Page Thirteen
"I know Yuze likes Ali, and I know Ali has feelings for you too. But I have to tell everyone, Tan Yuze, you have to take good care of Xu Li."
Xu Li was startled by Mu Mu's words. She thought of the days she spent with Mu Mu and their friendship. She wondered what impact Mu Mu's appearance would have on this confession.
Mu Mu looked at Tan Yuze and Xu Li, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Yuze, Li, I hope you can be happy. Li, I will be here in Paris to wish you well. Yuze, take good care of Li."
After saying that, Mu Mu turned and left, her figure appearing somewhat lonely in the setting sun.
Tan Yuze watched Mu Mu's departing figure, feeling somewhat lost. He didn't know what Xu Li was thinking, and he didn't know if he should continue with his confession. Xu Li looked at Tan Yuze; she could sense his feelings and Mu Mu's reluctance to part.
Her heart was filled with conflict; she didn't know what to do. The students below the stage also fell silent; they hadn't expected things to develop this way.
Just when everyone was at a loss for what to do, Xu Li finally spoke up. "Yuze, I need time to think. Mu Mu, I'll take you there."
Tan Yuze nodded; he understood that Xu Li needed time. He knew he couldn't force her, he could only give her space. The next day, Xu Li went to the airport to see Mu Mu off. They hugged each other, and Xu Li couldn't hold back her tears.
"Mu Mu, will you miss me?" Xu Li asked, choking back tears. "Of course I will, silly girl. You have to take good care of yourself too, you hear me?" Mu Mu wiped away Xu Li's tears.
"Yes, I will." Watching Mu Mu's plane take off, Xu Li's heart was filled with unease. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew she needed to seriously consider her feelings.
Tan Yuze returned home, sat at his desk, and looked at the undelivered letter. His heart was filled with both anticipation and unease.
He didn't know if Xu Li would give him an answer, but he was willing to wait. The early summer of June was a bit hot. Xu Li stood in the airport waiting hall, watching Mu Mu about to board the plane, and an indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.
The airport announcements repeated the boarding information over and over, and the surrounding crowd was bustling, but her gaze remained fixed on that familiar figure. Xu Li clutched the teddy bear in her hand tightly; it was a gift from Mu Mu for her tenth birthday.
She still remembered that night when Mu Mu brought the teddy bear to her house, saying it was to celebrate them becoming neighbors.
Ten years have passed, and the bear's fur has faded somewhat, but for Xu Li, it carries too many heavy memories. "Ah Li, I'm leaving."
Mu Mu's voice sounded behind her, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
Xu Li turned around abruptly, looking at the tears glistening in Mu Mu's bright eyes. She knew that Mu Mu had been trying hard to remain calm, not wanting this farewell to seem too sorrowful. But all her restraint crumbled at this moment.
"Mu Mu, why are you leaving?" Xu Li's voice was choked with sobs. She knew she shouldn't ask that, after all, no one could shake Mu Mu's determination to pursue his musical dreams, but she couldn't help herself.
Mu Mo took a deep breath and forced a smile: "Ah Li, you know, it's not that I want to go, but I can't refuse. I have to go there to fulfill our promise."
Their agreement, the one that Mu's mother had made so firmly: "You must go to Paris and you are not allowed to have any contact with Zhou Chen."
Xu Li threw herself into Mu Mu's arms, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. She could feel Mu Mu's back trembling slightly, but she still gently patted her back and whispered, "I'll miss you."
The surrounding noise seemed to vanish instantly, leaving only the two figures embracing tightly. At this moment, all words seemed pale and powerless; only this silent embrace spoke of their reluctance to part and their deep longing for each other.
Mu Mu only slowly released Xu Li when the airport announcement came again, reminding the last passenger to board.
She wiped away her tears, took a small box from her suitcase, and handed it to Xu Li: "This is the gift I promised you. I'll make it up to you properly when I get back from Paris."
Xu Li has always loved freedom and disliked constraints. Happiness is genuine happiness, and the same goes for disliking someone; she rarely hides her true feelings.
Xu Li clutched the box tightly, watching Mu Mu turn and walk towards the boarding gate until he disappeared into the crowd. She sat on an airport bench, opened the box, and inside was an exquisite music box.
On the lid of the music box was a silhouette of her and Mu Mo holding hands under the Eiffel Tower. Gently unscrewing the hairpin, a familiar melody began to play—their favorite song, "Wedding March."
Tears welled up again, and Xu Li pressed the music box to her chest, as if that would bring her closer to Mu Mu.
"Mu Mu, will you miss me?" Xu Li asked, her voice choked with emotion. "Of course I will, silly. You need to take good care of yourself too, okay?"
Mu Mu wiped away Xu Li's tears. "Yes, I will." Watching Mu Mu's plane take off, Xu Li's heart remained unsettled for a long time.
"Why didn't Zhou Chen come?"
"It's alright, he's not important anymore."
Xu Li knew something had happened from what Mu Mu said.
She didn't know what the future held, but she knew she needed to seriously consider her feelings. Meanwhile, Tan Yuze returned home, sat at his desk, and looked at the undelivered letter.
His heart was filled with anticipation, but also with unease. He didn't know if Xu Li would give him an answer, but he was willing to wait.
After the graduation party, we'll stay at school for another week. The school leaders are worried that the students will relax and play around without restraint during the college entrance exam period.
The plane trees on campus rustled in the June wind, but Xu Li's heart remained restless even after the graduation party.
Tan Yuze's words, "I like you," were like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples in her heart.
