On June 1st, Duan Ye received a huge package.
It was sent from Yanjing.
Fifth High School is also a test site for the college entrance examination this time, so the school let the third year students go home early. After the sun had almost set in the afternoon, the seven friends walked home slowly and gathered at the milk tea shop.
In the group chat, Zhou Ji kept flooding the chat with messages : [Happy Children’s Day, everyone! Have you received my gifts?]
Duan Ye borrowed a stationery knife to open the package.
Zhou Ji had thoughtfully sorted the gifts and wrote names on each bag. The bag for Ning Zhiyu looked a bit different, appearing more inflated than the others. When they couldn’t wait any longer and opened the bags, they fell into a silence akin to deathly stillness.
Each of them received a set of sportswear and a pair of sports shoes.
Duan Ye took out his phone and asked : [?]
Zhou Ji replied : [It’s the battle attire I prepared for you all. Surprised, huh? Unexpected, right?]
Yan Qing didn’t know how to comment on Zhou Ji’s taste.
Just a few days ago, she had been to a sports brand store and naturally knew that what Zhou Ji bought were the latest models, which were quite expensive. For example, the sports shoes for girls had just been released and there would be no discounts… The total value of this set of sportswear and shoes was almost 2,000 yuan. It could only be said that Zhou Ji was, as always, generous with his spending, but the shoes and sportswear weren’t very attractive…
Especially the shoes.
In the bag that Ning Zhiyu carried, besides sportswear and shoes, there was also a box of chocolates and a pen.
Looking at the packaging and texture, you could tell they were definitely not cheap.
Zhao Zheng and Guo Shichao were quite happy and said, [Thanks, Zhou Ji, Boss Zhou!]
Zhou Ji replied, [Gratitude is one thing, and a little repayment is another.]
Ignoring his reply, Zhao Zheng and Guo Shichao changed their status to invisible mode.
The girls naturally didn’t pay any attention to them.
After a moment of frustration, Zhou Ji sent a tired message, [I can never accept a long-distance relationship in my life, really.]
Since he sent gifts and jerseys, others didn’t remind him that there was no such thing as a ‘relationship’ in the first place.
Soon, the day of the college entrance examination arrived.
Jiang Yumo had always had good mental resilience. She didn’t slack off, nor was she overly nervous. After preparing everything she needed, she got on the car and headed to the exam center. The construction site that used to be noisy had quieted down these two days. Everyone was considerate of the college entrance examinees, and there were many parents waiting outside each exam center. These students were like soldiers about to enter the battlefield, honing themselves from the first year of elementary school to the third year of high school, and finally, the time had come for them to enter the battlefield.
The continuous two-day exam almost exhausted everyone’s energy. During these two days, Jiang Yumo didn’t think about anything else, and during the exam, her mind was clear and focused. As the last exam came to an end, the bell rang, and the invigilator instructed them to leave the examination room in an orderly manner. Jiang Yumo’s mind went blank, feeling like a wandering soul. Suddenly, a hand firmly grabbed her, and when she turned back in confusion, she was surprised to see that it was Duan Ye.
Both she and Duan Ye were assigned to the same exam site but not the same exam room.
Duan Ye couldn’t hide his concern and asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Seeing that she didn’t answer, he reached out and touched her forehead.
His hand felt warm, as if infusing her with vitality, and she slowly came back to her senses, murmuring, “Is the exam over?”
Only then did Duan Ye heave a sigh of relief and led her to the side, saying, “Yes, it’s over.”
Exam candidates were everywhere.
Some were discussing the difficulty of the questions, while others were discussing where to celebrate later in the evening.
Jiang Yumo smiled again and said, “I’m finally free.”
Duan Ye also smiled and replied, “Yes, congratulations, you’re free now.”
At this moment, all the candidates thought that this exam marked the end of their most arduous days.
“Uncle and Aunt should still be waiting for you at the entrance.” Duan Ye lowered his head, subconsciously gripping her hand, but in the next moment, he hesitated and let go. “Go quickly, I’ll pick you up later.”
He watched Jiang Yumo walk towards the school gate.
