“I’m sorry,” Si Bin stammered, caught off guard. “I didn’t know she…”
“It’s alright.” As a cold breeze swept past, Lin Murun instinctively narrowed his eyes. “Today is the anniversary of her death, and also her daughter’s birthday, so I had to go back.”
Si Bin turned to look at Lin Murun’s profile as the latter continued, “Right after my father’s accident, my grandfather couldn’t handle the shock of outliving his own son and fell seriously ill. I was in the fourth grade then and hadn't learned how to cook. With no adults at home and no cafeteria at school, I lived on bread and instant noodles for an entire week.”
“I spent every day running back and forth between school and the hospital, and eventually, I fell ill too.” Lin Murun’s tone was flat, as if he were recounting a perfectly ordinary memory.
He didn't elaborate on how he had suffered, but it wasn't hard for Si Bin to imagine the scene: a child barely ten years old, reeling from the sudden death of his father and the critical illness of his grandfather, his heart surely overflowing with panic and unease.
The young Lin Murun, still in elementary school, must have trekked between school and the hospital every day, returning home under the moonlight to a cold, empty house to finish his homework by a solitary lamp.
“Teacher Luo was my homeroom teacher. After she learned about my situation, she took the initiative to bring me to her home and cared for me as if I were her own child.” Lin Murun gazed at the leaden clouds on the horizon. After a long pause, he spoke again. “She was a very kind person, gentle and patient. Every time Wutong refused to eat, she would feed her while telling her all sorts of fairy tales—Wutong is her daughter, the child whose birthday is today.”
“Teacher Luo was also a wonderful ballet dancer, though she rarely practiced in front of us. One day, I took Wutong to the dance studio to find her and happened to see her dancing. I remember she was wearing white pointe shoes, and she looked so beautiful on her toes. I leaned against the window outside and watched her finish the entire piece.” Lin Murun’s voice was low, carrying the slight nasality of his cold.
“Back then, I used to think that if my mother were still alive, she would probably be like her... and maybe I would have a younger sister, just like Wutong.”
Si Bin had never seen Lin Murun look so forlorn. He hadn't known the reason for the trip to N City before, but now that he understood, he found himself at a loss for words.
The two stood in the corridor, braving the cold wind for a long while until the preparatory bell rang. Only then did Lin Murun withdraw his gaze and say softly, “I’m going back to class.”
“If you don’t mind,” Si Bin said to his retreating back, “the next time my mother returns to the country, maybe we could all go out for a meal together.”
Lin Murun turned back, looking puzzled.
“She...” Realizing his invitation sounded a bit abrupt, Si Bin explained, “She has always wanted to meet you.”
“Your mother knows about me?” Lin Murun asked.
“She does,” Si Bin said. “I’ve mentioned you to her. She likes you very much.”
Lin Murun was stunned for a moment, his slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxing.
“She always hoped I would learn the violin, but I don't seem to have much musical talent,” Si Bin continued to explain. “So, would you be willing to come? I mean for a meal... not a formal family gathering, just the three of us.” He grew a bit nervous, his words becoming slightly disjointed. “We’ll find a restaurant with a nice atmosphere and just have a meal together...”
Lin Murun listened to him quietly.
His lack of an immediate response made Si Bin feel uncertain. Fearing a rejection, Si Bin spoke up first: “It might be a bit awkward, though, since she’s an elder you don’t know. If you’d rather not...”
“Okay,” Lin Murun answered.
Si Bin: “?”
He didn't react for a second. “You’re agreeing?”
“Mhm,” Lin Murun said. “I’d like to meet her, too.”
“She might be a bit different from your teacher,” Si Bin noted.
“Mhm.” Lin Murun listened patiently.
“But she’s a good person. She’s more like an older friend than a mother,” Si Bin said. “You might even end up liking her.”
The bell for class rang. Si Bin, who had impulsively raised the topic, felt a wave of relief. He said to Lin Murun with a hint of embarrassment, “Let’s go. We really should get back to class now.”
“Thank you, Si Bin.” A smile flickered in Lin Murun’s eyes.
Si Bin responded with a smile of his own. “No need for thanks.”
Lin Murun returned to the classroom just as the bell finished ringing. As soon as he arrived, Yu Qianyi grabbed him and whispered, “Look over there. Jiang Yuxi is back again.”
Lin Murun looked in the direction she was pointing and happened to lock eyes with Jiang Yuxi.
