Lu Zhiyan has returned to China.
Three years later.
"get out of class dismissed, goodbye students!"
Goodbye, teacher!
Having finished a day of classes, Song Zicheng was packing up in his office in preparation for the National Day holiday. After graduating from university, Song Zicheng took Song Zian, whose health had fully recovered, back to their hometown in Anhui. Adhering to the principle of finding a job related to his major, and given his genuine love for the teaching profession, he became a history teacher at a public high school near his home after graduation.
This is his third year of work. The thought of this being his last year, when he will be teaching his students from the first year of high school to the third year and watching them enter university fills him with both excitement and reluctance. The pressure of studying in the third year of high school is immense, and even the teachers are working hard alongside the students to prepare for the college entrance examination. After working for a month straight, he is finally able to have a short four-day break.
As Song Zicheng stepped out of the school gate, his phone vibrated a few times in his pocket. "Hey, Zicheng, happy National Day!" Ling Chu's voice came from the other end of the line.
"Happy National Day!" Song Zicheng replied.
What are your plans for National Day?
"I'm planning to stay home and rest. What about you? Are you going to be on duty during the holiday?"
Ling Chu sighed, "Yeah, I haven't had time to come see you and Zi'an."
Song Zicheng smiled and said, "It's okay. You can come to see me when you're on vacation, or I can bring Zi'an to see you."
"Okay, it's settled then. I have to go now, I have another surgery later, let's talk again next time."
"Okay, bye-bye."
This is the sixth year that Song Zicheng and Ling Chu have known each other. Although their conversation just now seemed so natural, two years ago, when Song Zicheng was preparing to return to Anhui, some subtle things happened between them.
Perhaps Song Zicheng was too oblivious, or perhaps Ling Chu disguised her feelings too well. During those four years, Song Zicheng could occasionally sense Ling Chu's excessive concern for him. Sometimes he would even ponder it in his heart, but Ling Chu never did anything beyond the bounds of friendship. Over time, Song Zicheng didn't feel that anything was wrong.
On graduation day, he had a meal with Jiang Yuebai and Ling Chu. All three of them drank alcohol. Ever since Song Zicheng mentioned at the dinner table that he had found a job in his hometown, Ling Chu had been unusually silent, just drinking on the side. When he saw Song Zicheng downstairs, the emotions he had suppressed and buried in his heart could no longer be controlled and burst out.
The June evenings carried the heat of the day, and even the wind blowing through the trees carried a wave of heat. In this already sweltering season, there were a few cicadas singing in the trees, their continuous chirping making people restless and irritable.
Just as Song Zicheng finished saying goodbye and turned to leave, Ling Chu suddenly grabbed his arm. Song Zicheng paused, turned around, and looked at him in confusion, asking, "What's wrong?"
Ling Chu just stared at him without saying a word. Just when Song Zicheng thought he was drunk, he heard a voice that surprised and troubled him: "I like you."
Ling Chu's voice was slightly tinged with drunkenness; it was soft and gentle, and if you listened carefully, you could hear a tremor in it, as if the speaker was extremely hesitant.
Song Zicheng was stunned for a moment, at a loss. He was about to say that she was drunk, but when he saw Ling Chu's extremely clear eyes and extremely serious expression, the words he was about to say stopped abruptly.
The person he had known for so long, the person who would lend a helping hand whenever he encountered difficulties, had now confessed his feelings for him. Song Zicheng was completely taken aback and stood there looking extremely embarrassed.
“I…” Song Zicheng stammered, completely at a loss for words.
Fortunately, Ling Chu didn't want to make things difficult for him. With his head down, he heard Ling Chu chuckle softly, followed by a long string of words that he still finds unforgettable.
"There is a destiny at play. I first met you at the hospital four years ago. You looked anxious and in dire need of help, so I went up to you and asked what was wrong. As fate would have it, I later became Zian's attending physician, and we have known each other for so long. At first, I didn't have any other thoughts about you. I just admired your courage and perseverance in bringing another child to Beijing alone for school and medical treatment, even though you were just an adult. Later, without realizing it, on some specific day or at some specific moment, I realized that I liked you. However, once this feeling was planted in my heart, it took root and sprouted, growing rapidly as if it had absorbed nutrients and sunlight. Many times, I almost couldn't control myself."
Ling Chu was perhaps truly drunk; her eyes began to glaze over, and she swayed unsteadily. Yet, every word she uttered was remarkably clear: "I know you're overwhelmed with worry and exhausted because of Zi'an, leaving you no time or energy to think about anything else. I didn't want to put us in an awkward situation because of my own impulsiveness, so I kept these feelings hidden in my heart. But when you had a fever and I rushed to examine you, I saw those marks on your body. Later, when you went to France, I saw Lu Zhiyan during Zi'an's surgery, and everything suddenly became clear. I don't know if you like him, or if Lu Zhiyan used some means. But now, you two have separated, and Lu Zhiyan has gone to France. Does that mean I have a chance?"
