Chapter 10 Trajectory 1
Life is a long journey.
Some meet, some leave.
It's just that they live in my heart and never really go away.
After returning from × City, my wish has been fulfilled. I plan every day very full, as if only in this way can I make time pass more slowly. I will get up early in the morning to go shopping with Aunt Shen, then read books and learn to cook; in the afternoon, I will go to chat with Xu Xuan or Li Zi.
During this period, Tong Xiaotian came back for Gigi Lai's birthday.
Xu Xuan and I were both present at that birthday party.
Tong Xiaotian knelt on one knee holding ninety-nine roses. In his hand was a dazzling ring. He looked at Gigi Lai with tenderness and affection in his eyes.
He said: "Gigi, after meeting you, I realized that the world can be so beautiful. When you smile, I feel the spring flowers blooming, and when you cry, I feel the cold weather. The four seasons in my world are all determined by you. Although we are so far apart in the past three years, my love for you has never changed. So on such a special day like today, I want to make the most solemn decision of my life to you - please marry me, and I will love you well for the rest of my life."
Tears quickly fell from Gigi Lai's eyes, and the people around her started to boo loudly.
Amid those well-intentioned cheers, Gigi Lai slowly nodded her head.
At that moment, Tong Xiaotian stood up excitedly and handed the flowers to her arms, then helped her put the ring on her finger. In the crowd, they hugged each other happily.
I think it's great that I can see my best friend happy before I leave. I know Tong Xiaotian very well over the years, and I feel relieved to leave Gigi Lai to him.
I smiled and left silently. Xu Xuan stayed by my side. We didn't speak along the way.
The evening breeze blew gently across my face, and it was only then that I suddenly remembered that it was already June and another summer had arrived.
I never thought I would see Chen Qiaoluo again at this time. When I was sitting in Xu Xuan's car, he and Lei Zi's figures flashed past the window.
This Lei Zi was sentenced to five years in prison. Shouldn't he still be in prison? How come he was released so soon? Chen Qiaoluo should not have had a holiday at this time. Why was he here and still with him?
As these questions flashed through my mind, I suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness. I asked Xu Xuan to turn back, and sure enough, I was not mistaken, it was indeed Chen Qiaoluo and Lei Zi.
I hurriedly asked Xu Xuan to park the car on the side of the road, and I rushed down almost immediately.
It seemed like they hadn't expected me to appear suddenly. Chen Qiaoluo and Lei Zi were both stunned.
I was too lazy to say more, so I asked Lei Zi directly: "Why are you here? Why did you get out of prison so soon?"
Lei Zi was stunned when I asked him this, then he touched his bald head awkwardly and said, "Actually, I thought a lot during my imprisonment, and I realized that what I did was wrong. In the past few years, I behaved very well in prison, and even made meritorious service, so I was granted a commutation of sentence, and was just released two days ago."
Looking at Lei Zi, who was speaking with a guilty tone, I still found it hard to believe. Is it so easy for a person to turn over a new leaf? Whenever I think of what he had done in the past, I feel sick as if I had eaten a fly.
At this time, Xu Xuan parked the car and walked to my side. When he saw Chen Qiaoluo, he was surprised and said, "Aluo, shouldn't you be in × City? Why are you back now?"
Xu Xuan's voice attracted Chen Qiaoluo's attention. He looked at Xu Xuan in confusion. After a while, he asked uncertainly, "Are you Xu Xuan?"
"Yes, it's me." Xu Xuan smiled and said, "I met you once in the billiard hall last time, but you didn't seem to recognize me. Later, I heard from Yun Hao that you were studying in × City, and I haven't seen you since then. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that we actually ran into each other now."
When he mentioned me, Chen Qiaoluo's eyes flashed slightly.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, I asked again: "Chen Qiaoluo, what about you? Shouldn't you be in class now? Why did you come back?"
As soon as I said this, I wanted to slap myself in the face. Didn't we agree to keep a distance from Chen Qiaoluo? But what's going on now?
But Chen Qiaoluo didn't seem to think as much as I did. He just said awkwardly that he was going to find an internship and came back early as the holiday was about to start.
After he finished speaking, I fell silent.
At this time, Xu Xuan seemed to notice the change in my mood. He turned to Chen Qiaoluo and said with a smile, "Aluo, I'll leave with Yun first. She just wanted to eat the tiramisu from the new bakery in the west of the city. I'm afraid it'll be sold out if we go too late. Let's get together another day."
As soon as Xu Xuan finished speaking, I saw Chen Qiaoluo lowered his eyes in disappointment, and after a long while he said "hmm" softly.
It wasn't until Xu Xuan's car drove far away that I breathed a sigh of relief, closed my eyes, and said to him after a while: "Xu Xuan, thank you for helping me out just now."
"What are you thanking me for? This is what I should do." Xu Xuan smiled gently.
Ever since I knew Chen Qiaoluo was back, my heart felt like it was hanging in the air.
Gigi Lai told me that Chen Qiaolu had contacted her and asked about my recent situation, and a feeling of sadness spread through my heart.
I never thought I would meet Chen Qiaoluo again. City A seemed to have shrunk in an instant. When I saw him, Xu Xuan was accompanying me to get medicine from the hospital. We were both stunned at that moment.
After a while, Chen Qiaoluo spoke first: "What a coincidence."
I nodded, and heard Xu Xuan chuckle, "Yeah, I was thinking of asking you out for dinner a few days ago, but I didn't expect to run into you by chance today."
"Since it's such a coincidence, why don't we have a meal together today? We brothers haven't gotten together for a long time." Chen Qiaoluo suggested to Xu Xuan, but his eyes never left me.
Seeing this, Xu Xuan glanced at me.
I knew he was just making excuses, but I didn't expect that Chen Qiaoluo would actually agree to it, so he was a little at a loss.
After a while, Xu Xuan finally said, "Okay, let's have a good time together today."
We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant in the city center. I sat next to Xu Xuan in silence, and the two of them seemed to have nothing to say.
Silence spread wantonly in the air. My father called and asked me why I didn't go home for dinner. I told him that Xu Xuan and I were eating outside. He felt relieved and reminded me to remember to take my medicine.
Ever since Xu Xuan took me to × City last time, my dad has trusted him very much since we came back. As long as I am with Xu Xuan, my dad will never ask any more questions.
After hanging up the phone, Xu Xuan looked at me and said gently, "Is it your uncle calling?"
I nodded.
Xu Xuan smiled and poured me a glass of water, then took my medicine out of the bag and said, "Uncle must be asking why you haven't gone home yet and reminding you that it's time to take your medicine."
"You guessed it right."
I took the medicine and water cup from Xu Xuan, raised my head and swallowed the pills, and when I lowered my head again, Chen Qiaoluo was looking at us with a sad face. After a while, he hesitated and asked, "You two..."
I knew that my actions with Xu Xuan must have made him misunderstand, but so what? I couldn't delay him, so I just broke up with him. I looked at him, suppressed my sadness, smiled and said, "We have been together for a long time."
As soon as I finished saying this, I saw Chen Qiaoluo lower his head in disappointment, while Xu Xuan, who was sitting next to me, looked at me in shock. But in just a moment, his expression returned to calm. I know he understands me and the intentions of all my actions.
The meal was tasteless. Chen Qiaoluo ate a few bites in a hurry and then left on the pretext of having something to do.
I knew he couldn't face such a thing. When he left, I couldn't hold back any longer and cried on the table.
Xu Xuan sighed, then hugged me lovingly and said, "Hello Zhu Jun, why are you doing this?"
Ever since I lied to Chen Qiaoluo that day, my spirit has slowly deteriorated. I don’t know if it’s because I’m running out of energy or if it’s my emotions that are playing tricks on me.
My mother would call me a few times almost every week to say hello, and this time she said she hoped I could go to the United States for treatment.
Although my dad was reluctant to let me go, he still wanted me to go there.
In fact, it doesn't make any difference to me now. I asked my attending physician, and he told me very clearly that my disease is incurable, and even if I go abroad it can only delay some time.
But looking at my dad's expression, I didn't know how to say these words.
I decided to go to my mother's place, partly because I didn't want to disappoint my father, and partly because I wanted to avoid Chen Qiaoluo. I was afraid that the longer I stayed here, the easier it would be for him to know the truth, and I couldn't see him sad before I died.
Call me selfish or fearless, but I have made up my mind.
I told Gigi Lai and Xu Xuan the news that I was leaving, and that evening they invited me out for a farewell party.
Gigi Lai was in a very bad mood. After eating a few bites of food, she hugged Tong Xiaotian and started crying.
I smiled and comforted her, but in the end I was so sad that I couldn't control myself.
This farewell party was filled with tears and sadness. My eyes were red, but I didn’t know if I would see them again in the future.