He didn’t follow; he just stood there, watching her figure getting farther and farther away.
Thinking about the sensation and warmth he still held in his hand, he smiled.
Lately, he seemed a bit frivolous. Maybe it was because the college entrance exam was over; his desire to be closer to her had become increasingly uncontrollable.
Jiang Yumo ran out, and the entrance was bustling. She spotted her parents at a glance and rushed towards them eagerly. Father and Mother Jiang both hugged her, and the three of them embraced. They didn’t ask how her exam went. The exams were already over, and asking such questions would only add unnecessary pressure to their child. Whatever the results were, they could discuss them when the college entrance exam scores were released.
The family of three returned home.
It had been very hot these days, and Jiang Yumao opened the fridge, finding a chilled half of a watermelon, which she grabbed with a spoon and started eating.
Mother Jiang nagged, “No one’s competing with you, eat slowly.”
Jiang Yumo didn’t listen.
Watermelon was her favorite, especially when the weather was hot. However, from the first day until today, her parents had been strict with her. They wouldn’t allow her to touch the chilled watermelon, oily or spicy foods, or drink milk tea bought outside. Feeling frustrated, she changed her social media status to ‘Free of Desire, Amitabha.’
Finally, after the exams were over, she felt liberated!
“Mom, you don’t need to cook for me anymore,” Jiang Yumo said, her words slightly slurred.
Mother Jiang gave her a disdainful glance and said, “Do you think Mom never took the college entrance exam?”
Father Jiang approached and, after his wife went into the restroom, he acted like a thief, pulling out two hundred yuan from his pocket and handing it to his daughter. He whispered, “This is Dad’s last stash of money. Take it and treat yourself to whatever you want today.”
Dad’s secret money was inexhaustible.
Jiang Yumo knew this well and didn’t hesitate. She took the money with a sweet smile and said, “Dad is the best, the absolute best.”
Father Jiang was satisfied. “Don’t tell your mother about this.”
When Mother Jiang came out, Jiang Yumo went over and fed her Mom a piece of watermelon. She quickly took credit for herself, saying, “Is it sweet, Mom? Did you notice I saved the sweetest piece for you?”
“Get to the point,” Mother Jiang replied coldly.
Jiang Yumo grinned, “Well, since the college entrance exam is over, a few friends and I are planning to go out for dinner and karaoke. Could we extend the curfew time a bit?”
Mother Jiang replied expressionlessly, “Do you also want to imitate those who stay out all night?”
“Of course not!” Jiang Yumo became anxious, “I will definitely come home!”
“Okay, latest by twelve o’clock,” Mother Jiang took out her phone and glanced at her daughter, saying, “Give me Student Duan’s number.”
Jiang Yumo : “?”
“Why do you need his number?” Jiang Yumo looked puzzled and cautious as she stared at her mother.
“I want to eat him,” Mother Jiang said impatiently, “Your phone is often out of battery and switched off outside, so I have to contact him. I need to remind him to bring you back before twelve.”
Jiang Yumo nodded in understanding.
She obediently gave her mother Duan Ye’s number and secretly peeked as her mother saved it with the name “Student Duan.”
As she left with her bag slung over her shoulder, she suddenly realized on the way downstairs—
Wait a minute! Did her Mom… just agree??
Humming a song, Jiang Yumo descended the stairs, and after a few steps outside the community, she saw Duan Ye.
It felt like she was back in the summer of last year.
Back then, she found out she was living in a novel as a supporting character, and so knew her own future. It was a call from Duan Ye that brought her back to reality. And right now, just like back then, he leaned against the wall, waiting for her. Everything around them was noisy, but it was as if they had a telepathic connection. Even though he was looking down at his phone, the next moment, he turned his head and looked at her, seeing her.
He still had that short buzz-cut.
Still, in the eyes of outsiders, he had a somewhat fierce appearance.
Jiang Yumo ran over to him.
“Have you been waiting long?” she asked with a smile.
Duan Ye gave his usual unchanged reply, “Just arrived.”
