midsummer
On June 7th, before dawn, as the first hint of light appeared in the east, commotion could be heard in the alleys of the old town.
Qin Zhou sprang out of bed with a "bang," his short, messy hair sticking up, his eyes wide like saucers, completely unlike his usual lazy, sleepy self on weekends.
He rushed barefoot into the living room and saw Sister Jin wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen. The range hood was humming, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of fried eggs and hot soy milk.
"Sister Jin! What time is it? What time is it?!" Qin Zhou's voice was hoarse from just waking up, but more importantly, it was filled with nervousness.
"It's only 6:20, what's the rush!" Sister Jin didn't even turn her head, deftly flipping the pot with the spatula in her hand. "Go wash your face and brush your teeth, and tidy up your messy hair. Yun Gui is already up!"
Qin Zhou turned his head and saw Song Yungui already dressed and sitting at the dining table, holding a small booklet in his hand, silently memorizing something. He was wearing a simple white T-shirt and khaki pants. The morning light shone through the window onto his calm profile, making even the fine downy hairs clearly visible.
Hearing the noise, Song Yungui looked up and gave Qin Zhou a faint smile.
"Damn, you're up so early." Qin Zhou muttered, rushing into the bathroom like a whirlwind. The sound of running water filled the air, mixed with his indistinct humming, it was hard to tell whether it was to bolster his courage or because he wasn't really nervous.
Qi Shuo also came out of the room, wearing a simple black T-shirt and work pants, his hair still a little wet, looking like he had just taken a shower. He glanced at the wall clock, said nothing, went straight to the kitchen, took out bowls and chopsticks from the sterilizer, and began to set the table. His movements were unhurried, just like his usual self.
"Brother Shuo, are you nervous?" Qin Zhou jumped out while wiping his face, moved closer to Qi Shuo, and asked in a low voice, but his eyes were glancing towards Song Yungui.
Qi Shuo carefully placed the chopsticks down, then glanced at him and asked, "Why am I nervous?"
"Tsk, I mean, aren't you nervous for us?" Qin Zhou winked.
Qi Shuo continued working, his voice steady: "You've seen everything you needed to see, and memorized everything you needed to memorize. There's no use being nervous now. Eat, and don't overthink things."
"Thank you, Brother Shuo," Song Yungui said softly, picking up the bowl and taking small sips of water.
Xiao Jue arrived just in time, carrying a thermal bag and with a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. "There was a bit of traffic on the way," he explained, placing the thermal bag on the table. "These are freshly steamed dumplings and millet porridge, still warm. Sister Jin, don't bother, have some with us."
Sister Jin turned off the stove and brought over fried eggs and fried dough sticks, her face beaming with an undisguised smile, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes deepening: "Everything's here, sit down and eat. Qin Zhou, Yun Gui, eat more, you'll have the energy for the exam! Don't overeat, okay?"
For a moment, no one spoke at the table; only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the sounds of chewing filled the air. An invisible tension hung in the air, like a taut bowstring, ready to hum at the slightest touch.
Qin Zhou was unusually quiet, burying his head in his food and stuffing his cheeks until they were bulging.
Song Yungui ate slowly, chewing each bite carefully, but his mind was clearly not on the food. Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue ate separately, occasionally exchanging a glance before quickly looking away. Sister Jin kept putting food on the two children's plates, muttering things like "This is nutritious" and "That's good for the brain," as if she wanted to stuff all her care and strength into their bellies through this meal.
After breakfast, it was not yet seven o'clock. Sister Jin began to check the two people's documents and exam supplies: admission tickets, ID cards, 2B pencils, black ballpoint pens, erasers, rulers... She took them out one by one, checked them against the list again, and muttered to herself, even more nervous than the two people involved.
"Take a couple more pens, just in case! What about the eraser? Did you bring the eraser?" Sister Jin asked anxiously as she rummaged through Qin Zhou's pencil case again.
"I brought it, I brought it, Sister Jin, you've checked it three times already!" Qin Zhou said, but obediently stood there and let her check.
Song Yungui silently opened his transparent file folder again, letting Sister Jin take a look. The contents inside were neatly arranged and categorized.
Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue leaned against the door, waiting. Qi Shuo took out his cigarette case, pulled one out, thought for a moment, and then put it back. Xiao Jue looked at the sky gradually brightening outside the window, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the seam of his trousers.
"Alright, alright, everyone's here!" Sister Jin finally straightened up, let out a long sigh of relief, and patted the two of them on the shoulders. "Let's go! Get there early, don't rush!"
The group went downstairs. The morning air was cool, and breathing it in invigorated them. Neighbors in the alley, some of whom were out exercising early, greeted them with smiles, "Hey, are you two taking the college entrance exam today? Good luck! May you come back as top scorers!"
Qin Zhou grinned and waved his hand: "Thank you for your kind words!"
Song Yungui smiled shyly and nodded.
Xiao Jue was driving his black SUV. Qin Zhou and Song Yungui sat in the back seat, Sister Jin sat in the passenger seat, and Qi Shuo also got into the back seat, sitting by the window.
