Upon hearing that Wu Chuchu had regained consciousness, the group rushed through the rain to the hospital.
Through the monitor, she looked haggard and exhausted. When she saw the familiar faces, Wu Chuchu closed her eyes, and silent tears began to fall.
"The doctor said that since Chuchu is awake, she’s out of danger," Wu Jiayi said with relief. "Thank heaven, she’s going to be okay..." As she spoke, her own eyes grew red.
"I’m so sorry for making you all run to the hospital so late at night." Wu Jiayi took off her glasses and wiped away the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.
"It’s no trouble, Sister," Lin Qingqing comforted her. "We’re just glad the senior is awake."
"Yes." Wu Jiayi nodded, steadying her breathing. After a moment, she wiped her face and put her glasses back on.
"Let me walk you to the station." Wu Jiayi smiled, her eyes still rimmed with red.
It was nearly ten o'clock, and with the rain still falling, it was indeed inconvenient to stay at the hospital for long. Seeing that Wu Chuchu had finally woken up, the weight on everyone's hearts was lifted. They followed Wu Jiayi’s advice and obediently left the hospital.
Lin Murun and Si Bin walked at the back, and Wu Jiayi intentionally slowed her pace to join them. "For the next few days, you two should just focus on spending the New Year with your families. I’ll stay with Chuchu. As for the other matters..." She paused. "Don't worry. Once Chuchu is better, I will do everything in my power to help her."
Lin Murun knew she was referring to Bei Fan’s marriage fraud. He nodded. "Alright."
"I also graduated from S University of Political Science and Law. If you have any questions, Student Lin, you can call me anytime," Wu Jiayi added.
Lin Murun nodded politely and thanked her.
"You're welcome." Wu Jiayi smiled at him. "You’ve helped Chuchu so much; I don't even know how to thank you."
They reached the station as they talked.
Wu Jiayi stood on the platform in the rain and waved to them. "I have to get back to the hospital. Happy New Year in advance!"
The group called back, "Happy New Year!"
Early the next morning, Si Bin took the high-speed train back to City Z.
Lin Murun saw him off at the security checkpoint, leaving only after his figure had disappeared into the crowd.
Over the next few days, Lin Murun’s uncle’s family was busy cleaning and buying supplies for the festivities. In a flurry of activity, New Year's Eve arrived.
The sound of firecrackers outside was incessant, so Lin Qingqing turned up the volume on the television inside.
Before the New Year's bell tolled, Lin Murun’s aunt called the two children to their rooms to change into new clothes.
The "Foodies" group chat was buzzing with activity, the unread message count quickly hitting 99+.
Yu Qianyi and Yu Wenbo were spending the New Year together, posting photos of their reunion dinner and their red envelopes.
Li Menglai posted a vlog of her giving her pet dog a bath.
Zhou Xuan shared a few game screenshots, complaining that the teammate Shen Hao had found for the jungle role was a total "noob."
In the next room, Lin Qingqing had finished changing. She vainly covered her face with her phone and took a full-body mirror selfie to post in the group, waiting for compliments.
Lin Murun scrolled through the chat history bit by bit, but he didn't see any messages from Si Bin. His thumb moved, exiting the group chat. Timing it with the Spring Festival Gala countdown outside, he sent a WeChat message to Si Bin: "Happy New Year."
The bell tolled, and the sound of firecrackers outside instantly merged into a continuous roar.
In the dark night sky, countless fireworks bloomed like fiery trees and silver flowers.
Just then, Si Bin, still in City Z, called.
"Hello, Rurun." The faint sound of firecrackers came through the other end.
"Happy New Year," Si Bin said warmly.
Lin Murun looked out at the boisterous night sky and smiled. "Happy New Year, Si Bin."
On the seventh day of the first lunar month, a heavy snow fell over City Z.
When Si Bin arrived at the train station amidst the snow, he received a call from Lin Murun.
"Si Bin, where are you?" Lin Murun sounded like he was in a hurry, his breathing uneven and slightly labored.
Si Bin replied, "At the station. I’m getting ready to head back."
"Have you entered the station yet?" Lin Murun asked.
