three

When he turned around to prepare to cross the street with Junliang, I was stunned

Back at the apartment, I was certainly wearing a different expression. As soon as I entered, I shouted loudly, "Junliang, let me tell you, I know Gu Ciyuan's conspiracy! He has a male partner from childhood, and in order to conceal his true sexual orientation, he wants to be with me! What a despicable person, sacrificing such a beautiful girl for his own selfish desires..."

Thinking this way, I was about to make a call to her and say: "I am going back to City Z, you can have the smoothie yourself." However, just as I took out my phone, I was stunned...

Although it was clearly her fault, he is willing to take on this blame on her behalf.

I couldn't help but gently ask him: "Do you really like me?"

She often says, "Those who understand me know my heart's worries, while those who do not understand me question my desires"

Actually, I should be the one to apologize to Gu Ciyuan.

Gu Ciyuan is not a fool either. From the furrowed brows of Du Xunshen, one can also see some clues.

On the contrary, the other party not only refused to cooperate but also patted their chest and pretended to vomit, saying: "Do not take this route, it will be fatal."

After I rambled on about a bunch of nonsense, I finally noticed that Junliang's mood seemed a bit off. I nudged her, and she snapped out of her daze, looking at me in confusion: "Huh?"

The shimmering waves reflect the light, a crescent moon hangs in the sky like water

Before the college entrance examination, while we were all busy with our final reviews at school, Junliang and other art students were traveling to various cities to participate in art exams. On the day she took the exam at the university we are currently attending, she performed exceptionally well. A few classmates who participated in the art exam together were in good spirits, so they made plans to go to a bar in the evening to celebrate with a couple of drinks.

The first time I met Junliang's mother was also on that day. She sat in the car and smiled as she asked me, "Chuwu, shall we take you back?"

Actually, Du Xun is a snooker expert, but his performance was very off that night. He missed several shots and didn't pocket a single red ball.

At that time, I felt that Gu Ciyuan was like a little boy, full of sharpness and vigor, but I value qualities such as introversion, prudence, and rationality more.

The night sky is like a sea hanging upside down, with turbulent waves and sea beasts roaring.

Junliang tightly grasped my hand, and I think she may not even realize how much strength she used. Her long nails dug deeply into my skin as her eyes stared blankly out the window

Junliang was bored, tossing dice on the table and planning to take her leave when Du Xiaofeng, who had a fondness for boys, suddenly rushed over as if electrified, leaning close to Junliang's ear and shouting loudly: "Hey, look, that guy at the table on the left is quite handsome, isn't he!"

He spread out the newspaper, sat down first, and then patted the empty space beside him to indicate for me to come over

It is Du Xun

She is also unwilling to be outdone: "After I polished the borrowed dog's eyes, I saw you, and had no choice but to poke the dog's eyes blind!"

Du Xun couldn't help but laugh: "Perhaps it is because you behaved so poorly in the past? I heard that during that time, you were quite capable of hurting others more than once or twice."

I remained silent throughout the journey, recalling that night when Du Xun said: "Song Chuwei? I have long admired your great name."

Junliang laughed even more joyfully: "Who says younger sisters are all female? That one over there is a male younger sister."

The tears that had been held back for a long time fell suddenly on that rainy afternoon. I forgot to bring an umbrella when I left home in the morning, and by the time school was over, many of my classmates' parents were waiting at the school gate with umbrellas for their children

At that time, I did not even know this person's name, nor was I aware of his existence, because that cunning fellow Su Junliang had hidden him very well, and not a whisper of his presence had leaked out

I explained my thoughts to her: "You all look great!"

By the silent lake, I hear my long sigh; the loneliness that cannot be expressed or dispelled within me sinks entirely to the bottom of the lake with this sigh

She shook her head and forced a smile, saying, "I am fine, I just called my mother. Although she tried her best to hide it, I could tell she was crying."