Song Zicheng didn't want to say anything that would hurt or embarrass Ling Chu, so he remained silent.
"Okay, I understand. From now on, let's still be friends," Ling Chu asked, trying to appear calm.
Song Zicheng then looked up, a smile on his face, and replied in a gentle yet firm tone, "Of course, I'm very fortunate to have you as a friend."
The day after the unexpected confession, the two acted as if nothing had happened and returned to their original state, as if it were just a dream they had while drunk. Even though they are now separated by distance, they still keep in touch frequently. In Song Zicheng's heart, Ling Chu is not just a friend, but more like family.
When he got home, Song Zian had already come home from school. He was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Hearing the noise, Song Zian turned his head and said cheerfully, "Brother, you're back!"
Song Zicheng hummed in agreement and asked, "What do you want to eat tonight?"
"Beef noodles".
Song Zicheng smiled indulgently, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, put on an apron, and took out the braised beef that had been prepared in advance from the refrigerator.
Just as he was busy in the kitchen, Song Zi'an, who had been sitting quietly watching TV, suddenly exclaimed, "Brother, come quick, come quick!"
Song Zi'an's voice was filled with surprise and urgency. Song Zicheng thought something was wrong, so he immediately put down what he was holding and ran into the living room to ask anxiously, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Sitting on the sofa, Song Zi'an spread his hands, shrugged, shook his head, and said, "I'm fine." Then he pointed with his little hand, looked at the TV, and said, "Brother, look, isn't this Uncle Lu?"
Lu Zhiyan?
It had been so long since he'd heard that name; now it sounded both familiar and strange. Song Zicheng stood frozen in place, motionless for a long time. Only when Lu Zhiyan's voice came from the television did he turn around in a daze, his eyes fixed on the face he had longed for day and night on the screen.
I've lost weight.
This was Song Zicheng's first thought upon seeing it.
At that moment, a financial interview program was playing. Lu Zhiyan was sitting upright in front of the screen, listening attentively to the host's questions. Just one glance was enough for Song Zicheng to feel that Lu Zhiyan was more composed and had a better presence than he had three years ago. It was as if the past three years had allowed Lu Zhiyan to mature and exude a more powerful aura.
The host on the program then asked, "Mr. Lu, your LS Jewelry Company is thriving in France and has already seized the initiative in the luxury goods market. Its current strength is comparable to some big brands. Now is the time to consolidate your position in the French market. Why did you choose to return to China at this juncture?"
Lu Zhiyan chuckled softly, then turned his gaze to the camera. His intense and fiery gaze caused Song Zicheng to unconsciously meet his eyes, their gazes colliding on the television screen.
Lu Zhiyan’s voice was as deep and charming as ever: “Actually, I’ve had the idea of developing and expanding LS in China for a long time, but due to the company’s development and other complex issues, I haven’t been able to realize it. Now that the time is right, and since I was born and raised in Beijing, it’s only natural that I’m back.”
After saying this, Lu Zhiyan paused for a second or two, then added, "There are very important people in China who are doing well for me. Three years have passed, and I want to know how they are doing."
Upon hearing this, the host was stunned, and even Song Zicheng in front of the TV was taken aback. He looked dazed and avoided eye contact.
Lu Zhiyan has returned to China.
Although Song Zicheng couldn't bring himself to believe that the person Lu Zhiyan mentioned was important was actually himself, one was in Anhui and the other in Beijing, a thousand kilometers apart. If they didn't deliberately arrange a meeting, they would most likely never see each other again. Even so, Song Zicheng still felt a sense of unease, a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
Song Zicheng didn't continue watching the interview. Sure enough, the beef noodles that night had too much salt. After Song Zian finished eating the noodles, Kuku drank a large glass of water.
"Hey, Teacher Song, there's a gentleman at the door who says he's your friend and wants to meet you."
Song Zicheng had just finished his last class of the morning and hadn't even walked a few steps out of the classroom when he received a call from the security guard: "Friend, did he say his name?"
"No."
Song Zicheng frowned: "Okay, I understand, I'll be right there."
When Song Zicheng arrived at the school gate, he looked around and saw that it was deserted. Apart from a few teachers going to and from get off work, he didn't see anyone else.
Just as he was about to go to the security office to ask the gatekeeper, a figure standing behind a big tree in front of the school gate caught his attention. The person seemed to be hiding behind the tree, and only the edges of their shirt and pants could be seen. Song Zicheng was puzzled and walked towards the big tree.
Perhaps hearing footsteps, the person hiding behind the tree suddenly took a step with his right foot and turned around to face Song Zicheng.
Song Zicheng, who was still walking forward, stopped in his tracks when he saw the person's face. He seemed not to have reacted, or perhaps he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the familiar face was already in front of him.
"What are you standing there for? Is there anyone who stands in the middle of the road like that?"
Lu Zhiyan's voice rang in his ears. Not only that, Lu Zhiyan also reached out and pulled his arm to the side of the road. The moment their skin touched, Song Zicheng's arm, which was being held, felt hot and burning.
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