RSDH CH83.1

Since his father couldn’t resist the temptation of a mistress and betrayed the family, Duan Xingye’s view of intimate relationships has reversed. He used to think love was as solid as a rock, but now he sees it as dust, scattered by the wind.

But at this very moment, Cheng Duzhou was also leaving.

Cheng Duzhou had been by his side since he was five, eating and living together, the person who had been with him the longest besides his family.

Therefore, in Duan Xingye’s world, any relationship he wanted to hold onto became precarious. He felt panic, but it manifested as a bad temper.

One morning at the end of October, while the two were eating breakfast, Cheng Duzhou said casually: “Probably transferring schools early next month… By the way, do you think I should stay?”

Bang! A loud noise.

Duan Xingye slammed the bowl on the table. The soy milk inside splashed out, spilling onto the table and his fingers.

Cheng Duzhou was startled and looked at him in confusion.

Fortunately, at this hour, only the two of them were in the dining room on the first floor.

Duan Xingye furrowed his brows, his clear voice impatient: “You’re so annoying! What does it have to do with me!”

He stood up, grabbed his schoolbag, and left.

Duan Xingye stormed out the door. A gust of cold air hit his face. He stopped, sniffled, and his translucent white nose tip turned pink immediately.

Duan Xingye was so annoyed. That night by the river, Cheng Duzhou said he would stay by his side forever. In the blink of an eye, the transfer date was set, and he even hypocritically asked him if he should stay. Someone who truly wanted to stay wouldn’t hesitate. No one forced him to leave; Cheng Duzhou must want to live with his family in his heart.

So Duan Xingye got very angry, with a hint of punishing Cheng Duzhou for lying.

The weather in November turned cool. Cheng Xian resigned not long ago, so no one drove them to school recently. Duan Xingye walked to the intersection to wait for the school bus. The wind blew in gusts, drilling into his collar. He shrank his neck along the way.

Just as Duan Xingye stepped onto the bus stop, he heard footsteps behind him.

He turned around and saw Cheng Duzhou walking over with his schoolbag on his back, holding a handful of withered-leaf-colored scarf in his hand. It was exactly the one he left in the dining room when he left in a huff.

Duan Xingye subconsciously touched his empty neck. Seeing Cheng Duzhou rarely looking cold-faced, seemingly emotional, fuel was suddenly added to his undissipated anger. He turned his head to look at the end of the road.

Didn’t want the scarf anymore.

Cheng Duzhou stopped three steps away from him and held out the scarf.

Duan Xingye faced him with the back of his head, not looking.

Cheng Duzhou’s voice was lower and more magnetic than a standard boy’s voice: “Do you want it or not?”

Standing proud in the cold wind, Duan Xingye reached back to grab it.

He was too afraid of the cold; even a little freezing made his throat hurt.

However, he pulled the scarf a few inches and couldn’t pull it anymore.

Duan Xingye turned his head to look. Cheng Duzhou was holding the other end and didn’t let go.

Duan Xingye’s delicate eyebrows furrowed: “Are you giving it or not?”

As if out of spite, Cheng Duzhou suddenly said: “Duan Xingye, I treated you well for nothing.”

Duan Xingye didn’t eat much in the morning, but now he was miraculously full of anger. He retorted fiercely: “Are you not ashamed? Where did you treat me well?”

Cheng Duzhou straightened the corner of his lips: “For two whole years in kindergarten, who coaxed you to take naps?”

“……”

This account went back to kindergarten. Duan Xingye truly didn’t expect it, choked, and was speechless.

Cheng Duzhou continued: “In elementary school, who copied your summer vacation homework book by book?”

“…………”

“You skipped classes, escaped activities, forged parent signatures, did all kinds of bad things, yet still appeared as a good boy. Who covered for you?”

“??????”

The more Cheng Duzhou spoke, the redder his handsome face became, visibly anxious: “I split my pocket money into two, giving you one part to use. What I have, you have; what I don’t have, you also have. Have I ever owed you anything?”

