone had been discussing whether it was a boy or a girl.

"Fang Hui is the class's publicity officer," Hou Jia introduced.

Lin Jiamo smiled and said hello. Fang Hui looked up at her and was surprised to find that she was very beautiful.

"Fang Hui, go back to your class and have Chen Xun go to the administration office to move a set of desks and chairs. Isn't the fifth group short one person? Just put them behind that group, clear out the third desk, and move everyone back one seat. We'll be there in a bit."

"good."

Fang Hui responded and went out. When she turned around at the door, Lin Jiamo smiled sweetly at her again.

In my eyes, most women in their twenties are beautiful unless something major goes wrong. As the saying goes, there are no ugly women, only lazy women. It's okay if you're not particularly good-looking; as long as you know how to do your makeup, you're still considered beautiful. It's okay if you don't know how to do makeup; as long as you have a good figure, you're still considered beautiful. It's okay if you don't have a great figure; as long as you know how to dress yourself and put together a good outfit, you're still considered beautiful.

But things were different when we were teenagers. Whether you had an S-shaped or pear-shaped figure, you were all wrapped in baggy school uniforms. Everyone had the same old-fashioned hairstyles; you couldn't straighten them or dye them, and makeup was out of the question. Skincare products were all the same: Yu Meijing baby face cream, applied to both face and hands. Clinique, Estée Lauder eye creams and serums—nobody had ever heard of them.

Therefore, a truly beautiful girl in middle school is one with defined eyebrows and eyes.

Fang Hui said that Lin Jiamo belongs to this category.

Back in the classroom, Chen Xun and Zhao Ye were diligently copying the political science exercises from Fang Hui's book.

Fang Hui walked over, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Hey, Teacher Hou asked you to get a set of desks and chairs. The transfer student will be here soon."

"A transfer student!?" Zhao Ye asked excitedly, "Male or female?"

Fang Hui rolled her eyes at him and said, "Girl."

"Yay! Qiao Ran is treating us to lunch! I won the bet!" Zhao Ye said, clenching his fist. "Isn't that great?"

"Hmm, she's quite pretty," Fang Hui said, glancing furtively at Chen Xun.

"Come on, come on! Stop writing! Cui won't call on you to answer questions today! Didn't he call on you last class? Let's move some desks together!"

Upon hearing that she was a beautiful woman, Zhao Ye immediately perked up.

Chen Xun quickly wrote a few strokes, then handed the book to Fang Hui, saying, "I can't finish copying it all; there are two pages left. Help me finish them."

"ah?"

"Please! Please!" Chen Xun said to her with a smile as he ran.

Fang Hui stared blankly at him, holding the book. Chen Xun's hurried departure made her feel slightly uneasy.

When Lin Jiamo entered the classroom, Zhao Ye gasped in surprise.

"Finally, our class has someone we can be proud of! I'm going to show off to the team tomorrow!" He whispered to Chen Xun, watching Lin Jiamo's retreating figure.

"One sheep, three axes, these three axes..." Teacher Cui, the political science teacher, was lecturing loudly at the front of the class, constantly glancing in their direction.

Chen Xun looked straight ahead, pretending to take notes, and said, "I didn't take Fang Hui's comment about being pretty seriously. She said everyone is pretty, but I didn't expect her to actually be so good!"

"I think it's just so-so, why are you all so excited?" Qiao Ran said.

"Quiet down, students in the back!" Teacher Cui reminded them, then pointed to the blackboard and said, "These three axes..."

"Qiao Ran thinks Fang Hui is pretty!" Zhao Ye put the book on his lap and said, looking down.

"Get lost!" Qiao Ran glared at him fiercely.

"You're just feeling guilty!" Chen Xun said, twirling his pen. "But Fang Hui is really pretty."

"She's still a bit inferior to Lin Jiamo," Zhao Ye said, shaking his head.

“It’s different.” Chen Xun secretly glanced at Fang Hui in the front row.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Teacher Cui picked up the blackboard eraser and smacked it a few times, saying, "Hey you three in the back, what's going on! I told you to get out!"

The three of them immediately sat down and stopped talking.

Teacher Cui paused for a moment and said, "Let's continue looking at these three blackboard erasers..."

The whole class burst into laughter.

Because Lin Jiamo didn't book the meals for this month with everyone, she could only sit on the sidelines at noon and wait for the class monitor, Qiao Ran, to go and coordinate with the teacher.

Zhao Ye seized the opportunity to approach her and strike up a conversation: "Your name is Lin Jiamo, right? Which school did you go to?"

"Yes, it's from W," Lin Jiamo said kindly.

"Oh, it's quite far from our school! Do you live over there?"

"No, my home is close to our school."

"Hey, can't you come up with something new? Go, go, go! Get the food!" Chen Xun said with a smile as he walked over with the dishes.

"Let's chat for a bit with the new classmate!" Zhao Ye stood up reluctantly.

"Why don't you eat something with us first? Eat Qiao Ran's portion. By the time he gets back, you two will probably be eating something cold," Chen Xun said.

"Yes, yes, yes! I can give you some too!" Zhao Ye nodded hurriedly.

"Is that alright? Don't run out of money later," Lin Jiamo said.

"No problem! Fang Hui will eat with us too. She doesn't eat much and always leaves leftovers! You can share with her! I'll get you a table!"

As Zhao Ye spoke, he got up to move a table.

When Fang Hui returned after washing her hands, the three of them were already seated. Lin Jiamo was between Chen Xun and Zhao Ye, setting out the food.

"Come on! Let's eat together today!" Zhao Ye called out to her.

Fang Hui silently walked over and sat down opposite Chen Xun. She usually sat next to him, but today that spot was taken by Lin Jiamo.

“We’re missing a box of rice,” Fang Hui said.

"Qiao Ran went to ask the teacher for it, so I'll let Lin Jiamo eat his portion first," Chen Xun said, handing her a pair of chopsticks.

"You can have mine instead," Fang Hui said casually, pushing her food away. "What if we don't get it back?"

"Then what are you going to do!" Chen Xun pushed the food back to her and said, "Just eat yours, or I'll have Qiao Ran go buy a hamburger."

"No need." Fang Hui stubbornly handed the food to Lin Jiamo and said, "It's okay, you can eat mine, I'm not hungry."

The atmosphere became inexplicably awkward. Lin Jiamo looked at them and said, "How about this, Fang Hui and I will share one, okay? You don't mind, do you?"

Fang Hui quickly shook her head and said, "I don't mind!"

"That's good!" Lin Jiamo smiled and opened the lunchbox.

Before long, Qiao Ran brought back the food. Zhao Ye was in high spirits, but Fang Hui didn't say another word.

When Fang Hui got home that evening, she received a call from Chen Xun. After they finished discussing their math and physics homework, they both fell silent.

When there was no response, Fang Hui said, "Then I'll hang up."

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Chen Xun said.

"What are you saying?"

“Fang Hui…” Chen Xun paused, “You haven’t…you haven’t told me you like me yet.”

"oh."

"Oh, what is it?" Chen Xun was a little anxious. Fang Hui hadn't spoken to him since noon. Thinking back, he realized that he was always the one who spoke first between them, and he had never even answered a call from Fang Hui. But at noon, she had been so protective of Qiao Ran's food, which made him very uncomfortable.

"Chen Xun," Fang Hui's voice was soft and trembling slightly, "If you think I'm not good enough, or you don't like me anymore, just tell me directly, it's okay."

"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about!" Chen Xun said in surprise, "Who said I don't like you!"

"I'm not a particularly good girl either..."

"Stop!" Chen Xun interrupted her. "I know, you're angry because I invited Lin Jiamo to lunch, right?"

"no……"

"Haha, that's right! Don't deny it! Are you jealous?" Chen Xun suddenly became happy. He always felt that Fang Hui's attitude was ambiguous and that she didn't care as much as he did. Therefore, Fang Hui's jealousy made him especially happy.

"No!" Fang Hui quickly denied.

She did feel a little sad, not because Chen Xun had done anything wrong, but because Lin Jiamo was too perfect, and she really lacked confidence in matters of the heart. Thus, these subtle sorrows tangled in her heart.

"Do you know why I asked her to have dinner with me?" Chen Xun said in a low voice, "It's because I wanted her to keep you company. You're always alone during PE class, and I can't play the game of calling out numbers with girls every class!"

"And..." Chen Xun emphasized, "I don't dislike you, and you're not allowed to dislike me either!"

The knot in Fang Hui's heart simply melted away. For the first time, she felt that liking someone could be so warm and reassuring. Chen Xun was like the refreshing sunlight, making the barren part of her heart bloom with flowers.

(2)

The next day at school, Fang Hui, unusually, invited Lin Jiamo to lunch. Lin Jiamo was delighted and naturally stayed with her; after all, it was always good to integrate and make friends after just transferring schools. Moreover, Lin Jiamo also thought Fang Hui was nice; she was the first person she met upon arriving, and they clicked immediately. Unlike Xiao Cao, who was boisterous and outspoken, Fang Hui was equally lively but also sensitive and reserved, and the two got along very well. Thus, Fang Hui ended her awkward period of wandering alone on campus.

As Fang Hui spent more time with Lin Jiamo, she gradually discovered her own simplicity. In any case, she was far from fashionable, while Lin Jiamo was considered a very stylish girl at the time. She used brightly colored pens with cute patterns, her correction fluid was covered in cartoon stickers, her schoolbag had dolls hanging on it, and her wallet contained celebrity gold cards. She had read almost all Japanese manga, and she bought "Contemporary Music" magazine every month. She knew everything about who had released a new album and who had a new scandal. Therefore, among the girls in her class, she could be considered a trendsetter. The woven bracelets that were once all the rage in F High School were invented by Lin Jiamo.

That noon, after lunch, Lin Jiamo listened to music with Fang Hui while taking out some clear plastic rope from her bag and starting to braid it. Fang Hui looked at it curiously and asked her:

"Jiamo, what is this? What is it used for?"

"Glass fiber," Lin Jiamo said, holding it up to Fang Hui's eyes. "I'll use it to make a bracelet, won't it look pretty?"

"Yes, it looks pretty good."

“Right! I have some more. Here, take a few more and you can braid them too!” Lin Jiamo took out some more and handed them to Fang Hui.

"Huh? No need, I don't know how."

"Hey! It's super easy! I'll teach you! It looks so pretty on your wrist!" Lin Jiamo gestured to the braided braid on her wrist.

"How do I write this?"

"How many strands do you want? Three strands are the simplest, but five strands look nice! I don't have enough here, we can buy some more after school!"

Where can I buy one?

Right at the school gate! Three cents a stick, four sticks for a dollar!

Fang Hui thought it looked really good, so she started learning from her. The bracelet wasn't difficult to make, and she finished making one in about noon.

Chen Xun, Zhao Ye, and Qiao Ran returned from playing basketball and saw them buttoning their shirts. Zhao Ye came over and said, "What are you doing? Why didn't you come downstairs to watch us play? I had a great shot today, I made four three-pointers!"

“I suggested going downstairs to check, but Fang Hui wouldn’t go! She just leaned out the window!” Lin Jiamo said with a laugh.

