Twin Cities Story

Senior Brother

Suddenly it started to rain. The past few days had been sunny and windy, and it hadn't rained since autumn began. Being in the sun made me feel irritable, much like Shi Lu's mood at that moment.

His girlfriend of four years broke up with him that afternoon. Shi Lu paused for a moment when he said those two words, then looked back at her. There was a hint of reluctance, a touch of sadness, and perhaps a sense of relief in her eyes. Shi Lu felt a slight pang in his heart, but quickly regained his composure.

“Okay.” Schru turned his head away from her, a hint of regret in his voice. But in reality, he felt nothing at all.

I felt nothing at all.

They'd been together for four years, their relationship characterized by polite respect, but devoid of passion. Shi Lu sometimes wondered if they'd gotten together in the first place because of the somber atmosphere of graduation at their university, that palpable, bittersweet sadness that made them both sentimental, and how their loneliness had led them to desperately seek solace. Later, they pursued graduate studies together, and now, with graduation approaching, another separation looms.

Tears welled in her eyes as they parted, and Shi Lu kindly offered her blessings, trying her best to make the farewell seem less sad. She said she had found a good job in Shanghai and would be leaving in a few days.

"And you? What are your plans?" she asked.

"Me? I'll stay on campus. The school has already approved my internship. I'll be working as a teaching assistant in one of the department's secondary colleges when the semester starts."

It's not that I haven't considered moving to a big city, but I feel I'm too lazy. From elementary school to middle school, high school, university, and even graduate school, I just kept studying without thinking about doing anything else. If it weren't for the exhausting doctoral entrance exams, I probably would have continued studying like that. I really don't have any ideas about the future.

Actually, this isn't so bad. Schru smiled as he watched his ex-girlfriend walk out of his sight, comforting himself. No need to overthink it; at least in this ivory tower, he could make things a little easier.

But he was still inexplicably irritable. He tugged at his shirt collar and looked up at the sky again. The once cloudless blue sky was suddenly filled with dark clouds, the wind became turbulent, and before long, it started to rain.

Shi Lu sat listlessly in a roadside ice cream shop. For seven years now, since university, he'd always enjoyed sitting like this, legs outstretched, at a table under an open-air parasol, watching the dappled shadows of the trees and the passing crowds, especially in the summer. He and his dorm buddies would sit together, order a few beers, and chat and joke about the pretty girls walking by. What memorable times those were.

Perhaps because it was raining today, there were very few pedestrians on the street. Bored, Shi Lu closed his eyes and listened intently to the sound of raindrops falling on the umbrella, the window, and the ground. The sound was different depending on where they fell; on the umbrella, it was a pattering sound; on the window, the sound was slightly more pleasant; and on the ground, it was a rapid, pattering sound.

Boring, really boring.

Just as Shi Lu was about to explode with boredom, a clear, crisp voice rang in his ears. He opened his eyes and met a pair of slender, phoenix-shaped eyes. Those eyes were deep and captivating, like a still pool, slightly curved, carrying a faint smile.

The person with the phoenix eyes asked, "Hello, senior brother, could you tell me which way to Building 12 in the East District?"

He called him "senior brother".

Shi Lu sat up straight and checked his attire: an orange striped short-sleeved shirt, light blue jeans, and sandals—he really did look like a lazy senior. It seemed he needed to seriously consider his clothing, otherwise the freshmen wouldn't know how to write the words "respect for teachers and education" when school started.

Shi Lu pointed to the campus map hanging above his head, indicating that Danfengyan should look at it himself. But Danfengyan looked up twice and then smiled at him, saying in his clear voice, "Sorry, senior, I'm nearsighted and can't see clearly without my glasses."

Schru sighed helplessly and stood up: "Alright, I'll take you. It's on the way anyway."

The woman with phoenix eyes smiled with obvious satisfaction and whispered thank you. She even gave a slight bow and nodded to Shi Lu as she said thank you, displaying excellent manners.

The rain continued, showing no signs of stopping, and even seemed to be intensifying. Shi Lu walked in the rain, taking large strides and walking quickly without an umbrella. Danfengyan hurriedly followed behind, wanting to share an umbrella with him, but unfortunately, she couldn't keep up. After about five minutes, Shi Lu heard a faint panting sound behind her. The sound suggested she was struggling, but she followed silently, her feet splashing in the water. Eventually, she closed the umbrella and continued to follow in silence.

