The plum rain season this year seemed exceptionally long. Throughout June, the rain persisted in an intermittent yet continuous drizzle. One hardly notices spring’s departure amidst the rain, only realizing the depth of summer when the skies finally clear. As July quietly arrived, summer revealed itself in full glory.
Walking through the campus, the sun scorched the earth while white clouds wove through the blue sky. Shading one's eyes with a hand, the orange core of the sun was faintly visible. Light leaked through the leaves, filtered into mottled shadows that cast shifting patterns of brightness and gloom upon the ground. The ivy was a lush, dripping emerald, and the chirping of cicadas rose and fell in rhythmic waves. A cool breeze rolled in, set the verdant leaves rustling softly. Youth is a series of nodes rolling with the wheels of a bicycle, as if all troubles could be left far behind.
This was the brilliant, shimmering summer that belonged to C University.
In the blink of an eye, it was August.
Initially, Gu Yizhi had solemnly promised Xia Yinuo that she only needed to focus on R&D and needn't worry about anything else. Yet, for the company's exhibition in D City, Xia Yinuo was suddenly notified to join the business trip. When Xia Yinuo privately questioned her, Gu Yizhi claimed, under the guise of a grand compliment, that a successful salesperson undoubtedly needs strong technical support—and a young, beautiful Technical Director could ignite even the most mediocre sales team. John, who in previous years had to personally serve as the technical consultant for the sales department, felt immensely relieved and even a bit mischievous upon hearing this news.
Xia Yinuo couldn't help but grumble inwardly about "unscrupulous merchants." She repeatedly told herself: only children fear separation; we adults, heh, we only plan surprises.
On the day of the return flight, Liang Jueyun went to the airport to pick her up. Professor Liang wore a mint-green dress, looking as though she carried a refreshing breeze with every step.
After stowing the luggage, Liang Jueyun took the driver's seat. While fastening her seatbelt, she asked Xia Yinuo if she had any other plans for the day.
Xia Yinuo shook her head.
Liang Jueyun smiled warmly. "Good. Then we’re going to Dongzhuang."
Xia Yinuo buckled her seatbelt and looked up in surprise. "Dongzhuang?"
Liang Jueyun replied, "Mhm. Godmother said she has some things to give to Uncle Wei and asked us to make a trip when we had time."
"I see. Sure," Xia Yinuo said. "Since there's nothing else today, we can go and come back early."
"It happens to be your birthday tomorrow," Liang Jueyun said, a smile curling at the corners of her lips as she put on her sunglasses and started the car. "We can celebrate privately today and stay overnight in Dongzhuang. We’ll go home for dinner tomorrow; I’ve already made plans with Xiuheng and Maimai."
Xia Yinuo was stunned. "Huh? Isn't tomorrow supposed to be our private celebration?"
Liang Jueyun asked, "Why? Is there a difference between today and tomorrow?"
Xia Yinuo pondered. "Well, I suppose there isn't much of a difference..."
She had originally planned for a "world for two" with Liang Jueyun tomorrow night. It seemed she would have to move it up by a day.
"Wait!" Xia Yinuo stared at the direction the car was heading and couldn't help but raise her voice. "This road... are we going straight to Dongzhuang? Aren't we going home first?!"
Liang Jueyun remained composed, laughing inwardly. "Yes. Why go home? I’ve brought everything you need. Don't worry."
Xia Yinuo sat there in a daze, looking utterly incredulous.
Liang Jueyun asked, "Did you leave something important at home?"
"No!" Xia Yinuo denied it quickly. She glanced at Liang Jueyun guiltily before immediately averting her eyes.
The traffic light at the intersection ahead turned red. Liang Jueyun stepped on the brake and suddenly leaned toward the passenger seat. Xia Yinuo straightened up nervously, but Liang Jueyun was merely lowering the sun visor for her.
Settling back into her seat, Liang Jueyun continued driving calmly. "Rest for a bit. I'll wake you when we arrive."
Xia Yinuo nodded sullenly. "Oh."
