"Jiang Huai, I'll wait for you in front of the clock tower at 8 o'clock tomorrow night. I have something very important to tell you." Xu Chenxi finally plucked up the courage to make an appointment with Jiang Huai for the time and place to meet.
However, after she made an appointment with Jiang Huai, she came to ask me out again: "Shan'er, can you accompany me tomorrow night?"
"What?" I thought I heard wrongly. "Are you sure? You are going to tell him your feelings. It's not appropriate to bring me along."
"After Jiang Huai arrives, you hide first. I think we all need to hear what Jiang Huai thinks." Xu Chenxi's eyes were firm, without any confusion or entanglement. "And after my confession failed, I want to hug my best friend and cry."
"You..." I was slightly moved. It turned out that this is what Xu Chenxi was thinking. "Okay, I promise you."
I found that along the way, both Xu Chenxi and I have grown up and started to deal with problems in a more mature way instead of childishly getting angry with each other.
If Xu Chenxi had confessed her love to Jiang Huai before the college entrance examination, she probably would not have had the courage to do so. When I heard about her decision, I would definitely find it unforgivable.
But now, Xu Chenxi has more courage, and I no longer choose only those practices that seem harmless to anyone.
"Why don't you ask Du Juan to join us?"
I suddenly thought of what Du Juan said to me that day, that Ming Qinghe might like me, and I suddenly wanted her to hear it too. Some things can only be known by seeing and discovering them by yourself.
I don't want Dujuan to draw an invisible line between us because of Ming Qinghe, although I know she won't do that, but she will definitely be distressed by it.
"I was just about to call her." Xu Chenxi said.
After hearing Xu Chenxi's request, Du Juan reacted strongly.
She looked at Xu Chenxi in disbelief, as if she had never known her before, and asked with wide eyes, "Are you really the Xu Chenxi I know? Xu Chenxi, who only knows how to watch others play, is actually so proactive!"
"Everyone changes, doesn't he?" Xu Chenxi said to her with a smile, "As a good friend, come and witness my change together."
Although Du Juan was shocked , she still nodded and agreed to go to the bell tower together.
The Bell Tower is located at the southeast corner of Qingtang Street. It is a tower, and is called the Bell Tower because there is a big bell on the top of the tower.
At 7:30 in the evening, the three of us girls met at the agreed place. Xu Chenxi held my hand, and I could feel that she was very nervous. Maybe she knew what kind of answer she would get, and she just wanted to give an explanation for her love.
"Shan'er, if Jiang Huai likes me, don't be jealous ." Xu Chenxi said with a smile, "If I succeed in my confession, Shan'er, will you be sad?"
"As your friend, I would be happy for you." I thought about it and answered seriously, "But as your competitor, I would probably be disappointed for a while."
"So what is your identity as you stand here now?" Xu Chenxi asked me.
I smiled, squeezed her palm, and said, "Silly, of course it's because you are Xu Chenxi's good friend."
"It seems to be coming!" Dujuan suddenly tugged at my clothes, "Let's go into the bell tower and hide."
"Come on, Chenxi!" I said to her sincerely.
She smiled at me, a very happy smile.
Dujuan and I hurried into the bell tower. In order to make it easier to peek, we climbed to the second floor of the bell tower, hid behind the wooden railings, and watched everything in front of the bell tower.
After waiting for about two or three minutes, the clock in the clock tower rang and it was eight o'clock.
Jiang Huai arrived on time.
I turned my head to look at Du Juan, but when I turned my head, I saw a person standing under a street lamp not far away. I gently pushed Du Juan and pointed in that direction. Du Juan looked in the direction of my finger and the person standing there was Ming Qinghe.
She was a little surprised and looked at me in confusion.
I shook my head at her. I didn't understand why Ming Qinghe was here.
"Jiang Huai, I...I have something very important to tell you!" Xu Chenxi was silent for a while, mustered up the courage, and spoke loudly to Jiang Huai.
"When you asked me out yesterday, I guessed what you were going to say to me." Jiang Huai's voice was very gentle, with a faint smile on his face. "But before that, I want to ask you a question."