She said: "I once came across a saying that in this world, with a population of over six billion, at a certain moment, just one person can rival thousands of troops and stir the tides of the four seas. In that moment, I completely understood that feeling"

The night breeze carries the fragrance of plants, the night curtain outside the window, deep blue clouds drift by, and a crescent moon rises slowly into the sky

Yes, I thought at that time that no one would see it

Upon receiving her call and stepping out of the apartment, the young man immediately spotted her sitting on the stone steps. She was so radiant, embodying the very essence of the term "beauty".

The setting sun casts a layer of ambiguous, shimmering light over all things in the world, and the sky quickly darkens. The West refers to these brief few minutes as the "wolf dog hour." In such light, Junliang squints and smiles.

There were only three girls, including Junliang, who went together. Later on, the other two girls left early. Among the remaining three boys, one has a girlfriend, one is the type that Junliang dislikes the most—a chubby guy, and the last one simply does not like girls at all

Meanwhile, I wandered alone by the lakeside on campus, not knowing how long I had been drifting. Finally, I sat down on a stone by the lake.

His gaze was fixed on a certain gap, motionless: "It wasn't the time I threw your umbrella..."

I have always been unsure of how to carefully choose my words in order to express the unspeakable grievances of my childhood in a vivid manner

I turned a deaf ear to what Junliang said, and sat down on the playground, lost in thought as I gazed at the distant horizon.

The boy walked straight up to her, furrowing his brows as he looked at her. Only then did she extend her hand and say with a smile, "My legs are numb, pull me up."

He turned to look at me, a gentle smile blossoming on his face

However, whenever this matter is mentioned, I find myself at a loss for words in an instant

However, after a long standoff, he finally compromised, pulling Junliang up and giving her forehead a firm flick: "I am afraid of you."

He patted Du Xun's shoulder, his voice tinged with a hint of anxiety: "Make haste, she will be back soon"

The air in the smoking area is quite poor, and some people leave without even extinguishing their cigarette butts. Gu Ciyuan patted his shoulder, and I couldn't be bothered to be coy anymore, so I simply leaned my head over. Just like that, I caught a whiff of that fragrance on him again

After the girl raised her hand, Junliang suddenly pushed the boy away and took the loud slap herself

In the noisy bar, the lively music and the passionate drumbeats seemed to pause for a moment as Junliang looked at the boy. Du Xiaofeng urged Junliang eagerly, "You go check it out first. If he likes girls, then he's yours. If he doesn't like girls, then I'll take care of it myself!"

Have you ever had a moment when, no matter how many people were laughing, cursing, or joking around you, and no matter how close your friends were to you, you still felt lonely?

Of course I remember, at that time many girls liked him, which made Junliang appear very different.

He knows that I am Song Chuwei, that I am the infatuated girl who pursued Gu Ciyuan during high school, that I am the one who always asked Junliang to use gestures to represent "ABCD" with "1234" during English exams, ... he knows that I am the notorious little girl from Deya Middle School who, relying on her mother being a teacher at the school, shows no respect for her elders ...

He said: "How should I put it, at that moment I felt... as if a cup of water had been overturned in my heart"

When Junliang reached this point, I could no longer help but interject: "So when did you meet Du Xun?"

Do not mention Junliang, even I was taken aback

Junliang could not keep it from me for too long; sometimes, the world is just this small

Let me sit in this carriage, it's better to just let me die!

She took a deep breath and said, "Do you remember when I told you after the art exam that I asked a boy for his phone number for the first time in my life? That boy was Du Xun."

I was taken aback and looked towards the door, only to see Gu Ciyuan standing there with a smile on his face, and for a moment, I forgot to retaliate against Tang Yuanyuan's snarky comment.

This boy's mind works very quickly. In an instant, he understood what Junliang meant.

What angers her the most is not the loss of money, but the fact that her daughter has developed the bad habit of stealing

It turns out that's what he meant that day...

On Friday afternoon, Liang Zheng insisted on holding a class meeting to discuss joining clubs. I was so anxious that I was sweating profusely, wishing I could rush to the podium and give this idiotic class monitor a slap on the face who keeps saying "this, OK, this, over".

