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墨書 Inktalez
Spring has passed and summer has arrived, time flows gently, and days alternate between joy and sorrow. My good friend Zi Mo successfully gained admission to university.
"Zi Mo, congratulations!"
"Liu Juan, you’re here! Long time no see, I missed you so much," Zi Mo said enthusiastically as she pulled Liu Juan in for a hug.
"I brought you a pen holder. I hope you like it."
"Thank you! It's so exquisite, I love it," Liu Juan exclaimed, admiring the pen holder engraved with the ancient poem by Wang Wei: "Red beans grow in the southern country; when spring arrives, how many branches will bloom? I hope you gather more of these; this is the most sentimental gift."
"I heard you got into university, so I specifically chose this for you."
"You know about it too? I just received the notification yesterday. I didn't expect it to spread so quickly in the village."
"Good news travels fast! Which university did you get into?"
"Nanjing University."
"That's so far away! Now that you're leaving, it will be even more boring for me in the village."
"When school is out, I can still come back to hang out with you."
"I have to go work in the county now; it won't be easy to meet again," Liu Juan said sadly as tears began to fall.
"Why are you crying? Don't cry!" Zi Mo hurriedly wiped away Liu Juan's tears.
"You’re so lucky! I have nothing left—no relationships, no studies," Liu Juan said, breaking down into helpless sobs.
"There will be bread, there will be milk. Don't be so pessimistic!"
"Yeah, there will be," Liu Juan replied as she wiped her tears and spoke to herself.
"Zi Mo! Zi Mo!" two girls called out from outside.
"We're inside! Come on in," Zi Mo said as she stepped outside to greet them.
"Zi Mo, your friends are here. I’ll take my leave now," Liu Juan said, feeling extremely dejected as she watched them interact warmly. She waved goodbye to Zi Mo and walked away.
"I'm looking for you to hang out!" Liu Juan shouted back at her.
"Why are you still hanging out with her?"
"Yeah! You don’t know that she already has a child?" The two girls burst into laughter.
Liu Juan happened to be outside the house, and she could hear everything clearly inside. The sharp and sarcastic mockery felt like a dagger piercing her heart. How she wished she could rush in and shout, "You have never experienced love, what right do you have to comment on me? Do you even know what it feels like to love?" Tears ultimately remained buried deep within her; she just didn't have the courage.
"It's the guy who hurt her; she's already heartbroken," Zi Mo said kindly.
"But relying on her looks to climb the social ladder, she doesn't want to be played with."
"Why are you standing at the door? Aren't you coming in?" a woman asked Liu Juan, who was still standing there.
Liu Juan's face turned red with shame, and she ran out.
"Liu Juan! Liu Juan!" Zi Mo chased after her and grabbed the corner of her clothing.
"Don't listen to them."
"They're not wrong; I'm just a bad girl. You should go back; I don't want to lead you astray," Liu Juan said bitterly. She could only use harsh words to fight for some dignity and respect for herself.
The wind and rain were relentless, and as she ran through the village alleys, she felt countless mocking gazes upon her. Her feelings of shame and inferiority made her want to find a corner to hide in. She longed to leave as soon as possible; in fact, it no longer mattered where she went.
When Zi Mo came looking for her before returning to school, Liu Juan had already left early. "No matter how others see you, I still believe you are a girl who dares to love and hate. I will always be your good friend, and I look forward to hearing from you." Leaving behind a brief note, Zi Mo boarded the train, bidding farewell to her hometown and setting off toward her dreams...
Days and nights passed, time seemed to fly by in an instant. Liu Juan worked as a clerk at a local mine. Life was calm and uneventful until that annual meeting when the Factory Director noticed her. However, appearances mattered, so the union leaders approached her. She merely served as a hostess on stage, yet the Factory Director kept her in mind. Soon after, she was transferred to work as an assistant beside him.
Naive and inexperienced, during a banquet she tried to show her enthusiasm for work by drinking on behalf of the Factory Director. When she woke up from drunkenness, she found herself naked in a hotel room with the Factory Director's hefty body lying beside her, snoring away. A scream escaped her lips as the old man stirred from his slumber.
"Little Liu, what's wrong?" he asked surprisingly calmly.
"You... you're a pervert!"
"Be good; you'll be mine from now on. You'll enjoy all the good things," he said as he pulled her close and pinned her down.
"Let go of me! Let go!"
"Listen, your previous boyfriend dumped you; being with me will bring you benefits," he said while kissing her forcefully. She felt like a docile lamb, caught between shame and hatred, unknowingly accepting her fate as he took possession of her again and again. Once destiny took a turn, there was no turning back; her former innocence became muddied beyond recognition—lost forever, memories became futile.
Dressed in luxury, her heart grew proud; everyone at the factory treated her with flattery—smiles and compliments abounded. "Juan, your outfit looks amazing," "You're living such a precious life!" "How can we compare? They have such great abilities," "Look how handsome he is." Flattery mixed with sarcasm circulated among people; she wasn't angry but rather became addicted to this lifestyle.
The gentle autumn breeze brought sunlight streaming through the window onto the desk where a delicate face with pure eyes was focused on reading. The sound of pages turning was like a melody that beautified the quiet space.
"Zi Mo! It really is you!" a boy gently tapped her arm in surprise.
"Oh, it's you," Zi Mo hesitated for a moment before remembering he was Liu Juan's boyfriend.
"I didn't expect to run into you here."
"Oh!" Zi Mo responded coldly, lowering her head to continue reading.
"Do you really hate me?" The boy felt a bit dejected after being ignored and silently walked away.
"Hey, wait a minute."
They walked out of the library together.
"Do you remember Liu Juan? She was pregnant with your child but you abandoned her," Zi Mo said coldly.
"I didn't expect you to know that."
"Hmph, I guess the whole school probably knew about it back then."
"If you see her, please apologize to her for me."
"An apology won't restore her reputation or fix the mess you've made."
"After that incident, my parents kept a close watch on me, and I focused all my energy on studying."
"If you go back, you should at least clarify your relationship with her in person."
"Yeah, I will."
Zi Mo hugged her book and walked away.
"I'm in Class Four of the Biology Department; if you need help, just find me!" he shouted at her back.
After starting college, Zi Mo let down her once high ponytail, allowing her long straight hair to flow freely. This change made Duan Hongfei momentarily unable to recognize her. She had become more refined and intellectual. He stood there in a daze.
He found himself visiting the library more often, likely hoping to run into Zi Mo. Initially, their conversations were quite formal, but over time they began to chat more comfortably. The once unstudious Duan Hongfei had now become quite knowledgeable, which surprised her.
"Let's go home together for summer vacation."
"Sure!"
"I'll help you book the tickets."
Seeing that Zi Mo remained silent, Duan Hongfei added, "No need to be polite with me; we're both from the same hometown."
"Okay, thank you then."
When Duan Hongfei looked at Zi Mo, his eyes sparkled with admiration and affection. He didn't know when it started, but he felt nervous around girls while wanting to express himself to catch her attention. He secretly regretted his past. Her coldness gradually faded, giving him an invisible boost of confidence.
She had a slender figure, and the pink wavy dress made her look even more beautiful. Her petite stature evoked a sense of protectiveness in him. Once he developed feelings, there was no turning back. During his free time, he began to frequent the mall, carefully selecting gifts: a music box, a book titled "Water Under Time," and even a guitar. He knew these were all things she liked, but he still lacked the courage to give them to her. Young love was like colorful bubbles, enchanting and romantic. He looked forward to the winter break, planning to be more proactive, to step into her home and into her life.
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