Chapter 77
This was the first time she felt so valued since her parents left her all those years ago.
Even though they weren't by her side, they still took care of her in every possible way.
"I wonder what Long Ge is doing right now."
Her thoughts began to drift.
Meanwhile, Long Ao Tian and Li Qing Xue had finished their meal and returned to the exam hall early.
"Thanks!"
"It was just a meal. You can treat me next time."
Hearing this, Li Qing Xue chuckled, "Sure, I'll take you out for a meal next time."
"Let’s sit in the shade for a bit," Long Ao Tian suggested, pointing to a nearby tree.
"Yeah, it’s so hot today." Li Qing Xue fanned herself with her hand as she walked toward the shade with Long Ao Tian.
"I always imagined what it would be like after the college entrance exam, but now that the day has come... I feel mostly excited, but there's also a bit of reluctance. How about you?"
After sitting down, Li Qing Xue leaned back on her hands, gazing at the distant horizon.
When she graduated from elementary school to middle school, she felt mostly thrilled.
From middle school to high school, it was more about joy.
But from high school to university, as she grew, her bonds with friends deepened, and she felt a twinge of reluctance.
"That's youth for you—always rushing past, only to meet again."
At this point, Long Ao Tian looked at Li Qing Xue and said, "In those youth dramas on TV, the most frequently quoted line is: 'Youth will eventually come to an end, but memories will never decay.'"
"This is something we all have to experience on our journey through life, but what can we do? We can't freeze time at this moment."
Li Qing Xue stretched her body, "That’s true, but this is my ordinary yet passionate youth, just slipping away in this summer."
"Look at you, so sentimental. Since you’re so reluctant, why not just enjoy this summer to the fullest?"
Li Qing Xue nodded in agreement, then clenched her small fist and said earnestly, "You’re right! After the exam, I’m going to put on some nice makeup, go shopping, eat ice cream, have fun, and be free and carefree."
"Alright, alright, do whatever you want, but it’s time to head back to the exam hall now."
"Oh, you’re such a buzzkill..."
Two days passed quickly.
After handing in the last answer sheet, summer truly began!
The moment he stepped out of the exam hall, Long Ao Tian felt as if a weight had finally lifted from his heart; the afternoon air felt sweet.
He couldn’t help but stretch.
"It’s over!" Li Qing Xue approached him with a beaming smile, taking a deep breath and exhaling heavily.
"Ah, it’s finally over!" After stretching, Long Ao Tian looked at Li Qing Xue and said, "Come here, Long Ge has a secret to tell you."
Upon hearing this, Li Qing Xue squinted her eyes mischievously, wrinkling her little nose and stepping back, "I’m not a three-year-old anymore! If you keep treating me like a kid, I’ll punch you."
She raised her small fist in a playful manner.
"Ah, you caught me."
"Hmph, of course!" Li Qing Xue was quite pleased with herself.
As they walked out of the school gate, Li Qing Xue spotted her mother waiting outside.
"My mom is here to pick me up!" Her voice was filled with happiness and joy.
"Goodbye."
"Of course, we’ll meet again. I owe you two meals, and I’ll pay you back."
"Do I look like I’m missing those two meals?" After laughing, he headed toward the bike rack.
Li Qing Xue chuckled as she watched Long Ao Tian’s back, then walked over to her mother.
As soon as Li’s mother saw her daughter, she rushed over, "Sweetheart, tell me how the exam went!"
"It was okay," Li Qing Xue replied with a playful smile.
"Okay" coming from her daughter meant she had done well.
"Let’s go home. Mom will make you a big feast. You’ve worked so hard, my precious daughter."
...
Just as Long Ao Tian unlocked his bike, he paused, feeling an inexplicable flutter in his heart.
It was a strange sensation, as if something was guiding him...
He turned around, his expression momentarily stunned, then he smiled helplessly.
He saw Hu Yu Ying jogging through the crowd toward him.
Having just gotten off the bus, Hu Yu Ying spotted Long Ao Tian. Their eyes met, and her heart raced, unsure if it was the wind that had disrupted her rhythm.
