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When the Cicadas Sing Again
墨書 Inktalez
Cicada chirping It's happening again.
Zero
She stopped in her tracks, gazing at that familiar house. The sound of trickling water entered her ears, bringing back distant memories of that summer.
Jiang Qian took out half a watermelon from the refrigerator. She sat on a cool mat on the floor, eating the watermelon with a metal spoon while enjoying the breeze from the old electric fan. An old TV played a TV series that had been repeated many times, but Jiang Qian still watched it with relish.
Since she was young, Jiang Qian has been living with her grandparents in her hometown as a left-behind child. Every summer and winter vacation is the time she looks forward to the most, because she can live with her parents for a while. But not this year, because this year, Jiang Qian is in her second year of high school. As a soon-to-be high school senior, her parents ordered her to study hard and prepare for the college entrance examination in her hometown.
However, in such a hot and beautiful summer, how can she sit at her desk and study without a moment's peace? After finishing the watermelon, Jiang Qian lay down on the cool mat. She closed her eyes, listening to the commercials on TV, the whirring of the electric fan, and the chirping of cicadas outside the window.
"It's like going back to childhood. It's been so many years since I experienced the summers of my hometown," she thought.
As she lay there, Jiang Qian fell asleep, and in her dream, everything was blurry and illogical, with only the vibrant colors of decaying flowers echoing in her mind.
When she woke up, she realized that the weather had changed. The strong wind was howling, making the open windows rattle. "It's going to rain heavily! I need to hurry and bring in the laundry!" Jiang Qian exclaimed.
She rushed into the yard like a released arrow and quickly collected the clothes hanging in the yard. Just as she stepped into the doorway, a heavy rain poured down. The whole world seemed to have gone crazy, and the tall trees were bent and twisted by the downpour.
Jiang Qian threw the clothes onto the bamboo mat. She stood at the doorway, quietly watching and feeling the howling of the wind, the heavy rain "pitter-pattering" onto the ground, splashing up one string of water droplets after another.
Summer rain comes and goes quickly. After a while, a faint rainbow rose in the sky. Jiang Qian looked at the faint rainbow, as if it would disappear in the next second, and breathed in the fresh air with the scent of grass and earth, feeling a sudden sense of joy in her heart.
"I really wish I could have summer vacation forever! I just love summer so much!" she thought silently.
2
Jiang Qian spent her summer vacation lazily and leisurely like this. The days were peaceful, but occasionally a bit boring. Then one day,
Jiang Qian was playing with the little black dog at home when she suddenly heard a knocking at the door. She hurried to open it and saw her childhood friend Li Rou standing there. Li Rou was holding a volleyball and said with a smile, "Let's go play volleyball! I've been so bored staying at home all by myself every day. I half-believed my grandma when she said you were spending the summer vacation in our hometown, but now I see she was right!" Jiang Qian also became happy and, after informing her grandparents, she left the house with Li Rou.
They walked under the shade of the trees, avoiding the sun that seemed to melt everything. The sky was very blue, with a few clouds hanging, very white, like sweet cotton candy.
As they walked, they came to a villa. It was a luxurious and beautiful house. The villa had been standing here for many years, but they had never seen anyone living inside.
"Let's play ball here!" Li Rou stood in the shadow of the villa. "The sun can't reach here, it's not so hot."
"Okay!" Jiang Qian responded with a nod. The match began. Li Rou put all her effort into hitting the ball, and Jiang Qian positioned herself, bumping the ball with both hands before fiercely passing it back. They continued playing volleyball back and forth until the ball "popped" and landed in the small courtyard of the villa. They looked at each other, stunned for a few seconds. "You go get it!" Li Rou reacted and shouted at Jiang Qian.
"Don't, don't, you go pick it up," Jiang Qian retorted.
"Okay, how about rock-paper-scissors, loser goes to pick it up," Li Rou suggested.
"Alright, that's the only way."
"Rock, paper, scissors!" they shouted in unison.
"Yay, I won!" Li Rou exclaimed happily, jumping three feet high.
Jiang Qian hung her head and walked slowly to the door. "Will anyone be there? What bad luck, I lost at rock, paper, scissors," she silently complained to herself. Little did she realize at that time, she had just experienced the most unique game of rock, paper, scissors in her life.
