AAWOMAHI Chapter35

The marks on Lu Xingmian’s knees only slowly faded away after a few days.

 

Lu Shiran reminded him to spray medicine every day and also to wear long John.

 

After putting on a long John, Lu Xingmian realized that the difference between wearing it and not wearing it was indeed significant; wearing it was much warmer.

 

For the first couple of days, Lu Xingmian walked a bit awkwardly, and when Chen Che asked about it, he said he had accidentally hit his knee.

 

After school started, the study atmosphere suddenly became very tense. This was their last semester of high school, and no one wanted to have any regrets at this time.

 

When the hundred-day countdown sign went up in the classroom, the atmosphere of study in every class grew especially intense.

 

Time passed day by day, and the weather gradually began to warm up, which also meant that the college entrance exam was getting closer and closer.

 

Lu Xingmian’s bedtime slowly shifted from midnight to one or two in the morning, and sleeping past two a.m. became the norm.

 

It didn’t matter if he stayed up late, but he didn’t want Lu Shiran to stay up so late with him. So he suggested that Lu Shiran not wait up so late to lull him to sleep.

 

Over the past six months, with Lu Shiran soothing him to sleep each night, Lu Xingmian’s sleep had improved greatly. He could now barely fall asleep, although it wasn’t a deep sleep, and he would wake up easily. But at least he could sleep, which was something he hadn’t dared to even imagine before.

 

So he didn’t want Lu Shiran to wait up so late for him every day. After all, Lu Shiran had to go to work the next day. If he kept waiting for him, he would sleep even later than Lu Xingmian.

 

However, Lu Shiran would wait for him until very late, waiting for him to go to bed, waiting for him to call, and waiting to lull him to sleep everyday.

 

During this time, whenever Lu Shiran had time, he would come to see Lu Xingmian.

 

This was, of course, while Lu Xingmian was in class. While Lu Xingmian was studying at school, Lu Shiran would cook for him in his rental apartment.

 

He didn’t just cook for that day, he prepared several days’ worth of meals in advance and stored them in the refrigerator, so Lu Xingmian could simply reheat them when he returned.

 

The refrigerator was neatly stacked with washed fruits and fresh milk. When Lu Xingmian came back and saw the things in the refrigerator and the note, he knew Lu Shiran had been there while he was in class. He hadn’t seen Lu Shiran again, not for several times now.

 

Lu Xingmian leaned against the refrigerator and sent a message to Lu Shiran.

 

“Ge, you came again without telling me, and I didn’t even get to see you.”

 

Lu Shiran: “Study hard. I’ll definitely come again when I have time.”

 

Lu Xingmian: “Ge, can you tell me next time you come?”

 

Lu Shiran: “Okay.”

 

A few days later, Lu Shiran figured Lu Xingmian’s refrigerator must be empty, so he bought a lot of things and headed to SS City again.

 

Just like before, after Lu Shiran filled up Lu Xingmian’s refrigerator, he also helped him clean the room.

 

Lu Xingmian’s desk was a bit messy, piled high with workbooks and test papers. The workbooks and papers were covered with Lu Xingmian’s marks, and while the things on the desk were in disarray, the desk itself was clean.

 

There was also a small desk calendar. Lu Shiran looked at it and saw that on the three dates of June 7th, June 8th, and June 9th, Lu Xingmian had circled them heavily.

 

Those were the dates of the college entrance exam.

 

On the day after the exam, Lu Xingmian had also drawn a circle.

 

To Lu Shiran’s relief, the bottle of melatonin that was originally on the desk was gone. Lu Xingmian must have thrown it away. He had heard Lu Xingmian say later that when he took melatonin to sleep, he would feel nauseous and have a headache the next day. Lu Shiran couldn’t imagine how severe Lu Xingmian’s insomnia symptoms had been. And at that time, he had even deleted his contact.

 

When Lu Shiran was leaving Lu Xingmian’s place, he ran into the grandma from downstairs.

 

The grandma smiled and said, “You are here to see Xiao Lu again.”

 

Lu Shiran said yes. The grandma then said, “The college entrance exam is coming soon. Xiao Lu’s grades are so good, he’s definitely going to get into a great university.”

 

Hearing the grandma praise Lu Xingmian like that, Lu Shiran felt very proud.

 

Back in his car, Lu Shiran checked the time. There was still an hour and a half until Lu Xingmian finished school. He remembered Lu Xingmian saying last time that he didn’t get to see him. After thinking for a moment, Lu Shiran drove to Lu Xingmian’s school and waited for him at the gate.

