1.

On the day the acceptance letters were issued, the heat was so intense that it could wring the water out of people.

Cicadas were buzzing frantically in the trees. Zhong Qi and Lin Shiyu were sleeping soundly at home and were already a bit late by the time they arrived at school to collect their letters. Mr. Li was waiting for them in the office and handed each of them a letter. “Congratulations to both of you for getting into your desired universities.”

The two of them sat in the office and chatted with Mr. Li for a while before leaving. There was no one in the corridor outside the office. The glaring sunlight quietly shone on the ground, and the air was hot and stagnant. The white wall tiles, blue paint, gray corridor, and green lawn looked like a bright watercolor painting under the sunlight.

After the summer break, Zhong Qi would be going to Beijing, while Lin Shiyu would stay in the province to take care of his family. They were all about to head off in different directions. Although they could contact each other anytime by phone, it wouldn’t be like before, when they could turn around and see each other every day in class.

Lin Shiyu clutched the acceptance letter, looking at the familiar lawn outside the corridor, the white teaching building, and the clear blue sky.

This acceptance letter was already the best outcome he had never dared to imagine before. He still remembered once barely squeezing into the top twenty of his class in a monthly exam. Mr. Li quietly sent him a small red envelope on WeChat, telling him to buy something nice to eat and to keep up the good work.

Earlier, when he left the bottom three of the class for the first time, Gao Jie and the others made a big fuss and even put up a banner to celebrate, making his head ache.

He also remembered the desk with the small lamp lit every night, Zhong Qi’s handsome fingers turning pages, explaining problems, teaching him how to study and review, and how to organize his notes.

These memories, still vivid and colorful, suddenly felt distant in the oppressive summer heat. Three years had passed in a flash, and now everyone was heading in different directions.

Then they would slowly grow up and bid farewell to the past.

Zhong Qi walked down the steps and, seeing that Lin Shiyu hadn’t followed, stopped and waited for him.

Lin Shiyu looked at Zhong Qi. His figure in the sunlight was clean and refreshing, inexplicably reminding Lin Shiyu of a bottle of soda with fresh lemon, bubbles rising densely, tasting like summer.

Lin Shiyu thought silently that his soda would be leaving soon.

Mao Silu and Ruan Zhikai had both gotten into a university in Wuhan. Their families, being close, decided to combine their graduation parties and invited classmates and teachers. The mothers even made them wear matching suits and flowers on their chests, almost like a formal ceremony. Class 7 sat at a table, stifling laughter and recording it all, later sharing it in the group chat, which then spread through everyone’s social media.

In the evening, the group arranged to meet at a restaurant. After dinner, some went home, but Shen Ziyi, slightly tipsy, insisted on having barbecue. The other boys, not wanting her to wander around alone, noisily accompanied her to a roadside barbecue stall and set up a table.

Later, most of them got drunk, except Gao Jie, who couldn’t drink, and Zhong Qi, who drank only a little. They took the responsibility of getting everyone home.

The first to be taken home was Tao Chen. She leaned against the door handle, blushing, and said goodbye to them. Noticing Lin Shiyu sleeping in Zhong Qi’s arms, she smiled and placed her hand on his, murmuring, “Shiyu, share some of your luck with me.”

Next, they took Shen Ziyi home. She waved at them at the door, saying, “Guys and gals, keep in touch!”

When the bus arrived at Ruan Zhikai and Mao Silu’s neighborhood, the two childhood friends got off, arms around each other. Mao Silu, dazed, bumped into a pole, bowed to apologize, and tried to shake hands with it. Ruan Zhikai, after a few steps, turned back and held the bus door, saying, “Lin Shiyu, we’re going to the same university. Call me if you need anything.”

Finally, Gao Jie returned home, and brought out lots of food for Zhong Qi and promised to treat them well if they visited him at his university.

After getting everyone home, Zhong Qi hailed a taxi to take Lin Shiyu back. Lin Shiyu, half-asleep with a flushed face, mumbled in discomfort. Zhong Qi, amused, pinched his chin and asked, “Lin Shiyu, do you know who I am?”

