ten years

【text】

ten years

Author: New Novel

Foreword, The Farthest Distance in the World

The furthest distance in the world is not the distance between life and death, but that I stand before you and you do not know I love you. The furthest distance in the world is not that I stand before you and you do not know I love you, but that I love you to the point of obsession, yet cannot say "I love you." The furthest distance in the world is not that I cannot say "I love you," but that I miss you so much that my heart aches, yet I can only bury it deep within my heart. The furthest distance in the world is not that I cannot say "I miss you," but that we love each other, yet cannot be together. The furthest distance in the world is not that we love each other, yet cannot be together, but that we know true love is invincible, yet pretend not to care. The furthest distance in the world is not the distance between trees, but that branches growing from the same root cannot lean on each other in the wind. The furthest distance in the world is not that branches cannot lean on each other, but that stars gazing at each other have no intersecting paths. The furthest distance in the world is not the path between stars, but that even if paths intersect, they are instantly lost. The furthest distance in the world is not that they are instantly lost, but that before even meeting, they are destined never to be together. The furthest distance in the world is the distance between a fish and a bird, one in the sky, the other deep in the sea.

—Rabindranath Tagore, "The Furthest Distance in the World"

Volume One: First Love Like Clouds

1. Climbing trees

University is such a happy place. Xiao Qiqi looked around curiously at the place where she would be living for four years. Rows of tall locust trees, sycamore trees, pine trees, magnolia trees, and even pear trees, peach trees, and osmanthus trees were planted along the main roads and paths. The greenery was even more lush than the hill behind her home.

Xiao Qiqi walked along the edge of the soccer field, watching a group of spirited male students play. One of the boys was tall and slender, with exceptionally good skills. His short hair, damp with sweat, almost clung to his head. With a flying kick, the ball drew a beautiful arc and went into the goal! Xiao Qiqi couldn't help but whistle. So cool!

This is the last day of registration for the new semester. Tomorrow we'll be doing military training, which will last for a month and a half before we're divided into classes, meet our homeroom teachers, and meet our classmates. Before we're divided into classes, in the Party's words, we're all proletarian brothers and sisters, one family.

Thinking about the hardships of the next month and a half, Xiao Qiqi couldn't help but roll her eyes. A ball flew towards her without warning. Xiao Qiqi, her feet itching to play, leaned to the side, hooked her foot, and the ball miraculously spun and stopped at her feet. This drew several long whistles and sparse applause from the field. The tall boy who had just played so skillfully ran over, calling from afar, "Hey, kick the ball over here!" Xiao Qiqi looked up, squinting at the boy in the setting sun—perfect features, a gentle smile. Xiao Qiqi almost whistled again. She stepped back, kicked, put force into it—oh no, the direction was off! Xiao Qiqi deflated, blowing her short hair on her forehead.

With a graceful arc, the ball hurtled towards the setting sun and crashed into a lush, ancient locust tree on the edge of the playground. Then, a whooshing sound of branches snapping filled the air. Xiao Qiqi watched anxiously as several small, oval, emerald-green leaves slowly fell from the tree. She checked and checked again, from top to bottom, and there were only leaves falling, not the ball!

The tall boy had already run up to Xiao Qiqi and followed her gaze, checking from top to bottom again and again, confirming that there were only fallen leaves and no fallen balls.

The boy gave a wry smile. "Dude, it seems the ball doesn't want to go home."

Xiao Qiqi nodded seriously, "It has found a new lover, so it has decided to build a nest in the tree and run away from home!"

The boy couldn't help but smile. This classmate, who was wearing an oversized T-shirt that looked like it came from somewhere and ripped jeans, was actually a girl, and she was telling such a joke with such a serious expression.

The boy waved to his classmates on the court, saying, "The ball fell into a tree, we can't play anymore."

A chorus of boos erupted as the group of young men quickly packed up their clothes and left the court. Someone called out from afar, "Xia Xuan, you're in charge of getting the ball back. We're going to play basketball."

"Got it!" Xia Xuan waved and nodded to Li Yue. Turning around, she realized her female classmate was gone. "No way, she ran away so fast after causing trouble." But how was she going to get the ball from the tree? Where could she find a big bamboo pole? Xia Xuan pondered as she walked towards the locust tree.

