Chapter 3

Kongkong nodded slightly, momentarily at a loss for words. She suddenly realized that they might be the last generation to know about and use such a device as the portable cassette player. She recalled the black portable cassette player she used in middle school, which was both thick and clunky; aside from listening to English tapes, it was more often used for listening to pop music. She remembered how much she wanted to replace it with a new, lighter, and slimmer portable cassette player that emitted a faint sapphire blue glow. She once had a drawer full of music tapes, all featuring her favorite singers, and now they remained in the drawer at her family home, uncertain if they had become moldy due to humidity. She remembered how much she wanted to replace it with a new, lighter, and slimmer portable cassette player that emitted a faint sapphire blue glow. She once had a drawer full of music tapes, all featuring her favorite singers, and now they remained in the drawer at her family home, uncertain if they had become moldy due to humidity.

"How did you think of giving me this..." exhaling a long breath, "Isn't it too retro?"

What kind of person is worthy of the treasure of music

The evening breeze is gentle, the air is fresh, and tranquility fills the space between heaven and earth, with the moon hanging yellow and round in the sky, resembling a dream. The three of them seemed to have agreed in advance, as none of them spoke. Such moments often possess a certain deceptive quality, causing the troubles and pessimism in one's heart to temporarily dissipate, suddenly giving rise to an inexplicable gratitude for life.

Perhaps due to their similar ages, everyone quickly engaged in conversation, each sharing their favorite movies, directors, and music. Most of the time, Kong Kong was listening and unexpectedly discovered that Chen Kewei was more talkative than he had previously thought

"Hmm, I really like Baoyin," Kong Kong tilted her head and looked out the window. It was already 11 PM, and many lights were still on in every office building along the East Third Ring Road. She squinted her eyes, viewing those bright and dim windows as a kind of mosaic game, gently moving her fingers in the air as if adjusting imaginary small squares. "I had hoped to become someone like her ever since I was in school."

"How is that possible!" Baoyin argued earnestly, "48 pages, plus the notes page, and I have only used my passport a few times!"

That winter, they planned to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights and were delighted to discover that a few friends were also going, with the timing perfectly aligning. However, those friends had already obtained their visas, while the two of them had not even started preparing their materials.

Thirdly, she wrote a postcard to herself and deliberately affixed the most expensive stamp. On that postcard, she wrote: "The scenery here is beautiful, but it is not the place you wish to go. You chose incorrectly yourself, do not blame others." After finishing, while Ye Baiyuan was not paying attention, she quickly dropped the postcard into the mailbox. When he asked, "What did you write?" she told a harmless lie. While Ye Baiyuan was not paying attention, she quickly dropped the postcard into the mailbox. When he asked, "What did you write?" she told a harmless lie.

Ye Boyuan gently patted Baoyin's head, only to be met with her glare

After meeting privately for drinks two or three times, Kong Kong briefly shared his current life situation with Bao Yin, inevitably mentioning Chen Kewei. This piqued Bao Yin's curiosity, hinting at a whiff of gossip.

She did not realize how adorable she looked when she smiled—this thought flashed through Chen Kewei's mind, and he knew it was time for him to return to the bedroom

It has been neither long nor short, about six or seven years since we have been together—Is it six years? Or seven years? Bao Yin picked a piece of vegetable from the plate and rolled her eyes, "It's been too long; it feels like my youth ended the day I met Ye Baiyuan. The passion quickly faded, and I directly entered the autumn of my life."

When the flight they were on landed at Helsinki Airport, Baoyin's feet had swollen so much from the long journey that they could barely fit into her boots. With a surge of inexplicable resentment, she forcefully shoved her feet into the boots, telling herself, "Isn't this quite good? Nothing has been delayed!"

"Of course, I think so too, but the foundation of love is friendship..." Baoyin's fingers gently tapped on the table, her mint green nails looking freshly done, not yet revealing a hint of the nail bed. She took a sip of sparkling water and said, "Ye Baiyuan and I are very good friends"

During the course of dinner, Kong Kong gained a general understanding of the story of Bao Yin and Ye Baiyuan

What kind of person?

