Chapter 19
At nine o'clock in the evening, it was completely dark and the music festival was coming to an end. Song Qiuxuan and Cheng Xun left early and agreed to go to the night market street. Neither of them had eaten dinner.
Walking under the city's neon lights, Song Qiuxuan looked at the figures side by side on the ground and recalled the sudden downpour on the first day of school. At that time, she could only share Cheng Xun's umbrella. Because of their unfamiliar relationship, she kept her distance from him, but he noticed her half-soaked hand and reminded her to come closer. Beneath Cheng Xun's seemingly cold and aloof exterior lay a delicate heart.
"Cheng Xun, thank you. I'm really happy today." Song Qiuxuan stared at the ground, having gathered her emotions for a long time, and finally mustered up her courage to express her truest feelings.
Cheng Xun paused for a moment, then turned his head to look at Song Qiuxuan's dark head and said, "Me too. If it were someone else, I definitely wouldn't be this happy."
Cheng Xun is sometimes so straightforward and frank, as if he doesn't shy away from any of his feelings. This is something Song Qiuxuan came to know after getting to know him better. When they first met, he was quite reserved.
Even after they became familiar with each other, Cheng Xun wouldn't confide too much in her. For example, Song Qiuxuan knew very little about his family, and almost all of what she learned came from other people.
Cheng Xun seems to hate it when people ask about her family. When others talk about their family, they can talk endlessly about how they restrict their diet, forbidding them from eating junk food or drinking too much milk tea, what their academic requirements are, requiring them to be among the top students in their grade, what rewards they receive for achieving good grades, how their younger siblings are naughty and annoying, and so on. In short, they can talk a lot about this topic.
Everyone knows that Cheng Xun has an exceptionally talented older brother, and they all ask him about his brother: what his personality is like, whether he has any study methods that can be learned from, whether he still has his notes, and whether there is a chance to take a look at them. Cheng Xun remains silent on these kinds of questions.
Song Qiuxuan blushed slightly and changed the subject: "Did you see the report card that was sent out the night before last?"
"I saw it, I know you came in second." Cheng Xun smiled slightly, seemingly genuinely happy for her.
His tone was very similar to Song Qiuxuan's. Song Qiuxuan felt embarrassed and quickly waved her hand, then pursed her lips and said, "I've also been paying attention to your grades and I've seen that you've improved."
As she spoke, Song Qiuxuan gave a thumbs up, then suddenly stopped and rummaged through her bag. "Wait a minute."
Cheng Xun stopped with Song Qiuxuan, his gaze following her. They stopped by a lake, where shimmering waves danced on the surface, reflecting the moon.
Song Qiuxuan coughed lightly, took out the hat and handed it to Cheng Xun: "I bought it at the scenic spot, Cheng Xun, it's for you."
She swallowed awkwardly, trying to remain calm and say in a normal tone, "Your grades have improved, so this is a reward for that."
Cheng Xun's gaze lingered on the hat, a hint of bewilderment in his eyes. Under the streetlights, his shadow stretched long, and his eyelashes trembled slightly. Cheng Xun couldn't quite describe his feelings—a mixture of surprise and delight, but mostly disbelief.
Actually, Song Qiuxuan was already somewhat pleasantly surprised by his grades, and he never expected to receive a gift.
Cheng Xun always knew that no one cared about him. His family wouldn't ask about or care about his monthly exam results. Perhaps it would be like this for all three years of high school. He had disappointed them, utterly disappointed them. Cheng Xun knew that this was the result of his pettiness. He couldn't stand their comparisons of him and his brother, and he couldn't stand their constant pressure and educational methods.
From the beginning of his school years until the first year of junior high, Cheng Xun used Cheng Ting as his benchmark because Cheng Ting's grades were too outstanding. He never received any rewards or praise for his academic progress, because no matter how much he improved, he could never catch up with Cheng Ting. It was quite pathetic; he was really stupid.
A thorn had been lingering in his heart for a long time, pricking him from time to time. But in this instant, it mysteriously disappeared. He made peace with himself and no longer wanted to wallow in self-pity just to disobey them or to spite them.
Cheng Xun stood in front of Song Qiuxuan, his eyes lowered in silence for a long while. The emotions in his eyes froze and then dissipated, finally revealing a smile. His fingers, which were hanging by his side, twitched. He raised his hand and took the hat from her as if holding a precious treasure.
"Song Qiuxuan, thank you," Cheng Xun said in a low, deep voice, very earnestly.
Song Qiuxuan's hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, paused. A night breeze blew by, bringing a chill. She curled her fingers and withdrew her hand. Perhaps it was Cheng Xun's expression and tone, but she inexplicably had the illusion that she was performing a solemn handover ceremony.
Song Qiuxuan smiled and said, "I look forward to your even greater progress next time." She hoped they could both get into the top class and continue their friendship.
Song Qiuxuan belatedly realized that she had unintentionally put pressure on Cheng Xun. She waved her hand hastily, her voice a little anxious: "I don't mean you have to improve next time. Just follow your own learning pace."
Cheng Xun was immersed in a joyful and restless mood. He gripped the brim of his hat with his right hand, patted his side casually, and looked at the girl in front of him with deep eyes. He said slowly and deliberately, "Can I go to the library with you in the future?"
Song Qiuxuan's gaze, which had been fixed on the lake, shifted to Cheng Xun's face. Cheng Xun was in a daze; the city's neon lights made her feel dizzy, and the passersby appeared as blurry images.
