five

That day, I did not want to waste food, nor did I want to disregard July's feelings, so I quietly ate until I was full. July, however, did not touch her chopsticks; she simply watched me eat. To my surprise, while I was having my meal, she spoke about her family as if we were old friends. It turned out that she had a grandmother and a younger brother, the latter of whom was in middle school, while her grandmother managed the household, relying on her earnings from outside.

After all, how many fair things are there in this world

Hmm? Then let me take a guess. I'll start with a question: was it you at the snack street by Gate C last time?" A gentle smile remained on July's face as she intentionally or unintentionally observed my reaction

Her bright eyes and white teeth, her words like pearls falling onto a plate: "My ex-boyfriend is named A Ran, and he is the cousin of Lin Jiaxuan. When I was with A Ran, Lin Jiaxuan would come over quite often, mostly to help A Ran's mother deliver things, and that is how we got to know each other. Later, some things happened, and I broke up with A Ran, which naturally severed my contact with Lin Jiaxuan. I was also quite surprised when I last encountered Lin Jiaxuan." Later, some things happened, and I broke up with A Ran, which naturally severed my contact with Lin Jiaxuan. I was also quite surprised when I last encountered Lin Jiaxuan.

Then, Lin Jiaxuan handed me the paper bag he had been holding in his arms, saying: "Here, Wang Ji's chestnut cake, it's still warm. I noticed you haven't looked for me for a long time, so I figured you must have been studying too hard and bought this to help refresh your mind."

I held that bag of chestnut cake, staring blankly as he waved and disappeared

In my memory, he always took care of me as if I were family. Shen Huai has a small flower shop, but my mother does not like to stay in the shop, so she obtained a driver's license and began driving a taxi

I stood up with her, looking up as she opened and closed the door for me. We exited the Digital Life Pavilion through the back door. July suggested taking a taxi to a restaurant for a meal, but recalling her earlier mention of being pressed for time, I declined and simply said it was fine to eat nearby. July chose a small, casual restaurant, smiling as she said she felt sorry for me, and ordered a large table full of dishes.

He saw me appear, joyfully ran over, and reached out to ruffle my hair: "You are back, I almost froze to death!"

"Little August..." she called me lightly, her words reminiscent of someone with experience, "Do not love too deeply, it will hurt you."

I gazed at her, my thoughts laid bare in the depths of her eyes

I do not know what July has experienced, but my intuition tells me that it has not been easy for her. In this world, some people abandon their self-esteem and pride just to live, simply because they have something more precious to protect. In this regard, they are stronger than we are. Everyone lives according to their own expectations, yet life itself is inherently chaotic; we are all at the mercy of circumstances. I am but a tiny speck of dust, and so is July. Everyone lives according to their own expectations, yet life itself is inherently chaotic; we are all at the mercy of circumstances. I am but a tiny speck of dust, and so is July

In July, I was brought to the side of a woman. The woman noticed us, paused her drink, looked me over, raised her eyebrows, and smiled, saying: "Oh, it's rare for little Qi to bring a friend to play."

Just when I had made up my mind not to see him, he suddenly appeared downstairs at my dormitory.

Three days later, I finally mustered the courage to pull out my contact list and sent a text message to someone

In July, I am Fang Weiyang, and I would like to meet you.

I considered this possibility; July seems to have been in society for a long time, and her words and actions do not align with those of a white-collar worker. I am not surprised at all by what she said.

In addition, there is the matter concerning July that has been tormenting me. Every time Lin Jiaxuan calls me, he always asks why I haven't sent him fried rice. I either say that it's too cold to want to cook, or I say that exams are approaching and I need to study

Later, he would always come to my house to play with me. If I got into trouble at school, he would help me keep it a secret from Shen Huai and my mother, quietly smoothing things over for me. I went from being afraid of him to longing to see him every day; my life became lively and vibrant because of Lin Jiaxuan. However, in Lin Jiaxuan's world, Fang Weiyang only touched the tip of the iceberg.

I muttered, "You are not much older than I am."

