Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Lin Zhe Xia felt as if she had been poisoned into silence.
After Chi Yao spoke, she couldn’t muster a single word for the longest time.
Normally, for every one thing he said, she could retort tenfold—but now, she couldn’t even manage one reply.
Lin He and Wei Ping were absorbed in watching TV and didn’t notice their exchange.
The lively sounds of the Spring Festival Gala blared from the television, drowning out the conversation between her and Chi Yao.
After a while, Lin Zhe Xia lowered her head to scroll through her phone.
No one had messaged her, but she didn’t know why she felt the strange urge to escape by endlessly refreshing her screen.
For no reason at all, she decided to start chatting with Chen Lin and Tang Shuxuan.
-Have you watched the Spring Festival Gala?
-This year’s gala is pretty funny.
-[Smiling emoji]
No one replied.
She continued aimlessly scrolling through her contacts list.
Coincidentally, He Yang sent over a few messages.
Big Zhuang: ddd
Big Zhuang: Are you home?
Lin Zhe Xia replied: Yeah.
Big Zhuang: Is my big bro Chi Yao there too?
Lin Zhe Xia kept replying: Mhm.
Big Zhuang: …
Big Zhuang: Do you guys want to come out and set off fireworks? My dad bought a ton.
Big Zhuang: Also, can you stop replying one word at a time? You and Chi Yao spend all day together—why are you copying his annoying habits?
Lin Zhe Xia moved her fingers lazily: Oh.
Big Zhuang: ………
Big Zhuang: Forget it, don’t come. I’ll set them off myself.
________________________________________
After chatting with He Yang,
Lin Zhe Xia found a new topic, cleared her throat, and finally managed to say something: “Ahem, so… He Yang invited us to go set off fireworks.”
When she and Chi Yao went outside, a few rounds of fireworks had already been set off.
Every now and then, bursts of light shot up into the dark night sky, exploding with a loud “pop” and blooming in midair.
When He Yang saw them approaching, he waved enthusiastically: “Hurry up! We’re about to set them off. Who wants to light it?”
Lin Zhe Xia ran over: “Me, me, me! I want to light it!”
She took the lighter and carefully crouched beside the box of fireworks.
To be honest, she was a little scared.
But thinking about Chi Yao standing behind her made her fear seem insignificant.
She pressed the lighter, and the fuse began to burn with a faint “hiss.”
Just as she was about to stand up and step back, almost at the same moment, she felt a gentle force from behind guiding her backward—it was Chi Yao’s hand on the hood of her jacket.
Three.
Two.
One.
The fireworks shot high into the sky.
Lin Zhe Xia’s emotions came and went quickly. Watching the endless explosions lighting up the night sky, she had already forgotten the awkwardness from earlier.
As she always did during past New Year celebrations, she said to Chi Yao: “Happy New Year—”
Chi Yao was wearing a black coat.
At night, it almost blended into the surrounding darkness; the only difference was that at one point, his profile was illuminated by the fireworks.
He let go of her hood and replied: “Happy New Year.”
________________________________________
After the Spring Festival passed, the winter break ended in a flash.
On the first day of school, the first thing the students did when they arrived was to catch up on their holiday homework.
Because of this unspoken routine, more than half of Class Seven had already arrived by the time the school gates opened.
When Lin Zhe Xia entered the classroom, she was surprised to find it so lively.
Tang Shuxuan and Chen Lin were huddled together, chatting about what had happened during the break.
Seeing her enter, they greeted her enthusiastically: “Long time no see—and happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year,” Lin Zhe Xia replied.
After putting down her bag, she asked: “What are you talking about?”
Chen Lin said: “My brother.”
When Lin Zhe Xia heard the word “brother,” she nearly threw the pencil case she had just taken out: “….”
Chen Lin glanced at her sideways: “What’s wrong with you?”
Lin Zhe Xia: “Nothing, I’m just surprised you have a brother.”
“My brother is ten years older than me—he’s already working. He’s usually not in Liányún City,” Chen Lin explained, “so we’re not very close.”
Lin Zhe Xia quietly placed her pencil case on the desk: “I see.”
Outwardly calm, inwardly she was screaming:
It’s all because of those two sentences Chi Yao suddenly said that day.
They made her overreact today.
She and Chi Yao had spent many Spring Festivals together.
