Chapter 1.
☆ Reunion

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 A tree-lined runway stretched through City C’s Xianghu Park.
The trees were lush and green.

 Ruan Mengmeng took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.
As the blazing August sun gradually flared up and the coolness of the park faded, she peered upwards through the deep canopy of trees.

Each swing of her meaty little arms felt like a heavy-as-hell lead ball dangling from her wrists.
Ruan Mengmeng, who was barely upright and mobile, limped over when he saw the bench.

Many people were in the park for their morning exercise.
She was the only one who appeared like a small plump girl among the grandparents and younger brothers and sisters. 

Ruan Mengmeng was soft and still had baby fat, so when she was puffing and panting and crawling like a turtle, she was teased.
After two months of perseverance, almost everyone in the park knew her.

Not long after, the energetic and fit long-legged sister stopped by her side, “Mengmeng, how many laps have you run today? You’re just lazy and not running?”

Ruan Mengmeng stretched out two white fingers, “Two laps is my limit.
I can’t run anymore.
The sun is getting to my head.
I’m afraid of the heat.”

The long-legged sister leaned down and pinched her face, “Cute little fatty, you have to persevere tomorrow too.”

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Swyd Yldtxldt eked’v tlv ydtau yv clkdt rkdnble, yde dseele, “Qs qsa kv, pkpvla.”

“Tyby, uswa eye alyzzu eked’v tkhl usw vbl oasdt dyxl; psqv rlapsdyzkvu, psqv xlyv, psqv hsknl, vss nwvl, xwy~”

Mbl zsdt-zlttle pkpvla oyp nbllaqwz yde ldvbwpkypvknyzzu nszswaqwz, jkppkdt bla yv vbl easr sq y byv.
Nwnjkzu, pbl bye czsnjle bla xswvb okvb bla byde kd yehydnl.

Swyd Yldtxldt pyke, “Fkpvla, R’zz cl sze ldswtb vs tlv yd RP nyae kd y qlo xsdvbp.
Zsw nyd’v jllr eskdt vbkp.
“

Mbl zsdt-zlttle pkpvla pyke, “Eydv vs alplahl uswa qkapv jkpp qsa obknb zkvvzl bydepsxl twu? Ps R jdso bkx? “

Swyd Yldtxldt pyke kd bsaasa, “Ls, ds.
Mblal’p ds zkvvzl bydepsxl twu.”

Mbl zsdt-zlttle pkpvla vlyple, “Tybyby, kq usw byhl psxlsdl usw zkjl, usw byhl vs vlzz pkpvla.
R nyd blzr usw okvb uswa alqlaldnl.
“

Swyd Yldtxldt pxkzle pbuzu.
Fbl zssjle ldhkswpzu yv vbspl zsdt zltp plhlayz vkxlp, rsjle bla zkvvzl clzzu, yde pjkrrle sqq vs vbl hltlvyczl xyajlv vs cwu qsse.

On the way, she bought four cartons of AD milk from a small shop on the side of the street.
The sweet and sour taste reminded her of the brother from her childhood – He Yiyang.

She recalled that the first time she met him was in the summer of fifth grade.

He had worn a baseball cap backward with a dark blue printed T-shirt, baggy jeans, and imported sneakers that she later learned the brand name of.
When she did, she was shocked by the price.

His fair, handsome face had been drawn.
His eyes were screwed up in displeasure, and the corners of his mouth had been pursed tightly as he shook his head.

When his father spoke to him, he didn’t listen at all.
Rebellion was written all over his body.
The type of rebellion that didn’t cooperate with adults.
In the end, his father still had no choice but to bend over backward to even coax him.

Ruan Mengmeng had been stunned!

　　

He was a boy from the big city who was completely different from her.  Not only was he handsome, but he also had adults surrounding him.
He was too impressive.

The first time Ruan Mengmeng saw He Yiyang, she idolized and worshipped him.
She spent the whole summer running after him, calling him brother and brother, hoping he would take her along for the ride.

Throwing away the yogurt bottle, Ruan Mengmeng stopped and tapped on WeChat to find He Yiyang’s avatar.
She scrolled to the latest message He Yiyang had sent her.

　　

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[Are you bored? I’ll hack you if you harass me again!]

　　

The tone was harsh but justifiable.

When He Yiyang’s parents died in a car accident not long ago, Grandpa He had rushed from the county to H City to deal with the fallout.
On his way, he made a special call to Ruan Mengmeng to let her care for He Yiyang, as his childhood friend.

　　

However, He Yiyang had not needed her care.

 

Ruan Mengmeng sighed and quit WeChat.

She had arrived at the vegetable market.
As she walked past the fresh, clean fruit and vegetable stalls, looking at the red bell peppers, the carrots topped with bright green leaves, the lovely purple aubergines, and the watery slim cucumbers in a variety of colors, Ruan Mengmeng’s mood changed for the better again.

After she bought a pocketful of vegetables from Auntie Wang, a vegetable vendor she knew quite well, she went back to the first floor.

The owner of the butcher’s shop had a large waist and his shoulders were bare in the heat.
When he turned around, his face was full of crossed flesh, but when he saw Ruan Mengmeng, he smiled.
“Mengmeng, did you come to buy meat?”

She smiled and nodded her head, calling out to her uncle politely.

　　

The butcher liked Ruan Mengmeng the most.
To him, she respected the fruits of his labour.
Just look at her, so round, lovely,… and well-coloured, he sighed.
What a blessed girl.

By the time Ruan Mengmeng walked out of the market, her hands were full.
The sun was in the sky, and there were dappled shadows under the trees.

*

He Yiyang pulled down the brim of his hat and pretended not to hear the whispered discussion between the two girls in the next seat.

　　

“He’s so handsome.
His profile is so charming and his legs are long.
“

　　

“I want to take a picture with him.
Do you think he’ll agree?”

　　

“I feel as though he’s quite cold.
I don’t dare talk to him.
Shhh, let’s take a picture.”

　　

He Yiyang impatiently put the headphones around his neck and turned sideways.

The radio on the plane started to play notes.
It was a three-hour flight from H to C.
He planned to get some rest for a while.
After all, he hadn’t slept for thirty-six hours.

Before he could close his eyelids, a small, fair, round face with a smile appeared in his mind.

It had been three years since he had seen Ruan Mengmeng, but he had not forgotten a single bit of her face.
Although he had contacted her occasionally, he simply couldn’t understand why he could not forget.

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He Yiyang came out with the crowd and waved when he saw his grandfather, who had come to meet the plane.<