She sat in the second row of the classroom, looking at the empty seats in front of her. That used to be Mu Mo's seat, but now only a lonely schoolbag and unfinished homework remained.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves outside the window, creating patches of light that seemed to silently tell of the regrets of youth.
"Xu Li, let's go sit on the rooftop." Tan Yuze's gentle voice came from behind. His tone was cautious, as if he was afraid of disturbing her thoughts.
Xu Li turned to look at him; his eyes were clear and sincere, filling her heart with warmth. She nodded and followed him onto the rooftop.
The wind on the rooftop carried a slight heat, but it also dispelled some of the gloom in my heart. Tan Yuze leaned against the railing, gazing at the distant sunset, and after a long while, he finally spoke: "Xu Li, I know it's hard for you to make a decision right now. But I want to tell you, I like you, not because you resemble anyone else, but simply because you are you."
His voice was exceptionally clear in the wind. Xu Li's heart began to race. She knew that Tan Yuze had always been a reserved person, and he never easily expressed his emotions, but at this moment he stood before her without any pretense.
She remembered the little notes he secretly slipped into her schoolbag, how he always waited for her at the classroom door after class, and the cups of warm milk he prepared for her... Those seemingly small gestures pieced together a warm picture in her heart.
"Tan Yuze, I'll give you my reply today! Let's be together." Xu Li's voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing this rare affection.
She could feel a slight tremor coming from Tan Yuze's body. Then he turned to look at her, his eyes filled with surprise and disbelief.
He walked over and carefully took her hand, as if afraid of scaring her away: "Really? Xu Li, am I dreaming?" He gently patted his face with his other hand, as if to verify if this was real.
Xu Li was amused by him and nodded vigorously: "It's true, I've had feelings for you for a long time, but I just didn't know how to say it."
The two looked at each other and smiled, and the air around them seemed to soften.
The evening breeze on the rooftop blew gently, carrying the scent of youth, and witnessed this early summer romance.
Graduation season on campus is always filled with the atmosphere of parting, but it also gives birth to new beginnings. Amidst the teasing of their classmates, the relationship between Xu Li and Tan Yuze gradually became clear.
Some people jokingly call them "lucky ones during graduation season," having found each other before parting ways; others envy them for having such beautiful memories in their youth.
Xu Li enjoyed walking with Tan Yuze along the tree-lined paths of the campus, listening to him recount his unfulfilled dreams. He said he wanted to become a writer and write their stories into a book.
He said he wanted to take Xu Li to many, many places, to see all the world's scenery. Xu Li liked to lean on his shoulder and listen to him describe the future in his deep voice, as if those scenes were already close at hand.
In the late summer evenings, they often sat together on the bleachers of the playground, watching the sky change from azure to deep purple, and then finally, darkness fell.
Sometimes, they would talk about Mu Mu, wondering how she was doing in Paris. Xu Li would take out the music box, place it on her lap, and gently wind it up.
A familiar melody played in the cool night, carrying a touch of sadness, but also a hint of warm hope.
“Tan Yuze, let’s be like this from now on, no matter where we go, let’s never forget each other,” Xu Li said softly, leaning on his shoulder.
Tan Yuze nodded and hugged her tighter: "I will, I will always be with you, no matter how far the future may be."
Parisian summers are long and hot, the streets are sparsely populated, and the occasional French conversations seem particularly cold and desolate.
Mu Mo walked alone to work at the Chinese restaurant. At this time, she would always think of the warmth back home, and of sitting with her friends in the classroom, sharing their little joys.
"Hey, Mu Mo, it's raining today!" Xu Li's voice suddenly rang in her mind. It was a day when they watched the rain together in the past. The raindrops fell on Xu Li's long hair, as if pearls were inlaid on the ends of her hair.
She stopped, tilted her head back, and let the raindrops fall on her face, sliding down her cheeks like her lonely tears. Meanwhile, back home, Xu Li was also experiencing her own summer.
With the college entrance exam approaching, she had to stay in the classroom until very late after each class. She was the only one in the classroom, surrounded by various unfinished assignments, and the walls were covered with knowledge framework diagrams and "Victory in the College Entrance Exam" signs, each one a testament to her hard work.
One night, she was studying late when the classroom lights suddenly went out. In the darkness, she felt a surge of fear, but at that very moment, her phone screen lit up with a message from Tan Yuze: "Xu Li, I'm waiting for you at the door."
She grabbed her coat, rushed out of the classroom, and saw Tan Yuze standing in the summer breeze, his hair disheveled by the wind, but his eyes filled with concern.
"Why are you here?" she asked softly, afraid of disturbing the quiet night.
The two walked side by side down the deserted street, the streetlights casting long shadows. Xu Li suddenly grabbed his hand: "Yuze, I'm so scared. What if I don't pass the exam?"
Tan Yuze stopped and pulled her into his arms: "Ali, no matter what the result is, I will be by your side. Besides, you are so good at studying, how could you not pass the exam?"
His embrace was warm and strong, like the summer sun, dispelling the gloom in her heart.
Mu Mo, who was in Paris, also received a text message from Tan Yuze: "A Li has been under a lot of pressure lately, but she is very strong. Take good care of yourself. We'll get together again when you come back."
"good."
Mu Mu boarded a plane to Paris.
"You can't bear to part with her?" Lu Yi said, arms crossed. Xu Li burst into tears, "Ahhh, we've only been together for a little over six years, of course I'll be reluctant to part with her!"
Lu Yi laughed, "That's true, she went abroad after finishing her second year of high school."
Xu Li was crying uncontrollably. She turned around and hugged Tan Yuze. Tan Yuze was surprised. He patted her back and said, "It's okay, she will come back."
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