Duan Xingye opened his mouth. Everything Cheng Duzhou said was right; he couldn’t refute it. But precisely because Cheng Duzhou occupied all the reasoning, he was even more furious. So he yanked the scarf as if hitting someone, stubbornly saying: “Without you, you think I couldn’t sleep? No one to copy homework for me? Couldn’t Jiang Siqi cover for me? If you still keep count of the things I took from you, I’ll return them to you!”

Cheng Duzhou closed his mouth tightly, burning light in his pitch-black pupils.

Too hurtful.

Then, his gaze quickly glanced down.

Duan Xingye followed his gaze and saw he was still wearing the collab Nike shoes he got for his birthday not long ago.

“……”

Cunning!

Duan Xingye’s face flushed red, increasing his lung capacity: “Stingy to death! I’ll return them to you right now!”

Just before Duan Xingye could make a move, a yellow school bus slowly drove over, stopping impartially right in the center of the platform.

On the bus, students by the windows looked out in unison.

They saw two tall teenagers standing at the bus stop separated by a distance, glaring at each other with red faces and thick necks. Yet, each held one end of a scarf, the withered-leaf-colored plush thread forming a strange connection between them.

“…………”

The atmosphere was colder and more moving than winter.

A friend stood up in place, elbows resting on the back of the chair, bending over to look out the window: “What are those two doing?”

Another pondered: “Looks like they’re about to break up.”

“No, open your mind.” Jiang Siqi shook his head and said seriously, “If that scarf were red, wouldn’t it look like bowing to heaven and earth for a wedding?”

“……”

Friends were all convinced.

Relying on excellent reasoning skills, Jiang Siqi concluded: “Just a young couple arguing about splitting up the family assets.”

With a busload of people watching, Cheng Duzhou didn’t want to become a joke, so he let go first.

Duan Xingye unceremoniously rolled up the scarf, wrapped it around his neck, and boarded the school bus.

Jiang Siqi saved a seat for him. Duan Xingye sat down. Alternating cold and hot air made his throat itchy, and he coughed a few times.

“Yo, what’s wrong?” Jiang Siqi said, “Caught a cold?”

Duan Xingye said grumpily: “Don’t know!”

Jiang Siqi shrank his neck. Duan Xingye’s temper had been so explosive recently that even he was a bit wary.

Cheng Duzhou took a seat in the front row. Hearing the movement behind, he wanted to look back but held it in.

Looking at the road ahead of the bus, after calming down, a faint guilt spread in his heart for not giving the scarf to Duan Xingye immediately.

During the first break, Duan Xingye went out and returned to the classroom, finding bread and soy milk on his desk.

Reaching out to touch, the soy milk was still hot.

The student in front turned back and said: “Jiang Siqi came looking for you just now. Seeing you weren’t here, he left again.”

Duan Xingye knew Jiang Siqi usually didn’t have serious business, so he wasn’t in a hurry. His stomach was empty and uncomfortable, just right to continue the unfinished breakfast from before going out. While eating bread, he took a photo of the desk with his phone and sent it to Jiang Siqi.

Seen: [How did you know I didn’t eat breakfast?]

Jiang Siqi: [Huh? I didn’t know.]

Jiang Siqi: [If you said earlier, I would have brought it to you on the way just now.]

“……”

Duan Xingye swallowed, instantly feeling the bread in his hand was a bit hot.

Coincidentally at this time, Cheng Duzhou handed in homework to the person in front of him.

Duan Xingye’s gaze glanced over, following him unkindly.

Cheng Duzhou looked at him, then withdrew his gaze emotionlessly.

Duan Xingye leaned back in his chair, extended a leg to block the aisle, and got straight to the point: “Did you send it?”

“Not me.” Cheng Duzhou had to stop and look at him, deliberately almost pretentious. “Anyway, I don’t treat you well. You’d better ask those who treat you well.”

“…………”

Go die with your awesomeness.

In the end, for his own good, Duan Xingye finished the bread and soy milk.

That morning, Cheng Duzhou made a fuss with Duan Xingye to accuse Duan Xingye of being unreasonable/heartless.

They had twelve years of childhood friendship, yet Duan Xingye acted completely indifferent to his staying or leaving, even impatient.

Unfortunately, they had never grasped the essentials of quarreling, relying entirely on impulse. The argument went off track, and in the end, no result was achieved.

