The final exam was not long after the end of the class. Classes 3 and 6 happened to be upstairs and downstairs. Ji Qinyang could leave early almost every day, and then went to the second floor to wait for Xie Meng.
Zhuo Xiaoyuan got used to it after seeing it many times. Once, he couldn't help but complain, "You guys are really old couples, don't you get tired of doing this every day?"
The final exam was three days. On the first day, Chinese in the morning and mathematics in the afternoon. Ji Qinyang handed in the papers early, and leaned against the wall at the door of Class 3 with the headphones on his head.
Zhuo Xiaoyuan looked disgusted when he saw him.
"I'm not waiting for you." Ji Qinyang hung the earphones around his neck. He watched Xie Meng come out. The boy was wearing a white down jacket, with handsome eyebrows and dark and bright eyes.
"How was the test?" Xie Meng smiled and rubbed the back of Ji Qinyang's head.
Ji Qinyang raised his eyebrows: "Isn't this saying that you can't ask the scumbags?"
Xie Meng looked at him: "You seem to be saying the same thing."
"I am." Ji Qinyang lay lazily on Xie Meng's back: "It's not that you don't know that I'm bad at math."
Ji Qinyang was riding a bicycle, Xie Meng was sitting in the back seat drinking hot milk, and Ji Qinyang looked back at him when the traffic light stopped.
"Give me a taste."
Xie Meng stood up and put the pipe to his mouth.
Ji Qinyang took a sip from his hand: "Isn't it sweet?"
"Original flavor." Xie Meng smiled, he suddenly lowered his head and kissed Ji Qinyang's lips: "Add some sugar to you."
Zhang Xiujuan was basking in the sun in the yard. She only opened her eyes when she saw Xie Meng coming back: "Xiao Ji is here too."
Ji Qinyang called out a good mother, and Zhang Xiujuan smiled and replied, "Good grandson."
Xie Meng went into the house to help the old lady take out the radio, and found another blanket.
"Don't stay out in the sun for too long." Xie Meng helped Zhang Xiujuan cover her legs: "Call me when it's cold."
Zhang Xiujuan's spirit has been much worse for a while now. She went to the hospital and checked it out. The doctor only said that she was old, but she had no specific symptoms.
Old age, old age.
Xie Meng didn't dare to think too much, just stayed with her as much as possible.
Ji Qinyang left after dinner, Xie Meng sent him to the entrance of the alley, and the two walked side by side for a while before holding hands.
Xie Meng's palm was wet and warm. At first, it was just an ordinary hold. Later, Ji Qinyang's fingers were clasped with him, and it hurt a little when he grasped it too tightly, but no one loosened it.
Ji Qinyang stopped at the entrance of the alley: "Go back."
Xie Meng hummed, but still held his hand.
"Don't throw away Zhong Yin's recommendation letter." Xie Meng said suddenly: "If you can pass the test, it would be a pity not to go."
Ji Qinyang didn't speak, he looked at Xie Meng and pulled the man into his arms with a slight force.
The three-day exam was over, the results and rankings were announced, and there were a few more papers for the winter vacation homework. The Chinese New Year was late, and Zhang Ganggang complained about it for many days.
"Children like to celebrate the New Year." Qi Fei eliminated him: "How old do you think you are."
Zhang Ganggang refused to accept: "There are red envelopes before marriage, what's wrong with the New Year."
Qi Fei didn't have red envelopes a few years ago. Not only did he have no red envelopes, but he also had to bring children during the festivals, so he was completely uninterested in the Chinese New Year.
Conversely, Zhuo Xiaoyuan and Xie Meng were completely unable to understand the troubles of their family members. The former's parents both worked outside the home, and Zhuo Jin had been ill for so many years. Treasure as much as stolen.
"How has it been recently?" Ji Qinyang asked.
Zhuo Xiaoyuan: "I went to the hospital a few days before the exam, and I went home recently. I should be able to spend the New Year at home."
Xie Meng patted him on the shoulder encouragingly.
"How is your grandma?" Zhuo Xiaoyuan asked him.
Xie Meng said calmly: "It's still the same."
Zhuo Xiaoyuan nodded, he smiled, and his hanging eyes were full of ruffianness: "It's not troublesome to celebrate the New Year when people are young, and there are not many things, so there is no need to toss."
A few people talked, only Ji Qinyang might travel abroad for the New Year.
"Not yet." Ji Qinyang sat on Xie Meng's seat with a casual smile: "My mother wants to go out, I don't care."