Jiang Qian thought the door would be locked, and she was prepared to climb over the wall. However, the door was actually slightly ajar. Jiang Qian gently pushed the door open and asked cautiously, "Is anyone there?" There was no response. Only the flowers in the courtyard remained silent, with ivy climbing the walls and swaying gently in the breeze. Jiang Qian tiptoed inside, bent down to pick up the ball, and suddenly, there was a person standing in front of her. Jiang Qian was so scared that she screamed and fell to the ground.
"Who are you? Why did you come into my house?" asked a strange and cold voice.
Jiang Qian looked up at him. But with the light against her, she couldn't see his appearance clearly.
She stood up and brushed off the dust on her body. It was only then that she could see the person in front of her:
"I came in to pick up the ball, I didn't know someone lived here. Sorry for the disturbance," Jiang Qian lowered her head and apologized sincerely while holding the volleyball.
"Okay," the boy replied with just that word before turning and going back into the house. Jiang Qian had no choice but to quickly run out with the volleyball.
For the rest of the day, Jiang Qian couldn't stop thinking about who that boy was.
Three
Curiosity killed the cat, but it can also make a person who doesn't like to go out act out of character. In order to solve the questions lingering in her mind, Jiang Qian spent several days circling around the villa, but she never saw the young man leave.
Until this evening, the door suddenly opened, and a middle-aged aunt walked out from inside. She had her hair in a bun, wearing a long dress, and a pair of glasses on her face couldn't hide her kind smile.
"Miss, would you like to come in for a glass of orange juice?" she asked with a smile, even every wrinkle on her face exuded kindness.
Jiang Qian blushed, she didn't know that her behavior these days had been seen by others. She wanted to refuse, but thinking about her waiting in vain these days, Jiang Qian agreed.
She followed the middle-aged aunt into the courtyard. The courtyard looked the same as last time, with flowers everywhere, green vines entwined, and a faint floral scent in the air.
The aunt continued talking to her: "My last name is Gao, you can just call me Aunt Gao. I wasn't intentionally observing you, I just thought that you and Ji Lang are about the same age, so you can chat with him and keep him from always staying in his room. By the way, what's your name, young lady?"
"Oh, Aunt Gao, my name is Jiang Qian," Jiang Qian replied while pondering, "Ji Lang? Is that the name of a boy?"
They walked through the courtyard and into the house. The interior of the house, however, was not as modern as its exterior, but rather very quaint. Wooden floors, wooden tables and chairs, each table adorned with a bouquet of flowers.
"Sit at the table, Aunt will bring you some orange juice. Just wait a moment, Auntie," Aunt Gao said softly, then went to the kitchen to get the orange juice.
Jiang Qian nodded with a smile. She looked around and suddenly saw the boy she had seen last time sitting by the French window reading a book.
The young man sat with a thick book in his hands. His nose was high, and he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, with a calm expression. The orange-red sunlight of a summer evening shone through the glass window, casting a hazy and blurry glow on Ji Lang's face. Many years later, whenever Jiang Qian recalled this scene, the sunlight of that day seemed to turn into a gentle breeze, crossing the distance of time and space, and entering her heart. Aunt Gao approached with two glasses of juice, saying, "Here, have a glass of orange juice. These are all made by our family." She handed a glass of orange juice to Jiang Qian.
Jiang Qian quickly took it over: "Thank you, Aunt Gao."
"Ji Lang, this cup is for you. Take a break, have some orange juice first and then continue reading," Aunt Gao handed Ji Lang another cup.
Ji Lang put down the book, reached out and took the orange juice. He lifted the cup slightly, took a sip, and then put the cup aside.
Aunt Gao said, "You two are of similar age, you must have a lot to talk about. I won't disturb you here. Have a good chat." She turned and went to the kitchen. Almost at the same time, Ji Lang continued reading the book. Jiang Qian felt a bit awkward; she had never been good at interacting with others. She lowered her head, enduring the suffocating silence.
She racked her brains, constantly calculating in her mind what topic to bring up. Just then, she caught sight of Ji Lang reading a book, which happened to be "Brothers" by Yu Hua. Coincidentally, Jiang Qian had also read this book.
It's like finding something without searching when you've worn out your iron shoes. The topic has presented itself.
"Um, do you also like this book?" Jiang Qian leaned in next to Ji Lang and asked cautiously.
Ji Lang raised his head and glanced at Jiang Qian. Then his gaze fell back onto the book: "Hmm."
