Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The outcome of the basketball game was a foregone conclusion; our class defeated Class Six and smoothly advanced to tomorrow's finals.
After the match, Zhang Yun ran off the court to celebrate with her classmates. I turned to leave the basketball court and aimlessly wandered around the playground, unsure of what I was thinking, just feeling an emptiness inside. Gradually, it started to rain, but I chose not to seek shelter; I wanted to fully experience the downpour. At that moment, a umbrella appeared above me. I turned around to see Liao Jian standing behind me. I wiped my face and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I was about to go home when I saw you here alone. Aren't you happy?" Liao Jian looked at me with concern.
I shook my head. "I'm not unhappy, but I don't know if it counts as being unhappy."
Liao Jian fell silent and simply stood beside me in quiet companionship.
As the rain gradually lightened, Liao Jian held the umbrella and walked back with me. After just a few steps, I noticed two people standing under the shade of a tree by the playground. The girl suddenly hugged the boy, and they embraced under the gentle rain. My heart sank.
The girl was Wang Liqing, and the boy was none other than Shen Yulin.
I stopped looking at them and slowly walked out of the campus along the small path by the playground. This day marked Liao Jian's first time escorting me home, and it would be his only time.
When I got home, my expression was calm, and my heart felt flat as if what had just happened had nothing to do with me. I felt like a shell without a heart, going through the motions of eating, bathing, and sleeping solely on muscle memory.
I took a sick day for the last day of the sports meet. The previous day's rain left me feeling feverish when I woke up that morning. I thought to myself that getting sick came at just the right time; this way, I wouldn't have to face those I needed to confront—at least it would let me hide for a few days.
My father took me to a clinic near our neighborhood. The doctor prescribed medication, and I received an IV drip. We didn't return home until well past noon. My father hurriedly went to cook while I lay in bed, drifting off into a drowsy sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already evening. I was drenched in sweat; my blanket and pillow were soaked through, and my clothes clung to me from perspiration. Slowly getting up, I randomly grabbed a set of pajamas from my wardrobe and headed into the bathroom for a refreshing hot shower from head to toe. I felt much better afterward, though my stomach grumbled in protest.
I walked into the kitchen and found some food my father had left for me. After heating it up casually, I devoured it hungrily; it had been so long since I'd felt such satisfaction after eating. It seemed like being sick had changed me somehow.
"Ding dong..." The doorbell rang. Just as I was about to check through the peephole, I heard Zhang Yun's voice and immediately opened the door. Standing at the entrance were Zhang Yun, Cheng Haifeng, Liao Jian, and Shen Yulin. Cheng Haifeng and Zhang Yun appeared to be arguing about something while Liao Jian tried to mediate. When Shen Yulin saw me, he pulled me into my bedroom and locked the door behind us. Confused, I noticed he looked uneasy before he spoke up: "Xingxing, you're not wearing a bra."
It dawned on me just then that Zhang Yun was already knocking on my bedroom door. In a hurry, I pushed Shen Yulin out of the bedroom, put on a bra, changed into another outfit, and finally opened the bedroom door. Zhang Yun rushed towards me and said, "Are you feeling better? I've been so worried about you! Do you know? Our class won the basketball game—first place in our grade! But our volleyball team is terrible; we're at the bottom."
"Fanxing," Liao Jian said as if deliberately turning his face toward me while his eyes were on Shen Yulin as he spoke. Shen Yulin froze upon hearing Liao Jian's words; he mechanically turned his head toward me and asked, "You were out in the rain on the playground yesterday?" I nodded gently but didn't say anything.
Comment 0 Comment Count