On the day she was set to leave, she went to pick out gifts for a few friends. While browsing a handmade craft shop, she spotted a set of wooden bookmarks. Just as she reached for them to take a closer look, someone else beat her to it.
"So pretty."
The person smiled, her high ponytail swaying. "Let me have these, I really love them."
Who else could it be but Cheng Yunchuan?
A line of poetry flickered through Lin Jiang’s mind: *Who would have thought to meet here so suddenly? A surprise as vast as falling into a mist.*
Half an hour later, the two sat facing each other in the Starbucks next door.
"I feel like I haven't seen much of you since we returned to school after the art exams," Lin Jiang said, resting her chin on her hands.
Cheng Yunchuan toyed with the bookmarks she had just bought and smiled. "I was rejected so miserably back then that I figured I should just focus on my studies and wait until after the Gaokao. But after stopping for a while, it seems I don't like him that much anymore."
"Who did you come here with?" Lin Jiang offered a non-committal "oh," unsure of how to respond, and quickly changed the subject.
"I came with a group of classmates on a tour. I didn't expect that aside from us, everyone else would be elderly. But there was no choice—it was to save money," Cheng Yunchuan laughed, then pulled the conversation back. "And you? Do you still... well, like him?"
Lin Jiang hadn't expected her to be so direct. For a moment, she didn't know how to answer. She could only offer a smile—the kind of smile where she could feel her own awkwardness.
Seeing the look on her face, Cheng Yunchuan understood. She pursed her lips and said, "I’m really sorry about what happened at the radio station that time."
It took Lin Jiang a moment to recall the incident. She smiled and said, "It’s fine. Anyway, I probably won't have any more interaction with him in the future."
Cheng Yunchuan’s eyes dimmed slightly. "To be honest, I’m a bit curious. When did you start liking him?"
That was a difficult question. Lin Jiang’s thoughts drifted, and her eyes narrowed involuntarily. Perhaps she had liked him at first sight, or perhaps the second, or the third. Regardless, she just did.
"I’m not quite sure," she said, then asked, "What about you?"
Cheng Yunchuan smiled and pulled out her phone to show Lin Jiang. "Look, the first time I saw him was at the supermarket. I was struck by how handsome he was. I didn't know who he was then, so I used a burner account to post on Tieba to find him. Once I found him, I was so afraid someone would steal him from me that I hurried to delete the post."
As Lin Jiang listened, something exploded in her mind with a roar, and her heart skipped a beat.
She remembered that photo—
The image had been doubled, clearly a candid shot. The boy only showed a blurred profile, a high bridge of his nose; without looking closely, one couldn't tell who it was.
Through the glass window, she watched the wind billowing through people's clothes. Pedestrians of all kinds passed one another, looking peaceful and content.
Lin Jiang stared outside as if captivated by the mundane tranquility of the world, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
*A trail of hidden clues, a pulse felt from a thousand miles away.*
She smiled inwardly at the absurdity of it all.
***
The Gaokao indeed possessed a certain cruelty.
Gu Xiang went to a second-tier university in Changsha, while Wang Jiaqian stayed locally in Qingcheng. With one in the south and one in the north, they truly did break up the moment they graduated.
However, there was good news too. Li Kai confessed to Li Na right after graduation, and the two applied for the same university, heading off to the Northeast together.
Among the rest, He Lai went to Wuhan. Shen Yan performed well and got into his dream school, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, moving to Chongqing.
And Lin Jiang also achieved her wish, getting into Z-Comm and heading to Zhejiang.
Their group was like a handful of stars, scattered to the four winds.
Before leaving for university, the class organized a teacher appreciation banquet. After three rounds of drinks, He Lai pulled Lin Jiang outside for some fresh air.
He Lai had drunk a bit that day; her eyes were misty. Resting her chin on Lin Jiang’s shoulder, she said, "Lin Jiang, I’m so sad."
Lin Jiang silently patted her shoulder.
He Lai’s tears fell pitter-patter onto Lin Jiang’s back, and her voice was soft. "I might never see him again."
Lin Jiang’s heart tightened, and she understood immediately.
He Lai continued, "Actually, there’s someone I like."
Lin Jiang steadied herself and said, "I know."