Lin Shiyu, eyes half-opened, glared at him for a while and said, “Soda.”

Alright, he couldn’t even recognize species.

When they arrived, Zhong Qi carried Lin Shiyu to his apartment. Lin Shiyu clung to him, his warm breath with a hint of alcohol tickling Zhong Qi’s collar, like a sweet, warm breeze.

Zhong Qi turned his head. “What’s up?”

Lin Shiyu murmured in a low, wolf-like growl, “I miss you.”

They entered the dim hallway, and Zhong Qi set Lin Shiyu down. Lin Shiyu, unsteady, stumbled back, but Zhong Qi caught him, saying, “We’re home.”

In the quiet, dim hallway, Lin Shiyu stubbornly wrapped his arms around Zhong Qi’s neck, pulling him down. They kissed, the sound of their lips and teeth mingling. Drunk, Lin Shiyu clung to Zhong Qi like a sticky pine cone, making Zhong Qi lose control and press him against the wall, kissing him harder.

They almost went too far, but Zhong Qi finally straightened Lin Shiyu up, saying, “Lin Shiyu, don’t flirt with me when you’re drunk.”

Lin Shiyu, panting with a flushed face and kiss-swollen lips, replied with a touch of grievance, “But I will… miss you.”

Zhong Qi was nearly driven to his limit but managed to get Lin Shiyu inside and left, feeling irritated.

 

2.
The next morning, Lin Shiyu fell out of bed, waking up.

Since Lin Hui started working for a new boss and earning more, their family’s life had improved. She got Lin Shiyu a bigger bed. When he used to sleep on a smaller bed, he stayed put all night, but with the bigger bed, he wasn’t used to it and moved around, eventually falling off.

Lin Shiyu, feeling groggy, climbed up from the floor, his head buzzing. He walked out, yawning, with messy hair. Breakfast was already laid out on the table, steaming hot. Lin Wanyue, humming a song, was playing with her chopsticks. When she saw Lin Shiyu, she smiled brightly. “Brother, time for breakfast!”

Since Lin Wanyue started learning the guitar, her previously slow speech development had inexplicably improved. She went from simple calls and single syllables to forming short sentences and even asking simple questions. Her guitar teacher said that Lin Wanyue communicated better during lessons and behaved well, smiling sweetly whenever she saw the teacher.

By a stroke of luck, Zuo Xiang had seen a video of Lin Wanyue playing the guitar. Later, with his suggestion and help, Lin Wanyue’s online video account was set up, dedicated to her guitar playing. This added another task to Lin Hui’s daily routine—learning photography, video editing, and using computer software to film Lin Wanyue. She was incredibly busy but seemed very happy.

“Little Shiyu, come and eat,” Lin Hui called out as she brought a plate of boiled eggs to the table. “You drank yourself into a little drunkard last night and didn’t sleep until late. You must be hungry, right?”

Lin Shiyu felt a bit embarrassed. “What did I do?”

“You wouldn’t let go of me, acting all spoiled. You even said you’d make money to buy me a necklace,” Lin Hui laughed, placing an egg in his bowl. “It was quite adorable.”

Lin Shiyu scratched his head, picked up his bowl, and drank his porridge.

His mother, at some point, had regained her once vibrant and gentle demeanor, her smiles no longer tinged with sorrow. It was as if she had finally taken a deep breath, relieved of a long-held, poisonous burden, and was gradually awakening from an endless nightmare.

The day the man’s verdict was announced, Lin Hui hugged Lin Shiyu outside the courthouse, smiling through her tears, saying, “Mom can finally make it up to you both.”

That long, suffocating period was finally receding. Lin Shiyu realized that life doesn’t stand still; no matter how big the mountain, he could climb it.

And the view from the foot and the peak of the mountain was so drastically different.

He was about to embark on his next journey. Lin Shiyu felt both anticipation and loneliness.

