Chapter 02

It is unlike the noisy school dormitory

The place where Du Weiyan was sitting was actually quite far from Jiang Luwen. During the meal, they hardly exchanged a few words, and only at the end, when they were about to leave, Jiang Luwen handed her a business card: "If there are similar events in the future, feel free to contact me."

The implication is that he is still willing to sponsor

Du Wei's words were stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down

With a gentle flick of his fingers, a grain from Mars fell into the grass. An image inexplicably surfaced in his mind, a great fire leaping up, burning away everything from the past, leaving a refreshing and clean feeling

Xiao Du, do you know that we are going to Mingwu next week? I heard the director and others mention it this morning

Even now, Du Weiyan can still recall the first time he met Jiang Luwen. He was wearing a light blue T-shirt, and when he pushed the door open, he appeared young and handsome, just like the refreshing smile he wore. If one were to say that he was just like the students, a member of the club, no one would likely doubt it. However, this young man is not only a sponsor of the event but also an investor in wetland development, and this time he treated the students to a meal at the resort in the wetland.

Du Weiyan was swayed by his strength, standing very close to him, yet she did not dare to raise her head to look at his face

Only when she was about to leave, illuminated by the light of the streetlamp, could he see the faint pink, pearl-like luster on her nails. Jiang Luwen suddenly felt a sense of uncertainty about grasping the heart of this once very innocent girl. He firmly grasped her fingers that were almost slipping away, and her nails dug sharply into his palm.

Today, she made a decision for Du Weiyan, "Aren't you going out for a field investigation in a few days? It will last for three months! If he doesn't agree, he can just hide outside; there's nothing to be ashamed of. At worst, we just won't see each other again. After all, we have graduated."

The boxwood carving is coated with a layer of ancient and heavy dark lacquer. The color of the earth is not like the desolation of black, but rather close to brown. That face has a high nose bridge and prominent eyes, resembling a king who has torn apart a little ghost

And she timidly turned her head back at the door, cleared her throat, and said: "Well... Mr. Jiang, just consider that I took the wrong medicine."

The cigarette had been burning for a long time, the smoke inhaled into the nostrils, causing a slight choking sensation. Jiang Luwen seemed to see her small dimples in the faint smoke, clear and charming. When he came to his senses, he realized that he was seemingly the only person in the entire community, surrounded by a ground covered in withered grass

Du Weiyan had not yet reacted, and after a long while, finally said: "Please drop me off at the intersection."

Du Weiyan felt a surge of passion and picked up her phone to start composing a text message: "Jiang Luwen, I like you"

Du Wei smiled and put down the pen in her hand, standing up: "Let's go"

Who said that? It is said that Mr. Zhao Yuanren also showed this performance to Chairman Mao

As he brushed past her, he suddenly found it difficult to control his emotions, grabbing her wrist, his voice barely audible to the two of them: "Weiyan, the reason I returned this time to find you is because ... ... "

It was as if a large hand had seized Du Weiyan's heart, squeezing all the blood out of the heart cavity and rapidly forcing it into the limbs— the suffocating and dizzying sensation from the hotel reemerged, becoming even more intense

The cafeteria at the research institute has always offered good meals. Du Weiyan sipped on coconut juice, occasionally looking up at the television mounted high above, which was currently broadcasting the midday news

A man stood not far away, with his back to the window, silhouetted against the light, his tall figure seemingly blurred into several shadows. His voice carried a hint of a smile as he said, "Little girl, you have quite a nerve, daring to go to a bar for a drink"

He did not stop her

Speaking of which, was the person I saw in the hall last night really him

Du Weiyan paused in her speech, her gaze involuntarily lifted again, watching the images flash by frame by frame, finally settling on a conference room. The secretary was engaging in discussions with the people. The announcer's pronunciation was clear and precise: "... This fully reflects the deep concern and earnest hopes of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council for the Tianshan ethnic group, and fully showcases the profound affection and best wishes of the people of all ethnic groups for the Tianshan ethnic group, as well as the spirit of the times and bright prospects for the joint struggle and common prosperity of all ethnic groups."

Jiang Luwen's fingers relaxed slightly: "Wei Yan, you have managed to counter my move."

When I woke up, the morning light was splendid, the birds were chirping, and even the sound of green leaves brushing against the treetops was incredibly pleasant.