Seeing the sweat on his forehead, Jiang Yumo knew he had been waiting for a while. They walked side by side to the roadside and hailed a taxi. Duan Ye had heard somewhere that when taking a taxi, it’s safer for the man to get in first and then the woman, so he got in and took the sun umbrella from her hand. She followed and got in as well.
“Oh, by the way,” Jiang Yumo smiled, “My Mom asked for your number just now.”
Duan Ye paused, and his expression changed, showing signs of nervousness, “Is there something she needs from me?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yumo nodded solemnly, “She might message or call you occasionally in the future.”
Duan Ye : “…”
Seeing his serious expression, Jiang Yumo couldn’t help but tease him, “Alright, alright, I won’t scare you. My Mom is just worried that my phone might run out of battery or shut down when I’m outside. This way, she can reach you. She also has Yan Qing’s and Mengting’s numbers, but you know,” her voice softened, “I usually spend more time with you.”
Duan Ye responded with a “Hmm.”
“Then,” he hesitated a bit, “should I get your Mom’s number?”
Jiang Yumo pulled open the diagonal shoulder bag’s zipper and directly placed her phone in his palm, saying, “Go ahead and check it out. My Dad’s, my Mom’s, you can save them all.”
Duan Ye’s eyes lit up with a smile as he took her phone and opened her contacts list. He copied down her parents’ numbers and was thinking about adding some nice remarks when he sensed her presence approaching.
Jiang Yumo leaned in to take a look, curious about how he would label them.
Duan Ye : “…”
Uncle, Aunt.
Jiang Yumo : “…Oh.”
They had agreed to meet at a restaurant near the pedestrian street. Jiang Yumo looked at the group messages and realized that Yan Qing and Sun Mengting had just left home and might arrive at the restaurant a bit later. While she was engrossed in her phone, Duan Ye held her hand, making sure she didn’t bump into any obstacles along the way.
The sound system on the pedestrian street was still as grand as ever. Jiang Yumo naturally thought of the events from last year and had a sudden idea, “Since they haven’t arrived yet, why don’t we take a stroll around?”
Duan Ye certainly wouldn’t refuse.
The pedestrian street looked the same, yet different. Many storefronts had changed their appearance; the previous print shop had turned into an e-cigarette store, and the fruit stall was gone.
Of course, some things remained unchanged.
They were walking side by side, just like before.
They arrived at the entrance of the men’s clothing store. Jiang Yumo had a good memory for recognizing people, and it turned out to be the same salesperson as before, who was busy hanging discount advertisements. To Jiang Yumo’s surprise, this salesperson actually remembered them!
“Of course, I remember,” the salesperson smiled and adjusted her long hair, “You look this beautiful, and your boyfriend looks so cool, who could forget?”
Maybe she had forgotten initially, but when these two people approached, memories from a year ago suddenly surfaced, and she had an impression of them.
“You guys are still together?” the salesperson couldn’t help but be surprised.
Well, she had also come through this age and had relationships at this age too, but none of them lasted long.
Suddenly seeing these two still together, she couldn’t help but be astonished.
Jiang Yumo said, “Of course, we just finished the college entrance exam~”
The salesperson teased her, “Are you still going to buy clothes for your boyfriend today?”
“No, no,” Jiang Yumo waved her hand, “Nothing special today.”
“Sure. By the way, wait here for a moment,” the saleswoman said as she put down the advertisement board and went into the store. In no time, she came back holding a handful of candies, which she handed to both of them. “I’m getting engaged soon. These are engagement candies, may you share in the happiness.”
Jiang Yumo held a candy in her hand, and so did Duan Ye.
When the two arrived at the restaurant’s private room, Guo Shichao and Zhao Zheng were already there.
Yan Qing and Sun Mengting also arrived at the pedestrian street, and Ning Zhiyu was almost there as well.
Jiang Yumo went to the restroom to wash her face.
Zhao Zheng was surprised to see Duan Ye eating candies. They had known each other for so long, and Zhao Zheng knew that Duan Ye didn’t like sweet things.
The candies must be incredibly delicious for Duan Ye to chew them one after another.
And he seemed so happy while eating them…
she didn’t say anything when store clerk said boyfriend~~~~ ♡♡♡♡