While having a meal, July received a phone call. Shortly after, a BMW stopped outside. The window rolled down, and a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses appeared in view. The man was balding and smiled at us in a somewhat lewd manner. July waved at him. I wanted July to ignore me, but she explained that he was a regular who came to see her performances and that it would be impolite to offend him, so she went outside.

In July, she furrowed her brows slightly, gently pressed her lips together, and her words were like a calming pill for me: "No, he did nothing wrong."

It seems that indeed... she suddenly realized, her eyes and brows relaxed, and she playfully pointed a finger in the air, saying, "You ask, I know how to answer."

My heart is in turmoil, yet I clearly understand where the cause of my illness lies. Later, after finishing the chestnut cake, I lay in bed and thought for a long, long time. There are too many questions swirling in my mind, refusing to dissipate. I clenched my fists, with a strong desire to uncover the truth.

For a long time, I always attended classes and left alone, then spent my time in the library reading books. It is not that I love studying so much; I just wanted to engage in other activities to lessen the feeling of missing someone deep down.

Heh. July smiled casually and led me into the adjacent "Digital Life Pavilion." The Digital Life Pavilion is actually a hybrid of an internet café and a lounge, where one can surf the internet and play games, as well as drink and chat. However, different entertainment activities are separated by soundproof walls.

"Sister Hong, may I borrow the VIP lounge for a moment?" July said with a smile on her face, her tone very polite

Seeing her go out, the man got out of the car to open the door for her. I clearly noticed the insincere and feigned smile on July's face. Before getting in the car, the man's large hand inappropriately touched her back and he kissed her on the cheek, which made me feel a wave of nausea.

Her voice took on a somewhat melancholic tone, and her gaze was imbued with a sense of reminiscence. Recalling our first meeting, as well as the fragmented words exchanged during her argument with Lin Jiaxuan, the mention of "A Ran" in this July seems to be a scar she is reluctant to discuss, which makes it difficult for me to press further.

At the suggestion of July, I respectfully called out "Sister Hong." I had a feeling that this person named Sister Hong held an extraordinary status.

When she saw July, she was leaning against the railing in a daze, her slender fingers holding a cigarette, taking a few puffs when she came to her senses. The brownish mist enveloped her face, making her expression appear somewhat melancholic. Upon noticing my figure, she hurriedly extinguished the cigarette and tossed it into the nearby trash can

I was taken aback, unable to comprehend the meaning of her sudden words. I watched as she bent down to pick up the coffee from the table, drinking it until the bottom was visible. Then, she walked up to me and tugged at me, saying, "Come on, sister will treat you to something delicious"

The scent of perfume and a faint hint of tobacco wafted from her body into my nostrils

July is indeed a beauty

I waited eagerly for a reply, and ten minutes later she sent me an address, asking me to find her

In July, he expressed his gratitude and led me into a room to sit down

I tightly gripped the edge of the sofa, feeling that it was more important to acknowledge a fact: "Actually, I saw the argument between you and Lin Jiaxuan last time. Lin Jiaxuan is my friend, and he doesn't know that I have met you. I happened to overhear your conversation, and I apologize for that."

In July, she handed me a cup of coffee, then sat across from me with her legs crossed, holding the coffee and blowing on it: "I sing here, coming over every odd week and going to other places every even week"

In July, she asked me to follow her. She first took me to the front desk, where a woman dressed in a purple embroidered peony qipao and wearing a white fur vest was seated. The woman exuded elegance and grace, engaging in conversation and drinking with others. When she smiled, there were a few crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. Her meticulously adorned face bore the marks of time, yet hints of her youthful beauty were still discernible.

"It's nothing, I don't want to disturb you. You're so foolish, you should read more books," he said nonchalantly, then blew warm air into his hands, waving as he ran off, "I'm leaving first, it's windy, hurry up and get inside."

She wore heavy makeup, with dark circles around her eyes that could not be concealed, a face the size of a palm covered in a thick layer of powder, and cherry lips painted with bright red lipstick, smiling at me in a curve that rose upward.

