In middle school, there were only two male students Long Qi had any impression of. One was Fang Yang, her deskmate who pestered her endlessly. Although they attended different high schools, although she basically never paid him any attention, this person was like intermittent adhesive syndrome. Even when she and Jin Yiken started getting involved, he still persistently harassed her remotely via text messages. Always popping up to bounce around a few times just when she was about to forget him completely—utterly annoying. The other one did nothing, said nothing, even disappeared completely and cleanly. She didn’t even have time to save his phone number, they never followed each other on social media, she’d almost completely forgotten his face and name. Yet there were always some memories on standby that bloomed at a touch. Activation only needed one second. The switch between sudden enlightenment and the awkwardness of reuniting after a long separation also only needed one second.

Long Qi’s psychological changes didn’t show on her face. After sobering up for three or four seconds, the aftereffects of alcohol still lingered. She squinted slightly, wanting to see him more clearly. Fu Yu’ao stood with hands in pockets: “How many new friends have you made these past few years? You can forget an old classmate this quickly.”

…

“Oh…” she finally replied. “After starting high school, middle school classmates organized gatherings a few times. Never saw you come.”

“I was notified pretty late, couldn’t make it. But I asked around later—you didn’t come either.”

She didn’t respond. The night wind blew with a hissing sound. She changed the subject: “So is your girlfriend named Ge Yinling?”

“You two know each other?”

“We’re in the same dorm room.”

Fu Yu’ao smiled: “What a coincidence.”

“Really quite coincidental.”

The voice-activated light in the corridor had dimmed due to prolonged silence. The room was pitch black again. Just as she was turning her head, Fu Yu’ao turned on his phone’s flashlight, illuminating the path behind her: “It’s late. Go back and rest quickly. You have an early class tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she wasn’t being polite. “Goodbye.”

After taking just one step, Fu Yu’ao added: “Don’t skip this semester’s classes anymore. You must go to class tomorrow. Let’s chat more in class. I really want to know about your recent years.”

…

But this sentence from Fu Yu’ao, as well as the person himself, only left about ten minutes of impression in her alcohol-filled brain at the time.

Later memories were almost covered by spinning, dizzy drowsiness. When returning to the dorm, she nearly knocked over the umbrella stand by the door but didn’t wake anyone. Then wonderfully, she slept until the afternoon of the next day—another day of malicious class-skipping.

Phone dead, so the alarm didn’t ring. Plus the hangover—really nothing to say. After waking, her first thought was to never eat hotpot with Shu Meng again. Second thought was to charge her phone. Third thought was to shower—her hair still reeked of residual hotpot smell, making her whole person uncomfortable.

Everyone in the dorm had left. She entered the bathroom. Inside, toiletries were neatly arranged in three portions. While waiting for the water to heat, she brushed her teeth. While brushing, she looked at the bottles and jars on the sink. Small items like acne needles and makeup remover pads, large items like washbasins and face-slimming devices—almost everything was labeled with personal names. Those that couldn’t be labeled were tied with different colored hair ties for distinction. Yesterday when eating hotpot, she’d asked Shu Meng if this counted as dorm culture. Shu Meng said there must be a germaphobe in their dorm.

Then seeing how Long Qi ate hotpot, she said: “That germaphobe is probably you.”

The water heated. Behind the curtain, steam rose. She spit out the mouthwash, loosening the hair tie binding her hair.

…

After showering and changing clothes, the phone had charged to twenty percent—could be turned on. At this moment, the afternoon’s performance class had also already been going for nearly twenty minutes. She searched forever but couldn’t find her power bank. This forced her to hold out until the practice room to turn on the phone. The practice room was very large with wall mirrors and open space. When she folded her body to enter, she discovered the teacher wasn’t there. The entire practice room was full of “free-range” students. Or perhaps the script had been given in the first twenty minutes—now everyone was rehearsing in groups of five or six.

When closing the door, she made a sound. Students in twos and threes looked over. Discussion voices quieted a bit. Several sitting in a circle whispered to each other. Her long hair was loosely tied at the back of her head, face bare. At a glance she spotted Ge Yinling and Wu Yishan in the southwest corner of the practice room. Right now the phone completed its startup procedure with a “ding.” The less than 20% battery warning popped out. She lowered her head to get a charging cable from her bag, looking around the walls for an outlet.