"Not yet, why?" Sensing something, Si Bin turned around.
In the crowd, Lin Murun happened to spot Si Bin at that exact moment. He hung up the phone and ran toward him.
Lin Murun hadn't brought an umbrella, and snowflakes rested on his hair and shoulders.
Si Bin’s obsidian-like eyes shimmered. He shoved his phone into his coat pocket and ran quickly down the steps against the flow of the crowd, catching the oncoming Lin Murun in a full embrace.
A few passersby noticed the commotion and looked back, but they simply assumed the two were friends reuniting after a long time and didn't pay much attention.
Si Bin’s fingers brushed the snow from Lin Murun’s bangs. He asked softly, "Why are you here?"
"I came to find you." Lin Murun looked up. "And to take you home."
Si Bin closed his eyes slightly. Beneath his thick, raven-wing lashes lay a pool of burning tenderness.
"Okay. Let’s go home."
Si Bin’s father had passed away on New Year's Day. That once handsome and romantic tall man had quietly left this world on a day meant for family reunions.
Si Bin had sat alone in the hospital corridor for an entire night. It wasn't until the next morning, in the first light of dawn, that he belatedly shed tears.
He had opened WeChat and looked at the pinned name "Rurun." After opening the chat box, he hesitated.
He stared at Lin Murun’s profile picture for a long time before finally locking his screen.
By the time Lin Murun received the news from Shen Xinning, Si Bin had already handled everything on his own.
He found out the specific time Si Bin was returning to City H and unhesitatingly booked a high-speed rail ticket to City Z.
"Luckily I made it," Lin Murun said to Si Bin once they were seated on the train back to City H. "It’s snowing today, and when I left this morning, there was a traffic jam."
Si Bin stroked his hair. "You should have told me in advance."
Lin Murun shook his head. "If I told you, you definitely wouldn't have let me come."
As Lin Murun moved, a heart-stirring softness brushed against Si Bin’s palm.
He withdrew his hand, revealing his first smile in seven days. "What if I had returned to City H a step ahead of you? Wouldn't you have made the trip for nothing?"
"Then I would have just gone back again," Lin Murun said.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Si Bin’s kiss landed on Lin Murun’s lips.
Lin Murun was startled, and before he could react, Si Bin’s breath was gone.
"Rurun..." Si Bin gently rubbed Lin Murun’s soft lower lip with his thumb. He seemed to have much to say, but in the end, he swallowed those words.
"Let’s go see Little White." Si Bin withdrew his hand, his gaze tender. "The housekeeper has been taking care of them these past few days. I wonder if the two cats have gotten fat."
Lin Murun’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "Okay."
On the day of the Lantern Festival, the winter break ended.
After school started, it was the second semester of their sophomore year. The final exam results from the previous term were released; because Si Bin and Lin Murun had missed the comprehensive liberal arts exam, they were practically at the bottom of the rankings.
Li Xi looked at the grade sheet and comforted Lin Murun. "Fortunately, this wasn't the junior year placement exam. It’s fine; you’ll catch up by the next monthly exam!"
During the first monthly exam, the two were assigned to the very last examination room. Students who didn't know the situation looked over one after another, thinking the two top students had grown tired of the first exam room and had skipped the previous finals on purpose.
Before the test papers were unsealed, Si Bin, sitting in front of Lin Murun, turned around and stuffed a bag of milk cookies made by the housekeeper into Lin Murun’s hand.
"Si Bin!" the proctor called out. "Don't disturb the other candidates."
Si Bin turned back, acting obedient. "Yes, Teacher."
Soon, the monthly exam results were out.
Seeing the two of them soar back to first and second place, Yu Qianyi shook Zhou Xuan and lamented, "Look at them. Taking exams is like a game to them."
Zhou Xuan, who had just been named a "City-Level Triple-A Student," gave a grunt of agreement and kept his head down, buried in his problems.
Time flew by. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the winter snow melted, withered trees sprouted buds, and amidst the blooming and fading of flowers, the scorching summer arrived with a roar.
On the day the Gaokao ended, the teaching building where the graduating classes were located was empty.
