Section 3

August has arrived in the blink of an eye

12, I really like it here, how about you?

Twelve, look, look at how well this flower is growing

He glanced at her and shook off her hand

He instinctively brushed her hand away, as if he were not accustomed to the touch of others

The day she saved him was July 12

Even if he has suffered a head injury and temporarily lost his memory, he should not have lost the ability to speak; it is likely that he is truly mute. Ruan Ruan looked at him with a hint of sympathy.

Feng Sheng felt a deep sense of envy, especially when the boys actually caught a wild rabbit and brought it to the Feng family's yard to show off. The mixture of envy and melancholy in Feng Sheng's eyes made Ruan Ruan's heart ache. It was as if she saw herself from many years ago, at the amusement park on a weekend, where other children were either holding their parents' hands or sitting on their fathers' shoulders, while in her palm, she was forever holding the hand of the nanny.

Ruan Ruan took out a large flashlight from her backpack, turned it on, and the bright, dazzling light illuminated the path beneath her feet. They walked slowly along a small path, shining the flashlight around as they went, hoping that the wild rabbits would come out when they saw the strong light

Ruan Ruan smiled and quietly asked Dr. Zhu, "Isn't his amnesia going to get better?"

Her voice was soft and tender, calling out "twelve twelve" as if gently calling a puppy or a kitten, or perhaps engaging in dialogue with a small child. Ruan Ruan indeed treated him as a silent, sick child, much like the sound of the wind.

Her gaze was directed towards Fu Xizhou under the grape trellis. Before she could speak, he seemed to know what she was about to say and took the initiative to stand up and walk towards the door

Ruan Ruan smiled and said, this is "Gu's New Compilation"

Then, she tilted her head back and surprisingly drank down more than half a bowl of rice wine in one go

He is not picky about food, eating whatever is given to him, but he eats very little, even less than Feng Sheng, who is a patient. After a few days, Ruan Ruan clearly noticed that his face had become noticeably thinner.

"Wow, you have a scar!" Ruan Ruan gently poked his scar with her hand, "But it’s okay, your face still looks great!" She comforted him as if he were a child.

At noon, are we having eggplant or loofah to eat?

The summer nights in the ancient town are tranquil and prolonged, with a gentle evening breeze, a bright starry sky overhead, and boundless moonlight. Time passes leisurely into old age, and it seems quite pleasant.

Ruan Ruan is feeling a bit discouraged

Every night, after dinner, Ruan Ruan would move all the bamboo lounge chairs to the center of the courtyard, take out the watermelon that had been soaking in cool water all day from the small square well, and cut it open, refreshing and cool. The three of them would lie side by side on the bamboo chairs, eating watermelon and chatting. Most of the time, it was Ruan Ruan who spoke, telling them stories she had read in books, but she always loved to twist those fairy tales and myths beyond recognition.

The forest behind the mountain is a considerable distance from the town. They walked for a long time, and by the time they arrived, it was just getting dark. However, when it comes to catching rabbits, the later it gets, the better. Wild rabbits tend to wait until very late before they come out to move around

She said to the sound of the wind, there is no need to envy, I will also go and catch one for you.

He took it, looking at the slightly murky liquid in the bowl, his brows gently furrowing

She spoke with utmost confidence, but as she was about to leave, she became anxious again. She could win against those boys in swimming, but as for catching a wild rabbit, she had never done that before! Moreover, she had to go to the distant woods in the back mountain!

The youths of the ancient town no longer engage in swimming competitions by the twilight river; they have found new amusements. They have somehow learned that wild rabbits roam in the woods on the back mountain, and Liangliang and the others excitedly ran up the mountain to catch the wild rabbits

That day, Feng's mother went to the hospital for a follow-up check with the sound of the wind. Although there were only two people at home for dinner, in celebration of his wound finally being stitched up, Ruan Ruan prepared a sumptuous lunch, including potato and beef brisket soup, chicken broth with radish, braised pork ribs, and stir-fried broccoli. She also specially took out the rice wine brewed by Feng's mother. She poured the rice wine into a coarse pottery bowl, filling it to the brim, its rich aroma delightful. Unable to resist, she lowered her head and deeply inhaled the fragrance of the wine, looking utterly enchanted.

As the night deepened, they were unaware of how long they had been walking, not even catching a glimpse of a single wild rabbit.

Ah, wait! Ruan Ruan put down the bowl, "Look, you don't remember your own name, and we can't keep calling you 'hey hey hey', can we? If you don't mind, may I give you a name?"

