Farewell fireworks
As August drew to a close, the summer heat lingered, but the air was already thick with the scent of farewell. Lin Jun's flight was scheduled for early September, and in the final days before departure, the four of them returned to the stargazing campsite that held so many memories for them. This time, it wasn't for an autumn outing celebration, but a ceremony to bid farewell to their youth and bless their journeys ahead.
It was already evening when they arrived, and the setting sun painted the sky a warm orange-red. The base was the same as before, but their moods were different. They skillfully set up the tents. Jiang Qi was still in charge of the core technology, Su An handed him tools, and Jiang Zhao was jumping around, shouting that he wanted to set up the "most luxurious tent in history," but Lin Jun grabbed him by the collar and pressed him aside, telling him not to make trouble.
"No teachers are watching us this time!" Jiang Zhao announced excitedly, mysteriously pulling a few cans of beer from his backpack. "An adult gathering should act like adults!"
Lin Jun raised an eyebrow at him: "When did you buy it?"
"Hehe, it's a secret!" Jiang Zhao proudly raised his chin.
The campfire was lit again, its flickering flames illuminating four young and vibrant faces. Wisps of smoke rose from the barbecue, mingling with the aroma of meat and the scent of summer grass and trees. This time, Jiang Qi didn't keep Su An away from the fire, but instead had him sit beside her, occasionally offering him a perfectly grilled skewer or carefully wiping the sauce from the corner of his mouth.
Jiang Zhao was still making a lot of noise, busy grilling (and burning) all kinds of food, and then presented it to Lin Jun like a treasure: "Brother Jun, try my special 'Jiang-style burnt flavor'!"
Lin Jun looked at the dark chicken wing, took it without changing his expression, took a bite, and slowly commented under Jiang Zhao's expectant gaze: "Hmm, the intake of charcoal is quite sufficient."
Jiang Zhao's face immediately fell, and he lunged to snatch it back, but Lin Jun dodged him with a laugh, and the two of them played around by the campfire.
Su An looked at them and couldn't help but lean on Jiang Qi's shoulder and chuckle softly. Jiang Qi turned her head and looked at his profile, which was softly illuminated by the firelight, and gently smoothed his hair, which had been ruffled by the evening breeze.
As night deepened, the stars lit up one after another, so clear they seemed almost within reach. Jiang Zhao brought out the beer he had brought, and they each had a can.
"Come on!" He raised his can first, his voice ringing out loudly in the quiet night. "The first toast is to us! Congratulations on getting into the universities we wanted!"
Four aluminum cans collided in the air, making a crisp sound, and foam overflowed, carrying a slightly astringent malty aroma.
"The second toast," Jiang Zhao raised his glass again, his eyes sparkling in the firelight, "to my brother and Su An! May you two live happily ever after in City A!"
Su An blushed, but Jiang Qi accepted it calmly and clinked glasses with him.
"The third cup!" Jiang Zhao's voice lowered slightly. He looked at Lin Jun, his eyes filled with feigned ease and reluctance. "To Brother Jun! Have a safe journey, and may you dominate the other side of the ocean!"
This time, the clinking of the cans was much quieter. Lin Jun gave Jiang Zhao a deep look, then downed the wine in the can in one gulp.
The alcohol made the atmosphere more relaxed, but also amplified the sorrow of parting. Jiang Zhao began to ramble on about the embarrassing things that happened during his three years of high school, gesturing wildly when he got excited. Lin Jun mostly listened quietly, a gentle smile on her lips, occasionally adding a word or two, but her eyes never left Jiang Zhao.
"Jun-ge," Jiang Zhao said, his cheeks flushed from drinking too much. He leaned closer to Lin Jun, his voice tinged with a sticky dependence, "When you get there, you can't stop answering my video calls just because of the time difference! You can't get dazzled by every blond, blue-eyed handsome guy! You have to think of me every single day!"
This almost unreasonable request carried the unease and possessiveness unique to young people. Lin Jun neither laughed at him nor gave him a perfunctory answer. He reached out and gently wiped Jiang Zhao's slightly flushed cheek with his knuckles, his gaze calm and solemn: "Okay. Video chat every day. I won't think about anyone else, only you."
Jiang Zhao looked at him, his eyes suddenly reddening. He abruptly turned his head away, rubbed his eyes hard, and muttered, "It's windy, sand got in my eyes..."
Su An looked at them, a pang of sadness rising in his heart. He subconsciously moved closer to Jiang Qi. Jiang Qi noticed, reached out, and in the shadows where the campfire couldn't reach, tightly grasped his hand, their fingers intertwined. His palm was dry and warm, conveying a silent yet unwavering strength.
"Let's play a game!" Jiang Zhao suddenly jumped up, trying to break the somewhat somber atmosphere. "Truth or dare! We'll take turns saying what we hope for the future, or... a secret!"
He started with Lin Jun. Lin Jun looked at the leaping flames, remained silent for a moment, and slowly spoke: "My hope is that no matter how far apart we are, the four of us will always be each other's support." These words were calm, yet carried immense weight.
It was Jiang Qi's turn. He glanced at Su An, his gaze deep: "My hope is that we can both walk firmly and live brilliantly on our respective chosen paths." This has always been his belief: to respect each other's independence and then strive to converge.
When it was Su An's turn, he was a little embarrassed and said softly, "I hope... we can both be safe and happy, and that each time we meet, it will be better than the last."
Finally, it was Jiang Zhao's turn. He stood up, walked to the campfire, spread his arms, and shouted loudly at the starry sky, "I, Jiang Zhao, hereby solemnly declare that I will challenge Lin Jun with the most difficult 'cross-border long-distance relationship'! Distance is nothing! Time difference is nothing! We will definitely succeed!" After shouting, he turned around, his eyes shining brightly, and looked at Lin Jun, "Right, Brother Jun?"
Lin Jun looked at him, and under the starlight and the glow of the campfire, slowly stood up, walked to him, and without answering, simply reached out and hugged him tightly. This hug was even tighter than the one by the sea, carrying a promise and a deep sense of reluctance.
Jiang Qi pulled Su An to her feet as well. The four of them stood side by side under the brilliant starry sky, the campfire crackling behind them.
"Fireworks are about to go off!" Jiang Zhao magically produced several more handheld fireworks and distributed them to everyone.
The fuse was lit, and golden sparks hissed out, tracing a bright but brief path in the darkness. They waved their fireworks, as if trying to create the most brilliant mark on this night of farewell.
The light of the fireworks illuminated their young faces. Jiang Qi looked at Su An's gentle, smiling eyes amidst the shimmering light, lowered her head, and placed a soft and precious kiss on his forehead.
"Wait for me to come back," Lin Jun whispered to Jiang Zhao in his arms.
"Mmm!" Jiang Zhao nodded vigorously, burying his face in the crook of his neck.
Fireworks will eventually fade, but the stars remain eternal. This night, they used laughter, tears, promises, and dazzling fireworks to bring their high school years to a vibrant close. Parting is undoubtedly bittersweet, but a wider horizon awaits them. They vowed to become better versions of themselves and then meet again at their respective peaks.
The campfire gradually died down, and the starlight grew brighter. The journey of the young people was to the stars and the sea, and they all knew that no matter how far they went, there would always be some people and things that would be the softest place in their hearts to return to.
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