AAWOMAHI Chapter37

The next evening, during their call, Lu Shiran noticed that Lu Xingmian had suddenly become very shy, and his words were fewer.

 

Before, during their calls, Lu Xingmian would always share things that happened at school that day. Lu Shiran had learned about Lu Xingmian’s good friends, knowing the names of Chen Che, Zhu Jinyan, and Zhou Cheng. He also knew about Gao Yan, who always wanted to surpass him.

 

He also learned interesting things, like how their school, to help the senior students relax, organized a screening of the movie Scent of a Woman in the auditorium. To encourage English learning, they showed the original English version, but most of the students were sleeping or resting with their heads on the desks.

 

Listening to Lu Xingmian share his school life every day, Lu Shiran felt that his own high school life hadn’t been as exciting as Lu Xingmian’s. His high school life seemed quite dull, and Lu Shiran really enjoyed listening to Lu Xingmian talk.

 

But today, Lu Shiran found that Lu Xingmian suddenly stopped talking. When asked something, he would just say “en,” as if he was avoiding him.

 

Lu Shiran felt more and more like something was off. “Lu Xingmian, are you sick? Are you not feeling well somewhere?”

 

Suddenly hearing Lu Shiran call his name, Lu Xingmian trembled. He thought of Lu Shiran calling his name in his dream, right next to his ear. Lu Xingmian’s cheeks suddenly felt hot. Thankfully, it was just a voice call, and Lu Shiran couldn’t see what he looked like right now.

 

Now, every time he heard Lu Shiran’s voice, his mind was filled with the dream he had yesterday and his own audacity toward Lu Shiran in that dream.

 

To prevent Lu Shiran from noticing anything unusual, Lu Xingmian said in a light tone, “No, I’m not.”

 

Lu Shiran was a bit unconvinced. “Then why are you talking so little today?”

 

Lu Xingmian covered his face. “I want to hear you talk.”

 

Lu Shiran was still a little worried. “Are you really okay? Are you really not uncomfortable anywhere?”

 

“I’m really not.” Lu Xingmian wanted to quickly move on from the topic. “Ge, tell me a story.”

 

Lu Shiran thought about it. Lu Xingmian’s voice didn’t sound like he was sick. If Lu Xingmian was truly unwell, he would’ve told him.

 

Lu Shiran suddenly considered another possibility—that Lu Xingmian might have “fallen for” someone else’s voice. However, he quickly dismissed the idea, because Lu Xingmian had said that he could only fall asleep while listening to Lu Shiran’s voice.

 

Lu Xingmian didn’t know if it was his own misconception, but he felt that Lu Shiran’s voice sounded exceptionally good and gentle that day. He slowly fell asleep listening to it.

 

As for the dream, Lu Xingmian eventually understood it. It was normal to have such dreams during puberty. After being awkward for two days, Lu Xingmian finally returned to his old self, which relieved Lu Shiran. For the past two days, Lu Shiran had been reflecting on whether he had said something wrong, almost to the point of doubting himself.

 

The countdown days in the classroom were getting fewer and fewer, while the pile of test papers on their desks grew larger and larger.

 

By the end of the day, each student had nine or ten more test papers. There were too many to finish.

 

Lu Xingmian only picked some of the more difficult problems to do, but even then, he was still going to bed at one or two in the morning. In the residential area, the windows that were still lit up at one or two in the morning usually belonged to families with students preparing for the college entrance exam.

 

Lu Xingmian’s former homeroom teacher in Sucheng still thought about him and called to ask how he was doing. When Lu Xingmian told the teacher his recent mock exam scores, the teacher felt much more relieved. Fortunately, transferring schools hadn’t had a negative impact on Lu Xingmian.

 

The weather was getting hotter. Several students in the next class got sick with stomach issues and fever from eating unclean, spoiled food outside and had to rest at home for half a day.

 

Li Mei, their teacher, emphasized to her students in class that with the hot weather, they shouldn’t indulge in too many cold drinks and should eat out less during this period.

 

In May, the rainy season arrived silently. On this day, it started raining ten minutes before school was out. Lu Xingmian felt the umbrella in his backpack and wasn’t flustered at all. This was because Lu Shiran had reminded him that morning that it might rain, telling him to bring an umbrella. Just as he predicted, it rained in the evening.

 

When school let out, four boys shared one umbrella as they left the campus. They were soaked through, but Lu Xingmian and his friends were all smiles.

 

The weather grew hotter, and before they knew it, June had arrived. Before the examination, Li Mei deliberately put on a qipao and styled her hair into a bun. When she appeared in the classroom, the whole class cheered. Even in her thirties, with a little dressing up, Li Mei was a woman of great elegance and charm. The qipao highlighted the beautiful lines of a woman’s figure.

 

Chen Che called out from below, “Teacher, you look so pretty today.”

 

Below, the students echoed his sentiment. It was the first time they had seen their homeroom teacher look so beautiful.

 

Li Mei laughed and playfully scolded them, “Go on now. I’m just wearing this to bring you all good luck, wishing you all a victorious start and an invincible performance on the exam.”

 

“Thank you, Teacher!”

 

On that day, nearly all the teachers dressed in festive clothes. Most female teachers wore qipaos. The homeroom teacher of the neighboring class was a chubby male teacher in his forties, and his students urged him, “Teacher, the teachers in the other classes are all wearing qipaos. You should wear one too.”