"Twelve, let me guess how old you are, hmm, twenty-five? Twenty-six? Twenty-eight?"

Ruan Ruan nodded in agreement, covering her mouth as she softly said, "I estimate it is."

After two days, he went to Dr. Zhu to have the bandage on his forehead removed. The wound from the stitches healed relatively quickly and was recovering well; however, there was a noticeable scar near the temple on his forehead.

Seeing him silent, Ruan Ruan quickly said: "Silence implies consent! Hmm, let me think... how about twelve... twelve?"

Ruan Ruan smiled and said, "Then it's settled." She lifted her porcelain bowl and clinked it with his, saying, "Twelve, congratulations on your recovery. Also, welcome to Mu Yun Town."

Many years later, Fu Xizhou often recalled that summer noon when they sat beneath the lush grapevine. Dappled light filtered through the leaves, and that girl with the crescent-shaped eyes boldly finished a bowl of wine, a rosy hue gradually spreading across her cheeks, making her eyes even brighter. However, he, later on, allowed those clearest and brightest eyes he had ever seen to be tainted with so much sorrow.

Dr. Zhu said, "Not necessarily, amnesia is still a mystery in medicine to this day, it may last a lifetime, or it may suddenly improve in a few days"

In many moments, he, who remembers nothing, indeed had such thoughts cross his mind

Twelve, have you really not thought of anything at all?

He still has not expressed much.

Ruan Ruan picked up a bowl and handed another bowl of wine to Fu Xizhou, who was silently watching her. "Ah, this wine, it is truly fragrant and mellow, and it won't get you drunk. You should give it a try."

Upon reflection, Ruan Ruan no longer pressed him to speak with her. He seemed to enjoy daydreaming, always lost in his own world, quiet as if he did not exist. He woke up very early every day, as if it had been a long-standing habit. When Ruan Ruan went to the well to draw water and wash her face, she always found him silently sitting on the bamboo chair under the grape trellis. She greeted him with a "good morning," and he glanced at her without responding, but his expression was noticeably less indifferent than before. When Ruan Ruan went to the well to draw water and wash her face, she always found him silently sitting on the bamboo chair under the grape trellis. She greeted him with a "good morning," and he glanced at her without responding, but his expression was noticeably less indifferent than before

12, this is the blueberry tree, you have never seen it before, right?

Since giving him a name, Ruan Ruan has enjoyed calling out to him, even though he always responds with silence, she is completely unbothered by it

The moon is truly beautiful tonight, Twelve

Looking at his silent figure, Ruan Ruan curled the corners of her mouth

Gradually, the path beneath their feet had disappeared, and they could only weave through clusters of low shrubs. The forest was dense and silent, with only the soft sound of their footsteps "rustling" as they passed. The way was not easy to traverse; she had originally been walking in front, but he pulled her back, snatched the flashlight from her hand, and walked ahead of her.

And Fu Xizhou, always silent, did not engage in conversation, gently waved the old palm fan in his hand, sitting beside her, driving away the mosquitoes.

... ...

She tugged at Fu Xizhou and then sat down on the ground with a thud. "I'm starving!" In fact, she was quite tired; she wasn't sure if it was because she hadn't walked such a long distance in a while, especially on such difficult mountain paths, but her abdomen was starting to ache slightly. A bad premonition crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed the thought; it couldn't be, the date hadn't arrived yet

Fu Xizhou held the bowl, staring blankly at her. For the first time in so many days, he carefully observed this girl. She was wearing a loose sailor-style T-shirt, denim shorts, and flip-flops, with her shoulder-length hair casually tied into a ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead. She was not particularly beautiful, but her eyes, distinct in black and white, were bright and clear; when she smiled at you, it was as if countless stars had fallen into them.

She accompanied him for a walk to the place where the incident occurred, but unable to reach the pier, she stood at the ferry terminal, gazing from a distance. She hoped he could remember even a little. Yet each time, she returned in disappointment

Ruan Ruan has happily received the admission notice from the Horticulture Department of Ningcheng Agricultural University and is set to report at the end of August. As the departure date approaches, she looks at Fu Xizhou, who shows no signs of improvement, and a sense of worry rises in her heart. Nevertheless, she comforts him by saying, "Shiyi, don't be anxious, take your time. Doctor Zhu said that perhaps one day you will suddenly remember everything!"

The wind seemed to retort at her, saying, "No, no, that's not right, how can you speak so recklessly!"

"Twelve, you are truly loyal!" She walked up with a smile, tiptoed to hook her shoulder around him, only to realize how tall he really was