OS - 60

Cheng Yanqing turned his head and saw this scene.

“Brother Zhouzhou, don’t be so stingy and only show Zhou Yu; show us too! Pull it up higher, taking it off is best!” He wasn’t just teasing with his words; he even tried to help. “He must have been holding his breath just now. Zhou Yu, try touching him for me again.”

Cheng Yuzhou’s expression didn’t change. “If you’re so brave, come and touch it yourself.”

“In broad daylight, with everyone watching, who’s as shameless as you?” Cheng Yanqing suddenly pulled his hand back, picked up the hat, and put it on Cheng Wanyue’s head.

It turned out the cheerleaders had come on.

Yan Ci in the second half seemed invigorated and won very beautifully. When they took the final group photo, someone even came over to give him flowers. He had to go back to the dorm to shower and change first, while the others waited at the school gate.

Cheng Yuzhou had gotten his driver’s license last year. He was driving Cheng Guoan’s car. Cheng Wanyue had said yesterday evening that she wanted to come to Zhou Yu’s school, so he took the keys this morning. Cheng Guoan had guessed it before they left, and knowing Cheng Yuzhou had good judgment, he just turned a blind eye and said nothing.

“Are you going back tonight?”

“It’s more convenient for Wanyue to stay at home,” Cheng Yuzhou opened the passenger door, letting Zhou Yu get in. He still stood by the car, one hand resting on the car door, speaking to her with his head slightly bowed. “Staying here will affect your studying. I’ll stay at her place and return to Baicheng with you and Yan Ci after your exams.”

Wearing less in summer, the red string on her wrist was easily visible.

She had put it on on New Year’s Day of her senior year of high school. Not long after the exams, she took it off, but she put it back on when she visited him in Nanjing last time. To her, it seemed to be more than just an ordinary red string.

He thought for a long time.

“I seem to have a faint impression.”

Zhou Yu looked up, her eyes shining with a bright light. “What impression?”

“Not telling you now,” Cheng Yuzhou looked at the siblings still bickering not far away, “Cheng Wanyue, are you getting sunburnt?”

“The wing on my hat fell off, and Yan Ci said he’d go back to the stadium to look for it for me. I have to wait.”

“You wait in the car; it’s cooler inside.”

“No.”

Cheng Wanyue squatted on the ground. Cheng Yanqing stood behind her, shielding her from the sun. Only after Yan Ci ran out from the school gate did they get in the car, discussing going to eat pork stomach and chicken.

They had agreed to be back by 8 PM when they left home, originally thinking they had plenty of time to explore nearby. However, one meal took almost three hours, and both Cheng Yanqing and Yan Ci got drunk.

Zhou Yu’s dorm was close to the school gate, so she arrived first. Cheng Yuzhou watched her go inside, then jogged a few steps to catch up with Yan Ci. Yan Ci was not much better than Cheng Yanqing, who was wailing in the car, but he didn’t have as many bad habits; he was quiet even when drunk.

Yan Ci offered a cigarette. Cheng Yuzhou took it. He had quit smoking and didn’t have a lighter, so he lit it with Yan Ci’s.

There were several cats at their feet, accustomed to being fed by Yan Ci, not shy at all.

The dorm building also housed senior students, and it was graduation season. There were couples at the dorm entrance, so the two boys standing nearby felt a bit odd.

“I was the one who met her first, years before you,” Yan Ci broke the silence, the sense of distance on him less apparent when drunk. There was a faint smile on his face as he spoke. “After my parents passed away, I became obsessed, and for a long time, I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was doing it. I even thought about suicide. Although I’m two years older than her, I’m far less mature than she is, not even as insightful as Cheng Wanyue.”

Cheng Yuzhou said, “The one involved is confused, the bystander sees clearly. She never blamed you. As for me, I have a bit of selfish intent. Wanyue simply hopes you’re well, afraid her condition will relapse and she’ll have to return to the sterile room, with only medication, IVs, and check-ups left each day, nothing else. We finally met, and there’s always endless things to talk about.”

There was an empty seat at the dinner table today. Yan Ci thought of Qing Hang. “Haven’t told Qing Hang yet?”

“Cheng Yanqing met him last time. Wanyue cried for a long time after just a few words on the phone. Let nature take its course,” Cheng Yuzhou had contacted Qing Hang a few times, but he was always busy. “Oh, by the way, you canceled your ticket. Drive back after your exams.”

