"Why should I tell you?" Ruolin pursed her lips, refusing to answer.
Han Haoxuan stared at the river, a faint smile playing on his lips. He didn't take Ruolin's words to heart, clearly used to her attitude. After a moment's thought, he said, "I really like this place. It holds my childhood memories."
"Childhood memories?" Ruolin stared at Han Haoxuan with wide eyes, feeling a little strange. How could such an open space hold his childhood memories? However, she was still very interested in listening to him continue.
“When I was little, my parents were busy with work, so they left me in the care of my grandparents. They used to have a relatively new villa nearby, but it was demolished and is no longer there. It was only after I went to live with my grandparents that I discovered how much fun life could have,” Han Haoxuan continued, his thoughts returning to his most innocent childhood.
Previously, Han Haoxuan's parents were always busy with work and would leave him alone at home to be looked after by a nanny. At that time, he was still in kindergarten, and he felt lonely and isolated as soon as he got home from school because there was no one to play with and it was difficult to find someone to talk to.
One day, his parents noticed that he was always sullen and decided to let him stay at his grandmother's house for a while during the summer vacation.
Several families living next to Grandma's house have children, all around the same age as Han Haoxuan. They usually arrange to meet up beforehand to play together. These children, who are usually very well-behaved at home, become more playful than anyone else once they leave home. The adults give them a few words of advice and then let them play. Of course, these children are quite obedient, so the adults don't need to worry too much.
Han Haoxuan still remembers the first time he went to play with his friends, he got covered in mud. He had always been very clean, but this time, although he looked filthy from the mud, he was actually very happy. When he got home, he inevitably received a scolding. Although his grandmother said those things, she still helped him change into clean clothes, asked him if he had fun, and told him not to be so naughty next time.
Having tasted the joy of playing with his friends, how could Han Haoxuan possibly give up? He called his playmates out to play almost every day, and they would only go back after playing to their hearts' content.
Once, after walking for a while, they suddenly saw an open space with a wide river in front of it. The river water was crystal clear, and they could see the tender green water plants floating in it.
They were incredibly excited. It was summer, so they rolled up their trousers, waded into the water, and played around. They splashed each other's faces with water until they were both completely soaked.
This time they learned a way to go home without getting scolded by the adults. Since they were all boys, they didn't need to worry about anything. Before going home, they would take off their clothes, wring them out a few times, and then lay them flat on the ground. The summer sun was strong, and the clothes dried quickly. Only after the clothes were dry did they go home. This method worked well, but sometimes, if they played late and the sun was almost setting, they couldn't use it anymore and would have to wait to be scolded.
That was the case that time.
Ever since Han Haoxuan discovered this wonderful spot, he often brought his friends here. One time, he had a sudden inspiration. Watching the adults fishing, he thought it would be even more fun to catch fish in the water. So he led the others into the water to catch fish. From the shore, they could clearly see the fish swimming in the water, seemingly right in front of them, as if they could reach out and catch them. However, once they were in the water, the clever fish all quickly darted away, disappearing in an instant. They couldn't help but wonder, how could the fish run so fast?
Back then, they were still quite short and didn't dare venture into the deep water, only playing on the bank. While constantly catching fish, Han Haoxuan's small feet sank into the mud, wading through the water, gradually turning the clear river murky. The fish, initially clearly visible, were now nowhere to be seen. After figuring out the pattern, he would stand still in one spot, waiting for the water to clear up so he could see the fish again. Then he would slowly bend down, lower his body, and gently bring his hand close to the surface. Just as he was about to catch a fish, his hand would be empty in the blink of an eye; the fish had already escaped. This happened frequently, so Han Haoxuan devised a method: he made his own fishing tool, finding a long bamboo pole and attaching a net to the end. This was much better than catching fish barehanded. His friends followed suit. This method allowed them to catch quite a few fish. Although the fish were small, their joy was indescribable.
As evening approached, they were still playing, seemingly full of energy. Han Haoxuan, seeing that it was getting late, called his friends to go home. Looking down at their soaked clothes, they shook their heads helplessly.
