Chapter 96: A Long Conversation by the Riverside of Ningxi River

  Bai Xueya lifted her head, her vision slightly blurry from the collision with her forehead. She strained to open her eyes wide and finally saw a pair of slender white hands stretched out in front of her.

  She looked up and saw Lu Haochen expressionlessly telling her:

  "Hurry up."

  "Huh?" Bai Xiaya tilted her head, looking puzzled.

  "Get up, it's cold on the ground." Lu Haochen said somewhat awkwardly, turning his head slightly to the side. His voice was light and faint, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

  Staring blankly at Lu Haochen's outstretched right hand, Bai Xiaya was somewhat taken aback. Was Lu Haochen actually helping her up with good intentions? Impossible!

  She raised an eyebrow and sized up Lu Haochen from head to toe, guessing in her heart that this guy must have some ulterior motive, otherwise, why would he be so kind as to help her up?

  Just as she was hesitating, a force suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. Before Bai Xueya could react, she was already standing unsteadily on her feet.

  "What's up? What's wrong?"

  Roughly shaking off Lu Haocen's hand, Bai Xiaya glared at him sideways while gently rubbing her wrist. This guy's strength was really too much? Didn't even give her a heads up before pulling her up? Almost made her fall over? Hmph?

  Lu Haochen glanced at her with a hint of disdain, his gaze falling on the scattered shopping bags on the ground. He furrowed his brow slightly, bent down to pick up the bags and took a glance before they were snatched back by Bai Xiaya.

  "What are you looking at? This is mine!" Bai Xueya glared at him fiercely.

  Lu Haochen raised an eyebrow impatiently and sneered: "What's the big deal? It's just formal attire, what's so mysterious about it? How boring..."

  Having said that, he stepped out of the crowd.

  Bai Xueya picked up the shopping bag and watched Lu Haocen walk away with a disdainful face, gritted her teeth, and also reluctantly chased after him.

  "Hey?" She jogged alongside him, saying solemnly, "Thanks for your heroic act just now? In my lifetime, I get to see a bear do something righteous? It's really not easy! Although what you did earlier made me very unhappy, but I'm a big girl and won't hold it against you. Ignoring the pain in my wrist, I've come to thank you?"

  Lu Haochen lazily glanced at her and didn't speak.

  "What a wooden head..." Seeing no reaction from him, Bai Xueya rolled her eyes in silence and said angrily, "Alright? Done thanking you? From now on, I don't owe you anything anymore? Let's go?"

  She turned around and was about to leave when Lu Haochen suddenly turned back, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.

  "Are you going to work?" he asked coldly.

  Bai Xueya stopped in her tracks, fuming on the spot as she rolled her eyes, and her fingers gripping the shopping bag also tightened involuntarily.

  "Is that so? Work?" With a snort, Bai Xueya left behind her standing figure and strode away.

  The footsteps under his feet were very chaotic and urgent.

  Bai Xueya didn't know why she was walking so fast, nor did she know where her destination was. She was supposed to go to the bus station to wait for the bus, but before she knew it, when she lifted her head, she found herself at the banks of Ningxi River.

  The Xing Creek River is quiet and warm in the afternoon. The golden light shines on the river, like scattered gold dust, dazzling and flashing. The green willows hang down, overlapping each other. The sparkling river water gently washes against the stones on the riverbank, stirring up crystal clear water flowers.

  Put the shopping bag on the bench, Bai Xiaya stood on the wet stone by the river, her high-heeled shoes standing on the rugged and uneven ground, shaking slightly.

  She slowly crouched down, staring blankly at the warm river water rippling bit by bit, even with water splashing on her white toes and leaving a drop of water mark on her red fingernails.

  She stretched out her hand and gently stirred the clear river water with her fingertips. The warm feeling instantly wrapped around her fingers.

  A delicate feeling, slowly flowing into her heart, making her unable to help but think of that day.

  A quiet forest.

  The hazy dawn is coming.

  The morning light is faint, with a thin mist.

  The uneven trees block the thin sunlight, casting endless dark shadows in the forest covered with moss.

  On such a cool morning, his lips were also slightly cool and soft.

  His breath was scorching hot and rolling, lightly spraying between her gasps.

  She stared with wide eyes at the familiar face close at hand, her body suddenly frozen in place as if turned to ice.

  Then, her breathing also started trembling...

  Gently.

  Just like carefully guarding one's own beautiful things...

  ……

  Bai Xueya came back to her senses, gazing at the flowing river water, and a heavy light gradually lit up in her eyes.

  Why does he keep thinking of that kiss again and again?

  Her first kiss should be given to the one she loves most.

  It should be taken away suddenly like this, she should be sad and angry...

  But why is it that every time I see Lu Haocen, my heart becomes quiet and still? Why is it that every time I see him with other girls, my breathing becomes stifled and I feel uneasy? And after each parting, his shadow keeps emerging in my mind?

  It's as if... I can never forget him again...

  Bai Xueya's body suddenly trembled, staring blankly at the quietly flowing river water, her heart gradually replaced by a trace of inexplicable panic...

  She... wouldn't have fallen for that guy, would she?

  "Cough cough?"

  The sudden coughing sound brought Bai Xueya back to reality, she turned her head around and when she saw that tall figure, she was surprised and furrowed her brow.

  "How did you get here?" Lu asked.

  She thought Lu Haochen would ignore her and go home by herself. Unexpectedly, he quietly followed her all the way to the banks of Ningxi River.

  Not far away, on the lawn, Lu Haochen walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. His footsteps were light and agile, and the soft green grass under his white sports shoes seemed even more dazzling.

  The corners of his mouth were curled up with a hint of a smile, seemingly mocking and disdainful. The faint, elusive smile made Bai Xiaya's heart flutter inexplicably, as if he was about to do something terrifying.

  She slowly stood up, her sharp eyes fixed on him as he approached, and sat down gently on the long chair behind her, leaning back against the back of the chair with a lazy air.

  "Hey?" Bai Xiaoya growled at him, "Is this my spot?"

  Lu Haochen lazily opened one eye, carelessly glancing at her: "This is a public place, anyone can come. Who stipulated that this position belongs to you?" After speaking, he stretched out his arm even more recklessly.

  "What?" Bai Xiaoya pointed to her shopping bag on the long chair, saying word by word, "My shopping bag is there! So now it belongs to me? And you - scram!"

  He glanced sideways at the shopping bag on the long chair, Lu Haochen smiled faintly, after a while, he straightened his body, one hand picked up the shopping bag, and with a flick of his wrist, it was thrown out.

  "This time I've got it, the long chair is mine." He clasped his hands behind his head and let his entire body fall backwards onto the long chair.

  "What the...?!" Looking at her shopping bag being thrown out, Bai Xiaya's face turned pale with anger. She quickly ran up, picked up the thrown-out shopping bag, gently patted off the dust on it, and complained indignantly, "Are you crazy? You're as rude as a bandit! No manners?"

  Upon hearing this, Lu Haocen closed his eyes and smiled lazily, saying: "'No manners', this phrase used to be specifically used to describe you, how come it's now being used on me?"

  "Did your aunt know how to write the word 'education' before? Unlike you, who hasn't made any progress?" Bai Xiaoya rolled her eyes at him with force.

  Lu Haochen suddenly opened his eyes and gazed at the sky, smiling lightly: "Really? Really?" His tone seemed to hold a hint of indulgence.

  Then, a figure stood up from the bench, looked at her and patted the seat beside him, saying "Sit here."

  Bai Xueya looked at him with a strange gaze, finding that his expression was stern and didn't seem to have any bad intentions, so she put her mind at ease. She walked over with her head held high and chest out, plopped herself down on the long bench with a thud, and coldly hummed: "Hmm? This is barely acceptable?"

  Lu Haochen smiled slightly, turning his head to look at her sulky expression on her face, and felt a little softer in his heart. He raised his head, gazing far away at the vast riverbank.

  Blue sky and white clouds, sunny and beautiful, the clear river water sparkles, on the opposite bank of the river, row upon row of houses with bright windows, densely packed.

  Under the distant sky, two figures sat quietly on a bench by the riverbank of Xing Creek, surrounded by dense greenery.

  Everything seems so beautiful and quiet.

  After a long time, Lu Haocen bent down and picked up a stone from the ground, throwing it out with force. The small stone drew a parabola in the air before splashing into the calm river water, creating a ripple effect.

  "Cut? Small case? Watch aunt throw one further?" Bai Xiaoya hooked a hook at the corner of her mouth, also picked up a stone from her feet, aimed at the river heart, and threw it out with force.

  Bang!

  The stone happened to hit the tree trunk by the riverbank.

  "Hahaha?" Lu Haocen laughed so hard he slapped his thigh, "Powerful Ugly Girl? You really don't live up to this nickname! You actually hit the tree trunk? Are you trying to catch birds?"

  "What's it to you?" Bai Xiaya wrinkled her nose in annoyance, hummed loudly and ignored him. However, her face was still as red as the clouds at sunset. She had actually thrown the stone onto the tree trunk, how embarrassing?

  She blushed, kicking the small stones at her feet in a flurry, and after hearing Lu Haochen's loud laughter for a while, he finally stopped and asked her with a lingering smile: "You seem to have changed a lot..."