But since he knew Duan Xingye didn’t want to hear him speak, he wouldn’t speak.

So until the day before Cheng Duzhou left, the two didn’t have a serious conversation again.

But no matter how tough on the surface, Duan Xingye was still weak inside. As the day of parting approached, anxiety rose in him.

Duan Xingye’s fingernails were always trimmed properly and beautifully, but recently the nail of his right index finger was bitten halfway down.

Kan Dashan went to the yard to water flowers in the evening and saw Duan Xingye sitting alone on the swing bench in a daze.

As a playwright, Kan Dashan’s mind was so bright. He immediately saw the thought of “Passionate people have always been hurt by parting, let alone in the desolate autumn festival” from Duan Xingye’s expressionless small face.

Always hoping his grandson could grow up happily, but inevitably experiencing various unexpected things in the process. He didn’t take good care of him and felt bad inside. Carrying the watering can, he walked over and sat beside Duan Xingye.

Duan Xingye came back to his senses, turning his head to look at his grandfather: “Aren’t you watering flowers?”

“Aiyaya—” Kan Dashan let out an old man’s unique sighing tone, looking at the flowerbed ahead, and said, “I might really be old; recently keep recalling past events.”

Duan Xingye asked: “Did you only get old recently?”

“…” Kan Dashan patted the back of Duan Xingye’s hand and continued, “You should have read Mr. Mu Xin’s poems. There is a famous one called ‘Slow in the Past,’ and the even more famous line—’Cars, horses, and mail were all slow, a lifetime was enough to love only one person.’ Compare it with the present; with technological progress, isn’t the situation much better?”

Duan Xingye comprehended for a moment and said: “Indeed, with 4G, everyone can cast a wide net, but I beg to differ with the view of love you advocate.”

“…I didn’t advocate it, nor did I ask you to agree!” Kan Dashan patted the back of his hand again and said, “I just remembered your grandmother. Back then we were separated in two places, high mountains and long waters, only contacting by writing letters. A letter took a month back and forth; receiving one was like a treasure. But it still didn’t prevent us from getting married and being together. Your era is different. Anything can be solved with a WeChat message. Want to meet? Book a flight, and you can fly all over the world. Strictly speaking, there is no concept of parting anymore. As long as there is heart, two people can be very close.”

Duan Xingye finally understood. His grandfather was talking about him and Cheng Duzhou. It was just a bit strange for his grandfather to use his past with grandmother as an analogy.

Maybe human feelings all followed the same reasoning.

Duan Xingye lowered his eyes, swinging gently with the swing, and complained: “I won’t go find him.”

Kan Dashan smiled, seeing the awkwardness between the children, and said: “Grandpa has no other meaning, just hopes you calm down and take parting lightly. Talk to Duzhou more before he leaves. You’ve known each other for more than ten years. How many people in life can you know for so long? Don’t be spiteful. After he returns to Shanghai, you can still video chat.”

Duan Xingye was thoughtful. After a while, he stood up, said hello, and went inside.

Kan Dashan smiled until his eyes narrowed, thinking his words had an effect. Little did he know, it reminded Duan Xingye of the fact that Cheng Duzhou was leaving soon, causing Duan Xingye’s mood to be even more irritable.

He didn’t want to contact via WeChat, nor did he want to fly all over the world.

Duan Xingye came to Cheng Duzhou’s room on the first floor. The door was open, and the lights inside were on. Cheng Duzhou wasn’t there, but his luggage was already organized. Stacks of books were on the desk. The whole room revealed signs of emptiness.

Thinking that there would be no familiar figure sitting at that desk in the future, and the house seemed to have only him left, Duan Xingye wrinkled his delicate nose.

But he was strong and held it back.

Duan Xingye sat in Cheng Duzhou’s seat, looking left and right. Finally, his gaze returned to the iron box in the center.

Duan Xingye opened the box and saw a large number of photos and postcards inside.

The postcards were specially sent by him to Cheng Duzhou from local places when he traveled abroad with his parents before, so each one had many stamps.

Duan Xingye thought the photos were Cheng Duzhou’s, but flipping through them one by one, there wasn’t a single solo photo of Cheng Duzhou. Instead, there were solo photos of him, and the rest were all group photos of the two from childhood to adulthood.

