The final test
In the last week of August, the day of university registration was drawing near. Lin Weixi's suitcase was spread out on the ground, with her newly purchased daily necessities neatly placed inside. When she put the pair of white canvas shoes she had prepared for a long time into the suitcase, her fingers lingered on the shoelaces for a long time - these shoes were very similar to the pair Chen Wang often wore.
A message suddenly popped up in the class group: Zhou Xu organized a farewell dinner at the hot pot restaurant behind the school. Lin Weixi stared at the message for a long time, until the screen went dark and then lighted up again. The last reply was from Chen Wang: "Be on time."
It was drizzling on the day of the dinner. Lin Weixi wore her newly bought dress, a light blue color, like the autumn sky when they first met. She arrived at the hot pot restaurant half an hour early and chose a seat by the window so that she could see everyone who came in clearly.
Chen Wang was the last to arrive. When he pushed the door open, he brought in a cool breeze of wind and rain. He was wearing a simple white T-shirt, and his hair was wet from the rain. When he saw Lin Weixi, he was slightly stunned, and then he showed a familiar smile.
"Long time no see." he said.
The hot pot meal was lively yet sentimental. The students toasted each other with drinks and promised to "keep in touch." Lin Weixi carefully observed Chen Wang, noting that he had lost some weight since graduation, but his eyes were still bright.
"Chen Wang, I heard that you are going to City A tomorrow?" Zhou Xu asked.
"Well, go a few days early to familiarize yourself with the environment." He replied, his eyes inadvertently sweeping over Lin Weixi.
When everyone started discussing buying tickets, Lin Weixi pretended to ask casually: "Chen Wang, which train did you buy?"
"G1234, the nine o'clock shift in the morning." He answered naturally.
Lin Weixi quietly wrote down the bus number, her heart beating faster. She bought the same bus, but with different destinations - one to get off in City A, the other to continue to City B.
After dinner, the rain had stopped. The classmates said goodbye at the entrance of the hot pot restaurant and dispersed in twos and threes. Lin Weixi deliberately packed her bag slowly and waited for Chen Wang. He was talking to Zhou Xu, but his eyes drifted towards her from time to time.
"Let me take you home." After the last few classmates left, Chen Wang walked over and said.
Lin Weixi nodded, feeling her palms sweating slightly.
The streets at night were washed brightly by the rain, and the street lights cast swaying reflections in the puddles. They walked side by side, keeping just the right distance. Lin Weixi's skirt occasionally brushed against his trouser legs, like a butterfly gently skimming across the water.
"I heard that the autumn in City B is very beautiful." Chen Wang said suddenly.
"Have you been there?"
"No, I saw it in a travel magazine." He smiled. "You should be able to take a lot of good photos."
This sentence gave Lin Weixi the courage: "Actually...I also bought the G1234 train for tomorrow."
Chen Wang stopped and looked at her in surprise: "What a coincidence?"
They continued walking, no one speaking. But as they passed the last traffic light, Chen Wang whispered, "See you at the station tomorrow."
This simple agreement kept Lin Weixi awake all night. She checked her luggage repeatedly, and finally took out the box containing the photo album and put it back. In the end, she only left a bookmark in her bag - it was a graduation gift from Chen Wang.
The next day, the train station was packed with people. Lin Weixi searched for that familiar figure in the waiting room and finally saw him behind a pillar. Chen Wang was looking down at his phone, with a black suitcase at his feet.
She took a deep breath and walked over: "What a coincidence."
He raised his head, his eyes brightening: "Good morning."
When they checked in, the crowd was thick. Chen Wang naturally helped her carry the suitcase: "Let me help you."
"Thank you." Lin Weixi said softly, feeling her heart beating so fast that it seemed like it was about to jump out.
In the carriage, their seats were several rows apart. Lin Weixi pretended to read, but her eyes kept drifting forward. Chen Wang wore headphones and looked out the window at the passing scenery. A few times, he turned around and met her gaze, and they both quickly looked away.
The train announcement sounded: "Next stop, City A."
Chen Wang started packing his luggage. When he dragged his suitcase past Lin Weixi, he stopped and said, "I'm here."
"Bon voyage," she said, her fingers clutching the bookmark.
He nodded and continued walking. But at the junction of the carriages, he suddenly turned back and quickly wrote a line in her notebook: "Keep in touch."
When the train started again, Lin Weixi opened her notebook. The words were written in a bold and powerful style, the ink not yet completely dry. She carefully tore off the page and tucked it into the photo album she carried with her.
Outside the window, the platform of City A gradually receded into the distance. She stared in that direction until it became a tiny dot and disappeared from her sight.
It was evening when they arrived in City B. When they walked out of the station, the sunset was just right. Lin Weixi turned on her phone and saw that the class group was full of messages reporting safety. She hesitated for a moment and sent a private message to Chen Wang: "Are you there yet?"
The few minutes she waited for a reply felt like a lifetime. When her phone finally chimed, she could hardly look at it.
"We're here. How's the weather in City B?"
She looked up at the sky and said, "The sunset is beautiful, just like the day of our graduation party."
This time, the reply came quickly: "Remember to take more photos."
Lin Weixi put down her phone, and a slight smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. This temptation had a response, although it was slight, but it was enough to give her the courage to move on.
She opened the photo album and added a line of small words on the page where Chen Wang had written: "It turns out that farewell is not the end, but another beginning."
As night fell, the lights of City B lit up one after another. Lin Weixi stood on the unfamiliar street, but felt her heart filled with courage. Because in this strange city, there was someone she was familiar with, in another place, looking at the same sky with her.
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