Ye Boyuan is highly efficient when he takes things seriously. He quickly booked his flight tickets and hotel accommodations, and also signed up for an aurora tour with a travel company recommended by the hotel, paying a substantial deposit for it. The only remaining task is to apply for a visa, which they are not concerned about, as this is the area in which they excel.

Is Chen Kewai there? I am Kong Kong's friend. Why don't you come over and have a drink together... Just chatting without discussing anything, it won't be a bother... OK, I will have her send you the location.

Ye Baiyuan ordered a type of beer he had never heard of, while Kong Kong ordered a glass of tonic water. Baoyin lazily followed suit and also ordered a glass.

Is He Su the kind you mentioned? Chen Kewei tried to understand the meaning of Kongkong

"This is the first friend I have truly made in Beijing," Kong Kong thought. "She is quite different from the girlfriends I have known in the past—although her appearance, attire, and decorative details are very feminine, her words and actions often convey a toughness that is inconsistent with that. Baoyin seems to be the kind of person I aspire to be: confident, emotionally stable, decisive and perceptive, someone who does not show fear in the face of any adversity."

But Baoyin clearly heard it and nodded seriously: "I know. The night I first met you, after I got home, I revisited that note. Even the dullest person could tell that there was someone in your heart at that time."

He said, "There are ink marks on many pages," Ye Baiyuan sighed, "I think it must be the tax refund stamps from your previous shopping, Baoyin. I have told you before, you buy too much.

Just like covering one's ears while stealing a bell, none of them were willing to calculate the specific losses—Baoyin had at least expressed three times his willingness to bear all the costs, but Ye Baiyuan never agreed. Their financial situations were all quite good; compared to the expenses, he was more concerned about the itinerary not being able to proceed as originally planned. During that time, "Iceland" became their taboo; they were in perfect accord, never mentioning that disastrous trip again, and quickly formulated a new travel plan

After a few seconds, she realized—that was where he had placed the keys. "You..." Kong Kong punched him lightly, "Didn’t you say you didn’t bring the keys"

"Do you have the key? Of course I brought it... Is it at home or at the office... I'm with a friend, it's fine, I can go back now..." As she was speaking, her phone was suddenly snatched from her hand. It was Baoyin, who gestured "let me handle this" while starting a conversation on the phone.

In retrospect, Baoyin realized that Helsinki must have had many charming places, but at that time, she was completely uninterested in exploring and discovering them. Her journey had actually ended the moment she boarded the plane, while Ye Boyuan remained oblivious to it all

I do not remember who first brought up the topic of travel, but it is evident that the one most eager to express themselves on this subject is Ye Boyuan

In summary, I hope you like it. As for the second-hand item, I am not sure about its performance, but it can serve as a souvenir.

The first is the blazing flames in the fireplace. She sat on the floor by the fireplace all night, constantly adding firewood to the stove, and in between, she called the front desk staff, asking them to bring another bundle. The high temperature made her body dry and itchy, her face flushed as if she were drunk, and it felt tight and painful. Ye Baiyuan called out several times for her to sit a little farther away, warning her to be careful of burns, but she remained indifferent. It was difficult for her to explain to him why those flames made her feel curious and exhilarated. Ye Baiyuan called out several times for her to sit a little farther away, warning her to be careful of burns, but she remained indifferent. It was difficult for her to explain to him why those flames made her feel curious and exhilarated.

It was not until she lay down on the bed that she realized—he was referring to the class reunion during last year's Spring Festival. Clearly, so much time had passed, yet he still remembered what she had said.

It is someone who has seen the world, remains unperturbed by honor or disgrace, and possesses not a trace of pettiness. Kong Kong retracted her finger, feeling a bit melancholic, "You know, it is the kind of person who is completely opposite to me"

Indeed, she is an outstanding new woman—however, is there anything particularly enviable about her

Your passport has no blank pages left His eyes revealed for the first time something that made her feel very uncomfortable Disappointment was not enough to describe it It was more like I had anticipated this day would come She was pierced by that feeling

Nevertheless, they still have subtle differences—at the moment, it is difficult to articulate what those are

"Every year, Baoyin and I go on a trip once, and we have been doing this for five or six years. Do you remember the places we have been to?" He turned to Baoyin, "All the plans and books are prepared by me, and I set the itinerary. You just need to follow along, yet you still get angry if I don't take good care of you."

