Chapter 5: Li Xiaoman
The alma mater hadn’t changed much compared to before; only the people who came and went had changed, carving unforgettable memories with four years of youth.
Under the green shade, beside the grassy lawns, some junior and senior students were quietly reading books, creating a scene of harmony and tranquility. Ye Fan and the others felt as if they had returned to the past, far away from the restlessness and noise they had experienced over the past three years.
After graduation, everyone had been busy with life and ideals, and many had left this city. Except for a few like Ye Fan, almost everyone else was visiting their alma mater for the first time.
The small lake not far away rippled gently, the scenery unchanged. They still vividly remembered those figures—some melancholic and dispirited, others radiant and spirited—sitting by the lakeside, strumming guitars and singing campus folk songs back then.
Even years later, whenever the melody played, it would always remind people of that carefree, innocent era. The faint melancholy brought both sadness and sweetness, easily touching the heart.
The sedimentation of time always leaves behind a bit of bittersweet flavor.
But no one knew if those people from back then could still pick up a guitar and sing now. After graduation, it was hard to trace where they had gone.
“I vaguely heard from a friend that the melancholic guitar master back then is now singing in a bar in another city. After a few years, he looks quite weathered.”
“Remember that versatile long-legged girl from the school band, the lead singer who was so beautiful and pure? I heard she’s now a hostess at a nightclub.”
Everyone could only let out a sigh.
After graduation, many had faced the clash between ideals and reality. Sometimes, life was truly helpless, leaving people feeling frustrated and lost.
After a brief silence, the group continued walking forward.
At that moment, Lin Jia came up beside Ye Fan.
She was wearing a blue-and-white chiffon dress, the hem reaching her thighs, making her long, shapely legs look even fairer and more captivating. She had a black belt tied around her waist, accentuating her soft waistline, and her long hair cascaded over her full chest, her figure curving gracefully.
With her beautiful face, snow-white skin, and slightly upturned phoenix eyes that carried a unique charm, Lin Jia exuded a special aura.
“You clearly had a car, so why didn’t you tell me yesterday?”
“When did I have the chance to say it?”
“Aren’t you going to invite me to ride in your car today?”
“I’d be delighted. Here, I formally invite Miss Lin Jia.”
At this, both of them laughed.
Lin Jia abruptly brought up yesterday’s matter but then lightly brushed past it, not dwelling on it or deliberately lowering her stance to close the distance.
After saying this, she smiled and turned away. Lin Jia was a clever woman; she knew that being too deliberate would backfire, only making things seem fake. It was far better to be direct and natural.
This subtle shift was also happening with some of the other classmates.
When they left the alma mater, it was nearly noon. The group went to the food street and ascended to the dining hall.
Wang Ziwen privately asked Ye Fan to sit at their table, but Ye Fan just smiled, went over to toast a few drinks, and then returned to sit with the same people as yesterday.
“Ye Fan, I was talking nonsense yesterday when I was drunk. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll drink to you first as a sign of respect…” The male classmate who had claimed his fiancée was the niece of a bank executive and had lectured Ye Fan yesterday was now humbly explaining himself.
The female classmate who had said her husband had been promoted to deputy general manager of a company also changed her attitude from yesterday, treating Ye Fan with great courtesy.
“Come, come, let’s all raise our glasses together.”
…
Compared to yesterday, their table was much livelier today. Glasses clinked constantly, and people from other tables kept coming over to toast. Ye Fan naturally couldn’t refuse, clinking glasses repeatedly, even drinking one-on-one with everyone from Wang Ziwen’s table.
Liu Yunzhi remained very composed. Despite his awkwardness yesterday, he was as calm as an ancient well today, showing no unusual expression, as if nothing had happened.
“Everyone, last night I received a call from across the ocean…”
It was Zhou Yi speaking, a very refined young man. Rumors said his family had deep connections, which was no secret among the classmates. Yesterday, Wang Ziwen had specifically waited outside the Sea and Moon Villa to welcome him.
Everyone stopped and looked at Zhou Yi. Whether in school or now, he had always been easygoing and never came across as arrogant.
Zhou Yi shared some news: three classmates studying abroad had already set off to return home, sparking a lively discussion among those present.
…
“After graduation, we’ve been scattered across the world, each with our own life paths. It’s not easy to gather together. When we meet again, we might already be fathers and mothers, and who knows how many years will have passed by then. Since three classmates studying abroad are coming back, I have a proposal: let’s extend this reunion a bit…”
※※※※※
Ye Fan drove home, brewed a cup of light green tea, and quietly gazed at the wutong tree outside the window, recalling some past events.
The person he had missed, the footsteps that had left, the road that had grown farther and farther away—it was like the wutong leaves gently falling before his eyes.
Li Xiaoman—that name had faded from Ye Fan’s memory for a long time.
When she graduated from university, Li Xiaoman went abroad to study. In the first few months, they kept in close contact, but as time passed, their emails and phone calls gradually dwindled, eventually ceasing altogether.
Rather than gazing at each other across the sea, it was more like forgetting each other across it. A relationship that friends had never been optimistic about had, as expected, come to an end.
Today, when Zhou Yi mentioned that Li Xiaoman was about to return, Ye Fan felt a sense of unfamiliarity at the name. Looking back, more than two years had already passed.
※※※※※
The reunion was extended to include a trip to Mount Tai, with all expenses covered by Wang Ziwen, Zhou Yi, and others. For ordinary people, this might have been a considerable sum, but for them, it was nothing.
Three days later, Ye Fan saw that familiar figure again at the foot of Mount Tai. Three years had passed, and Li Xiaoman was still graceful and upright, with no major changes.
She stood about 170 centimeters tall, wearing a pair of sunglasses, her jet-black hair fluttering in the wind. She was elegant and poised. Her attire was simple, casual, and cool: a pair of shorts above the knees, revealing fair, long, and captivating legs, and a T-shirt with a cartoon pattern on top.
Li Xiaoman was undoubtedly very beautiful, with snow-white, delicate skin, large eyes, and long lashes that gave her a spirited look. She was unassuming but exuded confidence.
She chatted calmly and naturally with the surrounding classmates, clearly becoming a central figure, yet she still felt approachable.
Beside Li Xiaoman stood a tall young man, introduced as her American classmate. Compared to the soft, smooth features of an Eastern face, he had a typical Western face, with strong contours, a high nose bridge, slightly sunken blue eyes, and curly blond hair. By Western standards of beauty, he was quite handsome.
“Hello, I’m Kade. I’ve been… looking forward to Mount Tai… finally getting to see it.” Although the American youth named Kade spoke haltingly, he could still express himself clearly.
Ahead, the other two classmates who had returned from studying abroad were already surrounded by enthusiastic friends, being asked about their lives and studies across the ocean.
After three years, Ye Fan saw Li Xiaoman again, feeling a sense of spatial shift and the passage of time.
Both of them remained calm, exchanging polite greetings. There was no joy of reunion after a long separation, only a flat, indifferent tone, even a hint of lightness.
With no extra words, they brushed past each other lightly. Some things didn’t need to be said; silence itself was an answer.
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