Back home, a scolding was inevitable. This time, Han Haoxuan pouted and tried to reason with his grandmother, saying he came home so late because he had caught fish to make soup for her. Sure enough, his grandmother fell silent, stroking Han Haoxuan's head with her aged hand, a smile appearing on her face. Grandma probably knew the little guy was lying, but she was still pleased that he could tell such a beautiful lie.
The fireflies of that summer were also a fond memory for Han Haoxuan.
It was a chance discovery. The group of friends had been playing late, and one of them spotted something flashing and excitedly called out to them. He said he loved catching fireflies at night. That was the first time Han Haoxuan had ever seen fireflies. He rarely went out at night before, and even when he did, he couldn't see any fireflies in the bustling city. He was very curious, and seeing his friends chasing the tiny, glowing object, he eagerly followed them.
As darkness fell, the stars twinkled in the sky, and more and more tiny fireflies appeared on the ground, seemingly illuminating the dark night and adding much light. The fireflies liked to hide in the grass and on the branches of willow trees. They thought they were well hidden, but their flickering bodies betrayed them. Han Haoxuan followed the light they emitted, carefully walked up to them, opened his hand, and pounced, catching them red-handed.
They found an old glass bottle, put the fireflies they had caught inside, and then gently screwed the cap on to prevent them from escaping.
With their combined efforts, they quickly caught quite a few fireflies. One of the children held a bottle, and they all sat around him, carefully watching the poor fireflies inside. The fireflies clung to the bottle's walls, seemingly trying to escape. Perhaps they didn't understand why they could see what was outside but couldn't get out, so they kept bumping against the bottle walls, doing futile work. However, Han Haoxuan and the others were too young to understand; they simply found it very amusing, watching the fireflies' flashing bodies illuminate the transparent bottle, which looked quite beautiful.
That summer, Han Haoxuan, who had fair skin, got tanned dark, looking just like a little mudfish.
Later, when summer vacation ended and his parents were about to take him away, he was reluctant to leave. He was reluctant to leave his grandmother, his friends, and his amusement park. But no matter how reluctant he was, he still had to go.
On the day he left, while his parents were talking to his grandparents, Han Haoxuan secretly slipped out, called the group of kids, and went to the open space again, as a final farewell.
At that time, he didn't understand the sadness of parting. He only knew that he was reluctant to leave this place. He experienced all the joy he had never known before. He felt that this place was much more fun than the amusement parks his parents took him to. Here, he could play to his heart's content and be free. He felt that this was his real amusement park, a paradise on earth that he had never experienced before. It was filled with laughter and joy, and held too many beautiful memories for him to forget.
Later, I can't remember when, the area was slated for demolition, and my grandmother moved away, as did my childhood playmates. Much later, when he went there again, thankfully, the vacant lot was still intact.
Although his childhood playmates have disappeared, Han Haoxuan's childhood amusement park has always remained.
Chapter Thirty-Five
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"I never imagined your childhood was so interesting. Looking at your gentle and refined appearance, I would never have guessed that you were so mischievous as a child. Listening to you tell me, you were really cute when you were little." Ruolin smiled slightly, seemingly touched by the story Han Haoxuan told.
"Looking back now, it's still so interesting. My childhood wasn't wasted," Han Haoxuan said, a smile playing on his lips. He paused for a moment, then turned and looked down at Ruolin, saying solemnly, "I've never brought anyone here before. You're the first."
Ruolin was momentarily dazed, her eyes somewhat unfocused, and staring at Han Haoxuan's serious expression, she was speechless for a moment.
The first one, in Ruolin's view, always contains countless meanings, but it is inconvenient to say them outright.
Han Haoxuan gave a half-smile, then turned around, took a tablecloth from the trunk of his car, walked to the shore, spread it out, and gestured for Ruolin to sit down.
"What a thoughtful person," Ruolin said with a slight smile, then sat down.
"I've always carried it with me." Han Haoxuan grinned.
The moon was as bright as a crystal, shimmering with light, which was reflected in wisps on the water.