 

During a class break, when Lu Xingmian looked at his phone, he kept grinning excitedly. Lu Shiran had said he was right at the school gate, waiting for him to finish class. Lu Xingmian put away his phone and looked out the window. Lu Shiran had really come to see him. He wasn’t just being perfunctory last time; he was really at the school gate, waiting for him.

 

But there were still two classes left. Lu Xingmian had never felt that two classes pass so slowly before.

 

Finally, school was over. Lu Xingmian packed his bag and ran out of the classroom. Chen Che didn’t even have to think about it; he knew Lu Xingmian’s brother must have come, which was why he was so excited.

 

Outside the school, Lu Shiran heard the final bell ring. From the campus, a boy in a school uniform came running. Lu Xingmian ran as fast as he could to the school gate and straight to Lu Shiran. The weather in April was already warm, and after that short run, a few beads of sweat appeared on Lu Xingmian’s forehead.

 

He smiled happily at Lu Shiran: “Ge, you’re here.”

 

The boy’s smile was always so pure and bright. He was wearing a black hoodie under his school uniform. Lu Xingmian seemed to have grown a lot. Before, he was only around 1.74 to 1.75 meters tall, but now Lu Shiran felt he might be close to 1.8 meters.

 

Lu Shiran took out a tissue for Lu Xingmian to wipe the sweat from his face. “Why did you run so fast?”

 

Lu Xingmian, slightly out of breath, wiped the sweat from his face and said, “I was afraid you’d leave.”

 

Lu Shiran: “I said I’d wait for you, and I will.”

 

Of course, Lu Xingmian knew Lu Shiran would wait for him, but he just wanted to see him sooner. Lu Xingmian thought Lu Shiran would stay a little longer, but he didn’t expect that he had truly just come to see him and was leaving soon because he had something to do that night.

 

Lu Shiran patted his shoulder and promised him that he would come to see him again next time.

 

When he returned home and saw how clean and tidy the place was, Lu Xingmian knew that he had helped him clean the room again. He opened the refrigerator, and it was full again. Thinking about how Lu Shiran had come to cook so many delicious meals for him, washed all the fruits, and then, after doing all of that, waited for him at the school gate, Lu Xingmian felt his heart beat very fast, and his chest was filled with a certain emotion.

 

–

 

Since severing ties with the Lu family, they had never come to find Lu Xingmian again, and he felt an unprecedented sense of relief. When the Lu family attended banquets, people still asked Xia Yuefang why they hadn’t seen Lu Xingmian. Xia Yuefang calmly said that Lu Xingmian didn’t want to stay with the Lu family and had already severed ties with them, and that the only heir to the Lu family from now on was Lu Sihang. The madam quietly glanced at Xia Yuefang, thinking to herself that the Lu family was truly heartless. But since it was someone else’s matter, at most they were just there to watch and gossip, it had nothing to do with them.

 

Lu Yan’s goal of call Lu Xingmian back had failed. As for inviting Lu Yu to dinner, he had to approach him in person, yet he couldn’t even manage to secure a meeting. Lu Yu’s assistant flatly refused, saying that President Lu was very busy and had no time. Lu Yan didn’t give up and asked Lu Yu when he would be free. The assistant simply said he wasn’t sure and then escorted Lu Yan out. Of course, the Lu clan also had another President Lu, the family head, Lu Shiran. However, Lu Yan didn’t have the guts to go directly to Lu Shiran, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to see him anyway.

 

Lu Shiran was in Lu Yu’s office. By the time Lu Yu’s assistant returned, Lu Yan had already left the company. After the assistant left, Lu Yu looked at Lu Shiran. “Why do I get the feeling you really dislike Lu Yan? Did he offend you?”

 

Lu Shiran lightly tapped his long, slender fingers, and the cigarette ash fell into the crystal ashtray. “If you say so, then it is.”

 

Lu Yu sat opposite him and lit a cigarette as well. “Oh, that’s right. I heard Lu Xingmian from the Lu family cut ties with them. I think that kid’s really talented.”

 

Lu Shiran looked up at Lu Yu through the faint smoke. “Lu Yu, in the future, don’t mention Lu Xingmian so much when you’re out.”

 

Lu Yu’s mind was completely blown. A million questions exploded in his head.

 

“When have I ever mentioned Lu Xingmian when I’m out?” He had only met Lu Xingmian twice: once at a banquet hosted by the Lu clan, and the other time at an awards ceremony where he said a few words to him, and that was only because Lu Shiran had dragged him there with a phone call. Lu Yu thought about it; this was the first time he had proactively mentioned Lu Xingmian in front of Lu Shiran. The only other person he had mentioned him to was Lu Yan. “Does that even count as mentioning him when I’m out?”