“Long Qi.”

Just when she was searching with full concentration, someone called. By the time she turned around, the person had already reached her, giving her a small start. Fu Yu’ao actually laughed at her reaction, then said: “I have a power bank. Do you want it?”

Damn.

Internally she cursed like this.

Then her brain went whoosh whoosh with memories. She remembered running into him last night—really wasn’t a dream, really was a living person. Memories related to him from middle school all activated collectively. Same reaction as yesterday—her fingertips stiffened for that one second, but her brain was still operating. Through the gap between his arm and T-shirt, she saw Ge Yinling in the southwest corner. Ge Yinling was looking over here. Long Qi’s gaze transferred back to Fu Yu’ao: “I need to ask—does your girlfriend know that you and I were middle school classmates?”

“You really can sleep,” Fu Yu’ao just wouldn’t answer, crouching down beside her. “Got plans for dinner? Eat together? You’re all familiar anyway.”

“No,” she immediately replied. “I’m not familiar with your girlfriend yet.”

She turned her head to continue looking for an outlet. Less than two seconds later she couldn’t help it, turning toward Fu Yu’ao: “So what does your girlfriend know?”

“What?” he asked back.

This person was playing dumb riddles with her when they both knew the truth.

Looking at her, eyes containing her, smiling, as if especially enjoying her current confusion. During this gap, Ge Yinling walked over from the southwest corner. She wore dance shoes, making no sound along the way. Not until she was a meter and a half behind Fu Yu’ao did she lightly say: “Hi.”

Fu Yu’ao turned around. Ge Yinling first went to the storage cabinet on one side of the classroom to get something, then sat down cross-legged with them, passing out what was in her hand: “For you. This morning you were sleeping too soundly—couldn’t wake you, couldn’t tell you. This is a name label I made for you. We use these in our dorm.”

In her hand was a stack of label stickers printed with the two characters “Long Qi.” After Long Qi took them, she pointed toward the storage cabinet: “Put bags and shoes over there. We wear dance shoes for class.”

“Did you bring them?” Fu Yu’ao interjected.

“Of course I brought them.” Long Qi replied.

“Wow, back then you’d ask to borrow my main class textbooks every other day. Now your memory’s improved?”

“That was because Long Xinyi lost his. He grabbed my textbooks.”

“Right, how’s your brother doing now? Where’s he studying?”

“Achoo.” Just as Fu Yu’ao’s enthusiasm was high, Ge Yinling sneezed lightly due to the overly cold air conditioning in the classroom. Long Qi looked over. Fu Yu’ao’s reaction was quite fast, pulling his jacket zipper. “Wear my clothes.”

This spot was also right at the AC vent. Ge Yinling stood up: “It’s fine. You two chat. It’s too cold here. I’m going back over there to rehearse.”

“Which group are you in?” Fu Yu’ao continued asking Long Qi. She was confused, didn’t understand. But Fu Yu’ao understood the situation, taking Ge Yinling’s hand, their palms pressed together. “Doesn’t our group have one extra role? Long Qi came late, hasn’t been assigned to a group yet. Let her join us.”

“No need,” Long Qi’s EQ was online, refusing five times in a row. “I’ll arrange it myself.”

“How will you arrange it yourself? Other groups are saturated. Next week we have to rehearse for the teacher to watch. Only our group has one extra role. Otherwise you’ll perform a one-person show?”

“There’s a reason our group has fewer people,” Ge Yinling interjected lightly. “First ask if Long Qi is willing to rehearse our script.”

Oh, this one sentence got interesting. Long Qi asked back: “What script?”

But ten minutes later she regretted asking that question.

The script Ge Yinling handed her was actually fucking all in French. She said it was a French classic the teacher had been reading recently. There was no translation available on the market yet. The teacher’s sudden whim assigned it to students to perform. The reason it was assigned to Ge Yinling’s group was because Ge Yinling had studied French.