Upon seeing him, Jiang Yuxi froze for a moment before looking away as if nothing had happened.
“Wow, he’s terrifying. He can actually act like nothing’s wrong when he sees you,” Yu Qianyi muttered under her breath.
Lin Murun also withdrew his gaze, saying indifferently, “Don't mind him.”
“You have to be careful from now on. Who knows if he’s just calm on the surface while still holding a grudge deep down,” Yu Qianyi said, frowning.
“I will.” Lin Murun put down his backpack and sat in his seat. He happened to see Li Menglai chewing gum diagonally across from him, so he turned back to ask Yu Qianyi, “By the way, where did you and Li Menglai buy those milk candies?”
Yu Qianyi asked, confused, “What milk candies?”
Lin Murun reminded her, “Last Friday, when you were handing out candy, Si Bin passed by and asked you for a few.”
After hearing him out, Yu Qianyi blinked, looking puzzled. “Last Friday... I didn't even speak to Si Bin. Besides, we didn't buy any milk candies. Menglai doesn't even like candy.”
Lin Murun was taken aback.
“Are you sure it was Si Bin who asked us for candy?” Yu Qianyi asked.
Lin Murun recalled what Si Bin had said when he gave him the candy and nodded hesitantly.
“You must have misheard,” Yu Qianyi said. “Maybe Si Bin was talking about someone else.”
The teacher on duty entered the classroom. Seeing the two still talking, she cleared her throat and reminded them, “Students, if you have questions, you can discuss them after class.”
Lin Murun had no choice but to turn around.
He remembered clearly that Si Bin had mentioned Yu Qianyi and Li Menglai by name that day.
As he pondered, he flipped his workbook to an unwritten page.
Yu Qianyi had no reason to lie, so where did the milk candies actually come from?
Lin Murun’s fingers moved, twirling his pen.
But it didn't matter who gave the candy. Since he couldn't figure it out, he decided not to dwell on it.
Maybe Si Bin had bought them himself?
With that thought, he uncapped his pen and began working on the problems.
Forty minutes later, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period.
Jiang Yuxi used to be quite popular; whenever class ended, he would joke around with the girls nearby. But after the "Confession Wall" incident, his name had become a sensitive subject among the students of Class 2.
“Did you notice? A new bookstore opened near the school.”
“What’s so strange about a new bookstore?”
“It doesn't just sell supplementary materials. There are lots of novels and manga, too. The owner is really nice. When my friend and I went to buy books, she even gave us two glasses of fresh juice.”
Hearing the conversation between the girls in the neighboring seats, Jiang Yuxi leaned in as he usually did. “Where is this new bookstore? Call me next time you guys go.”
The two girls suddenly went silent, exchanged a glance, and didn't respond to him.
Jiang Yuxi felt his face burn with embarrassment. He gave a forced smile and got up to leave the classroom.
“Does he have no self-awareness at all...?” one of the girls whispered to Li Menglai.
Li Menglai glanced at Jiang Yuxi but didn't comment.
Jiang Yuxi soon realized he was being invisibly ostracized. In the entire class, only Wang Yan was still willing to say a few words to him.
In contrast, Lin Murun, whose relationship with everyone had previously been lukewarm, was now the center of attention. Students began taking the initiative to talk to him, and even during breaks, his desk was surrounded by classmates coming to discuss problems.
Lin Murun spent two consecutive breaks explaining problems to others. By the time the bell for the third period of evening self-study rang, his throat was so dry it felt like it was smoking.
He coughed twice, took out a throat lozenge Si Bin had given him, and popped it into his mouth.
The cool, sweet taste temporarily suppressed his urge to cough. Li Xi, sitting in the front row, turned around and joked, “You should put a sign on your desk with a price list: five yuan per question.”
Lin Murun’s throat was truly uncomfortable, so he just gave a silent smile.
The phone in his pocket vibrated slightly. Only then did Lin Murun remember he had forgotten to switch it back to silent mode.
He initially thought it was Si Bin, but after unlocking it, he saw a WeChat message from Wu Chuchu.
Wu Chuchu said she was near No. 1 Middle School. Having heard from Teacher Li that Lin Murun was sick, she wanted to bring him some autumn pear syrup.
Lin Murun glanced at the teacher on duty on the podium. After confirming she hadn't noticed the commotion, he put his phone in the drawer and typed a reply with one hand: “No need, thank you, Senior. I’m still in evening self-study.”