A girl passing by exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! So handsome!" Xia Xuan heard this and smiled politely.

"Hey, what's that wriggling in that tree?" Xia Xuan's smile vanished. Good heavens! That girl, with her bare, delicate feet, was climbing towards the treetop like a monkey. "Hey, come down quickly, be careful not to fall!" Xia Xuan looked at the girl; her rosy cheeks and bright eyes were fixed on the treetop, so focused it was almost unbelievable. Her slender figure leaped and disappeared into the green branches in a few bounds. Xia Xuan watched the branches tremble, and through the gaps, she saw the girl moving among the branches. Her heart pounded in her chest.

Xiao Qiqi hadn't climbed a tree in a long time, and felt she shouldn't miss such a good opportunity. Her feet were itching, so she silently ran to the locust tree, took off her shoes, and with a few leaps, climbed the old tree. She was focused on finding the black and white ball nestled among the green leaves and branches, and didn't hear Xia Xuan calling from below. Finally, on a thinner new branch, a dirty ball lay lifelessly wedged there. Xiao Qiqi carefully moved her feet—damn it, she should have worn shoes! This locust tree was covered in bumps, and stepping on it hurt terribly!

Seeing Xiao Qiqi's figure moving towards the slender branch, Xia Xuan couldn't help but exclaim, "Hey classmate, be careful! Don't fall!"

Xiao Qiqi was startled by the sudden scream. Her body trembled, and if she hadn't grabbed the tree trunk in time, she would have been sent flying headfirst into the air like a wild goose landing on its backside! Xiao Qiqi couldn't help but curse under her breath, "You damn peach blossom, you look decent enough, but how can your mouth be so venomous? What good will it do you if you fall?"

Xia Xuan watched as Xiao Qiqi shuddered and nearly fell, startled. He ran a step towards the tree trunk, reaching out as if to catch her as she fell. He only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Xiao Qiqi carefully clinging to the trunk. Oh, why was she glaring at him? Xia Xuan stroked his chin. Her eyes were quite beautiful; they would be even more beautiful if she didn't glare at people.

A dark shadow flashed past Xia Xuan's eyes in an arc. Xia Xuan jumped again, rushed over and grabbed the shadow. His arms were too big and the shadow was too small. With a "whoosh", the shadow ended up hugging him!

"Haha..." A hearty, clear laugh came from the tree. Xiao Qiqi sat on a branch and laughed happily as she watched Xia Xuan's comical actions.

Xia Xuan watched angrily as the troublesome ball rolled away from her feet. Looking up, she saw the girl laughing heartily. Her bright eyes shimmered like the colors of the sea, her clean, white teeth gleamed like scallops with a dazzling pearly sheen, and her delicate face was all scrunched up with joy, like a cute doll. Her slender, white feet dangled in the air, dangling gently. Xia Xuan felt a tightness in her chest, as if something had entered her heart.

Xia Xuan picked up the ball, looked up at the girl in the tree, who was perched on a branch, chin in hand, gazing at the sky, completely different from before. "What are you looking at?" Xia Xuan asked curiously. Xiao Qiqi put a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. Xia Xuan couldn't help but look up at the sky as well. The setting sun had already sank behind the western mountains, its long tail trailing behind it. Dazzling clouds spread across the entire sky, the azure horizon, white clouds, red glow, mist, and sunset weaving together into a dreamlike painting.

Xiao Qiqi sat in the tree, and Xia Xuan stood under the tree. The two looked at the western horizon, watching the beautiful scene slowly disappear into the earth until only a gray-white sky remained.

"Hey, come down quickly. It's already dark." Xia Xuan didn't know why, but for the first time, he was so worried about a girl. It's so late, what if she can't get down after dark?

Xiao Qiqi agreed, then leaped down from the locust tree in a few quick movements, plopped down on the ground, and touched her toes. Xia Xuan walked over, "Is your foot injured?"

Xiao Qiqi looked up, her clear black and white eyes sparkling. "Hmm, old tree bark is awful! No wonder I always write in my essays that farmers' faces look like old tree bark." Xiao Qiqi pouted and put on her socks. "What bad luck!"

"Let me buy you some medicine, otherwise you won't be able to walk tomorrow," Xia Xuan said cautiously, following behind the limping Xiao Qiqi.

