Fang Yu lay on a bamboo chair, flipping through "Girlfriend" magazine. On the tape recorder, Na Ying and Faye Wong's "Meet in 1998" was reaching its climax, "Come on, come on, meet in '98..." The singing mixed with the chirping of cicadas outside the courtyard, making the air warm and cozy.
"Sister Fang Yu!" Yuan Tingting called from the doorway.
Fang Yu immediately closed the magazine and sat up. "Hey, Tingting! Home? Come in!"
Turning around, I saw Tingting skipping and hopping in, followed by Fang Dongqiang, who was now a head taller than before.
It's been over a year since I last saw Fang Dongqiang, how come he's grown so much taller?
Fang Yu smoothed her hair, her heart inexplicably racing, and forced a natural smile. "Dong Qiang? You've grown so tall now."
Fang Dongqiang saw her, and a slight blush crept onto his face. He scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting around, and only vaguely replied, "Yeah, it's alright."
"Come, sit down." Fang Yu pulled over a chair.
"It's nothing, Tingting asked me to bring her over."
Yuan Tingting pulled Fang Dongqiang to sit down. "You old classmates haven't seen each other for so long, sit down and chat. Fang Yu, you two talk, I'll read your book." Yuan Tingting picked up "Girlfriend" magazine and sat down to flip through it.
"Dongqiang, have you heard where you're going to study? I went to your grandma's house a few days ago to see if Tingting came for summer vacation. I wanted to invite her over to play. I asked your grandma, and she said you did pretty well on your exams."
"It's decided, I'll go to Hangzhou to study computer science."
"You're going to Hangzhou?" Fang Yu's heart skipped a beat. She stared blankly at Fang Dongqiang, as if she hadn't heard him clearly, and asked again, "You said... you're going to Hangzhou to study at university?"
Fang Dongqiang nodded, "Yes, my aunts all advised me that it's good to study in this province, that going to other places is too far and inconvenient, and that schools within the province are also good."
The song "Conquer" was still playing on the tape recorder, and the melody of "Just like that, I was conquered by you" kept swirling around. Fang Yu felt as if something was blocking her heart.
Before graduation, a kindergarten in Hangzhou came to the school to recruit students. Her mother said she would go home in the second half of the year, so she decided to go back to her hometown.
At the time, she had a fleeting thought that she might go back to her hometown and Fang Dongqiang would come to Hangzhou to study. Unexpectedly, he actually went to university in Hangzhou.
A mix of emotions welled up inside her—regret, disappointment, and a touch of inexplicable grievance. She lowered her head. "Hangzhou is great, much more lively than here."
Fang Dongqiang didn't notice the dejection in her tone. He looked up and smiled at her, "I don't know, I haven't been there yet. Oh, have you found a job?"
"Found it, a kindergarten in the county town."
"That's great, you've already started working, while I'm still studying."
"This is how I am, a kindergarten teacher. But you have endless possibilities after you graduate."
"It's the same. I'll study for another four years to get a job, but you should start working now."
"Oh, do you want some dates? The dates behind my house are ripe, let's go pick a few."
"No need." No sooner had Fang Dongqiang finished speaking than Yuan Tingting jumped up from her chair. "Go, go fight!"
"Dongqiang, I've already hit the low ones, but I haven't hit the high ones that are already red. I can't reach them, so you can help me hit them."
Fang Dongqiang responded with an "okay," and Fang Yu picked up a long bamboo pole from the wall outside.
"I'll take it." Fang Dongqiang took the long bamboo pole from Fang Yu's hand, and Yuan Tingting skipped and jumped behind him.
Fang Yu took two umbrellas and handed one to Tingting, saying, "We'll use the umbrella to catch her later."
The old jujube tree was lush and leafy, with branches laden with purplish-red jujubes. When the wind blew, the fruit swayed gently. Fang Dongqiang raised a bamboo pole, stood on tiptoe, and stretched his arm upwards with all his might. The hook at the top of the bamboo pole caught the jujube branch, and with a gentle pull, a "whoosh" sound rang out, and the bright red jujubes fell down like rain.
Fang Yu and Yuan Tingting turned the open umbrella upside down to catch the umbrella. "Wow, this is so much fun!" Yuan Tingting laughed heartily.
As Fang Yu watched the sweat trickling down Fang Dongqiang's face and his outstretched arms, she suddenly remembered the time in elementary school when she used to help him catch his clothes in the bamboo shade with a broom.
"Dongqiang," Fang Yu said softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia, "Do you remember when we were in elementary school, you helped me get my clothes from the bamboo? You had other classmates carry you down with brooms."
Fang Dongqiang was still trying to reach the highest few dates, and smiled a little embarrassedly, "It was in elementary school? It's been so long, I forgot." He put down the bamboo pole, "I didn't expect you to have such a good memory, you still remember such little things."
Fang Yu silently murmured "Oh" to herself, unsure whether it was disappointment or something else, and simply shook her head with a smile, "I just suddenly remembered."
Yuan Tingting picked up the few that she hadn't caught and put them into the basket.
Fang Yu washed the dates and put them in a basin. Fang Dongqiang leaned the bamboo pole back and also came over to wash his hands. "Tingting, you play here. I'm going home."
"Have a few dates." Fang Yu picked out a few of the biggest ones and handed them to him. Her fingertips accidentally brushed against his hand, and both of them flinched as if they had been burned.
"I don't need it."
"You worked hard to make this, you should try it."
Fang Dongqiang went home, leaving only Fang Yu and Yuan Tingting. "Tingting, I'll be working in the county town next semester too."
“Okay, let’s hang out together this weekend. It’s just a pity that you came to the county town while my brother went to Hangzhou. You two are in a different place.” Yuan Tingting puffed out her cheeks, hesitated for a moment, and then asked softly, “Sister Fang Yu, do you like my brother?”
Fang Yu was taken aback by the question, then laughed, "Why are you asking this, you little kid?"
Yuan Tingting persisted, asking, "I just want to know! If you like, I'll talk to him for you!"
"We're just classmates."
Yuan Tingting pouted, "You all say we're just classmates."
Upon hearing Tingting's words, Fang Yu wondered if she had also asked Fang Dongqiang. After thinking for a moment, Fang Yu asked Yuan Tingting, "Tingting, did you ask your brother this question too?"
"Huh? Did I ask him that?" Yuan Tingting tilted her head back and thought for a moment. "Should I ask him?"
"No, no, don't ask. We're really just classmates now."
“Alright then. But if you want me to ask, or if you have anything to say to him, just tell me anytime, and I'll pass on the message.” Yuan Tingting then mysteriously put her hand to her mouth and said with a grin, “I told him I want you to be my sister-in-law.”
"Tingting, why do you say that?" Fang Yu smiled shyly, but couldn't help asking in a joking tone, "What did your brother say?"
He said he would have the dogs chase me.
"Huh?" Fang Yu frowned.
"Haha, he was just kidding. If there really were dogs, he would come to protect me."
When Yuan Tingting came to Fang Yu's house, Fang Dongqiang would still drive her home and pick her up. Each time, he would just exchange a few words with Fang Yu without saying much.
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