Ruolin seemed to be immersed in the beautiful scenery, and the floodgates of her memory were opened.
The night was just as beautiful, with a full moon hanging in the sky, but it was already winter, and the air was bitterly cold.
After evening self-study, Ruolin sat quietly in the corridor waiting for Mu Jingyan.
Today is Mu Jingyan's birthday. After learning about it from her classmates, she carefully prepared a gift for him. She was short of money at the time, so the gift was homemade and very ordinary, but it took her almost a month of her spare time to make it.
Afraid that her little secret would be discovered by others, she secretly slipped a small note into Mu Jingyan's book after class at noon when the classroom was empty. She wrote down the location and time, but did not sign her name.
Looking back now, that was probably the boldest thing she'd ever done besides arranging a blind date for Xinyu. She thought her crush would end after that, but that wasn't the case.
Ruolin clutched the gift to her chest, still sitting in an inconspicuous corner. A cold wind whistled against her face, stinging slightly, but despite this, Ruolin's heart was filled with warmth.
Around the fifteenth of the lunar month, the moon was exceptionally round, its reflection on the water like a golden plate, or like golden ears of wheat in autumn, so heavy that it seemed to penetrate Ruolin's heart, giving rise to a bright hope within her.
At that moment, she wished that from then on, they could be like the full moon, becoming one, radiating endless light.
She once wrote in her diary: You are the waxing crescent moon, I am the waning crescent moon. If one day, I hope we can become one, a full moon. Because the waxing crescent moon and the waning crescent moon never intersect; they are lonely, incomplete beings that have missed each other.
The laughter and chatter of her classmates gradually subsided, and she occasionally saw several sweet couples walking past her. Ruolin's hopeful heart began to sink little by little.
She knew this was his last birthday at school, and they might never see each other again. She only wanted him to remember her, to remember that a girl had once stopped for him on a certain day. This remembrance didn't need to be permanent; even a moment, a fleeting instant, would be enough for her.
The wind blew coldly, and the moonlight on the river seemed to be slowly fading. Ruolin looked up at the sky; the night was intensely dark, without a single star, but the moon was still very round, adorning the sky with a soft light.
Her hands were clasped tightly together, cold as ice. But the gift was held tightly to her chest, as if afraid the biting wind would steal away its meager warmth.
The campus began to quiet down, the sounds of students moving about ceased, and it was almost time for the dormitory lights to go out. Ruolin began to feel a little impatient, complaining about why Mu Jingyan hadn't arrived yet.
This time, she came with high hopes. She thought that since he was just a classmate giving her a small gift, he would probably come.
But he never came.
Ruolin returned to her dormitory dejectedly under the moonlight. The lights were already off, and she tiptoed in. Fortunately, everyone in the dormitory was chatting, and no one noticed that she was returning so late.
She tossed and turned in bed all night, unable to fall asleep.
She didn't know why he wouldn't come; after waiting for so long, all she got was nothing.
She thought, perhaps, she was never his waning crescent moon, and he was never her waxing crescent moon.
They are destined to wander in lonely cycles on divergent paths.
However, Ruolin was somewhat relieved that Mu Jingyan hadn't come. She wondered what she would have said to him if he had actually come.
The next day, when Ruolin was talking to the person behind her, her eyes secretly glanced at that familiar desk.
Mu Jingyan remained engrossed in his book, his expression unchanged from usual, as if nothing had happened. Ruolin's heart slowly began to relax; seeing his expression, she felt that the reason for his absence was no longer so important.
The matter passed by uneventfully, like a calm bowl of water. Afterwards, Ruolin never did anything similar again, and Mu Jingyan never came to see her; they continued as usual.
However, Ruolin still harbored a secret crush on him.
Chapter Thirty-Six
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"What are you thinking about?" Han Haoxuan's pleasant voice interrupted Ruolin's thoughts.
“…Oh.” Ruolin came to her senses and responded softly, a faint smile appearing on her face. “It’s nothing.”
"Can you tell me about your childhood?" Han Haoxuan asked, looking at Ruolin.