"Sure, it's because of your ball that it got hurt anyway." Xiao Qiqi raised her chin and answered matter-of-factly. Jiang Yilan often said that it's foolish not to take advantage of a situation, but she wasn't a fool! "I can't leave, I'll sit here and wait for you." Xiao Qiqi shifted her butt and sat down on the cement steps next to a magnolia tree by the roadside.

Xia Xuan was taken aback. This girl was really straightforward. He smiled, held the soccer ball in his left hand, and took big strides to run.

"Hey, wait!" Xiao Qiqi suddenly shouted. Xia Xuan turned around in surprise, and Xiao Qiqi pointed to the soccer ball at his waist, "Put that down!"

Xia Xuan asked in confusion, "Why?"

Xiao Qiqi sighed resignedly. Sure enough, no one is perfect. Such a handsome young man was actually an idiot! "Use the football as collateral, otherwise you won't buy me the medicine and will run away. Where am I supposed to find you?" He said matter-of-factly and as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Xia Xuan smiled again, looking like a cute, awkward, and petty little girl. "Okay, put the ball down as collateral. I'm Xia Xuan, a freshman from the class of '98, in the School of Statistics, student ID 199854077. Are you relieved now?"

Xiao Qiqi nodded in a serious manner, "A promising young man!"

Xia Xuan was both amused and exasperated. She laughed and ran towards the school gate.

II. Military Training

Xiao Qiqi applied the band-aid Xia Xuan had bought, then nonchalantly returned Xia Xuan's collateral and limped back to her dorm. As soon as she pushed open the door, a waft of perfume made her take a few steps back. Xiao Qiqi yelled, "Yellow Fish, your companion stinks?"

Huang Yu, whose real name is Huang Yu, is a genuine Northeastern girl. She is tall and strong, standing at 1.7 meters, and is said to weigh 160 jin (approximately 80 kg), but after rounding down, according to Xiao Qiqi, the rounding down is about 9 jin (approximately 4.5 kg).

Huang Yu laughed and pulled Xiao Qiqi into the house, tapping her on the head. Xiao Qiqi turned her head away, dodging the tap. "If you knock my head silly, you'll have to take responsibility!" But her eyes had already caught sight of a beautiful woman sitting in the empty bunk below her, number three, smiling at them. Xiao Qiqi felt her breath catch in her throat, and her mouth watered. Oh, how awful! Xiao Qiqi swallowed, finding the source of the fragrance: the beauty effect!

The beautiful woman stood up gracefully, revealing her stunning figure. "I am Xu Chun, and you must be Qi Qi?" Her melodious voice was like the song of a lark.

Xiao Qiqi sighed. University was indeed full of hidden talents; Jiang Yilan's foul mouth had finally paid off. He'd just encountered a ridiculously handsome, idiotic guy, and now a stunningly beautiful woman. Xiao Qiqi smiled obsequiously and extended his hand, "Hello, hello! Nice to meet you!" The beautiful woman frowned slightly, and Huang Yu slapped Xiao Qiqi's dirty hand away, "Go wash your hands!"

The seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girls quickly became acquainted. Xiao Qiqi gradually got used to the scent and no longer found it pungent; she even found it warm, soft, and pleasant. Lin Wen, the youngest, most innocent, and cutest girl in the dorm, couldn't help but ask, "Xu Chun, what perfume are you wearing? It smells so good!"

Xu Chun smiled shyly, a blush spreading across her fair face. "I didn't put on any perfume. It's probably just my natural scent."

Xiao Qiqi was so surprised she almost choked on her food. A modern-day Fragrant Concubine? Lin Wen excitedly patted Xiao Qiqi, "Qiqi, oh my god, Fragrant Concubine!" She then grabbed Xu Chun's hand, "There's a lake outside the east gate of the school, and there are lots and lots of beautiful flowers and plants around it. Tomorrow we'll go and try to attract butterflies!"

One sentence made Xiao Qiqi unable to hold back any longer and she choked completely, huffing and puffing as she crawled into the toilet and coughed violently.

The next day, Xu Chun didn't attract the butterflies to Zihu Lake as Lin Wen had hoped; instead, she attracted a group of animals that could be described as having raging hormones. Military training, team assignments. The moment the beautiful Xu Chun appeared, a flurry of eyes flew to

……