But none of them were like this one—so...
So...
She thought for a long time but couldn’t find the right words to describe it.
Forget it.
Lin Zhe Xia stopped thinking about the New Year and started organizing her homework while listening to Tang Shuxuan talk.
Tang Shuxuan lowered her voice: “Do you guys know? There’s a couple in our class who started dating during the break.”
“I know,” Chen Lin said. “It’s so obvious—I suspected something between them last semester.”
Tang Shuxuan shrugged, losing interest in sharing gossip: “Alright, I guess I don’t need to name names.”
Only Lin Zhe Xia was completely lost: “Huh? Who? Who’s dating?”
She pressed further: “How is it obvious? Why didn’t I notice?”
Tang Shuxuan discreetly pointed: “That person next to your group—you really didn’t notice?”
Lin Zhe Xia followed Tang Shuxuan’s finger and saw a female classmate wearing glasses and their math representative.
Both looked shy. The math representative stood by the girl’s side, scratching his head and speaking to her with a hint of shyness.
Lin Zhe Xia belatedly realized: “They’re… dating?”
Chen Lin couldn’t help but say: “I’ve wanted to mention this for a while. Your reaction time when it comes to these things is really slow.”
Tang Shuxuan agreed: “Yeah.”
Lin Zhe Xia: “…”
Chen Lin added: “And dating isn’t a big deal. Back in middle school, there were classmates secretly dating—it was like playing house. Didn’t anyone in your class do that?”
Lin Zhe Xia shook her head: “No, I went to an all-girls school. There weren’t any boys in my school.”
The only males she had interacted with over the years were the tomboyish childhood friends from Nanxiang Street.
With Chi Yao leading the pack.
Back in middle school, they would still hang out together and go to internet cafes to play games—but she didn’t enjoy their games. Even if she tagged along, she’d just sit on the sidelines and watch TV dramas.
Because of this, she knew far less about relationships than other girls her age.
Perhaps even to the point of ignorance or deprivation.
Tang Shuxuan understood: “So you went to an all-girls school before. No wonder.”
She patted her chest confidently: “Don’t worry, if you have any emotional issues in the future, you can come to me. I’m the relationship expert of Class Seven.”
Lin Zhe Xia looked at her: “Have you dated many times?”
Tang Shuxuan: “Nope.”
“…?”
“But often, people without dating experience,” Tang Shuxuan said confidently, “are the ones who love giving advice.”
________________________________________
After adapting to high school life, the second semester of their freshman year flew by unnoticed.
Before they knew it, their cohort officially entered their sophomore year.
Another summer had arrived.
Compared to the naivety and curiosity of their first year, everyone seemed to have grown into proper high school students.
That youthful innocence and immaturity had subtly faded away.
Turning seventeen, each of them began, self-assuredly and quietly, to grow toward becoming “adults.”
Lin Zhe Xia noticed she was gradually starting to pursue “independence” and “autonomy.”
In her interactions with Lin He, she began needing more of a say.
Sometimes, when Lin He nagged a bit more—like “It hasn’t warmed up fully yet. Wearing just a shirt will make you cold after school”—the usually obedient Lin Zhe Xia would stubbornly respond: “Mom, I’m not cold.”
And when Lin He gave her countless reminders about something,
She would impulsively blurt out: “I know, I can handle my own affairs.”
Sometimes, Lin He would feel she wasn’t being obedient.
Wei Ping would step in to mediate: “Kids grow up and develop their own ideas—it’s normal. Don’t get upset with her.”
However, her dynamic with Chi Yao remained unchanged.
Her desire to become an “adult” seemed to lose its effect around him.
Whenever she was with Chi Yao, she instantly reverted to the childish Lin Zhe Xia.
________________________________________
One morning, as usual, the group went to the bus stop together.
The familiar chirping of cicadas returned, and the weather was so muggy that even the wind seemed still.
Lin Zhe Xia suddenly spoke up: “Chi Yao, do you believe in fate?”
Chi Yao didn’t know what she was up to again.
Lin Zhe Xia: “I recently learned some fortune-telling techniques. Give me your hand, and I’ll read your fortune.”
Chi Yao was wearing a very thin shirt, his uniform collar slightly open, making him particularly noticeable in the crowd.
Chi Yao: “Did you forget to take your meds again today?”