Du Weiyan gradually walked away, her hands tucked into the pockets of her trench coat, the black high heels making crisp and sharp sounds against the ground

After tidying up, she left for work. Since graduating with her master's degree, she has been working at the Linguistic Information Research Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences in Linxiu Province. Due to the diverse ethnic groups living together in Linxiu Province, the focus of the institute has always been on dialectal culture, which aligns well with Du Weiyan's research direction

Du Weiyan uttered a soft "Hmm," and then asked, "What?"

The night sky on this evening is not very beautiful

After all these years, Du Weiyan can still recall that scene, as the night breeze brushed by, seemingly stripping all the nerves away from the body and placing them into the spring water, causing a shiver. When Du Weiyan reminisces about it, her cheeks inevitably flush slightly. She wishes to discreetly withdraw her wrist from the palm of his hand.

The car stopped at the entrance of the community duty room, and Jiang Luwen and Du Weiyan got out together. He leaned against the car door, squinting as he watched her turn and leave

It seems like him, yet it does not resemble him.

Jiang Luwen appeared quite at ease, only asking her as they turned a corner, "Are you still living on Huamen Road?"

Du Weiyan comforts himself in this manner

Du Weiyan's heart blossomed with joy, and after that, her smiling eyes turned into crescent shapes: "Thank you, Mr. Jiang"

Du Weiyan lingered in bed for a while, extending her finger to touch the mask, and softly said: "I really had a nightmare!"

She suddenly felt a bit hesitant to continue listening

A whole table of beer bottles was laid out in front of her, and she was already drinking to the point of being dazed. Ignoring the gazes of those around her, she laughed and cried, her speech becoming incoherent: "I really like him! But why do I always lack the courage to tell him? Wuwuwu..."

This made him chuckle lightly

The Big Green Team is a nationally renowned student organization, and its activities are particularly abundant. Whenever a group of people rides through the city and countryside on bicycles adorned with green flags, it gives the impression of a bygone era of chivalry. Du Weiyan started as a novice in her freshman year and by her senior year had become the head of external relations in the organization. This time, their activity is an investigation of the wetlands in a neighboring city.

Jiang Luwen was alone in the room, feeling both amused and helpless. He had gone to find her in the middle of the night, bringing her out from that bar, but now, it seemed that the courage the young girl had shown last night had completely vanished.

She closed her eyes and buried her head back into the air-conditioned blanket. After a while, her body slowly relaxed, her head and neck stretched back, and her gaze fell upon the mask hanging at the head of the bed

If it can be said that when Du Weiyan first met Jiang Luwen, she was somewhat deliberately relaxed, then on the way back, she stripped away even that veneer, falling into an astonishing silence

The figure is slender and delicate, yet it evokes a sense of resilience that seems difficult to bend.

Du Weiyan rubbed his temples and gazed outside, his vision still somewhat blurred

Du Weiyan met Jiang Luwen when he was about to graduate from university, more than two years after joining the Green Team

After much contemplation, what youth lacks the least is impulsiveness, especially in a state of half-drunkenness and half-awakening. Du Weiyan pressed send.

She entered the office and, as usual, organized the materials until Xiao Liang poked his head in and called her to have lunch together

Speaking of Ming Wu, Du Weiyan suddenly recalled his experience of going to the Public Security Bureau yesterday and couldn't help but tell his colleague: "Oh, by the way... do you know that I went to the Provincial Public Security Department yesterday..."

It is indeed true that things have changed... The last time he saw her silhouette was a long, long time ago. Du Weiyan, in that room, finally recalled the text message he had sent after getting drunk. Caught off guard and blushing profusely, he opened the door and was about to run away

"You know I am not. " Du Weiyan calmly withdrew his finger, his tone sincere, "At that time, I was still too young. Moreover... I did not know that your wife was abroad. If this has caused you any inconvenience, I am truly sorry."

Everyone who has visited her home and seen this mask would be astonished: "Wei Yan, how can you hang such an object by your bedside and not have nightmares at night?" Du Wei Yan would always be taken aback for a moment, then smile and say: "How could that be? This mask... has divine protection!" Her half-joking tone often led everyone to share a tacit understanding and laugh. After all, they were all engaged in the study of linguistics; in this day and age, who would believe in superstitions and the supernatural?

She was still somewhat unclear about the situation, blinked her eyes, and asked, "Mr. Jiang, this is ... ... "

The stars are scattered, and the clouds seem to pile up, obscuring the deep blue night sky

After that text message, Jiang Luwen invited her out for dinner several times, and neither of them mentioned the confession in the message. At that time, he might have just found it amusing, or perhaps he was genuinely interested; as for her, it was likely just a result of the difficulty in refusing after having a crush.