"What?" Xu Chenxi asked subconsciously.
"Is there someone in your heart that you want to protect forever?" Jiang Huai asked, "Is there a relationship that you don't want to break?"
"Huh?" Xu Chenxi was stunned for a moment. "The person you are protecting...a relationship you don't want to break? You are talking about Shan'er, right? In fact, I have been struggling with this for a long time, you know, Jiang Huai? I also didn't want to hurt Shan'er and didn't want our friendship to be damaged, so I chose to keep everything in my heart and never say it out, but that was unfair to both Shan'er and me. Shan'er said that day that chose not to say anything because she wanted to compete with me fairly one day in the future when we both became better people."
Jiang Huai nodded, his expression becoming serious: "So are you a better person now?"
"I'm not sure I'm the best version of myself right now, but I'm sure I'm more mature than I was yesterday. We grow up every day and become better versions of ourselves. I'm afraid that by the time I become the best version of myself, I'll have forgotten how I feel now." Xu Chenxi tilted her head slightly, her expression very gentle, "So, I have something I want to tell you right now."
"You talk, I'm listening." Jiang Huai said.
Xu Chenxi took a deep breath, and then slowly said: "Jiang Huai, listen carefully, I, Xu Chenxi, like you, Jiang Huai!"
"Well, I did receive the feelings you wanted to convey to me." Jiang Huai said with a smile, "I always feel that Xu Chenxi is very brave. I am very happy to be liked by a beautiful, cute and smart girl like you, really." Jiang Huai said softly, "I believe that you will have a wonderful future no matter where you are or what you will do in the future. And in that future, you will meet someone better than me and experience a love that is more unforgettable than now."
"What's your answer?" Xu Chenxi's voice trembled a little. "The girl's confession is over. No matter what the result is, there is always an answer."
"Xu Chenxi." Jiang Huai called her softly, "In fact, a long time ago, I decided who I wanted to be with forever. You know I am a very stubborn person. Once I make a decision, I will never change it easily. I like you very much, Xu Chenxi. It is a very good thing to be friends with you."
Xu Chenxi stood there in a daze for a while before she started to laugh. As she laughed, tears began to flow .
"Hey, I think I know the answer. Thank you, Jiang Huai, thank you for making my breakup less painful."
"It's a wonderful feeling to like someone. No matter what, I hope you can keep the beautiful memories, so that when you occasionally think of it in the future, you can smile comfortably and naturally. That way you won't let down this young and frivolous love, right?" Jiang Huai said with a smile, "Do you need me to take you home?"
Xu Chenxi shook his head and said, "Go ahead. At least let me watch you leave. This way, there will also be an atmosphere of heartbreak."
"You can still joke, not bad! Xu Chenxi has really become a better person now." Jiang Huai said, waving at her, "Goodbye, Xu Chenxi, see you tomorrow."
Du Juan and I squatted behind the railing on the second floor. We didn't expect that Xu Chenxi's confession would have such a result. Jiang Huai actually responded to Xu Chenxi's feelings in this way, but it was good this way, at least it wouldn't leave too painful memories.
"I understand." Du Juan, who was standing beside him, looked at the Mingqing River under the street lights and suddenly said, "I understand why the Mingqing River is here."
"Why?" I looked at Dujuan in confusion.
Du Juan laughed and said, "Jiang Huai must have asked him to come! I found that the most cunning one among us is not Su Shan'er, but Jiang Huai."
"Why do you say that?" I didn't quite understand.
"Jiang Huai should understand Ming Qinghe's thoughts! As such good friends, like you and Xu Chenxi, falling in love with the same person is painful for both of you. Maybe he doesn't want you to fall into a dilemma, so he asked Ming Qinghe to come along at this time. What he said to Xu Chenxi, wasn't it also said to Ming Qinghe?" Du Juan said with a smile, "What a cunning guy."
"So that's how it is." After Dujuan said this, I began to understand a little.
Does Ming Qinghe really like me a little bit? But after today, I think he will not continue to like me. This is good, I can pretend that I know nothing, we are friends, and this will not change.