At that moment, the boy stood in the sunlight, his smile reflecting the sun’s rays, sparkling like a star.
"Hu Yu Ying!"
Those three words sent a jolt through the girl’s heart, her smile widening, her heartbeat quickening, her cheeks flushing, as if every cell in her body was shouting, "Get closer to him, go to his side!"
"What are you doing here?" Long Ao Tian asked, looking at her earnestly.
During the exam, they had both been in separate rooms, far apart.
Hearing Long Ao Tian’s question, Hu Yu Ying felt a bit shy and hesitant, unsure where to put her hands and feet. "I... I finished my exam early." As she said this, her cheeks turned crimson.
This might have been the boldest thing Hu Yu Ying had ever done in her life.
Seeing Long Ao Tian raise his hand, she instinctively shrank back, expecting him to gently pat her head, but that didn’t happen.
Instead, she felt a warm hand gently stroking her long hair.
She cautiously glanced up at Long Ao Tian.
"Get on the bike!" he said, a bit exasperated.
Sitting behind Long Ao Tian on the bike, as the breeze brushed her cheeks and tousled her hair, Hu Yu Ying smiled, feeling that at least in this moment, she was free and alive.
The scenery around them blurred as they rode, and the girl looked at the strong silhouette of the boy in front of her, her smile radiant.
Tentatively, she reached out to grasp the hem of his shirt. At that moment, the fact that she had finished her exam early seemed less important.
Because right now, they were so close, so close...
Close enough that she could clearly smell the scent of laundry detergent on him.
Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body.
In the crowded streets, a bike carrying the essence of youthful joy weaved through the throngs.
In one of the vehicles, a girl casually glanced to the side and saw this scene, her gaze following closely.
Until the bike disappeared into the crowd, out of sight,
The girl lowered her eyes and smiled softly, but she didn’t feel as happy for them as she had imagined...
---
Chapter 93: Be good, put it down; this is not something you should be touching right now.
"Long Ge, where are we going?" Hu Yu Ying asked softly from behind, looking at her toes.
She wondered if she was heavy, if Long Ge was tired. She wanted to sneak a peek at him, but from behind, she couldn’t see.
"I’m taking you out to eat," Long Ao Tian replied. With the exams over, the weight on his heart had lifted, and he felt free to enjoy some good food.
"Long Ge..."
"If you don’t want me to punch you, just keep quiet." Long Ao Tian quickly brought Hu Yu Ying to the food street in Haiwan City.
With the exams finished, all the students felt a sudden release from their stress, embarking on their carefree lives.
At this moment, it was no exaggeration to say that the place was packed.
"There are so many people!" Hu Yu Ying exclaimed, a little shocked by the crowd.
"The more people, the livelier. Stay close, or you might get lost."
"I won’t get lost."
And so, Long Ao Tian led Hu Yu Ying into a day of indulgence.
The key was the excitement; lively places always brought joy.
"Do you want to try some candied hawthorn?"
"No, thanks."
"Two skewers, please!" Long Ao Tian called out to the vendor.
"Is it good?"
"Yeah, it’s sweet and sour, really tasty."
Halfway through the snack street, Hu Yu Ying was struggling to hold all the food in her hands.
Seeing Long Ao Tian about to buy her more treats, she quickly tugged at his shirt, "Long Ge, I haven’t finished eating yet, don’t buy more!"
Coming from a humble background, she had worked hard for money more than once, which had made her a bit of a penny pincher.
Watching Long Ao Tian spend money like water made her head spin; the amount he was spending was more than what she earned in a week—no, a month!
Even though it wasn’t her money, she still felt a pang of heartache for the money Long Ao Tian was spending.
"This is just the beginning, you little miser. Today, Long Ge will cover all your expenses."
Knowing how hard it was to earn money, hearing this made her feel even more sorry for the little money that would soon be spent by Long Ao Tian.
"Hey, that looks like it could be fun! Let’s go check it out." Long Ao Tian pulled Hu Yu Ying’s arm, squeezing through the crowd as they moved forward.
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