In early July, with Lin Zeqiu’s help, Lin Zhixia packed up her belongings and left her undergraduate alma mater.
Lin Zeqiu snatched all the heavy items from Lin Zhixia’s hands. He dragged two suitcases, carried a huge backpack, and had a heavy travel bag hanging from his right shoulder.
July was the height of midsummer heat, with the sun blazing like fire, heat waves rolling, and sweltering air filling the streets. Sweat emerged from Lin Zeqiu’s forehead, sliding down the contours of his face, dampening his clothes and leaving faint traces.
The suitcase handle was somewhat stuck, and the wheels weren’t smooth enough. To make matters worse, the suitcase was filled with clothes, shoes, skincare creams, and various small items. Lin Zeqiu diligently escorted his sister’s luggage, never complaining about how many things she had or how heavy the suitcases were.
Lin Zhixia felt quite embarrassed. “Brother, are you tired? Let me take the backpack and travel bag.”
“It’s not your turn to carry these,” Lin Zeqiu flatly refused. “Don’t argue with me. If you pull at my bags, you’re just wasting my energy.”
Lin Zhixia had originally been gripping his backpack strap, but upon hearing his words, she immediately let go.
During the return journey, Lin Zeqiu continued to take care of her. He bought boxed meals for her on the train and washed a bowl of fresh strawberries—strawberries he had bought that morning, wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap, and stuffed into his backpack specifically to bring on the train. He also asked her, “Can you get strawberries in Cambridge?”
“Yes, I can,” Lin Zhixia confirmed.
He still sighed: “There are guns and drugs abroad. Pin, just stay on campus and don’t go alone to remote suburbs.”
Lin Zhixia had a strawberry in her mouth and didn’t respond.
That night, Lin Zeqiu slept restlessly, waking up several times.
The train wheels rumbled loudly. He propped himself up on his elbow and turned his head to look to the other side. He saw Lin Zhixia sleeping peacefully on the opposite bed. He recalled what she looked like as a child—so short, so thin, with only her eyes being large and bright. She would always look up at him, asking particularly annoying questions that made him temporarily wonder if he was the fool and his sister was the normal one. But suddenly she had grown up, learned to understand others, no longer hurt him, and was now leaving just like that.
He had once felt extremely frustrated because of her—why hadn’t heaven given him equal intelligence? Later, he finally accepted reality, and now she was almost seventeen.
She was no longer afraid of ghost stories or strangers, unafraid of darkness, and didn’t avoid the unknown.
She could stand on her own and carry heavy responsibilities; both their father and mother were proud of her. He was proud of her, too.
Lin Zeqiu’s eyes grew slightly moist.
The sky outside the train window gradually brightened. The dawn light broke through the night, the sky brightened, and the floating clouds appeared like dyed silk. He changed into a different shirt, sat by the window enjoying the scenery, and slowly calmed his heart.
Although he had just turned twenty, he had to admit that his mentality was like that of an old bird watching a young bird fly far away—filled with earnest expectations yet also numerous concerns.
*
This summer vacation, Lin Zeqiu and Lin Zhixia both stayed at home with no travel plans.
The siblings’ lives were full of routine. They went to bed early, rose early, and maintained regular exercise. Occasionally, though, Lin Zhixia would sleep in, and Lin Zeqiu would go jogging alone. He frequently went around to a breakfast shop at the east gate of their residential complex, bringing back several servings of baked flatbread, soup dumplings, and tofu pudding, arranging them on the dining table before waking Lin Zhixia up.
After meals, Lin Zeqiu would write code while Lin Zhixia read books.
Lin Zhixia’s doctoral supervisor had given her a reading list, and she quickly finished all those books. She was very much looking forward to her upcoming doctoral studies.
So far, her study abroad materials were fully prepared, her visa was almost processed, and the school had assigned her a dormitory. She had seen photos of the dorm online—it was a single room, equipped with a desk and chair, a single bed, a red armchair, and a private toilet and bathroom.
The dorm was very expensive, with fees calculated weekly at over a hundred pounds per week, totaling more than six thousand yuan RMB per month. Even with her scholarship, Lin Zhixia felt the pinch, especially considering that her undergraduate dormitory had cost only a thousand yuan RMB per year.
Lin Zeqiu had asked if her scholarship was enough, and she said it was, but she felt that prices abroad were very high. Lin Zeqiu then seriously instructed her: “When you talk with classmates over there, don’t tell people you think this or that is expensive…”
“Why can’t I say that?” Lin Zhixia challenged.
Lin Zeqiu spoke earnestly: “It sounds a bit stingy, you understand?”
Lin Zhixia laughed carelessly: “I don’t care what others think of me.”
This answer was beyond Lin Zeqiu’s expectations.
He sat on the living room sofa, watching Lin Zhixia organize her manuscripts.