Fang Hui shook her head and said, "There are too many people downstairs, there's no room."

She actually wanted to sit on the sidelines and watch Chen Xun play basketball, but the basketball court was always surrounded by a lot of girls, many of whom were watching Chen Xun. Zhao Ye told her that some girls even brought him water, so she didn't want to sit with them.

"Can you see me?" Chen Xun asked, leaning against Fang Hui's desk.

“Sometimes I can’t see you very clearly either.” Fang Hui glanced at him, deliberately adding the word “you”, she was much more cautious than Chen Xun.

"Oh," Chen Xun said, somewhat dejected.

"What are these?" Qiao Ran noticed the glass silk bracelets in their hands, picked them up and asked.

"We made the bracelet ourselves! Isn't it pretty?" Lin Jiamo said proudly.

"Let me see it!" Zhao Ye took it. "It's good, I'll keep it, thank you!"

"Get out of my way! Fang Hui has been weaving all afternoon!" Lin Jiamo interrupted.

"Then give me the one you made!" Zhao Ye said with a grin.

"Why should I?! No way... Hey! Give it back to me!"

Before Lin Jiamo could finish speaking, Zhao Ye snatched the bracelet she had placed on the table. She quickly stood up and chased after Zhao Ye out of the classroom.

"Make one for me too!" Chen Xun whispered in Fang Hui's ear as Qiao Ran turned her head to look.

"Huh?" Fang Hui stared at him blankly.

"I want it!" Chen Xun said. "It's settled then! You made it up yourself!"

Fang Hui smiled and nodded.

After school, Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo bought glass silk together at the school gate. Lin Jiamo helped Fang Hui choose many colors, and the two of them studied and matched them for a long time, chatting and laughing happily.

Back home, Fang Hui started braiding as soon as she finished her homework. She used five strands of rope and chose the most intricate pattern. That evening, Chen Xun, under the pretense of checking homework, called her as usual, specifically reminding her to make him a bracelet. Although Fang Hui smiled at his obvious concern, she was secretly delighted.

The next day at school, Fang Hui secretly slipped the bracelet to Chen Xun in the hallway. Chen Xun was overjoyed and immediately put it on.

Fang Hui grabbed his sleeve and said, "Roll it down! Don't let them see!"

"Oh." Chen Xun reluctantly stuffed the bracelet in and said, "Actually, it's nothing. How about we explain it to Qiao Ran and the others?"

"No way!" Fang Hui said in a panic, "What if it gets to Teacher Hou! You know Zhao Ye is the most unreliable person!"

"Okay..." Chen Xun looked down at his wrist and said, "Then come downstairs at noon to watch me play ball!"

"No way. There are too many people down there. Besides, so many girls are cheering you on and buying you water, what would I do there!"

"Look at you! So petty!" Chen Xun chuckled. He loved seeing Fang Hui acting awkward; he always felt that it showed she cared about him. "I didn't drink the water they bought, so who cares about them! If you went, I'd sit next to you right away and drink your water!"

"You're so smug!" Fang Hui knew he was being smug and glared at him.

"Seriously! Even if you don't come down at noon today, you have to stay upstairs and watch!" Chen Xun said earnestly. "You're only allowed to look at me! You're not allowed to look at Qiao Ran!"

This time, Fang Hui laughed. Her eyes curved into crescents as she looked at Chen Xun and said, "The fifth floor is so tall, and you're all about the same height. How could I possibly tell you apart like that?"

"Hmph! Anyway, it won't work! I'll show you today!" Chen Xun said, pursing his lips.

Chen Xun skipped lunch, stubbornly insisting on going down to the playground to reserve the spot closest to the teaching building. Fang Hui, exasperated by his childishness, simply packed his lunchbox and placed it at his seat. After lunch, Lin Jiamo asked Fang Hui to accompany her to buy water, but Fang Hui pretended to laugh and refused. Actually, she didn't want to break her promise; having promised Chen Xun, she naturally wanted to watch him from the window.

"How annoying!" Lin Jiamo said with a laugh, leaning against the other side of the window. "I knew I shouldn't have taught you how to make bracelets yesterday!"

"Hehe, I'll treat you to Coribo after school!" Fang Hui smiled shyly.

"Did you go home and knit it? Let me see!" Lin Jiamo said.

"No," Fang Hui said somewhat guiltily, "I just got annoyed while I was writing."

"You're really something!" Lin Jiamo slumped her shoulders. "You're so good at putting people down..."

"I wanted to wait until it was finished before showing it to you!" Fang Hui hurriedly explained haphazardly.

"Hey! Look! Look!" Lin Jiamo ignored her words and suddenly screamed.

Fang Hui turned her head to look at the playground, and Chen Xun's agile figure immediately came into her view.

She smiled unconsciously, feeling smug and self-satisfied.

"The distance from the fifth floor of the teaching building to the playground must be several hundred meters! But I saw him at a glance, do you know why?"

Fang Hui still wore a gentle smile as she spoke. She was usually aloof, so this expression seemed very strange to me.

I shook my head, looking at her with a pang of sadness, completely oblivious to my presence.

Fang Hui's eyes sparkled brightly, and like a child harboring a secret, she said with boundless enthusiasm:

"Because he was the only one on the playground who wore his school uniform inside out!"

(3)

After playing ball at noon, Chen Xun sat next to Fang Hui and fanned himself with a book.

Lin Jiamo leaned on the table and asked him, "Why are you wearing your school uniform inside out?"

"I like it!" Chen Xun smiled and looked at Fang Hui, who pursed her lips and lowered her head.

"Tch! He just loves to show off!" Zhao Ye snatched the notebook from his hand and said, "I really don't like playing with him. There's always a bunch of girls yelling and screaming on the sidelines!"

"Get lost! So what if you let me cover you up today? Look how jealous you are!" Chen Xun casually took the water that Fang Hui had brought from her seat, unscrewed it, and took a couple of sips.

"Fang Hui let you drink it!" Qiao Ran grabbed the water bottle and handed it back to Fang Hui. Fang Hui said thank you shyly, and Chen Xun secretly glared at her.

"Exactly!" Zhao Ye tapped Chen Xun on the head and said, "I even cut you twice today! Right, Jia Mo? You saw that?"

"No," Lin Jiamo said, shaking her head as if pretending to recall.

"Fine! You're such a boring person!" Zhao Ye poked her with a pen.

"Stop fooling around!" Lin Jiamo slapped his hand away and said with a smile, "I saw it! It was the boy with the parted hair who stopped him first, and that's how you broke the fight. Who was that guy? I thought he was pretty good at it!"

"That's him! He's our school team captain! He's a second-year high school student, and his name is Su Kai," Zhao Ye said proudly.

“No wonder!” Lin Jiamo nodded and said, “I’ve been watching him for several days, and he plays the most steadily. He intercepts the ball quickly and passes it well.”

"You're quite knowledgeable!" Zhao Ye said with interest. "Why don't you come watch our training tonight? I'll show you what a real dunk is!"

"Sure," Lin Jiamo said, rolling her eyes. "But can you really dunk?"

"Of course!" Zhao Ye exclaimed excitedly. He ran two steps to the front of the podium and jumped lightly to reach the top edge of the national flag pasted on the blackboard.

"Look! He's really good!" Lin Jiamo said, pulling Fang Hui along. "Come with me after school!"

"I'm not going. I have to go home tonight to work on the drafts, and I need to put together the bulletin board tomorrow."

Fang Hui tidied up the books that Chen Xun and the others had messed up on the table, nudged Chen Xun, and whispered, "Go eat quickly, I've put them in your seat."

"Did you see me this time?" Chen Xun stood up and said in a low voice.

"Mm!" Fang Hui smiled and nodded gently.

After school, Fang Hui went home first, while Lin Jiamo stayed to train with Zhao Ye. He was in exceptionally good form that day, practicing dunks five times and making three. The entire school team also had excellent teamwork, with smooth transitions between offense and defense. The coach was in a great mood and let them go early. Everything was going well until something happened after training.

Seeing that everyone was in good spirits, team leader Su Kai suggested going out for a meal. Zhao Ye insisted on going with Lin Jiamo, and Lin Jiamo agreed since it wasn't too late. They decided that Su Kai, Zhao Ye, and Lin Jiamo would go to their usual restaurant, Yuhua Restaurant, to order first, while the rest of the team would pack up their equipment and then head over together.

The three of them arrived at Yuhua Restaurant, which was quite crowded. They asked the waiter to put the tables and chairs together and ordered two bottles of blackcurrant drinks.

Zhao Ye poured water for Lin Jiamo and said with a smile, "How was it? Our team is pretty strong, isn't it!"

"Hmm!" Lin Jiamo took the cup, handed it to Su Kai, and said, "You were just saying there's some Nike Cup coming up next semester? You guys are sure to win, right?"

"It's hard to say, some schools are quite strong," Su Kai said, taking a sip of water. "But if they play like they did today, they have a good chance! Your name is Lin Jiamo, right? You definitely have to come watch our competition next semester! I've noticed that Zhao Ye's goal-scoring rate is incredibly high when you're around!"

"Nonsense! When have I ever had a low goal-scoring rate?" Zhao Ye retorted hastily, his face slightly flushed.

"Then why are you blushing?" Su Kai said with a smile.

"You look radiant! Go ahead and drink some water!" Zhao Ye glanced at him, picked up the bottle, and poured water into Su Kai's cup.

Just then, someone walked by and accidentally bumped into his arm, causing the bottle to tilt and spill all the water onto Lin Jiamo.

"What the hell are you?!" Zhao Ye stood up, slammed the bottle down on the table with a "bang," and glared at the person.

But to his surprise, with a few loud "bangs," the people at the next table smashed their bottles on the table and stood up.

The man chuckled, shoved Zhao Ye aside, and said, "What the hell are you bragging about?!"

Seeing that the people were dressed similarly, she knew they must all be from the vocational high school next door. Their numbers were large and their demeanor thuggish, and Lin Jiamo couldn't help but feel afraid.

"Never mind..." Lin Jiamo said tremblingly, pulling Zhao Ye along.

"No! You guys can forget about it, but we haven't even started yet!" Another person came over and grabbed Zhao Ye's shirt.

"Let go of me!" Su Kai said, shoving the man's hand away.

"What's wrong with you? You looking for a beating!" They gradually surrounded them.

"Forget it, forget it!" Lin Jiamo said, pulling Su Kai back.

"Tell me if you have something to say, and tell them both to leave!" Su Kai pushed Lin Jiamo aside and gave Zhao Ye a wink.

"You go, I'll stay!" Zhao Ye said, blocking Lin Jiamo's path.

"What are you trying to show off for!" Those people grabbed bottles.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Su Kai turned and shouted at Zhao Ye, "Let's go!"

Zhao Ye was stunned for a moment, then pulled Lin Jiamo and ran out.

"You should help him!" Lin Jiamo said anxiously.

"What can I do by myself? Didn't you see what he meant? He told me to hurry back and get help!" Zhao Ye said as he ran.

They encountered the other team members halfway there, and everyone rushed to the Yuhua Restaurant, but the others had already left. Su Kai sat on a chair to the side, half of his face swollen.