But in the end, she said nothing, only hurried to apply for a new passport. When she learned that it would take at least seven working days, she was utterly despondent. There was no time left for anything—the cost of the plane ticket, the hotel expenses, that damned deposit, and the aurora she had looked forward to for so long—she sat in the car, unable to move, as if she had suddenly lost the ability to drive.

When Chen Kewai's call came in, Kong Kong was immersed in that kind of emotion, and even his voice sounded gentler than usual

The guest rooms have been transformed to resemble cabins in the woods, with each one being independent. Each room is equipped with a fireplace, and a designated amount of firewood is placed at the entrance. After the friendly staff member introduced them to the correct way of lighting a fire in the fireplace, they left the keys and exited the room

The postcard that Zhang Baoyin sent to herself was successfully delivered to her home mailbox two months after the end of her trip. She used this postcard as a bookmark, placing it among her favorite novels. She remained silent about it, and her annual travel plans continued as usual, but she knew that she had not forgotten anything

Kong Kong smiled slightly, appearing somewhat shy yet also as if she appreciated the sentiment. Chen Kewai spoke the truth; in his view, there is no shortage of Zhou Baoyin in the office buildings and large companies of Beijing, Shanghai, or any first-tier city. They are beautiful, intelligent, capable, and professional, and when they set their minds to it, they are even more resilient than men. They drive their own cars, provide for their own housing, can engage in romantic relationships, and are equally capable of remaining single.

You don't need to worry about those, Chen Kewai said, "Do you like it?"

The back door of the house faced a forest, just as described in the fairy tales she had heard as a child. For a moment, Baoyin wondered if there were really fairies or dwarfs in the forest. She opened the door, and the cold air rushed into the room that had just warmed up, enveloping her. Outside was a pitch-black night; she could not discern whether the trees were birch or spruce, but it no longer mattered.

She hung up the phone and smiled at the empty space: "Do not waste the beautiful moments." Half an hour later, Chen Kewai successfully found them

"This is for you." Chen Kewai leaned against the door, dressed in a dark blue loungewear, his expression somewhat expectant

They attended the same university, with Ye Baiyuan being two years senior to Baoyin, both studying directing. Later, Baoyin pursued graduate studies in the research of drama history and theory

At this moment, there is no need to ask where to go. This sentence emerged from the cluttered memories. She could not recall where she had seen it, yet at this moment, she felt as if she had been struck with such precision.

In the darkness, it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, extinguishing the flicker of flame with a soft hiss. She lay back down on the pillow, adjusted to a more comfortable position, closed her eyes, and cleared her mind of distractions, quickly falling asleep

"Not changing people doesn't necessarily mean anything; perhaps we are simply lazy." Baoyin lightly brushed the topic away from the dining table, and no one picked it up again

"There are no blank pages left? How is that possible..." Ye Baiyuan's expression made Baoyin understand that it must be very bad news. He continued to ask, "Excuse me, whose is it?"

Kong Kong could not hold back and laughed out loud: "I was so jealous of you at that time, when I learned about this, I might have felt more heartache than you did yourself"

After a heated argument and turmoil, they set off after Baoyin said, "Do you no longer trust me?" However, the destination was changed to Finland

Guided by Ye Baiyuan, they went together to a familiar tavern. Upon arrival, they discovered that the tavern was situated in a large orchard. Outside, there were several outdoor tables and chairs facing a lotus pond. They sat down at one of the tables. The tavern owner was a man in his forties, who nodded at them from a distance as a form of greeting

Indeed, they share similar growth environments, educational backgrounds, and relatively effortless life paths. However, Ye Baiyuan is positive, sunny, and full of vigor; his entire being radiates warmth. As for Baoyin? Her gaze is fixed intently on Baoyin, and deep within those eyes, when no one is paying attention, there are constant glimpses of indifference, disdain, and a general apathy towards everything.