I shook my head apologetically

Smoking too much is harmful to the body I said to her

"Really?" July chuckled, looking at me seriously, "You know? I felt a sense of familiarity with you the first time I saw you, always thinking you resemble the younger version of myself"

"Is it necessary to greet for such a trivial matter?" The woman laughed heartily, waved her hand, and called for July to come over, casually asking a waiter to bring us drinks and snacks

Are you working here? I surveyed the resplendent room, my hand unconsciously pressing down on the soft sofa. It was my first time in such a place, and I felt a sense of curiosity arise within me.

In fact, I am a selfish person, especially in matters of emotion. I yearn for reciprocity in my investments. If I were to understand that the feelings I wholeheartedly invest would be consumed by others without meaning, I would know when to stop. I would rather make myself suffer than allow others to gain a little more. This inevitably determines that what I desire has never been easy to attain

You seemed to be in a very bad mood that day and lost your temper at him. I do not know what happened between you, I only know that Lin Jiaxuan has never acted that way. I want to know if he... if he did something wrong. I tried hard to think of the right words, unwilling for any phrase to hurt this girl in front of me who, though not much older than I, appears to have gone through quite a lot.

Her generosity left me somewhat at a loss for words. Regarding Lin Jiaxuan and her matters, as an outsider, I was unsure of what reason I could use to inquire about her. Seeing me like this, she smiled

I stared at her in a daze, instinctively recalling that she was referring to the time she had argued with Lin Jiaxuan. Being as intelligent as she is, she should have known the purpose of my visit next.

She poured me coffee while apologizing: "I am sorry for bringing you here. I have to go on stage to perform soon, so I cannot be away for too long."

"Let's meet again next time." In July, she waved at me from inside the car, and I responded with a smile. The engine started, and the car turned into a nearby upscale restaurant

My cheeks flushed, and I suddenly felt like a hypocrite, knowing full well that she would not refuse, so I naturally came to seek her out, to pry into the story that belonged to them

My savior finally remembered me. In July, he greeted me with both hands resting on the railing

That day, as I exited the library, it was already dark. Upon returning to the dormitory, I saw a person standing under the magnolia tree in front of the dormitory building

This seems to be a world that does not belong to me; both she and July make me feel out of place

Hmm. July lazily listened, watching me gesture to continue

The lighting inside is very dim. When we entered, there was a girl on a small stage in the hall playing the guitar and singing

She has been hurt and has lost some things, and what she has lost is precisely what I want to understand

Scene by scene, those gentle years bestowed upon me by him are memories I cannot bear to forget. He once made my heart race, regardless of gains or losses; yet now, I find myself weighing the pros and cons, calculating whether I can emerge victorious in this emotional affair

This winter has arrived quite early. It was not until I saw the girls on campus walking by, wrapped in thick scarves and wearing gloves, that I realized it has been almost a month since I last saw Lin Jiaxuan

After speaking, July's expression became somewhat elusive. I casually wiped my face, unsure of what to say.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, she laughed even louder and said, "It cannot be counted that way. Some people are young but are no different from walking corpses, while others, despite being old, remain just as they were in their youth. Youth and old age, age is one aspect, but the key lies here." She pointed to the location of her heart.

My heart has weakly softened. I looked at his thin coat and his nose, which was red from the cold, and I felt a mix of emotions: "Why didn't he call me to come over earlier?"

"Little darling, what brings you here? Speak up." The person in front had a voice laced with affection, her red stiletto heels rising and falling.

I understand what you mean, thank you. I replied softly, and the few words spoken by July were enough to provide me with an answer. I could basically guess the relationship between Lin Jiaxuan and her

At that time, I was introverted and had no friends after arriving in Huacheng. Lin Jiaxuan's mother liked flowers and often took Lin Jiaxuan to the flower shop. When Lin Jiaxuan saw my school uniform, he realized that we attended the same school. Taking advantage of the adults' inattention, he came over to pull my hair and kept asking me questions.

July leaned against the sofa, propping her chin up with one hand, and looked at me with a smile: "So, is there anything else you would like to ask, Little August?"

I recalled many things related to Lin Jiaxuan