First page
In this hot summer, the cicadas chirped incessantly, and laughter never stopped.
In Chongqing, there are two people who love to travel and are known as "wanderers," which means they are always slacking off and not a good word.
There was a man surnamed Tan who loved to travel. To put it simply, he was unruly, unrestrained, and loved freedom.
He came to Shanghai because his father was on a business trip. Since his father had to go on a business trip, his father bought a house in Shanghai.
"I'm buying this house so you can stay here when you come back from your trips, understand?"
"Okay, okay, I got it, Dad." He said, smoking a cigarette.
"Don't smoke all the time, it's bad for your health. You're always sneaking a smoke every day. Sigh, you've grown up, I can't control you anymore."
He was wearing black pants and a white short-sleeved shirt, looking like a delinquent teenager, but he was wearing glasses and, at first glance, had an earring in his left ear.
The next day.
He summoned his brother, Xie Yu, who was far away in Chongqing.
In the hustle and bustle of the city, there is a campus gently entwined with flowers, plants, and vines. It is like a tranquil island, bearing witness to the joys and sorrows of youth.
Xu Li lived her life methodically on this campus until that unexpected yet ordinary afternoon. It was a lazy spring afternoon with sunshine and a gentle breeze. Outside the campus wall, a quiet alley stretched leisurely.
They were strolling aimlessly outside when they eventually arrived at the gate of No. 1 Middle School.
Looking up, he saw two girls outside the school basketball court. He didn't know what they were doing; he only remembered one of them smoking. Later, one of them was pulled away by a boy, presumably her boyfriend.
The sycamore trees at the alley entrance are lush with branches, casting swaying green shadows. A few rays of sunlight playfully filter through the gaps, scattering on the slightly mottled ground like scattered golden coins.
Xu Li walked alone into the alley with an air of nonchalance. She was tall and slender, with long, black hair casually draped over her shoulders, a few stray strands occasionally dancing in the wind. Her eyes were cool and aloof, and she exuded an aura of aloofness that kept people at a distance, like a snow lotus on a mountain peak, standing alone and detached from the world.
She walked deeper into the alley and pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. The pack was old, with slightly worn edges, as if it had stumbled along with her all the way, witnessing many unspoken stories.
She deftly flicked the lighter with her fingertips, a blue flame rising as she lit the cigarette. Smoke swirled between her lips and teeth before she exhaled slowly, spreading through the air like wisps of a dream.
For her, cigarettes were a release valve, a companion when she was alone, and a small haven she created for herself in a noisy world.
Each time she smoked, it was as if she were having a conversation with another version of herself, letting go of the restless emotions in her heart with the smoke.
This scene was witnessed by Tan, who happened to be passing by.
Tan has a dignified appearance and clear, bright eyes, like the clear sky on a summer afternoon, full of youthful vigor.
He always attracted many glances as he walked around campus, but those glances were fleeting to him. But at this moment, his gaze seemed to be drawn in by a powerful magnet, unable to look away even a fraction.
He stopped and stood a few meters away, gazing at the girl smoking. She was as quiet as a traditional Chinese ink painting, yet as graceful as a fairy who had stepped out of a poem.
In his eyes, she was like a wild rose growing alone in the darkness.
Smoke enveloped her, casting a hazy glow around her, as if she had stepped out of another world, carrying an air of mystery.
He felt his heart tremble violently, and an unprecedented feeling grew wildly in his heart. It was an electric shock-like throbbing, a tremor that touched his soul.
He never imagined that someone could so easily enter his heart with just a simple action, and stir up such a storm within it.
Like suddenly spotting a clear spring in a barren desert, or discovering a dazzling star in the darkest night sky. Xu Li was that kind of stunning presence to him.
His mind went completely blank for a moment. All the poems and jokes he knew by heart and could recall vanished in that instant. He just stood there, stunned, letting the overwhelming beauty wash over him.
He watched her finish her cigarette, watched her stub it out in the corner, watched her turn around, and walked away down the alley with unhurried steps.
Even after she had walked away, his gaze remained fixed on her, as if savoring the memory or lost in reverie. From that moment on, his life took a subtle turn. His heart, like a mischievous little beast having its floodgates burst open, could no longer find peace.
His once focused gaze would occasionally drift to the window, the image of that smoking figure surfacing in his mind; while his classmates laughed and chatted, his heart and eyes were filled with the encounter in the alley, with that cool yet story-filled girl.
He knew he was caught in the whirlpool of love at first sight, and he was sinking deeper and deeper. He began to unconsciously inquire about Xu Li, from friends and from clues on social media.
He learned that she had excellent grades and was pursued by many people, making her stand out in the crowd, but in his eyes, she was unique.
He knew she liked to go to a corner of the library during her free time, holding one yellowed old book after another, immersing herself in them, as if she could find another world in the words.
He knew that she occasionally participated in volunteer activities organized by the school, bringing warmth to the elderly living alone and caring for stray animals. It turned out that beneath her cool exterior lay a warm and kind heart.
He longed to be close to her, to be a character in her story, even if only a minor supporting role. Yet he was also afraid of disturbing her, of ruining the beautiful scene they could quietly admire from afar.
He was caught in a quagmire of contradictions, both tormented and enjoying them. Until one day, a school club held a cultural event, and Xu Li's literary club was responsible for setting up the venue.
He mustered his courage and approached her under the pretext of helping her.
Xie Yu noticed that he hadn't moved for a long time and asked him a question.
"What's wrong? Does Master Tan like it?"
"Get lost." His gaze was as if he wanted to stab someone.
He seemed genuinely attracted to the girl who loved to smoke, and he felt a different kind of attraction towards her; his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest.
He dared not look any longer and turned to leave.
"Dad, could you arrange for me to take a leave of absence from school over there? I want to finish my senior year of high school here."
"You want to drop out of school again? Fine, I'll talk to your mom and have her help you drop out tomorrow."
"Thank you, Dad."
He was very excited and went back to his bedroom to take out his phone and send a message to Xie Yu.
[Tan]: "I'll be studying here from now on, I won't be going back."
[Xie Yu]: "Ah, why? Isn't it because you don't want to come back? Isn't this fine? Why? Why are you talking? Why?"
Xie Yu suddenly realized that he had frozen after he discovered the girl smoking in the corner. Xie Yu started to overthink and finally came to the conclusion that "he likes that girl."
That's right, Xie Yu guessed correctly.
[Tan]: "I want to experience life."
[Xie Yu]: "Then let's go together, I'll turn around too."
[Tan]: "Okay."
In this midsummer, the boy was still moved.
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