Jiang Qian became interested: "We're the same! When I was reading the first half, I was literally crying while reading, the pages were almost getting wet..."
Jiang Qian kept talking non-stop, but Ji Lang seemed as if he hadn't heard anything, just continued reading.
Jiang Qian and Ji Lang remained silent and the atmosphere became tense.
Jiang Qian waited for a while with a stiff expression.
Later, she couldn't bear it anymore and went to the kitchen to find Aunt Gao: "Aunt Gao, thank you for your hospitality today. The juice was delicious, but I've been out for a while, so I'll head home now."
"Are we leaving now?" Aunt Gao hurriedly wiped the water off her hands. " Xiao Qian, Aunt Gao wants to ask you for a favor. Can you wait for me? Let's talk while we walk, okay?" Jiang Qian was a bit puzzled, but still agreed. They walked side by side as Aunt Gao began to speak. "As you can see, Ji Lang comes from a wealthy family. I have been taking care of him and his family since he was one year old."
"The three of them used to live a very happy life! But, his parents passed away in a car accident."
"He didn't want to live with his relatives and insisted on living on his own. So I stayed behind to continue taking care of him. Since then, he has become more and more silent."
"This summer vacation when he came to the countryside, he unexpectedly met you. So, Aunt Gao wants to ask you to come and play more, to bring him out more. I hope that with your help, he can come out of his shell." Aunt Gao finally finished speaking.
Jiang Qian felt nervous: "But I'm afraid I can't do it. I'm not good at interacting with others."
"It's okay," Aunt Gao said sincerely, "as long as you can chat with him and play with him, that's enough."
Jiang Can agreed. After listening to Aunt Gao's words, she truly felt that Ji Lang was very pitiful. "I should get along well with Ji Lang," Jiang Qian told herself.
From that day on, Jiang Qian almost went to Ji Lang's house to visit every day. Sometimes he would bring some peaches and tomatoes grown by his grandfather to Aunt Gao and them to eat. At first, Ji Lang remained silent, even when Jiang Qian was next to him, he acted as if Jiang Qian did not exist. He immersed himself in his own sadness, refusing anyone who wanted to enter his world.
Until that one time, Aunt Gao had to return to her hometown temporarily for something. Aunt Gao had already known Jiang Qian's grandparents, so she asked Jiang Qian's family to take care of Ji Lang.
Grandpa and Grandma readily agreed. They asked Jiang Qian to bring Ji Lang to their house for meals, and then send Ji Lang back home after eating. Although Ji Lang spoke little, he was still a polite child.
His polite and courteous manner has won the hearts of the Jiang family's grandparents. They often praise him and encourage Jiang Qian to learn from him. After dinner, Jiang Qian was instructed by the grandparents to escort Ji Lang home. As they gazed at the brilliant sunset, Jiang Qian couldn't help but exclaim, "The sunset is so beautiful! I remember in elementary school, I spent an hour observing the process of the sunset just to write an essay about it!" Jiang Qian thought these words would be ignored as usual, but to his surprise, this time Ji Lang responded earnestly, "I have done that too."
His voice is very clear and pure, like a spring. Jiang Qian was a little excited, and she happily said a lot of things, and Ji Lang replied to her seriously. From that day on, Ji Lang no longer rejected contact with Jiang Qian, and their relationship became much closer. On summer afternoons, they often read, watch TV, or do nothing together, just chatting the whole afternoon. Gradually, Jiang Qian discovered that Ji Lang was not really a "cool male god" at all, but just a peer with a bit of arrogance. He didn't talk much, but every time he teased Jiang Qian, it was very accurate, and Jiang Qian couldn't think of anything to retort, just rolling her eyes constantly.
Aunt Gao will be back soon. Ji Lang no longer needs to go to Jiang Qian's house for dinner every day, but they still meet almost every day. There is a bicycle in Jiang Qian's house, which she usually rides to school. Ji Lang also has one. One evening, Jiang Qian appeared at Ji Lang's door riding her bicycle. " Ji Lang, let's go for a ride together on our bicycles!" Jiang Qian said, her eyes sparkling.
Ji Lang nodded and pushed out his own bicycle. They rode side by side on the country road. The scorching heat of summer had long dissipated, and the gentle breeze blew. Jiang Qian felt relaxed and lighthearted.
"Do you want to play something fun?" Jiang Qian looked at Ji Lang and blinked.
