The military training ended on September 27th, and the National Day holiday was approaching, which was the biggest benefit for students besides the winter and summer vacations.
At the end of September, the weather in Tianjin was very cool and the sky was exceptionally clear. Outside the teaching building, there were various club registration points, which was a must-see for freshmen.
"Is there any school group you want to join?" I asked Ding Chuchu.
Ding Chuchu walked through the noisy crowd and said with a frown, "I don't like places that are too noisy."
As she was talking, she had already taken me to all the club registration points, and her eyes fell on the club registration point at the very edge where no one was inquiring.
There was only a red banner hanging at this registration point - "Red Association". Under the banner was a table and two stools. A thin boy was sitting there looking at us with shining eyes.
Ding Chuchu walked over and asked, "What kind of club ?"
The boy quickly stood up and said, "With environmental protection and love as the concept, protect the environment and care for small animals."
I burst out laughing, but Ding Chuchu took up the pen without hesitation and wrote her name in the registration column. I also took the pen and wrote my name crookedly.
Seeing that we signed up so readily, the boy was so excited that he was incoherent: "Well... on the evening of the 29th, you will attend the new member meeting in classroom C101 of the South Teaching Building."
"Understood." Ding Chuchu answered decisively, then took my hand and said, "Let's go eat. I'm hungry."
I nodded and followed her to the cafeteria.
The main reason I signed up for the "Red Association" was not Ding Chuchu, but because I saw Lin Xiaolun's name on the registration list.
Although the handwriting doesn't look like Lin Xiaolun's, I'm still willing to give it a try. I don't believe that two people with the same name would appear in the same school by chance.
It turns out I was right.
When I attended the new member meeting of the "Red Association", I saw Lin Xiaolun sitting in the corner. He held his head in his hands, and a tough-looking boy next to him smiled apologetically, as if explaining something to Lin Xiaolun.
Seeing Lin Xiaolun's painful expression, I felt an indescribable pleasure in my heart.
On the podium, a thin boy wrote the words "Red Association" on the blackboard with chalk, then opened his mouth and shouted in a low voice: "Guo Lu, the meeting can begin."
The boy next to Lin Xiaolun responded, then put his hands together and bowed to Lin Xiaolun, saying softly, "Please, please."
Guo Lu turned and walked towards the podium. Lin Xiaolun slowly raised his head, covering his face with his hands. He did not slowly put his hands down until he saw me through his fingers.
I grinned at him, but he turned his head away and ignored me.
The attentive Ding Chuchu saw this scene, and leaned against the table behind her with her arms folded across her chest. She used her height advantage to look down at me and asked, "Do you know each other?"
"Friends," I responded simply.
Guo Lu talked a lot about the purpose of the club and the people it needs to serve at the podium. I looked at the sparse number of new members below the stage, and everyone was listening very attentively.
When I say "seriously", I mean the boys listened particularly seriously, and the girls looked at Guo Lu particularly seriously.
If it weren't for Lin Xiaolun, I think my eyes would have lingered on Guo Lu.
Guo Lu has an upright figure, extraordinary temperament, neat hairstyle, and a smile on his face when he speaks. When new members ask questions, even if they ask him personal questions, he will not get angry at all, but answer politely and interestingly.
Such an outstanding boy is much better than Lin Xiaolun!
I held my chin and looked back for Lin Xiaolun, but found that he was gone.
I pushed Ding Chuchu next to me and said, "I'm going to the bathroom."
Ding Chuchu waved without even looking up.
I quickly stood up and made an "apology" gesture to Guo Lu on the stage. Guo Lu smiled and nodded at me.
When I chased out , I could no longer see Lin Xiaolun.
I looked around and found an aisle between teaching buildings C and B. Outside the aisle was a sidewalk separated by a fence. Lin Xiaolun happened to be walking there.
I quickly ran out, caught up with Lin Xiaolun, and asked loudly: "Lin Xiaolun, let's go home together tomorrow."
Lin Xiaolun put his hands in his trouser pockets. When he met an acquaintance, he smiled and said hello. Then he asked me coldly: "Lele, are you going to be 18 years old in June this year?"
"Yes." I felt very curious. Are these two questions related?
Lin Xiaolun stopped, turned around and said coldly: "You are already 18 years old, do you still need someone to accompany you when you go home?"
I was choked by Lin Xiaolun's words and stood there in a daze. His eyes were like stars. When he closed his eyes, his thick eyelashes gently swept across his lower eyelids, instantly distancing himself from me.
I subconsciously walked over and reached out to grab his hand. Lin Xiaolun had his back to me, and he tilted his head slightly, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.
I said puzzledly, "I don't understand how I have done anything wrong to you that you are so disgusted with me. Lin Xiaolun, we grew up together, and I have never been disliked by you for no apparent reason. What did I do wrong?"
"I've never been played around by you like that before." Lin Xiaolun took his other hand out of his trouser pocket, pried my hand apart, and said softly, "Le Le, I've been feeling upset these days, so please don't come to see me. Let me be alone for a while, okay?"
"Sure." I nodded quickly. "I can stop bothering you, but just don't ignore me all the time."
