September officially entered the second year of high school. After the students returned, they were quite happy. A year had passed, and Class Five of Year Two was particularly lively.

Third High’s regulation was that evening self-study began on registration day, while Sixth High’s management was more relaxed—formal classes only started the next day.

Bei Yao didn’t arrive late that day, but inevitably her mind was in chaos.

That sealed diary made her heart grow timid. Even with her eyes closed, she remembered every single word. But no one’s life was willing to be dictated by a diary. The extra memories that appeared each year made her feel anxious after growing up.

So she hadn’t interfered with her own and Pei Chuan’s growth, nor had she been aware of his feelings.

Bei Yao only turned sixteen this August. She was younger than most in her class. She only knew that Pei Chuan was unique to her, but liking and being moved were such complex emotions. People could grow because of them, yet when they hadn’t comprehended them, they stopped moving forward.

Outside the window, the parasol trees were verdant. After school, Chen Feifei quietly asked Bei Yao: “Don’t you think Wu Mo has been abnormal lately?”

Bei Yao thought about it: “When she returns to the dorm at night, she generally doesn’t talk. After washing up, she goes to bed and plays on her phone.”

Chen Feifei shook her head: “It’s not just that. She often spaces out in class and is very afraid of me seeing her phone.”

Bei Yao frowned: “Are you worried she’s playing on her phone and neglecting her studies?”

“Aiya, no!” Chen Feifei said in a low voice, “I think she’s in an online relationship.”

Online relationship?

Bei Yao was startled. Online dating only became popular in 2007. It was both mysterious and enticing, mainly because with the internet, one could have an inconsequential Platonic relationship. Moreover, its dangers hadn’t been much exposed yet.

Wu Mo had good grades and quite a nice personality. Why would she engage in online dating?

Chen Feifei winked: “How about we ask her tonight?”

Bei Yao had no objection: “Alright.”

That evening, the girls returned to the dorm. Chen Feifei soaked her feet, seemingly asking casually: “Wu Mo, you play on your phone every day when you come back. Who are you chatting with?”

Wu Mo’s voice from under the covers was hesitant: “What—what are you talking about? I’m telling my mom about my recent study situation.”

The other three girls in the dorm all looked at each other.

On the weekend, Bei Yao went to buy new shampoo. The autumn air was crisp and fresh. Her two roommates, Chen Feifei and Yang Jia, thinking they had nothing to do, went out with her for a walk.

After buying the shampoo, Yang Jia said: “I want to go to the cake shop to buy something to eat. I always get hungry at night.”

So the two girls accompanied her to the cake shop.

The closer they walked, the nearer they got to “Allure.”

Bei Yao’s heart had a bad premonition. Sure enough, Yang Feifei pointed at a spot: “Isn’t that Wu Mo?”

Everyone looked in the direction of her finger. At Allure’s entrance, Wu Mo had an arm draped over her shoulders by a tall, thin man wearing black gloves, walking into Allure.

Chen Feifei was somewhat worried: “Is that her online dating partner? Should we go over and take a look?”

Yang Jia said: “That’s not really appropriate. What if they’re on a date? If we go over like this, Wu Mo will be unhappy. Bei Yao, what do you think?”

Bei Yao looked at that man’s back, also feeling somewhat strange in her heart, but she actually didn’t like meddling in others’ private affairs. She thought about it: “When we go back, let’s advise Wu Mo. If the situation isn’t right, we can call the police.”

Yang Jia nodded: “Alright, I’ll go buy cake first.”

The cake shop was right next to Allure.

~

On Allure’s fifth floor at the pool table, Pei Chuan pocketed a black ball.

A man walked in with his arm around Wu Mo. Though it was autumn, the man wore a suit and black leather gloves. The two were chatting and laughing. The man leaned close to Wu Mo. Wu Mo’s face was completely red. Before long, they opened a separate table and started playing pool.

Jin Ziyang whistled: “What’s up, Brother Chuan? Are you lonely? How about I call more people to come play?”

Pei Chuan raised his eyes, his black pupils deep and dark. Jin Ziyang fell silent.

Brother Chuan had been in a bad mood recently—they all knew it. So coming out today was also to let him relax.

Pei Chuan didn’t speak. He slung the pool cue over his shoulder and walked toward Wu Mo’s table.

Wu Mo looked up. Seeing Pei Chuan carrying the pool cue expressionlessly, her brain short-circuited for an instant: “Pei—Pei Chuan?”

She had also seen those forum posts. He was Third High’s big shot, supposedly very wealthy.

The youth was tall and slender with stern features. Pei Chuan glanced at her and called out the man’s name: “Ding Wenxiang.”

That man removed his sunglasses, his face paling: “Bro—Brother Chuan.”

Pei Chuan said indifferently: “You shouldn’t be deceiving people here.”

At this time, Jin Ziyang and Zheng Hang also came over. Only Ji Wei remained on the sofa earnestly reading, not noticing everyone had left.