She is really good to me. She remembers me even when buying a cup of iced drink. Looking at her from afar, I feel so moved.

I slipped away while Gu Ci was not paying attention. After he kept saying "Hey hey hey" behind my back for a while, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to me anymore. Du Xun patted his shoulder and said, "Shall we go to the billiard room?"

Despite the hot weather, Jun Liang still unhesitatingly took his hand.

Bringing up the past, I feel ashamed and have no place to hide. However, I didn't expect him to say that actually I used to find you quite annoying, thinking that you were neurotic and always causing me trouble by having your mom talk to me. But that afternoon, seeing that scene, I don't know why, suddenly I felt that you might not be so detestable after all.

As I shifted my gaze towards him, Gu Ciyuan shrugged and said, "Junliang said she would tell you herself, so I didn't say anything more."

He turned his head and looked at me, saying "You don't know, do you? I was standing across the street at that time, and I watched you for a long time."

But I don't know this person. He is the one who encouraged Gu Ciyuan to let go of his concerns and confess directly. He is the one who ignited Yunliang's passion for the first time in many years. He is the one who was admitted to A University with the identity of the top science student in Z City.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, saying, "You may go back; I have no such hobby."

I actually remember what he said about this matter

Junliang was amused to the point of laughter, but since they were out to have fun, she decided to let loose and enjoy herself.

After confirming that all the friends at that table were male, the young man also laughed and said, "Are you joking? There are no girls at that table, only younger brothers."

I will always remember the faint fragrance on his body.

It is indeed not far, yet that short journey of twenty minutes took me a long, long time to walk. The rain poured down on my body and face, washing away the tears that no one could see

Jun Liang walked over and took a deep breath before extending her phone directly in front of him, saying, "Hey, this time a girl wants your number. Will you give it to her or not?"

As the best friend of Junliang, I have seen her mother many times. Sometimes when I have arguments with my own mother, her mother would invite me to their house for a meal. Over the years, I have never seen any expression on her face other than a smile.

The other party looked down at her, raised an eyebrow and smiled, without any intention of helping: "Are you acting spoiled? I'm not falling for it."

Junliang looked at him with a smile and said, "I beg you."

That night, perhaps Gu Ciyuan said something to Jun Liang, and Jun Liang came to explain it to me

Gu Ciyuan stared at me with wide eyes for two seconds, then suddenly exclaimed, "Why are you like this? I even made a reservation to take you out for a meal!"

On that day, they happened to wear the same brand of POLO, with the small crocodile logo on their chests echoing each other, and their shoes were also the same model of AF1. Junliang lowered her head and smiled at this unintentional yet harmonious coincidence

I awkwardly changed the subject: "You must not have ridden on this kind of green train before... Certainly not. Back in high school, whenever it rained, I would see your family's car parked at the door. Someone like you, a second-generation rich kid, probably never imagined the conditions of the green train could be so harsh..."

She said: "Chuwi, in this era, everyone is discussing the thirty-six strategies of love, but I still believe in that thing called fate"

From the gossip of the neighbors, I gradually pieced together the changes that occurred in this family during the time I was absent

Gu Ciyuan finally spoke and asked, "Don't just talk about me, what about you? Haven't you made it clear yet?"

However, when she found out that the shoujo manga I was reading actually contained what she considered to be inappropriate content, her expression was as if she wanted to pull out a knife and sacrifice me to the ancestors.

Just like time, no matter how powerful it is, it cannot wash away the traces of sadness that have slipped through the pure white years

My eloquence is pretty good. I can barely be considered as having a silver tongue. Except for the fact that I have never won an argument against Gu Ci Yuan, I have always been invincible.

Her lowered head reminded me of the time when I was in the sixth grade of primary school, when my mother brought me back from my grandmother's house in City H to City Z. My heart was still filled with joy, but suddenly I found that there was one less person at home. The joy turned into a burst balloon in an instant, and the powder scattered all over the ground.

