Chapter 005: Li Xiaoman
The alma mater had not changed much compared to before; what had changed were the people who came and went, leaving behind unforgettable memories etched by their four years of youth.
Under the shade of trees and beside the grass, some junior students were quietly reading, creating a scene of harmony and tranquility. Ye Fan and the others felt as if they had returned to the past, away from the restlessness and noise they had experienced over the past three years.
After graduation, everyone was busy with life and ideals, and many people left the city. Except for a few like Ye Fan, most others were returning to their alma mater for the first time.
Not far away, the small lake rippled gently, the scenery remained the same, and they could still vividly remember the figures from those years, some melancholic and listless, others spirited and radiant, playing guitar and singing campus folk songs by the lakeside.
Even after many years, whenever the melody sounded, it would always remind people of that carefree and innocent era, the faint sadness was poignant and sweet, easily touching people's hearts.
The sediment of time always leaves a bittersweet taste.
It is just unknown whether those people from back then can still pick up the guitar and sing today; after graduation, it has been difficult to trace their whereabouts.
"I vaguely heard from a friend that the melancholic guitar virtuoso from back then is now performing at a bar in another city, and he has aged a lot over the years."
"Do you remember the talented and beautiful girl with long legs from our school band? She was a very pretty and innocent lead singer. I've heard that she now works as a companion at a nightclub."
Everyone could only let out a sigh.
After graduation, many people faced the impact of ideals versus reality. Sometimes life is really helpless, leaving one feeling frustrated and confused.
After a brief silence, everyone continued to move forward.
At this time, Lin Jia came to Ye Fan's side.
She was wearing a blue and white chiffon dress that fell to the top of her thighs, highlighting her long, fair legs. She wore a black belt that accentuated her delicate waist, her long hair cascading over her ample chest, her figure curvaceous and attractive.
With a beautiful face, fair skin, and almond-shaped eyes with a unique charm that slightly flew upwards, Lin Jia had a special aura about her.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a car yesterday?"
"I didn't have the chance to mention it."
"Aren't you inviting me to ride in your car today?"
"I'd be delighted. Here, I formally invite Miss Lin Jia."
They both laughed at this.
Lin Jia abruptly brought up yesterday's events but then lightly moved past them, not dwelling on it or lowering her stance to get closer. After saying this, she turned and left with a smile. Lin Jia was a smart woman; she knew that being too deliberate was not good, as it would only seem fake. It was better to be direct and natural.
This subtle change naturally occurred with some other classmates as well.
When they left the alma mater, it was almost noon. They went to a food street and climbed to the top of the Food Mansion Building.
Wang Ziwen privately invited Ye Fan to sit at their table, but Ye Fan just went over and toasted a few drinks, still sitting with the same people from yesterday.
"Ye Fan, yesterday I was speaking out of turn. Please don't mind. Let me toast to you, I'll drink first as a sign of respect..."
The male classmate who had said that his fiancée was the niece of a bank executive and had lectured Ye Fan yesterday now took a low-profile stance and tried hard to explain yesterday's events.
The female classmate who had said her husband had been promoted to vice president also changed her attitude from yesterday and was very polite to Ye Fan.
"Come on, everyone, let's raise our glasses together."
...
Compared to yesterday, Ye Fan's table was very lively today, with people constantly clinking glasses. People from other tables also came over to toast. Naturally, Ye Fan could not refuse and clinked glasses with everyone, especially those from Wang Ziwen's table.
Liu Yunzhi was calm. Although he was embarrassed yesterday, today he was as calm as an old well, showing no unusual expressions, as if nothing had happened.
"Everyone, I received a phone call from across the ocean last night..."
It was Zhou Yi, a very refined young man. It was rumored that his family had a deep background, which was no secret among classmates. Yesterday, he was the one Wang Ziwen had waited to greet outside the Moonlit City by the Sea.
Everyone stopped and looked at Zhou Yi. Whether it was during school or now, he always appeared amiable and never made people feel arrogant.
Zhou Yi shared a piece of news: the three classmates studying abroad across the ocean had set off to return to China, which immediately sparked a heated discussion among the classmates.
...
"After graduation, we went our separate ways, each with our own life paths. It's not easy for us to gather together. When we meet again, we might all be parents, and who knows how many years it will have passed by then. Three classmates studying abroad are coming back, and I have a suggestion to extend this gathering a bit..."
...
Ye Fan drove back home, made a cup of light green tea, and quietly watched the parasol trees outside the window, recalling some past memories.
The missed people, the departing footsteps, the fading paths, were like the falling leaves of the parasol tree in front of him.
Li Xiaoman, this name had faded from Ye Fan's memory for a long time.
When they graduated from university, Li Xiaoman went to study across the ocean. At first, the two kept in close contact, but as time went by, the emails and phone calls gradually decreased and eventually stopped.
Rather than maintaining a long-distance gaze across the ocean, it was more akin to mutual oblivion over the sea. A love not favored by friends ended predictably.
Today, hearing from Zhou Yi that Li Xiaoman was about to return to China, Ye Fan even felt a bit strange when he heard her name again. Looking back, more than two years had passed.
...
The gathering was extended to visit Mount Tai, with all expenses covered by Wang Ziwen, Zhou Yi, and others. For ordinary people, this might be a considerable expense, but for them, it was nothing.
Three days later, at the foot of Mount Tai, Ye Fan saw that familiar figure again. Three years had passed, and Li Xiaoman was still graceful and upright, with not much change.
She was about 170 centimeters tall, wearing sunglasses, her long black hair fluttering in the wind as she stood tall and elegant. Her attire was simple, casual, and cool; she wore shorts that reached above her knees, revealing her fair, slender legs, and a T-shirt with a cartoon print.
Li Xiaoman was undoubtedly beautiful, with fair and delicate skin, large eyes, and long eyelashes, exuding a lively spirit. She was not flamboyant but very confident.
She conversed with the surrounding classmates with ease, naturally becoming a central figure, yet still approachable.
Beside Li Xiaoman was a tall young man introduced as her American classmate. Compared to the soft and smooth features of Eastern faces, he had a typical Western face with a strong sense of three-dimensionality, a high nose bridge, slightly sunken blue eyes, and curly blond hair, which was considered handsome by Western standards.
"Hello, I'm Kade, I have longed for Mount Tai... and finally, I can... see it." Kade, the American young man, spoke with some difficulty but was able to express himself clearly.
The other two classmates who had returned from studying abroad were also warmly surrounded and being asked about their life and studies across the ocean.
After three years, seeing Li Xiaoman again, Ye Fan felt a sense of spatial and temporal displacement.
Both were calm, exchanging polite greetings without the joy of a long-awaited reunion, only a plainness as light as water, even somewhat carefree.
Without many words, they brushed past each other lightly. Some things need not be said; silence is a result in itself.