There were photos from the birthday party not long ago. He wore a cardboard crown, cream on the tip of his nose, smiling under the illumination of seventeen candles.

There were photos of him and Cheng Duzhou in the junior high class. He sat on the desk, while Cheng Duzhou, holding a set square against the blackboard, looked back.

There were photos of them attending morning classes in the temple. Cheng Duzhou wore a small monk robe, sitting cross-legged reciting the Three Character Classic, while his head rested on Cheng Duzhou’s lap, curled up sideways, fast asleep.

Flipping to the end, it was a performance photo from kindergarten. He was a prince, spirited and lively, while Cheng Duzhou shrank inside a tree, with heavy blush on his cheeks, looking at the camera with dark and quiet eyes.

Duan Xingye stared at the last photo for a long time, unable to hold back a smile. Looking into the iron box again, he found some handicrafts inside. He recognized some; they were given by him to Cheng Duzhou.

So in this iron box, Cheng Duzhou classified their memories bit by bit.

Duan Xingye couldn’t help reflecting at this moment. He was emotional before because of family changes and took his anger out on Cheng Duzhou too many times, saying unpleasant words.

A clear voice also spawned in Duan Xingye’s heart, hoping Cheng Duzhou would stay, accompanying him forever as promised. But thinking that not long ago, he had just argued with Cheng Duzhou about staying or leaving, vowing to let Cheng Duzhou go quickly if he wanted to, and telling himself over and over that even if Cheng Duzhou left, he could live well.

Shameful heat rose on Duan Xingye’s face. He couldn’t say pleading words in front of Cheng Duzhou. Going back on his words meant slapping his own face, meant showing weakness, and he didn’t want to hear Cheng Duzhou’s rejection even more. The teenager hanged himself on a single tree of self-esteem.

Duan Xingye put all the photos and postcards back into the box, casually tore a piece of paper from the desk, wrote a line of words on it, folded it twice, and stuffed it into the box as well. While pressing the lid back, footsteps sounded behind him.

Duan Xingye jumped up immediately, pretending nothing happened. He was so guilty that he didn’t have the strength to glance at Cheng Duzhou standing at the door, just walking out like that.

—”Can you not enter my room casually?”

Cheng Duzhou’s sudden sentence made Duan Xingye stand in place.

He turned to look at Cheng Duzhou, his gaze becoming cold and heavy bit by bit, strength returning.

He didn’t like the way Cheng Duzhou spoke to him at this moment.

Agreed to have a serious heart-to-heart before parting. Duan Xingye was indeed moved seeing the things in the box and made the biggest concession, but they still argued, and unsurprisingly, argued off track.

Two teenagers went back and forth, missing the point. The things they focused on were clearly not on the same channel, yet they could poke each other’s vital points every time. Truly fatal, almost saying the words “break off friendship.”

Cheng Duzhou returned to the room, feeling bitter and stifled, crying from anger. On impulse, he stuffed the iron box under the bed.

Duan Xingye also returned to his room, collapsing on the bed, chest still heaving violently. But because there was no audience around, he didn’t cry, forcefully holding it back, resulting in an expression both milky and fierce, like some angry feline.

No school the next day. Duan Xingye seemed to intentionally avoid Cheng Duzhou, staying upstairs and not coming down.

In the afternoon, the car arrived on time. Cheng Duzhou glanced at a certain window on the second floor. Because the curtains were drawn, nothing could be seen. Harboring 120,000 points of regret in his heart, feeling twelve years of friendship was just so-so, he turned and got into the car.

Little did he know, at this time, Duan Xingye saw the cleared desk and the missing iron box in his room on the first floor, guessing Cheng Duzhou probably had already seen the note. Yet the sound of the car starting still rang outside the courtyard.

Even though Duan Xingye was mentally prepared, he still felt as if half his soul was hollowed out.

Two hours later, Cheng Duzhou sat on the train about to depart, hugging his schoolbag, pursing his lips repressively, looking a bit depressed.

The conductor outside was blowing the whistle, urging passengers who hadn’t boarded to hurry up. A reverb of luggage wheels rubbing against the ground rang on the platform.