"I once loved someone, and I know what love is like." The empty voice was very soft; she thought Baoyin could not hear it

"Alright," Chen Kewai made a self-deprecating expression. He knew the topic had come to an end, but he still reiterated his opinion, "In any case, I believe you don't need to become anyone else; being yourself is quite good."

However, in reality, that trip was incredibly boring, almost the worst journey they had ever experienced together. Whether it was due to insufficient preparation or simply bad luck, in any case... Baoyin knew that these circumstances could not be blamed on Ye Boyuan

The moon was temporarily obscured by clouds, and the light dimmed for a moment, making it difficult to discern Baoyin's expression. All that could be heard was her saying: "Don't portray yourself as so wronged; I do not act that way because you do not trust me."

Most of the time, Baoyin is flawless; she navigates effortlessly within the rules of others using her set of verbal systems, social methods, and expressions. She is clever enough and cunning enough, yet in the eyes of Kongkong, who has not learned anything and is rather foolish, she appears to be in cool tones

Then just say it directly, really... Although Kong Kong was complaining, the tone was quite ordinary

This issue has become somewhat complicated

The cloud has drifted away, and everyone’s view has brightened again. Ye Baiyuan and Chen Kewai began to discuss stocks and funds. Kong Kong got up and went to the restroom. Baoyin's face showed no expression, yet her thoughts were carried away by the flowing wind to a long time ago.

Generally speaking, Kong Kong does not have a strong interest in people unrelated to her, but perhaps due to Bao Yin, she is indeed a little curious about Ye Baiyuan. On the way to that restaurant, Bao Yin drove expressionlessly, with the traffic condition broadcast playing in the speakers. In the gaps of silence, Kong Kong would unconsciously glance at Bao Yin's profile.

Chen Kewai made a sound of acknowledgment, and after a while, he said: "It might be because I am not familiar with it. I cannot see the characteristics you mentioned, and besides, I think you are quite good as you are."

This matter happened several years ago, and they have not spoken to anyone about it. Ye Boyuan has almost forgotten, and he thought that Baoyin might have as well

That noon, while they were waiting for their meal in the restaurant, Ye Baiyuan received a call from the staff member who had attended to them in the morning

During that gathering, everyone was chatting casually. Chen Kewei tried to act as if it were not a big deal. He Su said, "You often skipped breakfast when you were in school to save money to buy cassette tapes. You mentioned that you really wanted a portable cassette player of that brand back then."

It was at that moment that she suddenly realized—he may indeed love her, but he does not hold her in high regard

If the other party does not express clearly for a day, then you should not dream for a day, do you understand? That was her own voice, and at the same time, an old concern surfaced in her mind

Kong Kong and Chen Kewei echoed with a dry laugh

Ye Boyuan's expression was somewhat difficult to interpret; it was unclear whether he agreed or disagreed, yet in the end, he did not voice any objections. Kong Kong also decided to go along with Baoyin's wishes; on one hand, she did not want to dampen the mood, and on the other hand, she felt that Baoyin's points were indeed valid.

The subsequent developments were like a tangled mess. She went to retrieve her materials and confirmed that, as Ye Baiyuan had predicted, a large number of blank pages in her passport had been wasted by tax refund stamps. She had considered finding excuses to absolve herself: many times when I bought things, it was not for myself, but for family, friends, and colleagues. Yes, I indeed neglected it, but who would have thought such a thing could happen

Thank you, " Kong Kong said sincerely. Her eyes were bright.

In the latter half of their journey, they visited Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. The day before their arrival, it had snowed heavily. When checking in at the hotel, the staff kindly remarked to them: "You are very lucky; had you arrived a day earlier, you would have missed it."

Bao Yin remembered that she had almost hysterically shouted at Ye Baiyuan: "I must go, Northern Europe is not just Iceland, and the Earth is not only Iceland that can see the aurora!"