As the car merged onto the highway from the airport road, Xia Yinuo fished out her phone and secretly sent a message to Mai Shining: *Are you free to come to Dongzhuang today?*
To her surprise, Mai Shining called her back instantly. Xia Yinuo pressed the answer button, and before she could even say hello, an exceptionally fiery voice erupted from the other end: "Are you crazy?! It takes hours to get to Dongzhuang and back. Are you going to watch my kid for me? Your Professor Liang told me yesterday that she was taking you to celebrate your birthday today. What are you up to? Just come back tomorrow and we'll eat then! Alright, be good! Hanging up!"
"Hey—" Before Xia Yinuo could say anything, the other woman had already cut the line.
The only sound in the car was the whirring of the air conditioner. She didn't know if Mai Shining's loud voice had leaked through the phone. Xia Yinuo rubbed her nose. *Forget it, forget it.*
Liang Jueyun looked straight ahead. Her expression was hidden behind her sunglasses, but the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned.
Xia Yinuo quickly offered a placating smile. "Hehe, that was Maimai asking about our plans for tomorrow."
Liang Jueyun replied, "Oh."
Xia Yinuo added, "She’s been a bit short-tempered lately. She needs to cool down."
Liang Jueyun said, "Mhm."
Outside the window lay an endless expanse of lush green fields. To hide her little scheme, Xia Yinuo pointed randomly outside to change the subject. "Did you ever hear a world-famous song when you were little called 'Iron Ox'?"
Liang Jueyun maintained that faint smile. "No."
"It's okay, I'll sing it for you! Listen closely!" Xia Xiaobao cleared her throat with great solemnity. "Iron ox, iron ox, run, run, run! In the fields, the sprouts begin to grow. The sprouts drink clear water and grow into wheat. The wheat grows taller and taller, the fields turn golden. Yellow in the east, yellow in the west, the iron ox is busy harvesting!"
Liang Jueyun's expression became subtle.
Xia Yinuo asked, "How was it? Any impression?"
Liang Jueyun replied, "I didn't before, but I do now."
Xia Yinuo coughed. "An 'iron ox' is a tractor! I think it’s excellent that this song was selected for youth music textbooks! Because it teaches us many simple truths. For example, the growth patterns of crops, and for example, that science and technology are the primary productive forces. Therefore, we must work hard on experiments and do good research!"
Liang Jueyun checked the road, took off her sunglasses, and shot a quick glance at Xia Xiaobao. "Do you know...?"
"I don't know!" Xia Yinuo was a bit intimidated by that meaningful look and answered prematurely. she almost couldn't resist reaching for the handle on the door.
Liang Jueyun caught all of Xia Xiaobao's fluster in her eyes. Her crimson lips parted slightly. "You really enjoy talking serious nonsense."
*No, that's not it! It's because I have a guilty conscience right now!*
"However," Liang Jueyun's eyes narrowed slightly, "I quite like listening to your nonsense."
Xia Yinuo forced back a cold sweat. "Hehe... as long as you like it!"
They arrived at Dongzhuang in the afternoon. After a brief cleaning and rest at the old Li residence, they took the items Li Qinglan had requested to the fishing pond outside the village entrance. Wei Ping and his wife warmly insisted they stay for dinner, and the two graciously accepted.
Dinner in the countryside is early. After eating and chatting about domestic matters, it was only seven o'clock. Saying goodbye to the Weis, Xia Yinuo and Liang Jueyun walked back to the Li residence along a rural path lined with dawn redwoods.
The sun was sinking behind the mountains, and birds were returning to their nests. The ground was still warm, but the breeze was cool. Through the redwoods, one could see the distant, misty silhouette of the mountains. The shy sunset glow dyed the boundless sky red, facing the fertile land. Gentle rays slanted through the gaps in the clouds, embracing their young faces. Their fingers were interlaced, holding hands loosely as they strolled in silence.
Turning another corner, they reached the village entrance. Villagers, dressed in light summer clothes after dinner, were strolling along the paths. A evening breeze blew; as they passed others, they could even smell the scent of bath gel and floral water lingering in the humid air.
Not far away, a small group of children held flashlights, bending over to rustle through the ground with sticks, then looking up into the trees.
Liang Jueyun was curious. "Are they... catching cicadas?"
Xia Yinuo asked, "Probably. You know about this too?"