The TV was playing a series called “The Bronze Teeth of Ji Xiaolan.” Both he and Lin Zhixia had grown up watching this series. The soundtrack remained the same as always, but his mind wandered as he thought silently: In just over a decade, life had undergone earth-shattering changes.
He leaned back against the sofa, his collar loose, his posture relaxed.
Lin Zhixia closed her folder and said to him: “Tomorrow I’m going shopping for clothes with Tang Tingting. I won’t be back for lunch.”
“What kind of clothes are you buying?” Lin Zeqiu asked casually.
Lin Zhixia didn’t answer.
A few minutes later, Lin Zhixia ran to her parents’ bedroom, speaking in a sweet tone to her mother: “Mom, tomorrow Tang Tingting and I are going to buy clothes, I won’t be back at noon. Mom, don’t wait for me, please eat first.”
“Alright,” her mother was cleaning the bedroom, “what would Xiaxia like for dinner tomorrow?”
Lin Zhixia began to order dishes: “Braised silver carp, oil-braised prawns, stir-fried wild rice stems with shredded pork, is that okay?”
Her mother readily agreed, making Lin Zhixia even happier.
Early the next day, Lin Zhixia put on a moon-white dress, deliberately styling her hair elaborately. She wore a deep blue butterfly hairpin and applied a bit of coral lipstick before going out to meet Tang Tingting.
Tang Tingting was also dressed strikingly today. She and Lin Zhixia walked arm in arm along the commercial street, truly feeling they were the most beautiful girls in the entire district. Occasionally, boys would ask for their contact information, and Tang Tingting would laugh and reject them on the spot: “Not convenient, sorry.”
They walked some distance along the street and found a well-reviewed lingerie store.
Lin Zhixia walked into the store openly, with Tang Tingting following close behind. She quietly asked Lin Zhixia, “What’s your size?”
Lin Zhixia answered in an even softer voice: “My bust size has gone up one cup. I want to buy some new underwear before going abroad.”
Soon, Tang Tingting discovered Lin Zhixia’s magical ability. Lin Zhixia was unwilling to try on the underwear personally. She would just look at the structure of the underwear, then stand quietly for a moment, as if she had completed the fitting through imagination.
“Do you have some kind of… 3D modeling technology in your brain?” Tang Tingting asked suspiciously.
Lin Zhixia smiled sweetly: “Maybe I do.”
Tang Tingting was charmed by her smile.
After Lin Zhixia finished shopping, she walked out of the store arm in arm with Tang Tingting. They sat down to rest in the neighboring café. Lin Zhixia bought two strawberry sundaes, giving one to Tang Tingting and keeping one for herself.
Tang Tingting moved closer to Lin Zhixia’s shoulder, took out her phone, first took a selfie with her, then photographed the strawberry sundaes on the table, and finally added the text “Summer vacation with Xiaxia.” She then posted the photos to QQ Space, deliberately showing off to the Provincial No. 1 High School circle.
Tang Tingting patiently waited for ten minutes.
By the time Lin Zhixia had almost finished her strawberry sundae, Tang Tingting reopened her phone. She had received dozens of likes, with Jiang Yubai being the first to comment: “Very beautiful.”
Tang Tingting asked him: “Who’s more beautiful?”
Jiang Yubai replied: “The strawberry sundae.”
Tang Tingting made an “oh” with her mouth: “He’s good at this, his emotional intelligence is much better than Duan Qiyan’s.”
“Duan Qiyan?” Lin Zhixia caught the key point.
Tang Tingting said, “He’s a bit silly.”
“He’s not silly,” Lin Zhixia tried to speak up for Duan Qiyan. “He ranked in the top thirty in science for the whole province in the college entrance exam.”
Tang Tingting couldn’t help but smile, but didn’t contradict Lin Zhixia.
Outside, the sun was scorching hot and the air dry, but this didn’t affect Tang Tingting and Lin Zhixia’s determination to shop. They wandered around the street for a while longer, bought some small accessories, and had lunch at a cold noodle shop… It wasn’t until after four in the afternoon that they reluctantly parted at the bus stop.
Lin Zhixia carried what she had bought today and happily returned home.
By this time, it was early August, and Jiang Yubai was still interning at a company in Beijing. He was busy from morning till night, having much to learn. Comparatively, Lin Zhixia was more leisurely. She enjoyed her rare vacation and respected Jiang Yubai’s work, never initiating a phone call to him.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai maintained contact through QQ, text messages, WeChat, and other means, chatting intermittently. Their regular life continued day after day until late August, when Jiang Yubai sent Lin Zhixia a text message. He said he would return to the provincial capital tonight and asked if she was free. He wanted to watch fireworks with her.
Every August, the provincial capital would host several “Music Fireworks Festivals.”
It was said that the magnificent fireworks were like blooming flowers and brilliant clouds, capable of bursting into fleeting splendor in the night sky. Amidst the shifting radiance, even the pure moon and stars would be outshone.
