"I know I was wrong. I’ve already apologized to Elder Sister and Juyan, and I promise I’ll never do anything like that again..."
Yan Luo rested both hands on the table, falling silent for a moment before turning to look at me. His tone was heavier than I had ever heard before: "Did he really not bully you?"
He was so serious that I actually felt sorry for him. "No, no, I told you, it was just a dream. I was under too much pressure, my Mom yelled at me that day, and I just let my imagination run wild..."
He relaxed slightly. "That’s true. You sleep with Sister Xun, and it was at your place, so he wouldn’t dare be that reckless."
"You’re not mad at me anymore?"
Yan Luo said peevishly, "Mad at you? You underestimate me. Don’t I know what you’re like? Even if you had ten times the courage, you couldn't come up with such outrageous nonsense."
These words touched me beyond measure. "Yan Zi! I can't live without you, Yan Zi!"
Usually, he would impatiently correct me: "Don’t call me Yan Zi."
But today, he didn't say it. He just frowned slightly and looked down to finish copying his notes.
I held Curry and stood beside him. "Hey, is Brother Qi going to stay in America from now on? Will he marry an American? Will he change his citizenship?"
"He definitely won’t change his citizenship. Doctors over there have high status and earn good money, so he’s working and living there on a green card. As for marriage, it depends. If he really meets someone he likes, it won’t matter what their nationality is."
"That’s easy to say, but if Brother Qi brings home a Black sister-in-law, that’d be a bit hard to look at."
Yan Luo chuckled, "You sound just like my Mom. She says she doesn't want a chocolate-colored grandson, and my brother told her not to worry."
I laughed too, but then felt a bit melancholy. "By the time I’m capable of going to America, Brother Qi’s kids will probably already be running around everywhere."
His tone suddenly turned serious: "Lianhe."
I turned my head: "Hm?"
He said: "Curry just peed on you."
"Oh! This smell! It's so pungent!"
Curry was over a year old and had recently gone into heat. Not only my clothes, but the sofa and blankets at the Yan house had frequently suffered as well.
Yan Luo fetched a pair of pet diapers for her to wear and tossed me a jacket. "Take your clothes off. I’ll throw them in with my sheets and quilt to wash in one go."
"Okay."
Just as I took off my jacket, my Mom suddenly appeared at the doorway: "Lianhe!"
She always yelled at me like a firecracker. I was startled and turned to face her: "What’s wrong?"
My Mom walked in. "You two are always stuck in here. What are you doing?"
I caught the subtext in her words and felt so angry my fists tightened: In broad daylight, what could we possibly be doing?!
Yan Luo explained, "Curry peed on her clothes, so I told her to take them off and wash them."
Curry was very affectionate with people, but she didn't like my Mom, so she hid behind Yan Luo’s feet, whimpering.
Only then did my Mom notice the urine stain on my chest and realize she had misjudged me, but she would never apologize. She simply cleared her throat and said, "No need to take them off. It’s time to go, we’ll wash them when we get home. Yan Luo, are the notes ready?"
Yan Luo turned to look at the printer and said to my Mom, "Auntie, why don't you go sit outside for a while? It'll take a few more minutes."
Then he looked at me: "Lianhe, change your clothes. Wash them at my house; you need a special cleaner for dog urine, and we have some here."
My Mom had hit a wall, and since she couldn't say anything against him, she turned her frustration on me: "Look at you, you don't even know how to cherish your good clothes. Why are you holding the dog for no reason? You really know how to cause trouble for other people."
Saying this, she opened the bedroom door wide before leaving.
I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling dejected. Yan Luo patted my shoulder sympathetically and carried the dirty clothes out.
Sigh...
That afternoon, my Mom took a nap at home, and my Dad and I slipped out.
Neither he nor Yan Luo wanted me to meet Juyan, so I wouldn't. I didn't particularly want to see him either; as long as the matter was settled, that was all that mattered.
Not long after I returned to school, Dad sent me a message saying the bracelet had been returned.
I felt completely relieved.
Finally, peace on earth!
Over the following week, I ate well and slept soundly, and my study efficiency improved. When the weekly test scores were released, not only had I returned to the first-tier line, but I was even ten points higher than my first mock exam!
During evening study, Old Ban called students to his office one by one to chat. During the last period, it was my turn.
The high school seniors were busy, and the teachers were the same; it was eight or nine in the evening and they hadn't left yet. There was a lingering smell of coffee mixed with stinky feet in the office.
I walked to Old Ban’s desk, and he motioned for me to sit down. He held my transcript from the start of senior year in his hand: "Lianhe, you did well this time."