Ji Lang agreed. Jiang Qian took him to a high slope: "Let's ride down from this slope! I used to do this a lot when I was a kid, it's so much fun."
Ji Lang looked at Jiang Qian with a speechless expression, but still followed along. Jiang Qian was the first to charge down the slope: "Let's go chase the sun!"
The strong wind blew against Jiang Qian as she looked at the round sun about to set, like a yolk. "Is it fun?" Jiang Qian turned back and shouted to Ji Lang who was falling behind.
She smiled and turned back, but suddenly a small bug flew into her right eye. "My eye!" She raised a hand to rub her eye, but bumped into a rock and fell to the ground.
"How are you? Are you okay?" Following closely behind, Ji Lang quickly got out of the car and rushed over to help Jiang Qian. Jiang Qian sat on the ground, covered in dust, still rubbing his eyes. "A bug got into my eye," Jiang Qian said, shedding many tears.
"Don't rub, let me blow on it for you." Ji Lang squatted in front of Jiang Qian, taking her hand away from her eyes. He gently opened Jiang Qian's right eye, then pouted slightly and blew air towards her eye.
They had never been this close before. "Feeling better?" Ji Lang asked.
The sun had completely set, and the surroundings were dimly lit. In the faint light that remained, Jiang Qian stared blankly at the young man in front of her. Ji Lang furrowed his brow slightly, tightly closed his lips, and his eyes were filled with an anxious and worried expression that even his glasses couldn't hide.
Jiang Qian's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She wanted to avoid Ji Lang to prevent him from hearing her "thump thump" heartbeat. "No, it's nothing," she replied, struggling to stand up.
It was then that she noticed a large scrape on her knee.
On the way back, Jiang Qian limped along. Ji Lang wanted to support her, but Jiang Qian avoided him. She didn't know how to face the strange feelings in her heart, and her first reaction was to keep her distance.
After that day, Jiang Qian didn't go to see Ji Lang for several days. She understood why her feelings had changed and realized that her feelings for Ji Lang were no longer just friendship.
But how could she, an average-looking girl from an ordinary family with no presence in the class, be worthy of Ji Lang, who was so outstanding and good-looking? She decided to slowly distance herself, thinking that to Ji Lang, she might not even count as a friend. She felt a bit sad, but remained firm in her decision.
However, Ji Lang came by himself. He brought band-aids and some ointment, and quietly arrived at Jiang Qian's house on an early morning before dawn. When Jiang Qian woke up, she saw Ji Lang standing by her bed.
"You came? " Jiang Qian felt a "thud" in her heart and sat up abruptly, subconsciously wrapping the thin blanket around her.
"You haven't contacted me recently, and I was worried about you. That's why I came to check on you." Ji Lang handed her some ointment, saying, "Use this ointment, it's very effective for removing scars."
She didn't dare look into Ji Lang's eyes, keeping her head down and her eyes lowered, reaching out to take the ointment. She reached for a long time but couldn't get it. "Silly." Ji Lang laughed and scolded her softly, grabbing her hand and stuffing the ointment into it.
"You're the fool!" Jiang Qian retorted, raising his head suddenly.
"I'm not the fool. Who falls off a bike and gets themselves hurt like this?" Ji Lang didn't hold back.
"You're the fool, you're the fool!" Jiang Qian said, reaching out to hit Ji Lang.
Ji Lang smiled and dodged, saying, "Are you coming to my place today to read? I've bought a lot of new books, you can come and pick some."
Jiang Qian pondered for a long time, but eventually agreed. She warned herself not to have any improper thoughts, and that being ordinary friends was already good enough.
Their relationship returned to normal. In the remaining days, they got to know each other better, even becoming familiar with each other's eating preferences.
One afternoon, they watched a movie together as usual. As they watched, Ji Lang fell asleep on the sofa. Gazing at his peaceful sleeping face, Jiang Qian suddenly noticed how thick and long Ji Lang's eyelashes were.
"Why not play a little prank," Jiang Qian thought, coming up with something fun. She took a brown highlighter and carefully drew a big smiley face on Ji Lang's face.
"Hehe, serves you right for calling me dumb every day," Jiang Qian thought smugly. She admired her "masterpiece" for a while, gradually feeling sleepy herself, and unconsciously fell asleep on the sofa too.