Lin Zhe Xia shot back: “You’re the one who forgot to take meds.”
The two bickered back and forth about whether or not they had taken their meds.
He Yang stepped back a couple of steps, increasing the distance between them.
He quietly muttered: “I don’t know these two. Never met them. Not friends.”
________________________________________
Not long after the start of their sophomore year, a small incident occurred.
During a break one day, Chen Lin kept asking her: “Do you notice anything different about me today?”
Lin Zhe Xia stared at her for a long time but couldn’t spot anything. She could only say: “You look especially beautiful today.”
Chen Lin: “Be specific—what makes me beautiful?”
Lin Zhe Xia: “Everything about you is beautiful—it’s hard to pinpoint.”
Giving up, Chen Lin confessed directly: “Look at my ears.”
Lin Zhe Xia finally noticed the small, delicate earrings Chen Lin was wearing. Her ear piercings were likely fresh, still red and partially hidden by her bangs, making them not very noticeable.
Lin Zhe Xia was a bit surprised: “You got your ears pierced?”
“Is the school okay with that?” she asked. “Will Old Xu catch you?”
Chen Lin: “No, the rules aren’t that strict. Shuxuan got hers done ages ago, and no teacher has ever said anything. And even if someone does, just take the earrings off and replace them with clear studs. It’s impossible to tell.”
Lin Zhe Xia nodded: “I see.”
Chen Lin encouraged her: “Why don’t you get yours done too?”
She continued: “I got mine done near the school, in that shopping street alleyway. There’s a jewelry shop where lots of people go to get their ears pierced.”
Lin Zhe Xia felt a growing sense of excitement.
For teenage girls, getting their ears pierced held a magical allure.
Maybe it was vanity driving them.
Maybe it was the desire to do something harmless but rebellious behind their parents’ backs.
Or perhaps it was because “adults” wore earrings.
“I’ve thought about getting my ears pierced before,” Lin Zhe Xia said. “I wanted to do it in middle school, but my mom wouldn’t let me.”
“She said if I dared to get them pierced…”
Lin Zhe Xia slowly continued, “…she’d break my legs.”
Chen Lin: “Just do it secretly. It’s not a big deal. My mom didn’t allow it either, but after I got mine done, she didn’t say anything.”
The bell rang.
The conversation paused here.
But during class, Lin Zhe Xia briefly zoned out.
Chen Lin’s words had swayed her, and she actually began planning to secretly get her ears pierced without Lin He knowing.
But more than fearing Lin He finding out, she was terrified of another thing:
—Getting your ears pierced must hurt, right?
“It doesn’t hurt,” Tang Shuxuan joined the conversation after school.
She assured her: “I’ve done it twice, and I didn’t feel a thing. Trust me.”
Lin Zhe Xia: “But still, they have to pierce through your ear…”
Chen Lin: “It really doesn’t hurt. Go ahead and trust me.”
She really wanted to go.
But she was too scared.
After school, she walked sluggishly toward the bus stop with Chi Yao, her gaze repeatedly drifting toward the shopping street.
Chi Yao noticed her slowing pace and commented: “You might as well crawl to the bus stop.”
Lin Zhe Xia: “…”
The next second, Chi Yao said: “Go on, tell me what you want to buy.”
Lin Zhe Xia hesitated: “There’s nothing I want to buy.”
“No?” he said. “You’ve been staring at the other side the whole time.”
Lin Zhe Xia finally mustered the courage : “Actually… actually, I made plans with someone to go fight in the alley of the shopping street after school. You need to come with me and admire my fighting skills.”
Chi Yao: “Oh.”
He didn’t react much to Lin Zhe Xia’s random excuse.
Lin Zhe Xia: “That’s your reaction?”
“Are you asking me to admire—”
As she had hoped, Chi Yao changed his response: “Or are you afraid you’ll lose and want your big brother to help?”
…
The dead title attacked her again.
Was this title never going to leave?
Since Lin Zhe Xia needed something from him now, she couldn’t afford to offend him, so she pretended not to hear and asked: “So, are you willing to go with me?”
His reply came in three words.
“No way.”
“…Reason?”
“I’m scared,” Chi Yao said with his usual tough demeanor, looking like someone who could intimidate anyone. “I get weak in the knees when I see others fight.”
Google Sites
Report abuse