Actually, during the summer vacation, Du Xun and I... how should I put this to you? I invited you to join me on a graduation trip to Shanghai, but you said you couldn't go because you were broke, so I had no choice but to go alone. As a result, who would have thought that I would run into Gu Ciyuan there, and even more unexpectedly, he turned out to be childhood friends with Du Xun

I listened to her story without saying a word, but I knew she would never mention that person's name again.

The white ball struck the red ball with just the right amount of force, sinking it in one stroke. Gu Ciyuan sighed, saying: "It's not a big deal; she absolutely refuses to believe that I like her and insists that I must have some ulterior motive."

Jun Liang looked at her pale face, and the scene of herself stubbornly reaching out, sitting on the stone steps like a spoiled child and refusing to get up, quickly surfaced in her mind

The night breeze, carrying the fragrance of plants, sways my skirt, and I suddenly feel a refreshing coolness that touches my heart. Has early autumn arrived?

What a graceful and dignified woman, living in such a luxurious environment, should theoretically have no worries! What could have happened that is so terrible that it would cause her to lose control of her emotions?

The atmosphere is somewhat awkward, and the stark white light above the billiard room feels a bit eerie at this moment. With Du Xun's silence, a subtle something begins to permeate the air.

I couldn't help but rush over and pinch her: "In life, there is never a lack of beauty; what is lacking is the discerning eye to discover it!"

I admit that he struck a nerve with me

How can these feelings be expressed?

In the face of my deeply saddened mother, I actually feel guilty, but I provocatively say without knowing any better: "What kind of explicit content is this? Isn't it just hugging and kissing? Su Shi said that the taste of life is pure joy, but that's deceiving. The true taste of life should be the joy of men and the love of women!"

On the day of my sixteenth birthday, I dragged Junliang with me to the school playground to release a Kongming lantern. Watching it gradually ascend, becoming smaller and more distant, I sighed and said, "If only I could fly away too"

It is as if you are enveloped by an invisible glass container, where you can see the vibrant and colorful world outside, and the people outside can also see your solitary figure. No matter how close you are to each other, ... you can even feel the warmth of each other's palms pressed against the glass ... . However, this glass container has neither an entrance nor an exit

Junliang's voice was almost a whisper: "All things have their own fate."

When you like someone, you are unwilling to mention their name, regardless of any endearing nickname. No code name is suitable for them, and no title is enough to represent all their desires and expectations in her heart.

Perhaps considering that my phone was on roaming, she called my home phone. My mother was sitting in the living room watching TV. It was inconvenient for me to speak while holding the handset, but the more silent I was, the more Yunliang thought I was angry.

Isn't he Gu Ciyuan's friend from childhood? So, does it mean that I'm the only one who doesn't know what happened?

She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face: "Are all the boys in the world dead? Why would I undermine you?"

I have read many books of poetry and prose, and written many essays. Since I was young, I have always been the favorite student of every Chinese language teacher I've had.

Gu Ciyan handed me a bottle of mineral water from a distance. When I came to my senses, he bought another newspaper and spread it on the ground, asking me to sit down. Watching him, a young master, busily taking care of me, I was unexpectedly moved.

Later, Junliang told me that she had made up her mind not to give up in that moment.

The human sense of smell has a much stronger memory of things than vision, touch, and hearing.

In the midst of the bustling world and rolling yellow sand, I, naive and ignorant, grew up rapidly in the pouring rain and lightning.

When I hung up the phone, I braved my mother's penetrating gaze and said firmly, "Well, Junliang, as long as you feel happy, it's all good!" In order to avoid my mother's meticulous analysis of our current life in college, I used "I have to go to the nursing home tomorrow" as an excuse and quickly retreated to my room to sleep.

I'm almost crying: "Brother, if you keep nagging, we really won't be able to catch the train."

Between the blink of an eye, he said, "I'll accompany you back."

I have never spoken to Gu Ciyuan, and he just looked calmly at the passing scenery outside the window. Suddenly, he said softly, "Song Chuwei, I once saw you cry."