He Lai straightened up and met Lin Jiang’s eyes, looking a bit puzzled. "You know who it is?"
Lin Jiang lowered her head, slowly forcing a smile. "If you don't want to say, then I don't know."
After she spoke, the two girls looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter. He Lai hugged Lin Jiang, refusing to let go, and asked, "Lin Jiang, do you think we’ll see each other again?"
Lin Jiang patted her back, her voice filled with certainty. "Of course we will."
In truth, from the moment they walked out of the classroom for the last time, the class was destined to scatter. Some people would truly never be seen again, but for others, no matter if they met or not, they would remain close at heart.
After the banquet ended, a group from the class went to a KTV. Lin Jiang didn't go with them; Cheng Minghao had asked her to dinner, and after thinking it over, she hadn't refused.
That night, Lin Jiang’s eyes lit up when she saw Cheng Minghao.
He had dyed his hair again—gold this time—and even got a perm. It didn't match his cute, youthful face at all, yet somehow it made him look even more adorable.
He still loved to smile. "Last week your family invited my mom to dinner. I wanted to tag along, but my mom absolutely refused. She almost gave me a beating."
Lin Jiang laughed. "When I ate with Teacher Cheng last time, she even sent her regards to you."
"I haven't congratulated you yet on getting into Z-Comm," Cheng Minghao said.
"I should congratulate you even more for getting into A-Tech. You’re amazing," Lin Jiang said with genuine admiration.
Cheng Minghao rubbed his head and said, "It was nothing special."
The two chatted idly for a while.
As they talked, Cheng Minghao began telling funny stories about his gaming. Lin Jiang, holding her Coke, drifted off. After a few seconds of silence, she asked with feigned nonchalance, "By the way, where did Jiang Weifeng end up going?"
In fact, over the summer, Lin Jiang had chatted with Zheng Ping a few times. Zheng Ping had asked where she was going, and they had talked about military training, getting along with roommates, and other small talk, but neither had mentioned Jiang Weifeng.
Now that she had finally asked the question she wanted to ask, Lin Jiang’s shoulders trembled with guilt.
Fortunately, Cheng Minghao didn't notice. "Sigh, how should I put it? He actually worked pretty hard during that final stretch, but he’d wasted too much time before. He didn't make it into a first-tier university; he went to a second-tier school in Chengdu."
Lin Jiang’s eyes flickered, but she didn't respond.
The rest of the meal was tasteless.
As they were leaving, Cheng Minghao asked her, "Lin Jiang, can we stay in touch once we’re at university?"
"Of course," Lin Jiang smiled. After a pause, she added, "We’re friends, after all."
Upon hearing the second half of her sentence, the light in Cheng Minghao’s eyes suddenly dimmed.
He chose to ask anyway. "You have someone you like, don't you?"
Lin Jiang was stunned.
"But it’s not Shen Yan, right?" The boy showed a rare moment of seriousness.
Lin Jiang exhaled, not denying it.
"May I take the liberty of asking who it is?"
Lin Jiang pursed her lips. Silence was her answer.
Cheng Minghao smiled at the sky, then pulled a photo from his bag and placed it in Lin Jiang’s palm.
Lin Jiang opened it to see it was a photo he had taken of her at the KTV during Gu Xiang’s birthday. Her expression was blank, like a wooden doll.
Cheng Minghao asked, "From now on, we’re good friends. As a friend, can I have a hug?"
Lin Jiang didn't refuse; she had no reason to.
After the hug, they went their separate ways, wishing each other well.
That day, she took the bus home, leaning against the window listening to Xu Wei: *"Nothing can block your yearning for freedom."* The pedestrians and trees on the roadside rushed past. Lin Jiang couldn't figure out if she was passing the scenery, or if the scenery was passing her.
Lin Jiang was scheduled to depart for Zhejiang on September 7th. After she boarded the train that day, she wrote her first update on her "38.6℃" space:
*To gaze at the vast mountains and rivers is not as good as meeting at the peak; to gaze at the sprawling stars is not as good as striving to shine.*
She had someone in mind.
***
After saying goodbye to Lin Jiang that night, Cheng Minghao went to Jiang Weifeng’s house.