Do you believe that people can be like works of art, belonging to the same "series"? When you see B, you naturally think that there must be some connection between him and A—whether in appearance, temperament, or style, they are distinctly different from others in the same category. At first glance, Kong Kong realized that Ye Boyuan and Zhou Baoyin belong to the same series. They both have clean, beautiful faces that have not endured much hardship, embodying the innocence, elegance, and good taste in material matters typical of children raised in middle-class families, yet they do not indulge in extravagance. They both seem incapable of withstanding the tempests of life, but such tempests would not choose them.

On the afternoon of the day Baoyin received her new passport, she went to the Finnish Visa Center with Ye Baiyuan. After ten working days, the visa was successfully issued.

Then I will open it. The person looked at him with suspicion, took a letter opener from the pen holder, skillfully cut the tape on the box, opened the bubble wrap, and when she saw the contents inside the bubble wrap, she couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Kong Kong knew they were all joking, but she clearly saw a fleeting coldness on Bao Yin's face. She was somewhat uncertain whether she should laugh or not

Yes, I remember you were the first to use this model, yours was silver-white. The tone became cheerful, "Then it got damaged by a bicycle, right?"

After finishing her shower, Kong Kong returned to her study and saw a flat delivery box placed on the writing desk, addressed to Chen Kewei. She thought it was a mistake.

Kong Kong was taken aback: "He Su and Bao Yin? No, no, no, you are completely mistaken; we are not talking about the same thing at all."

Baoyin responded to that young lady with a smile commonly used in business settings

She thought that Ye Baiyuan was very willing to do this; she had never considered that his insistence on managing the itinerary himself was because he believed she could not handle it.

Before the call was disconnected, Ye Baiyuan had already stood up, and the bewildered Baoyin had no choice but to stand up as well

Kong Kong emerged from the restroom and returned to her seat, completely uninterested in the topic of conversation between the two boys. She gazed at Bao Yin's dazed face, perceiving that her soul was not present in her body at that moment. In a flash, Kong Kong understood the subtle difference between Bao Yin and Ye Baiyuan.

"Let Ye Boyuan treat us to dinner," Baoyin said. "It's the weekend, let's reward ourselves with someone else's money." As she spoke, she was already calling her boyfriend. Once the call connected, they took less than a minute to book a table at a Cantonese restaurant

At the end of the gathering, there were only brief farewells, after which Baoyin and Ye Baiyuan each drove back to their respective residences. Kongkong and Chen Kewai took a taxi home together. While sitting in the car, Kongkong's arm inadvertently brushed against Chen Kewai's backpack, and a hard object in the side pocket poked her.

Kong Kong smiled lightly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Bao Yin's ear. She did not speak, yet it felt as if she had said everything.

It is important that she knows that the aurora cannot be seen here at all

"Alright, you had better follow through on your words," Baoyin replied coldly

"It is quite nice to have a drink and chat with your friends," Chen Kewai seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "They are quite a likable couple."

Kong Kong paused for a moment, not continuing the discussion with Baoyin. She was well aware of the nature of her relationship with Chen Kewai—old friends, akin to siblings, sharing living space, sharing food, and also sharing each other's preferences. She had never felt nervous or uneasy in front of him, her knees never weak, her palms never sweaty, and her body temperature had never risen even by 0.1 °C because of Chen Kewai.

Ye Boyuan is very satisfied with this place. He took out a change of clothes from his suitcase and entered the bathroom. After a while, he threw his phone out. The unlock password for his phone is his birthday, which Baoyin has always known, but she has never had the thought of checking it, whether in front of him or behind his back.

She did not continue speaking, nor did she ask for more. This is what Kong Kong likes most about Bao Yin; she knows when to stop.

This is not the first time she has directly accused Ye Baiyuan of "you do not trust me"; she had already said this four years ago, before they were preparing to go to Finland.

Ye Boyuan began pursuing her since his freshman year at Baoyin University, and although there have been some intermittent competitors, he has shown the greatest patience. When he said this, Baoyin let out a hum, appearing noncommittal.