Liang Jueyun replied, "In my university zoology days, we had field internship projects. The professors would take students to collect specimens, and we even had the chance to camp in the forest. *Cryptotympana*, of course, was covered."
Xia Yinuo said, "I took zoology back then too, but the medical school version was more focused on animal physiology. It sounds like biology internships are much more interesting than clinical medicine ones."
Liang Jueyun laughed. "Not necessarily! A medical student who dares to dissect a cadaver might not necessarily dare to touch snakes, insects, rats, or wild beasts."
Xia Yinuo straightened her back, scoffing at the idea. "You underestimate us medics."
"Don't move!" Liang Jueyun suddenly looked serious. "Xiaobao, there seems to be something on your back."
"I don't believe you." Even as she said it, Xia Xiaobao froze instantly, not daring to move.
Liang Jueyun slowly stepped behind her.
Goosebumps broke out all over Xia Yinuo. "It couldn't be such a coincidence!"
Liang Jueyun frowned slightly. "Don't move yet."
Hearing this, Xia Yinuo's voice began to tremble, and her handsome, fair face turned pale with fright. "What... what exactly is it?"
Liang Jueyun paused for two seconds before bursting into laughter, leaning her forehead against Xia Yinuo's back as she giggled.
Realizing she had been tricked, Xia Yinuo was annoyed and frustrated but helpless, stomping her feet in place.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" Liang Jueyun affectionately took Xia Yinuo's arm and shook it, comforting her. "I promise there won't be a next time!"
Xia Yinuo felt like spitting blood. "You want there to be a next time?!"
"OK, no next time." Liang Jueyun couldn't help but chuckle, pointing randomly at the group of children. "But, why don't you give me a 'science lesson' on cicadas?"
Xia Yinuo's mouth twitched. "Are you serious? How did you do your entomology field internship then?"
Liang Jueyun said enthusiastically, "I chose the vertebrate field internship as an elective, not entomology."
Half-skeptical, Xia Yinuo assumed a pensive look. "Fine, let me think!"
Liang Jueyun squeezed Xia Yinuo's hand gently.
Xia Yinuo began to describe it vividly. "The cicada, also known as the *zhiliao*, belongs to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Hemiptera, family Cicadidae. Its larvae live underground, usually staying in the dark earth for several years or even over a decade, surviving by sucking the sap from plant roots. Oh, by the way, I suggest you imagine my voice as a nature documentary narrator; it'll make the 'Animal World' immersion stronger."
More serious nonsense. Liang Jueyun chuckled.
Xia Yinuo continued, "Around the end of June, it's time for the cicada pupa to emerge. The larvae quietly crawl out of the soil at night, climb up a tree, grip the bark tightly, and begin to molt and transform. This process is what we commonly call 'the golden cicada shedding its shell.' Hey, it’s actually a bit like humans giving birth!"
Liang Jueyun looked at Xia Xiaobao in disbelief. "How can that be the same?!"
"The head comes out first in both!" Xia Yinuo argued righteously, then stuck out her tongue. "Okay, fine, it was a bit of an inappropriate metaphor. Let's continue. We were at the shedding part, right? After the head comes out, it reveals a green body and wrinkled wings. Once the wings harden and the color darkens, the cicada can fly. Professionally speaking, the whole process is the cicada's incomplete metamorphosis. In this season, the larvae have long since transformed into adults. Oh, right, I heard cicada pupae are edible—fried up, they're high in protein."
Liang Jueyun asked, "Have you eaten them?"
"Of course not!"
"I figured you wouldn't dare."
Xia Yinuo said, "When I was little, my uncle used to bring us here to catch cicadas. He said only the males chirp. I didn't know why back then, but thinking about it now, it's probably because the female cicada's sound-producing organs are underdeveloped."
"Correct," Liang Jueyun nodded and explained. "The male cicada's sound organ is in its abdomen. The vibration of the tymbal produces sound, and the resonance between the tymbal and the operculum makes the chirp particularly loud. The female cicada lacks the complete structure, so she cannot make a sound."
Xia Yinuo's eyes widened. "You explained that so perfectly, why did you need me to give you a lesson?!"
