Youth Campus Romance
Jiubadao’s novels and movies are incredibly popular. I’ve never read or watched them, but I quietly wonder in my heart and softly ask, “Those boys who once chased after me, are you doing well now?” Through the layers of years, I shout to him who once stood at the school gate, “I am very happy, and I wish you well!”
You might have appeared when I was still dreaming of idol dramas, like in the second year of junior high, yet you were somewhat different from the prince charming I imagined. Perhaps you weren’t very tall, your skin not very fair, your singing not melodious, and your basketball skills not impressive. But during the time when everyone was too shy to speak of love, you silently protected me in your own way, even knowing that I would never hold your hand.
You might have been one or two years older than me, standing at the school gate after school, looking around with an old bicycle beside you, and wearing oversized school uniform pants over dirty sneakers. I felt a bit embarrassed, with friends around good-naturedly teasing, so I would walk over slowly with my head half-down, and then we’d go home together, even though we lived in different directions.
There wasn’t much conversation along the way; most of the time, you just silently rode your bike. Occasionally, you’d tell a corny joke, then awkwardly laugh at yourself. I would purse my lips, turn to look at your blushing face in the sunset, thinking that the joke was actually quite funny. I didn’t know how beautiful my sudden smile was in your eyes.
Later, I forgot your appearance but only remembered that corny joke and that sunset.
Maybe one day, it suddenly started to rain at noon. I didn’t bring an umbrella and was worried, but then I saw you downstairs holding a big umbrella, looking up at me. However, I was inexplicably overwhelmed by emotions and stubbornly refused to walk under your umbrella. You were stunned for a moment, then handed the umbrella to someone nearby and hurriedly followed me into the rain. The rain was cold, and the wind was light.
Later, on rainy days, I would think of someone who once shared the wind and rain with me.
Of course, you also did things you thought were romantic but made me uncomfortable. For example, during the school sports meet, I suddenly heard someone on the loudspeaker calling my name, hoping I would cheer for you. Embarrassed and annoyed in the bustling crowd, I could only hurriedly run away. The next day, I heard that the long-distance champion had lost that day. Only then did I realize how important my encouragement was to you.
Later, I thought if I could do it again, I would bravely stand by the track and shout, “Go for it!”
Unknowingly, a year passed, and I gradually discovered I had a lot in common with a boy in the neighboring class. Whether he liked me was uncertain, and I didn’t care; I was just happy. But you appeared again, overbearing, trying to define the ambiguous friendship between the boy and me. I was angry, I blamed you, I felt wronged. I forgot what I said to you, but later, you, who used to “coincidentally” meet me often, seemed to vanish from my world.
One day a year later, after submitting my homework and coming out of the teacher’s office, I met you again on campus. By then, you had entered a prestigious high school. You stopped me and hurriedly left after saying one sentence.
I had heard many sweet words, but I still felt your words back then were the most touching — you said, “Wait for me.”
But in the end, I didn’t go to the high school where you were. Occasionally, I would think of you, think of someone who stubbornly protected me. I would also blame myself for hurting you with careless words, and admire your courage and persistence back then when I had a boyfriend and gradually began to understand love. When I thought everything was serene, a former junior high school classmate found me and handed me a note.
That classmate told me how you went to great lengths to find her and solemnly entrusted her to deliver that thin piece of paper. That afternoon suddenly became warm. You left a phone number on the paper. I sent you a greeting text, and you replied — knowing I had a boyfriend, otherwise, you would continue to pursue me. Remember to take good care of myself, not every man is simple and kind.
Later, after crying and hurting in love, I finally understood that you had taught me this lesson long ago — if a man truly cares about me, he would search the whole world to find me. I also finally understood your words, not every man is simple and kind, only those who love me will treat me kindly.
Later, after a long time, we reconnected, occasionally chatting on QQ. You still cared about my situation, and I warmly responded. We both had found our own happiness, you became someone else’s knight, and I became someone else’s princess. Neither of us mentioned the past, as if we had a tacit understanding. Those memories were like crystals shining through the gaps of time.
That summer, when I was wearing a fitting dress, with delicate makeup, descending the escalator in the mall, I saw you at the entrance, walking in with your girlfriend, smiling brightly. You still looked the same, not tall, not handsome, but with the mature demeanor of a man.
As I walked past you, you didn’t recognize me. I smiled slightly, this passing by proved that I had transformed from an unnoticed caterpillar into a butterfly, and it also proved that you had finally moved on to a warmer place. I gently said to your back, “Thank you.”
Thank you for being with me through every storm;
Thank you for the bicycle tracks that marked my winding youth;
Thank you for giving me incomparable memories during my not-so-beautiful years;
Thank you for your persistence and courage that taught me never to give up on the journey of pursuing love.
These boys were once part of my life. You were not an ex-boyfriend, not a close friend, more than a friend with more memories, less than a love with fewer heartbeats. However, long after, we may no longer remember who we passionately loved or who made us cry deeply, but we will always remember that boy I missed, standing thin at the school gate.
In this life, I will miss countless times, some regretful, some painful, some fortunate, but only this one miss brings warmth and joy without regret. So, across the layers of years, I shout to him who once stood at the school gate, “I am very happy, and I wish you well!”
Then, we can also smile and hold the arm of the person beside us, walking slowly towards a happier place.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