Cheng Duzhou was about to bid farewell to Yu City, a place that was almost his hometown. What he was most reluctant to leave was the person here—his childhood sweetheart—also the first person he liked growing up, and having a premonition that he would be like a white moonlight existence in the future. His heart twisted with unspeakable discomfort.

Cheng Duzhou looked at the crowd running in panic outside the car window. His eye rims turned a very shallow red circle. Biting his lower lip, he lowered his head to unzip his schoolbag and took out the iron box from inside.

He was unpromising and afraid of regret, so he still took it out from under the bed before leaving.

Cheng Duzhou wanted to flip through the photos; at least he still had memories.

But as soon as the lid was lifted, a folded piece of paper popped out.

Cheng Duzhou was blank. Taking out the paper and unfolding it, seeing the words on it, he stood up with a “whoosh”, expression blank, reaction completely preceding the brain.

The bullet train was about to start. At the last moment of the “beep beep” door closing sound, a tall, long-legged teenager jumped out from the door. One hand holding a battered iron box, a schoolbag hanging on his elbow, the other hand dragging a suitcase that almost flew into the air.

The station master blew a sharp and distant whistle, pointing at the teenager’s running back and cursing loudly: “You silly melon child (idiot)!!!”

Cheng Duzhou tossed for another two hours and returned to the starting point.

Seeing him, the auntie almost couldn’t hold the tray in her hand, asking in astonishment: “Why… why are you back?”

Cheng Duzhou scattered the things in his hand and asked: “Where is Duan Xingye?”

The auntie pointed to the second floor: “Upstairs.”

Cheng Duzhou took the stairs two steps at a time and braked in front of an open room door.

Duan Xingye was still wearing pajamas, sitting at the desk, propping his cheeks with both hands, listless. Hearing the wind-like movement behind him, he turned back subconsciously.

He saw Cheng Duzhou standing there, hair slightly messy, still panting a bit.

Duan Xingye blinked, blurting out: “How did you…”

But his stunned state only lasted for a moment, then he understood why Cheng Duzhou turned back.

Duan Xingye quickly pursed his lips, cheeks bulging with air pockets like a little pufferfish, then turned his head back, taking the opportunity to quickly rub his eyes with the back of his hand.

On the way back, Cheng Duzhou was only busy being excited, repeatedly reading that note, forgetting to send a message to Duan Xingye in advance. After the excitement, facing Duan Xingye now, he became uneasy again. He wiped his palms on his pant seams, walked into the room, to Duan Xingye’s side.

Duan Xingye didn’t look at him, only looking down at the desk, his clear voice a bit hoarse, saying spitefully: “Didn’t you leave? Come back for what?”

His mouth had never been forgiving.

Cheng Duzhou rubbed his face, feeling ashamed, and said: “I got angry last night, put the box under the bed… didn’t have time to see the note.”

“Cheng Duzhou!” Duan Xingye raised his face, increasing his volume. “You still have the nerve to be angry? Who should have been angry last night? I entered your room before and you didn’t say a word. Suddenly banning me from entering last night, what does that mean? Deliberately making things difficult for me? I think you just didn’t want to see me.”

Once digging up old scores, Duan Xingye’s dark eyes were bright, with endless energy.

Cheng Duzhou had no intention of arguing with him. At this moment, even if Duan Xingye shot ten thousand poison arrows at him, he could unload them all. Therefore, his tone was good: “You saw me and didn’t say hello, as if I didn’t exist. I felt uncomfortable inside too, so I said those words.”

“I think you are using lame arguments!” Duan Xingye stood up with a start and said, “I don’t say hello to you, so you don’t let me enter the room. Why are you more annoying than the director of moral education?”

Cheng Duzhou pursed his lips very lightly. Although shameful, he still said: “You pretended not to see me when eating stir-fried rice cakes too. I kept it in mind. This was the second time ignoring me, so I was uncomfortable.”

“……”

This time it was Duan Xingye’s turn to be speechless, blinking quickly, probably feeling it started to get fantastical and couldn’t keep up.