Liang Jueyun spread her hands. "I truly didn't know that they molt and transform like humans giving birth."
Xia Yinuo didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The two continued their leisurely walk, turning a corner and passing a section of mottled wall. Entering the courtyard of the Li residence, they were in no hurry to go inside. They strolled to the pavilion behind the house and reclined comfortably on two wooden rocking chairs.
By now, the sky was dark. A bright moon hung high, pouring down clear light. Frogs croaked, insects chirped, and the shadows of trees swayed.
Xia Yinuo stared blankly at the ink-blue sky, her mind suddenly going empty, like an old monk in meditation.
Liang Jueyun turned her head and saw Xia Xiaobao's dazed expression. She smiled. "What are you thinking about?"
Xia Yinuo snapped out of it, her eyes immediately regaining their spirited glow. "I was thinking that the moon is beautiful tonight. Don't you think?"
Liang Jueyun only smiled and said nothing.
Seeing this, Xia Yinuo mock-cleared her throat and began to recite vividly: "In the deep blue sky hangs a golden full moon. Below is a sandy field by the sea, planted with an endless expanse of emerald green watermelons. Among them is a boy of eleven or twelve, wearing a silver ring around his neck and holding a steel pitchfork, thrusting with all his might at a *zha*. But the *zha* gives a twist of its body and slips away between his legs!"
Liang Jueyun continued to smile. Xia Yinuo grew a bit impatient. "Hey, give me some reaction?"
Liang Jueyun said, "Mhm, it's very beautiful. So, do you plan to wear a silver ring and go stab a *zha* like Runtu?"
"Hahaha!" Xia Yinuo laughed loudly, picturing that bizarre scene while clasping her hands behind her head. "Actually, 'the moon is beautiful tonight' has another meaning."
Liang Jueyun asked, "What meaning?"
Xia Yinuo said, "Natsume Soseki said that 'I love you' can be translated as 'the moon is beautiful tonight.'"
"Oh!" Liang Jueyun realized, then nodded. "I think so too."
Xia Yinuo asked, "You think what too?"
Liang Jueyun replied, "I also think the moon is beautiful tonight."
Xia Yinuo's shy yet smoldering little heart throbbed. She sat up abruptly from the rocking chair and asked, "Senior, when are you taking me to Arizona to see the stars?"
Liang Jueyun asked, "Do you really want to go?"
"Of course! And it has to be in the summer! I find I'm liking summer more and more."
Liang Jueyun said, "Didn't you use to say you disliked summer?"
Xia Yinuo pointed. "Look at this camphor tree."
"What about it? Camphors are evergreen. What does it have to do with you liking summer?"
Xia Yinuo wagged her finger mysteriously. "In the past, if a wealthy family in Jiangnan had a baby girl, they would plant a camphor tree in their courtyard. By the time the tree matured, the daughter would be of marriageable age. Passersby would see the tree and know there was a girl ready to wed in that house. When the daughter married, the family would cut down the tree and make two large chests out of it, filling them with silk as her dowry. Two chests of silk—*liang xiang si chou*—is a pun for *liang xiang si shou*, meaning 'to stay together forever.'"
Liang Jueyun slowly processed this. After a while, she smiled. "Fortunately, the daughter of this house isn't you; it's Mumu."
Xia Yinuo spoke with conviction. "I met you in the summer."
That face, framed by the soft moonlight, stirred a wave of tender romance in Liang Jueyun's heart. "Then what is the summer you like like?"
Xia Yinuo was full of joy. "Let me think... hmm... in the morning, waking up naturally with you in a comfortable bed. After getting up, having a glass of milk and, hmm, a small piece of cake. It would be best to finish a whole day's work by noon. In the afternoon, holding you in my arms while a lazy breeze blows and lazy clouds drift lazily across the blue sky. And then, just like eating a chilled watermelon, bit by bit... I'll eat you up..."
Liang Jueyun laughed heartily. "You make it sound so simple!"
"What's with that expression?" Xia Yinuo remained triumphant, then suddenly said, "Oh, mosquitoes. I'm going upstairs to get some repellent." She moved to stand up.
"Wait," Liang Jueyun quickly stopped her. "Do you have any special birthday wishes this year?"