Yu Qianyi, who had been assigned to check the cleanliness of the rooms, looked at the doorplate of the Grade 12 Liberal Arts Class 1. She said to Zhou Xuan and Lin Murun, "Graduation is a bit different from what I imagined."
"How so?" Zhou Xuan asked.
Yu Qianyi thought for a moment and replied, "In TV dramas, everyone throws their books and test papers off the building, cheering to celebrate the end of the Gaokao."
"Throwing objects from heights that cause personal injury leads to legal liability," Lin Murun noted.
"Scattering test papers everywhere affects the environment and gets points deducted from the class score," Zhou Xuan added.
Yu Qianyi: "???"
After the seniors and the ninth-graders left, the sophomores faced their final placement exams.
Before the exam, Si Bin asked with a smile, "It’s almost junior year. Rurun, do you want to come out and live with me?"
Lin Murun thought about it and shook his head. "My uncle and aunt don't know about our relationship. If I move out of the dorm, they’ll definitely try to give me money for rent."
Si Bin knew Lin Murun didn't want to trouble his uncle, so he didn't bring it up again.
After the final exams came the summer break.
On the day the holiday began, Yu Qianyi gathered the friends from the "Foodies" group again for a big feast at the barbecue shop near the Xingyue Piano Studio.
"Sigh... we’ll be seniors when school starts," the young girl lamented while eating a skewer. "Time really flies!"
Li Menglai nodded. "Yeah, I wonder if we’ll still be in the same class."
"Even though the two experimental classes are close to each other, I still hope we can be classmates," Yu Qianyi said, then grabbed a skewer of grilled beef. "Forget it, let's not think about that. Once we’re seniors, we’ll have to devote ourselves entirely to studying and won't have chances for dinners like this. So today, we must enjoy ourselves to the fullest!"
Hearing this, Yu Wenbo bought a dozen beers. "Come, come, come! Tonight, we don't go home until we're drunk!"
The consequence of "not going home until drunk" was Lin Qingqing hanging onto Lin Murun with a thick tongue, being supported back to the girls' dormitory.
Yu Qianyi was so drunk her footing was unsteady; Yu Wenbo had to drag and pull her into a taxi.
Zhou Xuan didn't feel right letting Li Menglai go home alone, so he took the initiative to escort her.
After seeing Lin Qingqing off, Lin Murun and Si Bin returned to Jingshan Garden.
As soon as the door opened, Little White, who had been crouching by the entrance, was so overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol that it ran away.
Si Bin turned on the light. Looking at Lin Murun’s flushed cheeks, his gaze darkened. He leaned down, pinning the still-dazed Lin Murun against the entryway wall, and kissed him deeply.
The alcohol had already made Lin Murun’s head spin. Having his breath stolen by Si Bin made him feel a bit overwhelmed, and he let out a few unconscious whimpers.
Si Bin straightened up. Lin Murun’s amber eyes were filled with shimmering moisture. The light reflecting in his eyes made them look like they were brimming with fine wine; one look was enough to make one intoxicated.
His body’s reaction was honest. Si Bin closed his eyes, trying hard to steady his breathing.
Lin Murun raised a hand to wipe away the physiological tears seeping from his eyes. His pale eye corners were rubbed red by his rough movements, looking like peach blossoms in spring, evoking a sense of pity in the heart.
Si Bin’s breath hitched.
"I’m going to shower first."
Leaving those words behind, Si Bin rushed into the bathroom as if fleeing.
Big White, crouching in the entryway, stared with round cat eyes. After locking eyes with Lin Murun for a moment, it flicked its tail and ran off.
At the end of August, the graduating class started school.
Lin Murun and Si Bin were both placed in Grade 12 Liberal Arts Class 1.
The day before school started, there was a knock on Lin Murun’s dormitory door.
His former roommate, Cheng Song, had already made arrangements with someone else to rent a place in Jingshan Garden, so the dorm was currently empty, leaving only Lin Murun.
Lin Murun thought Cheng Song had forgotten something, so he went to open the door in his pajamas.
To his surprise, standing outside was Si Bin, pulling a suitcase.
"Rurun, I’ve come to keep you company."