I don't know how long it has been, she woke up and found herself covered with a thin blanket. Ji Lang was already awake, quietly reading on the side. The fluorescent marks on his face had disappeared. Jiang Qian, still groggy, smiled foolishly at Ji Lang.
"Fool, did you think I didn't know what bad things you did?" Ji Lang rolled up the book in his hand and scolded, "Smack" hitting Jiang Qian on the head.
Jiang Qian covered her head, still giggling. From that day on, Jiang Qian began her career of drawing on Ji Lang.
Whether it's drawing a flower on his face or using a pink highlighter to paint his nails, Ji Lang accepts it all without complaint. He never resists, only quietly washes it off after Jiang Qian finishes. They did a lot of things together: running in the rain, bathing a little black dog, cooking and researching dishes together, and watching the stars in the sky at night. Sometimes they would also go to the small supermarket on the street together. Each time, Jiang Qian would walk ahead to pick out items, and Ji Lang would push the shopping cart behind. Whenever this happened, Jiang Qian always felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction and tranquility.
Middle-aged worries are as strong as wine, while young girl's worries always turn into poetry. Jiang Qian always silently thinks, let's just continue to live calmly like this! If time could stand still, she would be willing to stay in this summer forever.
But this calm life quickly came to an end. After that volleyball game, Li Rou didn't play with Jiang Qian for a long time.
On this day, Jiang Qian was watering the flowers with Ji Lang when Li Rou pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard, asking, "Is Jiang Qian here?" Jiang Qian was surprised and asked, "Li Rou? How come you're here?" She put down the watering can and welcomed Li Rou in. "I came to find you to play. Your grandmother said you were here, so I came to find you," Li Rou replied with a smile.
"Let me introduce you," Jiang Qian took Li Rou's hand and brought her in front of Ji Lang, "This is my childhood friend Li Rou."
"Hello, I saw you and Jiang Qian riding bikes on the road before," Li Rou smiled.
"Hello," Ji Lang replied, but did not stop watering the plants.
From that day on, the two people became three. However, the friendship among the three always felt crowded. Jiang Qian gradually noticed that Ji Lang was always particularly gentlemanly and polite when facing Li Rou, completely unlike his sarcastic and arrogant attitude towards her. And Li Rou looked at Ji Lang with tender affection in her eyes.
Jiang Qian spoke less and less. She thought, Li Rou is so pretty and lively, Ji Lang probably likes her a lot. She watched the two of them talking and suddenly felt that they were so well-matched.
Li Rou soon told Jiang Qian her feelings. She said she liked Ji Lang a lot and hoped Jiang Qian could help her matchmake.
Jiang Qian began to avoid them. No matter what they invited her to do, she would find excuses to evade them. Jiang Qian was surprised to find that her possessiveness towards Ji Lang was so strong. "What right do I have to be possessive of Ji Lang?" she thought sadly, her heart filled with sorrow.
After a few days, Ji Lang still came to find her. When he arrived, Jiang Qian was watching TV. He stood beside her, frowning slightly as he watched her. Jiang Qian caught a glimpse of Ji Lang from the corner of her eye, her heart pounding hard, but she continued to watch TV, ignoring him.
They stood there in a stalemate for a while. Finally, Ji Lang spoke up, "Are you angry?"
"No," Jiang Qian replied stubbornly, still staring at the TV.
"Then what's been going on with you lately? Are you avoiding me?" Ji Lang reached out and gently touched Jiang Qian's head.
Jiang Qian avoided without a word. "What's wrong? I'm really worried about you when you act like this," Ji Lang said anxiously, standing in front of Jiang Qian and then squatting down to look into her eyes.
Jiang Qian and Ji Lang locked eyes, but she remained silent, frowning and glaring at him. Ji Lang looked full of grievances. They continued to stare at each other for a while.
Ji Lang seemed to be in despair. He stood up and said sadly, "When Aunt Gao and I arrived here, my heart was filled with despair. It's as if my parents' departure took my soul with them. Except for Aunt Gao, I resist anyone who tries to get close to me."
"So, at first, I had a very, very bad attitude towards you. But you have always been by my side. Gradually, I was moved by you. We got along so well, I thought we could always be there for each other. Thank you for helping me out of the shadow."
Ji Lang turned and left. Jiang Qian maintained the posture of watching TV, and her heart gradually softened. But she was so self-deprecating, so twisted. She often said one thing and meant another, hiding her true thoughts. Her self-esteem was strong, and it forced her to stick to her own ideas: gradually drifting away from Ji Lang like this.