I felt a bit proud but pretended to be humble: "It was alright, Yan Luo helped me a lot."
"Hmm, he’s a child who knows how to study. Since you two are friends, learn more from him." He put down the transcript. "I see you’ve been in a good mood this week, too."
Old Ban was the type who could really get along with us, so I wasn't constrained in front of him: "You noticed that?"
"Still laughing! Your state of mind greatly affects your grades. A good state can get you into a top-tier university, while a poor one makes even a second-tier school questionable. Tell me, has there been something going on at home lately?"
I said, "There was, but it’s been resolved."
"I’m planning on visiting your home soon to chat with your parents. When are they home?"
"A home visit? You’re not going to tell them bad things about me, are you?"
Old Ban said, "Of course I am. I’m going to tell them you sneak snacks during class."
"Don't do that, Old Ban! I was really hungry that time, and you caught me after just one bite."
"What an achiever!" he said with a laugh. "Are these petty little things worth me making a trip for?"
"Oh, they are at home every night, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. But you’d better call them before you go."
"Good. You just keep up this current state, stabilize your grades, and don't think about any messy business, you hear?" After the instructions, he picked up another transcript. "Alright, go call Yuansu over. This child, why has she been regressing these last few times?"
***
Back in the classroom, I told Yuansu to go see Old Ban.
She replied coldly, stood up, and left.
I felt that ever since the day she threw the White House souvenir into my desk, she had been displeased with me.
We used to be desk-mates and roommates, always eating, running, and going to the restroom together, but after that day, she started hanging out with a girl from another dorm and left me behind.
At first, I didn't realize she was distancing herself and still tried to greet her, but she acted like she hadn't heard.
After being ignored two or three times, I stopped paying attention to her.
It wasn't my fault that Yan Luo didn't like her, and besides, I had my own pile of troubles back then; how could I be expected to look after her?
However, hearing Old Ban say she was regressing, and seeing how lethargic she had been lately, I decided to show some concern when she got back.
She was still my friend, after all.
When Yuansu returned, her face was sour. I wrote a small note and slid it over: "Can I treat you to a late-night snack later?"
She looked at the note and then turned to look at me.
I whispered: "It’s your favorite lamb rice noodles, with extra liver and offal."
She took a deep breath. I thought she would tear up the note and continue ignoring me, but surprisingly, she gave a disgruntled laugh.
Hey, as long as she laughed, things were fine.
Who would have thought that after laughing, she suddenly buried her head and started crying with a sound like a train whistle. The students around us all looked over.
I fumbled to pass her tissues: "What’s wrong? Why are you crying... Everyone, stop looking! I didn't bully her!"
Luckily, the school-out bell rang quickly, and the students, having their own things to do, mostly scattered.
A few close friends came over to ask what was wrong. Yuansu had mostly finished crying; she wiped her face and choked out, "I’m fine! You guys go ahead, Lianhe is keeping me company."
They told me to take good care of her and left.
It had been a while since we walked side-by-side. At the stairwell, we met Yan Luo and Gaowen, who heard we were going for noodles and wanted to join.
I was afraid Yuansu would be sad to see Yan Luo and wanted to refuse, but Yuansu grabbed me, sniffled, and said to them, "Sure, let's go. Lianhe is paying tonight."
Gaowen smiled: "Is that so?"
I quickly thought about my bank balance and nodded: "Yes, let's go!"
The noodle shop was crowded, packed with hungry high school students.
The four of us squeezed around a small square table. I ate while my heart ached.
Yuansu was determined to make me spend money; she added five portions of toppings to her bowl of noodles and ordered skewers and two side dishes.
I was cleaned out. When it came time to pay, my balance was insufficient, and Gaowen generously stepped in to cover the last ten yuan.
This time, in front of Yan Luo, Yuansu didn't act reserved or subtle. She slurped her noodles, crunched on her meat, and even bossed Yan Luo around: "Pass me the vinegar behind you."
Yan Luo handed her the vinegar bottle and said sincerely, "You really have a hearty appetite."
Yuansu said, "Whenever someone else is paying, everything tastes good, right Lianhe?"
I said, "Heh heh, yes."
This girl...
Forget it. Since she was in a bad mood, let her eat whatever she wanted.
As for the gold coins, I’d just ask Dad for more when I got home.
During the meal, we all tacitly avoided asking why Yuansu was crying; we just ate.
Once Yuansu was fed, she gave me a magnanimous pat on the shoulder and said, "Thanks a lot! I’m going back to the dorms, you guys go home!"
It looked like she had been coaxed.