Quiet child. Shiru thought to himself, slowing his pace so the people behind him wouldn't have to struggle so much. He suddenly remembered a walk he had with his ex-girlfriend on campus; she had jokingly scolded him, "This isn't a walk, it's like you're rushing to your next life."

Somewhat amused, Shi Lu turned around to look at the person behind him and reminded him, "We're almost there." Unexpectedly, he bumped into the boy. It turned out the child was so focused on following Shi Lu's steps that he hadn't noticed he had turned around.

It hurt a little when that round head bumped into my shoulder. The child also rubbed his head and let out a soft "Ouch." He looked up at Shi Lu with a slightly aggrieved expression, but it quickly turned into an apologetic smile.

Her rosy cheeks and light pink lips parted as if to say thank you.

Shi Lu's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

Building 12 in the East District is where Shi Lu used to live when he was in college. It is a male dormitory with a long history on campus. Back then, it was an old red brick building, but now it has been renovated and you can no longer see its original weathered color.

Shi Lu pointed with his phoenix eyes to the building in front of him: "Look, it's over there."

Danfeng eyes smiled and thanked him, then walked excitedly in that direction. Shi Lu watched his back; he was a slender boy, somewhat like the rain—cool and gentle. He wore a black and white striped long-sleeved hooded sweatshirt, dark blue jeans, and a red, white, and blue cloth belt around his waist. Although thin, his clothing perfectly compensated for this, giving him a pleasing and refreshing appearance, even the way he walked exuded a sunny joy.

"Youth is wonderful!" Shi Lu suddenly exclaimed. She thought she was probably like that when she first entered university, naive, joyful, and innocent. But now, after almost seven years in university, she'd become a seasoned veteran, and naivety and innocence were no longer associated with her. Even joy seemed to have faded considerably. Had she really become so numb?

"The one you don't love keeps bothering you / The one you love isn't in your arms / What you have is no longer needed / What you long for is unattainable..." Jacky Cheung's "Trouble Song" came through the phone. Shi Lu took it out and saw that the caller ID showed it was her mother calling. She quickly answered.

"Mom, what instructions do you have for today?" Shi Lu asked with a grin and a loud voice.

"Are you coming home for dinner tonight? I'm going to buy a chicken to cook. If you come back with Sasha, I'll buy some more groceries." My mother is a straightforward person; she speaks clearly and concisely, and her voice is incredibly loud.

"I'll go back, but I'll go alone. You can buy whatever you want." Shi Lu smiled wryly. Sasha? Sasha just broke up with me.

"You bullied her again? Why didn't she come back for dinner with you? You brat!"

"No, how could I? Mom, I'm busy! Okay!... Hello?... Hello? My phone's dead, I'm hanging up!" Shi Lu made an excuse to hang up on her mother, letting out a long sigh of relief. However, she couldn't hide from this forever. Sooner or later, her mother would interrogate her. She really didn't know what she was struggling with.

Building 12, East Zone.

Yao Lexi stood downstairs, looked up at the window at the very end of the third floor, and a smile appeared on her lips. She quickly ran to the front door and, taking advantage of the old gatekeeper's inattention, quietly slipped inside. She jogged over, glancing triumphantly at the snoring old gatekeeper, and playfully stuck out her tongue.

It's still early before school starts, and Building 12 in the East District is mainly occupied by graduating seniors; it's basically empty now. Footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, making Le Xi feel a mix of excitement and sudden melancholy.

Go upstairs, turn left, walk to the end, and push open the door.

The dormitory room, supposedly for four people, could fit eight. The walls were pristine white, and the beds were completely empty. It's unimaginable what it must have been like when it was overcrowded and noisy.

It's said that during the hottest part of summer, everyone would sit together eating watermelon. They wouldn't even use a knife; they'd just smash it open with their fists, each person getting a slice, and devouring it. They'd chatter noisily shower in the washroom, laughing and joking. Now, with air conditioning and private bathrooms, everything's available, but will the people living there still have that same enthusiasm?

Lexi walked straight to the bed by the window, squatted down, and ran her hand along the smooth wall.

If it's an eight-person bed, the lower bunk should be in this position.

Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, her fingers lingered, and she whispered, "Brother Qi Hui, I've arrived at this school too! Where are you?"

Are you still in America? Have you already forgotten me?

On this wall, you said you used to put up photos of us together. But now, nothing's left. Not a trace of the life you described in this dorm room remains.

Le Xi shook her head, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and comforted herself. After all, so many years had passed, how could she still stay? But she still couldn't help want

……