The barbecue stand was open-air. The early summer air was sweltering, sticky and oppressive. Even with the fans turned to maximum, they still broke out in a thin layer of sweat.

A group of twelve people sat at a round table. Ruan Mian was still sandwiched between Meng Xinglan and Chen Yi. The evening sky was torn into pieces by mottled, magnificent sunset clouds. The setting sun, about to sink but not yet fallen, was making every effort to radiate its last bit of heat.

Shen Yu checked off more than half the items on the menu, then passed it around to each of them to see if there was anything to add. “You guys order. I’ll go get the alcohol.”

The menu made a round. In the end, only grilled green peppers and grilled pig brain were excluded. A server came over to take the menu. Seeing Shen Yu carry over a case of alcohol, she picked up her pen to add a few more items.

Shen Yu popped open several bottles at once. A bottle cap fell on the ground. He picked it up and asked, “Everyone at this table is of legal age, right?”

As a result, one after another they all spoke up—I’m sixteen, I’m seventeen, I’m not of age. The oldest one was still a week away from coming of age.

They really were all kids.

Chen Yi smiled and raised his hand to call over the server, adding a few bottles of soft drinks. Shen Yu distributed the alcohol to Jiang Rang and the others. When he reached Chen Yi, Chen Yi blocked it. “I’m not drinking.”

Shen Yu laughed and cursed. “Come on, don’t pretend to be young with me.”

Chen Yi leaned back against his chair, imperceptibly placing his hand on the back of Ruan Mian’s chair. “I have to drive later.”

The implication couldn’t be clearer.

Shen Yu had long been used to his attitude and gave the alcohol to Ruan Mian instead, placing the bottle in the space between her and Chen Yi’s left and right hands.

Ruan Mian still remembered what happened the last time they ate together. As soon as Shen Yu withdrew his hand, she moved the bottle to her right side.

Chen Yi saw this action and suddenly laughed. Using the hand resting on her chair, he gently poked her shoulder. When she looked over, he asked casually, “What are you doing?”

That had been an instinctive action for Ruan Mian. Realizing it now, she felt somewhat uncomfortable. “……It’s more convenient to place it on this side.”

He raised his eyebrows, drawling, “Oh, is that so?”

“Mm.” After saying this, she even nodded to increase credibility.

Chen Yi’s smile was relaxed, his features stretched out. He said lazily, “All right, bring it over. I won’t drink your alcohol this time.”

“……”

Considering they still had to go back to school to visit Zhou Hai, the few of them didn’t drink much. Only half the case was emptied. Seeing they’d eaten about enough, Chen Yi got up to pay the bill.

A dozen people ate for a few hundred yuan. After paying, Chen Yi took two preserved plum candies from the table and put them in his pocket. When he returned to his seat, those young boys had finished eating and left first.

He sat down and naturally took away the unfinished bottle of alcohol in front of Ruan Mian, placing the two candies in its original position. He said in a low voice, “Drink less.”

Ruan Mian swallowed what was in her mouth. She didn’t say anything, only reached out to collect the two candies.

After dinner, they went to a nearby shopping mall to buy some things. On the way back, passing by a fruit stand, Ruan Mian and Meng Xinglan went in to buy some fruit.

By the time they reached Teacher Zhou’s door, it was already nine o’clock. Zhou Hai was fifty-three this year, already at an age to be a grandfather. When he came to open the door holding his grandson, he froze for a moment, immediately followed by undisguised surprise and excitement. He could barely speak properly.

Counting it out, Zhou Hai was only the homeroom teacher for the four of them—Ruan Mian, Chen Yi, Jiang Rang, and Meng Xinglan. But in their first year, he had also taught biology to Chen Yi’s class, so it made sense for Liang Yiran and Shen Yu to visit him as well.

They deliberately picked this time in the evening to come, just to not take up too much time and not wanting to trouble Zhou Hai. They sat down, drank two cups of tea, chatted for a bit, then left.

Zhou Hai walked them to the school gate, sighing with emotion. “Really, year after year, in the blink of an eye you’ve all reached the age to start families and careers.”

They all echoed his words. When they reached the entrance, they told Zhou Hai not to see them off any further. Zhou Hai nodded gently, looking back every three steps, waving his hand to tell them to be safe on their way back.