Ding Wenxiang quickly glanced at Wu Mo and said with a fawning smile: “Brother Chuan, I’ll leave right away, okay?”

Pei Chuan said: “Mm.”

Ding Wenxiang immediately ran off.

Wu Mo remained in place, extremely at a loss. But she didn’t dare ask Pei Chuan what had happened. However, the sixteen-year-old girl felt extremely uneasy in her heart. She almost inevitably thought in her mind—why had her ‘elite’ boyfriend Ding Wenxiang been scared off by just one sentence from Pei Chuan? Why did Pei Chuan come over? Was—was it because of her?

Wu Mo gathered her courage to ask: “Why—why did you make him leave?”

Pei Chuan placed the pool cue on the table and asked coldly: “If I didn’t make him leave, should I let him sleep with you?”

Wu Mo had never heard such vulgar words in her life. She stammered: “You—you…”

Pei Chuan couldn’t be bothered to explain: “You get lost too. Keep your eyes open.”

Under Jin Ziyang and the others’ curious gazes, Wu Mo was extremely embarrassed. Her face turned completely red. Not daring to look at Pei Chuan again, she turned and left.

Jin Ziyang raised his eyebrows: “Brother Chuan, you know those two people?”

Pei Chuan didn’t hide it from him: “Mm.” He said calmly, “Ding Wenxiang pretends to be wealthy to deceive female students.”

Jin Ziyang’s mouth dropped open: “Holy crap, what scum!”

Only Zheng Hang said suspiciously: “Brother Chuan, how do you know this kind of person?”

Pei Chuan was silent for a long while, then said after a moment: “Because I’m even worse.”

Jin Ziyang laughed heartily: “Brother Chuan, that joke isn’t funny at all.”

Pei Chuan suddenly scoffed lightly. Yes, he was worse than people like Ding Wenxiang, so it was normal for Bei Yao not to like him.

That year in middle school, it was Pei Chuan who had Ding Wenxiang deceive Shang Mengxian. Perhaps he had personally forged a thoroughly bad person.

Pei Chuan knew he was different from Jin Ziyang and the others. They were born with golden spoons, their personalities cheerful and messy, but they didn’t have bad intentions. Whereas he was someone who crawled out of the mire, had seen through ugliness, and hated this world thoroughly. He didn’t even care whether Wu Mo would be deceived, but he needed a reason to find Bei Yao.

Ji Wei, reading on the sofa, would do a set of eye exercises every hour. Even though his myopia was already five hundred degrees, he always persisted.

At first glance, Pei Chuan found this low-IQ Ji Wei agreeable to the eye.

Being able to cleanly and consistently persist in certain things was inherently a precious quality.

Ji Wei saw Pei Chuan looking at him: “Brother Chuan, why are you looking at me?”

“Ji Wei, let me ask you a question.” The youth asked lazily, “Why do you still study so hard when you never do well on exams?”

Ji Wei was baffled: “I like studying, don’t I?”

“Because you like it, failure doesn’t matter?”

Ji Wei pushed up his glasses and said honestly: “Of course occasionally I feel sad too. My dad says I’m dumber than a pig. He and my mom plan to have a younger brother to inherit the family fortune. My family fortune is almost gone, so I need to study even harder.”

Pei Chuan laughed: “Damn!”

Ji Wei said with a serious face: “Brother Chuan, don’t curse.”

Jin Ziyang and Zheng Hang laughed like crazy.

Because you like it, you’ll feel sad. After feeling sad, you still have to like it more bravely. Pei Chuan smiled. Ji Wei was the simplest and most clear-minded person.

~

On weekend evening, Bei Yao had just washed her hair when the phone rang.

The dorm had no outlet for a hair dryer. She wrapped a towel around her head: “Hello?”

The youth on the other end said softly: “Bei Yao.”

After all these years, she could immediately recognize his voice from an unfamiliar number: “Pei Chuan.”

“It’s me, don’t hang up.” He said, “I’m at the camphor forest at your school. I have something to tell you. Can you come out for a moment?”

Bei Yao bit her lip. The matter of slapping him last time made the girl extremely embarrassed. After a long moment, she said softly: “Mm.”

Facing the evening wind and sunset, she walked toward the school’s camphor forest. From far away, she saw Pei Chuan.

His hands were in his pockets, looking at the falling camphor leaves.

In autumn, they wouldn’t turn yellow like ginkgo. They always carried a faint, fresh scent of grass and wood. Pei Chuan knew he’d been too wild last year—many people at Sixth High knew him. He came very low-key.

Bei Yao approached him and said softly: “What is it?”

The girl’s voice was still as warm as a spring breeze.

Her wounds, unlike his which festered year by year, would heal quickly.

Pei Chuan said indifferently: “That roommate of yours, Wu Mo—her boyfriend is Shang Mengxian’s ex-boyfriend.”

She tilted her head, very puzzled.

Pei Chuan explained simply: “A con artist who deceives people for sex and money.”