"Captain, they're all gone?" Zhao Ye asked, looking around. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah! They were hit a couple of times and then left. It's nothing serious."

"Damn it! I'm going to chase after him!" Zhao Ye said, rolling up his sleeves.

"Stop your fucking nonsense! I told you to leave because I didn't want you all getting involved! Don't you know that causing trouble outside means being kicked out of the team?!" Su Kai roared. "Remember this! Nobody cause trouble outside! And nobody is allowed to tell anyone about what happened today. If the coach asks tomorrow, everyone will say I got kicked around and humiliated!"

"So, that's it?" Zhao Ye asked, clenching his fist.

"Right! Be careful next time, don't get into fights with people so easily. Also, go home early these next couple of days and take the main roads. They're from Dongzhi, and from what I heard, they might cause you trouble!"

"Oh." Zhao Ye lowered his head dejectedly and said, "I'm sorry, Captain."

"Don't give me that! I'm ordering two servings of Kung Pao Chicken today, Zhao Ye, it's on me!" Su Kai said with a smile, and everyone laughed along.

The next day at school, when Fang Hui entered the classroom, Zhao Ye was telling Chen Xun about what happened the day before. Lin Jiamo pulled Fang Hui to sit in the back row to listen together. Zhao Ye patiently explained it again, and Fang Hui finally understood the gist of it.

"My God, thank goodness nothing happened!" Fang Hui's face turned pale with fright as she tightly gripped Lin Jiamo's hand.

"Absolutely! I was terrified!" Lin Jiamo said, clutching her chest.

“If I had been there yesterday, I would have helped you guys stop them! I just can’t stand Dongzhi, they’re always ripping off junior high students here.”

"You absolutely mustn't provoke them!" Fang Hui said anxiously to Chen Xun, contrary to her usual self.

Seeing Fang Hui's worried expression, Chen Xun was secretly overjoyed. He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, why would I provoke them?"

"If I run into them again, I'll definitely give them a good beating!" Zhao Ye said, cracking his knuckles.

"Come on!" Lin Jiamo glared at him. "Have you forgotten what Su Kai said? If you hadn't been so impulsive, nothing would have happened yesterday."

"They ran into you! Besides, I never expected that kind of scene. I slammed my hand on the table, and a bunch of people suddenly stood up behind me!" Zhao Ye said excitedly, jumping off the table. "But we didn't back down when we got back. Our center, Liu Bo, grabbed a brick, yelled 'Fuck your mother, fuck your mother, fuck your mother, fuck your mother' as he charged in!"

"How dare you say that! Fang Hui, didn't you see? When he ran back to get help yesterday, he was so slow! He wasn't even as fast as me!"

"How can I compare to you!" Zhao Ye gestured to his waist and said, "I can climb over this high fence, but Jia Mo just lifted her leg and went over it. I chased after her and said, 'How are you so agile?' She said she used to train for the 100-meter hurdles in her old middle school!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

The 7:30 bell rang for morning self-study, and everyone returned to their seats. Fang Hui asked her classmates to pass her history homework from back to front, and Lin Jiamo helped her carry the notebook to the teacher's office.

In the hallway, Lin Jiamo said mysteriously to Fang Hui, "You're such a bad friend! You actually kept such an important thing from me!"

Fang Hui asked suspiciously, "What are you hiding from me?"

"Here's a hint: the keyword is 'bracelet'!" Lin Jiamo said with a mischievous grin, taking two quick steps. "I saw it on someone's wrist this morning. Don't tell me it's a coincidence; I remember that day there was only one last piece of the rose-red glass bracelet left."

Fang Hui dropped the notebook in her hand with a clatter, and stood there timidly looking at Lin Jiamo.

"Oh! It's nothing serious! Why are you so nervous! I'm not going to take it from you!" Lin Jiamo went back and helped her pick up the book, saying, "Don't you trust me? Would I tell anyone?"

“No, not really…” Fang Hui breathed a sigh of relief and said, “He and I actually didn’t…”

"Okay, I understand." Lin Jiamo put her arm around her shoulder and said, "Let's switch. I'll tell you a secret too. I can't keep it to myself like you!"

"What secret?" Fang Hui asked, patting the dirt off the cover of the book.

"Me too, I've fallen for someone."

"Who? Is it someone from our class?" Fang Hui unconsciously became nervous again.

"No!" Lin Jiamo whispered in her ear, "It's Su Kai, the captain of the school team!"

(4)

It was only when Fang Hui was with Lin Jiamo that she truly learned what liking someone and pursuing them meant. Compared to Lin Jiamo, Fang Hui's little flirtation with Chen Xun was utterly insignificant.

That day in Chinese class, Lin Jiamo passed her a note, earnestly pleading with Fang Hui to accompany her downstairs to watch the boys play basketball at noon. She said it concerned Fang Hui's future high school life and happiness, and whether her future biological son, Fang Hui's godson, would have a chance to have a nice-sounding surname—Su. Fang Hui reluctantly replied, "Okay," and cautiously glanced at the back door and window of the classroom to make sure Teacher Hou wasn't peeping before passing the note back to her.

As soon as they finished lunch, Lin Jiamo dragged Fang Hui downstairs.

"Slow down, slow down!" Fang Hui said, rubbing her arm. "Why are you in such a hurry? He might not even be there!"

"Tch! Who do you think I am! Do you think I can fight an unprepared battle?" Lin Jiamo said with wide eyes. "I subtly inquired with Zhao Ye a while ago. Su Kai usually comes downstairs around 12 o'clock every day. He doesn't reserve a court for himself, and he doesn't play ball with strangers. He only plays with the second-year high school students or Zhao Ye and his friends."

"You're amazing!" Fang Hui said admiringly. "So, are you planning to talk to him today?"

"Hehe, let's execute Plan A today!" Lin Jiamo smiled slyly.

The two didn't go straight to the playground; instead, they went to the convenience store to buy water. Lin Jiamo was torn between Pepsi and a bright watermelon drink, regretting that she hadn't asked Su Kai what his preferences were. While she hesitated, Fang Hui bought a bottle of iced tea. Chen Xun liked it, so since they were already down there, she decided to get him one too.

When they returned to the playground, they found that there were no good spots left. Su Kai was indeed playing basketball with Zhao Ye, Chen Xun, and Qiao Ran, so there were a lot of people around that court. The area under the basketball hoop was already full, with both junior high and high school girls chatting and laughing, but their eyes kept glancing into the court.

"Why don't you come downstairs!" Lin Jiamo stood helplessly in a sunny spot, pulled Fang Hui to her side, and squinted as she said, "There are just too many people here!"

Fang Hui looked at Chen Xun on the court and gave a wry smile. Chen Xun didn't see her; he was playing very seriously, occasionally shouting to his teammates. Sweat soaked his forehead hair, which glistened in the sunlight.

A short while later, Su Kai and several other second-year high school students left the field, and another group of people took their place. Lin Jiamo seized the opportunity to call out his name and waved vigorously.

Su Kai walked over, smiled, pointed to the court, and said, "Watching Zhao Ye play basketball?"

"No! I need to talk to you about something," Lin Jiamo said, frowning.

"Looking for me? What's up?" Su Kai sighed and leaned against a nearby tree.

"Have some water first!" Lin Jiamo handed him the Pepsi.

"No, no, no! Keep it for Zhao Ye!" Su Kai pushed it back.

"This is from someone who asked me to give it to you!" Lin Jiamo grabbed him and stuffed the water into his hand.

"Huh?" Su Kai and Fang Hui looked at her in surprise.

Lin Jiamo smiled and said, "I have a classmate who has a crush on you, and she bought this!"

"No way! Who is it?" Su Kai was surprisingly a little shy and unconsciously glanced at Fang Hui, who hadn't said a word.

"No...it wasn't me!" Fang Hui hurriedly shook her head and said.

"It's not Fang Hui! As for who it is, I'll keep it a secret for now. Let her tell you herself later! By the way, quickly tell me your birthday, zodiac sign, blood type, and home phone number so I can explain." Lin Jiamo winked playfully.

"So many questions? That's incredibly detailed..."

"Tell me, I'm the only girl in our class who knows you. She's counting on me."

Su Kai smiled and said, "Birthday, June 24th, blood type A, Cancer zodiac sign, home phone number... well, I'll tell you my pager number!"

"Great!" Lin Jiamo was very excited and quickly wrote down the number he gave her.

Another substitution was about to take place. This time, Chen Xun and the others were leaving. Su Kai handed the water bottle to Lin Jiamo, waved to them, and went up.

Lin Jiamo felt as if she were bathed in a spring breeze, a sweet smile on her face, and secretly gave Fang Hui a V sign.

"Why do you say that someone else likes him?" Fang Hui couldn't help but ask.

"That makes it easier to contact him! See, I found out his pager number without even lifting a finger!"

"You're really something!" Fang Hui exclaimed. "But what will happen in the future?"

“Later… once we’re really all better, who cares what happened back then!” Lin Jiamo said.

"You're so cunning! Aren't you afraid you won't grow tall?" Fang Hui pinched her.

"Stop messing around! This is called taking a roundabout approach. We'll get to know each other better eventually, won't we?" Lin Jiamo said smugly, dodging her.

Fang Hui smiled and ignored her, then looked up to find Chen Xun. She was still holding the bottle of iced tea in her hand; the water was no longer cold, and she wanted to give it to him quickly.

However, Chen Xun didn't see Fang Hui. A girl was calling to him from under the basketball hoop, and after he came off the court, he went straight over. Fang Hui watched him sit down next to the girl, take the Fanta she offered, twist it open, and gulp it down. The girl hugged his discarded school uniform and laughed. He said something, and the two of them laughed so hard they almost fell over.

Isn't it cold to wear short sleeves this season?

If the school uniform is in someone else's hands, how can you tell which one is his from upstairs?

She clearly said that her favorite drink is iced tea, but why does she seem happy drinking Fanta as well?

They both like each other, but some people express their liking indirectly, while others express it indirectly after they like someone. Which one is right?

Fang Hui didn't know who she was asking in her heart, but no one answered her. All that remained was a sour, throbbing pain, which made her grip the water bottle tightly in her hand, her nails digging into it, half red and half white.

"Hey, who is that girl? Why is it that you, the rightful owner, are standing on the sidelines while she's sitting so openly next to Chen Xun?" Lin Jiamo also saw Chen Xun and, seeing Fang Hui's increasingly grim expression, said angrily.

"I don't know him." Fang Hui lowered her head and tugged at Lin Jiamo, saying, "Let's go back."

"you……"

“Let’s go!” Fang Hui said firmly.

Lin Jiamo sighed. Just as they were about to turn around, two middle school girls behind them suddenly shouted in a shrill voice, "Chen Xun!" The two girls obviously didn't recognize Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo. After shouting, they quickly hid behind them. One whispered, "Did he look this way?" The other peeked out from the crowd and said excitedly, "Yes! Yes!"

Chen Xun did hear it and looked over, but the first person he saw wasn't the girl playing the prank, but Fang Hui.

Qiao Ran and Zhao Ye also noticed them, and the three of them walked over together.

