The soft and gentle words fell like clouds.
Huo Ran was stunned for at least five minutes before he found his voice again.
Although the words were still incoherent.
"Can I put it here? I'll put it in the middle cabinet. I'll think about it and make a special cabinet for it."
"No, I can't leave it here. I should take it with me, but the bottle is a bit big. I need to think about how to carry it."
Then he really stared at the big glass bottle and began to think seriously.
Tao Zhiyue looked at his lowered eyes and recalled the day when he first met Huo Ran. He walked out of the crowd in a suit and tie, wearing a mask, with only his heroic eyes and eyebrows showing. He had an outstanding temperament and looked like a person from another world.
And now, illuminated by the faint red sunset, the distance between them is so close, so all the extra flashy illusions faded away, leaving only the sense of reality that is within reach.
"Put it here. I want to put it next to the straw hat." Tao Zhiyue gently interrupted his thoughts which were definitely going astray.
“It’s a great environment with so many interesting collections next to it and a sycamore tree outside. It’s the best place.”
"Besides, this is the first memory in this room that doesn't just belong to you."
Hearing these words, Huo Ran, whose head was full of random thoughts, suddenly reacted. He felt a huge surprise and remembered the "I like you" that was drowned out by other sentences.
—I also want to bring you something you like, and then tell you that I like you, which will seem more sincere.
"so… "
He was rarely stuck, his expression was silly, and his eyes were full of hope.
Tao Zhiyue bravely took over what he had not finished saying.
"So, you want to date me?"
In this unique museum in the world, he no longer blushes or shrinks, because everything around him conveys the loveliness and beauty that can be seen when living seriously, and is filled with the person's experience and feelings towards all the colorful things.
He is surrounded by the softest and most real life, so he has the courage to face the unknown.
"I have never been in love. Before you, I have never liked anyone, and I have never tried to give to others because of love."
"Besides, I worked so hard before that sometimes I even neglected my family and friends, and even myself. That's not good. Now I won't do that anymore. I will change and hope I won't make the same mistakes again."
"Maybe in the future, there will be many things I don't do well enough, but I will try hard to learn how to love someone, and I will definitely try my best."
"I am serious when I study, I am serious when I work, and I will be serious when I fall in love."
Tao Zhiyue assured him in a nagging manner.
Huo Ran looked at him, not daring to blink.
Words cannot express even one ten-thousandth of it. In the end, he nodded vigorously, treasured every word in his heart.
The glittering objects around me became invisible scenery.
Unfortunately, it was getting dark, and Tao Zhiyue had booked a flight at around 8pm, so he should be getting ready to leave for the airport.
They walked out of the house together. The sky was filled with a fiery glow, dyeing the sycamore trees in the entire yard a burning golden color.
During this long day, Tao Zhiyue listened to many stories told by Huo Ran, and he always had an urge to say something to him in return.
However, his own past life was too barren and boring, and he could not find many interesting things that sounded fun.
Now looking at the tree that Huo Ran specially planted for him, he suddenly remembered an event from the distant past, so he couldn't help but want to speak.
That was the only thing Tao Zhiyue had ever thought of sharing with anyone.
"A long time ago, one day I was working in a company. At that time, I shared a house with someone. The gas bill for the rental house was all gone. It happened that the gas card was with me. It was my turn to pay the bill this week, but I didn't have time and forgot about it."
"It was really busy that day. The project had to be launched soon, and I was so busy that I didn't even have time to go to the toilet. But my roommate urged me in the group chat that I had to cook lunch, so I could only sneak out in the morning and ride my bike to the bank."
"I haven't ridden a bicycle for a long time. I was so crooked that I thought I would fall, so I didn't dare to breathe. I held the handlebars nervously and even forgot the code I had been thinking about in my head."
"I was paying close attention to the cars passing by and the road ahead."
"It was autumn then, the sun was bright but not scorching, the wind was warm and the air seemed to glow, and both sides of the road were lined with sycamore trees, a beautiful burnt yellow."
"When I passed by the tree, they fluttered down in front of my eyes, like countless butterflies flapping their wings."
Tao Zhiyue thought that when he picked out this incident from his memories and told it to others, he would uncontrollably want to cry.
But no, he narrated with a smile, his eyes and eyebrows lively, letting the sunlight draw a gentle outline.
"That's great." Although his mind was still in a trance, Huo Ran listened attentively, "It looks like a scene in a movie."
Then he added enthusiastically: "I can ride a bicycle very well. Next time you want to ride a bicycle, I can watch you from the side. You will definitely not fall."
So Tao Zhiyue imagined that scene and nodded: "Okay."
very nice.
The memories shared by so many people finally found a port to rest.
It, along with the carefully folded stars and the sycamore trees swaying in the wind, is collected in the only museum in the world.
When Tao Zhiyue left here, he looked back and gazed deeply at this quiet and unique courtyard, trying hard to imprint every inch of detail here into his heart.
Today is also one of his favorite days in his life.
They took a bus along the same route they had come, and later transferred to the airport bus.
This time when they sat side by side, Tao Zhiyue no longer felt where to put his hands.
Huo Ran, on the other hand, was just the opposite. He sat upright, no longer as relaxed and casual as before. Tao Zhiyue even saw the faintest trace of sweat on his forehead.
Time seems to have gone back.
Tao Zhiyue's voice was filled with laughter: "Your forehead is sweating, is it hot?"
Huo Ran froze, and belatedly recalled the exact same conversation that took place yesterday.
"… I'm so stupid." He said in annoyance, "I actually turned on the air conditioner."
"Are you nervous?" Tao Zhiyue recalled, "When you came to pick me up yesterday, you were not nervous at all."
Huo Ran thought for a while and whispered in his ear.
"I think it may be because I am not mentally prepared..."
"Every day I think about how to make you happy, how to tell you what I want to say, and what I should do if you refuse."
"But the only thing I haven't thought about is what it will be like after success."
"So now I'm a little overwhelmed... I've never been in love either."
Tao Zhiyue thought about it and gave a decisive answer, "Then let's start with the most conventional first step."
He stretched his left hand a little to the side and calmly held Huo Ran's right hand.
Huo Ran's body temperature was very high, just like the scorching temperature that day.
Now his whole body was shaken and he subconsciously tightened his right hand.
The moment we touched, it felt like an electric current passed through, numbing all the way to my heart.
Tao Zhiyue suppressed his embarrassment and lowered his head to examine her, as if he was having an academic discussion: "Your hands are bigger than mine. Is it because you are taller than me?"
His skin color was lighter than Huo Ran's, who traveled abroad all year round. Now that they clasped their hands together, they could clearly see every line on each other's palms.
This was the first time he held hands with someone, and it was a very strange feeling.
Tao Zhiyue's heart was beating violently, but that didn't show on his face at all; he seemed quite calm.
"Your palms are sweating too. Is it really hot?"
"I... might be."
"Do you want me to turn up the air conditioning? Are you still nervous?"
“… No, it will be ready soon.”
"Really?"
"Are you laughing at me?"
"I don't."
"I saw you smile."
"It must be an illusion."
…
The car body shook slightly while driving. Most of the people who were standing or sitting looked down at their mobile phones. Occasionally, they could hear the casual conversations of fellow passengers.
At some point, Huo Ran finally woke up from his trembling joy and calmed his breathing.
He quietly changed the hand-holding posture.
In the slanting light of the setting sun, they held hands.