Lin Jiang performed exceptionally well on the second mock exam. Her English score broke a hundred for the first time, and her math score of 130 was the highest in the class, propelling her to twelfth place overall.
During the class meeting, the head teacher stood at the front, speaking with such fervor that spittle flew. Lin Jiang’s name was on the list of students praised. She sat below, writing her exam reflection, brushing away a stray willow catkin that had drifted onto her notebook.
Spring had bloomed, and she didn't dare let her guard down.
Lately, Lin Jiang had been studying almost day and night. She rarely walked home with Shen Yan in the evenings anymore, as she had to attend an extra hour of English tutoring after self-study sessions.
She pushed herself to stay busy, filling her mind with various exercises and formulas so there would be no room for other messy thoughts.
On the occasions she ran into Jiang Weifeng, she felt her performance was passable.
For instance, during free time after a PE class, she would be standing and chatting with a group of girls when he happened to walk by with a basketball. Her previously indifferent face would instantly light up with a cheerful smile, as if she hadn't even noticed him. Of course, the moment he left, her expression would flatten back into neutrality.
Since childhood, Chinese classes had taught her many phrases about the swift passage of time: *Time flies like an arrow; years pass like a weaver’s shuttle; the sun and moon move like a flowing stream.*
Thinking back now, the ancients were truly wise. The gears of fate never stopped turning, and even the grueling days of the third year of high school passed like a white pony glimpsed through a crack in a wall—gone in an instant.
A few days before the Gaokao, graduation albums began circulating through the class. Sometimes, after a quick trip to the restroom between periods, students would return to find various styles of paper on their desks, carefully marked with names in pencil to avoid confusion.
The content to be filled out was generally the same: name, birthday, QQ number, zodiac sign, hobbies, and a parting message. Lin Jiang filled out every single one properly and seriously. Li Kai and his group of rowdy boys usually wrote nonsense, listing hobbies like "girls," place of origin as "Mars," and special talents as "not suitable for children."
Some of the more creative students would write the parting messages in stylized calligraphy. The most common phrase was "Smooth Sailing," where the character for "one" was stretched out so long it looked like the other characters were hanging from a rope.
June 5th was the final day for the seniors to be at school.
As soon as they arrived that morning, the class monitor stood on the podium and said, "Everyone, don't shred your books. Have some heart for the cleaning ladies. Besides... what if you don't pass? What will you do if you've shredded everything?" He was promptly chased off the stage by Li Kai wielding a mop.
In truth, people had been discussing whether or not to "shred books" since before May. But when the day actually arrived, no one was as excited as they had imagined. Everyone sat quietly, reviewing their notes.
Near noon, teachers organized the freshmen and sophomores for the "Class Shout," a long-standing tradition at No. 3 Middle School. The younger students stood in neat ranks, shouting phrases like "May your names be carved on the golden list" toward the senior building. It was a powerful sound, like the beating of war drums before a battle.
Starting in the afternoon, teachers of every subject took turns giving final exam instructions. However, the last sentence from every teacher was the same: "Don't be nervous" and "Good luck." On this day, the teachers became kind and gentle; even the English teacher, notoriously known as "The Witch," had a slight catch in her voice.
The head teacher hardly appeared in the classroom all day. Even the morning oath had been led by the class monitor.
It wasn't until the final period that he finally showed up.
He was as stern as ever. Entering the classroom, he stood on the podium to discuss Gaokao regulations. When he said, "You absolutely cannot be late," someone in the class interrupted: "Teacher, it's the last day. Can't you be a little more sentimental?"
The whole class erupted into laughter.
The sound was so familiar—just like the times a mischievous student would crack a joke during a lesson, sending everyone into fits of laughter. Only, they wouldn't be hearing it anymore.
Finally, the head teacher spoke: "I heard you guys gave the window in the back door a name—the 'Cape of Good Hope.' Quite creative. Although I won't be able to crouch by the 'Cape of Good Hope' to secretly monitor you all anymore, the road ahead is long. I will watch from here as you all reach new shores."
Before he could finish, some students were already sobbing quietly.
After school let out that afternoon, many close friends exchanged gifts. He Lai and a group of girls suggested going to the graffiti wall on the sports field to write their "Gaokao Wishes." Lin Jiang stayed in the classroom to pack her bag. She didn't know why, but while she usually couldn't wait to bolt the moment the bell rang, today she lingered.
Eventually, Shen Yan came to her classroom to find her. He was cradling books, his backpack stuffed with gifts from his classmates.
Lin Jiang chatted with him as they walked. "Your time as class monitor wasn't for nothing."
Shen Yan chuckled. "Before school ended today, I wrote a leave of absence slip on the blackboard. The head teacher stared at it for a long time before finally signing his name. The girls in the class were crying in heaps."
"Not bad. When did you learn to be so sentimental?" Lin Jiang teased.
Shen Yan curled his lip. "A man should have a delicate side."
Lin Jiang laughed at his pretentiousness, but before the smile could reach her eyes, someone approached from the opposite direction.
The smile froze on her lips.
Jiang Weifeng was walking toward them, framed by the light. The summer sun was piercing even in the evening, and he squinted against the glare.
Shen Yan greeted him first. "Not leaving yet?"
Jiang Weifeng smiled, his gaze never landing on her. "Waiting for Shitou."
"Then we'll head out first. Our bikes are at the gate, unlocked," Shen Yan said with a smile.