She wanted to lower her head. However, even on the television, that person's gaze seemed to sense the presence of the camera, penetrating through the lens, miraculously breaking free from the constraints of time and space, and locking eyes with her

He quickly lowered his head and ran away, not wasting a single second, let alone waiting for his response

After nearly a year of pent-up emotions, she suddenly felt a sense of relief. A chill touched the corner of her eye, and unexpectedly, a tear fell.

He allowed her to do as she pleased, as her soft and slender knuckles brushed against his palm, resembling a few wisps of elusive clouds at the horizon

Du Weiyan let out a sound of acknowledgment, neither refusing nor rejecting, lightly raising her eyebrows, and said: "Then I will trouble you with this."

In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Hongyu Tujia Autonomous Prefecture, the Provincial Party Secretary XXX traveled to Hongyu to hold discussions with the public and met with representatives from various sectors

The words that Jiang Luwen wished to say still did not come out. And that spark still did not ignite, leaving only grayish-white ash, scattering like mustard dust in the air

Du Weiyan's delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she were a bit confused. After a moment, she smiled and said: "Mr. Jiang, regarding that question, you mentioned that you are unwilling to answer it"

This seemed to be the first time she called him by his name, Jiang Luwen. In the past, she always addressed him politely as "Mr. Jiang." Such a form of address made her feel somewhat anxious yet also sweet. However, before she could even wait for a response, Du Weiyan had already fallen asleep on the table

She slowly sat up, moving a little closer to the mask. In fact, after seeing this mask for a long time, its fierce appearance would evoke a sense of familiarity.

The situation between them is like a cup of hot water, still somewhat scalding at this moment. He is not in a hurry; it might be better to leave it be and let it cool for a few days.

It is not difficult to understand if a naive young girl gradually develops feelings for him

When Du Weiyan woke up in the morning, he was gasping for breath, and unconsciously reached out to wipe his face.

Are his features like this? Handsome enough to evoke a sense of tranquility? Handsome with a hint of defiance?

But at that time, he did not know that just a few days had turned into several years of time.

Her roommate had drunk just as much as she had, and her mind was not particularly clear. After hesitating for a long time, she came up with a rather poor suggestion: "Why not confess your feelings today?"

At that time, you did not wait for my answer—was it because you were afraid to hear it? Or is it that... you no longer care?

The man leaned against the sofa; even while sitting, his figure remained tall and upright, resembling a bamboo joint or a towering mountain peak—yet between his brows...

The camera circled the conference room once again, unexpectedly pausing for several seconds in a corner

That was her most beautiful time. It was as if in the most splendid season, the flowers bloomed in full glory, captivating at first glance

Thus, they gradually became familiar with each other

Jiang Luwen smiled without speaking, the long red light finally came to an end, and he said lightly: "It has been so unsafe lately, what if something happens on the road?"

He listened with great interest, and then teased her by saying: "That is meant for scholarly pursuits, unlike you, who have learned so much, only to use it like a magic trick for a performance."

The young girl studies linguistics and possesses an astonishing talent for languages. During meal breaks, she can effortlessly imitate several dialects, all with remarkable accuracy, which makes him laugh heartily.

Du Weiyan appeared somewhat pleased, his eyes sparkling brightly, yet his tone was somewhat restrained as he said: "What is this! Our teacher once mentioned that Mr. Zhao Yuanren, during his investigations of dialects across the country, could learn the dialect of a place in just a day or two while traveling by train from north to south. After several months of research, he was able to speak dozens of dialects."

Some emotions, if gradually buried deep within the heart, may wither away like seedlings deprived of light, eventually decaying into mere soil. When recalled after a long time, they become as light as a cloud and gentle as the breeze

The main door on the ground floor opened with a thud, and Du Weiyan quickly ran inside, the heavy glass door slowly cutting off his line of sight. Jiang Luwen leaned against the car door, lighting a cigarette. A small red ember flickered between his fingers, and his profile was cast in shifting light and shadow.

Du Wei looked at him with a smile, a small dimple on her left cheek

Until the end of this news report, Du Weiyan summoned all his remaining will and glanced at the time displayed in the corner of the television—12:29:20—had it truly come to a standstill? Or had a sudden memory overwhelmed him?

However, some are not. For instance, the dormitory gathering before graduation that made Du Weiyan regret completely transformed the nature of this unrequited love

Outside the window, there is a hint of morning mist. A young man slightly turns his face, yet his gaze rests on the black phone on the table, his smile seemingly like sunlight hidden behind the clouds, unable to be concealed.