Lin Xiaolun sighed and didn't answer me. When he turned around, the moonlight fell on his body, casting a layer of white light on him.
That night, I couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
I have always wondered if he mistakenly thought that I would not come to Tianjin University to study because I forgot to tell him when I went to the United States, never contacted him during the more than one month in the United States, and was also a few days late for reporting to school?
I sat up suddenly in bed. Yes, it makes sense to connect these things together.
Lin Xiaolun must have thought that I would not come to Tianjin University to study, and he had been having all kinds of wild thoughts all day long. But I came here again, which made him feel cheated, so he was so angry.
Thinking back to the surprised look in his eyes when he first saw me, I became more certain of my thoughts.
"Maybe Lin Xiaolun carefully prepared a romantic confession during the summer vacation, but I missed it." I sat on the bed, hugging the pillow, with a crazy look on my face.
I couldn't sleep even more, and until two o'clock in the morning, I was still holding my phone to read Lin Xiaolun's Weibo and Moments.
During the National Day holiday, I went to Lin Xiaolun's home to visit him, but Aunt Tang told me that Lin Xiaolun had gone to Beijing to play.
Hearing this, I felt like a deflated ball. But as smart as I am, I still did something very meaningful.
Lin Xiaolun has loved peach blossom cakes since he was a child, especially those made by Aunt Tang. I pestered Aunt Tang and spent 5 days learning how to make peach blossom cakes.
Even though it almost burned down Aunt Tang’s kitchen and the food didn’t seem to taste that good, it still looked pretty good.
When I returned to school, I brought back the peach blossom pastries that I made myself.
As soon as I got back to school, I went to Lin Xiaolun's dormitory, but I didn't find him. On my way back to the dormitory, I met Guo Lu downstairs in the laboratory building.
My eyes lit up, and a plan came to my mind. I rushed over and took Guo Lu's arm: "Senior, Lele has something to ask of you. Come over here."
Before Guo Lu could react, I pulled him to the pavilion behind the teaching building. I let go of his hand and bowed to Guo Lu shyly.
Guo Lu looked at me carefully and smiled meaningfully: "Is it you?"
I laughed, scratched my head, and pushed Guo Lu to sit on the stone bench.
Guo Lu looked at me in surprise. I took out the thermal box from my bag and opened it. His eyes fell on the thermal box, and he could see clearly that there were a few pieces of tempting peach blossom cakes inside.
"Want a try?" I handed the peach blossom pastry to him.
Guo Lu reached out and picked up a piece of peach blossom cake and asked, "Is it for your sweetheart? Do you want me to be a food taster?"
I waved my hand generously and said, "No, I just felt that you are very busy and too hard-working, so I prepared this especially for you."
Guo Lu put the peach blossom cake in his mouth and said as he ate it, "If it was specially prepared for me, then there is no need to ask for anything from me."
Hearing this, I smiled awkwardly. Seeing Guo Lu frowning, I quickly gave him a bottle of mineral water: "Not tasty? Too salty?"
Guo Lu took a sip of water, swallowed the peach blossom cake in his mouth, and said, "Too sweet."
I breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Xiaolun likes sweets, so it shouldn't be a problem if it's a little sweet.
Guo Lu took out a tissue, wiped the corners of his mouth, and recalled: "Other than that, the taste is really good, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And you added your own unique creativity to it, putting fruit pulp instead of kernels."
I clapped my hands repeatedly: "Senior, you are so smart."
"Do you mind if I try another piece?" Guo Lu asked.
"No problem!" I clapped my hands and made a "please" gesture.
Suddenly, I felt a pair of eyes staring at me not far away. I have always been very sensitive, especially to this kind of eyes behind my back.
I looked back and saw that a curtain was drawn on the first floor of Building C. I clearly saw the hand that drew the curtain. It was slender and white, very much like Lin Xiaolun's.
Ever since I was a kid, I have always laughed at Lin Xiaolun's hands for being too beautiful, like a girl's hands.
"Senior, which classroom does that window belong to? " I asked, pointing to the window whose curtains had just been drawn.
Guo Lu looked back and said, "Room 101, Building C, is where we had our last meeting. This classroom is not occupied for this class, and everyone in our club is in there now."
"Is Lin Xiaolun here too?" I blurted out.
Guo Lu stopped eating the peach blossom pastry and asked, "Is the peach blossom pastry for him?"
"Yes, that's right. He and I are childhood sweethearts. I learned how to make this peach blossom pastry from his mother."
I also took the opportunity to introduce my relationship with Lin Xiaolun.
Guo Lu stood up, covered the incubator for me, and said with a smile: "I was the one who received him when he signed up, and he agreed to join the club to thank me. He's a good boy, keep it up."
"Thank you." I thanked him quickly, and then ran to classroom 101 in Building C as fast as a rocket.
Lin Xiaolun was still sitting in the corner, with a pile of documents on the table in front of him. A senior student was sitting opposite him, talking to him.
"Lin Xiaolun." I called him, walked over, and placed the insulated box in my hand on the pile of documents. "I made it for you."