Cheng Duzhou took the opportunity to simply say all the unhappiness: “You always play with Jiang Siqi and the others, never asking about my feelings. I took it as you not wanting me as a friend, so I left.”

Duan Xingye felt a turmoil inside.

He played with Jiang Siqi and the others, wasn’t it because Cheng Duzhou wanted to go back to Shanghai and didn’t explain clearly to him? Later he also did tutoring without telling him. Cheng Duzhou had no time to accompany him himself, yet didn’t let him play with others. How could there be such a thing?

Duan Xingye didn’t buy it, giving a big, emphatic “Oh”, dragging a long tone: “Blame me all. I made you leave. Then you go now. Is there still time to change the train ticket? Wait for me to change clothes; I’ll personally send you to the train station.”

If Duan Xingye spoke to him like this in the past, Cheng Duzhou would look wrinkled again. But with that note as an endorsement, he suddenly understood Duan Xingye’s irony (saying opposite of what he means).

Cheng Duzhou said: “I didn’t want to leave in the first place.”

Duan Xingye abruptly restrained his aura, looking at him with deep dark eyes. The hard thorns all over his body seemed to become an empty frame; getting close would reveal they didn’t hurt.

Cheng Duzhou continued: “I was also afraid staying would be meaningless, so I wanted to wait for you to ask me to stay.”

Duan Xingye snorted lightly: “Then didn’t you get what you wished for?”

“Yes.” Cheng Duzhou lowered his head, eye rims becoming moist, taking a step forward. “So let’s not quarrel anymore. Thinking of separating from you, my heart felt very bad. Also thinking if I left the box under the bed and never knew about your note, we might not meet again harboring misunderstandings, it felt like a knife cutting my heart. Fortunately, that didn’t happen.”

Duan Xingye also lowered his head. On his snow-white face, the eye rims were obviously red.

Cheng Duzhou had only left for an afternoon, and he felt very unaccustomed. He dared not imagine what he would do next if Cheng Duzhou hadn’t turned back halfway.

With his personality, thinking Cheng Duzhou insisted on leaving, he would make up his mind not to contact for a lifetime. But the discomfort falling on himself was real.

No one spoke in the room anymore. Both teenagers’ breathing was a bit moist. Finally, unknown who moved first, they approached each other and hugged.

They were friends who had accompanied each other the longest, hard to part with. And because of the indescribable bond, when separating, they couldn’t be as neat and free as true friends.

Duan Xingye tilted his head, resting on Cheng Duzhou’s shoulder. Big tears rolled down from his pitch-black pupils. Having experienced a roller coaster of emotions, he was truly somewhat aggrieved.

Fortunately, Cheng Duzhou didn’t leave like his parents. How terrible it would be if he abandoned him in an isolated and helpless world.

“Cheng Duzhou.” Duan Xingye choked his voice, finally revealing fragility, and said, “You must keep your word in the future.”

“Okay…” Cheng Duzhou inhaled the white peach scent on his pajamas, his throat choked, and said, “Then you have to say everything straight in the future, don’t always make me guess.”

Duan Xingye blinked, the last string of tears breaking. Swallowing somewhat salty saliva, he propped himself up to look at Cheng Duzhou, raising his eyebrow: “Are you bargaining with me?”

“…………”

Cheng Duzhou explained the reason to Cheng Xian, stating he would continue his studies in Yu City.

Although Cheng Xian wanted to take Cheng Duzhou with him, he didn’t insist. He knew Cheng Duzhou had been independent since childhood, and the Kan family treated Cheng Duzhou well with all their heart, cultivating him diligently. So letting Cheng Duzhou continue living there, he was reassured. He just sent seafood and seasonal fruits to Yu City more diligently.

The night Cheng Duzhou returned, Kan Dashan was very happy. First, because he saw Duan Xingye was happy; second, he preferred the small building to be populated and lively.

Kan Dashan wanted to ask the cook to make a table of delicious food, but was stopped by Duan Xingye. He indicated he wanted to take Cheng Duzhou out to eat.

Kan Dashan assumed they wanted a private date, seemingly pondered deeply, and agreed.

Duan Xingye took Cheng Duzhou to that Korean restaurant in the mall.