Qin Zhou peered out the car window, chattering incessantly: "Damn, so many cars, are they all dropping off students for the exam? Look at that one, it even has a 'Victory in the College Entrance Exam' sticker... Hey, Yun Gui, do you think we know anyone at the exam site?"
Song Yungui hummed in response but didn't reply, her fingers unconsciously picking at the edge of the transparent file folder.
Qi Shuo glanced at them in the rearview mirror. Qin Zhou seemed loud and boisterous, but his posture was stiff, and his hands on his knees had his fingertips slightly curled.
Song Yungui's reaction was even more obvious; his face was paler than usual, his lips were bloodless, and his gaze was fixed on a certain point in the void ahead, as if he were lost in thought.
"Check the admission ticket again." Qi Shuo suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but very clear in the quiet carriage.
Both of them paused for a moment, then almost simultaneously bent down to rummage through the file folder. They found the hard card, confirmed it was correct, and carefully put it back. Their movements were perfectly synchronized.
"ID card," Qi Shuo said again.
The two then touched their ID cards.
"Pen."
This time, the two were not as quick. They glanced at each other and then checked their pencil cases.
Qi Shuo didn't speak again. In the rearview mirror, Xiao Jue's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. Sister Jin also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and leaned back in her chair.
This almost obsessive-compulsive checkup is like a ritual, briefly diverting attention and providing a sense of security—everything is there, everything is ready, all that's left is to walk into the exam room and write down what you know on paper.
The closer you get to the exam site, the denser the traffic becomes, and the more parents line the road to see their children off. Students in various school uniforms gather in small groups, some nervous, some excited, and some trying to appear relaxed.
Traffic police were busy directing traffic and maintaining order at the intersection. A unique atmosphere, a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, and solemnity, filled the air.
Their test center was located at Beicheng No. 1 Middle School, Qin Zhou and Song Yungui's alma mater. The car slowed down some distance from the school gate and eventually stopped in the temporarily marked test-taking area under the direction of the traffic police.
"Let's get off here, we can't go any further ahead." Xiao Jue turned off the engine.
Several people got off the bus. The school gate was already packed with people, a dense, dark mass. Parents were giving their children countless words of advice, while the students were either taking deep breaths, glancing at their notes one last time, or giving each other high-fives for encouragement. All sorts of sounds mingled together, buzzing and humming.
As soon as Qin Zhou got out of the car, he quipped, "So many people!" He stretched his arms and did a few chest-expanding exercises, trying to dispel the last vestiges of his tension.
Song Yungui followed silently behind him, his gaze sweeping over the throng of people before settling on the familiar school gate in the distance, which now seemed exceptionally solemn. His palms were slightly sweaty.
Sister Jin took one of their hands and led them to a tree where there were fewer people. She then started to adjust Qin Zhou's collar with concern, and touched Song Yungui's forehead: "Have you brought everything? Think again, is there anything you forgot? Don't panic when you go in, read the questions carefully, write neatly, and manage your time well..."
"I know, Sister Jin, you've said it eight hundred times already." Qin Zhou complained, but stood up straight, letting Sister Jin do as she pleased.
Song Yungui nodded, her voice soft: "Yes, I remember everything."
Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue stood a little distance away, watching. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shimmering spots of light on the ground.
Time ticked by. The examination center began allowing entry, and candidates, guided by staff, began queuing, verifying their documents, and entering in an orderly fashion. The line resembled a slowly moving river, flowing towards the "gate" that would determine the fate of many.
"That's about enough, go and line up," Xiao Jue said.
Sister Jin let go of their hands, patted them on the back one last time, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Do your best on the exam, don't be nervous, okay? It doesn't matter what the result is, as long as we've done our best!"
Qin Zhou gave a heavy "Mmm," turned around, and hugged Sister Jin tightly, but quickly let go. Song Yungui also hugged Sister Jin gently and whispered, "Sister Jin, let's go in."
"Go, child, go." Sister Jin's eyes were a little red as she waved her hand.
Qin Zhou and Song Yungui turned and walked towards the entrance line. After taking a few steps, Qin Zhou suddenly turned back, grinned at Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue, and waved his fist: "Brother Shuo, Brother Xiao Jue, wait for our good news!"
Qi Shuo looked at him and nodded. Xiao Jue also smiled and waved.
Song Yungui waved to everyone and turned to follow Qin Zhou.
Two teenagers, one tall and one short, one lively and the other calm, joined the queue and were quickly swallowed up by it.
Qi Shuo kept watching until they could no longer be seen.
Sister Jin couldn't help but wipe her eyes, muttering, "May the Buddha protect me, may the ancestors protect me, may everything go smoothly..."
Xiao Jue walked to her side, put his arm around her shoulder, and patted her gently: "Yes, Sister Jin, both children are reliable, no problem."
Qi Shuo remained silent, gazing at the school gate that continuously gushed forth young faces. The sunlight grew brighter, scorching the earth, and the air began to heat up. The surrounding chatter, admonitions, and encouragement from parents buzzed incessantly.