“But my time and energy are limited. I can only translate four-fifths of the content. Your character has too many lines. We discussed it and decided to appropriately adapt and delete parts. If you join our group, the translation work for your lines can only be taken on by yourself. This was personal work to begin with anyway.”

Ge Yinling spoke very clearly. Long Qi also heard very clearly. Moreover, Ge Yinling’s tone when speaking with crossed arms right now inexplicably reminded her of Bai Aiting back in the day. Fu Yu’ao asked: “Can you do it?”

God knows if she answered truthfully that she couldn’t, what Fu Yu’ao would immediately fight for on her behalf. To avoid complications, she instantly replied: “Okay, no problem.”

Ge Yinling glanced at her.

Wu Yishan leaned over: “Alright, stop worrying. Long Qi just has a face that’s fluent in eight languages.”

This comment practically pushed her onto a high wall.

Wu Yishan immediately wanted to take a photo with Long Qi. Previously, some media outlet had leaked her roommate and classmate information online. Many students’ Weibo accounts in the class were dug up, gaining a wave of follower attention. Wu Yishan was especially enthusiastic about playing on Weibo. Long Qi’s fans, in order to get news about their idol, praised and flattered her every day—she especially enjoyed it. So now she wanted a few photos to post on Weibo. Long Qi wasn’t opposed—she took several with her. Unexpectedly, the domino effect came. Classmates who’d previously held back from communicating with her now came over one by one. The southwest corner immediately became a small photo-taking corner. The atmosphere elevated a bit. Those who’d never dared talk to her now started asking random questions about shows she’d acted in and actors she’d worked with.

Turns out this class wasn’t that aloof.

It was because they thought she was very aloof.

Fu Yu’ao stood among the crowd the whole time, hands in pockets, watching her. His gaze was direct and prolonged. After the classmates wanting photos gradually decreased, he finally said: “Want to take one with an old classmate?”

“Should I take it for you two?” Ge Yinling spoke up.

At this moment Wu Yishan played her role. Her voice might be loud, but she was quite good at reading situations, nerves not thick: “I’ll do it, I’ll take it. Yinling, you stand over there too. I’ll post them together later.”

Long Qi moved aside a step, making room in the middle for Ge Yinling. But Ge Yinling said: “I won’t take photos. Just photograph those two. They’re old classmates. I’m not.”

Well, Long Qi heard it—this girl Ge Yinling knew everything. Fu Yu’ao had explained everything. The cold treatment she’d received from Ge Yinling earlier finally had a reason. Fine. Really gave her a big school-opening gift. Her heart opened up at that moment too. No expression on her face, but when Fu Yu’ao approached her, his arm touching her shoulder, she silently glared at him.

Fu Yu’ao instead put his arm over her shoulder, making Long Qi suddenly lean toward him. He smiled at the camera with a hooked mouth. Wu Yishan was adjusting focus. He said in a voice only she could hear: “When Yinling learned about my past, I hadn’t started pursuing her yet. I also didn’t know you’d become famous later, much less that you’d be in our class.”

The meaning was—don’t blame him.

The phone clicked with a sound. Photo finished. Long Qi moved aside two steps, drawing a breath, looking at him and also at Ge Yinling on the other side. Ge Yinling had already shifted her attention to rehearsing the script. She linked arms with a girl—that girl was Nalin, another roommate, clearly Ge Yinling’s good bestie. Similar height and dress, currently saying something in Ge Yinling’s ear. While speaking, her gaze drifted over here a few times.

“Do you still have contact with Fang Yang?” Fu Yu’ao suddenly asked again.

“Fang Yang?” She repeated, then reacted. “Oh, that piece of adhesive.”

“He still hasn’t given up on you?”

“Don’t know. Haven’t heard from him in a long time.” After a few seconds, she said: “I think you’re doing pretty well now. Didn’t you always want to form a band? Now you have. Your relationship with your girlfriend seems good too.”

Fu Yu’ao turned his head to look toward where Ge Yinling was.

Turning back: “Mm. When there’s time I’ll sing you songs I wrote.”

Long Qi didn’t respond. Not until Fu Yu’ao added: “I mean, I often have resident singing at bars in Zhaohua Pavilion. Come support me when you have time.”

“…Oh, okay.”