After she entered the school, I let out a long sigh and turned to Gaowen: "I’ll transfer that ten yuan to you when I get home."
As soon as I finished, he suddenly lowered his head and wiped the corner of my mouth with a tissue.
"Huh?"
I didn't have time to react and could only stare at him in a daze.
He crumpled the tissue in his hand after wiping it and smiled at me: "No need to pay it back. Treat me another time..."
Before he could finish, the sound of a red envelope hitting his account pinged from his pocket.
Yan Luo shook his phone at Gaowen and said, "No need to go back and forth. I paid her share."
***
On the way home, I wanted to laugh just thinking about Yan Luo saying, "I paid her share."
He looked just like my Dad at that moment.
I didn't know what was wrong with him now, but he was walking ahead with his head down. I jogged a few steps to catch up: "Slow down, I’m stuffed, running is hard."
He seemed to snap out of it and slowed his pace to match mine.
I asked him: "What are you thinking about?"
Yan Luo countered: "Have you decided where you’re going to apply?"
I said: "Wherever you apply, I’ll apply. Otherwise, who’s going to help me pay my debts later?"
The last part was a joke, but Yan Luo didn't laugh: "What if we can't get into the same place?"
I said: "If I don't get into a first-tier, a second-tier shouldn't be a problem, right? The Imperial Capital can’t be without even a single second-tier university, can it?"
"If I’m not in the Imperial Capital, would you still like it there?"
"If you're not there, it’s all the same to me wherever I go." I caught the subtext in his words. "Did you change your preferences? Not applying to Imperial Capital Law and Politics anymore?"
He kept his head down, silent.
I blocked his path: "If you aren't, you aren't. What’s your new choice?"
Yan Luo still didn't make a sound.
Seeing him like a stone that couldn't be nudged, I got annoyed: "If you don't want to go to college with me, you at least have to let me know where you’re applying so I can avoid it!"
"That’s not it!" Yan Luo interrupted, hesitating: "Lianhe, I might... I might be going to college in America."
I froze.
While my definition of "top-tier" was still limited to the Imperial Capital, he was already looking at the world.
Studying abroad in America felt as illusory and distant as a dream to me, but for Yan Luo, it wasn't.
His grades were good enough, he had Brother Qi over there to look after him, and Dad Yan and Mom Yan would certainly support him fully.
And that kind of place was somewhere I could never go.
We wouldn't be going to college together after all.
Seeing my dumbfounded expression, Yan Luo explained in a muffled voice: "I only had this idea after traveling to America. I know this is very unfair to you, but I really want to go out and see... Honestly, before I said it out loud, I didn't know if I should tell you, but you tell me everything, and I didn't want to hide it from you..."
I hugged him tight.
Yan Luo paused, then slowly hugged me back.
His down jacket was so warm.
I buried myself in his chest and started to cry.
Damned Yan Luo!
My best friend, my closest playmate, my perfect partner!
We had promised to go to college together, and now he was going to flap his wings and fly away?!
How could he be so heartless to leave me behind?
How was I going to survive without Yan Zi!
But, with so many people in this country, the odds of success were one in a million. Once you enter the workforce, you become a beast of burden, grinding yourself into dust. Studying abroad really was the best choice for an ordinary person.
If he wanted to go, let him go.
I grabbed his sleeve, crying as I said: "You can leave, but you absolutely cannot forget me... When you have money, you have to invite me to travel there, and you have to pay for my plane tickets... I’m afraid I won't be able to make any money after I graduate... sob..."
Yan Luo had been feeling sentimental, but the more he heard, the more amused he became, finally saying helplessly: "I know, I’ll definitely invite you."
I insisted stubbornly: "Just saying it doesn't count! Pinky swear!"
Faced with this unreasonable request for a free ride, he agreed, his tone like he was coaxing a child: "Fine, pinky swear."
Just as our fingers hooked together, the blinding lights of a car hit us in the face.
Already feeling annoyed, I squinted and shouted at the driver: "How rude! Why are you flashing your lights at us!"
Just as I finished, the driver opened the door and stepped out.
He stood against the light, looking so tall. I was afraid he might charge over to hit someone, so I stepped back timidly, ready to run.
But Yan Luo didn't plan to run.
With one hand still hooked to my finger, he used the other to block the glare, looking sideways at the person behind the lights: "Isn't this Brother-in-law? We meet again."
Brother-in-law... Juyan?
I squinted hard to recognize him, and realized it really was him.
What was he doing wandering outside our neighborhood this late at night?
***
I couldn't gauge his intentions, but I immediately retracted the arrogance I had shown in front of Yan Luo and called out respectfully: "Brother Juyan."