Taking advantage of Lin Murun’s stunned silence, Si Bin pushed his suitcase into the room.
"Why are you here?" Lin Murun closed the door and asked. "What about Big White and Little White?"
"The housekeeper looks after them during the week, and I’ll go take care of them on weekends." Si Bin set down his suitcase, turned back to him, smiled, and asked, "Not welcome?"
"No." Lin Murun looked at Si Bin, his lips curving upward. "You're very welcome."
When they arrived at their new classroom the next day, they found Yu Qianyi and Li Menglai were there too.
"Zhou Xuan and Brother Bo were also assigned to Class 1," the well-informed Yu Qianyi told them with a smile. "It’s so great! We’re still classmates!"
The rosters for the two experimental classes hadn't changed much, but after the cheating scandal, Jiang Yuxi, who had become a social pariah, had dropped to Class 4.
When Yu Qianyi found out, she curled her lip and said dismissively, "He deserves it."
Lin Murun and Si Bin sat one in front of the other. Teacher Li was very satisfied with these two excellent students. The only headache was that Si Bin, sitting in the front row, loved to look back whenever he got the chance.
"Si Bin." Teacher Li tapped the lectern, saying helplessly, "Turn around. The answers aren't written on Lin Murun’s face."
The whole class burst into laughter.
After entering their senior year, everyone focused their minds, seizing every moment to study seriously.
The reference books on the desks piled higher and higher, while the Gaokao countdown calendar on the wall grew thinner and thinner.
In their sophomore year, they still had spare time to prepare for the arts festival and sports meets. In their senior year, these things had nothing to do with the graduating students. Every day, everyone was racing against time, wishing they could split one minute into two.
Lin Murun didn't notice if any small colored lights were hung on the playground fence again; he only paid close attention to the upcoming Independent Enrollment exams for S University and the University of Political Science and Law.
Spring arrived quickly. Lin Murun and Si Bin filled out their materials and registered respectively.
In early April, both of their applications were approved. The stone in Lin Murun’s heart finally dropped, and he continued to immerse himself in intense revision.
In the blink of an eye, it was June 7th. When Lin Murun walked out of the exam hall, his uncle and aunt were already standing at the school gate.
Lin Qingqing had exited the exam hall a step ahead. Seeing Lin Murun, she waved happily. "Brother!"
His aunt stepped forward to hug the two children, saying repeatedly, "You’ve worked hard."
Lin Qingqing had grown thin from exhaustion, and many pimples had popped up on her forehead, but her eyes were bright. "Mom! I think the exams went quite smoothly!"
"As long as it was smooth!" His aunt pulled the two into the car and began nagging about the upcoming Independent Enrollment exams.
Lin Qingqing had applied to the Medical University in City A. Her exam was on June 10th, and since she hadn't packed yet, she was anxious to get home and get ready.
His uncle agreed while starting the engine.
Sitting in the back seat, Lin Murun looked back at the exam site. He saw Si Bin standing at the school gate, smiling and waving at him.
"By the way, Rurun, I heard from Qingqing that a classmate of yours is also going to City S for the exams, right?" his uncle asked while driving.
"That’s right! That classmate is called Si Bin. He’s handsome, has great grades, and his family is super, super rich. Most importantly, he has a very, very good relationship with my brother!" To win Si Bin some points with the parents, Lin Qingqing rushed to list all of Si Bin’s virtues, placing special emphasis on his relationship with Lin Murun.
His aunt didn't catch the daughter’s underlying meaning and casually replied, "That sounds quite nice." Then she said to Lin Murun, "Your uncle and I were discussing whether we should take time off to accompany you and Qingqing to the exams, but now that you both have classmates for company, we can rest easy."
The next day, Lin Qingqing finished packing and boarded a plane to City A with Li Menglai.
The exams for S University and the University of Political Science and Law were both on June 15th.
Lin Murun spent a day packing his things, then used the excuse of "study exchange" to run over to Si Bin’s house.
The two kissed passionately for a while, collapsing onto the sofa, nearly crossing the line.
Lin Murun’s T-shirt was rolled up, and his supple waist and abdomen were smeared with their indescribable fluids.