"Did you see that? That three-pointer I just hit was amazing!" Zhao Ye excitedly said, taking the water from Lin Jiamo's hand.

"Give it to me!" Lin Jiamo snatched it back hastily. "If it's yours, then drink it!"

Chen Xun raised his middle finger at Zhao Ye, then casually brushed against Fang Hui and stretched out his hand, saying, "Give it to me!"

Fang Hui gave him a cold look, but Chen Xun didn't notice. He pointed to the iced tea in her hand and said softly, "This, thank you!"

"Are you hot?" Fang Hui suddenly turned her head and handed the water to Qiao Ran, who was standing on the other side. "Here, have some."

"Ah... thank you!" Qiao Ran was stunned for a moment, then took it and smiled brightly.

Chen Xun's finger hadn't retracted yet, like an awkward punctuation mark in their conversation, foolishly floating in mid-air.

He watched as Qiao Ran tilted his head back and took a few sips. The dark red liquid swirling in the bottle must have tasted delicious, but Chen Xun felt a bitter taste in his throat, so bitter that he didn't want to stay there any longer.

Chen Xun suddenly pushed the tree behind him, stood up and walked away. As he passed Fang Hui, neither of them glanced at the other.

"Hey! Go on!" Zhao Ye shouted from behind.

"Back to the classroom!" Chen Xun said without turning around.

"We should go up soon!"

"I'm not playing anymore!" Chen Xun walked to the basketball hoop, took the school uniform back from the girl, and stormed back.

"Is he sick? Why is he acting like he's taken some kind of poison?" Zhao Ye said to Qiao Ran in surprise.

"I don't know, just ignore him!" Qiao Ran said carefully as she twisted the bottle shut.

"Let me ask you, who is that girl sitting under the basketball hoop? Is she familiar with Chen Xun?" Lin Jiamo asked, seizing the opportunity.

"Which one?" Qiao Ran asked.

"The one who got his school uniform, oh... the one who stood up, it was her, it was her," Lin Jiamo said, gesturing with her lips.

"Oh! Wang Manman! From Class 5, Chen Xun's junior high classmate." Zhao Ye glanced at her, then turned and said mysteriously, "According to unreliable sources, she was also his former rumored girlfriend!"

Lin Jiamo looked at Fang Hui with concern, while Fang Hui silently lowered her head.

(5)

Chen Xun and Fang Hui were in a cold war for three days.

Three days is neither a long nor a short time. But for a relationship, it's enough to begin and enough to end.

During this time, Lin Jiamo contacted Su Kai again at noon and gradually learned where he lived, what color he liked, what kind of drink he liked, and even mustered up the courage to ask him what kind of girl he liked and what requirements he would have if he were to find a girlfriend.

Su Kai's answer excited her for a long time. He said, "I like cute girls who don't make too many fuss. As for a girlfriend, well, someone like you is fine!"

As soon as she returned to the classroom, Lin Jiamo took out the 201 card she had bought and used the phone in the hallway to call Su Kai.

"Please call 52446... Gao Yiyi... Gao as in 'happy,' Yi as in 'affectionate'... The message is 'I like you'... Yes, I like you, please call me three times! Thank you!"

"Is Gao Yiyi a name you made up?" Fang Hui asked.

“Yes,” Lin Jiamo said with a smile, “Did you hear that? He just said someone like me would be fine!”

"Hmm! But there's no such person in our class!"

"Duh! Gao Yiyi means Gao Yiyi!"

"Oh!" Fang Hui exclaimed in sudden realization, "You're amazing!"

"Go ahead and study!" Lin Jiamo put her arm around her shoulder and said, "You haven't talked to Chen Xun yet!"

"No."

"Is this okay? He didn't even call you?"

"No." Fang Hui's eyes dimmed. "Never mind, maybe he thinks I'm too much trouble!"

"What are you talking about! Is there anyone who's afraid of trouble when it comes to this kind of thing? I think you should really talk it over."

"Let's talk about it later." Fang Hui took a deep breath, pulled Lin Jiamo's hand off her shoulder, and said, "Let's go back."

As soon as they entered the classroom, they heard a girl at the door call out, "Excuse me, classmate! Please call Chen Xun from your class."

Fang Hui couldn't help but turn around. Standing there was Wang Manman, the girl who had sat under the basketball hoop that day. She and another girl were smiling and carrying a large black trash bag, leaning against the door, saying, "Thank you!"

Lin Jiamo impatiently called out to the back row, "Chen Xun! Someone's looking for you!"

Chen Xun rushed out, and Zhao Ye made two strange noises behind him, as if to egg him on.

Fang Hui didn't look at him and silently returned to her seat.

"What's the matter?" Chen Xun asked. "What are you carrying?"

"Empty water bottles!" Wang Manman said with a smile, "Our class is now organizing to collect trash at school and sell it as recyclables! All the money we get goes into the class fund, so could you give me all the empty beverage bottles and cans that your class doesn't need?"

"That's impressive! Did Teacher Cui send you guys to do this?"

"No, we did it on our own, hurry up!" Wang Manman gently nudged Chen Xun's shoulder.

Chen Xun laughed and dodged, saying, "Then wait a minute!"

He walked back to the classroom and asked each student at their desks one by one. When he got to Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo, he simply said, "Do you have any unwanted beverage bottles? Aluminum cans are fine too."

“No!” Lin Jiamo said.

Chen Xun didn't ask Fang Hui any further questions, and instead went to the next table.

"That girl is really something! She even chased me into our class!" Lin Jiamo said with disgust. "And Chen Xun, why did he bother with her? Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

"Weren't they junior high school classmates?" Fang Hui said casually.

"There's no need to be so close! What does he mean by that?!"

"Whatever he thinks!" Fang Hui took out the books for the next class and slammed them onto the upper right corner of her desk.

Fang Hui couldn't concentrate on her classes afterwards. She felt that things might be over between her and Chen Xun. She couldn't say who was right or wrong, or perhaps there was no right or wrong at all; she had just been too hopeful. That boy was so outstanding, why should he stay by her side? What did she have that made Chen Xun treat her seriously and love her wholeheartedly?

Fang Hui kept mocking herself, ruthlessly crushing the budding hope in her heart. She wished she could burn all hope away with her own hands, not wanting to leave any behind even if it hurt. All despair stems from hope, and sweet fantasies often end up as a lonely poison and a seductive wound. Therefore, she dared not go to Chen Xun for confirmation; she was afraid that such cold words would come from his mouth, and that would truly hurt too much.

But after school, when there were only a few people left in the class, Chen Xun walked up to her.

"Can you stay for a while? I have something to tell you," Chen Xun said.

Fang Hui didn't respond. She silently packed her bag, a sharp pain churning in her heart. She felt Chen Xun was going to say those things to her again, but she didn't want to hear them. Even if they separated, she wouldn't cry or make a scene, nor would she cling to him. She would never get in Chen Xun's way again. A clean break was better than hurting him with words.

"Did you hear me?! Is this any way to get it?" Chen Xun said, a little angry, as he grabbed her arm.

Fang Hui struggled gently, but Chen Xun held on tightly, and she couldn't break free.

"What else is there to say!" Fang Hui raised her head and looked at him with despair.

Chen Xun released his grip, his chest heaving as he whispered tremblingly, "Fine, fine, fine! You have nothing to say to me! I understand! But Fang Hui, you can't do this! If you had told me you liked Qiao Ran back then, I wouldn't be acting like an idiot now! Do you know how happy I was when I saw you on the playground that day? The student council was supposed to have a meeting at noon, but I immediately told Wang Manman I wasn't going, I just wanted to spend more time with you! But what did you do? I genuinely thought you bought that water for me, and you even had the nerve to ask for it. Did you think it was fun to tease me? Even if it was for Qiao Ran, you didn't have to do it in front of me! You... what do you mean by this?!"

Fang Hui stared blankly at Chen Xun's face, which was flushed with anger. She suddenly felt that something was not quite what she had expected.

"I...I'm not..."

Fang Hui was interrupted by Lin Jiamo, who rushed in from outside the door, before she could finish speaking.

She gasped for breath and cried out to Zhao Ye in terror, "They're here! They're...they're at the school gate!"

"How many people are there?" Zhao Ye asked hurriedly.

"Three...three!"

"Damn! What are you afraid of with three people? Let's beat them up!" Zhao Ye shouted, throwing his backpack on the desk.

"Come on! I'll go with you!" Chen Xun shouted, turning around. "Qiao Ran, are you coming?"

"Of course I went!" Qiao Ran put down his schoolbag as well.

"Don't go!" Fang Hui hurriedly grabbed Chen Xun, but Chen Xun shook her off and, along with Zhao Ye and a few other boys, ran downstairs together.

"Oh dear! What should I do! I just wanted him to hide!" Lin Jiamo said anxiously.

“Let’s go find Su Kai!” Fang Hui said.

"Yes! I'll go find him!" Lin Jiamo's eyes lit up, and she turned and ran away.

Upon hearing their words, Su Kai immediately gathered a few members of the basketball team and went there. He also specifically instructed Lin Jiamo and the others not to leave the school gate.

Fang Hui felt extremely uncomfortable in the classroom. She paced back and forth, constantly looking out the window, but she couldn't see a trace of them.

"It's been so long, I hope nothing bad has happened?" Fang Hui asked worriedly.

"I don't think so." Lin Jiamo was also very anxious.

"Why don't we just tell the teacher? What if..."

"No way!" Lin Jiamo said firmly, "The teachers absolutely cannot find out about this! Su Kai said he'll be expelled from the team! He might even get a disciplinary action!"

"What should we do then!" Fang Hui almost cried.

"They're back! They're back!" Lin Jiamo jumped up and pointed out the window, shouting, "Look!"

Fang Hui was startled and pulled Lin Jiamo downstairs. They ran into Su Kai at the school gate. Lin Jiamo quickly grabbed him and looked him up and down.

"How are you? Are you alright?" Lin Jiamo asked.

Su Kai smiled, waved his hand, and made two V signs, saying, "Done!"

"Thank God!" Lin Jiamo clasped her hands together and muttered, "That's wonderful!"

"Where is Chen... Chen Xun? Have you seen him?" Fang Hui interrupted them, contrary to her usual behavior.

“What happens next?” Su Kai said.

Fang Hui hurriedly ran back, not even having time to say goodbye to Lin Jiamo. On the way, she ran into Qiao Ran and a few boys from her class. She didn't say much either, just asked where Chen Xun was and ran off. It wasn't until she was at the very back that she finally saw Chen Xun.

He was covered in dirt and was kicking stones as he walked forward with his head down.

"Chen... Xun," Fang Hui called softly.

Chen Xun stopped, looked up in surprise, then awkwardly looked to the other side and said, "What?"

Are you alright?

"No," Chen Xun said, brushing the dirt off his clothes. "Why haven't you gone home yet?"

"I... am waiting for you."

"Wait for me? Didn't you say there was nothing to say?" Chen Xun raised the corners of his mouth and said indifferently.

“That water, I bought it for you!” Fang Hui stared at him and said, “You said you liked Uni-President iced tea the most.”

"Then... then why did you give it to Qiao Ran?" Chen Xun was a little embarrassed and took a few steps closer.