I quickly crouched down to feel her forehead and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

She only hit me once, because I took the money she left on the dining table to buy shoujo manga.

Junliang glanced at me and said, "Hurry back to eat, your mother just sent me a message asking about you."

I even secretly asked Junliang, why aren't you together with Gu Ciyuan

In fact, at that time, I already knew that Junliang was a girl who lived with great clarity. She always exuded a calm and composed strength: those who understand me do not say that my heart is troubled, and those who understand me do not question what I seek.

A long time later, after Junliang and I had each experienced the sweetness and bitterness of love, we calmly sat down to share a pot of fruit tea. She suddenly asked me, "Chuwei, do you remember? You once asked me why I didn't like Gu Ciyuan.

He was stunned by my abrupt question, remaining silent for a long time as he continued to lower his head and spread out the newspaper

After the meeting finally concluded, I, burdened with a large bag of luggage, shot past Gu Ciyuan like an arrow. To my surprise, he was quick-witted and caught me in an instant. I was so furious that I was about to go mad: "Let go of me, you pig! I need to catch my train!"

Amidst the cacophony, his voice was soft yet distinctly reached my ears

I organized my thoughts for a long time, but in the end, they turned into a helpless smile: "Junliang, I will slowly tell you in the future."

I kept my head down, my face felt as if it were burning with intense heat.

I detest being deceived by others, Su Junliang, Gu Ciyuan, you have committed a grave taboo

Gu Ciyuan spoke again: "I know you are very angry right now, feeling that both Junliang and I are lacking in loyalty. But think about it, you also have things that you are unwilling to be open and honest about with us, don't you?"

That year, I was only eleven years old, right? To get to that unfamiliar elementary school from my grandmother's house, I had to pass through an old freight station, where the ground was covered with coal dust and mud. My white rubber shoes always ended up very dirty, and no matter how hard I scrubbed, they could never be cleaned.

Not long after, the young man was about to leave. As he passed by Junliang, he smiled at her as a way of saying "goodbye." It was unclear whether it was the alcohol in his bloodstream or some other reason, but in that moment, Junliang suddenly felt a deep sense of reluctance.

Jun Liang did not make it difficult for him; she simply raised an eyebrow and decisively turned around to tell Du Xiaofeng, "You have no chance"

Do not blame Gu Ciyuan either; it was I who asked him not to speak for now, as everything is still unclear

I happened to see Junliang; she came out of the dessert shop across the street, holding two cups of mango smoothies that we usually buy together.

Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would understand why Junliang chased after her upon seeing her expression. The boy looked at her and smiled, and in the neon-lit night of the city, this girl resembled a breath of fresh air

One sentence left me speechless

The trouble caused by my sharp tongue led me to wear sunglasses and a mask to school for a full two weeks. Aside from Junliang, no one knew that I had been beaten to such a state by my own mother

When I was being beaten, I gritted my teeth and did not make a sound, not because my willpower was particularly strong, but because I knew that even if I cried or shouted, it would be of no use; no one would come to save me

Isn't it essentially a story of waiting

I rolled my eyes; of course I know this. Do you still remember which wretch made me cry?

I once secretly arranged for Gu Ciyuan and Jun Liang to be together. I imagine how delightful it would be if these two scoundrels were in a romantic relationship, walking through the crowd.

A bitter smile appeared on Du Xun's face, his pitch-black pupils resembling an abyss. He thought for a moment and replied, "I don't know how to say it, and moreover, I don't know to whom I should say it."

One day it rained, and when I walked to the door to hail a taxi, I saw Su Junliang's mother driving over to pick her up, calling for you to get in the car, but you refused...

It was not for me; that cup of mango smoothie was cheerfully raised by her in front of the person who got out of the car

Just as she was about to speak, someone interrupted her and said, "It is me."

I cannot see her expression over the phone, but there is an indescribable quality in her voice that has never been present before.