They hadn't seen each other for a long time. Jiang Qian thought, Ji Lang and Li Rou must be getting along better, right? Maybe Li Rou has already confessed.
Even Grandpa and Grandma, as well as Aunt Gao, noticed that something was wrong. They asked Jiang Qian if she had a conflict with Ji Lang, but Jiang Qian just brushed it off, saying "It's nothing."
Human emotions are like a roller coaster. If there are emotional peaks, then there must be emotional valleys. No matter what kind of emotion, it needs to be maintained well. And bowing down in front of the person you have in your hands and love is not at all a matter of self-esteem.
The sensitivity and fussiness of youth are not worth mentioning in the face of precious emotions. At certain moments in life, it is necessary to be a little impulsive. But at that time, Jiang Qian did not understand this truth.
Six
Time flies, and it's mid-August. Unexpected things happen in life. On a night of pouring rain, Grandpa suddenly fell ill. Jiang Qian panicked and called an ambulance, but the rural road conditions were poor, and with the pouring rain, the ambulance couldn't arrive in time.
Jiang Qian had no choice but to run to a nearby neighbor's house for help in the rain. Her grandfather was taken to the hospital, and Jiang Qian went with him. After her grandfather went into the operating room, the neighbor went back home, leaving Jiang Qian sitting outside the operating room, soaked to the bone.
The hospital was eerily quiet in the late night. Jiang Qian was tired and sleepy, but she dared not fall asleep. She kept her head down, her eyes hazy and unfocused. Suddenly, a pair of shoes appeared in front of her, and she slowly lifted her head to find that it was Ji Lang!
"You're soaked through. What if you catch a cold?" Ji Lang sat down next to Jiang Qian and draped a coat over her.
"How did you come?" Jiang Qian asked weakly.
"The thunder woke Aunt Gao up. She saw some commotion in the village and saw you taking grandpa into the car. She guessed that grandpa must be sick, and she was afraid that you didn't have money, so she asked me to bring you some money to use first," Ji Lang said, taking out a paper bag containing a thick stack of money.
"No, no, no, I can't accept it. Grandma has already called. Mom and Dad should be back tomorrow," Jiang Qian repeatedly refused.
"It's okay." Ji Lang took out a piece of paper and wiped Jiang Qian's wet hair. "Did I scare you? Are you sleepy? I'll stay here and watch over you. You can rest for a while."
Jiang Qian suddenly started crying, "Grandpa, nothing will happen to him, right? I'm so scared!"
Ji Lang hugged her, and Jiang Qian sobbed on his chest. He comforted her softly, "It's okay, nothing will happen to grandpa."
Jiang Qian cried for a while. She broke free from Ji Lang's embrace and talked about her childhood with her grandfather, recounting all the good things he did for her. As she spoke, she fell asleep.
Ji Lang carefully rested Jiang Qian's head on his shoulder. Then he raised a hand and gently wiped away the tears from her face. Jiang Qian's steady breathing sprayed onto Ji Lang's neck, tickling him, but making him feel particularly tender inside.
Seeing Jiang Qian so sad, Ji Lang felt extremely distressed. He didn't know when this girl had already occupied a very important place in his heart, in such a short time. Ji Lang himself found it unbelievable.
The rain outside the window continued to pour. They maintained this posture until grandpa came out of the operating room. "Is grandpa okay?" Jiang Qian woke up and rushed to the grandpa on the hospital bed. Fortunately, grandpa was fine, just needing a few more days of observation in the hospital. Jiang Qian breathed a sigh of relief. The next day, mom and dad came back to take over for Jiang Qian. Ji Lang took the exhausted Jiang Qian back home.
"Thank you," Jiang Qian looked at Ji Lang with gratitude in her eyes.
"It's nothing. There's no need to be so polite between us. Go to bed quickly, you've been tired all night. I'm going back too." He reached out and tousled her hair.
After the conflict, their relationship seemed to have improved. They tacitly avoided mentioning the past, only thinking about making the most of the time ahead.
Grandpa will be discharged from the hospital soon and will be coming home. Everything is moving in a positive direction.
One day, while bathing the little black dog at Jiang Qian's house, Ji Lang suddenly asked a question: "Do you have someone you like?"