"Didn't someone else give it to you?" Fang Hui looked down at her toes and said softly.

"Oh! You mean Wang Manman! She asked me to help her unscrew the bottle cap! Then she saw I was sweating a lot and gave me some to drink." Chen Xun suddenly realized.

"And... I don't like Qiao Ran." Fang Hui's eyes welled up with tears. "I like... you!"

Chen Xun grinned, touched his nose, and said, "I thought I had no chance, and I was really upset. I took my anger out on those people from Dongzhi."

Fang Hui pouted, and tears streamed down her face, leaving small watermarks on her school uniform. Chen Xun quickly supported her shoulders, bent down to look at her, and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I thought...you liked Wang Manman..."

"How could that be! If I liked her, would I be in such a hurry?" Chen Xun looked into her eyes and said, "I like you! Silly girl!"

(6)

When Chen Xun and Fang Hui returned to the classroom, Zhao Ye was excitedly recounting his experience. Lin Jiamo listened intently, repeatedly asking, "And then? And then?"

Qiao Ran tapped the eraser repeatedly, then turned around, saw them, and waved, saying, "Come listen to the story!"

Chen Xun took two quick steps and sat down next to Qiao Ran, saying, "That guy really knows how to spout nonsense!"

"He's just a troll!" Qiao Ran chuckled and said to Fang Hui, "Why were you in such a hurry just now? Your face turned pale!"

“I…” Fang Hui was taken aback and stammered.

“She’ll be the first one here tomorrow when she’s loading the car, and she’ll ask me for our classroom key,” Chen Xun interjected.

"Oh! You should have said so earlier! Actually, I have one too," Qiao Ran said, patting his pocket.

"Hmm." Fang Hui lowered her head and secretly glanced at Chen Xun.

"Hehehe! You three listen carefully! We're getting to the crucial moment!" Zhao Ye said, glaring at him.

"Big brother! We're here too, okay!" Chen Xun rolled up a book and tapped him on the head.

"Listen to him, don't interrupt!" Lin Jiamo pushed Chen Xun aside and said, "Zhao Ye, continue. What happened after you met?"

Zhao Ye rolled his eyes at Chen Xun, cleared his throat, and said, "I told you, you're just in time! You guys got away last time, and I've been thinking about you every single day!" Chen Xun replied, "Stop talking nonsense. Tell me, are we going to fight one-on-one, or are we going to set up a group?"

"What is 'bairen'?" Lin Jiamo interjected.

"It's about getting a bunch of people together," Qiao Ran said.

“A group fight!” Fang Hui said simply and clearly, and Chen Xun looked at her in surprise.

Zhao Ye nodded and continued, "I said, 'You go over there first, let's go into the alley. Our school gate is clean, don't let our teachers see us, I still want to go to college!' He said okay, and followed us like an idiot."

"Wait a minute! I have something to add!" Chen Xun raised his hand and said, "That guy also said something like, 'Look at you, acting like you're trying to get into university! Do you even deserve such a prestigious title?!'"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Damn it!" Zhao Ye grabbed the pen cap and threw it at him, saying, "No one will think you're mute if you don't speak!"

"Ugh, let Zhao Ye finish!" Lin Jiamo said, suppressing a laugh.

"Chen Xun and Qiao Ran were walking in front, and I was behind those three. I had already seen Su Kai and his group come out of the school gate, so I gave him a wink, signaling them not to make a move. Su Kai understood immediately and followed behind me without saying a word. But unexpectedly, those three idiots were pretty smart. They probably sensed something was off and looked back. The one in the lead recognized Su Kai and saw our group of people behind him. Oh my, you saw how cowardly they were! Damn it, they just took off running! Seriously, Jia Mo, even though you've trained, they're definitely faster than you the moment they start moving! Damn it, Qiao Ran tried her best to pull them back but couldn't!"

"Huh? So they ran away?" Lin Jiamo said in surprise.

"No way!" Zhao Ye said smugly, shaking his finger. "Our captain got a beating from them, how could we let them get away so easily? Su Kai was trying to stop them, but then someone shouted 'Don't let them get away!' and we chased after them in a flash! The scene was absolutely spectacular!"

"And then they caught them?" Lin Jiamo's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Of course! Our team's average height is 185cm! Those guys with their short legs can catch up in two steps. I run in the front, yell 'Go!', and kick them down in no time."

"Yeah, that flying kick was pretty standard, it's just a pity he didn't control the range of motion well and ended up hitting the ground too," Chen Xun said with a grin.

"Are you even energetic?!" Zhao Ye threw another pen at him. "But it's true that because of this, I missed my chance. By the time I got up, they had already surrounded me and were giving me a good beating! I finally managed to squeeze in, intending to kick him a couple of times, but when I looked down, damn it, there was no one there! That guy was covered in feet, kicking me everywhere, there was absolutely no place for me to step! I thought I had no chance, but guess what? I looked down and saw a hand reaching out from among countless feet, I was so happy, thinking, 'Heaven helps those who help themselves,' I thought, 'Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, Mommy Mommy Boom!' Without hesitation, I stomped on it! Awesome! That scream was fucking good!"

Lin Jiamo clutched her stomach and laughed so hard she almost fell over. Fang Hui couldn't help but laugh too. Qiao Ran slapped the table while laughing, and Chen Xun spun Zhao Ye's head around twice.

"What are you laughing at? Why are you so happy?" Su Kai asked, knocking on the classroom door.

"Come in! Listen to Zhao Ye tell you what happened earlier!" Lin Jiamo waved her hand and said.

"He's talking nonsense again, isn't he?" Su Kai walked in with a laugh. "He definitely didn't tell the part where he kicked someone but ended up falling to the ground himself. That's rubbish!"

"Captain!" Zhao Ye protested.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop now! I understand, there are girls too!" Su Kai said, glancing at Lin Jiamo with ill intent.

"It's alright, whatever Zhao Ye does is within our expectations!" Lin Jiamo said, pulling Fang Hui along.

"Seriously! I told that kid he definitely won't dare come back again. And you guys shouldn't go looking for trouble with him either. When you go home, avoid Dongzhi's place. Just like last time, don't tell anyone. Zhao Ye, did you hear me! If you still want to play in the Nike Cup next semester, stop fucking bragging!" Su Kai became more and more serious as he spoke, and everyone couldn't help but tense up.

"Will you be alright?" Lin Jiamo asked timidly.

"As long as it doesn't get out, it'll be fine. But this time the whole basketball team played together. If the teachers find out, it'll be a big problem," Zhao Ye said. "Captain, don't talk to them about this. Girls are timid!"

"Don't worry! We definitely won't say a word!" Lin Jiamo quickly assured her.

"I know, don't be scared, I was just reminding you," Su Kai said with a smile. "Aren't you all in a hurry to go home? I'll treat you to popsicles!"

"No rush, no rush! I want to eat Wall's watermelon!" Zhao Ye exclaimed.

"Get lost! I'm only treating you to Tianbing, there's none for you!" Su Kai pulled out his wallet and said, "There are four of us in the team, plus you guys, Lin Jiamo, count how many people there are in total, can you go to the convenience store to buy some for me?"

"No problem!" Lin Jiamo happily took the money, counted it, and said, "Nine, not counting Zhao Ye!"

"Captain... I also want some Tianbing..." Zhao Ye said pitifully.

"It seems like they're selling them wholesale in sets of ten. Why don't you just buy ten? They'll give you a discount on each one!" Su Kai said, handing her another dollar.

"Okay, then Fang Hui will come with me!"

Lin Jiamo and Fang Hui walked out of the classroom together. She hummed a song as she took out her wallet and carefully put the money in one bill at a time.

"What are you doing?" Fang Hui asked, puzzled.

"Of course I kept the money he gave me; Su Kai handed it to me personally!" Lin Jiamo said, gazing at the crumpled bills with a look of rapture.

"You're such a fangirl!" Fang Hui tapped her on the forehead.

"Don't move! Don't move!" Lin Jiamo suddenly exclaimed with delight, as if she had discovered a new continent. "My God! We must be destined for each other!"

"What's wrong?" Fang Hui leaned over to look.

"Look at the code on this dollar bill! It starts with SK!" Lin Jiamo excitedly pointed it out to her.

What happened to SK?

"Idiot! The first two letters of Su Kai's pinyin are SK!"

"Oh..." Fang Hui said helplessly.

"Let me check if I have any SK left on my money!"

Lin Jiamo opened her wallet and looked through it carefully, then said disappointedly, "It seems like it's not there..."

"Fine, next time if I have SK one dollar with me, I'll give it to you!"

"Okay, okay! Remember to give it to me!" Lin Jiamo nodded vigorously.

"Um!"

"Hey, you seem to be in a good mood today!" Lin Jiamo nudged her and said, "Did you make up with Chen Xun?"

"It's...it's alright," Fang Hui said, blushing.

"Today was wonderful!" Lin Jiamo said, taking her arm. "Everyone's happy!"

The two walked away laughing, their shadows etched onto the rough playground by the fading twilight. I think that no matter what youthful pain they experienced later, or how life changed, everyone's childhood can be called beautiful. At least at that time, they were simple and happy.

Therefore, when Fang Hui finished speaking, a beautiful light shone in her eyes.

(7)

That winter came unusually quickly. Two or three temperature drops were enough to get all the school children wearing down jackets. Their oversized school uniforms were tucked with sweaters and thermal underwear, making them look bulky. Back then, styles were simple, and there weren't as many designer brands to follow as there are now. Everyone basically wore fitted overcoats, mostly black or gray, making them look like round little balls from a distance. With final exams approaching, teachers began giving students intensive feedback. Even those who didn't usually like studying were busy copying notes, highlighting key points, and reviewing and memorizing. The school, like the weather, gradually entered a cold and frozen period.

However, even in such a gloomy time, there are still things that everyone looks forward to, and that is the New Year.

Lin Jiamo invited Fang Hui to buy greeting cards over the weekend. Fang Hui didn't want to go. First, she never had the habit of giving or receiving greeting cards. Second, she couldn't count on her fingers how many people she could give them to. If she really had to give them to anyone, it would be her five friends with whom she usually played. She thought that the big red, scented "Fu" cards printed by her father's workplace would be enough.

However, her idea was severely criticized by Lin Jiamo:

"How could you even think of that! You think you can just fob us off like that? The kind your dad sent out, didn't it have the company name printed on it, and inside it just idiotically wrote 'Wishing you prosperity'?"

"Let me see." Fang Hui turned her head to hold the telephone receiver, opened the desk drawer, and pulled out two sheets of paper. "Hmm, they really do have lettering from some organizations."

"That's so tacky! I don't want it! Other classmates will definitely give you gifts, and you're going to give them this in return?"

“Nobody will send me any. I think I only received greeting cards when I was in elementary school,” Fang Hui said softly.

"No way? Your junior high classmates are so stingy! I don't care, if I give you a gift, you have to give me one too, and I absolutely refuse to accept the greeting card from your dad's workplace! Besides, even if you use that to deal with me, you can't treat Chen Xun like this!"

"Oh well."

Lin Jiamo's last words finally made Fang Hui agree.