The two stood in the light by the window. Fu Yu’ao asked again: “What about you?”

“Not bad.”

“Yesterday a car dropped you off downstairs. Is that your boyfriend?”

“Oh, that’s a friend.”

“I’ve seen some news about you,” as if explaining, he added: “At that time it was everywhere, about you and…”

Long Qi looked at him.

Fu Yu’ao smiled without continuing: “You’ve changed quite a bit now.”

“In what way?”

“Don’t know. Personality, temper,” he shrugged, as if listing things, also as if asking back. “Social circle? I originally thought you wouldn’t really intersect with that kind of circle’s people.”

That kind of circle.

Long Qi extracted four words from his statement, grinding them in her mind, looking at Fu Yu’ao. Fu Yu’ao continued asking: “So are you single now?”

“No.”

He put his hands in pockets: “I saw it in the news.”

“That news saying I was dumped for being immersed in wine and debauchery?”

He smiled. Long Qi crossed her arms: “My boyfriend also found that news very interesting.”

Finally reaching this topic, Fu Yu’ao nodded: “So, you and him, you’re doing well?”

“Pretty well.”

“You two started dating in high school?”

“What about you and Ge Yinling?”

“Same as you two. Started in high school. She wanted to study performing arts from childhood. I wanted to study music. But our city doesn’t have a particularly good music academy. She didn’t want to go elsewhere, so.”

He shrugged. Long Qi nodded: “Being able to get into the same school and even the same class—how wonderful.”

“Is he good to you?”

This question came lightly from Fu Yu’ao’s mouth, seeming a bit sensitive. Long Qi stroked her crossed arms: “What do you want to say?”

“Just asking casually. As long as it’s good. I just thought about how these years have been quite exciting for you. There’s a sense of loss from not participating.”

This person Fu Yu’ao spoke in a way that was straightforward yet roundabout. After grinding on this sentence for four or five seconds, Long Qi replied: “Actually I’ve already forgotten most of what happened in middle school. But that time was quite carefree. Everyone was still children, not much on their minds.”

“I remember everything related to you.”

“Oh,” she instantly replied. “Then your memory is pretty good. Mine isn’t.”

He laughed once: “Since we’re in the same class now, when there’s time we can gather with old classmates.”

“I’m fine with whatever. You organize it.”

After speaking, her gaze went past him. Under Nalin’s whispers, Ge Yinling finally turned her head to look over lightly. Long Qi didn’t continue the conversation, picking up the script: “I’ll go read through the script.”

The situation was clear.

Fu Yu’ao’s attitude of not being particular about male-female relationships led to three people in the dorm having different attitudes toward Long Qi. Ge Yinling was Fu Yu’ao’s girlfriend—that was an obvious barrier on the surface. Nalin was Ge Yinling’s good bestie—throughout the day she also almost didn’t speak to Long Qi. Wu Yishan had an outgoing personality, good with everyone. Because of this, whoever actively sought her out, she’d be close to.

Eight at night. Phone charging. Long Qi sat in the dorm, holding a lollipop in her mouth like a cigarette. One hand turned a pen, knees bent. The other hand compared the script while searching online for translation software.

The three dorm mates had gone out to eat with Fu Yu’ao. Fu Yu’ao had also invited her. She had a brain—she declined.

Her laptop was logged into WeChat. Jin Yiken’s video call came punctually at this time. Since yesterday when she sent that message and turned off her phone, she’d left him hanging for nearly twenty-plus hours. Right now he sat on an outdoor balcony sofa chair. On the table was a cup of half-drunk coffee. He wore a striped shirt, a book propped on his knees. Sat very manly, asking what kind of rebellion she was trying to cause now.

“How are you talking? Give you a few days of good attitude and you’re turning over to become a landlord master? I also didn’t see you call me back.”

“Yesterday I had an important report to write.” Two seconds later, he added: “If not for that damn report, this master would already be downstairs at your dorm building.”

She looked up at the video.

Taking the lollipop from her mouth, chair legs scraped. She moved closer to the screen, propping her cheek: “Jin Yiken, get your head straight. Stop doing things that waste all previous efforts.”

“Then you stop sending me messages with strong seductive properties.”

