Chapter 13
1384 Words
Archer gripped his phone and typed a message to a contact named "Jocelyn."
He wrote, revised, and then deleted it again.
Finally, he typed, "What do you want to eat tomorrow morning? I will bring it to you."
After careful consideration to ensure the wording was appropriate, he gathered the courage to press send.
He waited patiently, but received no reply from the girl.
Archer had no choice but to fetch a basin of water and begin scrubbing the floor.
In fact, they had already meticulously cleaned the room meticulously by noon.
The wait was unbearably agonizing; if he didn't find something to do, he felt he would explode.
Ten minutes later, Archer picked up his phone eagerly but still received no reply from Jocelyn.
What is she busy with so late at night?
He stared at the screen for more than ten seconds before steeling himself and making the call.
"Sorry! The subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unavailable, please try again later." In the past, whenever Archer heard this woman’s voice on the phone, he would immediately hang up.
However, this time he listened to the entire English message.
In which era are we currently living? Are there still areas without signal coverage?
Do you live like a caveman in the mountains?
Archer pushed open the window, allowing a cool night breeze to flow in.
A crescent moon hung prominently in the sky.
He finally did what he had wanted to do for ten years: run away from home for good.
He no longer had to watch other people's faces or live in fear; he could do whatever he wanted and see whomever he chose.
He was clearly on the verge of death, yet it felt as if he had just come back to life.
Even if it were only three months, he could still live a wonderful life.
Gazing at the bright moon, Archer, feeling cheerful, poured himself a glass of cola.
His reflection in the windowpane appeared handsome and lively.
"Congratulations, Archer! Cheers!" Archer clinked his glass against his reflection in the window, then drank it down in one gulp.
That night, he slept exceptionally soundly in this modest little home.
He dreamed he was a butterfly, joyfully fluttering his wings as he flew over famous mountains and rivers, witnessing the beauty of spring.
The following morning, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window.
A ding sound woke Archer from his dream.
He pulled his phone from beneath his pillow and saw Jocelyn's reply, which immediately dispelled any trace of sleepiness.
"I made some ‘Qingtuan’ (green glutinous rice dumplings), would you like to try some?"
Archer promptly replied, "Sure, I'll buy drinks. Do you want milk or soy milk?"
"Soy milk, please. Please wait for me at the bus stop." This time, Jocelyn replied instantly.
Archer promptly got out of bed and took a hot shower.
He was accustomed to showering in the morning because it saved time and effort, allowing him to wash his hair simultaneously.
He had not worn that floral shirt since then.
Yesterday, while shopping at the supermarket with Jocelyn, he purchased several discounted spring clothes, including a light blue jacket to wear with black casual pants.
This aligned more closely with his typical image as a good student.
As he left home, he tore a page from his calendar.
It was as if his own life had become tangible, being torn apart piece by piece by his own hands.
Coming downstairs, Archer saw his neighbor doing her morning exercises and greeted her, "Good morning, sister." The neighbor smiled and said, "Are you going to school, Archer? Didn't that girl stay with you yesterday?"
"Sister, please don't joke, she is my friend."
"Good, young people should have friends. Please bring her home more often." Jocelyn was beautiful, well-mannered, and possessed an optimistic and cheerful personality.
The neighbor girl took a liking to her after only one meeting.
Seeing Archer and Jocelyn together reminded her of her own youthful days at school.
However, she was unaware that this young man was already nearing the end of his life.
At the breakfast shop, Archer ordered two cups of soy milk.
One contains red dates, and the other contains black sesame.
He didn't know which flavor Jocelyn preferred, so he let her choose one first and planned to drink the other himself.
He waited at the bus stop for nearly ten minutes before the No. 19 bus finally arrived.
The doors opened, and students with faces beaming youthful smiles filed out.
At the very back sat a girl of extraordinary beauty.
She was still dressed the same way: wearing a white shirt, a blue skirt, and white canvas shoes, with a peach blossom tucked behind her ear.
Archer found it odd that she had been dressed the same way for three days.
White clothes tend to get dirty easily.
However her shirt and shoes remained spotless.
"Jocelyn!" Archer shouted.
"Archer, I'm sorry, have you been waiting long?" Jocelyn blinked her large, watery eyes.
"No, I have just arrived. Look, the soy milk is still hot," Archer said with a smiled.
The soy milk was still quite hot from the breakfast shop.
He had been holding it for ten minutes, and it had now reached the right perfect consistency.
The two walked into the school together, arriving at the flowerbed they had seen yesterday.
The hyacinths and wisteria blossoms in the flowerbed still glistened with morning dew.
They shimmered transparently in the sunlight.
Todays, Jocelyn was carrying a black shoulder bag. She took an oil-paper bag out of it, and a fragrant aroma immediately filled the air.
Inside were bright green pastries know as ‘Qingtuan’ (green glutinous rice dumplings).
‘Qingtuan’ is a traditional snack with a history spanning over a thousand years. It is made by mixing glutinous rice flour with mugwort juice, then adding a filling of red bean paste or lotus seed paste. It is emerald green in color and features a delicate, elegant fragrance.
Taking a bite was like tasting spring itself.
Archer picked up a ‘Qingtuan’ (a type of glutinous rice dumpling), took a bite, and discovered it was filled with red bean paste that was sweet without being cloying.
"Wow, it look beautiful and taste delicious! Did you actually make this yourself?"
Jocelyn nodded and said, "Of course, I learned from Grandma."
"You are very skillful! This ‘Qingtuan’ is truly beautiful," Archer praised sincerely.
"Mugwort can eliminate heat and dispel dampness. If you eat more, you definitely won't have nosebleeds anymore," Jocelyn said, taking a sip of red date and soy milk.
"What? Was this made especially for me?" Archer asked, surprised.
"Of course! Making this is such a hassle! I need to pick fresh, tender mugwort, crush it, mix it into the dough, steam it, and then wrap the filling. I got up so early today," Jocelyn said, covering her mouth as she yawned.
Archer felt a warmth in his heart.
He never anticipated that someone would go to such lengths for him.
It's unfortunate that this green dumpling can't stop his nosebleed.
"Jocelyn, I am fine. Please don't do so much for me anymore." Jocelyn stubbornly shook her head and said, "No way! We are friends. Friends ought to care for one another." Archer quietly ate the green dumpling, his heart swelling with mixed emotions.
God, are you toying with me?
Why did you send someone like this to my side when I am about to die?
“Oh, right, Archer, I'm sorry, I can't use my phone at night and only saw your message this morning.” Suddenly, Jocelyn remembered the message and promptly apologized.
“It's okay; I know you'll reply once you’ve seen it,” Archer said softly.
“Class is about to begin. Thank you for the soy milk. Goodbye!” Jocelyn swirled the cup in her hand and gently stepped up the stairs.
In a few steps, she vanished around the corner.
Archer remained standing by the flower bed, silently watching the direction in which the girl had disappeared.
He had been standing in the shadow of the teaching building, but as the sun gradually rose, the shadow began to recede.
The warm sunlight shone down, fully illuminating him.
- Writer