The next day, they rode their bikes together to Tianyi Market. It was crowded, and many stalls sold greeting cards. Fang Hui had never been there before, but Lin Jiamo knew the place like the back of her hand.

Fang Hui was jostled around in the crowd. She grabbed Lin Jiamo and complained, "Why are there so many people here!"

"It's cheap here! And there are lots of styles, everyone comes here to buy wholesale," Lin Jiamo said as she flipped through the bags. "Ah! Look at this! It's so cute!"

"Wholesale? How much do you want to buy?"

Lin Jiamo tilted her head back, muttering numbers to herself, and turned to say, "It must be at least forty or fifty."

"Forty or fifty? You sell greeting cards?" Fang Hui said in surprise, she only planned to buy five or six.

"Think about it, our classmates, classmates from other classes, junior high classmates, good childhood friends from elementary school... hehe, and Su Kai too! I don't think forty or fifty would be enough!"

"Oh." Fang Hui lowered her head silently.

China Telecom does offer a wide variety of greeting cards: cartoon designs, foreign landscapes, 3D models, scented cards, musical cards, and cards with frosted film. Each card says "HAPPY NEW YEAR" or "MERRY CHRISTMAS" and comes with an envelope in various colors. They sell in bulk, starting at ten cards. Most are five or six cents each, with the really good ones costing only eight cents or a dollar.

Lin Jiamo bought quite a few. She specially picked out a white card for Su Kai with tiny red hearts on it, each one three-dimensional. There was also one on the envelope that came with the card, making it very vibrant. Fang Hui's card for Chen Xun was much more ordinary. It looked like a light pencil drawing, with a rainbow faintly visible under a blue sky, giving it a warm and refreshing feel.

"Why did you choose this? It's not very special," Lin Jiamo said, puzzled.

"Yes, I like this. It's like seeing a sunny day."

"Wasn't there a rainbow? That's because it just rained!"

"Isn't a sunny day even more beautiful after the rain?" Fang Hui said with a smile.

"You've been reading too many romance novels, haven't you? By the way, what are you planning to write on it?" Lin Jiamo said with a mischievous smile, "How about writing 'I really, really like you'?"

"What?! Just write 'Happy New Year'!" Fang Hui said, blushing as she pushed her away.

However, Fang Hui broke her promise. On that greeting card, before wishing everyone a "Happy New Year," she wrote a sentence: "It's so wonderful to meet you on a sunny day after the rain!"

Those few days, it seemed like the whole school was filled with greeting cards. Classmates, students from other classes, and even students from other schools were constantly exchanging them. Several junior high girls even came to Chen Xun's class to give him cards. Under Lin Jiamo's guidance, Fang Hui was already prepared and didn't pay much attention. To her surprise, some classmates even gave her cards. Although they only had auspicious phrases like "Happy New Year, all the best" written on them, Fang Hui was still very happy. She replied to everyone who gave her a card sincerely.

Of course, Chen Xun and the others also gave her a greeting card.

Lin Jiamo's note read: "To my best friend Hui'er: Happy New Year! May you and someone else be sweet and loving forever! PS: In the days to come, please stay with me. We'll always be singing the wedding march while going to the bathroom!"

Zhao Ye's note read: "Fang Hui: Although you kept me from speaking to you for a month, it was still a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the potatoes; now, seeing potatoes reminds me of you! Wishing you all the best in the new year!"

Qiao Ran's note read: "TO Fang Hui: My happiest moments are when I do my homework with you. But when I'm with you, I become clumsy, my face turns red, my heart races, and I get nervous when I speak. Happy New Year and best wishes for your studies!"

Chen Xun's note read: "I promise I will never apologize to you. No matter how many New Years come, New Year after New Year... you will always be by my side! I LOVE YOU."

Fang Hui said she had thrown away those cards a long time ago, but strangely enough, after all these years, she could still clearly remember every single word they wrote. She joked that maybe her memory was just too good.

I think those unfulfilled promises probably fueled her incredibly beautiful dreams, dreams she must have taken seriously at the time. However, everything ultimately culminated in deep regret along with her fleeting youth. Tragically, her efforts to protect what she once so earnestly tried to preserve turned into an unforgettable pain.

Paper can be torn, but how should a child tear it?

(8)

Class 1 has begun preparing for the New Year's party.

The class committee was in charge of this task, and although the final exams were fast approaching, it didn't dampen their enthusiasm at all. Countless after-school hours, they gathered together for lively meetings and discussions, finally agreeing on a plan that included games and performances.

Led by the class officers, Chen Xun, Zhao Ye, and Qiao Ran performed a skit; Fang Hui and Lin Jiamo sang "Meet in 1998"; He Sha played the violin with "Ode to Joy"; other classmates also performed, mostly singing popular songs of the time, such as "I Want to Love You Too Much," "Too Softhearted," "Quit My Lover," "First Experience of Love," and "Snowbird." Teacher Hou Jia also sang "About in Winter," and it was only when she announced the song title that Chen Xun realized her idol was Qi Qin. Besides these, there were various games, such as pinning the nose on the donkey, musical chairs, and guessing words by imitation.

One particularly unique activity was the gift-giving game that Chen Xun devised. A few days before the party, each student brought a small gift—anything, cheap or expensive, it didn't matter. They attached a slip of paper with their name on it, and Chen Xun and his friends numbered the gifts, placing them in a large box. Then, they made another numbered slips of paper, folded them into lots, and put them in a small box. On the day of the party, the final game was for each student to draw a lot; the number written on the lot would correspond to a gift of that number. This way, everyone received a gift from other students.

On the day the plan was finalized, Qiao Ran invited Fang Hui to go shopping for a gift, but she declined. The reason? It was Qiao Ran's greeting card that made her hesitate. Although Fang Hui was somewhat oblivious and rigid, she wasn't stupid; she vaguely sensed Qiao Ran's feelings. This made her somewhat sentimental. If he had said those things a few months ago, perhaps Fang Hui would have been moved. She might have even had feelings for Qiao Ran. But now it was too late. Chen Xun had stormed into her world like a storm, and she couldn't let go of anyone else in her heart. Since it was impossible, Fang Hui didn't intend to become too close to Qiao Ran. Being friends was fine, but taking things further would only create an awkward situation.

However, there was another reason why Fang Hui didn't go with Qiao Ran: she had already made plans with Chen Xun.

After school, Chen Xun and Fang Hui went to a flower and gift shop together. Chen Xun seemed to be allergic to pollen, sneezing incessantly, while Fang Hui hugged a plush toy of a hippo cow and smiled brightly among the flowers.

“I’ll buy this one!” Chen Xun said, taking the hippopotamus cow from her hand.

"Hmm, it's quite cute!" Fang Hui handed it to him.

"Cute? It's so ugly! I only bought it because you hugged me. I can tell you actually like it!"

"Much cuter than you!" Fang Hui smiled and rolled her eyes at him, then looked around and said, "What should I buy? How about a music box?"

"No! I don't want a music box!" Chen Xun shook his head and said.

"It's not for you. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean the person who drew it doesn't like it!" Fang Hui twisted the small key of the music box, and when she let go, "Autumn Whispers" started playing.

"The gift you gave me is of course for me! Hehe, I can definitely do that." Chen Xun said slyly.

"What's the meaning?"

"Silly girl! I'll be the one to number the gifts, right? And I'll be the one to draw the lots, right? After you've numbered your gift, I'll keep the corresponding lot in my hand and not give it to anyone. Then I'll pretend to draw it, and the gift you bought will be mine, won't it?"

"How cunning..." Fang Hui pinched his arm and said.

"Oh! I also picked this hippo cow to give you! Didn't you say you like to hug something like this when you sleep? Receiving one from me is much better than receiving one from anyone else, right?"

"So what do you want?" Fang Hui placed the music box on the shelf. She was still frowning, but she couldn't hide the upturned corners of her mouth.

"Pick!" Chen Xun sneezed twice more and hurriedly pulled Fang Hui out of the shop.

"Thin slices? What are those?" Fang Hui asked, carefully smoothing out the wrapping paper of the hippopotamus cow.

"It's not a thin blade, it's a pick! I plan to learn guitar during winter break, and I can play songs for you next semester. A pick is used for playing guitar."

Fang Hui smiled knowingly and asked, "Where can I buy it?"

“There’s one in Xinjiekou, let’s go now!” Chen Xun unlocked the bike and got on.

That day, they bought a guitar pick in Xinjiekou. Fang Hui thought it would be something fancy, but when she held it in her hand, she realized it was just a thin piece of plastic. She felt that giving such a small gift wasn't enough, so she bought some pretty decorative paper and a glass jar, folding a whole jar of stars, ninety-nine in total. She stuck a silver heart sticker on the red pick and then buried it in the jar of stars.

The New Year's party was lively and joyful; everyone had a great time. Lin Jiamo's beautiful voice was comparable to Faye Wong's, attracting passing students to come in and listen, instantly stunning the first-year high school students. Chen Xun and his friends' skit was a mess, but Zhao Ye's forgetting of his lines created an unexpectedly hilarious effect. Chemistry teacher Liu was doubled over with laughter, and after it ended, he grabbed Zhao Ye's hand, stammering for a long time, unable to speak from laughing. The final gift-giving segment was also very successful; Fang Hui and Chen Xun tacitly accepted their respective gifts. Chen Xun was especially happy that Fang Hui had folded stars for him, taking them out to look at them every now and then. Fang Hui was also surprised that Chen Xun had pinned his signature stone to the hippo cow costume; the two characters "Chen Xun" were crookedly written in silver powder on the black stone, adorably silly. Remembering that he had once said he wanted her to sleep with him, Fang Hui couldn't help but blush.

However, their little tricks did not escape the keen-eyed Lin Jiamo. She chased after them all day, shouting "using public office for private gain," until Chen Xun treated her to roasted sweet potatoes and they finally stopped.

Time flew by amidst laughter. The final exams were over, winter vacation began, and before we knew it, it was 1999.

Fang Hui and Chen Xun both did well in their studies, ranking third and fifth in their class respectively at the end of the semester, so they had a very peaceful Spring Festival. Zhao Ye, on the other hand, did not fare well; he ranked second to last and spent the entire winter break staying at home obediently.

Chinese New Year is a major event, with every family celebrating from before the New Year until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Before leaving home, people visit friends to exchange auspicious greetings, and put up Spring Festival couplets and upside-down "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) characters to feel at ease. Fang Hui and Chen Xun were no exception. With their families constantly on the move, they could only occasionally contact each other by phone, often unable to reach one another. Until the ninth day of the New Year, Chen Xun called Fang Hui, saying he was having a gathering with his childhood friends the next day, and they were all clamoring to see his girlfriend, so they invited her to come along. Fang Hui was initially hesitant to join the crowds; she was shy and disliked going to crowded places. But Chen Xun kept pleading, and Fang Hui hadn't seen him all holiday and missed him a little, so she agreed.

The next day, a few snowflakes fell. Chen Xun waited for Fang Hui at the station, stamping his feet as he did so. Fang Hui was a minute or two late. After getting off the train, she hurried towards Chen Xun. That day, she was dressed unusually warmly, wearing a hat, scarf, and gloves, making her appear a size larger than usual. Chen Xun greeted her with a smile, saying, "Slow down! Don't fall! Let me see, our Fang Hui looks like a country girl who ran away from the mountains."