Qi Fei teased: "Your mother and your father are like a fairy couple, you are a superfluous one."
Ji Qinyang is not angry either: "Yeah, so I don't want to go out either. I don't know what they are doing."
"Then come to my house for the New Year." Zhang Ganggang is always the type who doesn't get bored with many people: "How many times has my mother asked me to take my friends back, and none of you will give face..."
Ji Qinyang glanced at Xie Meng and said with a smile: "Let's talk about it, anyway, I won't be alone."
It snowed before the Chinese New Year. When Xie Meng woke up in the morning, he found that the yard was all white. He sighed and went back to his room to put on a cotton jacket and come out to fight.
Zhang Xiujuan stood under the eaves holding Tang Muzi, talking to the little grandson while watching him punch.
"Wait to go to the vegetable market, you have to kill a chicken."
Xie Meng pressed down on his front legs, and the snow on the ground was swept away with a thin layer: "What else?"
Zhang Xiujuan rambled on: "Buy cakes, buy sticks, buy noodles... and buy some roasted seeds and nuts, and sugar, don't forget."
Xie Meng's palms turned outwards, and he was soft and firm: "There are no guests, there is no need to waste money on roasted seeds and nuts."
Zhang Xiujuan: "Why are there no guests? What if Xiaoji comes to visit?"
"..." Xie Meng gave up. He wanted to explain to the old lady that the other party might have gone abroad for a trip, but he finally gave up and went back to the house to get the money: "I'll go buy it, don't get out in the sun."
There are not many people in the vegetable market, and many people are going home for the New Year. After thanking Mumbai for the chicken, they went to the roasted seeds and nuts shop to get some dried pork, melon seeds, hawthorn, and pork. When they went back, they bought a stinky tofu on the bridge.
"Happy New Year." The hawker selling stinky tofu said cheerfully.
Xie Meng took the bowl and gave the money: "Happy New Year." He said.
The courtyard door was not closed, Xie Mengzheng felt strange when he saw a familiar bicycle parked next to him, Ji Qinyang rolled his sleeves and came out from inside, and saw him smiling lazily.
"I've bought it." The boy stepped forward, took the things in his hand naturally, and opened it to take a look: "Hey, you also bought stinky tofu?"
Xie Meng looked at him in disbelief: "...You didn't go abroad?"
"Yeah." Ji Qinyang said lightly: "My parents have a very good relationship, but it's not that you don't know that I'm too lazy to be Pikachu."
"… "
Ji Qinyang carried the chicken into the kitchen, and when he looked back, he saw that Xie Meng was still standing there.
Ji Qinyang raised his hand and shook it in front of his eyes: "Are you stupid with joy?"
Xie Meng opened his mouth: "No... Do you want candy?"
Ji Qinyang raised his eyebrows: "I'm not arrogant."
Xie Meng didn't listen to what he said, and hurriedly piled the roasted seeds and nuts on the table: "I bought hawthorn, melon seeds, pork, and plum candy... Do you want to eat it?"
Ji Qinyang suddenly stretched out his hand and hugged Xie Meng hard.
Xie Meng: "?"
Ji Qinyang turned his head and kissed the boy's face: "I will love you well in the new year."
Xie Meng hugged him for a while and then whispered, "Me too."
Kneading noodles, adding stuffing, rolling skin, and making dumplings, Xie Meng cored the boiled jujubes, picked three and stuffed them into the dumplings. Ji Qinyang laughed when he saw it.
Xie Meng said embarrassedly: "One for each person, New Year's lucky draw."
The three of them cooked a table of dishes. Ji Qinyang took apart the chicken and cooked two dishes. Zhang Xiujuan was happy and drank a little wine. The radio was on the side with a play.
Watching the Spring Festival Gala on time at 8 o'clock, Ji Qinyang had long since lost this habit, and he hadn't remembered when Xie Meng turned on the TV.
"My good mother likes it." Xie Meng was transferred to the central one, and Zhang Xiujuan turned off the radio and concentrated on watching TV.
"That's right." The old lady suddenly clapped her hands. She took out two red envelopes from her pocket for a long time: "One for each person." Zhang Xiujuan smiled and said, "Go outside and watch the fireworks. You don't have to accompany my old woman."
Xie Meng took a large scarf and wrapped himself and Ji Qinyang at one end. The two walked up Shantang Street. The snow had not yet melted, and they could hear the sound of rustling and rustling under their feet.
On the New Year's Eve, Sioux City was deserted and deserted, except for a few children who came out to set off fireworks and firecrackers, almost no one could be seen.