Lin Zhixia yearned to see this. But she had never witnessed it firsthand.
When Jiang Yubai extended the invitation, Lin Zhixia gladly accepted.
That day happened to be Jiang Yubai’s birthday, and Lin Zhixia brought a birthday gift she had specifically prepared for him—a pair of small, cute wooden cat figurines. Lin Zhixia had carved the little cats with a set of knives; one was named “Lychee,” and the other was called “Strawberry.”
Lin Zhixia clearly remembered that lychee was Jiang Yubai’s favorite fruit.
*
This year’s “Music Fireworks Festival” will officially open at 7:30 PM.
Around 7:20 PM, Lin Zhixia arrived at the park.
There were many families in the park. Looking around, Lin Zhixia saw elderly people holding cattail fans and children being led by their parents… She wanted to call out Jiang Yubai’s name when a familiar voice came from behind her: “I’m here.”
Lin Zhixia turned around and met Jiang Yubai’s gaze. They stood by the lake in the park. She quietly approached a willow tree; the night breeze blew her long dress, the light hem floating gently, and her hair was a bit disheveled. However, in his eyes, she looked flawlessly beautiful.
The park’s lighting was somewhat dim. She took out a pair of wooden carved cats from her bag: “For you. Happy birthday, Jiang Yubai.”
He accepted the gift and thanked her.
She then asked: “Why did you want to see fireworks tonight?”
Before she finished speaking, the first burst of fireworks ignited in the sky, and loud exclamations erupted from the crowd.
The magnificent fireworks were red like roses, dotting the boundless night sky. The lake’s reflections were dreamy, with ripples dancing in the gorgeous reflections. As one circle of ripples after another spread out, the fireworks gradually dissipated into the deep lake water.
Lin Zhixia gazed at the night scene, but Jiang Yubai only looked at her: “Because I wanted to see you.”
She was stunned for a moment.
He seemed to have held back for a long time, his voice dropping even lower, still muttering to himself: “I wanted to see you.”
He looked up at the sky, hands tucked into his pants pockets, his figure tall and still, like another tree rooted by the lake. He heard Lin Zhixia call his name and finally lowered his head to look into her eyes.
More fireworks were being set off in the sky, their light and shadows reflected in his eyes, and her heart surged with waves. She felt a long-absent nervousness. The hot night breeze cooled the light sweat on her palms but made her mind temporarily boil. Without any preamble, she suddenly said to him: “Jiang Yubai, I like you, in both the philosophical and biological sense.”
Her words froze Jiang Yubai in place. At that moment, the fireworks before him weren’t just fireworks but a magnificent cosmic explosion.
On this night at seventeen, he almost blocked out all external noise and could hear his accelerated heartbeat. So, using vocabulary that Lin Zhixia would best understand, he directly asked her: “Is this a sustainable, non-coincidental feeling that conforms to the principle of certainty?”
Lin Zhixia answered without hesitation: “Of course.”
Her hair was blown across her face by the wind. She raised her hand, wanting to straighten it. But Jiang Yubai tucked her hair behind her ear. She unconsciously took a step back, her back just against that willow tree.
She heard his shallow breathing, saw his fingertips approach her cheek, just a centimeter away from touching, yet he withdrew his hand in suppression and restraint. Lin Zhixia smiled, gripped his wrist, and slightly tilted her head, her fair cheek just pressing against his palm.
Jiang Yubai also smiled: “So you like me this much.”
“What about you?” Lin Zhixia asked him. “Do you like me?”
She already knew the answer.
But she still wanted to hear him say it.
He was as if making an offering in a temple. He was exceptionally calm, peaceful, certain, and devout as he said, “I like you very much.”
Lin Zhixia felt that every word of his was sweet. She was as if she had just eaten a piece of honey, and her bones were about to soften. She further asked: “Do I have many good qualities?”
Jiang Yubai briefly summarized: “Countless good qualities.”
“Since when did you start liking me? Elementary school?”
“No.”
“Middle school?”
“Don’t think so.”
“High school?”
“I’m not sure.”
Lin Zhixia held Jiang Yubai’s hand as they walked beyond the park. The fireworks show hadn’t ended, but they just wanted to find a place to walk. At a street corner, with no one around, Jiang Yubai’s right hand was so hot it was almost burning. He held Lin Zhixia’s hand, feeling her finger bones, caressing her fingertips. Even the simplest contact made him restless, and he wanted to go further.
Lin Zhixia was still immersed in the joy of a successful confession.
Jiang Yubai found his driver and took Lin Zhixia back to her home.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai said goodbye at the entrance of Ancheng Residential Complex. Jiang Yubai got out of the car, stood outside the complex gate, and watched her figure disappear into the dim lights.
The new semester was about to begin.
He had never looked forward to the start of school as much as he did today.