Juyan walked over. Whether it was the lighting or fatigue, his expression was cold, and his tone carried a rare sense of interrogation: "Where did you go? Why was your phone off?"
"I went out for a midnight snack with a friend." Puzzled by his hostility, I pulled out my phone and checked it: "My phone died. I’m sorry, did you need me for something?"
Juyan said: "Your uncle got into a car accident. He’s currently in emergency surgery. Your Mom and Lian Xun have already gone there. I was waiting for you..."
I couldn't hear a word after "uncle got into a car accident."
Usually, the smallest thing could make me cry, but hearing this news, I couldn't shed a tear.
Dad had a car accident?
How was that possible? He should have been home at this hour!
While I was still processing this unbelievable news, Yan Luo reacted first, pulling me into Juyan’s car. Juyan didn't say another word and drove toward the hospital.
Yan Luo held me the entire way and called his parents. By the time we reached the hospital, he was the one supporting my weak legs as we walked toward the operating room.
My Mom and Elder Sister were waiting outside. Both their eyes were red from crying. Seeing us approach, my Mom lunged forward, grabbed my shoulders, and shook me hard: "Why didn't you answer the phone! Why didn't you answer the phone!"
Shaking me wasn't enough to vent her anger; she started hitting me: "Where on earth did you go! Why didn't you answer the phone..."
Yan Luo immediately shielded me, taking several blows to his back: "Auntie, Lianhe was with me, her phone died. What exactly happened to Uncle Lian?"
My Mom was sobbing uncontrollably. My Elder Sister walked over to support her, her voice choking as she said to Yan Luo: "My Dad couldn't reach Xiaohe, so he went out to look for her. He was hit by a drunk driver at the intersection."
Yan Luo couldn't help but ask: "If Uncle Lian couldn't reach Xiaohe, he should have called me, but I didn't receive his call. Could it be..."
My Mom looked at him with tear-filled, hateful eyes: "What do you mean?! Are you saying her father looking for his child was a pointless act?!"
"No, Auntie, I just meant that even if Uncle Lian went out to find Xiaohe, you can't blame her."
My Mom didn't like him to begin with, and his words only added fuel to the fire: "This is my family's business! You’re an outsider, stay out of it! What are you doing here anyway?"
Yan Luo’s arm tightened around me, his anger rising: "Uncle Lian is Xiaohe’s father. Why shouldn't I be here when something happened to him?"
Seeing me standing silently in his arms, my Mom reached out to pull me away: "Stop playing dead! Come here! You’re always glued to your phone, why did it have to die today? What were you two doing!"
When Mom Yan and Dad Yan arrived, they happened to witness this scene. Dad Yan quickly pulled my Mom away, and Mom Yan shielded both me and Yan Luo.
Seeing them, my Mom stopped yelling and just cried.
Elder Sister had to repeat to them what she had just told Yan Luo.
Mom Yan gave a cry of distress and sank onto a bench, clutching her chest with a pale face: "Lian..."
Dad Yan went back to support her: "What are you doing! The person is still in surgery and you’re already crying! Uncle Lian is such a good man, he’ll be fine!"
Even while helping his mother, Yan Luo didn't forget to keep me shielded behind him, fearing my Mom might rush over to hit me again.
I stood beside the Yan family, looking at my Mom, who was glaring at us with hostility, and my Elder Sister, who kept her lips pressed tight.
Suddenly, I felt that I was more like family with Yan Luo and his parents.
***
Juyan returned after paying the surgery fees. Seeing the two factions, he paused slightly before walking toward my Mom and the others.
Elder Sister whispered something to him, and he lowered his head to listen carefully. Mid-conversation, Mom tried to pull Elder Sister away, but she ignored her.
It was easy to guess that Elder Sister was trying to reimburse Juyan for the surgery, and Mom was refusing, but Elder Sister wasn't listening to her.
With so many people there, they couldn't just ignore each other. Mom Yan forced herself to calm down and said to my Mom: "Sister Ding, is this Xiao Xun’s boyfriend?"
Since he had specially come to the hospital in the middle of the night to check on my Dad, my Mom couldn't make a scene even if she didn't like them. Reluctantly, she responded: "Yes, his name is Juyan. Juyan, these are Yan Luo’s parents, friends of your Uncle Lian."
Juyan walked over and extended his hand to Dad Yan and Mom Yan: "Uncle, Auntie, hello."
Dad Yan shook his hand with a look of admiration: "Hello, hello. I’ve always heard Xiao Xun had a boyfriend; you truly are an impressive young man. I just didn't expect our first meeting to be under such circumstances."