After recovering his rationality, Cheng Duzhou always felt implied/insulted and said: “…Doesn’t have to be this shop; let’s change one.”

Duan Xingye, however, stuffed the menu into his hand without explanation and said: “This one.”

Cheng Duzhou’s face was already hot. He purposely flipped past the page with stir-fried rice cakes, wanting to order something else to steer away from the topic.

Duan Xingye discovered his intention and helped him flip the menu page back, saying: “Can only order stir-fried rice cakes.”

“…” Cheng Duzhou felt a faint pressure and said, “I don’t want to eat it.”

He actually didn’t have much interest in stir-fried rice cakes.

Duan Xingye shook his head slowly behind the open menu: “I’m afraid you can’t get over this hurdle. Mentioning it to me all the time in the future, bringing it up at the drop of a hat… stop dawdling, order quickly.”

Cheng Duzhou: “……”

I am obviously not this kind of person.

Going to school the second week, classmates expressed warm welcome for Cheng Duzhou’s return.

Jiang Siqi came to find Duan Xingye during the big break as usual. As soon as he entered the classroom door, he jumped, pressing down his raised wrist, making a shooting motion at the air. Unexpectedly, glancing, he saw Cheng Duzhou sitting upright in the back row of the classroom.

“Holy crap…” Jiang Siqi’s heel slipped when landing, almost falling.

He asked Duan Xingye like seeing a ghost: “Why is he back again?”

Hearing Cheng Duzhou was leaving made Jiang Siqi extremely happy, almost beating gongs and drums, believing he could be promoted to the number one position in Duan Xingye’s heart in the future. Didn’t expect Cheng Duzhou to pull a feint on him.

“How would I know?” Duan Xingye said carelessly, “Came back if he wanted to.”

“No.” Jiang Siqi said, “Brothers booked a yacht bachelor party for you, just this weekend. Are you going or not?”

Duan Xingye caught the blind spot and asked: “What does attending a yacht bachelor party have to do with Cheng Duzhou coming back?”

“Tsk.”

Jiang Siqi couldn’t say it clearly.

He thought since Cheng Duzhou left, the two were considered broken up. Turns out they didn’t break up.

In a flash, the first semester of the second year of high school ended, winter vacation arrived, and at the same time, the Spring Festival was approaching.

Cheng Xian came to the small building in Yu City for the New Year this year, so Cheng Duzhou didn’t have to go back to Shanghai.

It snowed in Yu City. Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye went out to buy New Year’s goods together. Coming back, they were extra careful walking on the snowy road.

Before entering the door, Duan Xingye went to the mailbox at the entrance, took off his gloves, and breathed a mouthful of hot air onto his fingertips. The white mist dispersed, and he reached out to take down the overflowing letters in the mailbox.

Because Kan Dashan was a playwright, every Spring Festival, there would always be letters from various friends and institutions, so the mailbox needed to be cleared every day recently.

Duan Xingye lowered his head, flipping through a few casually.

Outdoors in winter, he wore a white cashmere hat. A few strands of black hair escaped from the brim, making the finely carved face even smaller. In the snowy weather, his snow-white skin was almost transparently bright. When looking down at the letters, his eyelashes, dense as raven feathers, would tremble slightly.

Cheng Duzhou held bags in one hand and an umbrella in the other, standing aside. His thoughts lost their way in Duan Xingye again.

Seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys grow fast, and it is also the time when puberty hormones explode. Not sure if this was the reason, Cheng Duzhou’s once ignorant feelings became clearer day by day. When getting along in private, the number of times he lost focus due to Duan Xingye’s beauty also increased.

However, he had always been introverted and dutiful, never revealing feelings other than friendship to Duan Xingye.

Moreover, Cheng Duzhou had always opposed early love (puppy love), afraid of delaying the college entrance examination.

—”This seems to be from my dad.”

Duan Xingye suddenly spoke up, picking up a postcard mixed in, gesturing for Cheng Duzhou to see.

Cheng Duzhou came back to his senses and took a look.

The quality of the postcard was very high-end. The picture on the front was in a red style rich in New Year flavor. On the blank back, a few simple typed words were written.

[Xingxing, Happy New Year, wish everything is well.]