Fang Hui slapped him and pouted, saying, "Ugh! It's so cold today! I'm not like you, prioritizing style over warmth!"

"Yeah! It's good to wear more! It doesn't matter if you look ugly, just don't get cold!" Chen Xun pulled her hat down even further.

After the two got into the car, Fang Hui asked him, "How many of your childhood friends are there? Which school do they go to?"

"There are four of them. We lived in the same courtyard when we were kids, but we've all moved now. They didn't do well in school, so none of them went to high school. Some are in technical schools, and some are in vocational high schools."

Back then, the concept of education was quite different from now; not everyone hoped their children would become successful. After all, fewer people in the previous generation received an education, and having endured so much hardship, some parents felt that simply making ends meet and having enough to eat and drink was sufficient. Whether their children would amount to anything in the future was up to them. Therefore, no one forced their children to attend various classes, and few parents would pay tens of thousands of yuan in sponsorship fees if their children didn't get into high school. As a result, different people had different fates in each exam. Chen Xun's childhood friends, however, never crossed the threshold into high school.

The two chatted until they arrived at the agreed location, which was one of their new homes. Fang Hui slowed down at the building entrance, grabbed Chen Xun's arm, and stammered, "I'm a little nervous..."

"What are you nervous about? I'm here for you!" Chen Xun comforted her.

“I don’t know any of them. Maybe I should go back!” Fang Hui said, clutching her gloves.

"You'll get to know them after meeting them a few times, right? Besides, you'll have to meet them sooner or later! Let's go!" Chen Xun grabbed her arm and walked inside.

Chen Xun knocked on the door, and a girl inside said with a smile, "Did you bring your girlfriend? If not, I won't open the door for you!"

"Here I am! Hurry up!"

Chen Xun turned to Fang Hui and said, "Look, they wouldn't let me in if you hadn't come."

The door suddenly opened, revealing a fashionable girl in a trendy fitted pointed-collar sweater. She grabbed Fang Hui and said, "You must be Chen Xun's girlfriend! What's your name? You look so young! Are you in middle school?"

Fang Hui shook her head, and Chen Xun chuckled and pushed her away, saying, "Get lost! You're only a middle school student!"

"Tch! Who knows if you'll kidnap a minor!" The girl glared at him, then turned and shouted into the house, "Stop watching porn! Everyone's here! Come out now!"

The sound of slippers came from inside, and two men and a woman came out. The two in front were holding hands and looking very affectionate, while the other one walked behind, rubbing his eyes and saying, "What are you yelling about! We just saw the crucial moment! That woman was fucking awesome... Fang Hui! Is that you?"

He looked at Fang Hui in surprise and called out her name.

Fang Hui, who had been blushing with nervousness, suddenly turned pale. She turned around, opened the door, and ran out without saying a word to Chen Xun...

(9)

Fang Hui let out a long sigh when she got to this point. For a long time, she just silently fiddled with the cup, as if the conversation had never happened. I didn't urge her. I knew what was about to happen must have caused her intense pain, so whether Fang Hui spoke or not was not up to me.

About twenty minutes passed, and then she let out a soft sob. She looked up at me, her eyes slightly moist, and said softly, "Zhang Nan, you went to high school in Xicheng, right?"

“Yes, in H,” I replied.

"Then... have you heard about the incident where someone was stabbed to death at the gate of B Middle School?" Her hands began to tremble again.

"Ah, I know..."

This incident circulated in Beijing middle schools, with both official and unofficial versions. The official version involved teachers and police using it as a negative example in moral education classes, sharply criticizing school violence and juvenile delinquency, and sternly warning students against forming gangs, fighting, carrying weapons to school, and especially against using knives to attack others. The unofficial version claimed the boy was the leader of B Middle School, who fought with a group from another school for his girlfriend. He was ambushed in the chaos by the "Nine Dragons and One Phoenix" gang from Haidian District. Other versions say he was ambushed by gangs from Xicheng and Chongwen Districts. B Middle School was defeated, and as he died, he kept calling out the girl's name, clutching the necklace she had given him…

In any case, whether it's official history or unofficial history, such an incident did indeed occur in Beijing that year. To summarize it simply: A group fight broke out at the gate of B Middle School, involving students from B Middle School, some students from other schools, and a small number of thugs. Many people were injured, and one person died.

"My junior high school was B Middle School. The boy who died was named Li He, and he was my friend back then."

My hand suddenly trembled, and some of the peach wine in my glass spilled out, leaving strange pink stains on the table...

When Fang Hui was transitioning from elementary to junior high school, she was neither a class leader nor had any connections. So, she had no choice but to be randomly assigned to a third-rate junior high school—B Middle School—along with most of her elementary school classmates.

Beijing has many nationally renowned key municipal schools, many long-established key district schools, and many ordinary schools. Some of these may be quite good; their students are easier to manage even if their academic performance isn't outstanding. However, some are truly troublesome, with not only poor grades but also extremely unruly students who smoke, drink, fight, and cause trouble. This has been passed down through generations, creating a very bad school atmosphere. B Middle School is a notorious example of this.

Nowadays, parents are unlikely to let their children lose at the starting line. As long as they have some ability, they will try to get them into at least a key district school. Some even take out loans to buy houses and move their entire families to areas with a high concentration of good schools, for fear of being "shuffled" into schools like B-level schools.

Back then, people hadn't fully realized that class divisions started with children, and each entrance exam was a ranking of students into different tiers. So Fang Hui didn't think much of it; B Middle School was fine, she could just take the high school entrance exam and get into a top school, right? Thus, things quietly went in circles between her willingness and reluctance.

At the beginning of seventh grade, Fang Hui studied very diligently. No matter how much her classmates tried to disrupt her studies, she sat attentively in the front row, listening to the lessons and doing her homework. Fang Hui was quiet and timid, and for her, it was much harder to go astray than to do well. As a result, she consistently ranked first in the entire grade at B Middle School, far ahead of the second-place student.

Good students like these are generally not harassed by bad students. Teachers tend to side with them, so they won't gain any advantage, and besides, they're not on the same page, so there's no point in bothering them. However, there's another situation that can cause these two types of students to mingle: admiration.

Thinking back, boys back then were more honest, with a natural yearning for beautiful things. They either liked pretty girls or girls who were good at studying. A girl like Fang Hui, who remained pure despite her surroundings and had delicate features, was naturally quite likable, and that's how Li He fell for her.

Unlike Fang Hui, Li He was a troublemaker, and he became even more unruly in junior high. He was taller and stronger than the average boy, and dared to stand up for anything, like a gourd that couldn't be contained. He made a lot of shady friends, and thus gained some notoriety in B High School.

Fang Hui had a little quirk back then; because she was slightly introverted, she was always nervous in front of people, so she stuttered a little. Her nickname in class was "Little Stutterer." Coincidentally, in the wildly popular "Young and Dangerous" movies, Chen Haonan's girlfriend also had that name. Li He was so obsessed with "Young and Dangerous" that he wished he could build his own Hung Hing, treat Beijing like Causeway Bay, first as a figure in the underworld, then as a powerful force crossing the river, and finally as the sole ruler of the land.

Fang Hui's nickname made him feel that this girl was definitely destined for him, whether it was a good or bad one, he probably never thought about it. Back then, it was popular to use the sum of birthdates to calculate the success rate of a relationship. Li He asked one of his friends to calculate his and Fang Hui's fortunes, and it was said that the success rate was as high as 99%, which further confirmed his belief in pursuing Fang Hui.

However, he certainly never imagined that this 1% difference from perfection would lead him to his death.

In my opinion, Li He's methods for pursuing Fang Hui were rather naive. It was nothing more than buying a purple ice cream at lunchtime and having his friend deliver it to Fang Hui, forbidding her from returning it until it was accepted. Or he'd buy a bunch of candy called "Xiudou" and throw a couple onto Fang Hui's desk as he passed by. He'd also deliberately chase and play around with her, acting tough and bossy, and aggressively telling her that no one was allowed to have designs on Fang Hui. He'd also frequently write her cheesy, typo-ridden love letters.

This approach was really inappropriate, making Fang Hui live in constant fear. The girls who were close to her thought that Fang Hui had really become friends with Li He, and they were so scared that they dared not hang out with her anymore.

However, Fang Hui said that Li He was quite nice sometimes. In the autumn, he would wait for her by the school after school, and insist on playing a game of pulling up leaves with her, making her laugh before leaving. He was very childlike. He didn't pester her too much, and would always secretly ride his bike behind her home. Li He said they had a long future ahead of them, and he would wait until he had established himself before getting involved in romance. She wasn't sure if she liked Li He at that time, because before she had a chance to think about it carefully, Li He died.

The incident began when Fang Hui was intercepted at the school gate. Back then, Beijing's petty thugs and bad students loved to do this, loitering around school gates and targeting honest students, robbing them for money or stealing their water. In a mixed environment like B Middle School, this was naturally even more rampant. The people who intercepted Fang Hui were from other schools and a few idle individuals from society. They didn't go too far, just taking all 12 yuan from Fang Hui's pocket.

Somehow, word of this reached Li He's ears, and he was instantly enraged. This was outrageous! How dare they bully his woman! The next afternoon, he gathered a few men and declared that they had been staking out the school gate for days, determined to beat up whoever had tried to abduct Fang Hui. Fang Hui also found out about this. She certainly thought it unnecessary to do such a thing, but she didn't tell Li He. She felt that wouldn't be right, as it would make it seem like they actually had something going on.

Two days later, Li He and his friends actually caught up with the group. They were prepared and, without a word, charged at them with U-locks and chain locks. The attackers were initially stunned, but quickly recovered and engaged in combat. Although they were outnumbered, most were experienced in gang fights, while Li He and his friends, being students, were quickly outmatched. The attackers, not wanting to escalate the situation, were about to leave when Fang Hui pushed her bike out. Not wanting to lose face in front of her, Li He rushed forward and swung a bike lock at one of the attackers. The attacker, clearly enraged, retaliated by punching Li He. He had a key ring on his knuckle, supposedly used to inflict pain. However, he forgot about the switchblade hanging from it. In that instant, by sheer chance, the switchblade sprang out and pierced Li He's stomach with a "whoosh."

Everyone was stunned. The noisy school gate suddenly became quiet. Li He fell to the ground, convulsing, and blood flowed from his school uniform, turning it red in a short while.

The man who had used the knife trembled and cried out, "I didn't... it wasn't me..." His companions all ran away at once, and he hurriedly chased after them.

Li He's friends rushed over to help him up, calling his name loudly, while some students ran back to school to call their teachers. Li He lay there, devoid of his former imposing manner, clutching his stomach, his face filled with terror, repeatedly crying out, "I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die..."

Fang Hui was completely terrified. In the chaos, she saw Li He seemingly reach out his hand to her. The hand was blood red, which made her take two steps back in fear.

The school teachers came out, frantically contacting emergency services and the police while trying to disperse the students gathered at the school gate, shouting, "Don't linger at school! Go home immediately!"