He suddenly remembered many years ago, on a similarly sweltering summer day, he was sitting in an examination hall in a county high school, holding a pen, his palms sweaty.
Outside the window, cicadas were chirping loudly, while inside the classroom, only the scratching sound of pens slicing across paper could be heard.
What was he thinking at that time? It seems he wasn't thinking about anything; he was just desperately trying to grasp at that thin straw that might change his fate.
Then the straw broke. He fell into deeper darkness.
Now, it's Qin Zhou and Song Yungui's turn.
They were luckier than him; they had Sister Jin, Xiao Jue, and him. They stood before this door, with the opportunity to push open the door leading to another possibility.
He didn't know what the outcome would be.
But he hoped that the light behind that door would be brighter, and the road smoother.
"Let's go, let's find a place to wait," Xiao Jue said. "The first Chinese exam will take a long time."
They found an air-conditioned convenience store across from the exam center, bought some water, and sat by the window. From there, they could see the outline of the school in the distance.
Jin Jie couldn't sit still; she kept checking the time and looking out the door, even though she couldn't see anything. Xiao Jue was dealing with work emails on his phone, but he would occasionally glance up in the direction of the school. Qi Shuo leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, seemingly resting, but his brows were slightly furrowed.
Time became viscous and slow. Every minute seemed to stretch out.
The bell signaling the end of the Chinese exam rang out from afar, its sound muffled through the sweltering air. Sister Jin jumped up abruptly: "The exam's over! The exam's over!"
After a while, the students began to pour out of the school gates one after another. The crowd was like a flood that had been released, instantly submerging the streets. Parents stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, searching for their children in the throng.
"There! It's Qin Zhou!" Sister Jin, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot him.
Qin Zhou practically jumped out, his hair damp with sweat and plastered to his forehead, but his face glowed with a relieved and excited redness.
Beside him, Song Yungui walked more steadily, but his steps were noticeably lighter, and his tense lips relaxed, even showing a faint smile.
The two squeezed through the crowd and ran this way.
"How was it? How was it?" Sister Jin asked impatiently, wanting to pull Qin Zhou but afraid of disturbing him, her hand waving helplessly in the air.
"Not bad! The essay topic was interesting, and I wrote it pretty smoothly!" Qin Zhou said loudly, her eyes sparkling. "I got all the classical Chinese poetry and prose memorization questions right! I also felt confident on the multiple-choice questions!"
"Where is Yun Gui?" Xiao Jue asked, his gaze gentle.
Song Yungui pursed his lips, seemingly considering his words, then nodded: "It's alright. The questions are all within the scope of the review, and there's enough time."
"Okay, okay, that's good!" Sister Jin said repeatedly, her face beaming with joy. "Come on, let's go home for dinner! I've made your favorite dishes. You have math class this afternoon, so eat well and get some rest!"
Once back in the car, the atmosphere became noticeably more relaxed. Qin Zhou became more talkative, chattering about his experiences in the exam hall—which classmate was so nervous their hands were shaking, which teacher was particularly strict. Song Yungui occasionally chimed in, but mostly listened quietly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Lunch was plentiful, and Sister Jin had put in her best efforts. Qin Zhou wolfed down his food, and Song Yungui ate half a bowl more than usual. Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue watched, and the tension that had been building up all morning eased a little.
After the meal, Sister Jin urged the two to rest. "Lie down for a while, even if you can't sleep, close your eyes and relax!"
Qin Zhou and Song Yungui went back to their rooms. The house quieted down. Sister Jin quietly tidied up in the kitchen, while Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue sat in the living room, neither of them speaking.
The afternoon sun was intense, streaming through the window and casting bright patches of light on the floor. Cicadas chirped tirelessly outside, further emphasizing the tranquility inside.
This is the first day of a long battle, and we're only halfway through. This afternoon's math, tomorrow's combined science (humanities) and English—each one a tough fight. But for now, at least the start is good.
That little bit of confidence brought back from the exam hall, called "success," was like a small reassurance, temporarily calming all the anxious nerves.
Qi Shuo leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. The sunlight warmed his eyelids. He listened to the faint sound of water in the kitchen, the distant, indistinct sounds of the city outside the window, and the steady breathing and heartbeat in the house.
At this moment, on this sultry, ordinary summer afternoon, in this small house filled with the aroma of food and the warmth of home cooking, a long-lost, peaceful warmth quietly crept into my heart.
He knew the real test was yet to come. He knew that life was a long journey, and the college entrance exam was just one hurdle.
But he also knew that for the two boys who were resting in the room at that moment, they were steadily crossing this threshold step by step with their own efforts and sweat.
That's enough.
As for the rest—the heavy past, the gloomy present, the uncertain future—let them all retreat behind this sunlight for now.
At least for now, let them, and those who protect them, have this moment of peace filled with hope and expectation.
Summer has already begun, and the door to the future has been opened a crack.
Light was seeping in through the crack in the door.
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