Du Juan and I ran down the bell tower, while Xu Chenxi stood there with her hands covering her eyes. When she heard our footsteps coming down, she ran towards us quickly, hugged us tightly, and burst into tears.
She cried for a long time, as if she wanted to wash away all the days when she secretly loved Jiang Huai with her tears.
She said: "Su Shan'er, I'm heartbroken. Look how correct my decision was. Now I can hug you and cry."
"Chenxi, you are braver than all of us." I patted her back gently. "In order to make everyone happy, I gradually became timid, cautious, and even overly sensitive. Sometimes I hated myself for being like that, and felt that I was useless except for smiling. It was you who told me that I actually have more choices, and I can be a better me than before." I said softly, "Jiang Huai said something very right. Chenxi will definitely meet a better person and have the brightest future. Maybe one day our relationship will become as bland as water, but now, I don't think it is a sad thing."
"Isn't that what growth is all about? If you can meet someone better, we will stay here and be happy for you, because Du Juan, Jiang Huai, Ming Qinghe, we will always be your friends." After I said that, Xu Chenxi slowly let go of us.
She stood straight in front of us, her expression peaceful and beautiful, neither hideous nor sad.
She said, "Thank you, Shan'er. I always feel like Shan'er encouraged me . Although I failed in my confession, if that person is you, I think I can accept it."
"I don't know if that person will be me, but I will try my best." I said, "Let's go home."
"Yeah." Xu Chenxi nodded.
The three of us walked slowly back home.
We talked a lot that day, just like when we were kids. I wanted to go back to the past, and I really did go back at this moment. Between Xu Chenxi and me, between Du Juan and me, between Xu Chenxi and Du Juan, the three of us used to not understand each other's thoughts, but at this moment I could feel that the cracks in our hearts that couldn't connect at that time didn't disappear, but a new bridge was built. We have all become better people, and our friendship will definitely get better.
That's what I believe.
Ten days later, Xu Chenxi received the admission letter from the university. In the following days, the letters for the rest of us were also sent. Du Juan filled in my home address because she was worried that her mother would tear up .
One thing Dujuan must do every day is to come to my house to see if her notice has been delivered.
On the second day of August, Dujuan's notice finally arrived.
At that moment, I saw how happy she was, and suddenly I felt that all the hard work these days was worth it.
Du Juan applied to a university in the north, which took twelve hours by train, but we all understand Du Juan's behavior. Maybe it was because she wanted to escape from that home so much that the farther she ran, the more at ease she felt.
Jiang Huai and I both received admission letters from Rongcheng University. I chose the folklore major, and Jiang Huai chose a major related to fireworks. Ming Qinghe's university is far south. It can be clearly seen on the map that Ming Qinghe and Du Juan's school are far apart, separated by half of China. Xu Chenxi is in Beijing. That school has always been her dream, and now it can be said that her dream has come true.
Everything seems to be moving in a very good direction, so good that we smile every day.
When the salary was paid, the five of us pooled our money together, which totaled 2,300 yuan. However, after being happy, we soon realized a problem: to get the August salary, it seemed that we had to wait until September, but before August 30, we had to deposit the tuition into the bank card issued by the school.
I went to discuss it with the person in charge of the supermarket, but they did not agree to pay my salary in advance.
This meant that Du Juan would not be able to raise the required amount of tuition before school started.
"Let's go to a place where we can get paid immediately!" I said, "There seem to be many part-time jobs that are paid on the same day, such as handing out flyers, helping to serve dishes in a hotel, etc."
"That's a good idea," Xu Chenxi said. "If we pay by the day, if each of us can earn 30 yuan a day, then for five people that's 150 yuan. In this way, we can save enough for Du Juan's tuition in just half a month!"
"Then let's take action." Ming Qinghe is a man of action. He said, "There are only a dozen days left until August 30th. We must ensure that we have part-time jobs every day."
"I went to tell the person in charge of the supermarket that we won't be doing summer jobs anymore," Jiang Huai said.
There was a fleeting hint of sadness in Dujuan's eyes, but it was so brief, so brief that I wasn't sure if I really saw it.