He thought about how Zhong Qi was going far away, encountering many interesting things and different people. He would move fast and do well. He was so excellent; his future would be brilliant.

Lin Shiyu wondered if they would eventually part ways.

3.
The hotel restaurant had over ten tables filled with people, all invited by Qin Man to celebrate Zhong Qi’s admission to university. Her son, idle and playful for so many years, had finally given her immense pride at this crucial moment. Qin Man, beaming with joy, had invited almost all their relatives and everyone from her company, wanting to announce to the world that she had raised an outstanding son.

After the round of festivities, Zhong Qi returned to the main table to eat. He smiled and calmly responded to the well-wishes of the uncles and aunts, appearing exceptionally poised and outstanding.

“Come, Zhong Qi, this is a girl from a certain family, attending the same university as you in Beijing. You two can be friends.”

A girl was pushed in front of Zhong Qi, smiling shyly at him. Zhong Qi also smiled politely and greeted her, and they were seated together.

Zhong Qi, feeling full, took out his phone to check the time. The girl, curious, asked, “Who is this?”

Zhong Qi replied, “My boyfriend.”

After the banquet ended, Qin Man went for afternoon tea with her friends, and Zhong Qi left alone.

His parents hadn’t divorced; his mother refused to, so they just lived separately, maintaining the facade of a marriage. Zhong Qi no longer had to endure their fake harmony and real cold war. He could even go to Lin Shiyu’s house for a good meal, living quite comfortably.

Just occasionally, he felt a bit restless.

He hailed a taxi and got off at a small restaurant. Inside, it was cool with the air conditioning, and the place was crowded. He found the only empty table and sat down, looking at the cash register.

Lin Shiyu was behind the counter, handling a payment. After finishing, he looked up and saw Zhong Qi.

“Why are you here?” Lin Shiyu walked over, wearing a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and sneakers. His skin was clean and fair, smelling faintly of soap, fresh and pleasant.

Zhong Qi said, “I’m hungry.”

Lin Shiyu was suspicious. “Isn’t today your graduation banquet?”

“I didn’t get full.”

Lin Shiyu relented. “Want me to fry you some beef rice?”

Zhong Qi nodded, and Lin Shiyu went to the kitchen. Shortly, he brought out a plate of fried rice and a bowl of iced plum juice his aunt had made.

The place was busy, and Lin Shiyu was bustling around. Zhong Qi sipped the plum juice, watching Lin Shiyu’s quiet and handsome figure moving about, standing out with a unique coolness in the crowd.

He knew Lin Shiyu was different from everyone else.

4.
Zhong Qi asked Lin Shiyu to go swimming, but Lin Shiyu had to take his sister to the hospital for a check-up and told Zhong Qi to go alone. So Zhong Qi went by himself.

The pool was in a private gym in the suburbs, a bit far and expensive, and empty for the afternoon. Zhong Qi didn’t want to go to a crowded public pool, so he used his father’s card for this place.

The swimming pool was large, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window facing outside, the greenery beyond filtering the sunlight into a soft glow.

With a splash, Zhong Qi dived into the water. Bubbles rose, and the ripples broke the sunlight into shimmering patterns on the pool floor. The cool water on his skin reminded him of Lin Shiyu.

Cold and clear, yet always warm, drawing people in. That night, Lin Shiyu had been drunk, clinging to Zhong Qi’s neck, refusing to let go, and softly whispering that he missed him, lifting his face for a kiss. If they hadn’t already been at his door, Zhong Qi might have just taken the drunkard home to sober up properly.

The water surface broke open as Zhong Qi stood up from the water, wiping his face.

He felt annoyed and restless. No matter how much he saw Lin Shiyu every day, held his hand, kissed him, or hugged him, he couldn’t shake this strange feeling.

He knew that after this summer, they would no longer be able to see or touch each other all the time.

Not being able to hold onto Lin Shiyu was torturous for him, but if he didn’t choose this path, he feared he wouldn’t even have the right to be with Lin Shiyu in the future.

He couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else having Lin Shiyu.

5.

“Zhong Qi.”

The familiar cool voice came through the water as Zhong Qi emerged.

Lin Shiyu was squatting by the pool, looking at him with his big, bright eyes. Zhong Qi swam to the edge. “Finished with work?”

“Yeah.”

“Want to swim?”

“I didn’t bring my swimsuit, so forget it.” Lin Shiyu played with the water. “My mom came to pick up Wanyue, and I came straight from the hospital.”

In the empty swimming pool, they stared at each other. The light blue ripples reflected on the ceiling, and the pool felt like a transparent square water tank with invisible currents flowing through the air.

They shared a silent kiss. Lin Shiyu licked his lips, “You taste like chlorine.”

Zhong Qi laughed, splashing him with water. Lin Shiyu quickly dodged and used his collar to wipe his face. Zhong Qi said, “Why did you kiss me?”

Lin Shiyu awkwardly replied, “You kissed me first.”

“Whoever initiated it knows clearly.”

Lin Shiyu splashed him back, but Zhong Qi grabbed his wrist, almost pulling him into the pool. Lin Shiyu steadied himself on Zhong Qi’s shoulders. “Don’t mess around! I have no clothes to change into.”

“I miss you too.”

Lin Shiyu paused, looking at Zhong Qi. Zhong Qi held his hand, gazing at him with dark eyes. Water dripped from his chin, sliding down his neck. He took Lin Shiyu’s hand and slowly kissed it, repeating softly, “Lin Shiyu, I miss you too.”

6.
In the empty shower room, only one stall was pouring hot water. The glass door shook occasionally, accompanied by the sound of water and muffled whimpers.

Lin Shiyu stood barefoot on the floor, gasping in pain from the force behind him. “Slower…”

His waist felt like it was about to break. Zhong Qi was too deep and too heavy, as if trying to devour him. Lin Shiyu was tormented by the intense possessiveness, losing control, his legs trembling as he bit his lips until they were crimson.

“Zhong Qi… stop…” Lin Shiyu couldn’t take it and pushed against Zhong Qi’s waist, his cheeks flushed and shaking. “Stop.”

Yet his body was suddenly thrust into, and Zhong Qi covered his mouth to muffle his cry, pressing him against the door. He leaned close to kiss his ear. “Lin Shiyu, you should miss me every day.”

“Mmm…!”

“Call me every day from now on,” Zhong Qi whispered, kissing his wet forehead and cheeks. “Don’t be mad at me or ignore me, or I’ll lock you up. Understand?”

7.

“You’re crazy!”

Lin Shiyu threw his bag at Zhong Qi, blushing furiously. “Lock, lock, lock—lock your head!”

Zhong Qi caught the bag, looking at him innocently. “What did I say wrong?”

Lin Shiyu, headache growing, stormed off towards the road, his waist still aching slightly. Zhong Qi tried to hold his hand, but Lin Shiyu shook him off, glaring at him. Zhong Qi raised an eyebrow with a smile and reached out again, this time successfully holding his hand.

They walked hand in hand under the green shade by the road, their hair still slightly damp, water droplets trickling down their collars, warmed by their body heat.

“Did you remember what I told you earlier?”

“You’re still bringing that up! You–”

“Arguing is fine, but don’t ignore me. Is that too much to ask?”

“Who still talks to someone after a fight?”

“If you ignore me, I’ll…”

Lin Shiyu looked at Zhong Qi, his expression challenging him to see what threat he would make. Zhong Qi thought for three seconds and said seriously, “I’ll fly back from Beijing and lock you up.”

Lin Shiyu: “…”

Zhong Qi immediately ran ahead, and Lin Shiyu chased after him. “You’re crazy! I’ll beat you up today. Don’t run!”

They ran off, their figures quickly disappearing into the greenery. The heat wave rolled on, and the scenery remained unchanged.

Summer was almost over.

 

Edited by: Jaisland

Proofreader: 

 

Support translation: