Chapter 4: Memories Are Forever

  Sitting on the bus, Su Yisu looked out of the window at the constantly jumping scenery, trying to find a familiar feeling from her memory. However, the city had changed too much, and the route the bus took was only a vague shadow in her memory. People often use the phrase "things are not what they used to be" to express their feelings about how time has passed and things have changed. Now, even the objects that held memories no longer existed.

  The bus stopped at Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School Station. From the intersection to the school gate, you still need to walk a short distance, and the narrow path stretches out, with shops on both sides of the road bustling with students in uniforms coming and going, searching for their favorite snacks. So many years have passed, and the owners of these shops have changed one after another, but they are all still insisting, supporting the reputation of Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School's snack street. Walking further forward, the banyan trees on both sides of the school's periphery stand tall, with the branches washed by the wind and rain for over a decade, giving them thick and tough trunks, and the broad canopy stretches out, completely covering the sky, sheltering the long path under the shade of the trees.

  Before arriving at the school gate, the sports field of Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School suddenly came into view. This is a separate sports ground built on the opposite slope, with seven large characters "Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School Sports Field" that have been weathered by rain and sun, long lost their original brightness, but even so dull, it makes people can't ignore its momentum.

  The stadium gate was locked. Su Yisou stood outside the iron gate and looked inside, where students were taking physical education classes, in groups of three or five, scattered and standing, playing table tennis, badminton, basketball, football, etc., a noisy scene. As she looked around, she found that on the opposite corner of the stadium, another high-rise building had been added, and the original art building had also undergone renovation and was brand new. The iron fence used for enclosure in those years had long since disappeared, replaced by a high wall. The ivy at the corner of the wall had climbed to the top and extended outward.

  Su Yi let out a soft sigh, and couldn't help but think of her youth. At that time, the iron railing was also entwined with a type of vine she didn't recognize, the streetlights outside were very bright, and they had just returned from Mo Zilin's birthday party. She had discovered the quietly blooming evening primrose on this iron railing. Jiang Xiao Ling and Lin Wan teased her for being infatuated with flowers, while Jiang Feng Chen stood by and smiled...

  Jiang Fengchen... As soon as she thought of this name, Su Yisu's heart suddenly ached. She subconsciously covered her chest with her hand, dazed and unsure what to think. After a long while, her face felt icy cold, and only then did she realize that she had unknowingly shed tears. Su Yisu hastily wiped away the tear stains, trying to shake off the countless thoughts swirling in her mind, and turned to walk towards the school gate.

  It was just the time for class, and there were only one or two people walking around in the campus. Su Yisuo had not yet approached the school gate when she was stopped by the security guard on duty: "Hey, miss, who are you looking for?"

  Su Yisu had never thought that after ten years, the discipline of No. 2 Middle School was still so strict. She remembered when she was studying here before, unless it was physical education class or dismissal time, the school gate would not allow casual entry and exit, and student ID cards must be carried at all times, because occasionally students would be stopped at the school gate for checks during peak hours. Especially in the evening, if outsiders had no compelling reason to enter, the duty security guard would absolutely refuse them entry without hesitation.

  Collecting her thoughts, Su Yisu revealed a hint of a peaceful smile and said: "Big brother, I'm a student from No. 2 Middle School, these years I've been away and never came back, more than ten years have passed, it's not easy to get an opportunity, I want to come back and take a look."

  The school guard was in a dilemma, unsure of what to do. If he didn't let her in, she really didn't look like someone with ulterior motives, but if he did let her in, it would be against the school's rules.

  Su Yisu saw the hesitant look on Xiao Wei's face and understood his thoughts. Without waiting for him to speak, she continued: "Big brother, can I register now? You see, it's rare for me to come back, and who knows when I'll be able to come again..."

  Upon hearing this, the school guard finally softened and took out a registration book, pointing to the blank space saying: "Alright, fill in these details and you can go in."

  "Thank you, big brother!" Su Yisuo was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly. After registering, she stepped across the threshold.

  Only after entering the school did she discover that the changes were so great, and although she had mentally prepared herself in advance, Su Yisuo couldn't help but be amazed. It was as if she had walked into a world she had never been to before, and except for the two teaching buildings in front of her eyes, there was no trace of the familiar scenery that once existed.

  Without having the time to take a closer look at those unfamiliar decorations, Su Yisuo followed the path in her memory and walked straight into the dormitory area, searching for the dormitory building she used to live in. She still remembered that the apartment building she was in back then was Female Dormitory 2, with a large botanical garden in front of it, planted with all sorts of common or rare flowers, grasses, and trees. The small paths wound around, dividing the entire botanical garden into several sections. At the time, everyone called it the "back garden", and some people even referred to it as the "Garden of Eden".

  Fortunately, the backyard has not changed much, perhaps the school leaders feel that the renovation project is too big and not worth it. Walking slowly along the corridor under the flower rack, looking around. The climbing flowers on the flower rack have changed from morning glory to trumpet vine, which is now in full bloom, with red strings of flowers hanging down, like a raging fire, very eye-catching.

