Chapter 14 (2/2)

“You’ve really suffered.” Tian Xin gave He Luo a quick hug. “Too bad I can’t take care of you. It would be good if Zhang Yuan is here.”

“If I’m him, I would also depressed. He applied for Tsinghua but was two points shy of the pa.s.sing grade,” Tian Xin said. “This guy scored more than 640 for every mock exam, but who knew this year’s exam would be so simple. Everyone has 640, but he himself scored 640. He didn’t have an advantage at all.”

“This guy has always been too arrogant, this is a good lesson for him.”

Due to the week’s coursework, He Luo ended up spending a few days entirely in the study room, only returning to her room when the lights were off. University coursework was completely different from high school’s. The contents of a cla.s.s cannot be understood overnight, especially for Advanced Maths.

If only Zhang Yuan is still here. She remembered the winter that year, that warm and sleepy cla.s.sroom, and the snow-covered platform. He had smiled and told her, “I’ll remember you for the rest of my life.”

Zhang Yuan laughed. “Wherever you apply to, it’ll still be better than this university!”

Two and a half year later, holding the admission letter from the provincial university, what kind of mood would he be in? He Luo dared not guess, her heart felt too heavy.

In the first letter, Zhang Yuan wrote: “Last weekend at home, when I was walking out the door, I had the urge to turn right, go straight, turn right, and then go see you in the street. Here at home it’s already turning cold. Watching the birds flying south in the sky, I think they’re happier than I am.”

In the third letter, Zhang Yuan wrote: “I have tried email a few times but ultimately I think I don’t like it. Like a letter, I cannot hear your voice. At least it’s warmer to receive a physical letter in my hand. I’ve never written letters before but now I’m constantly contributing to our country’s postal system. It’s incredibly embarra.s.sing to stand with a bunch of young girls to buy stationery. Next time, you choose a pack of your favorite stationery and give it to me.”

“You are finished this time, He Luo!” Ye Zhi winked, looking sympathetic. “You poor Cinderella, from now on you’ll have to help us, your sisters, with our laundry.”

“Ah? What kidnapping? Are you talking about the case in Malaysia?” Tong Jia who had just returned from was.h.i.+ng her hair asked, puzzled.

“What are you saying?” He Luo asked, confused.

“Ah, give it back!” He Luo sprang up.

“Give it back, give it back!” He Luo jumped. Without even taking off her shoes, she climbed on the stairs.

“But I’m the oldest?” Tong Jia giggled. “It’s fine, just give me the lion’s share of the ransom later.”

“Okay, okay.” Ye Zhi pa.s.sed the letters over. “You look like you want to cry.”

The letter was exceptionally thin and made He Luo doubt if there was really any content. He Luo turned it over in her hand a few times. There was a cross drawn in blue pen on the back, it really was Zhang Yuan’s letter. To keep the thin letter flat, she took out a knife she bought especially for such occasions. It was a silver knife, like a little sword.

“Ah!” A surprised He Luo grabbed her small box of coins and ran out of the room.

“Please, I need to make a call! Open the door for me later,” He Luo replied. “Tell the warden that I went out for a run and came back a little late…” The second half of her sentence was already floating from the corridor.

*

“I can rush to the leader’s office in 10 minutes,” Zhang Yuan replied. “Who told him to make me tidy up his files?”

Zhang Yuan snickered, a little innocently embarra.s.sed. “What did I write? It’s okay to just read them. Don’t read them out loud, you’ll cringe from the cheesiness.”

“Hey, why is there a cross in the last letter?” she asked.

“There is. What do you mean by that?”

“Ah, that’s why.” He Luo felt a little disappointed. “I thought…”

“What did you think it was?”

“What song? There are so many songs, which can I think about?” he laughed. “Right Here Waiting?”

“What are you thinking in that little mind of yours?” Zhang Yuan paused. “When you come back, take the initiative.”

Hearing her shy voice, it was as if a water lotus blossomed in that windy, cold night.

[artwork by Adams Carvalho]

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