There were red lanterns hanging on both sides of the bank, and the light and shadow were reflected in the flowing water. Ji Qinyang and Xie Meng sat side by side on the pier, watching the children set off fireworks.
"Want to play one?" Ji Qinyang asked with a smile.
Xie Meng took out a few fairy sticks out of nowhere: "Just play with this."
The two asked a nearby child to borrow a fire, and squatted together to light it. The temperature of the spark from the fairy stick was not high. Xie Meng held his hands together, as if holding fireworks in his palm.
The firelight reflected Ji Qinyang's delicate facial features. He lowered his head and looked at Xie Meng quietly.
"The last one." Xie Meng raised his face, and he met Ji Qinyang's gaze: "...You won't let it go?"
Ji Qinyang smiled: "I think you can let it go."
Xie Meng also smiled, he lit the last fairy stick, and then watched the spark burn out.
"Go back." Xie Meng stood up and shook his scarf. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to Ji Qinyang's forehead: "Happy New Year."
Ji Qinyang didn't stand up immediately, he took Xie Meng's hand, and the latter's fingertip touched something hard in the other's hand.
"... What?" Xie Meng turned his wrist, Ji Qinyang stood up and slowly let go of his hand.
Xie Meng looked down and saw a pair of sterling silver earrings in his palm.
Ji Qinyang reached out and touched his earlobe: "Go get your ears pierced."
In the second half of senior year, Ji Qinyang started to take music theory class. Because he was preparing to take the path of art candidates, he was not as nervous as other students in cultural class.
Xie Meng signed up for an off-campus cram school, and Zhang Ganggang also took part in it, but when he went in, he found that Han Dong was also there.
"Xueba is also very lonely." Han Dong found a reason: "If you have nothing to do, you can only read more."
Because Zhang Ganggang is in the S-high group, once he encounters an S-high student in reality, his instinct is a little awkward.
Han Dong looked at him blankly.
Zhang Ganggang: "… "
Han Dong nodded: "Hello."
Zhang Gang sat properly beside him: "You, hello..."
Xie Meng introduced for the two: "Han Dong knows Rou Rou, Zhang Ganggang, if you have any questions, you can ask him."
Zhang Ganggang's eyes lit up: "Really, really?!"
Han Dong's attitude was reserved, and after a long while, he hummed lightly.
Xie Meng gave him a strange look.
"Rourou, what does she look like?" Zhang Bangbang asked cautiously, full of expectations.
Han Dong raised his eyebrows and said slowly, "Short black hair."
"Short hair..." Zhang Langgang was a little disappointed.
Han Dong sneered: "What? You don't like short hair?"
Zhang Ganggang hurriedly denied: "Of course not... just, it's just different from what I thought." He observed Han Dong's face, and said somewhat to please: "Actually, short hair is also quite good..."
"Really?" Han Dong said noncommittally, "Do you like it?"
Zhang Ganggang hesitated: "I..."
Han Dong frowned and snorted impatiently: "Do you like it?"
Zhang Gangbang mustered up the courage to stare at each other: "..."
Han Dong squinted at him.
"...I like it." Zhang Ganggang finally made a humiliating compromise under Han Dong's "If you dare to say you don't like it, you're dead".
Ji Qinyang was in a coffee shop near the cram school. He sent a text message to Xie Meng, and then ordered a cup of pure milk to pack at the counter. When Xie Meng came out, he saw the boy raise the plastic bag in his hand towards him.
"How long did you wait?" Xie Meng took the milk, he held Ji Qinyang's hand, and the latter came up and rubbed his forehead.
Ji Qinyang smiled: "It didn't take long." He looked behind Xie Meng, and Han Dong nodded at him expressionlessly.
"Hello."
"Hi." Ji Qinyang greeted.
Zhang Banggang sucked his nose and muttered, "You guys are in such a good relationship... No one came to pick me up."
Han Dong glanced down at him: "Do you want me to take you back?"
Zhang Ganggang was a little scared: "No, no need..."
Han Dong stared at him expressionlessly.
"..." Zhang Langgang shrank his shoulders and said weakly, "Okay, okay... I'm sorry to bother you."
Xie Meng was speechless. He looked at Zhang Bar and dragged his way to Han Dong's car, and glanced at the initiator in disapproval: "Don't bully him too much, what should I do if I cry?"
"Cry, just cry." Han Dong tucked the scarf into his coat in a good mood, his eyes fell on Xie Meng's earlobe, and smiled: "You two are." He pointed to Ji Qinyang: "Don't be too high-profile."