Jiang Qian was stunned. Her heart was beating rapidly, as if it wanted to jump out of her chest.
"Of course there are!" She pretended to be calm, afraid that Ji Lang would see through her thoughts and lied, "It's the classmates at school."
"Oh." Ji Lang stopped speaking after getting the answer. He was moody for the rest of the day, and he, who was already quiet, became even more silent that day.
Jiang Qian felt Ji Lang's silence and thought, "He must like me, right? Right?" But the next day, Ji Lang returned to his usual self. Jiang Qian felt disappointed, thinking that the silence might have been her imagination. They spent every moment together, reluctant to part even at night, because they both knew that the day of separation was approaching. Soon, the holiday came to an end. On the evening before Ji Lang left, Jiang Qian went to Ji Lang's house with a letter she had written for him and a notebook.
The gate of the courtyard was slightly ajar. Jiang Qian approached slowly, preparing to give Ji Lang a big scare. She smiled, but the smile quickly froze on her face—Li Rou was standing at the door, talking to Ji Lang.
She didn't make a sound, silently observing. Li Rou was saying something to Ji Lang, and Jiang Qian strained to listen but couldn't make out the words. Then it was Ji Lang's turn to speak, and suddenly Li Rou leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
Jiang Qian's heart sank. She felt dazed, as if she couldn't stand steady. Li Rou had a shy smile on her face as she turned towards the door and said, " Jiang Qian?"
Ji Lang Suddenly turning around, he anxiously opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Jiang Qian Forced a smile, then left the courtyard with the letter and notebook.
She walked quickly, trying to hold back her tears, but they kept flowing. She thought, the illusion should be shattered now, Cinderella's dream should wake up.
That day, she cried a lot. After her emotions calmed down, she felt that she was being overly dramatic. Ji Lang came to see her that afternoon, but she hid in her room and refused to come out. Ji Lang had no choice but to leave.
The day of departure finally arrived, Ji Lang was leaving today. Grandpa and grandma knocked on the door, asking Jiang Qian to come out and see Ji Lang and Aunt Gao off. But she still refused, just kept flipping through a book in her room - "Brothers", the first book she talked about with Ji Lang.
As she flipped through the pages, she suddenly felt anxious: What if this is the last time she sees Ji Lang in this lifetime? As a friend, what right did she have to be angry?
Jiang Qian threw down the book with a "smack" and then dashed towards Ji Lang's house. Ji Lang and Aunt Gao's car had already started, and Grandpa and Grandma, along with Li Rou, stood by the roadside watching the car drive away.
"Ji Lang!" Jiang Qian shouted in the direction the car was leaving, but it was to no avail. The car grew farther and farther away, eventually disappearing from her sight.
"That girl, if only she had come a little earlier," Grandma scolded. Jiang Qian turned to look at Li Rou, but Li Rou had already turned and was walking back home.
She followed her grandparents home in a daze. Looking at the letter she wrote to Ji Lang, she suddenly realized that in two months, she didn't even know Ji Lang's social media account or phone number. Perhaps this was the will of heaven, their fate had come to an end. That's it! She told herself.
Soon it was time to go back to school, and with the pressure of senior year, Jiang Qian threw herself into her studies and rarely missed Ji Lang. Only occasionally, when she saw the letter she had prepared for Ji Lang, she would recall the summer she spent with Ji Lang, in the biting cold wind, feeling as distant as if it were from the last century.
Jiang Qian lived on campus during her senior year of high school and didn't return to her hometown for a whole year. During that year, her grandparents also moved to the city with her parents, and the whole family never returned to their hometown.
Her life was like many others: going to college, graduating, working, and getting married and having children. She met her husband through a blind date. Her family started urging Jiang Qian to date when she was in college, but she always refused, saying "I don't want to date." Finally, she couldn't resist the pressure and agreed to the blind date arranged by her family.
When she first saw her husband, Jiang Qian was stunned: how could someone look so much like Ji Lang! They quickly fell in love, got married, and four years ago had a daughter.
That summer, under the accumulation of many days, it became more and more distant.
Seven
That year, my grandparents insisted on going back to our hometown for the Chinese New Year and to pay respects to our ancestors. My parents and Jiang Qian couldn't refuse, so they had to agree to go back.
The day of the return was very lively, and long-unseen relatives came to visit. They all said that Jiang Qian had a good eye for finding such a good husband. Jiang Qian just held her daughter, smiling and exchanging pleasantries.