The problem may lie here—upon reflection, Baoyin realized that people often falter in the very things they believe they excel at

When they first got together, they agreed to travel together once a year, even if one of them had been to a place with other friends before; if the other was interested, they could still go again. In the first few years, they executed this plan very well, with clear division of labor: Ye Baiyuan made the plans, while Baoyin organized various items and equipment, filling in any gaps. They were very in sync, and what was most remarkable was that they had never had any disagreements regarding money.

"I never expected it would take this long..." Ye Baiyuan made an exaggerated expression, "Over the years, none of us have considered replacing anyone; in modern society, this can be considered a miracle, right?"

She does not want to show anything to others, and similarly, she does not want to see everything that others display

In the end, Ye Baiyuan also gave up. He opened his notebook, put on his headphones, and watched a film by the Coen brothers that he liked. Baoyin enjoyed a peaceful night all to herself

That journey left Baoyin with only three things

"What you said is..." Ye Baiyuan awkwardly tried to smooth things over for himself, "Then next time, you take responsibility for doing it well, and I will definitely not be picky."

She sat up, her heart pounding violently for a moment; even a fool could understand what all of this meant. However, she quickly calmed down, as a voice emerged from somewhere, warning her not to be overly sentimental and not to misunderstand.

Wishing myself good health

In Helsinki during winter, it is bright at eleven in the morning and dark by three in the afternoon. Apart from visiting the market on the second day of their arrival—since it was the weekend—they had nothing to do and could only stay in their hotel room or take a stroll nearby. It was also difficult to find places to eat. They finally spotted a Japanese-style restaurant in a large shopping center, but had to wait in line for thirty minutes. The food was passable, but the prices were more than double those in Japan and at home. It was also difficult to find places to eat. They finally spotted a Japanese-style restaurant in a large shopping center, but had to wait in line for thirty minutes. The food was passable, but the prices were more than double those in Japan and at home.

Upon meeting Ye Baiyuan, Kong Kong immediately received the answer

After dinner, Baoyin suggested finding another place to sit, reasoning that "What’s the point of going back? It’s just playing on the phone, gaming, or watching movies. Is this how we want to spend our lives in the future? Why the rush?"

Fortunately, the light in the back seat of the car was dim; otherwise, Chen Kewai truly would not have known how to conceal his suddenly flushed face. He stammered an explanation: "I finished working overtime and originally wanted to invite you to watch a movie together... I was just trying to make a joke... I didn't know you were with friends."

They completed all the required forms and, carrying a thick stack of printed materials, perfectly compliant passport photos, and their respective passports, went to the visa center. Just like every previous time, they smoothly handed these over to the staff.

Baoyin was completely unaware of the myriad thoughts swirling in her mind; she hastily introduced the others to each other and then devoted herself entirely to the menu, occasionally inquiring with the waiter about any new dishes.

Hmm, it slipped out of the pocket of my school uniform, I didn't notice, it got crushed, how did you know

We are just simple roommates, " Kong Kong explained, " and I believe that there is indeed such a thing as friendship between men and women.

I thought such things had long been discontinued, and it would be impossible to find them for sale. Empty lightly rubbed the sapphire blue metal shell, the cool, frosted texture, and the barely audible sound of friction all belonged to the era she longed for. "Where did you get this? Is it very expensive?"

What happened? Baoyin noticed that Kongkong was looking at her and withdrew her scattered thoughts. At that moment, she was once again the usual Zhou Baoyin.

Secondly, at the visitor center, the staff presented her with a printed certificate, which bore the inscription "Arctic Circle Latitude Landmark Commemorative Certificate" along with her name. Although she understood that the significance of this certificate was merely that of a travel memento, she still felt a sense of joy.

So, do you and that boy consider yourselves to be in a romantic relationship, or are you about to start one?

Those friends who went to Iceland have been posting photos of the aurora for several days in a row on their social media, one after another. Baoyin does not know how to describe her feelings—jealousy? That seems too exaggerated; at most, it is just disappointment and frustration. Despite this, she has decided to disable the social media feature for a while.