Si Bin restrained himself with great effort, stopping just short of the final base.
Looking at Lin Murun’s unfocused eyes beneath him, he leaned down, gently rubbing his cheek against Lin Murun’s. He sighed. "Forget it. I’ll wait until you’re a bit older."
On the day the exams ended, the two weren't in a hurry to return. Instead, they held hands and visited the famous tourist attractions of City S.
City S was an international metropolis with an open atmosphere. Same-sex couples were numerous, and passersby were long accustomed to the sight.
The two took a sightseeing elevator, watching the lights of ten thousand homes outside the glass wall.
"After military training ends, we can live together."
Si Bin began planning the future. "The two schools aren't far apart. We can rent an apartment in a nearby neighborhood and bring the two cats over."
"On weekends, I’ll take you to my house." Si Bin interlaced his fingers with Lin Murun’s. "My mother rarely comes back; usually, it’ll just be the two of us."
Lin Murun nodded. "Okay."
Looking at his obedient profile, Si Bin felt a surge of affection. As the elevator reached its highest point, he leaned down and kissed his forehead.
To accommodate the students participating in the Independent Enrollment exams, the graduation dinner was scheduled for late June by Yu Wenbo, who had become the class monitor.
Before the dinner, the test results had already come out. Both Lin Murun and Si Bin were on the admission list.
Upon hearing the news, Yu Qianyi quickly turned to look at Li Menglai.
Li Menglai smiled and nodded at her. "Qingqing and I passed our exams too."
Once all the students of Grade 12 Liberal Arts Class 1 had arrived, the waiters began serving the dishes.
After more than ten days of rest, many students had emerged from the tense state of exam preparation.
The high-pressure state had lasted for a whole year, and the students, who had been cooped up, gathered together and chatted incessantly.
The teachers of various subjects who came to the dinner also set aside their usual airs, eating and interacting with the students.
"Do you think I wanted to keep a straight face?" The Chinese teacher, surnamed Yang, was a young woman not yet thirty. She put down her chopsticks and said to the students looking at her, "I love a good crowd! But there was no choice; I’m a teacher, I had to stay serious. If I went wild with you, who would be able to keep you in line?"
Many students laughed.
"Now that you’ve all graduated, I finally don't have to put on an act anymore!" With that, she stood up, raised her glass, and looked around at the students present. "I’d like to propose a toast to everyone, to celebrate your successful graduation."
Having said that, she raised her glass and drained it in one go.
Yu Wenbo took the lead in applauding. "Great!"
Many students cheered, "Teacher, do another one!"
Teacher Li and Teacher Xia, sitting nearby, were also grinning from ear to ear. They joined in, "Teacher Yang, do another one!"
"Easy, easy!" Teacher Yang set down her wine glass and said boldly, "You’ve been wild for over ten days now. Let me test you: do you still remember how to recite Li Bai’s 'Bringing in the Wine'? If you finish it, I’ll drink!"
"How is that hard?" the crowd, having just survived the Gaokao, said with a laugh.
"Then I’ll start!" Teacher Yang straightened her back and recited loudly, "Do you not see the Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea, never to return?"
"Do you not see the mirrors in high halls grieving over white hair, silken black in the morning, turned to snow by evening?" Yu Qianyi followed.
The crowd laughed and recited in unison, "When one is successful, one must enjoy life to the fullest; do not let the golden goblet face the moon in vain. Heaven has made us talented, and our talent shall not go to waste; a thousand pieces of gold scattered will come back again..."
"Stop! Stop!" Teacher Yang raised her hand and said loudly, "How did that last line go? Say it again!"
Though they found the request a bit strange, everyone recited it again: "Heaven has made us talented, and our talent shall not go to waste; a thousand pieces of gold scattered will come back again."
Teacher Yang: "One more time!"
The students looked at each other, seemingly understanding her meaning.
"Heaven has made us talented, and our talent shall not go to waste!"
Teacher Yang raised her wine glass. "Heaven has made us talented. I wish for every student to realize their dreams! I wish you all a bright future!"
With that, she drank the wine in her glass to the very last drop.
***