Bei Yao frowned, her pair of bright almond eyes igniting with anger: “We’ll report it to the police.”

Pei Chuan didn’t mention himself at all. He agreed: “Good.”

Acting like a righteous young hero.

The girl’s hair wasn’t dry. In the clear, light camphor wood scent, the sweet lilac fragrance from her body was like a silk thread, strand by strand climbing onto his heart.

Bei Yao said: “Thank you, Pei Chuan. Then I’ll go back.”

Pei Chuan’s heart was reluctant, yet those feelings were obscure and hard to express. His expression was very calm as he asked her: “Do you want to go see Grandma Zhou?”

Bei Yao widened her eyes: “Grandma Zhou? Didn’t she move away before?”

Pei Chuan said: “Her son is unfilial. He sold both the rural and city houses. Now she’s living in a nursing home.”

Human hearts were cold and thin—he spoke with compassion. Yet Pei Chuan inwardly sneered. Look, familial affection.

That old woman, for the sake of Bei Yao who was afraid of dogs as a child, had installed an extra iron gate and often slipped Bei Yao little snacks. By all reason and emotion, Bei Yao would agree to go see her.

Bei Yao said: “Alright, school starts tomorrow. Let’s go next week.”

Pei Chuan said indifferently: “Good.”

She probably didn’t remember that in fourth grade of elementary school, she had bravely taken a stick and hit Ding Wenxiang, pulling him out of humiliation and mire.

She had been so good to him.

~

Wu Mo didn’t agree to call the police.

She cried: “Please don’t call the police, okay? I’m scared.”

In the eyes of a sixteen-year-old girl, calling the police was a very serious matter. Once the police investigated this, it would involve the school and parents. Wu Mo was from a moderately well-off family. If her parents knew she dared to have an online relationship, they would definitely be very angry. And if her classmates knew about this, how would they view her?

Because of the con artist’s “elite” status, would they think she was trying to climb higher?

Wu Mo’s fear was hidden in her crying. Chen Feifei’s heart panicked from her crying: “Alright, alright, this is your business. If you say don’t call the police, then we won’t.”

Chen Feifei looked at Bei Yao and Yang Jia again.

Bei Yao shook her head: “It’s your business to decide.” She thought to herself, it was precisely because of girls’ timidity that the scumbag was still living well to this day.

Yang Jia said: “I don’t care. If we don’t say anything, then we don’t.”

However, although the three roommates all agreed, Wu Mo’s heart still panicked. At night she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, thinking of Pei Chuan.

That indifferent youth—his brow peak was like a sharp sword. The words he said were embarrassing, yet it was also because of him that she could retreat unscathed. That con artist was also very afraid of him. Although he seemed to have an even worse temper, he gave people a strong sense of security. Wu Mo didn’t know why, but her cheeks grew hot.

~

On the weekend, Bei Yao shouldered her schoolbag to see Grandma Zhou.

In her schoolbag was elderly milk powder bought with all her allowance money.

Pei Chuan took it from her: “This month’s allowance?”

Bei Yao’s eyes brightened as she nodded: “Mm.”

He smiled. That smile was surprisingly warm, incongruous on his usually indifferent face.

Bei Yao said: “What are you smiling about?”

Pei Chuan said: “You’ve been like this since you were little. When you want to be good to someone, you save up a month’s allowance.”

Bei Yao’s almond eyes showed some annoyance at being exposed.

The youth carried the bag, walking ahead first.

Bei Yao followed him. He walked very slowly, probably accustomed to this pace.

Bei Yao was actually a bit awkward. She looked at the sparrows on the tree branches for a while, then at the houses around the nursing home, just not looking at Pei Chuan.

She was almost sixteen this year, over a year younger than him.

An innocent, clean heart that had never been moved by anyone.

She liked light and warmth.

So Pei Chuan wore a clean white shirt.

The nursing home wasn’t the kind with abundant funding. It was desolate and dilapidated, making one feel sad at first sight.

Grandma Zhou’s hair was white, sitting among the crowd, her eyes vacant—she had dementia and now didn’t recognize anyone.

Pei Chuan exchanged a few words of greeting, but the light in his eyes remained cold. He picked up a broom and swept away the surrounding phlegm and mud.

The caregiver looked at him with surprise. The youth’s eyes were indifferent, not finding these filthy things disgusting at all.

Bei Yao couldn’t do much for Grandma Zhou either. She kept her company for a while and left the things behind.

Pei Chuan turned to go to the nursing home’s only office and left a bank card.

The director thanked him profusely: “Thank you, kind-hearted person, thank you both.”

Pei Chuan went to the sink to wash his hands, mockery at the corner of his mouth: “What do you think—what’s the point of them living like this?”

The director said in shock and doubt: “What—what?”

Pei Chuan didn’t explain. He wasn’t the kind-hearted person the director spoke of. Looking at the girl waiting for him at the door, his heart unexpectedly thought quietly:

People who have seen light and then fallen back into darkness—whether living or dead, what difference was there?