Originally, Gu Ciyuan intended to discuss the issue of "About Us" in a very serious manner, but fortunately, Du Xun appeared just in time to alleviate my embarrassment

Every afternoon after school, I can hear the long whistle of the freight station as I pass by. The railway extends infinitely towards the distance, with the setting sun at one end and little me at the other.

Gu Ci Yuan cautiously observed me from the corner of his eye, but I simply did not want to pay him any attention

Tang Yuanyuan's gaze carried a hint of mockery: "Oh dear, your man is waiting for you at the door, are you in a hurry to check into a hotel?"

I still wanted to say something when an empty taxi stopped in front of us. Gu Ciyuan swiftly opened the car door and pushed me inside, then told the driver: "Train station"

I shook my head and said, "No need, you all should go back quickly, my home is not far."

In high school, I often asked Junliang why she never accepted any boys

After that boy walked away for a few minutes, she suddenly picked up her bag and chased after him. To her surprise, he had not gone far and was chatting with a friend at the door

As a people's teacher, my mother generally adopts a reasoning approach to communicate with me, who is often stubborn; however, there are also unexpected moments

After Junliang confessed the whole story, I remained in a daze

Du Xun's manner of speaking was quite roundabout; he did not directly discuss his own matters, but instead first asked Gu Ciyuan: "How have you been?"

They both remained silent for a while, and she sighed: "Ah, Chuwei, it's not that I intentionally didn't tell you, but I always feel that something is not right, that there is something uncertain. I want to wait until everything is clear before I tell you."

Her eyes widened even more: "If all the good-looking people in the world were to be with other good-looking people, what would happen to someone like you?"

Su Junliang, who had always kept others at a distance of a thousand miles, took the initiative to ask a boy for his number; this is something I will never forget!

The boy has his back to us, but just from his silhouette, one can tell he must be handsome

Even though later on, I encountered many, many boys, some of whom were very handsome, some very clean, and others simply radiant, I still feel that Gu Ciyuan is the only clear spring in the journey of my life

Look, I am no different; everyone has their own difficulties. So what right do I have to criticize others

The broom at home has been broken by her, and my hand has gone numb from the pain; only then did she slightly calm her anger

After a long time, I heard myself softly say: "Junliang, it's not that I don't consider you a friend, it's just... I've never known how to express it."

After several days and nights, the girl with a tear mole at the corner of her eye questioned them tearfully: "Who was the first to take the initiative?"

She cautiously asked me, "What exactly is going on at your home?"

My name is Song Chuwei. It was not until I read that poem that I realized the origin of this name: "The osmanthus moon rises, and the autumn dew is faint."

When we hurriedly arrived at the platform, there were only two minutes left before the train departed. I felt a metallic sweetness in my throat, and my vision was blurred with spots. The cramped carriage was filled with people, and the murky air was mixed with various odors, along with the cries of children

Gu Ciyuan looked at the troubled Du Xun; this was the first time he had seen Du Xun in such a difficult position since they had known each other.

After a prolonged stalemate, Junliang contentedly put away her phone and said, "Hello, my name is Su Junliang"

Junliang observed me in this manner and naturally sat down beside me. For a moment, we both fell into silence.

Gu Ci Yuan could not help but laugh, but I am not a fool; I can tell that his laughter is not mocking. There is not a hint of sarcasm in that smile.

With a face flushed crimson, Junliang walked up to the boy in the black shirt, who stared at her in a daze. She smiled beautifully and said, "Handsome, there's a girl over there who wants to get to know you. How about giving her your number?"

The wheels scraped against the steel tracks, producing a tremendous noise. I leaned against the window at the smoking area, taking a long time to calm my breath.

The most frustrating thing was the woman selling socks, who, as if having a mental breakdown, desperately stretched the socks to their limit and then shouted in a high-pitched voice: "Honghu water, waves crashing, our socks are different!"

In my memory, that afternoon was filled with torrential rain. I was running wildly on the main road in white rubber shoes, the sound of car horns rising and falling around me, but no one could stop me. I ran until a wave of bloody sweetness surged in my throat, my whole body drenched by the heavy rain