The campus that had just finished the college entrance exam was empty and quiet. The group stood at the school gate for a while, reminiscing about their never-to-return student days.

Jiang Rang was the first to leave. He received a phone call, then said with a smile, “Something came up at home. I have to go back first.”

Shen Yu was heading the same way. He draped his arm over his shoulder and they went to the roadside to catch a taxi together. Meng Xinglan and Liang Yiran’s new house was near Pingda University, still some distance from here, so they left shortly after as well.

Only Ruan Mian and Chen Yi remained standing there, the two separated by a small distance. Under the streetlights, their two shadows were stretched very long.

After standing in the breeze for a while, Chen Yi offered to take her back. Ruan Mian followed him across the street to get the car at the entrance of the milk tea shop from earlier.

There were people all along the road.

The two didn’t walk very close together until a child came running toward them, passing directly through the gap between them.

Chen Yi seemed to only notice then. His footsteps imperceptibly moved closer to her. He turned his head to look at her. “Are you going back to B City tomorrow?”

“Yes.” She’d booked a noon flight. “When are you guys going back?”

“Tomorrow evening.” Chen Yi asked, “Want to go together?”

Ruan Mian had an early morning shift the day after tomorrow and also had to cover for a colleague at night. She deliberated between going back with Chen Yi or going back earlier to get more sleep, then shook her head. “No, I have a full day shift the day after tomorrow. I need to rest early at night.”

He didn’t say anything. “Okay.”

When they reached the car, Ruan Mian was somewhat thirsty. She went to the nearby convenience store to buy two bottles of water. Coming out and just about to get in the car, a voice came from beside them without warning.

“Mianmian?”

Ruan Mian instinctively looked up. Through the open car door, she saw Fang Ruqing and Zhao Shuyang standing not far away. Meeting Chen Yi’s inquiring gaze, she paused before saying, “My mother and my younger brother.”

She closed the car door somewhat resignedly. Fang Ruqing had already walked over. She first glanced at Chen Yi, then asked, “Why are you still here so late?”

Ruan Mian: “I came to visit my teacher. I was just about to go back.”

As they spoke, Chen Yi also came around from the driver’s side. He was always proper with etiquette. Even in this kind of unexpected situation, he could maintain good upbringing, introducing himself unhurriedly. “Hello, ma’am. I’m Chen Yi.”

At this moment, Fang Ruqing wasn’t interested in what this man’s name was. She maintained the courtesy of an elder and accepted his greeting. Thinking of Ruan Mian’s previous answer, she asked again, “You two are classmates? You came back together to visit your teacher?”

“Yes, high school classmates.” Chen Yi glanced at a certain someone beside him who remained silent, then continued, “But today, Ruan Mian and I came for a blind date.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ruan Mian suddenly looked up at him. He acted openly—he neither lied nor deceived, meeting her gaze with particular composure.

Unlike Ruan Mian’s surprise, Fang Ruqing, who had always worried about her daughter’s life’s major matter, went from cloudy to clear instantly. Her mood improved at once. “Oh my, look at the time—it’s still early. We live nearby. Why don’t you come in for tea before leaving?”

Chen Yi knew when to advance and retreat. He was exceptionally polite. “I won’t trouble you, ma’am. Next time when there’s an opportunity, I’ll come visit properly.”

Fang Ruqing was about to say something more when Ruan Mian interrupted. “Mom, it’s late. Take Shuyang back early. If there’s anything, I’ll talk to you about it when I get home tonight.”

After much pushing and pulling, Fang Ruqing was finally led away by Zhao Shuyang. Ruan Mian breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately remembered something. She turned to look at Chen Yi. “You actually didn’t need to tell my mom those things.”

“Tell what, about the blind date?” Chen Yi was completely serious. “That’s because my family has a rule—we can’t lie to elders.”

“……”

Later on the way back, Ruan Mian kept receiving messages from Fang Ruqing, who practically wanted to investigate Chen Yi’s ancestors back eighteen generations. But Ruan Mian’s understanding of Chen Yi was limited to what she currently knew and those so-called personal details he’d mentioned in the afternoon.