“I only sent four characters.”

“I’ve already thought of seventy-two positions with you.”

Pinching the candy wrapper, she threw it at the screen. He turned in his chair over there laughing heartlessly. She pointed at the screen: “You stop being a hooligan!”

“Did you get along with classmates today?”

He changed the topic. Long Qi leaned back in her chair: “What, you have informants somewhere again?”

“The entire internet is full of photos of you with classmates.”

Wu Yishan’s efficiency was quite high—photos uploaded so quickly. Right now she was probably eating while happily counting likes. Jin Yiken turned in his chair looking at photos on his phone. When swiping to a certain one, the turning amplitude slowed.

“Is this also your classmate?”

“Hm?”

Originally languid, then seeing the photo his phone had swiped to, an exclamation point in her heart. Wu Yishan was really something—she’d even uploaded that one with Fu Yu’ao’s arm over her shoulder. Her body collapsed back even more. Her fingertip stroked her forehead: “Right, same class. His girlfriend is my roommate.”

The photo scrolled down. Jin Yiken didn’t pursue that one. Long Qi took a sip of water, eyes fixed on his hand movements. After Jin Yiken finished viewing all photos, he locked his phone screen. Looked like it was over. Warm water slid down her throat. She withdrew her gaze. But immediately the next second, the phone unlocked with a click. He decisively and swiftly clicked open that previous group photo. Water choked into her nose and mouth. She coughed. Jin Yiken was interrupted, turning his head to look at her.

She pulled four tissues in succession to wipe the table, coughing nonstop.

“Tsk.”

He made just this sound.

His gaze also very intense, a look of “I can tell you’re hiding something from me, speak up,” plus an air of unconcealable cleverness: “I’ll just say one thing. The first time I put my arm on your shoulder, you nearly twisted my hand off.”

Coughed until her lungs almost came out, finally catching her breath. Pushed the water glass aside: “Okay, knew him before. Old classmate. I also didn’t expect such a coincidence that we’d be in the same class.”

“Old classmate.” He repeated, finger tapping on the phone screen.

Written all over his face: “See what else you want to hide.” She couldn’t take it anymore. Finally made to laugh by him. Her fingertip stroked her forehead again, ears slightly red: “Let me make it clear first—there is a bit of a story, but that was in middle school, especially distant, especially childish. I’ll only say it once. You can listen, but don’t bring it up with me afterward.”

His body straightened. He crossed his legs. All ears.

“Indeed an old classmate from middle school. At that time I was class president of our class, he was vice president…”

“With my level I could be homeroom teacher in your class.”

“Jin Yiken, if you interrupt I won’t say it. My middle school grades were really quite good. Otherwise how could I get into Beifan?”

“Wife, I believe you. Continue.”

She caught her breath again: “Just, at that time between boys and girls it wasn’t like now, caring about so much. All children—who cared about all that romance? No one gossiped. No inexplicable targeting. At that time everyone didn’t even know what first love was. The whole atmosphere was quite good. Wasn’t I class president? So I was responsible for many things. Fu Yu’ao… his name is Fu Yu’ao. At that time he often stayed after class with me. He was very good at sports, played basketball especially well…”

At this point, Jin Yiken looked like he wanted to interrupt again. Long Qi glanced at him. He held back. She continued: “Boys at that age all love to play, but he was especially patient. Over time my impression of him was a bit better than ordinary boys. That summer there were study groups. He and several other classmates who lived nearby were in my group. We often gathered at Long Xinyi’s house to do homework. He’d bring a guitar. At that time we didn’t drink beer either, drank cola, listened to him sing. But Long Xinyi, this harmful person, insisted on playing adult and buying a case of beer from the supermarket. Result—done for. Beer half-opened when aunt came home.”

Jin Yiken lowered his head, boredly swiping the phone screen with his finger.

“Everyone didn’t want parents to be told, so wanted to hide the beer. I had Fu Yu’ao move the case to my closet, but aunt came through the door too fast. We two couldn’t get out in time. Everyone simply locked us in the closet. Long Xinyi lied saying I went to the supermarket. Aunt didn’t suspect, but she didn’t immediately leave either. Then…”

On the other end of the video, he looked up, staring at her.