When he reached the door, Jiang Weifeng happened to be returning from skateboarding. Cheng Minghao stood there with his head hanging low and dropped a bombshell: "I’ve been heartbroken."
Jiang Weifeng went to the fridge and pulled out two cans of beer. Cheng Minghao took one and downed half of it without a word.
"Are you crazy? Drinking that fast?" Jiang Weifeng kicked him.
Cheng Minghao sprawled on Jiang Weifeng’s bed, looking like he’d lost the will to live. "I was going to confess to Lin Jiang today, but she kept emphasizing that we’re friends. I lost my nerve and didn't dare say it."
Jiang Weifeng was dismissive. "If she really wanted to be friends with you, she should have told you long ago. Why drag it out until now?"
"No, I hadn't confessed before, so how could she say whether we were friends or not?" Hearing this, Cheng Minghao sat up from the bed.
Jiang Weifeng gave a light snort. "Weren't you obvious enough? You’re practically a modern-day Sima Zhao—your intentions are plain to everyone."
Cheng Minghao curled his lip. "I think you’ve just believed Cheng Yunchuan’s nonsense and have a prejudice against Lin Jiang. She even asked about you today."
"Asked what about me?" Jiang Weifeng’s eyes shifted.
"Asked where you went to school." After saying this, Cheng Minghao took another deep drink of his bitter brew.
Jiang Weifeng was dazed by the news, staring fixedly at a single spot.
That night, Jiang Weifeng scrolled through Lin Jiang’s space, then deleted his visit record. He remained sleepless half the night.
Jiang Weifeng’s departure for Chengdu was set for September 11th.
The day before he left, Zheng Ping was busy packing his things. She asked, "Are you taking the skateboard?"
Jiang Weifeng was organizing his clothes nearby. Hearing this, he answered without a second thought, "Yes."
Zheng Ping added, "I’ve packed the sunscreen for you too. Don't think just because you're pale that you'll stay that way; you'll definitely look different after military training."
Jiang Weifeng replied, "Got it."
"I originally wanted to pack a bag of sanitary pads for you. They say online that using them as insoles during military training is great for your feet, but I figured you definitely wouldn't use them, so I didn't buy any."
Zheng Ping lowered her head and laughed, a stray lock of hair falling. She tucked it behind her ear. The light from the window spilled over her, making her look incredibly warm. Jiang Weifeng also looked down and smiled.
Zheng Ping kept muttering to herself, "Sunscreen, Banlangen... let me think what else is missing."
She tapped her forehead and called his name. "My brain really isn't working anymore. Weifeng, go get my phone; it’s on the coffee table in the living room."
Jiang Weifeng didn't say a word. He got up to get it and handed it to her when he returned, but Zheng Ping didn't take it. "Open QQ and find Lin Jiang. I remember she sent me a list of essentials for starting school. Find it and read it out so I can check the items."
Jiang Weifeng’s finger paused. As he opened QQ, a strange emotion stirred in his heart.
The sunlight in the room was splashing everywhere. He sat barefoot, quite casually on the rug, and typed "Lin Jiang" into the search bar using the 26-key layout.
Her QQ profile popped up quickly.
Jiang Weifeng’s breath hitched, and he froze on the spot.
Behind the contact name "Lin Jiang" was a set of parentheses containing her true ID.
The name she had chosen was brief, yet within it lay a depth of time and sea that he could not decipher, enough to leave him wondering for a lifetime.
He frowned, staring blankly at the phone screen—
38.6℃.
He murmured it softly.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
Z-传 (Z-Chuan) | Z-Comm | Short for Zhejiang Communication University (浙江传媒学院).
A-电 (A-Dian) | A-Tech | Short for an electronics/technology university.
西南政法大学 | Southwest University of Political Science and Law | A prestigious university in Chongqing.
贴吧 (Tieba) | Tieba | Baidu Tieba, a popular Chinese online forum platform.
38.6℃ | 38.6℃ | A romantic trope suggesting that 38.6 degrees Celsius is the body temperature when one falls in love at first sight.
司马昭 (Sima Zhao) | Sima Zhao | Reference to the idiom "Sima Zhao's intention is known to everyone," meaning someone's secret motives are obvious.
板蓝根 (Banlangen) | Banlangen | Isatis root, a common traditional Chinese medicine used to prevent colds.
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