 

The teacher from the next class said, “Go, go, go. What are you getting all riled up about? It wouldn’t fit me!”

 

The students teased, “Teacher, you can wear the largest size!”

 

The teacher from the next class replied, “Alright, once you all get into your ideal universities, I’ll wear one for you to see.”

 

“It’s a promise, Teacher!”

 

“Teacher, you have to keep your word!”

 

Laughter erupted throughout the classroom.

 

To help the students de-stress and prepare for the battle ahead, the school decided to allow the seniors to have a stress-relieving ceremony. The last class was a day of carnival for the seniors. As the sound of “Run, youths!” came from the loudspeaker amidst cheerful music, shredded pieces of paper drifted down from above like snowflakes.

 

The entire senior high school teaching building was a scene of lively clamor.

 

Amidst the commotion, Gao Yan found Lu Xingmian. “Lu Xingmian, this is the last time I’ll compete with you. I’ll work hard to surpass you. Good luck with the examination.”

 

With that, Gao Yan left with his usual cold demeanor.

 

The examination was on June 7th. That evening, during their phone call, Lu Shiran asked again if Lu Xingmian’s exam documents were ready. Lu Xingmian said everything was prepared and had been double-checked. He had brought spare stationery, and everything was already in his backpack, so he could just grab it and go tomorrow.

 

Lu Shiran understood that this was an important day for Lu Xingmian, and his reminders were a bit redundant. Lu Xingmian was always careful and wouldn’t make the mistake of forgetting his ID or exam permit. But he didn’t know that Lu Xingmian was deeply moved, because no one had ever reminded him to check his documents before a test, and no one had ever asked him how he was preparing.

 

During that period of insomnia, Lu Xingmian had been in pain and depressed. At that time, he felt helpless and alone, his future was a blur, and when he was tormented by sleepless nights, he even considered swallowing an entire bottle of melatonin.

 

But looking back now, Lu Xingui didn’t think it was so painful anymore. If he hadn’t had insomnia, he wouldn’t have been so desperate to go online for help, wouldn’t have met Lu Shiran first, and wouldn’t have gotten to know him. Lu Shiran had been with him through this senior year. Without Lu Shiran, he thought he might have been tormented by insomnia into becoming a completely different person.

 

At first, he thought it was just a simple transaction, but now, being cared for, Lu Xingmian felt warm in his heart.

 

Lu Xingmian said, “Ge, I think I’m a little nervous.”

 

Lu Shiran replied, “What can I do for you?”

 

Lu Xingmian laughed softly and said, “Sing for me. When I hear you sing, I don’t feel nervous.”

 

Lu Shiran: “Really?”

 

Lu Xingmian: “Really.”

 

Knowing his singing was out of tune and not good, but since Lu Xingmian liked it, Lu Shiran was willing to sing for him. After singing two songs, he told a few stories. His voice was gentler and more pleasant than usual. Lu Xingmian comfortably couldn’t help but touch his ear, feeling a little jealous of it for being able to enjoy such a wonderful sound. With a hypnotic and soothing effect, Lu Shiran’s voice lulled him to sleep. Ten minutes before midnight, Lu Xingmian was sound asleep.

 

Before hanging up, Lu Shiran said, “Lu Xingmian, good luck with the exam.” After Lu Xingmian finished his exams, he would have to reveal his identity. He just hoped Lu Xingmian wouldn’t be too angry.

 

The next day, Lu Xingmian arrived at the exam hall early. There were many parents waiting outside, but he had no one to accompany him. Still, with Lu Shiran’s encouragement on his mind, Lu Xingmian felt his spirits lift as he walked into the exam hall.

 

In Yancheng, Lu Yan personally drove Lu Sihang to the exam hall, dressed neatly in a suit. While Xia Yuefang wore a specially tailored qipao, and the two waited together outside.

 

After getting the test paper, Lu Xingmian began to write, calm and unhurried, just as he would with a regular practice sheet. He felt good after each exam, and the three days passed quickly.

 

After the last subject, Lu Xingmian felt an unprecedented sense of ease. Other students felt the same, sprinting out of the exam hall to their waiting families holding bouquets of flowers. Lu Xingmian walked slowly, knowing that no one would be waiting for him at the school gate. He hadn’t received a message from Song Mingyi since their last conversation; it was as if they had only asked on a sudden whim.

 

Before he even reached the gate, Lu Xingmian saw the lively scene outside and felt a little bit of envy. But less than two seconds later, he saw Lu Shiran at the school gate, holding a bouquet of sunflowers, waving and smiling at him. In the crowd, Lu Xingmian spotted him instantly. He stood stunned at the entrance—Lu Shiran had actually come!

 

Lu Shiran walked up to him. “Lu Xingmian, congratulations on finishing your exams.”

 

Lu Xingmian’s eyes felt wet. He had thought no one would be waiting for him at the gate. What he didn’t know was that Lu Shiran had been outside the exam hall every day, silently watching him enter and exit, worried about disturbing him. Lu Xingmian wasn’t without someone there to accompany him for the exams.

 

Lu Xingmian suddenly stepped forward and hugged Lu Shiran. No wonder he’d thought he saw Lu Shiran. He had thought he was mistaken, but it turned out Lu Shiran had been with him silently all three days.

 

“Ge, thank you.” He said.

 

Lu Shiran hugged him back.