Unexpected interruption
The rehearsal for the graduation party was extremely noisy. Lin Weixi stood in the corner of the auditorium, her fingers unconsciously stroking the small box in her skirt pocket. The box contained an exquisite silver bookmark that she had specially prepared for tonight. The bookmark was engraved with the words "a bright future" and a small "Xi" on the back.
This was a decision she made after a full week of hesitation. On this last important occasion before graduation, she wanted to personally give this gift to Chen Wang.
"Wei Xi, what are you daydreaming about?" Chen Siyu ran over, holding up the hem of her skirt. "It's almost our class's turn to walk the runway."
Lin Weixi took a deep breath and followed the team to the backstage. She could feel the small box in her skirt pocket swaying gently with her steps, like her anxious heartbeat at the moment.
Two hours before the party started, the students were all nervously preparing. The girls helped each other with their makeup, while the boys practiced their upcoming performances over and over again. Lin Weixi sat in front of the makeup mirror, looking at herself in the mirror, who looked particularly bright because of the light makeup, and suddenly felt a little dazed.
Is this really her? The girl who always hides behind the camera is actually going to do such a bold thing today.
"Wei Xi, look!" Shen Siyu suddenly pointed at the door.
Chen Wang was standing there, looking different from his casual attire during the day. He was wearing a fitted white shirt and black trousers, and his hair was carefully combed. He seemed to be searching for someone, his eyes scanning the crowd.
Lin Weixi's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Now is the time, she said to herself. She stood up, adjusted the hem of her skirt, and walked towards the door.
However, just as she was about to reach him, the head teacher suddenly ran over in a hurry: "Chen Wang, your sister's school called and said that she suddenly had a fever and has been sent to the hospital."
Time seemed to stand still at this moment. Lin Weixi saw the smile on Chen Wang's face disappear instantly, replaced by obvious worry. He didn't even notice her so close, turned around and quickly left with the head teacher.
The small box containing the bookmark was still lying quietly in her skirt pocket.
The party went on as usual, but Lin Weixi's heart had already followed Chen Wang to the hospital. She mechanically completed the class chorus performance and couldn't even find a suitable expression on the stage. The applause from the audience seemed to come from far away, vague and unreal.
After the performance, she walked alone to the long corridor outside the auditorium. The cool night breeze blew her thin skirt. She took out the small box and examined it in the moonlight. The bookmark shimmered in the moonlight, and the four words on it seemed particularly ironic.
"So you're here." Zhou Xu's voice came from behind. "Chen Wang just sent me a message saying that his sister's fever has subsided, but he probably won't be back tonight."
Lin Weixi hurriedly hid the box behind her: "Thank you for telling me."
Zhou Xu looked at her with understanding in his eyes: "Are you waiting for him?"
She nodded, then shook her head, not knowing how to explain her complicated feelings at the moment.
"His sister has been in poor health since she was young," Zhou Xu said, leaning against the railing. "Every time she gets sick, Chen Wang gets really nervous. I remember that time in his freshman year of high school, he even missed the basketball league finals to accompany his sister through surgery."
Lin Weixi knew all of this. During the days when she secretly observed him, she had already discovered his love for his sister. This was why she chose to understand instead of complaining.
As the party was coming to an end, a drizzle began to fall from the sky. Lin Weixi stood at the door of the auditorium, watching the classmates leave one after another. Shen Siyu opened the umbrella and wanted to take her home, but she shook her head: "I'll wait a little longer."
The rain gradually got heavier, soaking her skirt. The small box was warm in her palm, but she never had the chance to give it away.
Just as she was about to leave, a taxi pulled up at the campus gate. Chen Wang got out, his face weary. He was visibly stunned when he saw her standing in the rain.
"Why are you still here?" He walked over quickly and tilted the umbrella towards her.
Lin Weixi opened her mouth, but the prepared words could not come out. Finally, she just asked softly: "How is your sister?"
"My fever has subsided. The doctor said I can be discharged after one night of observation." He smiled, a tired smile. "I'm sorry I missed your performance."
The rain slid down the ribs of the umbrella, forming a curtain of water around them. Lin Weixi looked at his shoulders wet by the rain, and suddenly felt that this unsent gift might be the best ending.
"This is for you." She finally took out the box. "I wanted to wish you a happy graduation."
Chen Wang took the box, opened it, and saw the bookmark. His eyes flickered slightly: "Thank you, it's very beautiful."
They walked side by side on the rainy campus, neither of them speaking. At a fork in the road, Chen Wang handed her an umbrella and said, "Be careful on the road."
Lin Weixi held an umbrella and watched his back as he ran towards the dormitory building. She suddenly said, "Chen Wang!"
He turned around, the rain wet his hair, making him look much softer than usual.
"Happy graduation," she said loudly.
He waved at her, his smile a little blurred in the rain: "You too."
That night, Lin Weixi posted a rain-soaked evening party program in her diary and wrote next to it:
"Sometimes, fate just likes to play such jokes. But perhaps, the unspoken blessing is the most suitable way for us to say goodbye. Just like the unsent bookmark, although I couldn't hand it to him in person, the blessing it represents is real."
She closed her diary. The rain outside the window had stopped. Moonlight shone on the desk. The bookmark that was supposed to be given away now lay quietly in the pen holder, gleaming faintly.
This rainy night, an unexpected interruption made certain things clearer. Some feelings don't necessarily need to be conveyed; some farewells don't necessarily need to be spoken.
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