  Feeling a bit tired, Su Yisu sat down at the edge of the corridor, staring blankly at the plants in front of her. In a daze, she seemed to have returned to her high school days when she and Jiang Ya and Lin Wan would walk through the small path behind the flower garden every day, chatting and laughing, without caring about their image. Occasionally, they would stop and sneak into the flower bed, weaving back and forth under the trees, searching for a three-leaf clover with four leaves.

  "Suo, Ran, look! I found it!" Jiang Xiao Liang shouted excitedly, holding up the small grass in his hand.

  "Really?"

  Ran over with excitement, but saw a clover.

  "Gotcha! Haha..."

  "Jiang Ziya, go die!"

  "No way, without me your lives would be meaningless..."

  "Hmm..." Su Yisu and Lin Wan ran away.

  "Hmph..." As she thought back to those scenes, Su Yisuo couldn't help but laugh out loud, only to soon become melancholic again. Those carefree years of youth could never be returned.

  After sitting for a while, Su Yisuo walked into the botanical garden with a gentle pace. The paths on both sides were lined with fragrant osmanthus trees that had been trimmed to be neat and tidy, forming a continuous piece without any aesthetic appeal. She remembered that at that time, the outermost layer of the flowerbeds was planted with jasmine, and inside there was also a night-blooming jasmine. Every year when the flowers were in bloom, the fragrance of jasmine and night-blooming jasmine mixed together, light and heavy, refreshing and intoxicating. Jasmine... Su Yisuo's mind involuntarily conjured up Jiang Fengchen's face again, standing there with his head down, smiling faintly, asking her about the meaning of jasmine, with the fragrance of jasmine floating gently behind him.

  Many many times, Jiang Fengchen stood here with his head raised, watching her come down from upstairs...

  Su Yixin and Li Yi tacitly avoided mentioning Jiang Fengchen. She knew they were afraid of stimulating her again, even more afraid that she had already forgotten and was being unnecessarily stirred up emotionally. However, they didn't know that the person had been etched into her bones and could never be erased. The only difference was whether he was seen or not.

  Some people say that the second half of "thinking of a person when seeing an object" is always "things are not what they used to be." Turning back, that person is no longer in their original place. Wanting to go find them, but not knowing where to start. So, escaping, running far away, thinking that as long as it's been a while, the memories won't linger anymore. But why can't memories fade with the passage of time? I heard that fish are happy because they only have seven seconds of memory. Swimming from one end of the tank to the other, turning around, and suddenly it's a new world. Without past experiences, there is no worry. However, for humans, this possibility of being close to forgetting is extremely small. We're all like dandelions, everything we've experienced, whether joyful or heart-wrenching, transforms into long-term memories stored in our minds. Some painful pasts, you think they've been worn away by time, but actually, they're still quietly lying in the depths of memory, only you don't want to touch them again. Yes, dandelions symbolize eternal memories.

  The mobile phone rang suddenly, interrupting Su Yisuo's thoughts. She hastily pulled out her mobile phone from her bag.

  Su Yi Xin has sent an email.

  "Hello?"

  "Sui Su, have you seen enough? If you've seen enough, hurry up and come out. We're waiting for you at the school gate."

  "Oh, I'll go out right away."

  She hung up the phone and turned back to take one last look at the dormitory building behind her, gloomy, and left.

  From a distance, I saw Su Yixin and Li Yi's figures, indeed waiting for a long time outside the school gate.

  The school guard saw her coming out and greeted her warmly: "Big sister, have you finished shopping?"

  "Yes, thank you for letting me in."

  "Ah, no need to be polite." The school guard waved his hand and asked again: "Have you looked for your former teachers to have a chat?"

  "Ah, no, I've been afraid of teachers since I was a kid and haven't mentally prepared myself yet, so I don't dare to meet."

  "Hey!" Hearing this, the school guard chuckled.

  Su Yisu also responded with a faint smile. Having made friends with the school guards, it would be much easier to come next time, right?

  Nodding her head, she smiled and walked towards the two of them.

  "Come on, I'll take you for a stroll around the river city that we haven't seen in ten years." Su Yixin stretched out his hand and pulled Su Yusu into the car.

  The day just passed like this.

  After bidding goodnight to the family of three, Su Yisou returned to her own room, lying on the bed with a thousand thoughts. Jiang City, this city filled with memories, had been escaped and avoided, turned around and around, but finally still came back here. All the faces were uncontrollably flashing in her mind, memories like a long dream, in which everyone who had appeared in her life walked towards her one by one, and then left one by one. The dusty memories seemed to be unlocked at this moment, all the scenes piled up together, these faces, these pictures, woven into a huge net, holding back her past, their past, transforming into the earliest times.

  At that time, they were all still very young...