As Shen Yan spoke, Jiang Weifeng finally turned his eyes toward Lin Jiang. She felt it and met his gaze. To her surprise, the boy only looked at her with a playful, mocking smile, his eyes devoid of warmth.
For some reason, Lin Jiang thought of a line from *Letter from an Unknown Woman*: *In that moment, I suddenly realized that to your soul, whether we were separated by countless mountains and valleys or whether there was only a hair's breadth between our gazes, it was actually the same distance.*
Lin Jiang faltered for a second because of that look, but then she smiled at him.
As if she hadn't sensed his hostility at all, she put on the smile she had practiced countless times in front of the mirror during her art exams—the one she thought was her most beautiful—and said to him, "Good luck."
With that, she walked straight past him.
With her back to him, Lin Jiang blinked hard.
*Goodbye. May we never meet again.*
She had no regrets.
The boy stood where he was, the wind ruffling the hem of his shirt and his hair, but otherwise, he was perfectly still, like a frame from a film camera.
The setting sun cast his tall, thin shadow very, very long.
Jiang Weifeng suddenly felt that everything was incredibly boring.
He canceled his dinner plans with Shitou on the spot and went home early.
At this hour, Zheng Ping was still working at the TV station. Jiang He had fried up two dishes and poured himself a glass of liquor, sitting down to chat with Jiang Weifeng.
"To my son's exam tomorrow—good luck. Dad's drinking this one down first." Jiang He downed the glass in one go.
Jiang Weifeng raised his tea as a substitute for wine, acknowledging the gesture.
Father and son began to chat, though it was mostly Jiang He talking—discussing exam strategies and mindset as he drank.
Before long, Jiang He was slightly tipsy, but he didn't forget to advise Jiang Weifeng: "But even if you don't do well, don't lose heart. What's important is that you must find the path you want to take, and walk it with determination and courage."
Jiang Weifeng curled his lips and refilled Jiang He’s glass.
He had always wanted to ask: "Dad, don't you think I'm a deadbeat?"
"Everyone has their own fate, and everyone has their own ambitions." Jiang He shook his head with a smile and took another sip. "To be honest, you've been much more studious lately than before. That's progress."
Jiang Weifeng scoffed. "You're being too kind."
In all his years, Jiang Weifeng had only ever pulled an all-nighter for school once.
Shortly before the second mock exam, he had been playing basketball with some classmates. After the first half, Shen Yan had joined them.
The moment Shen Yan entered the court, everyone started whistling and jeering. He hadn't joined them in so long that a few of the craftier guys kept badgering him to buy them drinks.
Jiang Weifeng sat to the side, sweating and drinking an ice-cold Coke, his peripheral vision fixed on Shen Yan.
When the second half ended, Shen Yan treated everyone to water and brought a bottle to him.
Jiang Weifeng casually asked how he was doing. Shen Yan sighed and smiled. "I have to work hard. Everyone is pushing so hard, especially Lin Jiang. I used to give her rides to school and she’d either chat with me or hum songs behind me. Now, it's all reciting textbooks. It's putting a lot of pressure on me."
Jiang Weifeng had forced a couple of laughs in response.
He forgot what they said after that.
He only remembered that the night was very long.
Had the moon come out? He forgot that too.
He only remembered that math was so damn hard!
He had studied seriously for a period before the second mock, but his results were disgusting. He didn't know what his rank had been before, but that time, he was 37th.
Shitou, who never knew how to read the room, had smiled and praised him: "Whoa, Brother Feng, not bad! Such a big improvement."
Was it?
To this day, Shitou still didn't understand why he had been beaten up again.
Jiang He swirled his glass and took another sip, leaning in toward Jiang Weifeng and lowering his voice. "Son, seriously..."
"Yeah?"
"Are you nervous?"
Jiang Weifeng paused. "What is there to be nervous about?"
"Good!!!" Jiang He slammed the table, making Jiang Weifeng jump. His father spoke with full vigor. "My son might look lazy and rebellious, but he is brave, generous, and has no trace of gloom."
Jiang Weifeng’s hand holding the glass stilled.
After about three or five seconds, Jiang He raised his glass, smiling with a raised eyebrow before drinking. "Those weren't my words. Your Aunt Zheng said that."
Jiang He was drunk.
Jiang Weifeng smiled.
That night, he saw the moon clearly. It was the color of ancient bronze.
Like the flame flickering from a lighter.
The Gaokao, the culmination of over ten years of hard study, seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
On the day of the exam, Xu Mingjuan and Li Jing each bought a qipao, saying something about "winning from the very start." It amused Shen Yan and Lin Jiang to no end. It took a great deal of persuasion to talk the two mothers out of wearing the qipaos to the exam site.
After the exams were over, Lin Jiang didn't go wild with celebrations as she had planned. In fact, on the very next day, her stubborn biological clock prevented her from even sleeping in.
It was a long summer break. Shen Yan went to Lijiang, and Wang Jiaqian went abroad with a group of fans to follow their idols.
Lin Wei’s travel agency had a long-standing partnership with the airlines, so tickets were incredibly cheap. Since it would be a waste not to take advantage of it, Lin Jiang went on a solo trip to Japan.
Taking the Fujikyuko Bus from Shinjuku toward Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, Lin Jiang kept her earphones in. Eason Chan’s voice made her feel a hollow ache in her chest.
Before seeing Mount Fuji, she resented that she could not possess it for herself.
After seeing Mount Fuji, she was glad that no one could.
***