"Hmm... the usual ones," Xia Yinuo blinked. "Plus, that you and I remain safe and happy, and the journey ahead is filled with fair winds and beautiful scenery."
Liang Jueyun's smile was mysterious. "Aren't you going to ask me for a birthday present?"
Xia Yinuo leaned her face close to Liang Jueyun's, speaking boldly. "There, just like before, a kiss will do."
Liang Jueyun cooperatively tilted her head and kissed the corner of Xia Yinuo's mouth, her tone doting. "In the room, on the nightstand."
Xia Yinuo's eyes lit up, and she ran into the house.
Back in the room, Xia Yinuo didn't even have time to turn on the light before rushing to the nightstand. Sure enough, there was a simple pencil case with a folded piece of stationery tucked underneath. Unfolding the paper, she used the moonlight streaming through the window to read a Shakespearean sonnet copied onto it:
*Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?*
*Thou art more lovely and more temperate:*
*Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,*
*And summer's lease hath all too short a date;*
*Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,*
*And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;*
*And every fair from fair sometime declines,*
*By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;*
*But thy eternal summer shall not fade,*
*Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;*
*Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,*
*When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:*
*So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,*
*So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.*
The handwriting was fluid, fresh, and elegant, just like Liang Jueyun herself. The signature was a vermilion seal, carved by Xia Yinuo's own hand, bearing three clean characters: *Liang Jueyun*.
Opening the pencil case, she found an old-fashioned fountain pen. Looking closely, a line of small characters was engraved on the barrel: *"Exquisite dice set with a red bean; do you know my deep-seated longing?"*
Turning around, she saw Liang Jueyun standing at the doorway, a smile like ripples on a lake gracing her lips.
Xia Yinuo's heart felt completely soothed as she moved toward her.
However, when they were still a step apart, Liang Jueyun stopped her and held up a pair of diamond rings before Xia Yinuo's eyes.
Xia Yinuo's heart skipped two beats, and she was too stunned to speak.
The pair of identical rings were the very ones Xia Yinuo had bought and hidden at home, intending to give to Liang Jueyun tomorrow. Because the itinerary had changed, she had wanted to move the surprise to tonight, but she hadn't had time to go home and get them, nor could she rely on Mai Shining to deliver them.
So, Liang Jueyun had discovered them long ago, hadn't she? She had deliberately come straight to Dongzhuang from the airport, not in a hurry to expose Xia Yinuo's little trick. Xia Yinuo had wanted to create a birthday surprise, only for Liang Jueyun to flip the script.
The wind chimes by the window tinkled in the night breeze. Moonlight lay on the floor like spilled water. Liang Jueyun's voice came from somewhere both far and near: "Will you?"
For a moment, Xia Yinuo had the illusion of hearing a meteor streak across the sky. It felt as though a kitten's paws were tickling her insides, or like an electric current had surged through her body, overflowing into a melodic spring that filled the dimples on her cheeks.
Liang Jueyun stood there, a clear and tender smile blooming on her lips, as she used her lingering, affectionate gaze to kiss Xia Yinuo's shining eyes.
*I have waited a long time, listening to the passage and movement of time, waiting for the fruits of spring and autumn, waiting for a thunderous momentum, waiting for the deepest dream. Waiting for us to meet under a clear, azure sky, waiting for you to see through my heart with a smile, waiting for you to crown me with your gentle gaze, waiting for you to take my hand and plunge headlong into the summer night breeze.*
*The love you give is clear and warm, piercing through the darkness like starlight to illuminate my life. It is not flamboyant or extravagant, but like the sugar spun by a cotton candy machine, wrapping sweetness round and round. Time is too thin, the gaps between fingers too wide. The days spent with you are warm and bright, profound yet ordinary—not a legend, yet better than any legend.*
*Spring waters fill the pools, summer clouds wreathe the peaks, the autumn moon shines bright, and winter plums welcome the snow. Your face is hidden within every warm and tranquil line of poetry; even the most mundane life can be savored for its soul-stirring depth. From now on, I love the brilliance and fragrance of summer, the moisture and abundance of summer, and every summer of cicada chirps after meeting you.*
**THE END.**
***
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