"..." Ruolin's clear eyes suddenly darkened. She hadn't wanted to think about those dark times, but since someone had asked, her memories could no longer be hidden.
Her childhood was happy, with her parents and younger sister by her side, but later...
She didn't want to recall that unbearable past. Compared to Han Haoxuan's childhood, hers was rather miserable, like a desolate autumn wind that would carry away even the last fallen leaf. Ruolin thought that if her father hadn't left, perhaps her childhood would have been just as wonderful. However, there are no "what ifs" in reality.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Han Haoxuan asked gently.
“My father left us when I was little. I thought he would come back soon, but more than ten years have passed and he still hasn’t returned,” Ruolin said softly, a sad look on her face.
"..." Han Haoxuan looked at Ruolin, whose face was full of sorrow, and felt guilty. But when he asked how he knew things would turn out this way, he said with remorse, "I'm sorry." His tone was sincere.
"You don't need to apologize to me." Ruolin wiped the sadness from her face and tried her best to smile. "It's all in the past."
"Look." Han Haoxuan pointed to the night sky, diverting Ruolin's attention.
"Hmm?" Ruolin exclaimed in surprise, then looked up.
Ruolin gazed intently at the star-filled night sky and the moon surrounded by stars. Based on her geographical knowledge, she deduced that it was a waning crescent moon, its shape resembling a ship moored at the shore, a truly beautiful sight.
"You can't see such a beautiful night view in the city center with its towering buildings, can you?" Han Haoxuan said.
"Mm." Ruolin nodded, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
Ruolin hadn't been able to relax for a long time. Every day she shuttled between her workplace, restaurants, the little girl's house, and her own home, busy as a spinning top. Even when she was tired and suffering, she couldn't let herself rest for a while.
This time, finally someone gave her a break, both physically and mentally.
"Do you like looking at the stars?" Han Haoxuan asked, gazing at the night sky. His dark eyes, like the stars in the night sky, seemed to sparkle with starlight.
Ruolin nodded and said, "When I was little, I loved counting stars. One, two, three... I would keep counting until my eyes got tired. Later, I thought..." Ruolin stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence and didn't continue.
"What happened next? Why did you stop talking about it?" Han Haoxuan asked softly.
"Later, I wanted to pluck all these stars and keep them for myself." Ruolin made up a flimsy lie. In reality, she wanted to count the stars with the person she loved. But she didn't want to tell Han Haoxuan this true thought, otherwise, she didn't know what he would think. However, she couldn't deny that Han Haoxuan was the first man to watch the stars with her.
"If you like it here, you can come again next time," Han Haoxuan said, offering his invitation like a host.
“This is where you reminisce about your wonderful childhood. Wouldn’t my arrival ruin your ideal paradise on earth?” Ruolin smiled slightly.
"No." Han Haoxuan looked at Ruolin, his eyes filled with tenderness, and said softly, "You can also be a part of this paradise."
The low words seemed to possess an infinite allure, gently striking Ruolin's heart and causing it to tremble slightly.
Ruolin looked at the man sitting beside her. He was handsome, with deep, bright eyes that shone like stars, and a gentle smile that warmed her heart like the winter sun.
A gentle breeze blew by, and they were so close that Ruolin could faintly smell a light, refreshing scent emanating from Han Haoxuan. It was like mint or vanilla, hard to identify, yet a unique fragrance that brought a sense of comfort.
Their eyes met, and the moonlight shone on them, casting a faint golden glow.
Han Haoxuan gazed at Ruolin with deep, burning eyes, as if a small flame was burning within them. The moonlight made his face appear even more handsome.
The surroundings were quiet, save for the occasional rustling of insects and their slightly hurried breathing. Ruolin felt that Han Haoxuan's gaze was burning hot, as if it were scorching her heart, and the heat was gradually rising.
"Smack!" A soft sound broke the silence, yet it was clearly audible to Ruolin. Han Haoxuan noticed the mosquitoes buzzing around Ruolin's ears and gently swatted them away with both hands.