  Bai Xue Ya glanced at him sideways with disdain and said: "I really don't know if you're trying to praise me or mock me?"

  "Of course, I'm flattering you?" Lu Haochen replied without thinking, leaning back in his chair and narrowing his eyes contentedly. "If someone had told me before that Bai Xiaya, that ugly tomboy, would actually come to a place like Ningxi River with such a romantic atmosphere, I definitely wouldn't have believed it even if you killed me."

  "Then go die!" Bai Xueya smiled triumphantly, "I've come to the banks of Ningxi River since I was a child, whether I'm happy or sad."

  "Is it because there will be a big row of stalls on summer nights?" Lu Haocen asked.

  "......" Bai Xiaoya glared at him, "Do you think I'm a foodie? What? Did Madam come here to cultivate her emotions? Enjoy nature? Do you know? It's simply impossible to communicate with such a coarse guy like you!"

  "Really?!" Lu Haochen smiled and resignedly said, "But you keep calling yourself 'young lady, young lady', it's really not like a gentlewoman should be?"

  "Anyway, I'm not a lady? What's there to be afraid of? Does the young mistress like it?" Bai Xiaoya laughed loudly and shouted.

  Watching her childishly shouting, Lu Haochen smiled and carelessly glanced elsewhere. When he saw the shopping bag in Bai Xiaya's hand, he paused for a moment, suddenly stopped smiling and asked: "We are still high school students now, do we need to practice? Isn't it too early?"

  Bai Xueya lowered her head, glanced at the formal attire in her hand, and naturally thought of tomorrow's internship with Yan Feng, and a few more smiles were added to her face.

  "I'm so happy?" She laughed with abandon, her eyes sparkling like the stars in the night sky. "Even if I don't get paid, would I still work for free? I'd be willing to!"

  Looking at her genuine smile, Lu Haochen silently turned his head and gazed far away to the other side of the riverbank. The smile on his face, however, had unknowingly disappeared completely.

  Night falls quickly.

  The city, which had been bustling all day, gradually quieted down. At the moment when the neon lights were first turned on, the Xingxi River changed from its calmness in the afternoon to its serenity at night. Under the mysterious night sky, the water of the Xingxi River flowed quietly, reflecting the colorful neon streetlights along the riverbank.

  Bai Xueya raised her head to gaze at the sky, where the stars in the night sky twinkled incessantly. The distant radiance spilled down, weak yet still the purest and most dazzling light in the mortal world, forever symbolizing people's longing and yearning aspirations.

  Unconsciously, it's already so late...

  She took out her phone and looked at the time jumping on the screen, smiling bitterly. The two of them sat on the long bench chatting for an entire afternoon, without any awkwardness or pauses, talking as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in years. It was hard to believe that she would one day have such a great conversation with her arch-nemesis.

  Bai Xueya turned her head to the side, seeing Lu Haocen staring blankly at the river surface, his eyes hazy as if recalling something from memory.

  She smiled mischievously and poked his arm with force.

  "Is he back? Is he back?"

  Lu Haochen suddenly came back to his senses, turned to look at her, and after a flash of desolation, restored his usual arrogance and playfulness.

  But just for a moment, his expression gradually dimmed again.

  "What's wrong?" Bai Xueya opened her eyes wide and looked at him, somewhat unable to understand.

  Lu Haocen shook his head and let out a bitter laugh.

  "It's nothing." The voice was calm as if nothing had happened.

  Bai Xiaoyan nodded slightly, stood up and smoothed out her wrinkled clothes, glanced at her phone, smiled and said: "Big silly? The princess is leaving the palace? Bye bye?"

  After finishing speaking, he waved his hand and turned around to leave.

  Behind her, Lu Haocen gazed at her back unblinkingly for a moment.

  A white light suddenly flashed in his memory——

  One day long ago...

  It was also such a quiet night.

  Deep night color.

  The sound of the wind is clear by the ear.

  Her figure gradually moved further and further away, mercilessly, without looking back, disappearing into the endless darkness...

  And he remained in the abandoned darkness, his body trembling constantly...

  He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, stood up and watched as Bai Xueya walked away without looking back. The figure overlapped with a scene in his memory, ruthlessly.

  Is heaven playing tricks on him?

  Lu Haocen smiled bitterly, his eyes fixed on her as she walked further and further away. Until her figure was completely swallowed up by the endless darkness, the last glimmer of light in his heart also seemed to be extinguished, plunging him into total darkness.

  In the quiet night wind.

  He stood upright like a perfect statue.

  After a long time, facing the thick night color, he hooked up his lips and said softly:

  "Goodbye... Xiaoxiao."