The senior student took out the file somewhat embarrassedly and said to Lin Xiaolun: "Let's talk about this later."
Lin Xiaolun nodded and said softly, "Okay."
As soon as the senior left, Lin Xiaolun's expression turned cold. He frowned, pushed open the incubator, and said, "It's very rude of you to interrupt others like this."
I ignored what Lin Xiaolun said and sat down at the table opposite him.
"Try the peach blossom pastry. I learned how to make it from Aunt Tang during the National Day." I pushed the thermal box back in front of him and carefully opened the lid.
Lin Xiaolun didn't even glance at it, and said calmly: "I just finished my meal."
"Then just eat a little bit, just one bite." I jumped off the table, sat on the chair, and lay in front of Lin Xiaolun, acting coquettishly.
"I really can't eat." Lin Xiaolun said.
"Then take it first and eat it when you are hungry." I held my cheeks with both hands and smiled sweetly.
"I don't need it." Lin Xiaolun's words were affirmative.
I suddenly felt a little embarrassed, tapping my fingers on the edge of the thermal box. "Keep it. You can eat it when you're hungry. I asked others to try it and they said it tasted great. If you accidentally miss out on Chef Qin's cooking, you may never have the chance again."
"I don't have any expectations for this opportunity. Qin Le, are you really stupid or just pretending to be stupid? Don't you think it's annoying?" Lin Xiaolun emphasized his tone, and the other students in the classroom turned their heads to look at us.
I suddenly felt sad and angry.
I slammed the table and stood up, saying loudly: "I, Qin Le, will never take back anything I give away. It's up to you whether you want it or not. You're talking as if I'm shameless and am forcing you to eat it. I'm telling you, Lin Xiaolun, I've poisoned it, you'd better not eat it."
Lin Xiaolun stood up suddenly, took out the thermal box, along with the peach blossom pastry, and threw it directly into the trash can.
"Lin Xiaolun!" I screamed.
Lin Xiaolun turned around and saw my tears, and the indifference in his eyes disappeared instantly.
I couldn't bear it any longer. Since I came back from the United States, Lin Xiaolun has been treating me like this.
I raised my hand and tried to wipe away the tears that were flooding my eyes, but I was powerless. The little courage I had left was completely extinguished by my tears.
Lin Xiaolun silently picked up the thermal box from the trash can.
I ran over, snatched the insulated box from Lin Xiaolun's hand, dumped all the peach blossom cakes inside into the trash can, and yelled at him, "It's already been thrown away, what are you still picking up? Do you regret it now and want to eat it? But there's no more!"
As I was talking, I felt very aggrieved, and I lowered my head and muttered, "I'll just make another one, why are you still picking it up? Aren't you ashamed?"
Lin Xiaolun was silent for a long time, as if he was talking to himself, or as if he was asking me: "Lele, which one of you is the real you?"
I looked up and Lin Xiaolun looked very tired.
He turned and walked out of the classroom, and I followed him as usual. As he walked, he said, "I thought you really wouldn't come to Tianjin University. I was surprised to see you during military training. I didn't expect you to come again."
"So do you want me to come or not?" I quickened my pace and followed Lin Xiaolun closely.
"Is this question important?" Lin Xiaolun asked.
I jumped onto the steps and said confidently, "Of course it's important. Lin Xiaolun, I've been playful and careless since I was a child. If I've offended you in any way, just forget about it. You know I've been so stupid since I was a child, so don't bother with me, okay?"
Perhaps my words were too frank, Lin Xiaolun couldn't help but laughed twice.
This was the first time he smiled at me since entering college.
The wall in my heart was suddenly knocked down by his smile, and the whole world became bright.
Lin Xiaolun said, "You should go back first. You don't have classes this afternoon, right? College is different from high school. You can't always be around me. Go make some more friends."
"I made a friend, but you never gave me a chance to talk to you, so you didn't know."
I pouted and implicitly pushed all the blame onto Lin Xiaolun.
Lin Xiaolun sighed softly: "I know, Ding Chuchu, the girl sitting next to you and reading a book."
"So you care about me so much?" I tilted my head to look at Lin Xiaolun, who had a speechless expression on his face.
Finally, he waved his hand and said, "You go back first. I have some things to deal with in the club, so I won't accompany you."
I could clearly feel that Lin Xiaolun was rejecting me.
But I still smiled and said, "Okay."
Lin Xiaolun nodded, turned and walked towards the classroom.
I put my hands behind my back and walked out of this depressing teaching building.
It was already dusk, and a .
Looking at the beautiful sunset, a confident smile appeared on the corner of my mouth.
Ms. Ye Qianli said to me on the ship: "Whether it's a boy pursuing a girl or a girl pursuing a boy, the first thing you need to do is to make yourself more perfect, and then persevere, and never give up because of a little difficulty. Of course, the most important thing is to learn to play hard to get, which works every time on anyone."
I raised my hands, covered my face, looked out through the gaps between my fingers, and smiled wickedly: "Lin Xiaolun, in order to be called your childhood sweetheart, I will definitely make you look at me with new eyes."
Stop overthinking and start to crack the problem once you have a clear understanding of the whole situation.