Wu Chuchu replied immediately: “It’s fine, I’ll wait for you at the milk tea shop by the school gate. My husband is here too.”
Knowing she meant well, Lin Murun thanked her.
When the bell rang, he left the classroom with his phone. Fearing he would keep Wu Chuchu waiting, he left in a hurry, even forgetting to put on his scarf.
Evening self-study had just ended, and students were packing their bags. There weren't many people in the corridor. Lin Murun jogged out of the school without hindrance and walked into the milk tea shop.
“You’re here!” Today, Wu Chuchu was wearing makeup and was dressed elegantly, her normally smooth long hair now curled.
“Senior.” As soon as Lin Murun spoke, his voice was hoarse.
Wu Chuchu was startled and hurried him to sit down and have some hot milk tea.
“How did it get this bad? Didn't Teacher Li say your fever had already broken?”
Lin Murun shook his head and answered softly, “The fever is gone. It’s just that I caught a chill today, and my throat is a bit uncomfortable.”
“You must take care of yourself.” Wu Chuchu took a bottle of autumn pear syrup from her bag and handed it to him. “Take this and remember to take it regularly. Autumn pear syrup is good for the throat; it should help.”
“Okay, thank you, Senior.” Lin Murun took the syrup and thanked her.
“Is this your junior?”
At that moment, a man carrying a plastic bag of snacks walked into the shop. He sat directly next to Wu Chuchu and gave Lin Murun a friendly smile. “Hello. I’m Chuchu’s husband, so I suppose I’m your senior as well.”
The man was tall, wearing black-rimmed glasses, with regular features. He wore a black trench coat over a crisp, perfectly ironed white shirt.
Lin Murun remembered this man was named Bei Fan.
He had seen him at the school gate over a month ago. Back then, Bei Fan had seemed to have a bit of a temper, far from the gentle and polite man he appeared to be now.
“Hello, Senior,” Lin Murun said with a nod.
Bei Fan smiled and asked, “Chuchu said you were sick. Why aren't you keeping warm? You didn't even wear a scarf when you came out.”
As he spoke, he took off his own scarf and offered it to Lin Murun. “If you don't mind, you can wear mine for now.”
Lin Murun was stunned and quickly said, “Thank you, Senior, but that’s not necessary.”
“You’re Chuchu’s friend, no need to be so polite with me.” Seeing him refuse, the man didn't push. He smiled and put his arm around Wu Chuchu, saying to Lin Murun, “Chuchu probably hasn't had a chance to tell you yet, but we’re planning to remarry at the end of the year.”
Wu Chuchu’s face flushed instantly. She smiled at Lin Murun and said, “We’ve been busy with the remarriage lately, so I haven't had time to tell you. Once the date is set, remember to bring your friends along for a meal!”
Lin Murun nodded. “Congratulations, Senior.”
“Yes, bring your friends. It’ll be nice and lively to have a meal together,” Bei Fan said to Lin Murun with a smile.
Lin Murun thanked him and lowered his head to sip his milk tea.
Bei Fan and Wu Chuchu sat opposite him, eating and whispering to each other.
During this time, Bei Fan’s gaze would occasionally drift toward Lin Murun. Although it wasn't obvious, it still made Lin Murun feel uneasy.
It was like a shadow in a dark corner, hiding behind Lin Murun at a slight distance, occasionally extending a tentacle to test the boy’s reaction.
But whenever Lin Murun looked up, the feeling vanished.
Seemingly noticing Lin Murun’s gaze, Bei Fan stopped talking and looked at him with a smile. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” Lin Murun picked up the autumn pear syrup from the table and stood up. “I’ll leave you two to talk. I’m going back to school.”
“Alright.” Wu Chuchu waved at him. “Go on back. See you next time.”
Bei Fan’s gaze followed Lin Murun’s back for a long while before he asked Wu Chuchu, seemingly casually, “Do you think seeing us like this made him want to go find his little girlfriend?”
“Where would he get a little girlfriend?” Wu Chuchu laughed, completely oblivious. “Teacher Li said she’s not worried about anyone having a puppy love except Lin Murun.”
“Lin Murun?” Bei Fan murmured the name to himself.
“Is that his name?”
“Yes.” Wu Chuchu looked up at Bei Fan. “‘When jade is in the mountain, the plants and trees are lush; when pearls are born in the abyss, the cliffs do not wither.’ It’s a beautiful name, isn't it?”
“Yes.” Bei Fan pulled her close and smiled. “It is quite beautiful.”
***