“Alright,” Yan Ci didn’t stand on ceremony with him. After nodding, he suddenly laughed helplessly. “Damn it, you’re so annoying. Can’t you be a little less wary of me?”

Cheng Yuzhou put out his cigarette. “Then forget it, you take the train.”

“Now that sounds more like it. She and I will be at this school until senior year. You need to always have a sense of crisis.”

Of course, none of it was serious.

________________________________________

Zhou Yu finished her last exam, packed her luggage, and the few of them returned to Baicheng together.

The house was covered in a layer of dust, and it took half a day to clean. For Grandma’s hundredth day, Zhou Yu had to go to the mountain to visit. Cheng Yuzhou had already bought incense paper before she left and waited for her in the courtyard.

The two climbed up the mountain along a small path, stayed there for a long time, and the sunset was exceptionally beautiful on their way down.

The next day was Cheng Wanyue and Cheng Yanqing’s birthday, so Zhou Yu stayed at the Cheng family’s house.

Yan Ci and Cheng Yanqing went shopping at the supermarket. Zhou Yu was in charge of making the cake. Cheng Yuzhou went to buy sparklers. He returned quickly, washed his hands, and helped her cut fruit.

The old lady cooked a large table full of dishes, catering to everyone’s tastes and preferences.

Cheng Wanyue was used to blowing out candles and cutting the cake after midnight, which was still several hours away. After dinner, she dragged people to play cards with her. The loser had to run into the street and shout three times, “Cheng Wanyue is a great beauty.” If they let her win, she found it boring. If they didn’t, she always lost, and when she lost, she would cheat, or say she wanted to go to Zhou Yu’s house to pick apricots.

Yan Ci found an old bicycle from the family apartment building. Cheng Wanyue hogged the back seat, so Cheng Yanqing could only run to keep up.

Zhou Yu and Cheng Yuzhou walked slowly behind them, both wearing red strings, she on her left hand, he on his right.

No one was home, so many apricots had been picked.

Cheng Yanqing took off his shoes and climbed the tree. Cheng Wanyue complained about him being slow, “Can you do it or not? If not, come down and let Yan Ci go up.”

“Yan Ci, you come up now and let her see who can’t do it.”

Yan Ci was quick. Before he even got a firm grip, the tree branch shook violently. There was no need to look to know it was Cheng Yanqing. “Stop shaking it! You’ll fall down and blame me later.”

Cheng Yanqing was defiant, “Laughable! Whoever gets down first today is the grandson.”

They argued while picking. Cheng Wanyue spread out her clothes below the tree to catch them. Occasionally, one would hit her. She got angry quickly and calmed down quickly. Cheng Yanqing would say a few nice words, and she’d forget about it. She first picked two large ones from the basket for Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu washed them clean by the sink and popped them into her mouth, both cheeks bulging.

Cheng Yuzhou extended a finger and gently poked her cheek, smiling, “You were much chubbier when you were little.”

Zhou Yu had to spit out what was in her mouth to speak, “I wasn’t fat; my wisdom teeth extraction just made my face swell.”

It was winter then, and she wore a lot of clothes and a hat. If you only looked at her face, she looked like a little chubby person.

“I heard there were big prizes for guessing lantern riddles, so I really wanted to go.”

Cheng Yuzhou had long forgotten about that lantern riddle event. What he remembered was the small stall next to the square. “What did you win?”

“Laundry detergent,” Zhou Yu gestured with both hands, “A bag this big. It lasted for several months at home. There are even photos.”

“Photos too?”

“My neighbor took them for me and my dad. Want to see?”

“I’d love to.”

They were still in the tree. Cheng Yuzhou followed Zhou Yu into the house. She took out an album from a drawer and flipped page by page to the one Cheng Yuzhou wanted to see.

Cheng Yuzhou looked for a long time. Finally, he noticed a figure running on the basketball court behind her. The facial features were blurry, but the number on the jersey was clear.

Fate truly is a marvelous thing.

Yan Ci had picked enough and jumped down from the tree to wash his hands by the sink. Cheng Yanqing lifted the basket to test its weight. Cheng Wanyue called Zhou Yu from the courtyard.

“Come on, let’s go home,” Cheng Yuzhou took Zhou Yu’s hand, “Back to our home.”

Zhou Yu curled her fingers, gripping tightly. They exchanged smiles.

Night fell, but summer continued.

You are the endless fantasy in my summer night’s dream.

---The End---