The students gradually dispersed, and someone nudged Fang Hui, saying, "Hurry up and go!"

Fang Hui's mind went blank. She blankly replied with an "Oh," and then rode away with the crowd.

After returning home that day, Fang Hui developed a fever. She rested for three days, and when she went back to school, Li He had vanished. The switchblade was stuck in his liver; before he could even reach the hospital, he was pronounced dead and could not be revived.

A week later, the students spontaneously organized a memorial service after school. Because Li He was a very loyal and righteous person, many people came. They all wore small white flowers torn from textbooks and wept, gazing at a group photo posted on the blacklist. Fang Hui stood to one side; no one said a word to her. They almost all knew how Li He had gotten into trouble, yet almost none of them knew that Fang Hui and Li He weren't the kind of people they imagined. They believed that Fang Hui should bear responsibility for Li He's death.

The next day at school, everyone picked their little white flowers, and Fang Hui did too. But during recess, Li He's friend walked up to her, holding a little white flower, and said in an unquestionable tone, "You, wear this." No one responded, and no one paid any attention to her. Fang Hui silently took it and pinned it to her school uniform.

From then until she graduated from junior high school, Fang Hui always carried a small white flower with her while attending school.

From then until she graduated from junior high school, no student at B Middle School ever spoke to her politely again.

After Fang Hui finished speaking, she deflated like a punctured doll and suddenly buried her face in her arms on the table, bursting into tears. Her trembling shadow was reflected in the pinkish water stains, making her appear especially distressed.

I think one of the greatest tragedies in life is that, before one can truly understand the world, one's fate is completely altered by ignorant actions. Li He's story is a perfect example. What's the point of pretending to be chivalrous? When they sleep in class, fight after class, constantly pick fights, and resort to violence at the drop of a hat, do they ever consider what this will bring to their own lives? What will it bring to the lives of others?

No, he didn't. So once he embarks on this path, there's no turning back.

I sighed at the prank, and kept gently patting Fang Hui's shoulder, saying, "It's alright, it's all over now."

After a while, Fang Hui stopped sobbing. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said sadly, "Do you know, Li He's buddy, the one among Chen Xun's childhood friends who recognized me, is named Tang Haibing."

(10)

I imagine that if we could turn back time many years, Tang Haibing must have told Chen Xun and the others about this at home, but he must have been indignant and grumbling, and might have even made up some disgusting stories about it.

And that was exactly what happened. When Chen Xun was about to pursue Fang Hui, Tang Haibing grabbed him and shouted, "Ignore him! How could you find a woman like this! Do you even know who she is?"

The girl who opened the door for them, wearing a tight sweater, was named Wu Tingting. She noticed Tang Haibing's unusual behavior and hurriedly asked, "Who is she? Do you know her?"

Tang Haibing said angrily, "Do you remember when I told you about my friend who was stabbed to death in junior high school?"

"I remember him, wasn't he the guy who died for some slutty girl?" Another boy next to him chimed in. His name was Sun Tao, and the girl with him was Yang Qing, his girlfriend.

“That’s right, that slutty woman is Fang Hui!” Tang Haibing said, looking at Chen Xun.

"Who are you talking about!" Chen Xun suddenly became agitated.

"I'm talking about her! She's a total slut! She sold you out, and you're still counting the money for her!" Tang Haibing retorted without backing down.

"Get lost! Impossible!" Chen Xun said irritably.

"Look at you! Damn it! Why would I lie to you? How could she have bewitched you? She's no match for you!" Tang Haibing spat fiercely.

“I don’t think Hai Bing would lie to you. Is your girlfriend reliable?” Sun Tao said thoughtfully.

"Fang Hui isn't that kind of person!" Chen Xun couldn't believe it; the Fang Hui in his mind was so different from the wicked woman Tang Haibing described.

"Didn't you ask her about her past? Whether she had a boyfriend or anything? At least talk about what happened in junior high! Someone was stabbed to death at the school gate, it was such a sensation back then! If I had known she was from B Middle School, I definitely would have asked," Wu Tingting said.

"I..." Chen Xun was speechless. He had no idea which junior high school Fang Hui went to. Every time the topic came up, she would just brush it off. He didn't pay attention at the time, but now that he thought about it, it was indeed quite suspicious.

"I think they didn't even tell you which junior high school she went to," Yang Qing said, revealing his thoughts.

"She...she said it!" Chen Xun quickly denied.

"Stop fucking pretending! Do you need to lie to us? She's not our girlfriend anyway!" Tang Haibing waved his hand impatiently and said, "If you think she's great, amazing, and that's what you like! No matter what kind of person she is, or what terrible things she's done, if you still love her for a million years, then go for it! I don't fucking care anymore. Even if you end up dead in the street, I won't even look up when I walk past you!"

Chen Xun ultimately did not chase after him. He slumped onto the sofa, staring blankly ahead, remaining silent for a long time.

No one was in the mood to play anymore that day. Chen Xun sat for a while and then said he had to go home. Before he left, Tang Haibing looked at him worriedly. Chen Xun impatiently yelled, "What the hell are you looking at! I'm going home! I'm not going to see her!"

"Don't be ungrateful!" Tang Haibing shouted back.

"Alright, alright! You two should stop arguing. Chen Xun, you really need to think this through when you get home!" Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Sun Tao quickly tried to smooth things over.

"I'm leaving!" Chen Xun put on his coat with his head down, opened the door and went out.

"Damn it!" Tang Haibing lit a cigarette and cursed, "Look at this! I've only argued with Chen Xun less than five times in my entire life, and he's done it twice today! Do you think Fang Hui is any good? I felt there was something wrong with her back then, and now Chen Xun and Li He are exactly the same, both acting like they're possessed! I just don't see what's so good about Fang Hui!"

“It’s a matter of personal taste! I think Chen Xun will definitely go see that woman again today,” Yang Qing said, sitting next to him.

"If he's really going to be this stubborn, there's nothing I can do. Anyway, Fang Hui won't get any favors from me. I'll curse her every time I see her! She's just like Bai Feng; she's also guilty of murder!"

"Are you out of your mind?! Don't spout nonsense! Let me tell you! It's none of your business to talk about Bai Feng! You really think you're some kind of messenger of love, an embodiment of justice! Look at your behavior!" Wu Tingting got angry, stood up and pointed at Tang Haibing's face.

"Stop, stop, stop! What's wrong with everyone today? What's wrong with you?!" Before Tang Haibing could even open her mouth, Sun Tao pulled Wu Tingting away.

"It's all Fang Hui's fault!" Tang Haibing threw away his cigarette butt and concluded angrily.

As Yang Qing expected, Chen Xun went to see Fang Hui that day.

After returning home, he was restless and preoccupied with Fang Hui, no matter what he did. He played and sang the song he had just learned, "A Piece of Red Cloth," but his mind wandered back and forth with the lyrics:

That day you used a piece of red cloth

Blindfold me and blindfold the sky.

You asked me what I saw

I said I saw happiness.

This feeling is so comfortable.

It made me forget that I had nowhere to live.

You ask me where I'm going next?

I said I wanted to go on your way

I can't see you and I can't see the road.

You've also grabbed my hand.

You asked me what I'm thinking?

I said I want you to make the decision.

I feel you're not iron.

Yet as strong and fierce as iron

I feel there's blood on you.

Because your hands are warm.

I don't think this is the wilderness.

But they couldn't see that the ground was already cracked.

I feel like I need to drink some water.

But your mouth blocked my mouth.

I can't leave, and I can't cry.

Because my body has withered

I want to stay with you like this forever.

Because I know your pain best.

Chen Xun felt as if Fang Hui had blindfolded him. He did feel happy, but he was also confused. He didn't know what lay behind this happiness, which made him feel particularly uneasy. But he couldn't complain, because he had willingly fallen into it, and what initially attracted him to Fang Hui was precisely this mysterious aura.

Staring at the red pick in his hand, Chen Xun could no longer sit still; he had to see Fang Hui. After much thought, he finally decided that he would remove the blindfold. Because, no matter what he saw afterward—pain or sorrow—he had no intention of leaving.

When Chen Xun arrived at Fang Hui's house, it was already dark. It was an ordinary tower block, with half of the paint peeling off the exterior walls, and dark drainage marks still visible in the cracks. Chen Xun called her from the public phone downstairs. Fang Hui answered and asked him to come downstairs. She hesitated for a moment, then agreed. The call lasted less than a minute and cost two cents.

Fang Hui got down, looked around, and said, "Are you alone? Where's Tang Haibing?"

"What? You think we've come here to interrogate you?" Chen Xun said.

“No, that’s not it…” Fang Hui lowered her head.

"Are you really guilty?" Chen Xun stared at her and said.

Fang Hui suddenly raised her eyes, her expression shifting from surprise to disappointment, until finally, she remained expressionless. She said coldly, "Oh, if you say so, then so be it."

Chen Xun felt a little uncomfortable. Fang Hui hadn't spoken to him like this in a long time. It was as if the two of them had gone back to the time when they were completely separated and didn't communicate with each other. This was unbearable for him.

"What exactly happened! Why won't you tell me?" Chen Xun shouted angrily.

“I told you… and this is how things turned out…” A hint of sadness flashed across Fang Hui’s cold expression.

"Don't you trust me at all? Or is it really as Tang Haibing said? Don't you understand how I think about you? What have I been hiding from you? But you, to be honest, all I know right now is that you exist in this world!" Chen Xun said excitedly.

"So this is how you see me? Okay, I understand." Fang Hui nodded and said, "Then how did you come to like someone like this? What does your liking mean? There are so many people in the world, why did you choose me? Chen Xun, did you ever trust me?"

Fang Hui's eyes were already brimming with tears. Chen Xun stood there blankly. He had never seen Fang Hui like this before, nor had he ever heard her say such intense words. He was at a loss for what to do.

"I originally wanted to talk to you properly and tell you everything from the past. But there's no need now. To you, I'm nothing more than this..."

Fang Hui couldn't continue speaking; tears streamed down her face like beads. She turned and walked into the building, already disheartened.

But Chen Xun pulled her back and grabbed her hand tightly from behind.

It's a hand, not a sleeve, not an arm, but a hand.

This was their first time holding hands. Perhaps "holding hands" is a bit of a stretch, but this unusual contact created an awkward atmosphere, unintentionally easing the previous coldness and tension.

"What... are you doing!" Fang Hui said, her face flushed, struggling to speak.

"Fang Hui, listen to me. I'm here today to tell you that no matter what you did in the past, even if you committed murder and arson, I will still love you!" Chen Xun looked at her and said earnestly.

Fang Hui trembled slightly, then burst into tears, but stopped struggling.

"But don't lie to me, and don't hide it from me, I... really like you!" Chen Xun's eyes were also a little red.

Fang Hui nodded, her voice choked with emotion, and said, "I'm telling you... I'm telling you everything... You know, I'm actually really afraid that you'll stop talking to me because of this. I was just... feeling really bad..."

That day, Fang Hui told Chen Xun the whole story, and Chen Xun held her hand tightly the whole time. Their fingers were intertwined, and neither of them let go.

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