In the crowd, she saw Li Rou. Li Rou had married a man from the same village and now had a son and a daughter.
She walked up to Li Rou holding her daughter and said, "Long time no see, Li Rou."
Li Rou Looking at her, then at the girl in her arms: "Long time no see, your daughter is really cute."
"Thank you."
Li Rou Suddenly lowered her eyes, with a somewhat strange expression: "Jiang Qian,"
"I want to tell you something about Ji Lang," Upon hearing Ji Lang's name, Jiang Qian was startled. Li Rou continued, "I told you, I like Ji Lang. But in our usual interactions, I realized that Ji Lang likes you. I started feeling jealous, watching you two together made me feel like I was going crazy. So, on the day before Ji Lang left, I confessed my feelings. Of course, he rejected me and admitted that he likes you. I think we probably won't see each other again in the future, so I kissed him, and unexpectedly, you happened to see us."
On the day he left, Ji Lang was waiting for you all along. No matter how others advised him, he insisted on waiting for you to come. In the end, I came out to persuade him, and I promised him that I would convey his message to you. He gave me his phone number and social media account to pass on to you. However, at that time, I was blinded by jealousy and didn't pass them on to you. I'm truly sorry."
Jiang Qian was stunned, a thin layer of tears welled up in her eyes. But she calmed down and said, "How long ago was this? If you hadn't said anything, I would have forgotten about this person. It's okay."
"Really?" Li Rou urgently asked, then continued, "That's good. For so many years, Ji Lang has been coming here every weekend, every holiday, waiting for you. I've seen him a few times, and seeing him like that, I feel so guilty. But now, the burden in my heart, it's finally lifted..."
Li Rou kept on chattering, but Jiang Qian couldn't listen anymore. Every holiday? So now...
Jiang Qian avoided the crowd and slowly led her daughter towards the small courtyard. That summer, she had walked this path countless times, just to find that young man.
The closer she got to that small courtyard, the faster Jiang Qian's heart beat. Finally, there was only a bridge separating them. Jiang Qian stopped, holding her daughter's hand. She listened to the murmuring of the water, and scattered memories gradually pieced together and surged into her mind.
She asked her daughter to wait at the door, gathered her courage, and walked in. In this winter, the summer flowers and vines had all died, and the small courtyard presented a desolate scene.
Someone walked out of the living room, and Jiang Qian looked up—
Compared to the memory, he was taller and leaner, with sharper facial features. But Jiang Qian still recognized him at a glance, it was Ji Lang.
Through the gold-rimmed glasses, Jiang Qian saw the disbelief in his eyes. "Long time no see," Jiang Qian said tearfully, taking the initiative to greet him.
"Long time no see." Ji Lang eyes turned red, he trembled, slowly walked towards Jiang Qian, "Is it really you?"
"It's really me. I'm sorry, I'm late." Jiang Qian looked at Ji Lang and smiled.
They gazed at each other as if the whole world had disappeared, leaving only the two of them.
"Mom," the daughter timidly called from outside the door. Jiang Qian snapped out of it. She took her daughter's hand and brought her to Ji Lang: "This is my daughter. Come on, say hello to Uncle."
"Hello, Uncle," the daughter sweetly called out.
"Hello." Ji Lang's voice trembled.
That day, they talked a lot. But they both understood that it was already too late. Jiang Qian wondered, if she hadn't been so awkward at that time, would things have been different? But that was just a thought. Now, she has a husband and a daughter, they are her family, and more importantly, her responsibility.
Fate is so cruel, in the twists and turns of life, everything can never go back. She looked up at the misty sky: in a daze, half of her life had quietly slipped away.
Epilogue
Ji Lang woke up from the sofa. He saw Jiang Qian sleeping soundly on the sofa, still holding a highlighter in her hand.
"She must be up to mischief again," Ji Lang thought to himself, gently taking the highlighter from her hand.
After washing away the traces in the bathroom, Ji Lang decided to retaliate. He picked up the fluorescent pen and prepared to draw flowers on Jiang Qian's face.
As the pen tip approached, he was stunned: Jiang Qian had her eyes closed, her face flushed, and she was sleeping soundly with even breathing.
So adorable.
Ji Lang put down the pen and slowly approached Jiang Qian. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses and carefully kissed her lips...
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