“Just, first time drinking, not quite adapted to the feeling of alcohol. The closet was quite stuffy. Fu Yu’ao also went to his head.” Speaking to this point, didn’t continue down. Lightly shrugged once, all left unsaid. Jin Yiken laughed once, head tilted, especially disdainful look: “Kissed you?”

“Just that once.”

“You were this easy to pursue in middle school?”

Threw another tissue ball at the screen: “Really suffered with me, huh?”

“Do you know how awesome your husband was in middle school? There you were getting so easily kissed by a little kid.”

“I really don’t know. Your middle school—I didn’t participate and am not interested.”

After a pause, he asked: “Where did he kiss you?”

“The mouth, of course.”

His chest rose and fell once.

“How long?”

“How would I remember?”

“Did he use tongue?”

“No,” she unwrapped a new lollipop. “You think everyone’s like you—taking such advantage of a girl the first time?”

“So that was your first kiss, in your room’s closet?”

“Your first kiss was in a leaking hotel room. Who’s nobler than who?”

This retort actually shut Jin Yiken up. He grinned. She rolled her eyes: “That was also my first night. Comparatively, not as good as my room’s closet.”

“What about after? You two dated?”

“No. After we came out of the closet, no one mentioned it. I really waited for him for three days, thinking no matter what he’d give me an explanation. Who knew three days later he suddenly stopped coming to school.”

“Why?”

“The teacher said he transferred schools. Seems he was always a temporary student anyway. Near the high school entrance exam, he went back to his registered residence location’s school to prepare. Okay, this story ends. After that, no more contact with him. My entire subsequent youth was completely stirred up by you.”

“So the person kissed you without a word, then left without looking back, even made you wait three days for nothing.”

“Right. For a while after he transferred, I thought he was avoiding me.” The lollipop swayed between her fingers. She looked at Jin Yiken. “Satisfied? No ambiguity whatsoever. No possibility of old feelings rekindling. I even kind of want to hit him.”

Right now he didn’t speak, legs crossed, quietly looking at her. For a long time, he said: “If only I’d been there then.”

The lollipop swaying between her fingers slowly stopped. She looked at the screen. Jin Yiken gazed at her, eyes somewhat intense, making her heart beat a bit fast: “If you’d been there then, what would you have wanted to change?”

“Forget it. Your school was too ordinary. Couldn’t contain this great Buddha.”

Really serious for no more than three seconds. A good sentimental moment broken in one second. She slapped the table: “So annoying!”

She moved the video page aside, typing rapidly on the keyboard. He asked: “What are you busy with now?”

“None of your business.”

Probably he saw the original French novel of the script at hand. He said: “Even started reading French novels?”

Her fingers on the keyboard stopped.

Jin Yiken still sat over there leisurely, looking especially idle.

“You recognized it was French at a glance?”

“You think I’m illiterate?”

“Beifan doesn’t offer French classes.”

“Only the bottom students only learn what Beifan teaches.”

Leaning back against the chair, Long Qi right now could see the top student glow emanating from Jin Yiken’s body—especially bright, especially dazzling. He even added: “Before high school, I spent every summer in France. My grandmother is half French. French is my third native language. How much more evidence do you want to hear?”

“Are you busy recently?”

The chair that had been slowly turning stopped. His hand movements paused. He looked up at her. She continued: “I have a section of French script here. If you’re not busy, help me translate it.”

Sweet as could be.

He didn’t respond, staring at her, maintaining his sitting posture, person and sofa slowly retreating backward, a look of sizing up what bad ideas filled her brain. Three seconds later, she’d waited enough, running fingers through hair and changing tone: “Jin Yiken, will you do it or not?”

“You need it urgently?”

“Just say whether you’ll do it or not. One sentence. If not I’ll hang up. I’m busy.”

He started laughing. Laughed especially handsomely.

Again, person and sofa approached the screen. His elbow slowly rested on the table edge. A low voice drifted out: “I’ll do it.”

Then, making eye contact with her, not letting go for even a second: “But there’s one requirement. I’m giving you three days to find the couple’s ring I gave you. Wear it every day for me. Then I’ll do it.”