She couldn’t answer many questions. In the end, Fang Ruqing even began to suspect whether Chen Yi was someone Ruan Mian had hired to placate her.

Ruan Mian: “……”

She had no choice but to bring up Ruan Mingke. Only then did Fang Ruqing quiet down. As if transferring her target of attack, she stopped sending messages.

The phone finally fell silent.

Chen Yi looked over at her and asked very considerately, “Do you need me to add your mother on WeChat?”

“Hm?”

“To explain.” Chen Yi said, “And also tell her about my situation.”

Ruan Mian pressed her lips slightly, as if finding his “good intentions” somewhat difficult to accept. After a long while, she said, “No need.”

Chen Yi adhered to the principle of focused driving, withdrawing his gaze to stare at the road conditions ahead. The remaining half-hour drive was exceptionally smooth.

When they reached the residential complex entrance, just as Ruan Mian unbuckled her seatbelt to get out, she suddenly heard the sound of the car doors locking.

She froze for a moment and tried to open the door. It wouldn’t budge. She turned back to look at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“Seven hours and twenty-four minutes.” To ensure accuracy, after saying this, Chen Yi looked at his phone again. Only then did Ruan Mian notice he’d recorded a time in his notes.

—14:18

Counting backward, it was exactly when he’d laid everything out in the afternoon. Seven hours and twenty-four minutes later, he brought it up again. “It’s been this long since I asked that question, but you still haven’t told me the answer.”

Ruan Mian had thought Chen Yi had long forgotten about this, but she didn’t expect he not only remembered—he remembered so precisely and carefully. For a moment, it seemed like they were back in that afternoon atmosphere.

Her hand was still on the door handle. She maintained that position, looking at him—not much different from the gaze she’d given him at the basketball court that afternoon.

Unlike then, they now had the right time and place. But Chen Yi still made no move. Looking at her, there was some laughter in his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that.”

His gaze meaningfully glanced downward with implication, then quickly withdrew. He said in a low voice, “Otherwise I’ll want to kiss you.”

“……” Ruan Mian came back to her senses. Her lips moved but no sound came out. Her cheeks gradually became stained with shy redness. The atmosphere was gradually invaded by ambiguity.

She turned her head to look out the window, her heartbeat impossibly fast.

Those dozens of seconds passed somewhat slowly, making even the usually confident Chen Yi vaguely feel somewhat uncertain. His gaze looking at her was full of nervousness.

Outside the car, people came and went. Ruan Mian saw a quarreling couple, a family of three holding hands and strolling, and an old man pushing his wife in a walk.

All forms of human life—also the life everyone converges toward through different paths.

She withdrew her gaze and asked softly, “You said this afternoon that if you won the game, you’d have me agree to one thing for you. What do you want me to agree to?”

Chen Yi looked at her without blinking, his Adam’s apple rolling lightly. “If I tell you now, will you agree?”

“Tell me what it is first.” Ruan Mian didn’t fall for it.

“Marry me.”

“?”

A smile rippled at his lips. “Not okay? Then how about being my girlfriend?”

Ruan Mian looked up at him, as if embarrassed. She quickly turned to look out the window again. After several seconds of silence, she said in a low voice, “That should be okay.”

—That should be okay.

After Ruan Mian said this, the car suddenly fell into silence. She felt an indescribable nervousness and didn’t even dare to turn back to look at him.

Chen Yi stared at her reddened ears. His heart was as sweet and soft as if filled with honey. “Won’t you turn around to look at me?”

Ruan Mian turned toward him as suggested, but didn’t expect that the person who had been some distance away just a moment ago was suddenly close at hand. Dark eyes and eyebrows, warm lips—all solid, real existences.

Her heartbeat stopped. Her eyelashes trembled lightly.

A few seconds later, Chen Yi retreated slightly. His fingertips touched the place he’d just kissed—soft and pliant, like her name.

In the car, light and shadow were dim. He lowered his eyes, looking straight at her. The affection in his eyes and eyebrows didn’t diminish. His voice was low and tender. “I like you.”

—

**Author’s Note:** Taking a day off tomorrow. I’ve been sleeping in the mornings lately and want to adjust my schedule. Thank you for your support.