Song Qiuxuan's lips moved; she wanted to ask why, but she swallowed the question back, just as Cheng Xun had no doubt that he wasn't the only one among her classmates who had improved his grades, so why she specifically rewarded him.
This is a subtle, unspoken feeling that exists during their student days. They vaguely sensed it, but didn't have the courage to verify it. So they let it be, allowing it to develop naturally, and perhaps the secret will be revealed someday in the future.
"Okay, it's a deal then. Don't give up after just two days." Song Qiuxuan's words drifted away on the wind.
Cheng Xun said childishly, "Only dogs lie."
The two continued walking towards the night market. Song Qiuxuan pointed to her hat and said, "I don't know if you like it or not."
Cheng Xun raised her hand to examine the hat, and said in a light and straightforward tone, "I like it very much."
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Xun's phone vibrated. He took out his phone, which was ringing at a very inopportune time, from his pocket with a bit of annoyance. He saw that it was Cheng Ting calling.
Cheng Xun didn't know why he was calling at this hour. After answering, she held the phone to her ear and said calmly, "What is it?"
"Where are you right now?" Cheng Ting asked loudly. "An internet cafe?"
Cheng Xun glanced at Song Qiuxuan, who looked restrained, as if she didn't want to eavesdrop but couldn't help but overhear. Cheng Xun coughed lightly, "No, don't make it sound like I only go to internet cafes."
Cheng Ting knew that Cheng Xun would only stay overnight at internet cafes, so he meant that he would come home tonight. Therefore, Cheng Ting stated the purpose of the call directly: "I want to eat a late-night snack. When you come back, pack some food for me, preferably barbecue. For drinks, buy me a cup of milk tea. As for Aying, she wants to eat egg waffles and mung bean ice."
Cheng Xun hesitated for a moment, "I'm going to eat out with my classmates first, so we'll probably be back a little later. You might have to wait a while."
Cheng Ting didn't quite trust Cheng Xun, wondering if they would wait until midnight. She frowned, then came up with a foolproof plan: "What classmate? Can't you just bring some back to eat together?"
Cheng Xun wanted to say no, but the next second Cheng Ting made a decision on her own: "Alright, that's settled then, I'll hang up now."
After hanging up the phone, Cheng Xun gripped his phone tightly, speechless and a little annoyed. He turned to look at Song Qiuxuan, hesitant to speak.
After listening to the conversation, Song Qiuxuan pondered for a few seconds and said, "Then let's go to the night market and each pack some to take home?"
Cheng Xun said nonchalantly, "Don't worry about it, just let him wait."
As you walk into the night market, the lively atmosphere fills your ears. The sizzling sound of barbecue stalls is irresistible, and the aroma of food is enticing. Heat spreads through the air, and bottles of liquor clink together under the makeshift canopy. At several tables, people are chatting animatedly.
"Cheng Xun".
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Cheng Xun subconsciously hummed in agreement. He looked down at Song Qiuxuan and noticed that her lips, lightly rouged with lipstick, were tightly pursed, and her expression was serious, as if she were caught in some kind of dilemma.
Song Qiuxuan said, "How about we do as we discussed on the phone and have it packed and brought to your house to eat?"
Cheng Xun's eyes dimmed, but only for a second before returning to their calm state. He knew she had been thinking about this the whole way. Was this really something to be bothered about? Why couldn't she be like him, carefree and self-centered, always putting other people's thoughts first? Perhaps it was because he didn't consider other people's feelings that he was so disliked.
"Alright then." Cheng Xun appeared to be open to any arrangement, and as if anticipating that Song Qiuxuan might feel awkward, he reassured her, "Don't worry, my parents aren't home."
After strolling around the night market for half an hour, Cheng Xun was carrying a large bag of barbecue and Cheng Ying's egg waffles and mung bean ice. There was a milk tea shop a hundred meters ahead.
"I'm going to buy milk tea for my brother. What do you want to drink?" Before Song Qiuxuan could answer, Cheng Xun raised an eyebrow, a sly glint in his eyes. "Let me guess, is it taro mochi milk tea?"
Song Qiuxuan said half-jokingly, "You really know me."
Song Qiuxuan was still standing outside the shop waiting for him, watching the bustling crowd in the night market, which flowed slowly like a small river.
Five minutes later, Cheng Xun lifted the transparent curtain and came out. "This shop doesn't have taro mochi milk tea. I know there's another milk tea shop on another street, just a few hundred meters away. Wait here for me for a while, I'll go check it out."
Song Qiuxuan shook her head, indicating that it was fine, "If this shop doesn't have it, then I'll drink it next time."
"It's alright, I can walk quickly, it won't take long to go back and forth." Cheng Xun handed the bag to Song Qiuxuan, "You take it first."
Song Qiuxuan took the bag blankly, her expression slightly dazed. It wasn't that she thought the wait was too long, but she just didn't want to trouble Cheng Xun. However, Cheng Xun didn't seem to realize this.
Song Qiuxuan watched Cheng Xun's back as she blended into the crowd. That splash of white was so striking, her short, jet-black hair swaying gently with her body, the hem of her clothes fluttering.
The wind blew Song Qiuxuan's hair all over her face, but she remained quiet and still, her head turned to look.
She secretly hoped that things would continue like this, and that no one would change anything.
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