 

Lu Yu took a puff of his cigarette, feeling that something was off. Why did it seem like Lu Shiran cared so much about Lu Xingmian? But there was absolutely no way they could know each other.

 

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Lu Shiran look at his phone, and then a sweet, clear boy’s voice came through.

 

“Ge, listen to me, I’m not…”

 

Lu Yu felt like he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. He couldn’t hear the rest of the message because Lu Shiran got up and walked to the side to listen. A moment later, Lu Yu came to his senses.

 

Wait! What’s the deal with Lu Shiran?! How could someone send him a message like that?!

 

–

 

The person who sent the message was Lu Xingmian. Today was the day the school had scheduled physical exams. Since the start of the semester, the high school seniors’ studies have become more and more intense. To help the students balance work and rest and relax a bit, the school decided to give them a half-day off immediately after the physical exams. The students were overjoyed. The day before, Lu Xingmian, Chen Che, and the other two had already planned everything in their group chat: after the physical exams, the four of them would first go to an internet cafe to play games, and then in the evening, they would go to the riverside to set off fireworks.

 

After the physical exam ended, Lu Xingmian accidentally sent a message to Lu Shiran. He only realized his mistake half a minute later when he received a message back.

 

Lu Shiran: [Lu Xingmian, you’re going to an internet cafe? Are you skipping class?]

 

Lu Xingmian could already imagine Lu Shiran’s frowning expression on the other end of the phone, and in his hurry, he immediately sent a voice message.

 

Lu Xingmian: [Ge, listen to me, I’m not skipping class. We had a physical exam today, so we have the afternoon off. It’s not skipping class.]

 

He had promised Lu Shiran he wouldn’t skip class.

 

Lu Shiran smiled. He could tell Lu Xingmian was anxious to explain. As long as it was a half-day off for a physical exam and not skipping class, it was fine.

 

Lu Shiran also hoped Lu Xingmian could get some rest, as he knew Lu Xingmian worked hard every night until the early hours. His excellent grades were the result of his daily late-night efforts.

 

Lu Xingmian told him that they were going to an internet cafe in the afternoon and to the riverside to set off fireworks in the evening.

 

After the physical exam, Lu Xingmian, Chen Che, Zhou Cheng, and Zhu Jinyan went to a nearby internet cafe.

 

In the evening, after they finished eating, they went to buy fireworks. At the firework store, Lu Xingmian actually ran into an acquaintance.

 

Xie Jiaze’s school also had their physical exams today and a half-day off, just like them. It was clear that Xie Jiaze and his friends had the same idea as Lu Xingmian and his friends—to go to the riverside to set off fireworks that evening. And so, they met in the firework store.

 

Since they had run into each other, they decided to go to the riverside together. Xie Jiaze took the things from Lu Xingmian’s hands.

 

“I can carry them myself.” Lu Xingmian said.

 

“It’s fine, it’s on the way anyway.” Xie Jiaze replied.

 

By the time they reached the riverside, it was already dark, and people had started setting off fireworks. Besides them, many others had also come to set off and watch fireworks. Lu Xingmian and his friends lit their fireworks at the same time. The breeze in April was gentle.

 

Xie Jiaze happened to turn his head and was stunned. The light from the fireworks hit Lu Xingmian in the distance, faintly outlining his silhouette. In the smoke and light, Lu Xingmian looked like a character from a comic book.

 

Xie Jiaze rubbed his ear, walked over, and stood next to Lu Xingmian. “Lu Xingmian, did you make a wish? What university do you want to get into?”

 

“Yan University. You?” Lu Xingmian asked.

 

“Ren University. We won’t be far from each other then, so I can come and find you often, right?” Xie Jiaze asked.

 

“I guess so.” Lu Xingmian said.

 

Xie Jiaze began to imagine their future. “Then I can come to your school to sit in on classes with you, and we can hang out and have fun together.”

 

Lu Xingmian thought about it. The future was still uncertain. Many close friends grow apart after graduation. He figured Xie Jiaze was probably just saying this on a whim.

 

“I guess that’s possible.” Lu Xingmian said.

 

Xie Jiaze said happily, “Then it’s a deal!”

 

The moment the fireworks exploded in the sky, Lu Xingmian caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing behind him from the corner of his eye.

 

He turned around.

 

“Ge?”